A vintage postcard with photos of the Stevens Point Brewery, Andrew Lutz Sr & Brother, proprietors. A very clear version of the photo on the right appears on the Stevens Point Brewing Company’s website today. The first photo is circa 1867 or so based on the woman’s civil war era dress who is standing on the stairs. It is probable that she is the wife of Andrew Lutz Sr who is likely the gentleman standing to her right. And it is likely that it is their children standing on the stairs in the photo. Andrew and Jacob Lutz owned the brewery together until Jacob left to purchase another brewery in Grand Rapids, present day with their brother, David. That brewery was in Grand Rapids, present day Wisconsin Rapids. Jacob ran it and a saloon until his death in 1901. Andrew stayed in town and owned the Stevens Point Brewery for for 30 years.
Founded in 1857 by George Ruder and Frank Wahle, the company was sold to the Lutz family in 1867. The family owned the brewery as well as a few saloons, like the Lutz House, with rooms to rent, located on the south east corner of Water and present day Park Streets. Another saloon associated with the brewery and family was located at the north east corner of Strongs Ave and Park Street, where the Congress Club stands today. Business was a family affair. Most all Lutz family members lived on site at the saloons or worked at the brewery in some capacity. It is said that Lutz’s beer rivaled any brew in Milwaukee.
During the early 1870s Loren Kuenzl (sometimes known as Lorenz or Lawrence) was brewmaster at the Lutz’s brewery. He had come to America from Bohemia around 1871 and then Stevens Point shortly after. When Kuenzl left Stevens Point, he opened a brewery in Oshkosh. He died suddenly in 1897 of dropsy, likely edema from congestive heart failure. He is buried in Oshkosh. The Lutz family attended his funeral.
The same year Kuenzl died, the Stevens Point Brewery was sold to a Gustav Kuenzel of Milwaukee, also an immigrant from Bohemia, and possible distant relative of Lorenz. Kuenzel purchased the brewery for $14,000, approximately $440,000 in today’s dollars. The brewery was officially named the Stevens Point Brewing Company in 1901, according to sources. Lutz didn’t have much time to enjoy his fortune. He passed away from complications of dropsy in May of 1899.Today the brewery is one of oldest continuously running breweries in the country.
For more on the history of the Stevens Point Brewery read John Harry’s book, “Images of America: The Stevens Point Brewing Company,” available on at https://www.pointbeer.com/…/stevens-point-brewing… and other fine retailers. Please shop local.
Sources used:
A definite source of this postcard has not been located. This was clipped from Pinterest
http://oshkoshbeer.blogspot.com/2017/07/lorenz-kuenzl-in-stevens-point.html?m=1
https://www.pchswi.org/archives/communities/stevenspoint/breweries.html
https://www.pointbeer.com/about/history/
Stevens Point Journal
The Oshkosh Northwestern
Stevens Point and Portage County Directories 1884-1901
Historic Stevens Point 