Pros: Ambiance in insanely good. At the end of a long, windy road. On a compound full of old, brick buildings. And a main room with massive ceilings and massive tables. Really impressive to look at. The service is great. Really friendly bartenders with a great array of beers and a couple of nice-sounding pizzas to munch on. The pizza we had was pretty much tavern style, so it was crispy and cheesy and packed with delicious toppings. Cons: Not a single con. Tips: When you come, prepare to stay for a long time to try their different flight offerings and prepare to play one of their dozens of board games. There's pizza to keep you going, too. Really nice spot. read more

August Schell Brewing Company - Breweries Near Me - New Ulm, Minnesota

What can I add to the last experience but just trying a new beer. The Bock was excellent and my favorite Firebrick was awesome as usual. The taproom is really nice and the brewery is really a beautiful setting. We also enjoyed the 1919 root beer. read more

See all

We went back to Schell's while camping nearby and it's just as wonderful as we remember. Can't beat the prices, the tap room vibes, and the options. Such a great spot in an unexpected area of Minnesota. read more

See all

Stopped by on a frigid Saturday, but it was warm in the bierhall. I enjoyed a flight of several dark beers including a coffee pale ale that was unique and tasty. They have a whole large shelf of games that are clean and perfect for a n afternoon family game. read more

Love visiting Schell's any time we're in or around New Ulm. Their taproom is very ample, facilities are well maintained, and the beer is just phenomenal. Did I mention their prices are incredible too? Maybe its the fact that living near mpls makes every place charge you $10 for a tall beer, but it's just wonderful to have an affordable brewery that is a MN staple. You can go with classics like Nordeast or Grain Belt Premium, but we always go for Grain Belt Blu and Schell's Sangria. There's just something so refreshing with those 2. Don't take my word for it, just go visit them! read more

August Schell Brewing Company - Breweries Near Me - New Ulm, Minnesota

See all

Best small town Brewery in America. They also make Grain Belt. Tap room is awesome and great store to get your Swag. read more

August Schell Brewing Company - Schells Brewery - Breweries Near Me - New Ulm, Minnesota

Any visit to New Ulm, Minnesota would not be complete without stopping at the Schell's Brewing Company and Taproom. It was a hot day when we went so it was nice to take advantage of a nice cold beer after spending the day in downtown. You can either take advantage of the indoor tap room or they also have a nice patio area to lounge at. The inside tap room has more options though so we decided to go with that. We sampled a collection of their fruited beers and shandys since I normally drink just drink Schells and Grain Belt periodically from a can. I really liked the lemon shandy, sweet and way to drink. There was a lot of cool stuff to look at in their gift shop and you can also pick up a tour to the brewery from inside. read more

See all

We were so busy enjoying the beer and chatting with Will that we didn't take any photos. The beer was delicious! Gorgeous property in winter so what a dream it must be in summer. You HAVE to try the 1919 on draft. I had no idea I liked root beer until I had this. Will was a great bartender!!! I think he would be so funny on brewery tours. The guy in the gift shop (Wednesday 2/19) was also very kind! Had plenty of answers and very hospitable. read more

Schell's brewing is a very large brewery that feels like a small-town microbrewery. They are one of my favorite "day trips" from the Twin Cities, especially since New Ulm has so much else to do. Fall is by far the best time to visit, when the trees are changing and their brewery is alive in fall colors and stocked with Oktoberfest beer. They definitely brew one of the best Marzens around. If you really want to see something special, be sure to come to their annual Oktoberfest party, one of the best in the Midwest. Alpenstern always plays, and they have lots of German food and, of course, beer. But, you can come any other time too, and sample one of their many brews. Their taproom is really cool, and has a nice patio in addition to a fun indoor beerhall. They also have lots of special beers on tap that you can't find in cans; you can take them home in crowlers usually though. Schell's is definitely worth a visit for any beer lover! read more

August Schell Brewing Company - The best Oktoberfest in the US! - Breweries Near Me - New Ulm, Minnesota

If you have never been to New Ulm, MN then you are missing out on one of the great treasures of the state of Minnesota - Schells Brewery. Between the brewery and (relatively) new Bierhalle the grounds are a masterpiece. I have been in the Summer and now in the Winter, both times being impressed by the beauty of the property. Every year Schells releases Snowstorm with a different recipe and even different style each time. They have done sours, they have done Belgians, they have done it all! Since I was in town I made sure to stop by to try the 2022 release straight from the mothership. Snowstorm 2022: A Dark Lager that you can tell they used a healthy dose of specialty grains. You are immediately faced with an aroma of leather and woodsy notes. First sip is a lot of dark bread followed by spices and a hint of sweetness. This year's rendition of Snowstorm is just as dynamic and complex as other years, but in a different way of course. Always fun to try this beer year after year! ___________________ read more

August Schell Brewing Company - a glass of beer - Breweries Near Me - New Ulm, Minnesota

The coolest brewery I've ever visited. It is rich with history(one of the oldest craft breweries in the U.S.) as it kept itself open during prohibition by producing soda. It recently opened their sour beer building the Starkellar which utilizes reconditioned cypress lagering tanks they discovered on their grounds when they took down a wall. They have beautiful grounds for visits in any time of year, but especially in the spring and summer when the plants are blooming. They also have deer and peacocks on their grounds and some of the best German beer you'll find on this side of the Atlantic. Próst! read more

Always a great place for a cold beer ! Love the grounds- manicured so beautiful. Peacocks strolling around. The bartenders are very nice!

By far the best brewery tour I've ever been a part of. I can't imagine a more generous and informative tour. The tour starts with a historical background on the brewery and winds it's way through the brewery with informative stops. The tour ends in the tap room, where the magic begins. Six beers are available for tasting and then you get a full bottle of your favorite beer. The tour guides are very knowledgeable and friendly along the way. The setting is so peaceful as you enjoy your full beer in the sunken garden while listening to the breeze whistle through the tall black walnut trees. It's a small slice of Germany right here in Minnesota. read more

See all

I mean it is the greatest brewery in MN. We went on a normal weekday, drank some beer, got a bunch of snacks from HYVEE, and played board games at the brewery. Couldn't find a more relaxing way to spend the day with our loved ones. It wasn't crowded, not loud, amazing beer of all kinds, and the staff was like family!! Thanks for being patient and understanding with our toddler just running in and out of everything, must go! Next time I'll do the tour, it wasn't available on the day I went but we will make sure to try it next time we are there. read more

Everything was a blast!! Tour was great, beers were fantastic! The grounds are beautiful!!

I loved every aspect of our adventure here! Beautiful grounds, full of interesting history, alongside the Cottonwood River (next time-hiking boots!), even the brewery gift shop was fun (check out their sale items!). Yes, we came for the beer but stayed for the history and adventure and Oktoberfest! Great staff working here. It is gorgeous to see the August Schell House and Gardens in the fall with all the fall foliage colors! read more

See all

Pay the ten bucks & take the brewery tour! It's so informative, and you get to do a tasting afterwards. A wonderful gent in lederhosen have us about an hour long tour of their historical area, the brewery, and the grounds. Then we went downstairs to taste 5 different beers. You also get a 12 oz beer of your choice and a glass to bring home. I am, admittedly, not a beer drinker. However, I LOVED their sangria beer. If all beer had this flavor, I'd definitely drink it more. Afterwards, we went upstairs, ordered a couple more drinks & some pretzels to snack on. They also had a food truck on site if you wanted a full meal. Great afternoon touring the second oldest family run brewery in America. read more

See all

Definitely a highlight of being in the New Ulm area. We enjoyed a tour of the brewery and a beer tasting. After the beer tasting we were free to enjoy the gardens and beer hall. I would definitely go back here. read more

See all

This brewery is a hidden gem! Stopped in one afternoon while camping at Flandrau State Park which is located only a few miles from the park. The drive up to the brewery is stunning through a tunnel of canopied trees arriving at the brewery's grounds which looks like it's tucked away small town. Beautiful buildings and the biergarten is amazing filled with trees, gardens and a stream running through it. Live music was playing in the Biergarten on the Sunday afternoon we were there. A mix of German and polka the crowd was lively and locals were enjoying themselves. Everyone was extremely nice and the Biergarten was dog friendly so we brought our German offspring, Jefferson, the miniature dachshund. Thoroughly enjoyed the Schells Oktoberfest would probably say the best Oktoberfest I've had of course the overall atmosphere of Schells brewery played a part in my excitement also. read more

See all

Such a cool, historic place! Great tour and great beer! My kids did okay on the tour, but I did appreciate that the tour is kid friendly. 1) you can't make reservations for tours so if you really want a tour, I suggest getting there early. It costs $10, kids are free and includes a tour, a tasting and a 12 ounce pour! The kids get 1919 rootbeer. They s add Leo have coloring activities at the end 2) if you get there early and have some time to kill, there's the taproom, the gift shop, the beautiful grounds or we went offsite to see Herman the German. 3) we had a very good time (and planned ahead to stay in town) I highly recommend the best western. Review forthcoming. read more

The second oldest family owned brewery behind Yuengling in PA. This place feels like you have been transported to Germany. Knowledgeable and friendly tour guides on the tour that finishes in the tasting room for complimentary 2 Oz samples. A gift shop for the beer lovers and a nice, shaded Biergarten. Parking onsite is limited but they have remote parking with a shuttle to bring you to the property. Important tip, eat before you arrive as the tour group size is limited. I had to wait 2 hours so I had Jimmy John's deliver a sandwich. The bar has soft pretzels and cheese if that works for you. read more

See all

A great tour. Good beer in a park-like area. Yelp says the place is now closed; however,it is quite open at 2pm on a Wednesday. read more

The tour was so interesting! Going through and looking at equipment that people used to use rather that what you see in a typical brewery today and given the history of some of their most famous brews. The gardens are beautiful and great seating both indoors and outdoors. If you are hard of hearing it's a bit echoey in the bier hall. I want to go back and bring friends as soon as I can. Probably my grandpa too. There's more parking in back not just the lot to the side when you're driving in. Now I have a new favorite beer that I've got my boyfriends family hooked on too (they had sangria at the state fair this year I also loved hearing the story of schells told how businesses happen. It doesn't take off at first go and a lot of times if you know nothing about making beer for example you're going to need to bring someone in or you won't make money selling gross beer. Great tour. Great location. GREAT beer. read more

August Schell Brewing Company - Birdhouse - Breweries Near Me - New Ulm, Minnesota

See all

We enjoyed our visit to Schell's. The peacock was posturing to a pea hen, so that was a fun start. The new Bier Halle was open and welcoming. We enjoyed a flight and conversation with the bartenders. The passion fruit lager was very tasty. The newly remodeled bathrooms were interesting. A concept that we hadn't seen before, but welcoming to all. We missed the museum and look forward to its reopening. Highly recommend! read more

August Schell Brewing Company - Bathroom sign at Schell's. - Breweries Near Me - New Ulm, Minnesota

Bier Garten, peacocks, root beer, oh my! read more

See all

I was so excited to go to the new Bier Halle/ taproom. Schells has been my absolute favorite brewery and now they have a place to go and enjoy all the staples and rotating taps of seasonal beers. This place is definitely my "happy place" besides having a beautiful new taproom you have to explore the beautiful grounds. And the tours are amazing too. If you love craft beer this place is a must. Best brewery in MN, possibly the world read more

See all

We drove over to New Ulm to experience Octoberfest for the first time. The Brewery is historic, and beautiful! Beers were excellent too! My only criticism would be concerning bathroom facilities available. For the number of people attending this event, there should have been at least five times the porta-potties present. It turned what should have been an all around great time into a very uncomfortable situation which forced us to leave early. read more

Always a great experience and we love the history and the beer such a beautiful setting

I really enjoyed this Brewery tour, and believe me I have a lot of tours to compare it to. It starts off in the museum and goes through the history of the family. You learn some cool trivia about what the family went through and why there's peacocks on the premises. Then it goes on to the buildings. You get to walk through the old buildings and see where things used to be made then through the newer buildings and see how things changed. It's a pretty low key brewery, but the history makes it cool. Then comes the tasters! 1919 root beer is available for all, and bottles are passed around family style for you to pour what you want and pass to the next. Which also means there's leftovers in the bottle that get passed back to whoever wants it, so you can end up drinking a lot more than those 6 taters! You also get to choose a glass of whatever you want at the end. Overall a great way to spend $5 and an hour of our time. Just be careful parking on the street! read more

See all

The grounds of this place are beautiful. Everyone was nice. Deer brand is great. And I had to get the 7 panel hat which I now will rock for a good long time. read more

I love taking a day trip down to New Ulm. But to be honest, I really only go to visit the Schell's Brewery. First of all, you find yourself on a beautifully lush winding road to the brewery tucked away up the hill. There are several brick buildings and a festive May Pole welcoming you at the top. There is limited parking leading up to the main building, but not to fret - there is plenty for you if you drive past it and to the left. The grounds are stunning, with a formal garden leading up the the Schell family home, which is now used for board meetings, or so I'm told. During the summer, you will find several peacocks roaming the grounds, and deer will often find their way around the edges of the property. Go right inside and to the right, the gift store, and to the left, a mini-museum, and the front desk to sign up for your brewery tour. I've been a part of a group of 50, and a group of 10, but make sure you get your name on the list, as this place gets more crowded in the summer. The tour will only set you back $3, and includes a walking tour of the grounds, the brewery, and tastings in the traditional German tasting room. They recently remodeled a brick patio in back overlooking the creek and the woods. It is right outside the tasting room and a wonderfully sunny place to relax. In the tasting room, they pass around about 6 bottles and everyone at the table pours them into tasting cups. Often times people won't want to taste a certain flavor, or half a bottle is left at the end, of each of the 6 bottles....which means, yes you get about 3 bottles of beer that you get to drink yourself!! Plus your own full cup that they pour you straight from their tap. Needless to say, $3 gets you pretty far here. I've always left happily buzzed, which makes for a nice round in the gardens. read more

August Schell Brewing Company - The may pole and brewery buildings. - Breweries Near Me - New Ulm, Minnesota

See all

Browse the gift store, visit the museum as you wait for your tour. Check schedules for hourly tours and buy your ticket for a measly $3 (as of 16'). The tour is a brief history of the family brewing tradition in New Ulm. A quick walk around some of the newest and older brewing equipment and then it's over to the tap room and the prize of the tour, the sampling. Each brew is explained with some fascinating back stories, as bottles are passed along the table and you are expected to self pour your fair share of 2oz. After the sampling you can enjoy a larger cup of a brew of your choice from the taps. Hang out on the deck afterwards with your fellow samplers. There is a deer park which you won't really have access to but can see from the edge of the parking lot. Look for the roaming partridges near the old German style residence. New Ulm is a scenic small town in Southern Minnesota and the Schell Brewing Company is a must see. The buildings are preserved in between the additions over the past century and a half so that you can admire the old country style of construction and appreciate the challenges of building a brewery along and into a hillside in a strange new country. The gift shop has some unique items but mostly the usual tourist buys. I wasn't impressed by the clothes but there are many German steins and company logo mugs to choose from which is a better buy. read more

See all

Schell's Brewery is my go to when I'm in New Ulm. The grounds are beautiful with giant black walnut trees, a deer pen, and peacocks. Located on the hillside of a river bluff, the brewery feels like you just stepped into another world. Here's the big tip: you NEED to go on a Schell's tour. It's only $5 and it includes a history of the brewery and a guided tour through the grounds. If you're not a history person, it's only about 30min, so you don't have a chance of growing bored. Here's the clincher: it also includes a sampling in their private taproom. You easily receive $15 worth of their amazing beer (more like $25, I'm from NYC) with a description of what you're sampling. No joke, I've gone on over a dozen tours. They were all a little different and each one contained a different story and different beers, they rotate them all seasonally. read more

It should come as no surprise to anyone who knows me that I stopped at the Schell Brewing Company for a tour and tasting while in New Ulm. Totally worth the $3! Upon arrival, we had enough time before our tour to walk through the museum. It was interesting to see some of the old machinery they used and old cans and signs. Given its history as the second oldest brewery in America, the whole place makes you feel nostalgic. During our tour, we were given some background on the brewery and the family that has been running the business (for five generations). You don't get to see too much of the brewery itself (or the awesome family home) but if you're lucky you'll see the peacocks wandering around. Our tour ended in the tasting room. We got to try most of the beers made by Schell. A few samples first and then a full draft of anything on tap. Not a bad deal. We started off with the original light (as our guide said, "to clear out the dust from the tour") and moved on to pass around bottles of Goosetown, Hefeweizen, Nordeast (a Grain Belt brew now made by Schell), and Firebrick (a seasonal beer that was so popular they added it to their rotation). I went with the old school Deer Brand for my draft. We were also offered samples of 1919 (Schell's draft root beer). After our tour and samples, my friend and I walked around the grounds and into the gift shop. Worth a stop and worth the tour, but mostly for the free samples. I would have only liked it more if we could tour the other buildings and get a deeper look into the brewery. read more

See all

We visited Schell's Brewery while vacationing with friends in Mankato. After climbing The Hermann Monument statue in New Ulm we were ready for some beer! Our tour guide Steve was great. He's a historian and explained how the brewery has grown thru the years and stayed a family owned business. All this started in 1860. We really enjoyed the tasting, sooo many interesting and flavorful beers. read more

See all

I was the DD so i drank some really delicious root beer. 6 tasters and any full beer after the tour-- cost is $3 for everyone else who rode up in my rental minivan. I spent a lot of the tour chasing the male peacocks around and attempting to get them to peacock at me. Watch out- there are peacocks everywhere. The tour was pretty monotone but full of good info. The grounds are historic but well kept. They said they will be expanding this year. How exciting. We did the 3 pm tour- the tour right after us had a classroom of middle schoolers. Good thing I had my root beer before they ran out! read more

I loved this tour! I have been on my fair share of tours and this one was amazing! Not too long, not too short. During this tour experience I learned a few tips...they sell out by 12:30 on weekends (and you can't call ahead) so 12:30 or bust....we arrived by 12:15 and got the last spots for the 1 pm tour. Sit at the tables furthest from the bar, you will be at the end to get the samples, but there will be lots left in the bottle for your to sample! YUMMY! They definitely do treat you well here. While the tour isn't too in depth, they do a great job. Parking here can be a bit challenging through as they really have a limited lot. read more

After checking the website arrived to find it is a private event and no beer sampling available today. Who runs these websites why can't they update them. Was told at the front gate that it's the new normal and we said we will see you never. read more

The Schell's Brewery presents a fine way to while away a couple of hours while in New Ulm. Tours are popular and are offered on a first come-first served basis. If you are interested in a tour, do as we did and arrive early to sign up. I suggest that you leave some time before your tour to enjoy the brewery's museum, which contains many interesting trinkets and artifacts documenting Schell's history as America's second oldest family owned/operated brewery. The tour itself is short but entertaining. Although we did not get to see the production floor, I don't view this as a negative. I've been on enough brewery tours to know that looking at big vats of beer brewing is much like looking at big fields of grass growing. The key to a good tour is the guide and the quality of information delivered. Our guide was very friendly and gladly entertained questions. I learned a lot about the history of the brewery and how it fit in with the community over the years. The tour ended in the tasting room, where we had the chance to try a wide variety of Schell's beers. After the tour, take the opportunity to stroll the grounds. Enjoy the many beautiful gardens, gawk at a peacock or three, and think about all that you have learned. At $3/person, this is the best bang for the buck in New Ulm, hands down. read more

The tour provides a great history lesson of Schells, the area, and the brewery. As others have stated, the tour does not include the production area. They cite OSHA and safety concerns, due to the tight space. Having been on several of these tours it was no loss. If you want to see it all, go for the anniversary bash. The best part is the tasting. You get to sample almost all the beers, and the root beer. Do not skip the root beer! It's the best ever. read more