Kiewel Family History Kiewel Brewery, Little Falls Minnesota
Jacob Kiewel, who as a small child was brought to this country from Germany, operated a brewery for 16 years in Fergus Falls, Minnesota before moving to Little Falls and founding the Jacob Kiewel Brewery Company. Prior to its incorporation in July of 1906, Jacob Kiewel had operated the brewery as a sole proprietorship. With the incorporation of the brewery, Jacob took into the business four of his sons:
- George C. (Mike)
- Joseph L. (Fritz)
- Frank
- Benjamin
Frank Kiewel, Sr., played a prominent role in the City's public affairs both in his private life and as Mayor of Little Falls for 2 terms. Frank was also President of the Minnesota Brewers' Association for more than twenty years.
George Kiewel served on the Little Falls City Council for several terms before moving to Canada where he operated breweries during the Prohibition Era in the United States. After the repeal of Prohibition George returned to Little Falls and the Kiewel Brewery.
Jacob Kiewel was the Company's brewmaster until his death in 1953. He was followed as brewmaster by Harold and Morman A. (Duke) Kiewel.
Benjamin Kiewel lived most of his adult life in Crookston, Minnesota where he was associated with his brother Charles in the Kiewel Brewing Company of Crookston. Later Benjamin lived in Thief River Falls, Minnesota where he acted as a distributor of Kiewel Beer and owned a soft drink bottling company.
Other business interests of the Kiewel family included several banks in Minnesota and South Dakota, land and buildings in downtown Little Falls as well as in other communities in the state. A granite quarry, a granite finishing plant, a soft drink company, and an oil company all located in Little Falls plus several farms in Morrison County, Minnesota were also included in the Kiewel family business enterprises.
