Expanded Texas History on Tap Returns to Bluff SchuetzenFest

Once the third largest brewery in Texas, Heinrich Kreische’s Bluff Brewery produced a popular beer following precise and traditional methods. His 1882 German language obituary noted that Kreische “understood how to produce such a good brew that his beer made a name for itself all over Texas.” Nearly 150 years later, Kreische’s brewing legacy thrives in over 300 craft breweries across Texas. Several of these breweries will proudly share their beers—and their place in Texas history—at the Texas History on Tap Beer Garden during the second annual Bluff SchuetzenFest.

Bluff SchuetzenFest 2023 will take place on Saturday, May 20, 11 a.m. -7 p.m., at Kreische Brewery & Monument Hill State Historic Sites. This free family festival will feature live music, traditional crafts and games, living history activities, guided tours, special exhibits, educational programs, community booths, food, drinks, and more. The Friends of Kreische Brewery & Monument Hill will host the Texas History on Tap Beer Garden, 1 p.m. - 7 p.m. Sponsored by National Bank & Trust, the beer garden features 15 breweries from across Texas. Brewery staff will visit with festival attendees, discuss Texas beer history, and share samples of beer that embody Texan identity. Texas History on Tap is a fundraiser with ticket sales benefiting youth education programs, historic preservation projects, sites internships, and other initiatives spearheaded by the Friends See nonprofit organization.

Five breweries are developing special release beers that will debut at Schuetzen-Fest. Live Oak Brewing, from Austin, will share Schuetzenliesl Pils, a crisp, floral lager dedicated to the shooting competition queens and princesses. La Grange Brewing Co. is bringing back Celine, a farmhouse saison brewed with Cat Springs yaupon tea. Fort Worth’s Funky Picnic Brewery utilizes malt smoked in the Kreische smokehouse along with pecans in their helles, humorously named “A Haw-Haw-Haw-Haw in Billy Gibbons’ Voice.” The Beer Museum, in collaboration with Temple’s Bold Republic Brewing, will showcase a Texas summer Schwarzbier which utilizes German malts and wafer ash from the Kreische property. Lasty, Twisted X has brewed up a small batch of Kreische Bluff Bock, a locally loved beer that was distributed in 2020-2021.

“It has been an exciting and enlightening opportunity to partner with these breweries and see how they creatively incorporate Texas history, historical ingredients, and traditional methods into their brews,” says Kreische Brewery & Monument Hill Assistant Sites Manager Gavin Miculka.

Ten other breweries and their staffs fill out the Texas History on Tap beer garden: Altstadt Brewery, Austin Beer Garden Brewing, Bold Republic Brewing, Celis Brewery, Hound Song Brewing, No Label Brewing, Real Ale Brewing, Saint Arnold Brewing, True Anomaly Brewing, and Vector Brewing.

Bluff SchuetzenFest is a free family festival; however, tickets are required to access the Texas History on Tap Beer Garden. Early bird tickets are available through April 20. Admission includes 10 samples of beer, a commemorative tasting cup, opportunities to purchase full pours of beer or wine, and premium access to the entertainment stage and dance floor. Designated driver tickets are also available. For more information and beer garden tickets, visit www. bluffschuetzenfest.org.