Built by the Shiner Brewing Association, a stock company of local men, the brewery was sold in April 1915 to Kosmas Spoetzl, a native of Bavaria and former operator of a brewery in Cairo, Egypt. The plant remained open during the 1918-33 Prohibition era by making "Near Beer" and ice. The owner's daughter, "Miss Cecelie," joined the staff in 1922 and in 1950 became the only woman in the U.S.A. to be sole owner of a brewery. A nephew, August Haslebeck, joined in 1934, and granddaughter Rosa joined in 1964. After more than 50 years in the family, the plant was sold in 1966 to new owners but retained its historic name.