Grain Belt

Grain Belt is a regional line of beers produced and owned by the August Schell Brewing Company of New Ulm, Minnesota. That company was founded in 1860. Grain Belt is available in three varieties: Premium Grain Belt (4.6% alcohol), which is a standard, American-style lager, Grain Belt Nordeast (4.7% alcohol), which is an American amber lager, and Premium Grain Belt Light, a typical American-style light lager. Grain Belt beers are currently quite popular in the Minnesota region, but before 2002 it looked as though this beer would become extinct, like Meister Brau or Falstaff.

The Minneapolis Brewing Company was founded in 1891, when four small breweries, John Orth, Heinrich, F.D. Norenberg, and Germania combined operations. In 1893, Golden Grain Belt, with its distinctive red diamond label design, which is still retained, was introduced and quickly became a regional best seller. Canned Grain Belt was introduced in 1935. Premium Grain Belt, a lighter and smoother beer, reflecting the changing tastes of the American consumer, was rolled out in 1947 and sold in clear bottles. It quickly became the flagship brand of the company. And, it is still sold in clear bottles. In the late 1960s GBX Malt Liquor was added to the line. This is possibly still produced, but as with many malt liquors, it exists as a "phantom brand", not acknowledged by the brewer, much like Ice Man, Silver Thunder, and Coqui 900 of the Pabst family.

The "Beer Wars" of the later half of the 1900s began to deteriorate the health of Minneapolis Brewing (renamed Grain Belt Breweries in 1967), and in 1975 the company was acquired by 33-year old Irwin "Irv the Liquidator" Jacobs, who shut down operations and sold off the brands to G. Heilemann Brewing. Heilemann relegated Grain Belt to the bargain shelf and remaining Grain Belt fans melted away. In 1991 the rights to the Grain Belt brands were purchased by the new Minnesota Brewing Company, but this company was unable to survive. 2002 saw the takeover of the Grain Belt line by August Schell Brewing Co., who continues to produce it. Grain Belt has been a major success for Schell, but the original Golden Grain Belt was discontinued at some point.


This writer has had the opportunity to sample Grain Belt and found it to be a credible beer brand, which, in taste and quality, holds its own against national American-style lager brands. It is hoped that this venerable beer will continue to exist for many years to come.