Joseph Anton Zahler (known as Anton) was born in Ettenbeuren, Germany to a family of brewers. His family emigrated to America in 1857 when Anton was 23 years old and settled in Ramsey County, Minnesota.

In the 1860s he was a worker in Coffin & Oakes' Brewery in St. Paul. In 1870, at age 36, he established his own brewery, one that would become the first "Minneapolis Brewing Company", a small operation on Bluff Street & 20th Avenue South. In 1877 he sold a minority share of the brewery to Friedrich Noerenberg, but Zahler continued to retain the controlling interest. Joseph Anton Zahler died just one year later, on December 9th, 1878. Upon his death Noerenberg purchased Zahler's interest from the estate, and continued the business until 1890.

Friedrich Gottfried Daniel Noerenberg was born in Kratzig, Koeslin, Pommern, Prussia. His family emigrated to America on July 15, 1861 and settled in Ramsey County, Minnesota. Apparently the Minnesota climate was disagreeable to the Noerenbergs as four of his siblings died over the next five years. But Friedrich was industrious. By 1871 he had opened a hotel in St. Paul. In 1876 he was working in Anton Zahler's City Brewery in Minneapolis. In 1877 he purchased a minority stake in that brewery. When Zahler died the next December Noerenberg took over sole proprietorship. He ran the brewer until it closed in 1890. Friedrich Noerenberg died on July 18th 1932 at age 86 years.