*Logo on the window that goes into the brewery*

For a writer, the first chapter can be the most daunting, staring at a blank page. When it comes to life, the second chapter can be exciting and scary at the same time. The thought of starting a new job, taking over a family business, or moving to a foreign land can test the will of most people. But for Richard Gibson and Lisa Kraus, their vision of a second chapter would unfold in a way they would have never imagined!

It was a great afternoon sitting with the couple and hearing their story! I always enjoy learning how people get into brewing. I get excited if there is any history and other ties to how the brewery came about. The next hour would have me on the edge of my seat!

*Richard Gibson and Lisa Kraus, owners of Second Chapter Brewing*

Richard was working as an automotive mechanic in Washington, DC. It was there that he started homebrewing with his roommates. It was a fun hobby, and having friends enjoy the beer was a pleasure. Friends looked forward, especially to Halloween, where they enjoyed the homebrew.

Richard met Lisa through his brother, who had attended graduate school with her. He enjoyed his time in DC, but memories of his homebrewing days would fade as he found the love of his life, started a family, and moved to Ogallala, Nebraska, in 2016.

Lisa’s family owned a farm, and the idea was that she and Richard would take over the farm once her parents retired. The couple tried farming, but after three years, they felt farming wasn’t the right career. They both enjoyed the Ogallala area but weren’t sure what the future might hold. Richard’s goal was to work for himself, and Lisa found a job in economic development.

It would take the city library in town moving to a new building that would put things into motion. Lisa knew right away about the former Goodall City Library building becoming available. She was working to connect the city with local investors who were interested in using the old library for various purposes, such as making apartments out of the space. Just out of curiosity, Richard went with Lisa during a showing of the building. In no time, Richard saw the possibility of the building being a brewery!

Richard was excited and worked with Lisa to assemble a proposal for the brewery and present it to the city. The goal was to preserve the historical significance of the library, encourage young people in Ogallala to stay, and promote other economic development. Richard and Lisa would get unanimous support from the city and would get the keys to the building in April 2021.

*Hastings Brewing in Hastings, Nebraska*

The story would take an exciting twist when Lisa started to tell how her great-grandfather, Louis Kraus, and his family would make their way from Germany in the late 1800s to San Francisco. Louis and one of his brothers, Joseph, would find their way to becoming brewers.

Louis apprenticed as a brewer in California, completed his education in Chicago, and then worked at breweries in Ohio, Iowa, and Nebraska. In 1908, he and other local owners established the Hastings Brewing Co. in Hastings, Nebraska, where he was the head brewer. While at Hastings Brewing from 1908 to 1917, Louis Kraus brewed a beer called Prairie Pride, which inspired the name of Prairie Pride Brewing in Grand Island, Nebraska.

His brother would remain in San Francisco and begin brewing at Anchor Brewing Company in 1906. Prohibition would cause most breweries to close their business. Anchor Brewing was an exception and did reopen. Sadly, the brewery did end its 127 years of being open this year.

What is extraordinary is that Joseph could be one of just a few that owned and operated the same brewery before and after Prohibition. This is quite astonishing because most, if not all, Nebraska breweries didn’t survive Prohibition, including Hastings Brewing.

The library has a tremendous amount of potential with all of the charm of the brick building, but it also had its challenges being a split-level building with many stairs. There was an old elevator that would end up being removed to help restore the front entrance to how it looked back when the building was built as an American Legion Hall in 1927.

The building would serve as headquarters for the engineering crew constructing the dam for Lake McConaughy. It was also used as a school for the local elementary children, including the children of the workers. In the late 1940s to early 1950s, Richard and Lisa heard stories of the building being used as a roller skating rink. Robert Goodall would purchase the building and turn it over to the city. In 1954, the Goodall Library would officially open. The library would remain there until 2020.

Demolition would reveal some intriguing hidden features of the building that had been covered up by previous renovations, such as the ornate tin ceiling in a repeating 20 by 40-foot pattern. The ceiling was in good condition for being close to 100 years old! Outlines of the long removed stage used for shows at the American Legion Hall were discovered along with a backdrop from a set. One last pleasant surprise was the building was designed to have a third floor. The robust structure of the building would allow the brewery to be on the main floor instead of the basement.

The couple would do most of the work, putting in the sweat equity to turn the once library into a brewery. Richard and Lisa had a list of about 75 potential names when deciding what to name the brewery, but they quickly realized it had to be Second Chapter! There was such a personal tie to this name, including the building being a library, its historical significance, and its new purpose. Also, many items have been repurposed for the brewery, from books and tables from other libraries to the flight containers and the bartop. Lastly, it was the second chapter of Lisa’s family heritage in craft beer brewing.

The bartop is an excellent story in its own right! When acquiring things in life, one might never know what they could be used for in the future. I tell this to my wife as she questions some of my purchases.

So the couple was lucky that Lisa’s dad acquired one of the old wooden canal bridges that flows from Lake McConaughy. It was back in the 1970s (possibly 1980s) that the bridges were being modernized. Over the years, some of the wood made its way into a shop and some houses. Luckily there was some left! It took some serious craftsmanship to turn the bridge beams into the beautiful bartop.

Richard talked about finding a sawmill to cut the beams in half. His contractor would then bring the pieces together with only dowels and glue. Lisa’s dad, Richard, and one of the first employees spent many hours sanding the bartop. The top is treated only with mineral oil and wax, providing an incredible natural-looking finish!

After two years of hard work, the brewery would open in January 2023. Richard had been busy brewing and had eight taps flowing that day. It wouldn’t be long, and all twelve taps served many craft beer styles, from dark lagers to sours and seltzers. Richard would brew on his five-barrel system from ABE Equipment one to two times a week to keep up with demand. It was the first time I had seen an electric oil jacket used for heating the boil kettle!

Now it was time to sample some of the beer!

· Lake Mac Lager – an American Light Lager has nice bready notes and is very smooth! ABV 5.1% IBU 13

· Drunken Sentinel – a solid American Pale Ale with mild hop bitterness. Easy drinking and enjoyable. ABV 5.9% IBU 38

· Sci-Fi-PA – a hazy IPA with light citrus and stone fruit at the beginning that finishes with a pleasant piney hop bitterness. The hop profile is Comet, Galaxy, and Vista (one of my favorites). ABV 6.4% IBU 40

· Czeched Out – a Czech Dark Lager that has been a favorite, and it is easy to see why! Dark and smooth with a light roastiness that is exceptionally flavorful. ABV 4.9% IBU 19

· Ash Hollow Helles – a Helles Bock that is bright in color with a slight bit of sweetness and caramel notes. I was captivated by this one! ABV 7.6% IBU 24

It was a wonderful day making it to Second Chapter Brewing at 203 West A St. in Ogallala, Nebraska! It is great to see what Richard and Lisa have created. The atmosphere is perfect for a relaxing day enjoying craft beer!

Make sure you make a trip out to visit the couple and tell them Joe says, “Hi.”

Cheers!

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A Second Chapter in More Than One Way