5 minute read
Hops & Dreams
By Angie Johnson-Schmit
The Ultimate Retirement Gig
When Jim and Jean-Marie Bellington opened LazyG Brewhouse in Prescott, Arizona it marked a major milestone for the beer enthusiasts. The Bellingtons had dreamed for years of opening their own craft brewery and restaurant and found the perfect spot, an old trailer park near Granite Creek. They bought the property in 2007, but took their time researching, dreaming, and planning every detail before opening the LazyG on Labor Day, 2019.
The LazyG design and setting is long on personality. The Bellingtons decided to stick with the history of the property, adopting the name of the original 1945 LazyG trailer park.
They also incorporated a small vintage travel trailer into their logo. Featuring a mix of modern and rustic aesthetics, the atmosphere is one hundred percent relaxed. Interior walls are covered with sheets of corrugated metal, managing to create a sense of clean urban lines while still feeling comfortable.
Hungry LazyG patrons can choose from a menu of sandwiches, salads and appetizers that Jean-Marie described as “upscaled comfort food.” Popular dishes include the Rueben sandwich, their burgers, and the grilled cheese of the day. They also offer healthy salads and try to include vegan and gluten-free options. Jean-Marie is understandably proud of the restaurant. “I mean, we won best restaurant in Prescott this year from the Courier (newspaper), so I’d say our restaurant’s pretty darn good,” she said.
But, of course, most people come to LazyG for the beer. There is a beer for just about every taste, including stouts, lagers, and IPAs, to name a few. In addition, LazyG also frequently offers seasonal brews. Popular this year was their “Red, White, and Blueberry” Trailer Tart series they made for the 4th of July. “It’s a kettle sour beer, so it’s got a real puckering quality to it,” said brewmaster Travis Smith. “So right now we have a raspberry, a blueberry and a lemon version.”
In addition to their house-made brews, they also offer guest beers, local Stoic ciders, meads from Superstition Meadery, and draft wine.
Besides the main restaurant building, there is a dog-friendly outdoor dining area with picnic tables. There are also several Adirondack chairs scattered about for those who want to enjoy their food and drink al fresco. Thirsty patio guests can get their drinks from the little vintage travel trailer – yes, just like the one in their logo – that serves as an outdoor bar. While the trailer bar limits its offerings to five beers, the bartender will happily fill any order from LazyG’s menu.
True beer enthusiasts, the Bellingtons had dreamed of opening their own craft brewery and restaurant for several years. Frequently planning their vacations around visits to breweries and opportunities to try new beer varieties, the couple also got into homebrewing. When they found the right property in Prescott, they spent a lot of time plotting and planning “over a beer at night, or coffee in the morning,” said Jean-Marie. After they found the right property, they got serious and hired an architect.
With the location secured, the Bellingtons turned their attention to finding a brewer. While they had 12 years of experience as hobbyist home brewers, they knew they needed a professional brewer to make their LazyG dreams come true. They started an international search and knew they had the right person when they found Travis Smith. “Jim thought he was being punked because the resumé was amazing,” said Jean-Marie. “He was thinking…someone’s playing a joke on me.”
With over 17 years of beer brewing experience, Smith was exactly who the Bellingtons were looking for. Like the Bellingtons, Smith got his start as a hobbyist brewer while he was still in college. After he graduated, he landed his first job in the business. “My first gig in brewing was with one of the most famous breweries in the United States, Russian River Brewing Company in Santa Rosa, California,” he said. “And that was like a career launch.”
After about five years with the Russian River Brewing Company, Smith and his growing family moved to Southern California to be closer to relatives. He went to work for The Bruery as lead brewer. After a few years there, Smith moved his family to San Diego and co-founded the Society Brewing Company, where he stayed until the Bellingtons found him.
Smith prefers to make beer styles that he likes. “You know, as a brewer, and the same goes for chefs, you develop dishes or products based on your own palate,” he said. He makes a variety of beer styles for LazyG, including several IPAs. While blonde ale is one of the most popular beers at LazyG, he tries to keep a lot of lagers stocked, as well. “They take a little longer to brew, so they don’t stick around,” said Smith. “Those are my favorite to drink, personally.”
While Smith has experimented with different flavors, including a coffee and vanilla porter, he typically prefers to focus on classic styles of beer. “One of my favorite sayings about the way that I brew is…I like the taste of beer and I don’t want it to taste like something else.”
- Travis Smith | Professional Brewer
When asked if they still make home brewed beer, Jean-Marie laughed. “We’ve given up our craft brewing,” she said. “We’re research and development now. Travis, you know, is constantly coming up with something new, so we appreciate that.”
The LazyG Brewhouse was a long time in the making, but it is living up to what Jim and Jean-Marie had dreamed. “This was our ultimate retirement gig,” said Jean-Marie. Now that their hard work is paying off, they frankly seem to be having the time of their lives. And their fellow local beer aficionados are pretty happy, too.
