Ernest Kellerstrass was born in Peoria, Illinois. he was one of twelve children born to Robert Kellerstrass, a saloon keeper in that town. Eventually the saloon business evolved into the Kellerstrass Distilling Company, of which his son Ernest would be heir. But in the meantime he was the Schlitz Beer agent for Clay and Ray counties in Missouri. Ernest Kellerstrass died on the 4th of November, 1946 at age 81 years.