ALABAMA
FALL 2018 A LC R A F T B E E R M AG.CO M
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Graduate certificate program in
BREWING SCIENCE & OPERATIONS Fusing traditional educational approaches with real-world application for a state-of-the-art interactive learning experience. The full online curriculum combines the science and business of brewing with hands-on application to produce highly sought-after graduates prepared to sit for the IBD General Certificate in Brewing exam. Covered & Approved by Federal VA Benefits
Operating a brewery is fun and rewarding, but a career in this industry means long hours, tough competition, and constant change. Make sure you are prepared. Jason Wilson ‘05 Founder & CEO Back Forty Beer Company Gadsden/Birmingham, AL
I BELIEVE THIS IS A PRACTICAL WORLD, AND THAT I CAN COUNT ONLY ON WHAT I EARN. THEREFORE I BELIEVE IN WORK, HARD WORK. George Petrie, 1943 The Auburn Creed
brewing@auburn.edu
BREWING.AUBURN.EDU 2
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E V E RY D R O P M AD E I N AL AB AM A
Voted Best Craft Beer Bar in Alabama 2018! 63 Taps, Wine, Arcade Games & Pinball Machines Hundreds of Bottles & Cans in Package Growler Fills or Grab Our New Crimson CrowlerÂŽ 32oz Can of any Draft To-go! Grab a pint and shop, play some games, or chill in the living room up front or on the Privacy Patio!
412 20th Ave. Tuscaloosa, AL loosabrews.com
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BEHI N D THE COV ER
Back to Beer Basics Alabama brewers gathered to enjoy beer, food and each other’s company in the great outdoors at Ditto’s Landing on the Tennessee River in Huntsville. Autumn is a great time to enjoy local breweries’ seasonal offerings, especially when the beer is paired with food prepared over an open flame and shared with a community of like-minded friends. Take a look at the event, along with a recipe for a fun dessert, on page 18.
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CONTENT COVER STORY
DEPARTMENTS
PLACES
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BACK TO BEER BASICS
BEER 101
OFF THE BEATEN PATH
FEATURE
30 HARVESTING A NEW BACK FORTY
40 HOMEBREW
46 ADVOCACY
34 HUNTSVILLE’S CAMPUS 805
42 LET’S HIT THE ROAD
PROFILES
24 A COMMON BOND FOR MONTGOMERY
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36 SERDA BRINGS BREWING BACK TO MOBILE
ON TAP
22 SEEK THE INDEPENDENT CRAFT BREWER SEAL
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Brewhouse South is your Tennessee craft beer destination.
23 70 130
+
televisions
taps
bottles
come for the beer, stay for the food Our menu ranges from Cajun to American classics.
FREE THE HOPS FESTIVALS
44 GUILD MEMBERS DIRECTORY
1855 Galleria Blvd. Franklin, TN 37067 • 615-778-1860 • @BrewhouseSouth 8
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MANAGEMENT
MARKETING
EXECUTIVE EDITOR Dan Roberts droberts@alabamabrewers.org
US SALES ACCOUNT MANAGER Carly Black carly@quemedia.press 205.567.3334
PUBLISHER Que Media Press, LLC Craig Disque COO Didi Rainey SENIOR CONTENT MANAGER Joe Bosso CONTENT EDITOR Sara K. Roberts
DESIGN MAGAZINE DESIGN Columbia Marketing Group COVER PHOTOGRAPHER Holly Rainey
QUE MEDIA PRESS, LLC 1127 Nashboro Blvd. Nashville, TN 37217
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ALABAMA SALES Allison Cannon allison@alcraftbeermag.com 256.590.4385
CONTRIBUTORS WRITERS Dennis Malcolm Byron, Lucy Berry DeButy, James Griffin, Julie Holt, Dan Murphy, Rich Partain, Tristan Riesen, Carla Jean Whitley, Clyde Willis PHOTOGRAPHERS Julianna Hunter, Dan Murphy, Rich Partain, Stephen Pyle, Serene Smith, Holly Rainey
@ALCraftBeerMag
CON TRI BUTORS Derrell Winowich is the owner of Chattahoochee Brewing Co. and the president of the Alabama Brewers Guild.
Carla Jean Whitley is a Birmingham-based freelance writer who is curious about the intersection of culture and community. She’s the author of Birmingham Beer: A Heady History of Brewing in the Magic City and Muscle Shoals Sound Studio: How the Swampers Changed American Music. Learn more at carlajeanwhitley.com.
Dan Murphy is a Certified Cicerone® and the founding brewer at Fairhope Brewing Co. He lives in New Orleans, where he can often be found at one of the city’s great breweries, and writes about the ever-growing Louisiana craft beer scene for Southern Brew News.
BEER FOR EVERYONE BY DERRELL WINOWICH
The big brewers like to make funny commercials about how tiny craft breweries are making beer for beer nerds, rich people and millennials. These make me think about where I came from and how silly these stereotypes have become. Beer has been and will always be a product of and by the working man, regardless of whether the more affluent come to appreciate it in the process. Big Beer would have you believe that the only beer the average person can call their own is the same old tired light lager, which is about as interesting as your socks. Beer has gone through a renaissance in the past 30 years or so in this country. These hyper-local brews are created by, for and enjoyed by people from every walk of life. Just like chefs, brewers are individuals with creative passions and palates that lead them to try unique products that everyone can enjoy. Whether they add fruit, spices, ridiculous levels of hops or the kitchen sink, their motives are the same. They want to create a high-quality product on a small scale to sell primarily to their local friends and fans. Even though prices are typically higher than the mass-produced light lagers that we’re all familiar with, I see more and more people stopping in to try out our local brews and usually finding something they like. We typically don’t have the advantage of owning our grain and hop farms, and most of us are very small producers of a very regulated product. Our input prices are higher and our batches are smaller, which does make it more difficult to compete with those larger scale businesses on price. Our creativity and passion are what make our beer worth the extra dollars. See what the local guys have to offer. You will probably find something that you like enough to take to the lake next weekend, down by the river fishing, or on a hike in the mountains in the fall. It’s that good. Cheers!
Dennis Malcolm Byron aka Ale Sharpton is a world-renowned beer authority, award-winning journalist, blogger, photographer, event host and gourmand. He has contributed to more than 20 magazines and numerous websites, covering what he terms the “world’s best beverage.” A native New Yorker, he proudly calls Atlanta, Georgia his home. Globetrot with him on Twitter @alesharpton and Instagram @realalesharpton.
NOW OPEN IN The Village of Providence Fun, Upscale Relaxed
Craft Beer Market
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7 Days a Week
BEER • FOOD • WINE
An English teacher by day, James Hadley Griffin has lived in most of the capitals of the South. He drank his first beer with his dad at the Cat’s Eye Pub in Baltimore, Maryland.
Lucy Berry DeButy lives in Decatur, Alabama with her husband and 2-year-old son. Although a wine lover at heart, Lucy has been covering Alabama’s craft beer subculture for years as both a reporter and freelance writer. Follow her latest antics on Instagram at @lucydebuty.
BEER FOR HERE
32 BEERS ON TAP 300+ BEERS & CIDERS
FRONT PATIO + BACK DECK GREAT FOOD MENU
Rich Partain is a former sales manager for Straight To Ale and Yellowhammer Brewing and former General Manager of Das Stahl Bierhaus in Huntsville, Alabama. An active member of Free The Hops since 2004 and a Certified Cicerone®, he has been a scholar of and advocate for craft beer for more than 15 years. He has taught classes in beer history, beer flavor and evaluation, and beer and food pairing as well as other craft beer related topics.
Tristan Riesen lives in Tuscaloosa, Alabama with his wife and their nearly spoiled pit bull. He is an MFA candidate in nonfiction at the University of Alabama. Follow him on Instagram @tristan.riesen.
Art Whitaker founded the Tennessee Homebrewers Guild. He is currently an Associate Brewer at VonSeitz TheoreticAles in Smithville, Tennessee, host of the the “Milk the Funk” podcast, and writer of the homebrew column in Tennessee Craft Beer magazine.
MIX-A-SIX GROWLER FILLS 4 & 6-PACKS
BEER TO GO
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Come in & Enjoy Pretzels & Beer Cheese ONE HALF PRICE ORDER
WITH COUPON. HUNTSVILLE LOCATION, DINE IN ONLY. CANNOT BE COMBINED WITH OTHER OFFERS. EXPIRES 12/31/18.
2 Off Broadway Street NW • Huntsville, Al • 35806 12
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HUNTSVILLE.THECASUALPINT.COM
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FEATURE
Harvesting a New Back Forty Gadsden’s Back Forty Beer Co. has a new location at Sloss Docks in Birmingham, making it Alabama’s first brewery to operate in more than one city. Back Forty Birmingham is serving up familiar favorites as well as experimental new brews. A full kitchen and inviting outdoor seating with a view of the nearby trains add to the experience. Check out the full story on page 30 for more on this innovative new spot.
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B EER 1 01
INTRO TO FALL SEASONALS BY RICH PARTAIN
Autumn in the South. It means bonfires and campfires, carnivals and cotton candy, a hint of chill to the air, SEC football, Halloween, pumpkin pies and cranberry sauce. Harvest festivals abound, and we all take time to celebrate the earth’s bounty and give thanks. And while Alabamians legitimately only get two weeks of fall weather in between the sun trying to kill us and waking to frost on our windshields, we can at least celebrate the changing of the seasons with fall beers like the rest of the civilized world. By far, the most popular fall beer style in the U.S. is the Oktoberfest, which includes both festbiers and märzens. Spaten’s copper-colored märzen was the official beer of the Munich Oktoberfest from 1870 until 1990, when it was replaced by Paulaner’s Festbier. Paulaner’s offering is much lighter in color and body and – one would presume – more quaffable by the liter while sporting lederhosen. Most Americans still equate the Oktoberfest style with the märzen, though, its autumn-like color and hints of caramel and candied nut well suited to the season. Fantastic examples of the festbier can still be found here, though, and many find it crisp and satisfying. In Alabama, commercial examples that are readily available include Spaten Oktoberfest Ur-Märzen, Paulaner Oktoberfest, Sam Adams Oktoberfest, Cahaba Brewing Oktoberfest, Smuttynose Oktoberfest, Weihenstephaner Festbier, Yellowhammer Oktoberfest and more. Next is perhaps the most polarizing of all beer styles, the pumpkin beer. An obvious choice for fall, this style has become the talk of the internet in recent years as – much like pineapple on pizza – memes admonish that the best way to serve pumpkin beers is to throw them directly in the trash. As with many styles, it’s all in the crafting. Technically belonging to the spiced beer category, many pumpkin beers are made with actual pumpkin puree as well as traditional pumpkin pie spices. With the best of them, the pumpkin shines through and is complemented by hints of nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice and clove. With the worst, overabundant or poorly balanced spices lend an
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unpleasant and earthy pecan-shell bitterness to the beer. If you want to explore this style, hope for the former but be prepared for the latter. Pumpkin beers tend to be darker amber in color and share some of the characteristics of the märzen: malt-forward with hints of toast, nut and dried, dark fruit. Commercial examples available in Alabama include Dogfish Head Punkin’, Shipyard Pumpkin Ale, Samuel Adams Fat Jack Double Pumpkin, O’Fallon Pumpkin Ale, Elysian Night Owl Pumpkin Ale and New Holland Ichabod Ale, among others. Brown ales are another great choice for fall, straddling the line between the easy-drinking, light-bodied beers of summer and the heavier, darker beers of winter. With light hints of toast and notes ranging from caramel, toffee and nut to light chocolate, both the English Brown Ale and its hoppier American cousin serve as great transitional styles. Locally available examples include Newcastle Brown Ale, Good People Brown Ale, Back Forty Truck Stop Honey, Bell’s Best Brown, Smuttynose Old Brown Dog, Salty Nut Busted Nut Brown, TrimTab Pillar to Post Rye Brown, and Cigar City Maduro Brown. Similarly, amber/red ales are another great style perfect for fall in color, flavor and body. Malt-forward with a low-to-moderate hop presence, most beers that fall into this category are copper to ruby in color with hints of roast, caramel, toasted bread and a mild fruitiness. Some ambers may even contain a hint of smoke, lending themselves to colder nights spent around a fire. Examples available in Alabama include Bell’s Amber, Cigar City Tocobaga, Black Warrior Red, Straight to Ale Rocket City Red, Yellowhammer Rebellion, Founders Dankwood, Salty Nut Moustache Red and more. Like the varied colors of the fall foliage that Alabamians see all too briefly, fall beers come in many different varieties. Some may be infused with hints of maple, pecan, cranberry or other autumnal fare. As with any other craft styles, an open mind and an adventurous palate will serve you well. So this fall, try some new beers and revisit some old favorites that won’t be around for long. Cheers!
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BACK TO BEER BASICS BY JUL I E HOLT P H OTO GRA PHY BY HOL LY RA I N EY
hen you consider craft beer’s recent trend of urban, industrial styling, it might be easy to forget that the beer itself came straight from the earth. Hops, yeast, grain and water – the ingredient list that inspired endless interpretations and varieties is, at its core, truly Mother Nature’s handiwork. That’s why, on a steamy late-summer afternoon, we met some of Alabama’s finest brewers for a riverside referendum on beer, brewing, the outdoors and how to make the perfect s’more. Joining us were Jason Wilson with Back Forty Beer Co. in Gadsden, Douglas Brown with Back Forty Birmingham, Eric Hull with Black Warrior Brewing Co. in Tuscaloosa, Derrell and Janice Winowich with Chattahoochee Brewing Co. in Phenix City, Anna Aaron with Cross-Eyed Owl Brewing Co. in Decatur, John Dean with Goat Island Brewing Co. in Cullman, Jason Sledd with Green Bus Brewing in Huntsville, Chris Bramon and Jeff Peck with Mad Malts Brewing Co. in Huntsville, Kelli Lambert with Singin’ River Brewing Co. in Florence, Kimberly Casey with Straight to Ale in Huntsville, and Don Milligan with Yellowhammer Brewing in Huntsville. The serene woods of Ditto Landing’s riverside campground provided cover for a lively meeting of minds for our state’s craft beer industry. While outsiders might say brewers are all competitors for a small (albeit growing) market share, the actual brewers didn’t get that memo. Flavors, recipes and techniques were shared, business operations and marketing schemes were examined – the collective and collaborative vibe between the brewers gathered reflected exactly what makes craft beer the thriving community we’re proud to be part of.
BEER AND THE GREAT OUTDOORS Alabama’s beer is as varied as its landscape. From the rolling hills of Huntsville to the beaches of Gulf Shores, The Heart of Dixie offers outdoor adventure of all varieties – camping, hiking, boating, biking and more. And lucky for us, there’s a beer for every occasion made right here. Beside a roaring campfire, we compared beer offerings from across the state. From kölsch and blonde ales to IPAs, tripels and stouts, the beers were varied and reflective of the influence nature and geography have on craft beer. A stroll around the campsite provided confirmation that an afternoon on the
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S’MORES INGREDIENTS • Graham crackers (honey, cinnamon and chocolate flavor) • Marshmallows (giant size) • Hershey’s chocolate • Reese’s Cups • Oreos • Ghirardelli Caramel-filled Milk Chocolate • Andes mints • Any other sweet treats you love
Toast marshmallows over a roaring campfire until golden brown on all sides. Layer toasted marshmallow on a graham cracker and try any flavor combination that suits you. We love a cinnamon graham with a slightly overdone marshmallow topped with a milk chocolate caramel square.
water or in the woods isn’t complete without a perfectly paired beer for the occasion. In the early morning, as boats were backed into the water, coolers were filled with shining aluminum cylinders, waiting to quench the thirst of fishermen, wakeboarders and pleasure cruisers alike. In the evening, as the fragrance of burning charcoal perfumed the campground, the sound of cans opening accompanied the chorus of crickets and frogs, further cementing the harmony of beer and the great outdoors. IPAcalypse Now from the aptly named Singin’ River Brewing Company was one of many hoppy favorites on a steamy Alabama day, but for those who wanted a little less alcohol and some sour flavor, Straight to Ale’s Boldly Gose was a hit.
PERFECT PAIRS
Pair with Black Warrior’s Oatmeal Stout or Back Forty’s Peanut Butter Porter. 20
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No campout is complete without a meal cooked under the stars, and our Lodge Sportsman Outdoor Grille was the perfect way to prepare the fish Stephanie Hodges
prepared while offering a crash course on filleting fish. Miss Fancy’s Tripel from Avondale Brewing is paired well with our chargrilled meal. There’s no reason to skip dessert, and our s’mores bar was rounded out by a Back Forty Peanut Butter Porter that could be dessert in itself. (See inset.) Even when mealtime is over, sitting around the campfire sharing knowledge and war stories requires the right beverage pairing. We were crazy about so many Alabama brews, it’s impossible to pick just one. That’s why our inflatable cooler was at maximum capacity with the fall and year-round brews of all of our guests. The opportunity to step out of the daily brewing grind and commune with nature made each beer more crisp and each relationship, old or new, more grounded in the common source of all craft beer: Ingredients straight from nature and coaxed into fermented perfection by a community that cares about the people and places they call home.
GET THE TRAINING, GET THE JOB! We train you to be the best brewer or distiller that you want to be. Knowledge is power! S I G N U P TO DAY F O R 2 0 1 9 Professional Brewing/Distilling Technology (PBDT) Certificate Program
“I look for brewers with professional training like they provide at the Brewing and Distilling Center. I believe in the BDC so much, I teach there now.” – CHRIS MEADOWS, MASTER BREWER, ELKMONT EXCHANGE BREWERY
B r ew i ng A nd D i s ti lli ng Ce nte r . co m | 8 6 5 . 6 2 2 . 7 511 | K n oxv i l l e , T N The Brewing and Distilling Center Inc. is authorized for operation as a postsecondary education institution by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. For more information, visit tn.gov/thec
SEEK THE INDEPENDENT CRAFT BREWER SEAL BY THE BREWERS ASSOCIATION
Photo provided by Straight to Ale
Photo provided by Goat Island Brewing Co Photo provided by Yellowhammer Brewing
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H
ow can you tell if a beer is made by an independently-owned American craft brewer? Look for the independent craft brewer seal on the packaging. The logo is designed as an upside down beer bottle, symbolizing how the U.S. craft beer movement has turned the beer world on its head. The independent craft brewer seal was launched in June 2017 by the Brewers Association, publisher of CraftBeer. com and organizer of the Great American Beer Festival. The BA is the membership organization dedicated to promoting and protecting small and independent craft brewers in the United States. The BA defines a craft brewer as small, traditional and independent. More than 6,000 operating breweries exist in the U.S., and 98 percent are considered small and independent. But as global beer manufacturers purchase formerly independent craft brewers, knowing which breweries are independent can be confusing. The independent craft brewer seal is helping cut through the confusion. At every turn, beer drinkers are being offered an illusion of choice in their beer selections. Global conglomerate mega-breweries are leveraging their power to ensure retailers offer beers that look diverse but are actually owned by Big Beer. The BA is calling for transparency in the marketplace, championing independent craft brewers and the beers they produce. When you’re shopping for beer, look for the independent craft brewer seal. You’ll spot it in a variety of places – at events and on packaging, labels, tap handles, menus and websites. “Beer lovers really care about who makes their beer,” said BA Director Paul Gatza. “What the seal provides is a clear message to the beer drinker that this beer comes from a small and independent craft brewer.” The intent of the seal is to give you, the consumer, a visual way to recognize beers from small and independent craft brewers when they’re sitting on a shelf next to beers from breweries owned by Big Beer. The independent seal goes a long way in helping you see who makes the beer you buy.
BREWING THE BEST OF VIKING BEER WITH LOCAL TENNESSEE INGREDIENTS We are the first ever (legal) brewery in the history of Maury County and Columbia, TN (the Dimple of the Universe). Our mission is to bring the cool, smooth beers of the Icelandic region to the Middle Tennessee area. We are a destination brewery focusing on eco-tourism and quality craft beer using a myriad of natural and locally sourced ingredients. Turns out – nothing tastes as good as our beer!
WEFUNDER.COM/ASGARD.BREWING asgardbrewery.com | 615.669.9908 | 104 East 5th Street | Columbia, TN 38401
PROFI LE
A Common Bond for Montgomery BY JAMES HADLEY GRIFFIN PHOTOS PROVIDED BY COMMON BOND BREWERS
Situated at the bottom of historic Cottage Hill, a few blocks from the Alabama River, the Capitol building, the Hank Williams Museum and the newly-opened National Memorial for Peace and Justice, Common Bond Brewers is taking their place as an integral part of the changing fabric of downtown Montgomery. The story of Common Bond is one of celebrating the things that bring people together. Five years ago, Tim Doles, a practicing anesthesiologist, met recent Montgomery arrival Andrew McNally while their children were attending a classmate’s birthday party. They struck up a conversation and realized their
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similarities: Both had backgrounds in chemistry, children of the same age and wives who were pediatricians. And, perhaps most importantly, they discovered a shared passion for beer. McNally had been privately tinkering with his own beers and revealed to Doles that he had recently been a finalist in Good People Brewing Co.’s Heart of Dixie Open, a homebrew competition. McNally also told Doles that he had long wondered why Montgomery didn’t have a production brewery like other similar cities. He was thinking about taking his hobby out of the garage and to the public.
“It’s difficult to start a brewery,” McNally said. “You see these stories that everyone’s doing it, but there’s a lot of capital that goes into it. There’s a lot of specific production knowledge that goes into doing it properly. If I were in Atlanta, or even Birmingham, I might have kept it in the garage. But talking to people made me realize the need is here.” Doles agreed and Common Bond was born. However, the idea had its skeptics, and they encountered many along the way who didn’t believe Montgomery was the kind of city that would support a brewery like theirs. For many years, the downtown would empty out after business hours. “When I first moved here in 2007, you would come downtown to a Biscuits game, maybe sneak over to the Montgomery Brewpub, but otherwise there wasn’t a lot to do downtown,” Doles said. Both men, responding to the growing popularity of the Alley entertainment district and investment beginning to take place downtown, felt that Montgomery was positioned for revitalization. They wanted their brewery to be a part of it. “The reason there was a gap here is that Montgomery wasn’t a walkable city until some of these changes happened,” McNally said. “When we saw that and were scouting out locations, we felt the brewery fit. You’ve got to give them something to walk to. A brewery is a destination. It gives people something to walk to.” Eventually, they found people with a similar vision who agreed to back them. They found a location – a renovated 19th-century building that was most recently an auto-repair store – and set to work. They quickly discovered the steep learning curve involved in setting up a brewery. “It’s not going to the homebrew shop anymore and picking up a pound of whatever grain you want,” McNally said. The Alabama Brewers Guild helped them navigate this process and overcome many of the early obstacles. “I joined the Brewers Guild as soon as I knew I had a brewery-in-planning,” McNally explained. “There was a camaraderie there. For example, when I was setting up and drawing plans, I could
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EST. 2009
Walk like an Alcovian alcovetavern.com
CRAFT BEER • WINE • TOP SHELF COCKTAILS • PRIVACY PATIO
IPA
ask any of the other guild members where glycol lines or tanks or drains should be placed. That’s why I like the craft beer industry, especially here in Alabama. We all want to help each other and see each other succeed. They helped us do that. I feel comfortable in talking to any other guild member and knowing they are being truthful with us. I leaned on them a lot. We may make different beers and put them on the shelves with different tap handles, but in the end, we all want Alabama beer to take off. I like being in a culture like that.“ Finally, after years of planning and research and convincing people that their dream was possible and that a city like Montgomery could, in fact, support a brewery like them, Common Bond opened their doors on April 14th of this year. Even up to opening day, though, they had their doubts.
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“To be honest, we were not sure what the feedback in Montgomery would be,” Doles said. “But several hundred people showed up as soon as we opened. The town really demonstrated to us that we weren’t crazy. People were looking for this kind of thing in Montgomery.” Beyond reflecting the important chemical reactions taking place in the creation of beer, they hope the name Common Bond also reflects how beer can unite people, especially in a city historically known for division. “I envision a lot of people of all ages, backgrounds and ethnicities coming down to enjoy their city,” Doles said. “The intent from day one was to create a community space,” McNally added. “A taproom allows us to do that. You can taste products made in your city. Families
are welcome. Bring everyone. Common Bond is a place for people to gather.” In the coming months and years, McNally and Doles hope to continue riding the wave of downtown revitalization and reflect the city’s growing potential. As once-shuttered storefronts in the surrounding blocks continue to be reopened and reactivated, and people continue to look to downtown Montgomery as a destination, they hope to be just one success story among many. “The first goal is to become Montgomery’s craft beer. We want people in the area to say, ‘This is our beer.’ We also want to be a seed for downtown, and hopefully that’s been seeded and is ready to grow. We look forward to seeing who else wants to take the risk.”
6.5% Alc. by Vol.
412 20th Ave, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401
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BREWED ON THE GULF COAST Distributors: Gulf Distributing Mitchell Distributing 30bbl Brewhouse Pilot Brewery 3.5 to 7bbl 4 X 60bbl Ferm Cellar Canning Bottling(upcoming) Tap Room and Event Space Contract Brewing Available Serda Brewing 600 Government St. A LC R A F T B E E R M AG.C O M 2 7 Mobile, AL 36602 251-929-9349
OFF THE BEATEN PATH Craft Beer in Remote Alabama BY TRISTAN RIESEN
In the past year, two breweries have opened in Jasper, Alabama. The first, Twisted Barley Brewing Co., launched in the beginning of September 2017, followed a month and a half later by Tallulah Brewing Co. In small towns throughout the country, microbreweries like these are cropping up. There’s a common question: Are these breweries in fact sustainable, or are they fated to bust? I spoke with the owners of Twisted Barley, Mason and Courtney Boren. They had been open for a few hours by the time I walked in, and the front bar was full but for a seat. The Borens were worried when they first decided to open a brewery in small town Jasper, but the reception Twisted Barley received was, in their words, “overwhelming.” “We opened at 2 that day, but people were already here by 1,” Mason says. “We were slammed until we ran everybody out at midnight.” Today, the hype continues. On any given Saturday, people come to Twisted Barley from all over. Jasper isn’t a big town. In 2016, it had a population of 14,003. It is easy for a local to recognize another local; conversely, locals notice an outsider. “All day Saturday we’ll have people from out of town. ‘Heard there were some breweries in Jasper,’ they’ll say. ‘We came to check them out. This is neat little town you have.’” Distribution also brings people in from out of town. Twisted Barley distributes to Birmingham, Montgomery and Tuscaloosa, and to Lee and Autauga counties. Distributing local Alabama beer outside of the town it is brewed in can help both a town and its brewery as it often leads to these craft beer pilgrimages. Later that day I spoke to Josh Bagwell, brewer and co-owner of Tallulah Brewing Co., which is only a three-minute walk from Twisted Barley. Bagwell agreed with the Borens. When asked if either Tallulah or Twisted Barley is benefiting Jasper and its economy, Bagwell is candid. “I don’t have any numbers. I can’t throw figures at you, but I can tell you that since we and Twisted Barley opened, there’s a lot more people traversing these sidewalks that weren’t before.”
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Economy and quality of life go hand-in-hand. Dr. Stephen Porter is a co-owner of Asgard Brewing Co. in Columbia, Tennessee. He studied pharmacology at the University of Michigan and is about to retire. Today, he likes to tell people that he’s “getting out of drugs and into a more noble profession: beer making.” Over the phone, Porter is easy-going, learned and gregarious. He sees beer, specifically craft beer, as medicinal. It was not designed for mass consumption, but for moderation. More to the point, craft beer improves lives. Porter breaks down the likelihood of a brewery succeeding into various factors. Asgard, he said, has a formula. Asgard is successful because there is, first of all, interest from the local community. Secondly, there are a few local colleges in the area which provide intellectual capital. Finally, there’s a recreational area nearby. To compare, Jasper’s breweries had both private and government support before launching. In fact, the local government changed several laws in order for the breweries to open. More recently, in June of this year Jasper residents voted to legalize Sunday alcohol sales. The vote was 1,258 in favor to 696 opposed. Both Twisted Barley and Tallulah anticipate an increase in sales when the law goes into effect. Bevill State Community College is located in Jasper, and the city’s largest employer is the Walker County Board of Education. Together these institutions qualify as Porter’s “intellectual capital.” Lastly, north of Jasper is Smith Lake, a popular fishing spot. Twisted Barley and Tallulah are some of the closest breweries to Smith Lake. By proximity alone, Jasper may now be the destination for lake-goers looking to try out new craft beer. If Porter is right, and there’s little reason to think he isn’t, Jasper’s economy can prosper with these two breweries. He estimates the average taproom can have a 50 percent margin in sales while a brewery in full production – taproom, distribution, etc. – can have a sales margin of up to 90 percent, an unprecedented profit and nothing short of beneficial to Jasper.
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Alabama’s newest brewery bears a familiar name. Back Forty Birmingham opened their doors – and their spacious front porch – at Sloss Docks in mid-July. But Back Forty and their beer were already well known throughout Alabama, thanks to the dedication of founder Jason Wilson and his Gadsden team. With the addition of the Birmingham location, a beloved brand is stepping into new territory, both for itself and for the state it calls home. Back Forty Birmingham owner and CEO Douglas Brown describes the concept: “Take a really good Alabama brand, expand it into multiple locations and use those locations as the test kitchen to constantly be testing new beers so customers can come there and get something they’ll never get anywhere else.”
Photo by Russ Bodner
A NEW PATH
HARVESTING A NEW BACK FORTY Gadsden-based brewery tills new land through a first-of-its kind licensing agreement BY CARLA JEAN WHITLEY | PHOTOGRAPHY BY DIDI RAINEY
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Many breweries share DNA: Their founders grow tired of their previous careers, but find hope for the future in the beer they brew in garages and basements. Those suds lead to business opportunities, and breweries are born. Brown can relate. After a 30-year career in business management consulting, he was ready for a partial retirement. Brown was raised in Tennessee, but he spent most of his working life in Boston and New York. He wanted a change. More than 20 years ago, when Brown earned his Master of Business Administration from the University of Maryland, he dreamed about a career in the beer business. Craft beer was on the rise, and Brown developed a business plan that would allow him to capitalize on the boom. But he didn’t have the money to pursue that dream. When a steady job came along, Brown focused his efforts in that direction. The dream didn’t die. At age 52, Brown applied for Auburn University’s brewing science program. “I’m a garage brewer, but I approach it more from the business side,” said Brown, who relies on his staff to embrace their talents. Original Back Forty brewer Jamie Ray is on board with the Birmingham operation alongside Tosh Brown. The brewing science program introduced Douglas Brown and others to many beer industry professionals via video appearances. Back Forty’s Wilson drew Brown’s attention, thanks both to Wilson’s charisma and his passion as a self-proclaimed beer evangelist.
Brown reached out to Wilson and they began conversations about potential collaborations. That wasn’t a clear-cut path. Because of Alabama’s three-tier system, Back Forty could be a brewery, distributor or retailer, but could only be classified as one of the three. Brown spoke with Wilson about moving forward together, but the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board was not comfortable with Back Forty participating in more than one system tier. The ABC ultimately OK’d Back Forty Birmingham to license the brand and produce on a local level. Brown describes Back Forty Gadsden and his own Back Forty Birmingham as “two separate companies, close spiritual partners.” The Birmingham location will serve several Back Forty flagship beers, but it will also serve as a test kitchen for new and different recipes.
Already the brewery has introduced War Baby Apricot Wheat Ale, named for the style of train parked nearby. Another specialty, Theophilus Heart Red Ale, pays homage to the spirit of a man said to haunt Sloss Furnaces.
BEER BUSINESS As Brown and Wilson firmed up their agreement, Brown began to search for suitable real estate in Birmingham. Wilson had built a relationship with Cathy Sloss Jones, president of Sloss Real Estate. The first property Brown saw ultimately became the brewery’s home, but the site wasn’t without its quirks. “It probably had a hundred years of dust on everything,” Brown said. Many other area breweries are concentrated within a few blocks of each other, but the Sloss Docks space is a bit of an outlier. It is a
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CMGPROMOITEMS.COM A one-stop-shop for all your promotional item needs. little more than a mile from many breweries with more established roots in Birmingham. There’s plenty of space – both outdoor and interior rental square footage – to ensure the brewery eventually finds itself in good company. And a generous porch and beer garden invite visitors outside to admire the city itself. Ample outdoor seating, including rocking chairs, also means it’s easy to watch the trains go by. “At first I was a little afraid of the trains, not being from Birmingham,” Brown said. But he heard repeatedly that Birmingham residents hold an affection for the metal beasts. “I talked to someone the other day who said, ‘We don’t have a choice.’ “You might have to pause for 30 seconds to take a sip of beer while the train horn blows,” Brown said. The brewery’s location also makes it easy for running and cycling groups to use it for pit stops. It is adjacent to the Jones Valley Trail, part of the Red Rock Trail System. The system will include 750 miles of trails, sidewalks, parks and bike lanes at its completion, and more than 100 miles are already open. Those who prefer to drive can park in one of the brewery’s 210-plus parking spaces.
Being positioned near Sloss Furnaces, but outside of the usual footprint of downtown breweries, helps Back Forty draw a comparison to their namesake. “We’re trying to stay true to our heritage. The back forty was the part of the farm that was the hardest to get to, so it tended to be the last to get any attention,” Brown said. “But once the attention was put in, it always had the richest soil because it hadn’t been farmed.”
NEW TASTES The metaphorical ground Brown and his team are now tilling is already reaping rewards. Like Back Forty Gadsden, Back Forty Birmingham features an on-site kitchen with service hours that match that of the beverage operations. Food isn’t an afterthought, either. Brown said many breweries avoid restaurants or subcontract with an outside entity to provide food. But Brown sought a top-notch chef for a dining experience that would parallel the expectations already set for Back Forty beer. Wilson established a relationship with Rob McDaniel, executive chef of SpringHouse in Alexander City. Brown leaned on McDaniel for input on the restaurant. Brown knew McDaniel wouldn’t come to Back Forty, but
wanted to know who McDaniel would recommend the brewery pursue. It is through that recommendation that Ross Bodner stepped in to lead the restaurant. Bodner had served as sous chef under McDaniel before he became executive chef of nearby Kowaliga. Bodner left Alabama for a stint in Aspen, Colorado, followed by a return home to St. Louis, but Brown was able to woo him away. The resulting gourmet comfort food pairs well with the beers Tosh Brown and Ray create, and Douglas Brown expects to see more beer incorporated into Bodner’s recipes as the brewers build up their stock. That stock isn’t the only thing Brown hopes to grow. He has dreams for the Birmingham location, including a small canning line and a barrel room that could host entertainment. But he also hopes to grow Back Forty’s physical presence in locations where their beer is already distributed. Each new Back Forty location would bring an already-beloved Alabama brand to a larger audience, and in the process grow the state’s beer scene. That scene is, after all, part of what drew Brown to the business. He said, “It’s good to be part of that collaborative family.”
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HUNTSVILLE’S CAMPUS 805 Three years into Alabama’s first multi-brewery development project BY LUCY BERRY DeBUTY
Photo provided by Yellowhammer Brewing
Photo provided by Straight to Ale
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former middle school turned brewery and entertainment venue is helping to revive the west Huntsville neighborhood and create a ripple effect across other parts of the city. With 19 tenants and nearly 90 percent occupancy, Campus No. 805 is commanding attention among beer enthusiasts in Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia. The facility is also gaining recognition outside the region and inspiring new growth along the west Huntsville corridor. “When we initially started, we knew this was going to be something special for the west Huntsville community, but really did not understand the impact it would have on not only Huntsville, but Alabama as well,” said spokeswoman Madison Kilpatrick. From 1951 to 2009, the site of Campus No. 805 educated thousands of local students, first as S.R. Butler High School and later as Stone Middle School. In 2014, developer Randy Schrimsher bought the Clinton Avenue property and quickly began renovating it as Campus No. 805 – a name that pays homage to the 35805 zip code. Yellowhammer Brewing and Straight to Ale were the first tenants to sign on at the site. Since launching at Campus No. 805 in December 2015, Yellowhammer co-founder Ethan Couch said the brewery has had a good mix of tourism and local support due in part to the Downtown Huntsville Craft Beer Trail. “Locals know they can come to the campus and find fun stuff to do, and if people are in from out of town, they are pleasantly surprised Huntsville has such a vibrant brewery scene,” Couch said. “And the entertainment is still evolving.” Straight to Ale has expanded their taproom into different areas of the school, giving each space its own unique vibe. Customers can choose among the main Straight to Ale taproom, outdoor patio, speakeasy and the soon-to-open German Biergarten and Belgian/sour room. Straight to Ale partner Ale’s Kitchen also runs an onsite restaurant serving burgers, wings, poutine and other scratch-made dishes. “We have been amazed at the growth of our brand over the years, and especially since opening the Campus 805 location,” said co-founder Dan Perry. “Since we got our triple license at the new location, it allows us to also make wine, cider, mead and
distilled spirits here on-site. Our customers seem to especially enjoy the addition of all of our craft cocktails made with our Shelta Cavern Spirits.” While Campus No. 805 may be a craft beer mecca for some, breweries are not the only businesses operating at the project. In addition to Yellowhammer and Straight to Ale, the development is home to Lone Goose Saloon, Civil Axe Throwing, Spirited Art, Wish You Were Beer, Fringe and other tenants. Arcadia Studio, a private tattoo shop, has done well at Campus No. 805 since Huntsville artist Leah Farrow opened it in January 2017. “I do really like how my clients can get food on campus and soon coffee, when Offbeat Coffee Studio opens,” Farrow said. “There are also things to do for people who come with them, which I like. My business hasn’t changed dramatically, but I do think I’ll be there long-term because I love the location.” Kilpatrick said the Stone Event Center inside Campus No. 805 is creating packages to promote nationwide through the Alabama
Tourism Department and Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau. This will attract conferences, seminars and long-term businesses to the campus and community at large. Diversifying will also ensure the campus remains relevant to visitors of all kinds, Kilpatrick said. “We have anchored ourselves as an important piece in west Huntsville and will continue all efforts to help grow the success of the campus and the west Huntsville area,” she said. As Investment Communities of Nashville works to revitalize west Huntsville with new homes, Couch believes facilities like Campus No. 805, Lowe Mill ARTS & Entertainment and the Huntsville West business incubator will continue to expand. Couch said he would love to see a boutique hotel open nearby to attract more out-of-town guests and convince new businesses to invest in the area. “Governors Drive and Clinton Avenue were built for this kind of growth years ago, and the city has done a great job incorporating this section of town into their long-range plans,” he said. “As people get more familiar with the area, it will only continue to grow.”
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PROF IL E
Serda Brings Brewing Back to Mobile STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAN MURPHY
When Hurricane Brewing Co. closed the brewpub doors in downtown Mobile in early 2010, a nearly 20-year run of locally brewed beer in the Port City came to an end. In the following years, other Lower Alabama breweries opened in Fairhope and Gulf Shores, but the state’s third-largest city went nearly eight years without a brewery of its own. It didn’t take long for the city’s residents to forget what it was like to have a local brewery in town. But Todd Hicks, former brewer at Hurricane, didn’t forget. Most people shrugged their shoulders when asked why Mobile seemingly couldn’t sustain its own brewery. Hicks, who has been brewing professionally on and off since 1993, was always working on one plan or another with the goal of again brewing Mobile’s beer. After a few promising but ultimately fruitless efforts with various business partners, Hicks put the brewery project on hold and focused on consulting. He helped build Tin Roof Brewing Co. in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Crooked Letter Brewing Co. in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. When he finished helping other people start up, he returned to his own business plan. It wasn’t long before he hooked up with some fellow McGill-Toolen alumni, including John Serda, the founder of the popular Serda’s Coffee Company in downtown Mobile. “Me and John kind of got in contact out of the blue and he asked me if I was still working on the brewery project. We sat down, looked at the business plan and that’s when we deleted [the original partners’] names and put our names in,” Hicks said. They looked at a number of locations, the first of which was a dingy old tire shop on Government Street. The partners didn’t see its potential at first glance, and they quickly moved on to other options. “We didn’t really look at it on the inside,” Hicks admits. “When we finally came inside, me and John were like, ‘Whoa.’ It was huge. It was absolutely huge. “As soon as we started to walk around and started compiling our own notes, we were sold on it. It was better than the other options out there.” It was a five-year journey from concept to reality, but when Serda Brewing Company opened on the day after Thanks-
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giving 2017, thirsty Mobilians could once again enjoy beer brewed on-site. And it was Hicks who was once again brewing it. Since then, the brewery and taproom have become a staple among downtown Mobile’s watering holes. Where vehicles were once jacked up for repairs now sits a 30-barrel brewhouse that is flanked on two sides by rolling garage doors. The walls are painted bright, beachy colors. When the doors are opened, the result is an airy, welcoming space where patrons can watch the three-man brew team hard at work or enjoy a game of cornhole in the courtyard. While it’s no surprise to Serda that the brewery has become a popular destination for both residents and tourists, the taproom manager admits that the diversity of the clientele has been eye-opening. “We are always amazed at our clientele, our demographics,” Serda said. “I mean, we’ve got a 21-year-old kid celebrating his birthday here and 70-year-old black guys coming in off their motorcycles and ordering a beer, and everything in between. It’s a broad stretch of everybody, and, really, that’s one of the biggest surprises.” “I think a lot of it is, we are very events-driven,” Hicks added, “so each different event draws in a different group of people.” It’s clear that Serda really does cater to a wide range of people. They have bingo one night, yoga the next, cooking classes, cornhole tournaments, running groups, video game tournaments — anything to bring people together. To that end, Serda is a true success story. They aren’t a brew pub, so there’s no food served out of the brewery itself. They do host a food truck every night in the parking lot, offering patrons a wide range of food options throughout the week. As for the beer, the “haze craze” may be all the rage at breweries across the United States, but you won’t often find a New England IPA on the menu at Serda. Instead, they focus on what Hicks calls “German-style beers brewed with American craft beer flair.” “The way we interpret that is, we take the traditional styles and we brew them bolder than some of the generic European beers that are brewed in a giant factory with an artificial intelligence unit controlling the brewhouse,” Hicks says. Hook Line & Lager, for instance, is a pilsner brewed with rye, an ingredient not common in traditional pilsners. It has already earned the brewery their first award, a Gold Medal at the Can Can Awards. Other beers include a Vienna lager — “it’s darker and richer than a modern Vienna,” Hicks says — a seasonal hefeweizen and a Baltic porter, which comes in both the traditional version and one with Serda’s espresso added to it. This is a natural partnership for the brewery and the coffee shop that shares a name, and it has allowed for a wide range of experimentation. “We started with a Costa Rican, then we moved to a Colombian, then we went to an Ethiopian,” Serda said. “It was kind of neat to see the different coffees in the same porter to see which one went best.” As for small batches, the brewery is currently focused on brewing enough of their flagships on the main brewhouse, but a series of taproom exclusives — including more experimentation with Serda-roasted coffees — are planned for a 3.5-barrel pilot brewhouse that is already in service propagating yeast. Fans of Serda can look for those small-batch brews later this year. For now, Serda’s beers can be found in six-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft throughout Lower Alabama and the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
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HOM EB RE W
JONATHAN LIZENBY: HOMEBREWER
Schwarzbier 3rd Place Dark European Lager AHA Homebrew Competition • OG: 1.048 • FG: 1.010 • IBU: 25
BY ART WHITAKER
46% Pilsner Malt 24% 2-row Malt 18% Munich Malt 4% Special B 3% Carafa III 3% CaraAroma 2% Chocolate Malt
Tetnang 58% IBUs at 60 minutes Tetnang 35% IBUs at 20 minutes Hallertau 7% IBUs at 0 minutes
Wyeast 2124 or Imperial Global L 13 Mash at 152 degrees Fahrenheit for 60 minutes. Chill, and pitch yeast at 50 F. Ferment at 50 F for five days, and then raise to 65 F for two days. Lower to 50 F for seven days, and then lower to 40 F for two weeks. Bottle or keg.
H
omebrewer Jonathan Lizenby is a member of the 256 Brewers Homebrew Club in the Huntsville area and has been “learning” to homebrew for about 20 years. “I say ‘learning’ because I believe that this is one hobby or profession that you truly will never stop learning something new,” Lizenby said. Like many brewers, Lizenby started with extracts and made awful beer at the beginning. In 2004, he joined the American Homebrewers Association and became enamored with the hobby. “It was also around this time when I discovered the hobby I was crazy dedicated
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to was illegal in the state, along with a lot of other brewing and beer related laws,” he said. When Alabama legalized homebrewing in 2013, Lizenby decided to enter homebrewing competitions and won his first medal for a hibiscus pale ale in 2014. He entered the National Homebrew Competition in 2015. This year his schwarzbier finished second in the first round of the National Homebrew Competition in Tampa and advanced to the finals, where it was awarded third place nationally.
Top three rows ofphotos by Stephen Pyle
EV EN TS
Free the Hops Craft Beer Festivals The grassroots organization Free the Hops hosts the two premier craft beer festivals in Alabama. The 10th Annual Rocket City Brewfest was held in Huntsville June 8-9, followed by the 12th Annual Magic City Brewfest in Birmingham August 10-11. The all-volunteer Free the Hops fights for craft beer consumers in Montgomery and throws great parties in the spring and summer!
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Bottom two photos by Julianna Hunter
L E T ’ S HI T T HE ROA D:
Charlotte, North Carolina BY DENNIS MALCOLM BYRON, AKA ALE SHARPTON PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED BY CHARLOTTESGOTALOT.COM / KYO H HAM
As a freelance beer journalist residing in Atlanta, Georgia, I make it a point to find cities within a decent driving distance — usually less than four hours away — when I want to make a quick getaway to quench my out-ofstate thirst. While Alabama continues to establish itself as a recognized destination for sipping craft ales and lagers, I recommend taking a trip to another state that is currently sharing the same passion: North Carolina. Specifically, Charlotte, also known as the Queen City, is a highly recommended beer destination. Here’s why...Charlotte is making it a priority to be a legitimate beer town. According to Charlotte’s Regional Visitors Authority, between 2012 and 2018 the city went from seven craft breweries to nearly 50, an astounding 600 percent boom. Proof enough? In order to cover a lot of ground in one article, let’s take a ride on the new Blue Line LYNX Light Rail, introduced in March of 2018. One of its main functions is to provide Charlotte residents and visitors with easier access to many of its standout breweries. From South to North Charlotte, here are the stations and breweries within close proximity.
SCALEYBARK STATION The German-inspired Olde Mecklenburg Brewery is regarded as the brewery that started the boom in 2009 and now has an 8-acre biergarten that constantly rocks. Their neighbor, Sugar Creek Brewing Co., is all about Belgian tradition with their solid lineup. The new Brewers at 4001 Yancey is a joint venture with heavy hitters Southern Tier Brewing Co. and Victory Brewing Co., boasting a strong focus on pairing delectable eats with their nationally renowned beers. Thirsty Nomad Brewing Co., also new to the scene, brings a chill vibe and dope artwork, while Three Spirits Brewery continues to build their fanbase with their proudly brewed unfiltered sippers.
NEW BERN STATION Triple C Brewing Co. is a Queen City favorite and has recently expanded. Lenny Boy Brewing Co. is a great choice for a group, as they serve up everything from single-hopped IPAs to gluten-free wild ales, organic kombucha and sours. Hyde Brewing is based in the hip The Suffolk Punch — a coffeehouse, eatery and brewery combination — and boasts one of the most extensive beer lists in the city, including many in-house creations.
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BLAND STATION The nationally renowned Wooden Robot Brewery kills it in the beer game, and now they have the Kre8 Gastropub serving up mouthwatering fare to seal the deal. Unknown Brewing Co. was the first brewery I ever visited in Charlotte and will continue to be at the top of my list. They have a dedication to creating off-the-wall brews and also host the best tailgate parties, especially for the nearby Carolina Panthers.
25TH STREET STATION Started by brothers Jason and Jeff Alexander, Free Range Brewing is all about family and community. They reach out to partner with various locals on produce, products, charity
initiatives, art – you name it. They make damn good beer, too.
36TH STREET STATION I have to hit up Salud Cerveceria whenever I’m in the North Davidson Arts & Entertainment District, aka NoDa. My initial visit welcomed me with a live DJ, coolers of hard-tofind craft beers and numerous taps pouring liquid bliss. Now there are two floors, a talented kitchen, event space, bar games and a variety of beers they brew on-site. A short ride away is NoDa Brewing Co. with their award-winning Hop, Drop ‘n Roll IPA. Birdsong Brewing Co. brings the heat with their revered Jalapeño Pale Ale and a happening taproom that often hosts live music. Now
boasting 30-barrel production on-site, Heist Brewery steadily attracts both craft beer imbibers and cocktail sippers with more than 100 whiskeys, plus tapas to add to the appeal.
SUGAR CREEK STATION I have yet to thoroughly explore this area, but I hear Bold Missy Brewery not only slings great beers, but defies the industry norm with a founder and brewmaster who are both females. If sours and wild beers are your thing, Divine Barrel Brewing Co. is quickly earning its reputation of producing the best. Take a ride on the Charlotte Blue Line LYNX Light Rail and do all the brewery hopping you can handle.
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PROFI LE
GROWTH IN PROGRESS STORY BY ALLISON CANNON
Named for the red clay found native in the Alabama soil, the Red Clay Brewing Company is a brewery and taproom located in historic downtown Opelika. The award winning brewery was founded by John Corbin, Kerry McGinnis and Stephen Harle, three friends with a shared love of home brewing and a desire to give back to the community. After years of home brewing, developing recipes, and with a little help from friends, family and the City of Opelika, Red Clay Brewing Company opened for business in March 2015. Since then the brewery has been supplying the region with top quality craft brews.
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In addition to providing craft beer on site in the taproom, Red Clay also distributes through out Alabama and in select markets in Georgia. Plans to add on to their brew space and ultimately their production capability are in the works, which will allow them to expand their distributions markets even farther. While growing their distribution is a critical element of the business the owners do not want to lose their local vibe. Instead of becoming another mega-brewery along the same line as most national brands the men would prefer to open more small breweries in other states. That way they will be able to provide the production necessary to support new markets while keeping the Red Clay spirit alive in the satellite breweries. Kerry says, "We're Red Clay, we're not a bunch of guys in suits... We grew up here, we named the brewery after the red clay [that is native to the region], we wouldn't want to change that feeling". John agreed and said, "We do market research, but we're not a bunch of guys obsessing over with what a focus group feels is the perfect beer... We make good beer and let it speak for itself".
Aside their ample draft selection (Halftime Hefeweizen, Big Swamp Stout, Southern Bumpkin Sweet Potato Brown...) the brewery also produces its own line of Cider and Wine under the label of Three Ravens. The cider is distributed state wide while the wine is only available in house and in the local market of Auburn/Opelika. The taproom is a large and inviting and is available for events. In fact the brewery offers 3000 sq ft of event space with an outdoor entertainment area currently in construction. If you aren't able to stop by the taproom, look for Red Clay Brewing in restaurants and grocery stores or where ever you shop for craft beer. redclaybrewingcompany.com TAPROOM HOURS: TUES-THURS FRIDAY SATURDAY
4 PM–12 AM 4 PM–2 AM 12 PM–2 AM
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ADVOCACY Dan Roberts is the executive director of the Alabama Brewers Guild.
REGULATIONS RUN AMOK BY DAN ROBERTS
T
he most common question I get from a potential brewery owner is, “What rules do I need to know if I start a brewery?” They want a simple answer, but legal compliance in the alcohol industry in Alabama is not simple. On my desk I have a reference of Alabama’s statutes on “Intoxicating Liquor, Malt Beverages and Wine.” It’s about 95,000 words. That’s a decent-sized novel. It doesn’t stop there. The Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board also has 132 pages of regulations that breweries must follow. The Federal Alcohol Administration Act is 190 pages. Then there are local laws and municipal ordinances, depending on where you live. These are just the special rules on the alcohol industry. Breweries are also accountable for the same rules as all other small businesses in Alabama.
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Even more daunting than the sheer number of regulations is the inconsistent interpretation by regulators. Many will remember the back-and-forth with margarita pitchers last year. Cameron Smith of al.com reported last July that the ABC had decided to ban margarita pitchers in Alabama. Later that same week, the ABC reversed themselves. The reversal wasn’t the result of a new law or a change in regulation. Instead, the ABC interpreted the regulations one way, but less than a week later they decided that those same words meant something else. Not only does a brewery owner have to understand hundreds of pages of special rules, they also must accept that the meaning of those words may change on a whim. I don’t blame the ABC for a good-faith change in interpretation. When faced with volumes and volumes of rules, it’s hard to make sense of it all. In fact, the ABC recently invited me to participate in a thorough review of their regulations as they attempt to be consistent in their enforcement. The problem is that the sheer amount of red tape is too much for any business or government agency to keep straight. For example, consider pricing rules at a bar. For starters, you can’t have a ladies’ night with drink discounts for females. You also can’t give a discount to active duty military or veterans. However, you can have happy hour pricing, but only during certain times. You are also prohibited from serving multiple drinks for a single price. All those “beer flights” you see had better be individually-charged servings. Except you can sell beer pitchers, as long as the pitcher is 60 ounces or more and is available during all business hours. Except none of these rules apply for a private party that is segregated from the rest of the patrons. There are hundreds more examples of such complicated rules, the result of morally righteous tinkering, special interests lobbying for exceptions and attempts to patchwork a bloated set of laws and regulations. There are about ten thousand entities in Alabama licensed to sell alcohol. These are bars, breweries, stores, restaurants and more. I would wager that not a single one of them is fully compliant. It is virtually impossible to get all of it right all of the time. Alabama needs comprehensive reform with the goal of reducing the complexity we put on these small businesses. This is particularly important for the person who calls to ask about opening a brewery. For now, my answer is that the only way to get it right is to understand hundreds of thousands of words of convoluted regulations, that are often not obvious, and that are subject to a change in interpretation at any time.
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