The Last of the Little Breweries (1976)

Duration: 0:20:08

Year Published: 1976

Sound: sound

Description: Produced and directed by University of Texas at Austin student Frank Binney, this 1976 documentary describes the history of the Shiner Brewery in Lavaca County. In 1915, German immigrant Kosmos Spoetzl moved to Shiner, Texas, from Bavaria to make beer. He soon bought a small brewery and taught his workers the Bavarian method of brewing beer. After years of continued prosperity, Shiner Beer became known for its consistency and quality. The small brewery withstood many obstacles, such as Prohibition, mass manufacturing, and Spoetzl’s death. The documentary interviews many of Spoetzl’s employees, friends, and acquaintances, who describe his generosity and love for beer. The Last of the Little Breweries won an Achievement Award in documentary at the 4th Annual Student Film Awards (now known as the Student Academy Awards) in 1977. Binney now operates a media consultancy firm. Bill Mackie was a professor in the Radio-Television-Film Department at the University of Texas.