Craft Magazine OCT 2018 by craftmagok

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2705 E 40th St Tulsa, OK 74105 918-398-6844 or 918-978-2278 CO-FOUNDERS / PUBLISHERS BEN ALLEN ZACH DOSS EDITOR SARITA DOSS CONTRIBUTING WRITERS ANGELA EVANS SARITA DOSS ZACH DOSS BRIAN WELZBACHER BRADY WHISENHUNT CONTRIBUTING ARTIST PETER BEDGOOD MANAGING PHOTOGRAPHER BEN ALLEN CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER MEGAN WOOLSEY

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Welcome to Craft...

ello Tulsa! We are happy to introduce you to Craft Magazine OK. We, are Ben & Zach, two local Tulsans that have a passion to promote our area’s Local Goodness. The Brews, The Foods, the Local happenings and the people behind it all.

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This publication is a combined effort of many years in the Arts & Entertainment industry, now using those skills to focus on great design and business growth. Tulsa has so many amazing people that have an entrepreneurial spirit like no place else! We want you to join us on this journey and come along as we get out and get local, supporting our neighbors and promoting a renewed community togetherness. We will spotlight the booming brewery scene, amazing locally owned restaurants, and things to do in Green Country, but we will also take a look at the behind the scenes, the stories that make this, place we call home, unique. So grab a copy, they’re free, and get to know your neighbor, enjoy a brew, and support your local business. We would also like to thank our amazing families and friends, for their support, sacrifice, encouragement and prayers. For that we are forever grateful and humbled. Because this is all for them and wouldn’t be possible without them.

Local Goodness T-Shirts are available in Green(Thyme), Blue (New Navy) and Red (Sangria) in sizes S-3XL, while supplies last, visit craftmagok.com for availability and pricing.

About the Cover: Eric Marshall, stands in front of the new Marshall Brewing Company taproom. Photo Credit:

Ben Allen

rom the time of statehood, Oklahoma has had a particularly hard-nosed approach to alcohol. One could even say that Oklahoma was ahead of its time with its viewpoints on prohibition, weaving it into the state’s constitution in 1907, over a decade before national prohibition was ratified in 1919. Though alcohol began to slowly drip back into Oklahoma after national prohibition ended, it wasn’t until 1959 that prohibition was officially abolished in Oklahoma. Heck, liquor-by-the-drink sales weren’t allowed until 1985, so the passage of SQ792 in 2016 was a long time coming. The new regulations will take effect by the time this story publishes, but leading up to this moment, many businesses and stakeholders who are involved in the production, distribution and sale of the alcoholic drinks we enjoy have had to readjust the way they do business. This story hopes to highlight those changes, while also explaining the basic mechanics of how the new liquor and strong beer regulations work.

Supplier/Brewery Wes Alexander, Director of Sales & Marketing - Marshall Brewing Company Marshall Brewing Company celebrated its 10th year this year, but each year has been a battle to soften the archaic regulations surrounding brewing and selling beer. From being unable to serve beer to guests at their own brewery, to finally being allowed to sell growlers directly to consumers, the Marshall team has been the vanguard of Oklahoma craft beer brewing rights. Marshall Brewing has long pushed for modern, common sense liquor and beer regulations in Oklahoma. They were instrumental in getting regulations passed to allow onsite sampling of products in 2010, and the 2016 regulations that allowed breweries to sell directly to the consumer. “That was the beginning of several of these changes. It showed us that we could do something,” says Wes Alexander, director of sales & marketing. With SQ792, breweries like Marshall will now be able to control the quality of its product as it moves down the supply chain. Before October 1, Marshall Brewing had to sell their beer to anyone that had a proper license. “As long as they are willing to come get it,

I have to sell it to them,” says Alexander. From a quality control standpoint, there is room for concern. Will the product be refrigerated while in transit? Will it be stored in a climate-controlled warehouse or is it going to sit in a garage; and for how long? “The law up to this point wouldn’t allow me to have a say in this. We had to be non-discriminatory,” says Alexander. “Now, we’ll have exclusive contracts with distributors, so we can establish procedures. We can mandate that we don’t want beer in the market that’s more than 180 days old, or that we want our beer to be kept cold throughout the process.”

their 100 million barrels. “We joke that when they open the line in St. Louis, they will spill more beer than we make all year.” For Marshall Brewing, SQ792 signals only the beginning of what they envision for their brewery and taproom. “The next big ask we are seeking is the right to host families. Like going to a restaurant, enjoying an alcoholic beverage, where the bar is roped off. We don’t currently have those rights, and we are working with ABLE to make that happen.”

Another change is a brewery’s ability to self-distribute, no matter its size. The regulations will now allow breweries that produce less than 65,000 barrels to sell directly to a liquor store or a restaurant. This protects and gives opportunities to the smaller breweries, like the ones sprouting up all over Tulsa. “To put this in perspective, if you put all the local breweries together today, we don’t even collectively produce 65,000 barrels.” Alexander explains that Marshall brews an average of 4,000 barrels per or 55,000 cases per year, compared to Budweiser Worldwide and

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Distributor, James Wilkins, Executive Vice President & General Manager – LDF Sales & Distributing A bottle of beer begins its life at the brewery, but it makes a daring journey before hitting consumers’ bellies. Distributors are the ‘spirit guides’ who usher the beers and booze we love to bars, restaurants, grocery and convenience stores. Among the stakeholders affected by SQ792’s passage, distributors may have endured the biggest shake-up. LDF Sales & Distributing, Inc is an Oklahoma distributor that sells Coors, Miller, Boulevard, Mexican imports, and some local craft beers. Basically, LDF Distributing is the reason why you can crack open an ice-cold Coors Light whether out at a restaurant or in your home “We distribute those products across 27 counties,” says James Wilkins, executive vice president and general manager for LDF Distributing. “Every on-premise account, grocery store, liquor stores, convenience stores, bar, restaurants, we supply.” Prior to SQ792, LDF would source all its strong beer and liquor from a non-resident seller - referred to often as importers or the “fourth tier” - that warehoused and sold every drop of

liquor and strong beer in Oklahoma. Every distributor had to source any out-of-state beer or liquor products through this fourth tier, except to purchase 3.2 ,or low point beer. For lowpoint beer, distributors could source directly from the brewery.“We were able to sell any product we wanted to carry to any liquor store or on-premise account in Oklahoma,” says Wilkins. “We remained within our own geography, but not every distributorship did that.” With the passage of SQ792, Oklahoma will migrate toward a three-tier system, which is how most states operate. With the absence of a fourth tier , that held every brand and supplied all distributors, the third tier is completely restructured. “All the products are now franchise protected, which means suppliers are now aligned with specific distributors within a specific geography,” says Wilkins “For example, we (LDF) are the only ones that can sell Miller Lite, Coors Light, the Mexican imports, in our designated counties.” Now, restaurants or liquor stores won’t be able to go to just one distributor for their entire order. Specific distributors will now only carry

specific products, and they will not be available from any other seller in Oklahoma. For LDF, rolling out strong beer , and all the point of sale marketing that comes along with it, contains many moving pieces. “We started about two years ago laying out timelines,” says Wilkins. “We had to phase out 3.2 product while also building inventory for strong beer.” The bigger task, however, is updating the cold boxes and delivering stock to thousands of accounts across Oklahoma. “We have to reset every cooler for the majority of our 2,500 customers. It’ll be a monumental task to deliver and get them set to start selling strong beer on October 1,” says Wilkins. Despite all the changes, Wilkins feels optimistic about how the beverage industry will adapt to the new regulations. “Distributorships are adding people, resources, and changing the way they do business. Soon, it will just become the normal way of doing business. After October, and going into January, I think the market will really normalize.”

Grocery Store: Jeff Reasor - CEO, Reasor’s Grocery Stores Perhaps the most exciting part of SQ792 for consumers is being able to purchase wine and strong beers at their local grocery and convenience stores. This is great news for consumers, but has meant a lot of preparation for retails stores to be able to sell to consumers on October 1. Reasor’s Grocery Stores have had to make major changes to the way it’s been doing business for the past 55 years. The new regulations now allow Reasor’s to sell beer up to 8.99% alcohol content and wine up to 14.99% by volume. There have been shelf space cleared and empty for the past few months, a harbinger to customers of the wines that will soon be available. “We’ve been doing a lot of work to get this endeavor rolled out,” says Jeff Reasor, CEO of

Reasor’s. “At the store level, we’ve invested in new custom wine racks and additional shelving. We’ve had to rearrange parts of the stores to accommodate the two new departments.” Reasor’s has now instituted an entire “wine department,” adding 300 feet of linear shelving, and hiring five wine stewards and two new positions at their Support Center. They have also expanded their strong beer space by 16% to accommodate all the craft beer selections. Perhaps even more exciting than the convenience of being able to purchase wine and strong beer at grocery stores is the new expanded hours consumers can purchase them.

most of our stores close at 11 pm,” says Reasor. You heard that correctly. Customers can now purchase wine and strong beer any day of the week from a grocery or convenience store. A real game changer for Sunday fun day, but there are some things that will remain the same. “Customers will notice the same rules of age to purchase and time of day to purchase will remain the same for grocery stores,” says Reasor. “Training for age-restricted sales has always been part of our training and has always been in place.”

“At Reasor’s, the new law allows purchases seven days a week from 6 am to 2 am, although

Liquor Store: Jason Hower - Owner, Kwenchers Liquor Store With the passage of SQ792, liquor stores will finally be able to sell cold, frosty strong beers. Though consumers are jumping for joy, liquor stores have had to scramble to purchase and install coolers.

At around $50,000-$100,000 a pop, the investment is substantial, not ot to mention the ongoing costs energy associated with keeping those coolers cold. Jason Hower, owner of Kwenchers Liquor

Store in Owasso, opened his large-scale 11,600-sq-ft operation is 2014. The changes he’s had to make, though pricey, have not been as difficult due to the size of his store. “Most liquor stores are in the 3,000 or 4,000-sq-ft range,” says Hower. “Here, I’m really fortunate

that I have enough space to be able to chill 100% of my beer and cider, and I’ll also be able to actually add some facings of wine.” In addition to being able to chill their strong beer and wines, they will also be able to sell non-alcoholic items, like tonic water, bags of ice, even bottle openers and deli trays. “While we may not be better than Walmart and QuikTrip at selling candy bars or chips, we definitely offer some items that make sense for us,” says Hower. “This will eliminate a lot of those second trips that our customers have to make, making us more of a one-stop shop.” It has long been an Oklahoma tradition to make it to the liquor store before 9 p.m., or before a holiday. Thanks to SQ792, these ‘traditions’ will be made obsolete. Starting Monday, October 2, liquor stores can be open 8 a.m. to midnight, Monday through Saturday. “Owasso is a bit more of a family community, so being open until midnight in Owasso doesn’t make much sense; but for the summer and holidays, we most certainly will be open

later,” says Hower. Sunday sales aren’t currently allowed, but counties will be able to put the option to a vote of the people. Rural communities may be reluctant to allow Sunday sales, but counties that house larger cities will likely pass Sunday sales. “One of the things that seems a little unfair is that, come October 1st, Walmart, Quiktrip and Reasor’s will be able to sell many of the products we sell, but we will be closed because it’s Sunday,” says Hower. “Hopefully this is something that can be changed in the coming year.” Otherwise, Hower feels good about the upcoming changes, despite all the work and money it’s taken to adjust. “For any retail store, you’re there to serve your customer. And if over 60% of Oklahomans wanted this, we need to not just embrace it, we need to get excited about it,” says Hower. “We’re excited to put the coolers in. We’re excited to carry the new products. We’re excited to be a more one-stop shopping for people for their wine, beer and spirit needs.”

SQ792 LAW QUICK TIPS: LIQUOR STORES • Can sell COLD Strong Beer & Wine. • Can be open 8 a.m. to Midnight, Monday through Saturday. • Can be open on Memorial Day, Labor Day and Independence Day. • Can sell non-alcoholic items like mixers, deli trays, bottle openers, Even t-shirts & glasses from local breweries.

GROCERY STORES & CONVENIENCE STORES • Can now sell strong beer beer up to 8.99% alcohol content and wine up to 14.99% by volume • Can sell 7 days a week, 6 a.m. to 2 a.m.

POST OCTOBER 1ST 2018 • 3.2 Beer no longer exists in Oklahoma • 4th Tier - No longer exists • 3rd Tier / Distributors - Can buy directly from Suppliers Now Franchise-Protected - Suppliers now designate Distributors to sell within a certain geographic area -Sells to Retail (Grocery/Convenience/ Liquor Store) or On-Premise (Bars & Restaurants) WHO HOLD LICENSES FOR STRONG BEER & LIQUOR • 3.2 Beer Licenses now obsolete

RETAILSTORES & RESTAURANT & BAR

Bar Vanessa Sommerville - Owner of Lot 6 Art Bar Vanessa Somerville opened her art bar, Lot 6, in July of 2011. With the passing of SQ792, she is having to change the liquors and beers that have filled her patrons’ glasses for almost seven years. Lot 6 is the Cheers! of the Pearl District at 6th and Peoria. Part of its charm, aside from its ever-changing line-up of local art, is its intimate size. As a lower-volume bar, Sommerville is having to make some critical changes to her bar program. “Before, I could get the same product from three distributors. Now, I can only get, say, Crown Royal, from one person,” says Sommerville. SQ792 restructures how liquor and strong beer is distributed. Before, a bar owner could order a brand of whiskey from a distributor of their choosing. Now, brands have aligned with specific distributors, meaning that bottle of whiskey is available from only one distributor. And some of those distributors aren’t in Tulsa.

“Some of the big brands that we are used to ordering and carrying are going to distributors in Oklahoma City,” says Sommerville. “I’m a small bar, so I don’t order a ridiculous amount of booze. The distributors in Oklahoma City aren’t going to make the trip to Tulsa for just one case of liquor.”

• To buy specific product, must find the distributor assigned that product • Dealing with several distributors & sales people to source one product, versus going to one distributor for everything • Some products will now only be carried by Oklahoma City Distributors instead of locally in Tulsa -• Must have a strong beer & liquor license

Sourcing common products could be more difficult for smaller bar operations, but they are not without options. “I think I’m going to lose a lot of things I used to have all the time,” says Sommerville. “It’s been a search for comparable products from local (Tulsa) distributors that I can be substitutions.”

by. Peter Bedgood

We recently sat down with Eric Marshall to chat about his start into brewing, what it takes to be in the industry and how the law change is one of his greatest wins..

et’s start by talking about your affinity for “The Big Lebowski.” “I think that it’s just one of those cult following movies. A couple of the guys around here that I grew up with, went to High School with and everything, are super into it as well. And, if you actually look at the Pub Ale label you’ll see the dude is actually on the pub ale label. The background of the is the two guys. One of the guys is Elliot Nelson’s dad and the other guy is just one of his buddies. He was always a good customer, always in the pub. A guy named Chuck but they’re standing, essentially, in front of the painting that they’ve had upstairs forever that’s a bar setting that’s got a whole bunch of famous people painted in it and the dude is definitely in there. So even when we redesigned, I made sure that you know it shifted around where the dude stayed in the label, unofficially that is.” Is your old room at your parents’ house still a pub? “Yea, it’s still a pub. Set up to where beer can come up through the basement into the beer towers. I don’t think it gets used that much anymore.” Why Tulsa? “I’ll tell you what, I think the greatest thing about Tulsa and Oklahoma, in general, but then you can

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kind of distill that down to Tulsa and Oklahoma City, everybody’s very proud of where they’re from. I think that people a lot of times bag on Oklahoma, and there’s a lot of good reasons for that, there’s no arguing. We’re the last on a lot of things, but I think the people are awesome. I think it’s a great place. Tulsa’s a very business-friendly, small business-friendly town. I think you get a lot of good values in this part of the country. Just good, generally hospitable people, which I love. But, you know I am born and raised here. You’re seeing all of the revitalization of everything. It’s so cool to be in Tulsa; it’s so cool to be part of it and have young kids that are going to benefit from all the cool stuff that’s happening right now. I had the opportunity to do a bunch of different things when I finished brewing school and apprenticing and all of that, but I wanted to come back to Tulsa. I wanted to be part of everything moving forward. You know, Elliott with McNellie’s, kind of stuck his neck out downtown and that really spring-boarded everything. I wanted to come back and be part of that. I’m a big family guy so I wanted to be home to have the opportunity to be here, to build a business, to continue to watch it grow, to have some positive impact on the change of the laws, the change of entertainment culture and everything. It has been really cool and to continue to see it grow and develop. Now you’re seeing a lot of people that 20

years ago, we’re finishing up school and they were going to bigger towns. I take a lot of pride in that. One thing I am always very proud of when you get suppliers that come through that have never been to Tulsa, or you talk to people that travel and have zero expectations for this place. It is so cool that they want to come back. It’s such a pride thing. I don’t know man, I love Tulsa. I had the opportunity to do this anywhere and I wanted to be in Tulsa. To have celebrated 10 years being in business and to continue to see it grow, it’s awesome.” What is your favorite feature about the new Marshall Brewing taproom? “I think at the end of the day it’s just such a cool space. It’s an old building we tried to keep as much of all the features; kind of let the building be. The architect was going through and was like, I like to drop plans simply and then kind of let the building speak to us, which I really like. We got back down to the bricks. It’s really cool. I was talking with the contractor yesterday. You can sit there and the building tells you the story. They were sitting there going “I guarantee you that this was originally a single-story building and that was the original roof line.” It’s just so cool. Obviously, we’re excited to have a bigger space but I think it’s going to go in phases. Once we get to phase for the beer garden out back that’s going to be pretty bad, pretty cool.”

What is your proudest moment in your career? “There’s probably several of them. I think long-lasting the positive impact on the laws moving forward. It all started with getting sampling rights for breweries. Then that kind of snowballed into bigger things. Modernization means different things to different people. For us being able to affect the laws of where we can operate tap rooms in, expand our capabilities and things. We got an award, not that long ago, from the State of Oklahoma Dept. of Labor that was the Mark Costello Entrepreneurial Excellence in Oklahoma, which we got a random email from one of their staffers. It was like okay, what is this. After a conversation with them, they were like we want to give this to you for your efforts in helping to craft an industry in the state. Granted there were people before us, obviously, we got in right at the right time early. But to be given an award and kind of recognized for that, I think it’s a huge honor. Because, I consistently have been saying there are a lot of great breweries in the state right now; a lot of great people producing great beer. It’s a great time to be a beer drinker. To have a lot of those people tip their hats to us and say, yeah, man we were able to do what we did because of some of the early struggles and fights that you guys had to go through. But then, to be able to organize with those guys and really make positive impact and brew/make; it better for people moving forward. I think that’s probably are proud moment. One of the other things, I like to joke, is that there’s not many states left that have the 3.2 system. Oklahoma, as always, it’s one of the main states because it’s smallest in population but consumes the most. We always like the joke now that Oklahoma’s gone they’re probably all going away. So, to say that I had a part in bringing 3.2 beer down in this nation is pretty cool.” Is there pressure being the “pioneer” of the Tulsa brewing scene? “I don’t know if pressure. The positive thing is its more people. It forces people to step their game up, forces everybody to focus more on the quality, which I think is a great thing. We are a ten year old company, which is not old, but we’re the grandpa on the block. Kind of the retro brand. I think there’s a lot of these young people that are just like, those guys been around forever. At the end of the

Eric Marshall, Wes Alexander & Kyle Johnson day you know we’re here, we hope people continue to drink our beer along with other people’s beers. I wouldn’t call it pressure but there’s definitely an added element of constantly having to not rest on the fact that we’ve been around 10 years because in some people’s eyes maybe that’s a negative. You’ve got to continue to innovate and do different things. It’s a much more highly competitive environment then it was before.”

Oklahoma that the more that we can kind of help to make sure that it moves forward in a positive direction the better it is for everyone. That’s kind of the way I’ve always approached it. If somebody’s having some problems, we’ve had problems and somebody’s helped us out. That’s kind of how I’ve always approached it. That it’s for the community. We’re all fighting the good fight at the end of the day.”

People in this industry speak of you very highly and credit you often as a mentor. What are your thoughts on being a mentor? “At the end of the day, I mean people think what they want to think. At the end of the day it’s not necessarily about mentoring other people; it’s just about doing the right thing. The great thing about this industry is it is very friendly people to share information, people share their struggles, share where they messed up to help somebody else save some money down the road. I think, at the end of the day, we’re all in it because we love beer and so I’ve always kind of approached it from that way. I mean if people come and want to ask some questions and need some advice or need to look at it with them, I’m happy to do that stuff. I think were things kind of start to go the other way, if you know people get snake-y or shady about things. It’s just the way they go about stuff, because at the end of the day, again, if somebody comes out and opens a brewery that you know does stuff to get us all in trouble, that’s not good for anybody in Oklahoma. It’s such a young industry still here in

What is the most common request for help from another brewer/brewery?” “I think people just generally want to have somebody that’s in the game to bounce ideas off of, to see if they’re on base with that. I think a lot of people get into it; so daunting, not realizing. I think people think they have such a great idea that they’re going to do this. I don’t like to sugarcoat things in that regard because it is such right now that there’s so many breweries. It’s super competitive. It’s an expensive business to get into. I think there’s a lot of people that have just said, man I’ve been homebrewing for over a year. I love it. I’m going to start my own brewery. That’s great. That’s not to say people haven’t done that before, but it’s definitely not easy. If you can put the fear of God in somebody and let him know that it’s difficult. It’s a tough business. I, at least, try to factor that in and then it’s just trying to give my 2 cents on where people should focus their energy if they are going to go after it.”

The New Marshall Taproom.

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Marshall Brewing Company In taste we trust

Founder: Eric Marshall Year: 2008 Location: 1742 E. 6th, Tulsa, OK

Brewing: …passion for the culture of Germany and the epicenter that breweries provided for towns and villages in Germany to celebrate that culture drove [the] desire to open a brewery offering the same cultural contribution to Tulsa, OK, a town without a brewery. Brewing Idols: The longer we have been in the business, the more we appreciate the founding fathers of craft beer in the U.S. Folks like Ken Grossman at Sierra Nevada, who have maintained quality and innovation for a generation. Tulsa: Tulsa, since incorporation, has had a rich cultural history. The citizens of Tulsa are loyal and supportive. We have been blessed to join this community and be immediately embraced in a time where few thought that a brewery was feasible in Tulsa. To that end, being a part of the brewing community holds the awesome responsibility of showing support and loyalty to others in the industry. It is our duty as brewers to offer our city the best possible brewery experience when visiting and high-quality beer. To accomplish this feat, Tulsa brewers cooperate by sharing ideas, experience and best business practices to make our community proud of the beer industry. Our final goal would be a beer culture that Tulsans are proud to announce to the world, “I am from Tulsa, home to many great breweries.”

*Wes “The Godfather” Alexander oversees sales and marketing but is a master food/beer pairer.

MARSHALL ATLAS A traditional East-Coast India Pale Ale with strength and character worthy of its name. Pale and caramel malts give Atlas IPA a rich, malty backbone to provide balance for a generous dose of Amarillo, CTZ, and Cascade hops. Harmoniously blended throughout the boil, these hop varieties provide floral, citrus, and earthy tones resulting in a bold, yet balanced IPA. CRAFT MAGAZINE OK | OCT 2018

Founder: Tony Peck Year: 2013 Location: 1004 E. 4th St., Tulsa, OK Brewing: My parents owned a couple of restaurants when I was growing up in Chanute, KS. That kinda gave me the entrepreneurial bug to run my own business one day. In 2006, I start homebrewing my own beer. As I got more and more into it, shared it with friends and family, I began to think about how to brew beer for a living. Seemed like a fun thing to dream about, but never seemed like It would be possible. My career was in Information Technology and I worked mainly in the oil and gas industry. After years of doing that work, I decided to take the leap into the brewery world and started working on recipes. Brewing Idols: I’ve always loved what people like Sam at Dogfish Head has created. He started lime sis, small, and has grown his company into an amazing brewery. Locally, I’ve really enjoyed watching what Marshall Brewing has been doing for the last ten years. A few like Eric Marshall and Wes Alexander are the pioneers in the Oklahoma brewing industry and they’ve been awesome to work with and ask questions to while starting this business. Tulsa: It means a great deal to us to be part of Tulsa. Not just as a brewery but as part of the Tulsa businesses as a whole. We love being in Tulsa and working with other businesses here. We are a huge proponent of keeping it local. We want people to love us because we are local and we try to do the same thing whenever possible. Being part of the brewing scene is very cool. Coming from being a homebrewer, to creating and building this facility, and seeing our growth has been an amazing journey. I am always humbled and so happy to meets our fans and make beers that people love to drink.

*2nd location is at the Tulsa Airport: The Tarmac Taproom

AMBER

This beer is where it all started for us in 2013; we set out to craft an approachable yet unique interpretation of classic ale making. London Ale yeast imparts a bold, crisp nose and subtle fruit which leads to caramel

sweetness and a dry, bitter finish from the unfo *The na late addition of Cascade hops. m rt foun unate e e is fro Well-balanced, eminently arm der To xperi m an e a n drinkable, and appealing his p dillo in y foun nce wh da en a aren to a wide variety of tastes. t’s h lumber dead ouse st in K ack at ansa s.

Caution. Taste Ahead. TULSA FLAG BLONDE ALE This Blonde Ale is crafted with old world specialty malts which lend color and complexity to an otherwise simple recipe. American hops provide subtle earth and spice flavors along with fruit and citrus aromas, which combine to create a delicate sense of balance.

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Founder: Austin and Lisa McIlroy, Ryan Arnold, Jeff and Teresa McIlroy Year: 2016 Location: 1717 E 7th St., Tulsa, OK

*Co-founder Lisa does all of the amazing artwork for the cans and bottles.

Brewing: We recognized the laws in Oklahoma were about to change. None of the 3 of us (Austin, Lisa & Ryan) had jobs we were in love with or committed to. We were all passionate about craft beer and homebrewing and decided the time was right to take action. Brewing Idols: I’ve always been inspired by Sam Calagione from Dogfish Head. He was the one who originally inspired Austin to start homebrewing, and he’s been a true pioneer

for the craft beer industry in the U.S. Tulsa: It’s really a wonderful community. Since the craft beer scene in Tulsa is young, we’re friends with a lot of the other brewers and brewery owners. It’s exciting to see everyone grow. Being right down the street from Marshall’s Brewing Company, a lot of people ask us if we’re competitors, but it’s not like that. Eric has been a great mentor for us. I think it’s great there are so many breweries right here in our neighborhood.

*Austin graduated a master brewer of the World Brewing Academy.

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y l i m a F e h t o t Welcome means we t I : a ls u T ir NY). The city and r u o e v (Queens, lo e beers ar unity. It e m s r e u m v o o c h lo m G r r a f u th a y o e get to one and the Founder: H second to n the nicest means we ries of f o to s e e m o 4 th s 1 0 r e 2 r a : a e Year dustry. Doug h munity first hand in e th ., e v in A s y ia u r g 8 S. Peo rewing com 1 B 4 : n l o ia r ti u a B c efully create p Lo o h d from n a o d . They those stories f Tulsa, OK eville, NC). o h e s m (A o s s r e e b l the culture some really unique s our loca e n v a e lo I m : t g I n in o t Brew as created. and are definitely spo ey breweries are operated h r e e b t f a r h that c nd sense with their artwork. T t. by our friends. We get a s s e n li d n ie The fr I have are refreshingly differen this city t s a s e th n it y it w n u to a h of comm wers and Ryan from Funky Budd s grow. e r b m o r f d e experienc take on beer r level. e is H th . o g n a in w n e o r B e quite hit the s u d patrons is . n o it a h e n k y u li f e y s h y tr T s a * du are alw ulinary c There is no in ir mazing e a th e m h t o r f k r a to m ols: A few ion! Brewing Id and Anthony inspirations. art collect b mention. Ro r Brewing itte of Transm

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Willows Family Ale A tart farmhouse style ale. Several strains of brettanomyces give their individual touch to the overall profile. Simple and complex. Beyond that, The Willows Family definitely like to mix things up with their brews and keep pumping out hits.

CRAFT MAGAZINE OK | OCT 2018

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Renaissance Brewing Company

Founder: Glenn and Sarah Hall Year: 2011

Location: 1147 S. Lewis Ave., Tulsa, OK Brewing: Glenn Hall, owner and brewer, was born and raised in Oklahoma. He started home brewing in 1994 after a year abroad studying Linguistics at The Braunschweig Technical University in Germany. He actually caught the bug 5 years earlier on one of his high school exchange trip to Clauthal-Zellerfeld in Germany. While on excursion with the group to London, the father of the family he was staying with served him his homebrewed John Bull. He would never forget it but would wait to brew his own until the legal age of 21. Glenn continued to dream of becoming a professional brewer someday and was

*Brewer, Kelsey Schumacher, is also a Acute Care Nurse Practitioner!

Oklahoma Born and Brewed

always looking to further his education in the brewing field. In 2008 while taking a tour of a brewery in Hood River, Oregon he decided to start taking the necessary steps to make this dream a reality. He began to read anything and everything beer related and of course brewed and brewed, in October of 2011 the Hall’s founded the Renaissance Brewing Company and purchase a dilapidated commercial property in their neighborhood at 12th and Lewis where the wanted to build the brewery building. Tulsa’s antiquated zoning laws, however, only allowed breweries in industrial areas so they had to apply for a zoning variance. Although this was a delay of over a year, Glenn never lost track of his vision. He completed the Concise Course in Brewing Technology from the Siebel Institute of Technology in Chicago, Ill. As

well as the esteemed International Diploma Program from the World Brewing Academy which is a partnership between the Siebel Institute of Technology in Chicago and the Doemens Institute in Munich, Germany. Glenn also successfully completed the Colorado Boy Brewery and Pub Immersion Course with the famous Tom Hennessy in Ridgway, CO. Tom will always be his mentor as well as all the other breweries that have helped along the way. Brewing Idols: Charlie Papazian and Tom Hennessy Tulsa: Everyone in the Tulsa brewing community has always been very helpful as we were getting started and we are grateful to them all, but especially the Dead Armadillo and Marshall guys. It’s a great scene to be in right now and it is only getter better and better.

RENAISSANCE

Gold

Highly Drinkable German Style golden ale that can be enjoyed by everyone. Light Noble Hops and a clean crisp pilsner malt body produce a great beer for all occasions. Live the golden rule!

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Founder: Zach French, Melissa French, Jake Miller Year: 2017 Location: 2113 E. Admiral Blvd. Tulsa, OK Brewing: Well, the Barnum and Bailey Circus closed down, so we had to choose a different career path. Brewing Idols: Bob Sylvester. Enough said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We looked to the woods for our yeast, and kept our lagers hidden in the cellar. With time as our only warden, we waited eagerly for the fall.â&#x20AC;? We brew small batch beers that move slowly to completion. We look to make things that are refreshing, simple, approachable, and affordable. We want you to stay a while and talk to strangers. Meet new friends and play old records. We hope you leave amused and lighthearted. 20

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Nothings Left Brewing Company Founder: Travis Richards Brewing Idols: When I first started out it was Year: 2015 Jim Koch from Samuel Location: 1502 E. 6th Adams, and I look up to Sam Calgione from St., Tulsa, OK Dogfish Head. I really Brewing: I started this admire my fellow brewers company because I love in this great state above all. people and I love making beer. Nothing else I’ve Tulsa: We are all likedone has provided me minded, we all have Tulsa’s with the same warmth and future in our satisfaction that making beer has. I feel like it’s truly what I was meant to do.

focus. We have a very diverse group of brewers in Tulsa and the city is better for it. *Recently opened taproom! Check out those crowlers and you can color on the wall.

Strawberry Blonde A Wheat beer with an extraordinary amount of Strawberry Puree added to fermentation. Lovingly brewed and conditioned, this beer comes out with a sweet body and an easy tartness. With a fragrant strawberry flavor that fans have come to enjoy from us, this beer is perfect whether you’re a dude with a massive beard or a chick with a skinny waist, this beer is a go-to! CRAFT MAGAZINE OK | OCT 2018

Founder: Chase and Erica Healey Year: 2016 Location: 108 E 18th St., Tulsa, OK (SOBO) Brewing: It’s mostly a creative outlet for me. I’m not sure I’m good at anything else. Brewing Idols: Probably Jester King. The way they run their brewery and stay true to their mission is impressive. Tulsa: I enjoy the friendships I’ve developed with other brewers. Tulsa is an exciting place to be an entrepreneur in general. I feel like we are helping make Tulsa a better place to live. *The main brewery is in West Tulsa.

American Solera is a creative craft brewery specializing in the oak barrel aging process. Most of our beers are aged 6 to 18 months prior to bottling. Giving each beer its own unique flavor profile. And with a cellar of 16 foeders, puncheons, and wine barrels the possibilities are endless. *Chase also founded Prairie Artisan Ales, now owned by Krebs Brewing. 22

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Founder: Jeremy Diamond and Paul Whitham

IPA that made me crave more.

Year: 2017

Tulsa: Quite honestly, it’s pretty exciting. I feel as a fairly new commercial brewer (by fairly new I mean brand spankin’ new), I have so much to learn from these guys who have been doing it for years. Already I have asked for some advice from a few places in town and all of the breweries have been nothing but helpful and encouraging on pretty much anything that is going on. Tulsa has a great craft beer community and it is very exciting to actually be part of it.

Location: 114 W. Archer St., Tulsa, OK Brewing: One of our owners, Paul Whitham, is just like any other homebrewer and dreams of opening up a place of their own one day. With the laws changing in Oklahoma, this was the perfect time to get in and be part of what is going on here. Brewing Idols: One of my favorite breweries has always been Avery Brewery in Colorado. Odell Brewery in Ft. Collins is a place that got me into drinking craft beer all together. F5 is the

*Their building remodel took 14 months to complete.

*Check out their stout that was created using Cirque Coffee. Porch A light refreshing lager with a small dose of cascades to add a little Party bit of citrus to an American classic. 4.2 ABV & 10 IBU’s. Pilsner

CRAFT MAGAZINE OK | OCT 2018

Founder: Austin Ferguson & craft has inspired me more than he will know. His passion is Bud Farris something I think a lot of people Year: 2011 in this industry can respect. The last few years I befriended one Location: 333 W. Dallas St., of the best sour brewers in the Broken Arrow, OK country. He has been in the Brewing: Since I first saw Bud industry for almost 20 years and brew at his house when I was a kid is a brewing encyclopedia. His and when my brother gave me my passion and dedication to always first craft beer I fell in love with be learning something new every the entire industry. I have always day has helped me keep focused wanted to own my own business and as he says “keep your foot since I was a kid. Knowing how on the gas.” He doesn’t like me much I enjoyed brewing and how name dropping I’ll just tip my much I wanted to be part of the hat to good ol’ “BC.”

industry I just knew I had to start Tulsa: We are beyond fortunate a brewery. to be the first brewery ever in Brewing Idols: When I Broken Arrow. Being part of a was first started this growing industry in a great area journey I was, and is amazing! It is something a lot still am, a huge fan of people in the industry dream of Sam Calagione. His they can be part of. journey and dedication to his

Brown Ale

Newly opened, Broken Arrow Brewing Company, is currently finding out what brew their “signature” or “flagship” beer is. But, if you try one of the current popular brews like, the Brown Ale, Mt. St. Melons or the No Coast IPA you know that it might be a hard decision to make.

*Jason Norther co-owns the brewery. He brews along side Austin and is a mechanical engineer.

*Built in 1906, the building is the old Arrow Ice Plant and light/power company building. 24

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#NOLIMITWOMEN LISA MCILROY BY: ANGELA EVANS

The Girl behind the Boys at Cabin Boy Brewery

isa McIlroy is an owner and founder of Cabin Boys Brewery, along with her husband Austin and family friend, Ryan Arnold. Lisa’s official title is art director, but her role in helping the brewery color outside the lines aesthetically goes beyond the robust, artful beers Cabin Boys creates. She talked to Craft Magazine recently about how Cabin Boys hatched their plan, and how she has grown as an artist and as a woman in the brewing industry. From hobby to livelihood… “My husband, Austin, and I were working opposite hours around 2013. I was teaching painting classes in the evenings, and he was a financial planner, working the typical 8 to 5. We’d maybe have a 30-minute window when we’d see each other. I noticed that when I would get home late at night after class, he was watching Netflix, bumming around, drinking beer. After coming home many nights to my husband turning into a couch potato, I was like, “hey, you’re a more interesting person than this. You’re creative. You’re fun. What you need is a hobby!” One of the things he’d binge-watched on Netflix was about home brewing, so I thought this would be a great hobby for him and, hey, fresh beer for me. Win, win! We started with the kits you get from High Gravity, the whole five-gallon batch on the stove, clearing out kitchen cabinets to hold supplies. The beer at the time wasn’t very good, but we were so amazed we could make drinkable beer. We started doing more all grain and incorporating fresh ingredients. Austin started writing his own recipes, reading books, and was really getting into it.” A decision in Japan… “About the same time, Austin knew he wasn’t really happy in the financial planning world, so we decided to go to Japan to teach English, decide what we wanted to do. While we were in Japan, we actually got more into brewing, which is funny because craft beer was not a thing there. So, for our own beer survival, we were brewing every weekend. There wasn’t a home brew shop in Japan, so we were making our own equipment out of coolers and chilling beer in a bath tub. While we were in Japan, that’s when we decided to make this our livelihood. If you are still

CRAFT MAGAZINE OK | OCT 2018

Lisa, at the taproom, handing a fresh poured beer to a happy customer.

brewing in a 400-square-foot apartment, that’s when you know you really like doing something.” A plan is brewed Germany… “We knew that home brewing skills weren’t enough to run an actual brewery. So, Austin enrolled into 7-month beer program in Chicago, with three months of study in Chicago, and four months in Munich, Germany. He was learning how to be a master brewer, how to brew on a commercial level and really learning the science behind it. I was doing freelance design work, so I could take my job with me to Munich. Ryan (Arnold) came and stayed with us in Munich for a month, and it was this really beautiful time in the early stages of planning the brewery. Austin was going to school by day. I was working on our branding and logo design and art concepts. Ryan was on his laptop next to me writing out the business plan, researching numbers and Oklahoma laws. The evenings were filled with brainstorming, collaborating, and drawing

#NOLIMITWOMEN inspiration from these wonderful beer halls in Europe that have been making fabulous beers for hundreds of years. That’s when came up with the idea of how we want our brewery to look - ages 2 to 92 enjoying a Sunday afternoon with friends and family while drinking a beer.” Keeping the Boys looking good… “I do all the label design, social media, website packaging, and t-shirts. Everything that you see, I’ve had some sort of input. I’ve been doing freelance design and illustrations for about seven years. My degree is actually in painting, but I’m close to having a degree in graphic design. I was pretty new to package design, but it’s been really fun creating a new image and honing my style for our brand. The cool thing about craft beer industry for an artist is that there is really no wrong. If you look at all the beers on the shelf, you’ll see a wide variety of design styles, illustration styles, looks, colors. I really wanted to have a consistent enough style that consumers will recognize our beers, but to still have enough freedom for each label to take on its own personality. Each label, though, has a template so information can be easily found on each label. Not only will you find the ABV, but the IBU, what color is it, and what kind of glassware should be used. “ Cabin Boys love the ladies… We actually get asked all the time about the name, “Cabin Boys.” People say to me, “you’re one of the founders, but you’re not a boy. Shouldn’t it be Cabin People?” Really, it’s kind of funny, because I actually came up with the

Lisa, illustrates another of many designs that will used not only for cans, but for other various marketing campagains.

name! Austin and his pals were always hanging out at the cabin, so I just started calling them the “cabin boys.” They’re manly men, obviously, but it they are good ol’ boys with fun, goofy personalities. When they started brewing together, the nickname sort of stuck. We weren’t using the term “boy” to exclude women or to be sexist. It’s like, hey, I’m a cabin boy, too! And I wouldn’t want our company to be called anything else.

CRAFT MAGAZINE OK | OCT 2018

might need lets us be spontaneously creative, with much more flexibility than any other brewing operation,” says Dave Knott Co-founder with wife Desiree.

High Gravity: Homebrewing, Taproom & More.

ne of Tulsa’s hottest new breweries is an old familiar name. High Gravity has been supplying brewers and winemakers with everything they need to make world class beer and wine since they opened in 2004. Since relocating last year to a new location just three blocks north of their old one, they have added a brewery and taproom to their retail store. The new location is at 68th and Memorial, just North of Sun and Ski Sports. The Taproom Pippin’s Taproom at High Gravity is where you will find 11 of the freshest local beers on tap, with an ever-changing lineup that sees an average of two new beers on the board each week. Nearly all the beers on tap can be taken home in ½ gallon Growlers, or 32 oz. Crowlers. In addition to the rotating list of 11 taps, they offer special bottled and Crowler releases. While they brew plenty of specialty beer styles for the geekiest of beer geeks where you might be able to sample a flight of four different IPA’s, they also produce approachable beers that everyone can enjoy. Sip on your beer and gaze into the Great Beerier Reef saltwater aquarium. This beautiful 150-gallon tank features a huge variety of corals, fish, crabs, shrimp, starfish and more. Every Wednesday evening is Trivia Night from 7:00 – 9:00. New beer releases typically happen on Thursdays. Monthly events include things like Open Mic night, Randall Night, and Firkin Friday where they tap a special one-off beer and drink it until it’s gone. Special events are always being announced. Follow them on Facebook at Pippin’s Taproom at High Gravity or see what’s on tap in real time at PippinsTaproom.com. Dogs and kids are welcome. People under 21 can play games or watch the fish in the designated areas. The Brewery The brewery is a fun sized 1 Bbl. system, a fraction of the size that you typically see at a microbrewery. It is one of the same electric systems that High Gravity produces for hobbyists, and commercial pilot systems. “Brewing on this scale lets us produce a wide variety of beer styles. Having a brew shop full of all the ingredients one

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The Winery In addition to the retail store, brewery, and taproom, High Gravity also operates a boutique micro winery. The wines are produced in 6-gallon batches the same way that a home winemaker would, with the kits from the retail store. A wine ingredient kit is varietal wine grape juice concentrate sourced from all over the world, with all the other ingredients that are needed to make one batch of wine. You can make a French Cabernet, an Australian Shiraz, or a German Riesling at home. As a winery, kids are welcome in the store, and you can pick up a bottle of wine on Sunday. While the current laws require that the winery space be separate from the brewery space, with separate leases and separate books, upcoming changes will allow a brewery to hold a mixed beverage license. With which, they will be able to sell their wine in the taproom. The Retail Store “Supplying everything for beer and winemakers since 2004, we have seen a lot of changes over the years,” say owners Dave and Desiree Knott. “We remember every one of the professional brewers in the area when they were homebrewers. We have worked hard to build one of the best homebrewing and winemaking stores on the planet, supplying everything for the beginner, seasoned brewer, and even the pros.” Winemakers will find everything that they need to produce world class wine at home, with one of the largest selections of wine ingredient kits, and individual fruits and additives for those who want to take more control of the process. Cheesemaking is fun for the whole family. High Gravity is also your cheesemaking headquarters with equipment and a great selection of cultures. High Gravity offers free introductory brewing workshops on the last Saturday of every month, 10:30 – Noon. Whether you are just getting started or end up going pro someday, High Gravity has the supplies and experience to help you get the most out of your adventure. Follow them on Facebook at High Gravity Fermentation Supplies, or checkout highgravitybrew.com for more information.

nnually, Tulsans look forward to crisp, autumn evenings where they can gather with friends, new and old, and imbibe on local and global handcrafted beer at Oktoberfest. A time-honored tradition, this festival started in 1979 when a small group known as the Ratketeers, river rats, organized the inaugural festivities with a few tents overseen by Vivian Steele, a public affairs admin for the River Parks Authority. The roots are embedded deep along the river as the Tulsa River Parks Authority has beautifully transformed this festival into a Top 5 Oktoberfest destination in the U.S,. according to USA Today. “Our goal each year is to be as authentic as possible to the Munich Oktoberfest, so we try to have as much authentic Bavarian food, music and activities,” states Tonja Carrigg, Festival Director. “You’ve probably noticed more decorations over the past few years. We try to make our festival resemble the real Oktoberfest. We added the chandeliers last year and plan on expanding beyond that with more flags and unique decor you would see in Germany.” What fun would Oktoberfest be without wearing the traditional German trachten of dirndls and lederhosen worn by all the Board members, as well as many volunteers. Board members and festival producers will venture over to the Motherland to attend the Munich Oktoberfest as part of their research.

rock band with energetic vibes and lots of accordions and Münchner Gaudiblosn, which tours several Oktoberfests around the world playing traditional tunes and covering American classics. If you really want to party Euro-style, sweat out the remainder of your lagers and ales to DJ Moody at the Euro Disco. None of this happens, though, without the tireless hours of planning and hundreds of volunteers ensuring it runs as smooth and silky as a dunkel lager. Since 2014, Linde Process Plants, Inc. has added a wealth of authenticity for the Oktoberfest festival as being a title sponsor. A German-based company with local offices in Tulsa and Port of Catoosa,Linde embraces this as a true community partnership recruiting new employees to become new volunteers. “Linde has provided the most volunteers every year since being a title sponsor, so that says something to their level of commitment than just writing a check each year,” said Carrigg. To deepen the connection with Linde, Bavarians were some of the first people to lager beer in caves so

“We have made many contacts over the years and book our bands when we visit,” says Carrigg. This year will feature Dorfrocker, a party

CRAFT MAGAZINE OK | OCT 2018

being sponsored by a company based in Munich whose motto is “We Chilled it First,” by providing refrigeration technology to Bavarian breweries over 130 years ago, makes this sponsorship a perfect fit. As tradition continues in Munich since 1950 with their mayor tapping the first keg, so will Mayor G.T. Bynum at Tulsa’s opening ceremonies. And with that, many more kegs will be tapped and drained by over 60,000 patrons that fly in from around the world. “Last year we ran out of the MassKrug so we ordered over 33,000 this year,” notes Carrigg. Unlike the original festival with bier maidens, attendees can line up at any of the numerous handmade bars to fill their stein with the choice of over 100 beers and

CRAFT MAGAZINE OK | OCT 2018

ciders available. Each tent has its own vibe and features a collection of beers like the OK Hoptoberfest Zelt, full of Oklahoma craft beers. Several local, craft breweries will bring their year-round offerings as well as unique German inspired beers. Cabin Boys will introduce their Festbier, an Imperial Helles clocking in at 6.3% abv. However, nothing is more German than Marshall Brewing’s Stammtisch Sports Tent, where you can enjoy handcrafted German inspired beer like their This Land lager, Dunkel, Kolsch and Oktoberfest lager. As you leave across the 21st street bridge and see the glow of the festival a particular word comes to mind. Gemutlichkeit - A German word used to convey the idea of a state or feeling of warmth, friendliness, and good cheer. This beautifully sums up how you will feel after a few days of eating schnitzel, drinking the finest lagers, and dancing with new friends and old on picnic tables.

CRAFT MAGAZINE OK | OCT 2018

BAKED:Apple Pie “The words ‘comfort food’ get thrown around a lot. But few things define true comfort like apple pie...

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CRAFT MAGAZINE OK | OCT 2018

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CRAFT MAGAZINE OK | OCT 2018

Bramble on

The Bramble’s new home in The Pearl District’s features hyperlocal beers taps by Brady Whisenhunt

he Bramble Breakfast and Bar’s Pearl District opening has accumulated a buzz around town over the course of the past few months, and rumor has it that there is a special story behind their beer selection. I came to scope out the situation, and showed up hungry.

this matrix of delicious meat juice, the chorus of flavor resounded in a racy, pickle-flavored dance.

Bright, yellow daylight streams in the floor-to-ceiling windows adorning the wide, airy space, exposing the artfully-aged brick walls, and highlighting the rust-hued patina of the wooden rafters hanging from the loft-style ceiling. Beaded glass strands dangle in the air just above eye level along the room’s edge like icicles refracting and scattering little packets of this abounding light.

The Khachapuri, perhaps The Bramble’s most visually intriguing dish, was served in the traditional Georgian style (think Russia, not Ray Charles): two sunny side-up eggs floating atop a pool of sour, satisfying cream sauce. Held inside an oblong, cheesy bread boat, this sauce is meant to mingle with the eggs and morsels of the chewy, house-baked bread.

Walking into The Bramble for lunch, I was greeted by the same bright, sunny vibe that I had felt so many times before as a patron of The Phoenix, the previous inhabitant of this space in The Pearl. The hostess greets me, and I am seated and given a menu. My pupils widened as I reviewed its offerings.

With each dish, I taste Oklahoma in almost every bite. Local ingredients have always been part of The Bramble’s original mission, but The Bramble’s Pearl District location hopes to take that locavore ethic to a bold new level.

Dishes are prepared using local ingredients, house-baked breads and pickles, and served up alongside their hangover-friendly list of craft breakfast cocktails such as mules, mimosas, and Bloody Marys, The Bramble offers commendable bang-for-buck options, with a highclass offerings that won’t break the bank.

“We definitely try to keep it as local as possible, to support the Pearl District,” explains Laura Bufford, Bar Manager and Manager of Catering for The Bramble. “The Tulsa Arts District, they’ve got plenty of help. They’re established now, so now it’s like, what’s next? I think the Pearl District is what’s next.”

The Bramble’s Cuban dip sandwich was served to me underneath the eaves of a bustling nest of golden-brown lattice-cut potato chips. The bowl of mojo pork au jus sauce was distractingly flavorful, presenting gulps of meaty, smoked pork flavor in every droplet. I dipped an edge of sandwich into the smoky, seductive pool of au jus, and found the pork-umami flavor a perfect diplomat for the refined yet unruly assembly of tangy house-made pickle chunks, sweet and spicy locally-made Seikel’s mustard, the dense, carby crunch of the grilled baguette, and tender, salty slices of house-cured ham. Suspended in

Where they set their aim to highlight this burgeoning district is through their beer offerings.

CRAFT MAGAZINE OK | OCT 2018

Bufford makes sure that the six taps behind the bar only pour beers brewed in a 1.5-mile radius of the restaurant. So, the beer taps at the Bramble aren’t just local, they’re hyperlocal. “I lived in the Pearl District, and went on a walk and I there’s Marshall Brewing. I realized there was a taproom, so I went in. Then, I heard a

CRAFT MAGAZINE OK | OCT 2018

band playing down the street, and there’s Cabin Boys Brewery, right there,” says Bufford. “There’s a ton of breweries, and I just made it a goal to visit all of them.” Mementos from Bufford’s Pearl District brewery walkabout can be seen on each tap handle. The beers on tap are Indian Wheat (Renaissance), Cast-a-line Kolsch (Cabin Boys), Amber Ale (Dead Armadillo), USS Oatmeal IPA (Mashall), and a seasonal by Heirloom Rustic Ales. Each of these breweries is within walking distance of the restaurant. The commitment to hyperlocal beer sourcing is real at The Bramble. They’re digging in to show some love to the The Pearl District, even if it means that Oklahoma beers brewed outside of the neighborhood will be served in cans, if not on tap. Seated in the sun-kissed corner of the beating heart of Tulsa’s craft brewing epicenter, in one of the most upbeat interiors in Tulsa, The Pearl District Bramble is making a statement with every draft pour. “I think sometimes the really local small guys need help,” said Bufford. “It’s like a selling point: come support your neighbors.”

The Pearl District’s Bramble Breakfast & Bar is open 8am–9pm Monday through Thursday, 8am–10pm on Friday and Saturdays, and from 8am–3pm on Sundays.

CRAFT MAGAZINE OK | OCT 2018

A Flavorful Beginning

teve and I met on a beach almost 9 years ago, and have been sharing our love of the lake, cooking, and traveling since that day. When we first met, I was truly impressed by Steve’s condiment stocked refrigerator (well, that and his double oven! Ha!). If you cook and experiment with recipes a lot, everyone knows you have plenty of half empty jars you can’t just throw away! All sorts of goodies that aren’t required for daily use, but are necessary for great taste. It was pretty much love at first sight! We also have a shared fondness for anything spicy. In fact, the hotter the better, except for one time, a few too many peppers got thrown in Steve’s famous chili. It’s now called “heart attack chili”for a reason! We also love road trips of any kind and the “gravel in our travel” ones are the best! Cool little stores and unusual products are what we seek out, and if it’s food related, even better! Obviously, the idea of a fun store of our own was inevitable. OkieSpice & Trade Co was born out of those shared interests and we love it! We enjoy the privilege of being around curious folks, like ourselves, that have a passion for new things and great flavor. Whether it’s grilling, smoking cheese, creating their own blends/rubs , making beef jerky, salsa or just experimenting with all our spices, we could listen for hours to our customer’s own ideas. It makes for some fun times at OkieSpice & Trade Co! From our huge selection of Made in Oklahoma products to some pretty fantastic drink mixers, our general store atmosphere is one you want to linger in and just hang out, And some do! (Especially when Steve fires up the smoker!) OkieSpice & Trade Co offers product samples and daily tastings as well. There are barbecue sauces/marinades, soup/dip mixes, jellies & jams, some of the best salsa in Oklahoma, plus many other treats to help folks with their culinary skills and entertaining. We have over 200 spices, rubs, smoked salts, sugars and peppers that will add great flavor to just about anything. Our custom blends such as Honey Chipotle Rub, Tulsa Chophouse Burger Seasoning or Okie Pork Stank are outstanding as well! Smoked Gouda Powder, Butter Powder, and Smoked Cheddar Cheese Powder are just a few speciality seasonings that could change your life! Different ingredients to enhance your own custom rubs or blends, such as granulated honey or molasses, smoked hickory or mesquite powder, applewood smoked sea salt or bourbon smoked sugar are just a few examples. And if you like heat, we can meet those needs as well! From Ghost Pepper Powder & Flakes to whole dried Carolina Reaper Pods, we have a great selection of all types of chiles. Mild to extremely hot, we have you covered! Ghost Pepper Sea Salt is a house favorite of ours. OkieSpice & Trade Co even has Habanero and Jalapeño sugar for a blend of sweet & spicy heat! OkieSpice & Trade Co also has lots of fun gifts for just about everyone on your list from

grilling items and kitchen towels/gadgets to artisan tea blends and enamelware. Repurposed canvas purses. Oklahoma produced meats and cheeses. Oklahoma teeshirts. It’s the “ and Trade Co “ that comes into play frequently here. There is truly something for everyone! (Even both OU and OSU are equally represented!) Kids enjoy the novelty candy and soda pop while the adults like our Bloody Mary mixes. As do we! Of course, we enjoy all our products; in fact most were in our home way before OkieSpice was even a dream. They were our “finds” on our fun roadtrips! Next time a road trip is on your agenda, head towards Sand Springs and let OkieSpice & Trade Co be your new find! We are quickly becoming known as a destination for out of state guests( heck, even out of country guests!) and for those wanting to take a little Oklahoma back home with them which is exactly what we intended! A store full of flavor, spice and fun with an Oklahoma Twist(er)!

CRAFT MAGAZINE OK | OCT 2018

uel 66 Tulsa is a family friendly place to eat at your favorite food truck, drink delicious, local beer or cocktails and enjoy the outdoors along Route 66. Enjoy a rotation of food trucks, a pet-friendly space with a full-service bar, communal seating and a large biergarten. Where you will find a huge variety and selection of regional beers and local craft brews from Cabin Boys, Nothings Left and Marshalls to name a few! 2439 E 11th St • Tulsa, Ok (918) 861-4110.

Food Truckin

Spotlight: RUB

by: Zach Doss

y food truck agenda today: Tacos. It is Tuesday after all, and where better to land than Fuel 66, with the Rub truck and it’s unique offering of inspired concoctions. RUB’s Chef and proprietor, Joel Bein, is one of those bearded fellows, goofy and sincere, genuine and humorous, honest and full of opinion. He is his harshest critic and thats probably why is food is typically out of this world and one of a kind.

He crafts his tacos using fresh, authentic ingredients from places like Prairie Creek Farms or the Cherry Street Farmer’s Market. Corn tortillas, grilled steak, pickled red onion, cilantro and feta. That combination comes together to form the aptly named “Fancy Steak Tacos”, you get three ($10), they’re plenty to fill you up but you’ll want more. The pickled red onions steal the show along with a perfect amount of cilantro that brings together the steak and feta. The well built machine will destroy your ability to think about much else. The other taco offerings RUB has are, the “Adobe Pork” with gilled pork, avocado, mexi-mix, grilled pineapple or the “Cactus Steak” tacos, with grilled steak, pickled cactus, mexi-mix and queso fresco. Yup, cactus. Theres that uniqueness, folded, bundled in three’s, ready to be enjoyed by everyone. So in short, if it’s Tuesday between 5 and 9pm, you should do yourself a favor and start a new Tuesday night tradition with Joel and RUB at Fuel 66. 40

CRAFT MAGAZINE OK | OCT 2018

n Oklahoma, we are known for our wide-open plains, Saturday football in the Fall and onion burgers. Society on Cherry Street is a great example of a new burger joint that is taking this true Okie tradition for a spin. Completely locally-sourced from Walke Brothers Meats (Claremore, OK), the Okie Burger is redefining the onion burger. Instead of being chopped and blended into to the two 3.2 oz. patties, Society thinly slices their onions and presses them into each patty as it is being cooked. This particular technique allows for the onion to really caramelize and almost melt into the proprietary chuck and brisket blended patties. The double patties are set atop handmade, buttered and toasted buns from Pancho Anaya Bakery, freshly baked right here in Tulsa, OK. Perfected with in-house, handmade haystack onions and scratch mayo, the Okie Burger is a great initiation to Society’s evolving, seasonal menu. Not only are all the ingredients local, Society believes in sourcing everything, from their beers and wine to ice cream, from partners in our community. In creating Society on Cherry Street, they wanted to not only showcase the work of their kitchen, but also the products of those around them. It’s not just about the restaurant; it’s about the society we love.

CRAFT MAGAZINE OK | OCT 2018

ON TAP FOR NOVEMBER + Down On The Farm + 5 Questions With...? + Brew Pubbing

CRAFT MAGAZINE OK | OCT 2018