TIN
MILL BREWING CO.
114GutenbergStreet
Hermann, MO65041
(573)486-2275
In 1836, German immigrants dissatisfied
with life in Philadelphia moved to Hermann intent on preserving their
culture.
Today, some 172 years later, that culture remains alive with
traditional
German festivals in May and October of each year but the real culture
of
this small town is "How to live off the tourist dollar". The city,located
about an hours drive from St. Louis on the Missouri River and hence the
Lewis and Clark Trail, is filled with antique shops, craft stores, the
German School of Arts & Crafts, bed and breakfast lodgings, a
winery
and now even a brewery. The city fills up with tourists on Friday,
Saturday
and Sunday but during the week, Monday through Thursday, there is
little
happening. What about the new brewery?
Prior to Prohibition there were two
breweries
in town but neither survived the nation's great experiment. It was not
until this century that the little wine making town had a brewery. The
Bauehof Brewery located just south of town on the owners property
operated
from 2004 to 2005 when it was sold and rumored to be moving into town.
That never happened. The Hermann Brewery at 120 E. Fourth Street
operated
from 2002 until 2006 when it was closed due to illness in the owners
family.
The site is now occupied by another business. So what about the new
brewery?
For two long years we
saw
the sign that read, "Future home of the Tin Mill Brewing Co." on the
old
building across the street from the Hermannoff Winery which by the way
was home to the Hugo Kropp Brewery from 1877 to 1908. Finally in 2007,
the Tin Mill Brewing Co. opened at 114 Gutenberg Street around the
corner
from the 1st Street location where the sign was displayed. Tin Mill is
a microbrewery with a tasting room and a gift shop. They purchased a
15-hl
brewhouse from Germany and were brewing five different styles when we
stopped
there in August. Tin Mill's owner is also the owner of the Hermannoff
Winery.
You can sample their beers in the
tasting
room, buy pints and/or have growlers filled to take home. We were told
that a brew pub/restaurant was in the plans for the building across the
street from the winery but it will be 2009 before it opens. The gift
shop
had T-shirts and growlers but no business cards, coasters or pint
glasses
when we were there. If you are ever in the area, Tin Mill is a nice
visit
and Hermann is a neat town to explore. Have fun.