Waldmann Brewery & Wurstery

Brewery, Bar, Eatery, Beer-to-go

445 Smith Ave N
Saint Paul, Minnesota, 55102
United States

(651) 222-1857 | map
waldmannbrewery.com

The building that houses Waldmann was constructed in the fall of 1857. It is the oldest surviving commercial building in the Twin Cities. Its rich history and distinctive limestone construction merited designation as an official Saint Paul Heritage Preservation Site in 2015.
The building isn’t just old — it’s an old lager beer saloon. German lager beer took America by storm in the 1850s. First introduced here in 1848, lager beer became immediately popular with Americans — and frontier Minnesotans — who had never seen any thing like it before. By the time Anton Waldmann’s saloon was built, Saint Paul had twelve breweries, ten of which brewed only lagers. Because Temperance supporters thought lager contained less alcohol (it doesn’t), city ordinances granted favorable treatment to lager saloons.
German lager saloons were very special places. Unlike Yankee whisky bars, lager saloons served beer almost exclusively, and frequently offered hearty foods, music, family entertainment, and sometimes even political debates. Women and children were always welcome.
Waldmann stays true to these traditions today. Re-opened in 2017 for the first time in 154 years, our building still offers wood stoves, virgin pinewood floors, hand-blown window glass, a large collection of 19th century steamboat chairs, whale oil lamps (burning paraffin), and many period maps, photographs and other memorabilia. And don’t forget to take a selfie with Bismark the Bison upstairs! Prosit.