Karl Strauss Brewing Company has set up the Karl Srauss Brewers Education Fund with the Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego. The Fund is to provide financial educational support to aspiring Southern California brewers pursuing a career in the field of brewing.

If you are interested in expressing support, contributions may be sent to the Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego, with a notation on the check for the Karl Strauss Brewers Education Fund. Donations are tax deductible.

Karl Strauss will always be one of the world's most accomplished Master Brewers. In Minden, Germany, where his father was the president of a small brewery, Karl was born on the brewery premises and lived in the family quarters at the brewery while he was growing up. As a young man, Karl left Minden to study in Bavaria where he earned his degree in the science of malting and brewing from the Technical University Munich at Weihenstephan.

Karl Strauss was a past president of the MBAA (1961-1963) and was the only person to have received both the MBAA Award of Honor (1992) as well as the MBAA Award of Merit (1981). Karl also was the first recipient of the newly created MBAA Distinguished Life Service Award (2003). The Award of Honor is given to a member who has rendered outstanding service to the Association. The Award of Merit is given to an individual (or individuals if they have worked as a team) who has made an outstanding contribution to the brewing industry. The Distinguished Life Service Award, established in 2003, recognizes MBAA members who have given exceptional service to the Association.

In 1989, Karl teamed up with his cousin Chris (and Chris' college buddy Matt) to found the Karl Strauss Brewing Company.  What started as a wild dream of two college grads in an apartment in South Mission Beach, paired with the world-class expertise of Karl, became the first fresh beer San Diego had experienced in over 50 years.  

As Master Brewer, Karl Strauss designed the brewery operations and processes.  He personally developed or approved all of the beer formulations, oversaw the quality control specifications, and trained each of our brewers.

Most importantly, it was Karl's love of life, others, and beer that continue to guide us in everything we do.  

In his lifetime, he brewed more than seven billion servings of beer, more than enough for every person on earth to enjoy a Karl Strauss beer.