best Beer

ypically, spouses appreciate when their 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 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. Frank Bacon had a great idea, but he soon found out that translating it into a strong drinking product wasn’t as easy. He tinkered with the right amount of ingredients, and most important, worked on gathering the proper yeast strand. Making his job even more difficult once he found the right mix was translating it from a home brew to a commercial operation after the couple opened The New Village Brewery in 2017. “There were growing pains,” Frank Bacon said. “We dumped the first three batches, which is never a fun day.” Lili’s Breakfast Stout has been a favorite of locals and those visitors for the past two years who flock to Pamlico County just for a sip. Frank Bacon said he hears differing opinions on what makes the 6.1 ABV stout stand out among others. Some like the maltiness over the sweetness. Others romanticize about the background of the idea. Frank Bacon, who delves into the scientific makeup of brewing, said he believes a combination of the dryness and residual lactose taste makes him want to have that next sip. The Bacons are from Oriental, and they are fiercely loyal to their home. New Village Brewery doesn’t distribute its popular beer. Those wanting a sip will have to, at the very least, visit a surrounding county to have a sip of the popular brew. New Village operates on a one-barrel system, where the Bacons can touch, smell and put their best into beers like Lili’s Breakfast Stout.

T“Every village needs a baker and brewer,” Frank Bacon said. “For us, it’s not about the sales or technology. It’s about producing a beer that inspires production of the next beer. We brew for 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.”

Lili’s

Breakfast Stout

BY JESSIE H. NUNERY 2nd - Tropical Lightning IPA (Wilmington Brewing Company, Wilmington, NC) 3rd - Crystal Coast IPA (Crystal Coast Brewing Company, Atlantic Beach, NC)

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