General Info

The Straub family had been brewing a local beer for generations and Peter, as expected, learned a trade important to and closely associated with the brewing art. He became a cooper, a craftsman who made or repaired casks ( wooden barrels ). But Peter aspired to be a brewer and in nineteenth century Europe there was little chance for one to escape the confines of his trade. Consequently, in 1869 at age 19, Peter Straub left Felldorf for the United States for a better and more prosperous life. John N. Straub had settled in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania ( currently Pittsburgh's North Side ) where, in 1831, he opened a "brew pub" which grew into J.N. Straub and Company Brewery. Eventually, Straub and Company would merge with Eberhart and Ober to form the Eberhardt and Ober Brewing Company ( located at Pennsylvania Route 28 and Interstate 279 ). The brewery was located in the building now occupied by the Pennsylvania Brewing Co. - Penn Pilsner. It was with Eberhardt and Ober that young Peter secured employment under the management of John Straub. John's sons, Herman and John H., would later become officers in Straub Brewing Company, located in Lawrenceville, PA. ( liberty Avenue and Main Street, North Central Pittsburgh ). This Brewery would reach a capacity of 100, 000 barrels. Peter admired his employers' pledge to forfeit $1, 000 if any adulteration was found in their beer, and as he honed his brewing skills to a sharp edge, he adhered faithfully to this promise. However, he soon tired of city life and moved north to Brookville, where he perfected his brewing process while working in the Christ and Algeir Brewery. Peter found employment in Benzinger with the Joseph Windfelder Brewery and he worked there until he purchased the Benzinger Spring Brewery ( founded by Captain Charles C. Volk in 1855 ) from his father-in-law, Francis Xavier Sorg. It was then that Straub Beer was born ; a smooth, old-world beer brewed to the same standards of quality and freshness as all the Straub beers since 1831.