Best Beer
T
ypically,
spouses
appreciate their
when significant
others take notice of their likes and dislikes. In the case of Frank and Lili Bacon, a little creativity, patience and the expansion of a daily habit has led to a product a community of beer lovers can enjoy. Lili’s Breakfast Stout, named Carolina Brew Scene’s 2019 Best Beer, was an idea created by Frank Bacon after he took notice of his wife’s continuous morning habit. Lili Bacon always had coffee (creamer and sugar) and yogurt (with granola and add-ins) to start
Lili’s
Breakfast Stout BY JESSIE H. NUNERY
her mornings, especially those Saturdays before the couple began running a business. “I thought, ‘I can make a stout out of that,” Frank Bacon said. A few years later, the Bacons are owners of The New Village Brewery, located in Oriental, and Lili’s Breakfast Stout is a household name.
brew to a commercial operation
Bacon, who delves into the
“Every village needs a baker
after the couple opened The New
scientific makeup of brewing, said
and brewer,” Frank Bacon said.
Village Brewery in 2017.
he believes a combination of the
“For us, it’s not about the sales or
“There were growing pains,”
dryness and residual lactose taste
technology. It’s about producing
Frank Bacon said. “We dumped
makes him want to have that next
a beer that inspires production
the first three batches, which is
sip.
of the next beer. We brew for
never a fun day.”
The Bacons are from Oriental,
Lili’s Breakfast Stout has been
and they are fiercely loyal to
Frank Bacon had a great
a favorite of locals and those
their home. New Village Brewery
idea, but he soon found out that
visitors for the past two years
doesn’t distribute its popular
translating it into a strong drinking
who flock to Pamlico County just
beer. Those wanting a sip will
product wasn’t as easy.
for a sip.
have to, at the very least, visit a
He tinkered with the right
Frank Bacon said he hears
surrounding county to have a sip
amount of ingredients, and most
differing
important, worked on gathering
makes the 6.1 ABV stout stand
New Village operates on a
the proper yeast strand.
opinions
on
what
of the popular brew.
out among others. Some like the
one-barrel system, where the
Making his job even more
maltiness over the sweetness.
Bacons can touch, smell and
difficult once he found the right
Others romanticize about the
put their best into beers like Lili’s
mix was translating it from a home
background of the idea. Frank
Breakfast Stout.
16
the folks of Oriental, and we appreciate when people make a pilgrimage to try our beer. This is one of the best communities I’ve ever lived in.” 2nd - Tropical Lightning IPA (Wilmington Brewing Company, Wilmington, NC) 3rd - Crystal Coast IPA (Crystal Coast Brewing Company, Atlantic Beach, NC)
