Joe's Storyteller Stout - A Tradition in the Making

Where Passion and Culture Intersect

September 4, 2021

It is amazing what can happen when passion and a great culture come together. For Ben Stalder, Benson Brewery has become that place! This is a great story about finding your way and understanding what truly makes you happy both professionally and personally. I am excited to tell it, so grab a beer and let’s enjoy it together!

*Ben and his son - photo courtesy of Ben*

I am always fascinated by that aha moment that makes someone interested in brewing beer. For Ben, it was back in college in 2006. He was part of the Nebraska Wesleyan choir that made a trip to Europe. The trip took him to Austria, Hungary, and Germany. The presence of breweries and the historical significance of the area got Ben interested in the idea of brewing beer.

Music was a big part of the creative side of Ben, but his science background would soon be very beneficial for his future! It was around 2007 when Ben decided it was time to try brewing his own batch of beer. The timing was everything as Ben wanted to make sure his first beer would be ready for his 21st birthday!

To Ben’s mom, he knew just how important it was to do this when he was legal to drink. You raised a fine son!

The first beer that Ben would brew was a Nut Brown Ale. A classic fall style that many of us will forget about but it is incredible! Thinking back to that time, Ben said he remembered Nebraska Brewing Company’s version of this beer and how great it was.

Homebrewing would be a hobby for Ben for about 4 years until he would get his first job as a professional brewer!

*At Benson Brewery, there is always a beer for everybody’s preference!*

Landing your first professional brewing gig must be exciting! I can’t imagine all the things you get to learn in terms of brewing and the brewery industry. In a competitive market, it can be a little bit stressful growing your brand especially if you are distributing your beer.

Ben learned so much during this period of his career, but something seemed to be missing. The creative side of him kept tugging at his arm telling him it might be time to move on. This is a struggle many of us go through. We like what we are doing, but there is this calling to go try something different. It is never an easy decision, but Ben would move on and find an opportunity to be the head brewer at a brewpub that was focused on serving the in-house customers and not distributing. Benson Brewery would become Ben’s new home!

Meet Tapper - the new face and brand of Benson Brewery

When Ben arrived at Benson Brewery in January of 2019, the priority was to get an idea of the current beer list. There had been a list of staple beers around for some time. This was an opportunity to see what could be done with the recipes to enhance them. A couple of the beers like the No Carrot All -Berliner Weisse stayed the same.

Ben said the owner’s Bill and Joe Carmichael were very supportive of giving him creative control of the recipes and styles of beer to brew. This was an amazing, energizing feeling to oversee a whole line-up of brews! Ben said that he has a tremendous amount of passion when it comes to finding out what people like to drink and providing something for everyone. I would say with 16 taps available and the variety of styles at Benson Brewery that this is a job well done!

It was refreshing to hear also that I am not the only person who still writes in a book for interviews and ideas about stories. Ben said that he has a book, and the cover has Always Learning on it. He keeps with him at all times as names of beers or ideas for recipes pop into his thoughts; they can be captured.

The Three Different Series of Craft Beer at Benson Brewery

I love the creativity behind having the three different series of the Main Stays, Limited Edition, and Test Series. It is great when you know that you have options for many new beers and also that go-to one will be available. Here is my take on a few that I sampled during the visit.

No Carrot All - 4.3% ABV. This Berliner Weisse is tart, not sour. The higher level of carbonation combined with the tartness makes it very refreshing! Often served with fruited syrups; instead, Ben created B Passionate by adding passionate fruit to the Berliner Weisse.
College Water - 4.3% ABV. A Cream Ale that is easy drinking with a touch of sweetness from the corn it is brewed with. This one is a gateway beer for those who are just making their way into the world of craft beer!
Millions of Peaches - 4.3% ABV. A peach ale that’s name is inspired by the song Peaches by The Presidents of the United States. This ale is fairly sweet, and the peach notes are very nice. This one would pair well with almost anything on the food menu!
Luz D’Vida - 4.9% ABV. This is a solid Mexican Lager that has a smooth body and is very flavorful. The name in English translates to Light of Life. Ben named this beer reflecting upon the love for his son.
Intergalactic Monastery - 5.8% ABV. This is a unique Belgian IPA. The slight spiciness of a Saison style and a classic hop bitterness make a great combination!

*The 16 oz. Tapper Tin is a great option for taking beer home.*

2019 was a good year for Benson Brewery. Ben said they did around 240 barrels of beer, which translates to 59,520 pints, which is impressive for a brewpub!

As we all know, 2020 was a very challenging year with Covid. Everyone scrambled to provide carryout options. The Tapper Tin 16 oz. cans would be the way to sell some beer until people could come back to enjoy the food and beer at the brewery.

Other changes were occurring in Ben’s life, and he would enroll in nursing school. Ben seems like the type of person that cares very much about helping others. I can see him being very happy in the medical profession also.

I asked Ben what his future holds. He told me that his creative side still wants to be brewing beer but as a part-time job. Getting his nursing career going and spending time with his son is very important to him.

Ben said that the owners completely understood, and Fernando Gonzalez was recently hired on to help brew. Both brewers enjoy music and playing guitar. They seem to be a great team and continue to come up with exciting new beers!

Life is short and finding opportunities where a great culture allows you to be personally fulfilled is precious! I know Ben values this as much as I do. It has been great to meet him and to visit Benson Brewery!

I would highly recommend stopping by to check out the beer and also the wonderful food menu.

Cheers!

The Best Coast Isn't East or West - It's Corn!

August 26, 2021

Growing up living in Nebraska, I remember every football Saturday. The one thing that stands out most was the fight song, “There Is No Place Like Nebraska.” That song would put goose pimples on my arms. The excitement of seeing the Huskers play was something I will always cherish from my childhood.

As an adult, I have never lived anywhere except Nebraska. Travels have taken me around our country, and I have visited great cities. It is always fun to see other places, but I was always glad to go home. There are so many awesome people in Nebraska and the brewery scene is incredible! I like craft beer from everywhere I go, but as the saying goes, home is where the heart is and mine remains firmly in the heartland of America.

The logo with the windmill and palm tree is very creative!

The two founders of Corn Coast Brewing Company, Will Walter and Dan Walkemeyer also have a love for the heartland. These two gentlemen first met while going to the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. It was the Naval ROTC program that brought the two together.

In 2010, Dan and Will would graduate leaving Lincoln. At the time, both were interested in craft beer, and the idea of having a brewery was a dream. In the meantime, each would leave the state to serve in the military. Will would head to the West Coast as an enlisted Marine. Dan would head to the Gulf Coast for a couple of years then to the East Coast for the Navy. Thank you both for your service!

Will had enjoyed home brewing back even before the two had met. Starting with a Cream Ale kit, he was intrigued with the creative side of brewing. Over the years, while in the military, Will would continue to grow his home brewing to the point where the equipment and supplies would take over his garage and spare bedroom!

Will loved creating recipes to brew. One of the most influential books he talked about is called Designing Great Beers by Ray Daniels. It was all about learning the classic styles in great detail that fascinated him.

*Will and Dan are right at home with their ABE brewing system*

Dan told me about his homebrewing started and how Will got him to try an IPA for the first beer. Nothing like diving straight into the deep end! Though if you can make a solid IPA early on in your homebrewing adventures, I can see how you could get hooked on making beer.

Over the years while the two were in the military, they would meet back in Lincoln especially during the holidays. It was on one of those holidays that they joked about the fact it was nice to come back from both coasts to enjoy the corn coast. What a great story on how the brewery name came into existence!

Will finished his military career in 2017, and Dan was still enlisted. Every time the two got together, it was full-on brew time! They started to discuss launching a brewery in Lincoln. Their goal was to create lighter session Lagers, Ales, and IPAs that people would gravitate towards. The model would be a taproom one with distribution not being as high on their priority list.

The vision for the brewery was set! Now it was about finding a location and timing the launch of the brewery. Dan would be finishing his active duty in the fall of 2020, so it seemed 2021 was a reasonable goal.

Location is always such an important part when starting a brewery. The search can take a long time to find a good setup. In 2020, Will worked hard vetting many locations and working with Dan on finalizing the best one for them. The search turned up an excellent area around 14th and Yankee Hill, a growing area of the town.

*The fermenters are active producing the next beers to be on tap*

The 3,900 square foot space was perfect for a taproom and brewery. Finding the right brewing system would be no small task, but it is always great to have a local company like ABE Beverage Equipment to help design, install, and support your brewing system.

The 5-barrel system is nicely sized for rotating beers and seeing how the community likes the different styles you brew. Dan and Will did a great job with the brewery space! Lots of hard work, and after a couple of soft openings, the brewery officially opened on July 31st of this year, 2021!

*The wonderful flight I got to partake in during my visit*

The grand opening had 8 beers on tap. That is one hell of a way to get things started! On my visit, here are some of the beers that I tried.

Lincoln Yacht Club - This Lager is so smooth with those bready notes. There is a slight saltiness which I really like. Completely crushable at 4.7% ABV.
Shifting Sands - A Blonde Ale deep golden in color with subtle fruit notes and a spicy finish from the Cascade hops. Truly enjoyable and sessionable at 5.2% ABV.
Imaginationland - An NEIPA with a nice soft body. Stone fruit and citrus notes upfront. The finish is piney and dank. A very delightful IPA coming in at 6.7% ABV.
Coastal Fog - This hazy IPA is fruit-forward with citrus and peach notes. A very light hop bitterness finish. The hop profile of Citra, Simcoe, Sultana, and Trident hops is excellent in this 7.2% ABV IPA.
1st Stout & 10 - This dry Stout is roasty with nice chocolate notes. A lower ABV of 6% should allow you to have a sip for each Husker first down!

So happy to see Corn Coast Brewing as part of the Nebraska craft beer community. Dan and Will are working hard brewing and serving you their awesome beer!

Take time to visit them soon! You will then understand why the best coast is Corn Coast!

Cheers!

Nebraska Beercation 2021

July 11, 2021

*T & T Rustic Loft is an Airbnb in Belden, Nebraska - Photo credit Kristi*

The first week in June, I had planned to make a trip to Hartington, Nebraska, to visit Big Hair Brewhaus on opening day. My wife and I decided to ask our close friends Kristi and Paul if they would like to join us. They were interested since they never been on a beercation. Kristi also wanted to see if we could find a winery in the area to go to, which was a great idea!

I thought about staying the night in Norfolk. It turned out for whatever reason on June 4th that there was very little availability in Norfolk for hotel rooms. I had never stayed in an Airbnb before - ok yes I admit to being an Airbnb virgin before this trip. T & T Rustic Loft came up on the search. It was perfect in that it was between Hartington and Wayne, Nebraska. We would be visiting Johnnie Byrd Brewing on the second day of the trip.

The loft was a great place to stay. The upstairs had a nice bar with a pool table and darts. There was a tv area with a great view out to the south. An adorable bedroom was also on this floor.

The downstairs consisted of a bathroom and kitchen that was perfect for morning coffee and making any meal. The owner’s Steve and Deb Thies were so nice! We got to talk to Steve for a while and get to know him. We found out it is a small world as I know his first cousin, Brad.

On the way to Hartington, we had some challenges getting to our destination. I started to become just a little bit worried. Then I realized the best part about traveling with friends is that you have multiple people who can help you navigate when your GPS is leaving out the highways you need to travel on!

Paul was prepared with a hand-drawn map. He knows Northeast Nebraska very well, so I was sure we would make it to our destination. But just to be on the safe side, Kristi had her phone ready to make sure we would arrive in Hartington on time!

We arrived early on Friday in Hartington and thought it would be best to have lunch before going to the brewery. We were fortunate that The Globe Chophouse had a soft opening that day and it was right across the street from Big Hair Brewhaus.

The food was excellent! Paul and I had burgers, and the wives had salads. I walked around the building and found out that the building was Globe Clothing in the early 1900s. There is more to this story, but I think I will save it for just a little bit!

Next stop - Big Hair Brewhaus!

*The three inaugural beers on opening day*

It isn’t often that I get to go to a brewery on opening day! This was such a treat and I got to share it with my wife and friends. Brett and Reed gave us a tour and told us interesting stories about the background of the brewery and Cedar county.

While discussing finding a location for the brewery, Brett told us about Dr. Ben and Dr. Erin Schroeder, who are veterinarians in Hartington. They had a passion for ensuring that the hotel, Surge car dealership building, and Globe Clothing building got restored!

Big Hair Brewhaus would make the Surge building their home. Globe Chophouse made Globe Clothing their home. The hotel renovation would complete and re-open. It is such a great story, but there was more!

Drs. Ben and Erin also have a tv show called Heartland Docs DVM, which is on NatGeo Wild! On that Friday evening at T & T Rustic, we watched a few episodes and everyone loved it!

*The Outlaw Series was fun to sample and to hear about all of the stories*

The next stop of the day would be about 7 miles north of Hartington to the Nissen Family Vineyard. Kristi was very excited and so was I because I had never actually done a wine tasting.

The afternoon was hot, close to 100 degrees outside, so it was nice to step into the winery to cool off and try various wines!

It was fantastic to see all of the grapes growing as we drove up the lane. We would soon find out that the grapes were originally planted in 2003, and wine production began in 2006. There was a lot of research that went into finding grapes that would endure the hot Nebraska summers and the frigid winters. The winery would have four main types of grapes they would grow to produce up to 13 different types of wine, ranging from sweet whites to those excellent dry red wines.

I enjoyed everyone’s reaction to each wine that we sampled, especially my wife’s! There were several on the sweeter side that she enjoyed, while I was more intrigued by the drier reds. I think Kristi enjoyed most of them, which made it a difficult choice as to what to bring back to Omaha!

During the tasting, we had a great time listening to the stories about the outlaws such as Jesse James and Doc Middleton that frequented the area in the 1880s. I had never heard of the Outlaw Trail Scenic Byway, so I listened intently to every story!

I enjoyed this visit very much! I would recommend making it to both the brewery and winery when traveling to Hartington!

We called it an afternoon and headed back to Belden to T and T Rustic. After we unpacked, it was time to decide what to do for dinner. Since Paul knew the area so well, we asked him to pick something he had enjoyed before. He recommended Jerry’s Hilltop Cafe in Randolph.

The cafe was bustling, but we did get a table right away. Our waitress was fantastic! We had such a great time talking about the local area and our adventures. After a good meal, it was time to head back and call it a night. We would have a big day in Wayne on Saturday!

*Any day on the patio at Johnnie Byrd is a Top 10 day for me*

Some days are so perfect, and this Saturday was one of them! There wasn’t a cloud in the sky. The patio at Johnnie Byrd Brewing Company had hops growing on it. I am a big fan of hops on a patio - wink, wink, hint, hint, Mrs. Joe.

We arrived shortly after the taproom opened and were greeted by Greg Ptacek who is the head brewer and owner. Greg is one of those people you could listen to for hours! Getting to hear about how the brewery got started and the plans for the future was uplifting!

*Life is too short, share it with good friends*

After lunch, we started making our way back to Omaha. During the drive, I thought about how much fun this trip had been. Getting to enjoy experiences with close friends has to be one of the best things in life!

I highly recommend this beercation trip. The one thing I would add to it is visiting Divots Brewery in Norfolk. Jeremy Kirby, who is the head brewer, is a great guy and brews incredible beer!

I am looking forward to seeing where next year’s beercation takes us!

Cheers!

Iowa Beercation 2021

July 5, 2021

This year my oldest son asked me what I would like to do for my birthday. I have always wanted to go to Toppling Goliath Brewing Co. in Decorah, Iowa! Without hesitation, Paul said, “let’s do it.” A pleasant drive from Omaha, Nebraska so we decided to find a few breweries on this trip, including Pulpit Rock Brewing Company also in Decorah and Barn Town Brewing in West Des Moines.

*King Sue Double IPA has been a longtime favorite of mine*

We left Omaha early on a Friday morning. I have not in traveled Northern Iowa, so we decided to leave the interstate and make our way on state highways. The fun part about doing this is discovering all the small towns along the way. My favorite town name was Spillville.

Before the trip, I had contacted Toppling Goliath via messenger on Facebook. I told them how we would be heading to the brewery on June 1st and if at all possible, it would be great to get a tour. I got an immediate, friendly response, and we kept in touch even on the day we traveled. I wasn’t expecting that, but I was so excited!

*Payton told us all about the history and everything going on at the brewery*

We made it to the brewery and I was immediately blown away by how big it is. This would be the largest brewery I had ever visited! After being greeted, we were seated and started to look over the extensive menu to put together a couple of flights.

It wasn’t too long when one of the managers stopped by. His name was Payton and he offered to take us on a tour.

The massive 100-barrel brewing system and 400-barrel fermenters were mind-blowing! Distribution of their fine beers occurs in 30 states and places around the world like Europe, China, Japan, and Australia. An acquaintance in Australia recently posted how thrilled they are to get Pseudo Sue and King Sue, just to name a couple.

*My flight consisted of the IPAs that were ones I hadn’t had before*

The heart of Toppling Goliath is still about their state even after the massive growth since opening in 2009. I love the fact that one of my favorite beers I had on this day was a collaboration beer with another Iowa brewery. Ferrari Backpack with done with Lua Brewing Company out of Des Moines.

Toppling Goliath also has a large staff of around 160 employees. From the time we arrived, until the time we left, the team was amazing! Gillian, who does the social media for the brewery, introduced herself. It was fun getting to meet the person who was so kind to answer my questions and get us a tour!

*This is the space where all of the marvelous barrel aged stouts come from*

On this trip, I didn’t have any of the magnificent barrel-aged stouts. We were able to see the space where these stouts get to rest and take on the flavor of the various barrels. I am looking forward to having some of these on my next trip!

It was time to get a variety of 4-packs to take back home and share with friends as we left. I had such a great time!

Now we would find our way to the other brewery in Decorah - Pulpit Rock Brewing Company.

*Beautiful patio space with a great mission sign*

Prior to coming to Pulpit Rock Brewing, a gentleman who grew up in northeast Iowa told me a little bit about the Norwegian family background of the founder. He went on to say that the brewery has a great variety of craft beer.

The brewery was established in 2015. One of the founding beliefs of Pulpit Rock Brewing was to keep a constant rotation of diversity of styles of beer. I really like this in a brewery!

As we parked the car, the first thing that we noticed was the very lovely patio. The patio provides a relaxing, chilled atmosphere. It was the perfect evening to be there with it being around 80 degrees out.

*Pour-Over Porter infused with Tanzanian Peaberry coffee*

We walked into the taproom to select a couple of different beers to try. My son chose the Skal Til Steinen. This beer is a lager style Kviek ale made with Norwegian yeast. Nice and light at 5% ABV with tropical fruit notes. I have only had one other similar Farmhouse Ale to compare this one too. The Skal Til Steinen was delightful and also one we brought home!

My attention was quickly drawn to the Pour-Over Porter that is infused with Tanzanian Peaberry coffee. For those new to Peaberry coffee beans, the difference occurs as a mutation in the coffee cherry itself. Ordinary coffee cherries produce two beans that have a flat and rounded side. Peaberry is one bean in the coffee cherry and it is more rounded since it isn’t competing for space with the other bean. I often find Peaberry coffee that I have had to have this unique sweetness quality.

This version of the Pour Over Porter was deep in flavor with an excellent soft body. The coffee flavor is present throughout and a nice touch of sweetness. An excellent porter indeed!

It was time to call it a day. It was great to see that there were 16- ounce cans available to take back. On the other hand, it was somewhat tricky to choose. Here is the list of the ones we brought back:

Skal Til Steinen - Norwegian Lager.
Koffee Kolsch - Kolsch infused with coffee from Impact coffee in Decorah and Sidecar Roasters out of Waterloo.
Little Italy - Italian Pilsner.
Dave-O - Mosiac American Pale Ale.
B.T.O (Bockman Turner Overdrive) - German Bock.

On our way back to Omaha, we stopped in at Barn Town Brewing in West Des Moines. A good friend recommended this brewery, so I was excited to get to try it out!

It was a Wednesday around noon and the place was hopping! Lots of people were enjoying lunch and a beer. I was looking over the extensive menu and it is was challenging to choose four beers for a flight. My son ordered the Enamored Amber.

The decor was so cool! From the truck with taps to the wall of cans in the shape of Iowa, I was busy snapping photo after photo.

*The selection of the day at Barn Town Brewing*

My flight arrived, which was three hazy IPAs and a Mexican-styled lager. The two that stood at most were the Mexican-styled lager that was spot on! The second was the Neon Hazy. The Neon Hazy is made with Citra and Mosaic hops. An excellent hop combo in a nice hazy body!

In the meantime, a gentleman delivering food stopped by and told me to say hi to Sam at Cosmic Eye Brewing in Lincoln, Nebraska. It is such a small world when it comes to the brewing community! I happen to be wearing my Cosmic Eye shirt that day. The tall, bearded man introduced himself as Alex and told us he was one of the brewers. Alex said he was helping during the lunch hour rush but would be glad to show us the brewery after we finished our lunch.

Alex showed us the brewery, which is right next to the restaurant. You can tell they are very busy keeping up with the restaurant and also doing local distribution. One of the fun things was seeing all of the past beer labels on various walls.

Alex said they love creating specialty beers. He said one of the latest ones was a coconut pastry stout that was packaged in bombers. This decadent stout to me sounds like dessert in a glass!

Such a fun afternoon getting to meet Alex and the guys!

A whirlwind of a two-day trip getting to visit three Iowa breweries. It was a very fun trip, and I look forward to seeing others in the future.

Cheers!

Johnnie Byrd Brewing Company is Music to My Taste Buds

June 26, 2021

On a beautiful warm, sunny June day, I made my way to Wayne, Nebraska to Johnnie Byrd Brewing Company. My wife and our good friends were excited about the visit. We parked the car and headed across the street to what was once the fire hall in Wayne. I opened the door to the taproom and looked forward to what would be a fantastic afternoon!

Every visit for me is so exciting getting to meet the people that started the brewery and to learn about their story. Greg and Kelly Ptacek are the owners of this fine establishment. Johnnie Byrd Brewing Company has been in business for over three years now. Time sure flies because I remember when a co-worker who grew up near Wayne told me about the brewery when it first opened.

We approached the bar and were greeted by Greg. I must admit that I was a little bit distracted checking out the different craft beer styles that were on the board.

We started to discuss how the brewery came into existence. Greg, who is originally from Osceola, Nebraska talked about his career in economic development. As we chatted on this Saturday, I got the distinct feeling that the creative side of him is a tremendous driving force!

Greg loved the small communities of Nebraska and wanted to come up with a business idea that would have an impact on the people. The question of what that would be didn’t last too long.

*Pure happiness is Greg with his 3 barrel brewing system*

Greg had experienced homebrewing with some friends and enjoyed the creative process. If you think about one of the main social things that bring people together, what would it be? Well, I always feel a craft beer brewery should be at the top of your list!

So, you are probably wondering why Wayne, Nebraska? You have to go back to Greg’s college years at Wayne State. It was a great time of his life, not only for education but also for meeting his wife, Kelly. A cherished experience by both and a wonderful community to raise a family in!

Greg was so engaging telling us the story as we worked toward picking out a couple of flights of beer. I wasn’t the only one in the party asking questions. I think everyone loved the story and wanted to know more!

*The white washed cement walls are perfect for the taproom vibe*

Getting back to where we left off… I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall as Greg proposed to his wife his business plan of moving the family from Neligh to Wayne to start a brewery. I am sure his excitement was hard to resist. Together they would be doing something to give back to rural Nebraska as their plans also included being a benefit corporation. For more information, check out their about page on their website.

The buildout occurred in a very short time in 2017 from June to November. Also, during this time, Greg was busy trying out different recipes.

Everything was taking shape from the taproom to the brewing area. There are two features that I really love in the taproom. The first is the items that represent how the brewery is named. The second is the pint glasses that are on display of the pint club members. These lucky folks get to partake in Tap Seven which are the test batches. I am sure all the members enjoy this very much except for the person that kicks the keg. This lucky person will have their name on the board for other members to have fun giving them grief about their deed.

*Greg’s grandfather John whose band’s name was Johnnie Byrd Orchestra*

Family history is a big part of how the brewery was named. Greg’s grandfather had a band by the name of Johnnie Byrd Orchestra. Byrd came from the fact that Ptacek means “little bird” in Czech. This is also why you see the bird in the logo which is very cool!

It was great to hear this story and to get to know Greg more! The flights were poured and I had to head out quickly to the amazing patio to grab some photos. I want to emphasize to Mrs. Joe Java-Stout how wonderful hops growing on a patio can be!

*This sweet flight box holds six beers to sample*

It is always tough coming up with the beers to choose for a flight, but I managed to do it! I asked Greg a little bit about his brewing style. He described to me that maltier beers have been a sweet spot for him. This aligns very well with the local water profile, in which Greg said he doesn’t have to change. I would say based on the beers I tried, that Greg has nailed them!

Here are just a few to share with you that the group enjoyed:

Algo Ligero Cerveza - a really flavorful Mexican style lager. Exceptionally smooth coming in at 5.64% ABV and 24 IBUs.
Rad Rabbit Dopplebock - this German lager was roasty with chocolate and caramel notes. A solid Dopplebock that comes in at 7.35% ABV and 22 IBUs.
Amber Waves of Wayne - an easy-drinking beer! The maltiness in this one stands out and it also has a hint of sweetness. The ABV is 5.51% and IBUs come in at 31.
Lender Tilt Raspberry Stout - I love a summertime stout! The level of raspberry is perfect adding a nice tartness in the chocolate notes. What is hard to believe is this stout comes in at only 4.73% ABV!
Vanilla White Girl Milk Stout - was a group favorite! Coffee and vanilla notes in an awesome milk stout! Breakfast is served! Another stout on the lower end ABV coming in at 5.25%.

This bottle cap on the wall shows off the cool brewery logo

We finished the flights and Greg took us on a tour of the brewery. A nice setup and space that provides opportunities for him to use his creative talents!

Greg talked about some ideas for the future which add to the great experience when visiting Johnnie Byrd Brewing Company. I am excited for all that is to come at this brewery!

A wonderful day it was! I highly recommend making the trip to Wayne, Nebraska to visit Johnnie Byrd Brewing Company.

Cheers!

Big Hair is Back and Better Than Ever!

June 14, 2021

*The sign that greets you on N Broadway Ave in Hartington, Nebraska*

I might be giving my age away a little bit, but when I think of big hair it was the bands of the 1980s. Poison, Whitesnake, and Bon Jovi to name just a few. Today in 2021, the next Big Hair revolution is not in music but in craft beer! Big Hair Brewhaus kicked off the revolution with its grand opening on June 4th in Hartington which is in northeast Nebraska.

*A delightful Pilsner by the name of Punk in the Street was my first taster*

Arriving in Hartington on the opening day, I saw another amazing Nebraska small town with cool old buildings in the downtown area. Come to find out that this downtown district is listed as a National Historic District.

The owners of Big Hair Brewhaus, Brett and Leah Wiedenfeld, loved their hometown and wanted to create something Cedar County didn’t have yet. The idea was to find a place for a brewery and bar that could also support live music and other events.

A local couple that are veterinarians in town by the name of Dr. Ben and Dr. Erin Schroder had restored three buildings in town including the hotel, the old Globe clothing building, and the Surge Building. The Surge building over the years had been a Rambler dealership and also a dairy supply.

*An original sign when the building was Surge Sales & Service*

Brett has great ties to the community being the CFO of the Bank of Hartington and a part-time farmer. Knowing many people in the area and the history, it was time to find a building!

Brett said when looking for buildings, the Surge building had the space needed for creating a taproom, event space, and outdoor patio. In October of 2020, the Wiedenfeld’s would become owners of the building! Many things to plan including the buildout and finding someone to brew the beer!

*Brett and Reed - enjoying the launch of the brewery*

Brett had a truly short list of people who could envision doing the brewing. His cousin, Reed Trenhaile who grew up in Wayne, Nebraska was at the top of the list! Reed at the time was in Brookings, South Dakota.

Reed learned the ropes of commercial brewing at Wooden Legs Brewing Company in Brookings. He started out as many brewers do being an apprentice. After a short period of time, he would get his chance to be a brewer!

*A very efficient brewing system used at the brewery*

Reed would accept the position at Big Hair Brewhaus and he and his finance Katie would move to Hartington. Reed would quickly become involved in finding the brewing system and helping with construction. As of June 4th, Reed was glad to report that he had retired from his short construction career. The team did about 95% of the construction themselves. That is a lot of work!

The search for a brewing system ended when Reed found Brewha Equipment out of Victoria, BC, Canada. The system was incredibly unique in that each vessel could be used for the entire brewing process including mashing, boiling, and fermenting. This helps tremendously when having a smaller space to brew in.

*The taproom brings back a very cool vibe from the past*

I have to say I was somewhat awestruck at the taproom! Leah did such an incredible job with the design. There was such a cool vibe with paintings, wall colors, and furniture. As you moved past the taproom, there was a big open space for 100 or so people. The setup is perfect for live music. There are televisions present for sporting events. I can see all kinds of parties taking place here!

The space was ready. Now it would be time to get started brewing for the big opening day!

You will find music themes in some of the beer names. On the opening weekend the three on tap were:

Punk In the Street - Pilsner
Amber Glow - Ale
Fields of Gold - Cream Ale

All three were easy drinking and very flavorful. There was something about Punk In the Street that caught my taste buds. I really enjoyed this Pilsner!

What an amazing visit! Brett and Reed said they were very thankful for the support of some key people including:

Jeremy Kirby - head brewer at Divots Brewery in Norfolk, Nebraska
Greg Ptacek - owner and head brewer at Johnnie Byrd Brewing Company in Wayne, Nebraska
Scott Taylor - owner of Knuckleheadz Bar in Laurel, Nebraska

I am looking forward to future trips to Big Hair Brewhaus! One word of caution, make sure you don’t stare too long at Brett’s beard. He will remind you where his eyes are at!

Cheers!

It is More About the Outcome Than the Process

June 8, 2021

*Sign that shines from the west sun hitting it*

As you enter Bearded Brewer Artisan Ales in Omaha, Nebraska, on most days you will find a tall, bearded gentleman smiling and greeting customers. His name is Kirk Hearon. Kirk and his wife Alyssa along with Brandon and Camrin Knudsen own Bearded Brewers. The Knudsens are great friends from way back in high school.

They have created this new social community in the west side of Omaha where people are gathering to enjoy craft beer and seltzers brewed by Kirk. It is fun to see the couple as they talk with the people in the taproom about all their different offerings.

Is it An Ipa - great name and beer — *Is it An Ipa* - *great name and beer*

I was curious to learn about Kirk’s journey to owning his own brewery. We sat down and began to chat about how it all started.

Kirk told me he had been doing some homebrewing for a little over 20 years, and it all started with a Mr. Beer kit. It was in Washington state, where an Amber Ale would be the first thing he would brew. Completely fascinated in the early days about learning more about the process, Kirk would continue his adventure as he moved towards all-grain brewing.

In the early days, his career kept him moving across the western United States. In 1999, Kirk landed a job in Phoenix. One of the first things being there was to find a homebrewers store. With all the ingredients he needed, it was time to get a little more daring and aggressive with the recipes!

One of the key factors during this period was the introduction of forced carbonation. Kirk said this was a game-changer and made him even more ambitious in his brewing!

*Where the magic happen is in this brew kettle*

Kirk continued to brew on and off until over the years. In 2013, he moved to Colorado and met a gentleman by the name of Ron Gripon. Ron had this great 3-vessel stainless steel system setup in his garage. Every weekend the two would get together and brew.

There was nothing like seeing the results of what you were making. Having others enjoy your creations was a rush! Each batch fueled the fire for the next one.

Then in 2016, Kirk would create the recipe for BF IPA that would be brewed at 105 West Brewing Company in Castle Rock, Colorado. A phenomenal West Coast IPA that was a great introduction to commercial brewing and the possibilities!

This was the point where Kirk thought this is something I really want to do. I can’t imagine the excitement that you get when people enjoy a beer you create!

Lucky for us, Kirk made his way to Nebraska and made Omaha his home. After years of creating IPAs and watching everyone enjoy them, it was onto stouts! I asked him if there was a stout that was an inspiration. Kirk replied, “It has to be Surly Darkness.”

In 2017, the Jukes from Jukes Ale Works and Dan Falcone got together with Kirk and they made a barrel-aged stout. For the next few years, Kirk began building his stout’s portfolio ranging from Pastry Stouts to Russian Imperial Stouts. Recently he released a Cookies & Cream Stout that is part of his Dream Bar Series.

*A view from a large window that opens up to enjoy the patio. This golden beauty is a lovely Kolsch.*

I remember in June of 2017, I was at Boiler Brewing Company in Lincoln. I ended up sitting next to Kirk and at that time didn’t know him other than from social media. He told me that in a few years he would have a brewery in west Omaha. I will never forget that day as I drove back to Omaha thinking about where the brewery might be built!

It was around February 2020 when the planning really kicked in. Then in July it was go time! There were many things to think about when finding the right location. Having the brewery in a retail location with a good volume of traffic was at the top of the list.

Things moved quickly and by September the building permit was secured. Time to design out the taproom and brewing space!

*The patio is a very nice extension to the taproom*

So many cool things about the space! I really love the design of the large window and garage door that opens to the patio. This makes the patio feel like a natural extension to the taproom.

The Grand Opening took place on May 1st of 2021. A menu that was full of craft beer, hard seltzers, and smoothie seltzers. The smoothie ones were new to me. I had never seen them before. So much fruit that when poured reminded me of a blended cocktail like a daiquiri!

As you can see there was something for everyone and people came out that opening weekend to celebrate that!

*Brew tanks are named after family pets*

Kirk said he was thankful to so many people that helped him along the way and have made his launch successful. Some of the folks include:

Bobby Kros and Scott Strain - Kros Strain Brewing
Shane Costello - Monolithic Brewing
Kyle Jukes - Jukes Ale Works
Tim Thomssen - Boiler Brewing Company
Nate Wheat - friend
Steve Kanne - friend
Ron Gripon - friend

For Kirk, it is seeing the outcome of the brewing process which is having happy people gathering with friends in the taproom. It is gratifying when someone tells you just how much they enjoyed what you have created.

The goal is to keep making styles of craft beer that familiar yet unique. For example, take The Satchel which is a peanut butter and marshmallow Cream Ale. This beer has a great Cream Ale base that comes through with some added flavors that make it incredibly special.

I know brewers go through a tremendous amount of hard work to get their beers ready. So many details that need close attention to yield the results you want. Early mornings and late nights making sure the beer is ready for patrons.

With all that hard work, you will never see a happier person than Kirk Hearon! Since the grand opening, I have been in several times including release days. Kirk spends time talking about the new beers. You can tell the taproom is his happy place!

Get out and visit Bearded Brewer Artisan Ales to enjoy this wonderful craft experience. You will find the brewery at 18039 R Plaza #108, Omaha, NE 68135.

Cheers!

One quick sidenote since you know I love coffee … Brandon and Camrin Knudsen own Ziggi’s Coffee. The first one was built in Longmont, Colorado. Now there are many across the United States.

Sandhills, Craft Beer, & Comradery

May 30, 2021

*Ron is pointing out to our Local Beer, Patio and Kitchen crew that Bootleg Brewers is over those hills*

Charlie Yin had a vision to create a Nebraska-focused craft beer bar and restaurant with the most taps of beer brewed from around the state. His passion and support for Nebraska breweries has come alive in the Local Beer, Patio and Kitchen brand that he established in 2015. Currently, there are three locations including Millard, Gretna, and Omaha at Village Pointe.

*Kinkaider Brewery in Broken Bow, Nebraska*

Charlie has spent time traveling across the state getting to know the brewers and their beer. It is important to know the product you will be selling and the people behind its creation.

Kinkaider Brewing was one of those breweries, and he participated in the collaboration and creation of Snozzberry, a fruit, sour beer. You need to hear this intruiging story directly from Charlie or Dan Hodges, head brewer at Kinkaider.

Over the years, Charlie has had events such as “Meet the Brewer.” These events give patrons a chance to learn more about breweries such as Bootleg Brewers, Lazy Horse Brewery, and many others.

I remember attending many of them. Yes, I was the crazy guy with my notebook taking notes. Such fun events not only meeting the brewers but getting to meet more of the staff members from the Local Beer, Patio and Kitchen.

*Charlie planning the day ahead with Dustin and Courtney*

It is easy to see that staff is valued tremendously and a primary component to the Local Beer, Patio and Kitchen’s success. Charlie planned a day so that some of his key people could get to see a couple of breweries, meet the owners, and get to know more about their beer.

On this day, it would be a flight from Millard to the sandhills to visit Kinkaider Brewing in Broken Bow and Bootleg Brewers in Taylor, Nebraska. A fun day where I got the opportunity to capture the events and see what impressions the team members of Sarah, Amanda, Courtney, and Dustin would have of the breweries.

*Landing in Broken Bow, Amanda is excited to take in this experience*

After a nice flight over the sandhills, the first stop would be in Broken Bow. The team headed to find lunch at a local cafe. City Cafe would be the destination. Located in the original downtown area of Broken Bow, the cafe was packed with people having a late breakfast or early lunch.

Everyone enjoyed their meals and loved the atmosphere of the townspeople gathering for a meal. It was fun to see others who are in the restaurant industry enjoy receiving great service as much as giving it. The team thanked our waitress, and we were off to Kinkaider Brewery!

*Dan Hodges, head brewer and co-owner takes the team on a brewery tour*

There is something special about getting to know people who create the beer that you serve people. The crew got to meet with Dan Hodges, the head brewer. He was kind enough to give a brewery tour. Dan described each step of the process and what it takes to create all those wonderful Kinkaider beers.

The group had lots of questions during the tour that covered not only the brewing aspect of the business but also packaging and distribution. The team remarked how awesome it was to see what goes into each of the beers. That experience will help them each day to describe Kinkaider’s beer better to customers and to tell patrons about the wonderful people from Kinkaider Brewing!

*The back patio at Bootleg Brewers was enjoyed by the team who took in the great view of the hills, trees, and beautiful blue sky*

From Broken Bow onward with a quick flight to Burwell. In Burwell, Dodie Worm would provide us with a ride to the ranch outside of Taylor, Nebraska where she and her husband built Bootleg Brewers. One of the most scenic drives of all Nebraska is leaving the highway and driving to the brewery!

Ron and Dodie are all about hospitality as the group would soon find out. Ron had spent a long day working on the ranch but quickly jumped behind the bar and began to pour samples as he told everyone about how he got into brewing.

Ron explained how he uses the orange zest to make the Naked Orange Stinger ale and the rest of the orange then goes into a summertime shandy. The team was amazed at all the different styles and looked forward to serving all of them at the Local Beer, Patio and Kitchen.

For the last adventure of the day, the team went out on four-wheelers to get an awesome tour of the whole ranch!

*The best part about a job is getting to meet great people and having fun doing it*

A great time had by all! It shows you just how much fun you can have meeting and working with people in Nebraska. One thing you will always find at the Local Beer, Patio and Kitchen is an incredible staff. It would be a pleasure to get the opportunity to work with Courtney, Amanda, Sarah, Dustin, and Charlie!

Looking for a fun job? You must check out Local Beer, Patio and Kitchen. Joe will be waiting for you to tell him all about the exeptional beers on the menu!

Cheers!

Brewery Patios are the Best!

May 2, 2021

There is always something special about being able to have a craft beer on a beautiful patio. It could just be me, but I think it makes the beer taste even better! Now that the pandemic is slowing down and things are opening back up, here are a few patios that I recommend visiting.

Canyon Lakes Brewing Company

Johnson Lake, Nebraska is one of the best lake communities in the state if not the overall best! Michael and Jessica Blevin have created not only a top-notch brewery but an incredible restaurant too! I remember visiting on July 5th, 2019. It was shortly after the noon hour and the place was hopping! Everybody was having a great time and let me tell you those umbrellas provide the perfect shade on a hot, Nebraska day!

Upstream Brewing Company

One of my favorite things to do in the Old Market in Omaha, Nebraska, is to find a place with good food and craft beer. Upstream Brewing Company is the perfect place to enjoy both! The patio is always is full of beautiful flowers. Being on the east side of the building, it is an outstanding place to enjoy some shade on those warm summer days. I always like watching all the happy people passing by. Always a pleasure getting to spend some time at Upstream Brewing!

*Scratchtown Brewing Company in Ord, Nebraska has the bluest skies ever*

The Scratchtown logo on the brewery building

Scratchtown Brewing Company

This picture doesn’t do justice to what you will experience at Scratchtown Brewing Company in Ord, Nebraska! The historic downtown area to the south and the east, the beautiful green space around the county courthouse.

On a sunny day in Ord, the skies must be some of the bluest I have ever experienced. The patio space is ideal for enjoying those summertime favorite blonde ales, pilsners, and IPAs.

There are many days that I wish I could be in Ord for the incredible weather and Scrathtown brews!

New grain bin outdoor additional patio space not shown

Lazy Horse Brewing & Winery

For me, the most relaxing patio in the state is at Lazy Horse in Ohiowa, Nebraska. The view from the patio is of their gorgeous ranch with flowing grass pastures. Also, there are some grapevines that accent just how beautiful the Nebraska countryside can be!

Jim and Julie Stutzman have created an amazing destination for craft beer and wine enthusiasts. While you are there, you will also want to have one of their excellent wood oven pizzas!

Bearded Brewer

Bearded Brewer in West Omaha has a great patio that feels like a natural extension of the taproom! The garage door and huge window that opens provides a great fresh air experience throughout. Kirk Hearon, owner and head brewer, is brewing some great beers and seltzers. I know many people are going to frequent this patio!

It is a perfect time of the year to get out and enjoy these wonderful breweries and their incredible patios!

Cheers!

Nothing Less Than Monumental

March 10, 2021

When you are an entrepreneur, you love every bit of turning a vision into reality. What makes it even better is to have a friend or two that share that same passion. For Derek Richards and Todd Hartung, their next venture would be a craft beer brewery.

No strangers to the restaurant business are both Derek and Todd. I met both of these fine gentlemen over the years at Cunningham’s Pub and Grill. It was always a great place for craft beer, food, and fun events. I have fond memories of some ugly Christmas sweater events!

It was about four years ago the two started talking about doing their own thing. If only they knew of a good local brewer. You can imagine it is so difficult thinking of all your brewing acquaintances. It is even harder when the person you are looking for is there right there in front of you.

It would have been fun to be there when Derek and Todd saw Shane Costello in Cunningham’s enjoying some wings like he normally does. Then to hear the priceless conversation with the word homebrew would have been like bells going off.

Needless to say, Shane was excited to have the conversation to be their brewer and was ready to take his homebrewing skills to the next level! Shane had been homebrewing for almost ten years and had experience working at the Upstream Brewing restaurant. He gained an appreciation for what it takes to brew at scale, seeing it done by Dallas Archer. Shane's creative side was ready to explore more and see what beer styles would stand out to him!

I asked Shane about a couple of the first craft beers that he homebrewed. Shane told me the first was a Pale Ale like the Capital Pale Ale from Upstream. The second was this English Brown Ale that today is their Fiesty Walrus Brown Ale. A very nice brown ale with chocolate notes and a great story. The beer is named for a close friend Daniel Stewart. I always love hearing the story about this beer from Daniel!

A great trip that forever influenced Shane was an east coast trip to breweries such as Trillium Brewing Company, Tree House Brewing Company, and Other Half Brewing. At that time, Hazy IPAs were making a big splash. The style had this incredible body and fruit flavors from the hops. The challenge of learning everything about this type of beer became a great focus for Shane.

After roughly 50 trial batches with so many different hops and fine-tuning the recipes, Shane had a great feel for brewing these New England style IPAs. He was ready to introduce them once the brewery would open.

*A really unique stacked setup of fermenters and brite tanks*

The planning was moving forward. Derek and Todd were focused on finding the right location. They knew in their minds that their business model would be based on the taproom and not on distribution. Finding a place in Omaha where they could be that local craft brewery while also having a nice food menu was their top priority!

After a period of time searching, the guys found a great place around 120th and Fort Street in Northwest Omaha. Several nice neighborhoods in the area to support them. The building had the space they were looking for in terms of indoor setting. The outdoor patio was a bonus that has such a great view of a pond and lighted fountains. I can’t imagine after seeing this property of thinking about anywhere else to have this brewery!

Equipment had to be ordered, and the decision was to go with a 3 1/2-barrel system. The perfect size to produce the right amount of beer to keep several tap handles supplied. After working with the architect on the space, there was a configuration that I have never seen before in stacking the equipment to make the best use of the high ceilings!

One thing that was still missing, a name. Never an easy task with so many breweries in the United States! After many ideas turned into no-gos, the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey, where there are monoliths in the movie inspired Monolithic Brewing's name!

Everything was in full motion moving forward, then Covid hit. Nothing about launching a business ever included the fact there would be a pandemic going on. What to do now?

The plans were to keep moving forward. There was work to be done in the taproom and getting the brewery setup. In September of 2020, the brewing equipment arrived. The initial setup of the stacked equipment had a couple of challenges that were quickly resolved. Now it was time to start brewing!

October would be the month to have a few soft openings and it was on Halloween weekend that Monolithic Brewing officially opened its doors! A long time in the making just came to fruition. How would the newest brewery in Omaha do?

The launch had lots of rave reviews and Omaha was buzzing about the newest brewery. The beer menu had a nice selection, and it was growing. There was even a craft seltzer as an option for those patrons who enjoyed hard seltzers.

Now five months later, Shane said they just finished brewing their 44th batch of beer!

*This beauty is an Irish Red called Fool For You*

The hard work hasn’t stopped after the launch. You will see Derek, Todd, and Shane in the taproom making sure that you have the best craft beer experience possible!

These guys are busy cooking, serving, and answering any questions that you have. The rest of the staff has been awesome also! I had stopped in on their second Fish Fry Friday and it is extremely popular! Great beer choices to pair with the fish.

My experiences have been top-notch! I have enjoyed several of the beers including:

Broken Hearts - Hazy IPA
Brooklyn Baby - DIPA
Sir Bock-A-lot - Bock
Fool For You - Irish Red

Back to the name … For me, Monolithic represents a brewery that is huge in flavorful craft beers and service. The sign in northwest Omaha is like a monolith grabbing your attention to see what is inside!

I highly recommend stopping in for the beer and food. Make sure to talk with Derek, Todd, and Shane to get to know this wonderful community taproom.

If you get the chance, ask Shane about some of the names of the beers and how he came up with them. It will be like music to your ears!

Cheers!

One Giant Leap For Beerkind!

February 4, 2021

Standing out in what used to be Automobile Row is Site-1 Brewing. A bird’s eye view courtesy of Mind’s Eye VT. — *Standing out in what used to be Automobile Row is Site-1 Brewing. A bird’s eye view courtesy of* *Mind’s Eye VT*.

There are many talented brewers across the nation that would love a chance of owning their own brewery. The difficult part is the logistics of running the business side of the brewery including finding the capital investment for it. In Omaha, Site-1 Brewing has come up with a very innovative idea to help launch the brewing careers for the right candidates.

*The beauty of a stainless steel mash tun*

The creative team behind the concept are Mike Peter, Ben Katt, and Melanie Phelan. This team came up with a great concept and found Omaha's perfect area to start up Site-1 Brewing.

Farnam Hill today was formerly known as Automobile Row, a stretch of Farnam street from 20th to 26th street that had several car dealerships in the early 1900s. The particular location, 2566 Farnam Street, was once a Chrysler dealership. The indoor showroom stretched multiple buildings on the north side of Farnam. The building’s floors attest to this by the 3-foot cement structure.

This area of Omaha currently exists in a quiet zone between the downtown Old Market area and the Blackstone District in Midtown. A great area to see a revitalization occur! There have been talks over the recent years to make this part of a streetcar project that would connect downtown to midtown. That would be a great thing for the city.

A concept that was in the making and trying to get off the ground during a pandemic seems like a very tough hill to climb. This group made it happen and opened before Christmas of 2020. I was lucky enough to get a sneak peek during the soft opening and had to learn more about the first two chosen brewers!

*Matt Huntley and Dave Link are the talented head brewers at Site-1 Brewing*

The summer of 2020 was when the interviews took place. There was an extreme amount of interest in the two open head brewer positions. To get the brewery up and running by the end of the year, it would take some brewing experience to make that happen. That fact probably had some influence on these two fine brewers being chosen, but that is just my opinion.

Dave Link is no stranger to Omaha. He grew up here and even went to high school with another brewer in the state - Rodney Keim. Rodney, we need to talk… Dave let me in a few good stories!

Dave has been brewing for around 10 years. This included homebrewing and then professionally brewing at Infusion Brewing Company. Dave was in charge of the operations at the Benson location for Infusion Brewing. Before that, homebrewing was a passion that grew and expanded into being a 402 Homebrewers Club member.

I always like asking about the first beer you ever brewed, and Dave said it was a Porter that became known as Poppleton Porter for the street he lives on. Dave went on to say that he thought it was a safe choice because of the characteristic of a Porter.

There is always that aha moment when you decide something is right for you. Dave told me that it was a visit to Fort Collins taking tours of Odell Brewing and New Belgium Brewing. He looked at his wife and said, “This is something I would like to do!”

*Nothing better than a Winter Warmer on a cold winter’s day and Solar Flare is an excellent one!*

Matt Huntley grew up in a small rural town in Missouri. Matt, we should talk about small towns sometime. I grew up in Manley, Nebraska which had a population of 120 people.

Anyway, I digress… Matt was busy going to college when craft beer was introduced to him. His roommate’s father received a homebrew kit as a gift. This gift was something that needed to be regifted and Matt was one of the lucky recipients! His roommate’s dad told them he was happy they tried the beer at home instead of at parties.

The kit was a wheat beer one along the lines of Blue Moon. Matt said the experience was a great one learning that the most important part is patience for the beer to finish. That was probably my biggest mistake for my first and only beer kit!

Matt went onto say that he continued to homebrew for about 12 years. This period of time was all about learning the art of brewing from brewery visits, reading, and homebrewing competitions.

Matt’s aha moment occurred in 2019 when he realized Ag Sales was not fulfilling his passion. His wife had recently got her doctorate and agreed it was time for Matt to give professional brewing a try!

*A couple of lagers cozying up to each other This beautiful blonde Pilsner and dark and handsome Dunkel.*

Matt sent out plenty of resumes and fill out applications in the hope of landing that first brewing position. He found a shift brewer position at Saint Arnold Brewing Company in Houston, Texas. Pretty far from home but an opportunity worth taking!

It was March of 2020 when an article in the Omaha World-Herald appeared talking about the plans to help brewers launch their careers. Matt’s mother-in-law saw the article and thought this might be something Matt would be interested in.

The Covid pandemic was here and there was nothing about business as usual. Dave began to ponder if this was something that could take his career in a new direction. The two soon found themselves applying for a chance to be part of Site-1 Brewing. The summer months would lead to three rounds of interviews and wondering what the future might hold.

Matt was back from Houston and was looking around Omaha to spend some time on a smaller system than what he had been part of at Saint Arnold. The system at Site-1 Brewing would be a 5-barrel brewing system.

Matt ended up in Benson at Benson Brewery for a day. During this visit, the head brewer Ben from Benson Brewery went over their brewing system. Ben then took Matt over to Infusion Brewing where Dave was busy working.

Hmmm, now that is a coincidence that Matt and Dave met prior to getting hired. I wonder if either considered the possibility that each had applied at Site-1 Brewing.

*Quickly expanding tap handles to reach 18 beers on tap! There are additional handles for Nitro Cold Brew Coffee, Hard Seltzers, and Kombucha Tea. Photo credit - Mind’s Eye VT*

The two would soon find out they were the chosen ones and would wait for the brewing system to arrive. I can’t imagine getting a brewing system to put together that had hundreds of parts let alone the instructions were not in English! These guys took on the challenge and in no time were ready to start brewing!

I asked the guys what is the most fulfilling part of working at Site-1 Brewing? Both loved the creative freedom to get to brew the various styles of craft beer that they both enjoy. The fact that they are a community brewery getting to know their nearby neighbors was a great feeling.

The conversion revealed to me just how close these two brewers had become in a short period of time. I could sense their excitement. For these two brewers, success lies in having happy customers enjoying their creations!

*This rocket is ready to launch! So many cool space theme memorabilia at Site-1 Brewing. Photo credit - Mind’s Eye VT*

Site-1 Brewing covers the spectrum of styles of craft beer. On this day, I had tried the following brews:

Solar Flare - Winter Warmer. This is the best one I have had this winter! The spices were perfectly balanced. I enjoyed the nutmeg, cinnamon, and clove in this 7% ABV beer. The secret special ingredient to me was the Tahitian vanilla.
Leicht Speed - Pilsner. This is a wonderful lager that is crisp, clean with a nice level of carbonation. Immense flavor and very sessionable at 4.4% ABV, this is one you can enjoy all day long!
Black Arrow - ESB. This brew caught my attention from the really nice malty front and middle that had me thinking this wasn’t an ESB, but the finish had a decent amount of hop bitterness that brought it all together! Excellent beer at 4.8% ABV.

*Check out this huge, incredible bar! Photo credit - Mind’s Eye VT*

Last question as we were ending our visit. Matt and Dave, what excites you for the future? They replied, “The concept.” Both went on to explain that the future holds more of these community breweries where they can help bring on new brewers. The network of collaboration will continue to grow, but still give each brewer the ability to be creative at their brewery.

I love the concept! Site-1 Brewing is a wonderful addition to the Omaha and Nebraska craft beer community. Make sure to check them out very soon! Besides the great beers, they also have an amazing food menu too!

One Giant Leap for Beerkind! Cheers!

2020 - The Year of Infamy

December 28, 2020

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash — *Photo by* *Kelly Sikkema* on *Unsplash*

As the year 2020 began, I was so excited to see the momentum continue with craft beer across my great state of Nebraska. Personally, I was planning road trips, events and trying to figure out how to make the best of each trip, getting to see all of the friends I have made at the breweries across our state.

Then the pandemic hit and cast its dark cloud of fear across our state, nation, and the world. The news of a deadly virus forced unprecedented measures to buy time to figure out how to combat it. It was like a bad dream thinking I will wake up at any time, and things will be back to normal. But unfortunately, our new normal is sticking around longer than anyone would like.

Foremost in 2020, I know we mourn for the families that have lost love ones this year. It is always a tragedy to lose someone, especially to an illness. Secondly, this has been a stressful year for so many trying to figure out how to feed their families and keep a roof over their heads. I can’t imagine difficult it is having to worry about those two fundamental things in our life.

I know this year for every brewery has pushed many to the edge, wondering about survival. There were so many factors like the ongoing changes in policy during the pandemic, the shortage of materials at times, and the fear of keeping people safe as they came into your establishments.

It was also a year that changed how beer was consumed. With many breweries only available for carryout options, having some means to distribute like growlers or crowlers became huge!

This summer, I made it to Hwy 14 Brewing in Albion, Nebraska. The owner Greg Luettel told me that they had to quickly develop a carryout option to get the beer out the door. There was no time for planning any sort of canning line. Greg said they got a manual canner and started canning 16 oz. beers to sell.

*Making drives to pickup local craft beer became at least a once a month activity*

This year for the breweries became the year for new means to get your product out. I never thought I would see the day that breweries would be making personal drops in other cities and even delivering beer right to your door!

This was a year where support local was more important than ever. I remember being in a socially distanced line at the southwest location of Infusion Brewing Company. That night I saw people carrying as many growlers as they possibly could —happy patrons, so glad that new beer releases were still happening.

Even though you couldn’t stay for a pint at that time, it was so good to see people being able to get Nebraska Craft Beer.

The one thing that never changes is the friendly people running the breweries in our state. This year I got to meet some new friends on a few trips.

Rodney Keim has an awesome brewery called Brush Creek Brewing and a pizza pub in Atkinson, Nebraska. A very cool place in North Central Nebraska. Rodney introduced me to a new beer style on my visit called a Smash Ale which is a single hop and single malt ale. So flavorful! Speaking of flavor, what one thing goes the best with craft beer besides another craft beer - pizza! Rodney has you covered with some of the best pizza you will find in the state!

Jeremy Kirby has been brewing some incredible beer in Norfolk, Nebraska at Divots Brewery. I think it was right after the 4th of July that I met Jeremy and learned about Divots Brewery. So many great beers he is brewing. I was glad I could bring home some crowlers. The brewery is part of the Divots Convention Center with a hotel and restaurant. Rumor has it you can get crowlers delivered to your room! I think Divots could be my home away from home!

Over the past couple of years, Bryon Belding has made a big splash with craft beer and cider in Beatrice, Nebraska! Stone Hollow Brewing is in the historic Mercantile Building in Beatrice. The building atmosphere is incredible, with a view of the brewing area on the lower level. Bryon has a wide variety of beer and cider always on tap that keeps me right in the taproom wanting to try more! This establishment's beauty is that it is an indoor entertainment center so you can take your beer and go shopping in the many cool shops. There is even a speakeasy in the lower level called The Mechanical Room.

I always look forward to going out and see good friends in their breweries!

Jim Stutzman has a beautiful ranch outside of Ohiowa, Nebraska that he turned into Lazy Horse Brewing and Winery. Getting to visit Jim is like getting to visit the brother I never had! It is always so fun to see what Jim is brewing! The patio at Lazy Horse has to be one of the most relaxing places on this earth! Jim knows me so well. If his Breakfast Stout is on tap, he always pours me one!

Lea Watson from Pint Nine Brewing always has a smile on her face and a passion for her customers. I love talking to Lea about everything going on at Pint Nine, especially the upcoming charities they are working with. Her husband James and his partner Denny brew so many great beers, including IPAs, Saisons, and stouts!

Nathan Hoeft and his wife Jessi not only bless Hastings with good beer, but they also bless it with being great members of the community. I love stopping into First Street Brewing for a visit and a pint! I remember the first beer I ever had from First Street was Bapajack’s Biere De Garde, and it was so unique. I was hooked on Nathan’s creativity! The hospitality at First Street is always top-notch.

Brian Hoesing is a busy man juggling his daytime job, family, and brewing for Catalyst Brewing in Lincoln, Nebraska. I spent an afternoon this year as Brian was busy brewing Carl For President Lager. Brian had been homebrewing for many years before joining 5168 Brewing that is now Catalyst Brewing. His brews are phenomenal. The best coconut porter I have ever had is his Hawaiian Porter!

Not pictured are Paul and Kim Kavulak from Nebraska Brewing Company. One of the longest-running breweries in the state, Nebraska Brewing has done so much, helping to grow the Nebraska craft beer community. Most of the time, I seem to stop on a weeknight. I bet I am usually catching Paul and Kim at the end of their day when they are ready to go home; however, they always grab a table, and we catch up on all things craft beer. When I am at home and open one of their barrel-aged beers, I am blown away by how well-balanced the beer and barrel have been married together!

Last but not least (not pictured) is John Fahrer from Scriptown Brewing. I consider John to be the Godfather of brewing knowledge in our state. Getting to visit with John is always an amazing experience! John is so passionate about every last detail of making traditional craft beer styles. His stories of travels to Germany and everything he has experienced during his life as a homebrewer, craft beer judge, and owner of a brewery are so enlightening! This fall, I was blown away by all of the German-style beers that John had to offer.

Some of Joe’s Favorites Beers in 2020

It is always difficult to pick your top 2 or 3 beers in each category. They are listed in no particular order. Here we go!

Lagers

Ranchero Mexican Lager - Divots Brewery
Gold Lager - Zipline Brewing
Lil Boh Czech Pils - Infusion Brewing

Pale Ales

Cardinal Pale Ale - Nebraska Brewing Company
4-County Pale Ale - Kinkaider Brewing
Rule Breaker - Brush Creek Brewing

IPAS

If This Be Treason - Vis Major Brewing
False Idol - Pint Nine Brewing
Juice and Desist - Kros Strain Brewing

German Style

Fest Helles - Scriptown Brewing
Oktoberfest - Stone Hollow Brewing
Helles Bock - Thunderhead Brewing

Brown Ales

Nut Brown - Zipline Brewing
Oso Cafe - Pint Nine Brewing
Big Lebrownski - Pint Nine Brewing

Porters

Hawaiian Porter - Catalyst Brewing
Long Route Peanut Butter Porter - Empyrean Brewing Company
Smore Now - Hwy 14 Brewing

STOUTS

Mother of All Bettys - Nebraska Brewing Company
Max’s Addiction - Infusion Brewing Company
Breakfast Coffee Stout - Lazy Horse Brewing and Winery

Miscellaneous

Misguided Angel Belgian Tripel - Divots Brewery
Ebenezer Barrel-Aged Winter Brew - Upstream Brewing
CinnaBOMB - Winter Ale - Stone Hollow Brewing
Your Argument Is Invalid Imperial Stout - Thunderhead Brewing

A special thanks to Pint Nine Brewing for making a dream of mine come true! My very own stout called Joe’s Storyteller Stout.

This was an incredible experience from the label design that my son created to the final product! I learned so much about what it takes to create a craft beer from formulating the recipe to the beer's actual brewing.

Then there is getting the label approved, which I had no idea what breweries had to go through for that! In the end, I thank all of those who were able to try this coffee stout and were as excited as me!

This has been one year like no other! I am so thankful for all of the breweries’ support and look forward to writing the stories of 2021.

Cheers!

Cheers to Nebraska Beers - October is Drink Local Month

September 27, 2020

This glass has probably shown up in more than a few pictures that I have posted. It is very true that I am a big fan of Nebraska Craft Beer! Over the past 3 years I have travelled the great state of Nebraska getting to meet the incredible people who have started the breweries. We are blessed with the continued growth of breweries in our state that is producing amazing beer!

For an industry to prosper, many things must happen. The first and foremost, are people willing to take a risk in starting a new business. If you look across the state, there are so many brewers that have invested their life savings in the hopes of giving us patrons a place to go to enjoy a well-crafted beer.

We have brewers that were ranchers, technology professionals, military and law enforcement personnel, musicians, etc. that found their way into brewing and decided to venture into creating a business that means a tremendous amount to them but also the communities where their breweries reside.

Breweries in Nebraska have made a significant impact in so many ways including: economic, social, and charitable contributions. Sometimes as a consumer we might not realize this as we partake in a local crafted beer. I have personally experienced getting to meet so many new people at the breweries. If you are looking for a place where you can strike up a conversation with a complete stranger, breweries are the place to be! I have met people from all over the state and in fact the United States while having a pint. People are so open to having a good time discussing the different styles of beer they enjoy!

*Nebraska has so many great hidden gems - time to explore!*

The amazing part of this great industry is the impact to jobs and the monetary impact to other businesses in a community. Places across Nebraska have now become destinations to check out the local brewery which then typically means restaurants and lodging establishments gaining business.

I have also seen the charitable impact that breweries have on their communities. I personally have been involved in multiple fundraisers and the breweries have been incredible helping the great causes I have been a part of. I love seeing all of the wonderful support given through events and programs like the one a brewery does called “Pints for a Purpose”.

So many positive impacts! So, what can you do as a patron? The first thing would be is to take part in supporting Drink Local Month.

Some of our Nebraska Brewers…

Some of our Nebraska brews…

The people you meet at Nebraska breweries…

Nebraska craft beer is an amazing community! If you are looking for other ways to support, here is a link to the memberships our Nebraska Craft Brewers Guild has. Joe is proud to be an Industry Supporter!

So, are you in? Let’s make October 2020 a month to remember!

Cheers!

The Best Little Town In The State

September 14, 2020

As you enter Fairfield, Nebraska you are greeted with a sign that reads “The Best Little Town in the State.” I have to say we are blessed with many wonderful small towns throughout the state. It is amazing to learn about the history of them!

Fairfield in its early days was a railroad town. It is fascinating that Union Pacific had a hand in the final name. The original settlement was named White Elm. Then in 1872, Union Pacific renamed it to Frankfort to keep the names alphabetized between Alexandria and Hastings. There was one little problem with this name, there already was a Frankfort, Nebraska in Knox county. The person that happened to survey the town was named George Washington Fairfield and his last name was chosen to represent the community.

Fairfield was a young, vibrant town in the late 1800’s with a college, passenger train station, and even an opera house. The Columbian Opera House was built in 1894 and resided in the second floor of a building on the busiest street in town. The lower floor was occupied by Palmer & Loomis Grocery and Dry Goods. The name of the opera house mostly likely was based on the 400th year anniversary of Columbus discovering America.

*Chandelier with some of the original ceiling tiles from the opera house*

As years past, Fairfield like many towns had residents move away. Today Fairfield now has less than 400 people living there. One of those residents is Lynn Nejezchleb.

Lynn grew up around Fairfield and in 1982 moved to Washington, D.C to be an economist at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). Lynn spent 20 years working for the FDIC and was the Assistant to the Vice Chairman by the end of his career.

During his time in Washington, D.C., Lynn started homebrewing as a hobby. He said that the city had some great places to get ingredients and it was fun to make different styles of beer.

*Beautiful prime rib dinner at the opera house! Photo credit - Fairfield Opera House Brewery and Grill Facebook*

It was in 2002 when Lynn retired and decided to make his way back to Nebraska. He arrived in Fairfield with ambitions of starting a brewpub. The old opera house building had been many things including a hardware store, John Deere dealership, the Branding Iron, and the Good Times Lounge. The building had been vacant for a few years and was the one for Lynn, so he purchased it!

Lynn wanted to bring back some of the original look and feel to the opera house which required a full renovation of the downstairs. A couple of the main items that were done included removing the drop ceilings to open back up to a 14 foot ceiling and to restore the front of the building including the windows closer to its original magnificent state.

Lynn spent the next 3 years preparing to open as just a restaurant at first, the brewery would come later. In 2006, the doors of the Fairfield Opera House Bar & Grill opened for the community to enjoy home cooked meals in this wonderful building.

*The brewing system at the Fairfield Opera House*

People from the local towns around came to enjoy a great meal. Lynn said the prime rib has been a favorite of many and so has the chicken fried steak special on Thursday nights. Many of the nice cuts of meat are sourced locally in Fairfield.

Business was good, but Lynn still wanted to introduce some of his favorite beers he had brewed over the years. In order to get brewing, some additional space was needed. The building adjacent to the brewery was acquired and in 2014, the Fairfield Opera House Brewery and Grill was established. Not only would the space provide room for the brewery, but some additional event space also.

The brewery has a staple of beers it keeps on tap. A nice selection from a lighter Kolsch to a smooth Stout. I asked Lynn what his favorite type of beer to brew was. He told me that IPAs are because of the flavor possibilities from the hops used in IPAs.

It has been a tough year with Covid-19. I always worry about how smaller places can survive. Lynn said the spring was rough not being able to have the small events like wedding rehearsal dinners and some of the local agriculture business dinners.

The weekends as of late have been rather good with people travelling just a little bit further out to visit Fairfield for a nice meal and a pint. Lynn said one recent Saturday, he served over 200 meals!

*The Liberty Farm Pale Ale with its beautiful copper color*

My stop in Fairfield was early in the day, but I was lucky enough to get a crowler to bring home. I brought back the Liberty Farm Pale Ale. This pale ale has a beautiful copper color. The body is crisp and malty. The flavor has citrus and some floral notes in this 6.8% ale. A very nice beer indeed!

It was about time to pack things up and I had one last question for Lynn. What does success look like for him? A smile appeared on Lynn’s face as he said, “A great day for me is when someone comes in and tells me how much they enjoyed my food or beer. Recently a family from Lincoln was in. It was on a Saturday evening of a long day. They thanked me for a wonderful meal and that means the world to me.”

Fairfield is located in South Central Nebraska and a trip you must make! Bring family or friends and an appetite for some incredible food and craft beer.

Cheers!

Where Everybody Knows Your Name

August 19, 2020

*Rodney Keim, head brewer, owner, and Cheers fan*

I will admit to being an avid Cheers fan. Norm is my idol and I have longed for the day where I can walk into a brewery and get the loud roar of everyone saying “Joe!” Finding someone else that enjoys Cheers as much as I do is fun but finding someone who values a community where everyone knows each other’s name is priceless.

Making the trip to Atkinson, Nebraska was on my calendar in March before Covid hit. I had missed out on a couple of other opportunities to visit Brush Creek Brewing Company over the past couple of years, but my luck was changing. I was out on the road accompanied by someone else who enjoyed local craft beer and road trips. The drive was very scenic, and I was so excited to see how Brush Creek Brewing came into existence!

*The really cool tap handles at Brush Creek Brewing*

Finding the place to call home comes in many adventures as you go through life. There is the place that you grow up as a child and then the journey in your adulthood to find where you belong. For Rodney, growing up in Omaha, Nebraska was the starting point through his high school years.

Denver would be the next stop on his journey. Colorado is a state where craft beer is everywhere. At that time, Rodney wasn’t really into drinking beer. During a birthday party for his friend, his friend’s wife gave his buddy a craft beer brewing kit. The whole idea of brewing beer at home was mind blowing to Rodney and he had to give it a try!

Rodney found himself a used homebrewing kit and was ready to start brewing. I asked Rodney about the first beer he brewed. He responded by saying, “I wanted to brew a beer like the New Belgium 1554.” For those that aren’t familiar with this brew, it is a dark Belgian lager that has a complex flavor profile but is pure enjoyment. What a great first beer to brew!

Rodney was bit pretty hard by the craft beer bug. He began taking brewery tours, reading books, and absorbing every bit of information he could from those who had brewing experience.

It is always interesting to see where the turning point is where your hobby turns into the thoughts of someday having your own brewery. Rodney said for him that is was definitely after brewing the third batch of beer. He had visions of having his own brewpub and would need to be somewhere that his family could call home.

The whole time visiting with Rodney, he had a huge smile on his face while he told me his story. I could tell Rodney was exactly where he wanted to be! In 2012, the opportunity came up to make his way to Atkinson, Nebraska. Growing up and visiting his father’s Brush Creek Ranch close by brought back so many memories. Such a beautiful place to live. Now the question was "Can we build a brewpub that could survive and thrive in this wonderful small community of 1,250 people?”

I was fascinated roaming around the brewpub and taking in all the decor. There are so many charming items of the area. The brewery has a rustic yet classy atmosphere from the brewing equipment in the lowest level to the other two levels for people to gather.

I love the fact that Rodney took the ranch name for the brewery. That is so cool! The logo points out one of nature’s hidden treasures - the deer skull. Many ranchers will stumble across them on their land. It is just something that reminds them of home. Having the presence of the skull in the brewing is another way for the ranchers to feel at home.

The one thing that is mind blowing is having this awesome place in a small community. It must be hard at first to think will I make it? In the places that I have been, one thing I know is local breweries attract folks from close and far looking for a place to share a beer and have a great conversation.

This has been a huge part of what I love about the Nebraska craft beer scene and Rodney has been promoting it ever since opening the doors of Brush Creek Brewing in 2016.

*Copper Mugs made for the Copper Coin Society members by Handlebend in near by O’Neil*

Another big part about a brewpub is having something people can enjoy eating while having a beer. Rodney said that he was blessed finding an incredible brick oven to make pizzas. One thing that is so special about these pizzas is the crust. Even though it is a thin crust it is not crunchy. The outside is slightly crisp while inside is nice and soft.

Top quality ingredients also help make these pizzas extraordinary from the Italian Sausage they make themselves to specialty peppers like the Goat Horn pepper they use on certain pizzas. I was a little bit too early to get to try any the day I was in town but look forward to trying some the next time!

Pretty cool how the pizzas are named after charismatic people we meet in our lives and typically it is over a pint! Some of the names from over the years include: The Hot Mama, The Optimist, The Dreamer, The Paparazzo, and The Harvester. I wonder if they would ever consider having one called “The Drinker With a Storytelling Problem?” Probably too long of a name, but I digress.

Here is just a sample of what Brush Creek Brewing offers:

The Founding Father
Did you know George Washington had several hundred hogs and over 400 cucumber plants grown specifically for pickles? As a tribute to our great founder, enjoy our hand-tossed crust with garlic cream sauce, five-cheese blend, pecanwood-smoked freedom bacon, think sliced kosher pickles and a dusting of dill weed.
The Beach
Summer can’t come fast enough! Red sauce, our five-cheese blend, pecanwood-smoked Canadian bacon, smooth cream cheese, a double portion of pineapple chunks tossed in an authentic blend of Thai spices, and basil pesto drizzle.
The Cattleman
Hand-tossed crust, red sauce, Sirloin steak strips, caramelized onions, mushrooms, a blend of five cheeses, and garlic cream sauce on top. It’s a smothered steak…on a pizza!
The Patriot
Philadelphia is home to many American icons such as the Liberty Bell, U.S Constitution, Declaration of Independence, and of course, the Philly Cheesesteak! Hand-tossed crust, garlic cream sauce, five cheese blend, Sirloin steak strips, caramelized onion, sauteed green peppers, and a few chunks of cream cheese.

*The colorful blonde and copper colored ales and lagers*

*I see some roasty flavors in these beauties*

Always a great part of the visit is getting to sample some of the beers and to learn the philosophy of the brewer. Rodney had this great quote that stuck with me the whole drive home. “It is more about the butts in the seats than the beer in the glass.” Rodney went on to explain that for each person that arrives in his brewpub, he wants them to find the beer they enjoy. It is not about the brewer’s favorites but the patron’s favorites. Over the years, Rodney said it has been so much fun creating beers that people enjoy and will remember.

Here are some thoughts on some of the beers I was lucky to be able to try.

Brush Lite American Light Lager - 4.1% ABV 9.7 IBU
Love the name and this light lager. Lots of a flavor with a slightly sweet finish.
Rule Breaker Smash Ale - 3.9% ABV 41 IBU
This is my first Smash Ale - single malt and single hop. Rule Breaker has Cashmere hops that show through in this amazing melon flavor. I brought this back and shared with friends and it was a big hit!
Briars and Brambles IPA - 5.9% ABV 88 IBU
For those who like a nice dry IPA, Briars and Brambles is just that! A nice hoppy beer with some peppery notes.
Roostertail Pale Ale - 4.8% ABV 33 IBU
A beautiful cooper colored pale ale that has a bready, malty base. A great pale ale to pair with many different foods!
Rawhide Red Ale - 4.5% 20.6 IBU
Is a malty, nutty treat for those who like their beer more when it is slightly sweet then when it finishes with a little hop bitterness.
Sandhills Eclipse Porter - 4.8% ABV 38 IBU
A perfect roasty treat that is a session beer. This porter shows that dark beers don’t necessarily need to be heavy beers.

*United by a common human condition - the need to quench our thirst*

The visit was winding down and Rodney told the story behind The Well. It comes from John, chapter 4, “Jesus sat down at a well. A woman arrived to draw water and Jesus asked her for a drink. United by a common human condition—the need to quench thirst—they engaged in life-changing dialogue.”

The Well, home of Brush Creek Brewing depicts that completely! It is a place to enjoy food, drink, and build a connection with someone. That connection just might lead to a long-term friendship.

Make your way to Atkinson, Nebraska to enjoy what small town living is all about. Rodney has created a treasure and I am sure he will enjoy connecting with you over a beer!

Cheers!

Leave Your Mark

July 8, 2020

As I was driving up the highway to get to Norfolk, Nebraska to visit Divots Brewery, the name brought back memories of a golf outing. I might just be the worst golfer in the state but was on a trip to Tucson and signed up to golf at the most beautiful golf course I had ever been on. The course was a desert course with super soft fairways. I tended to hit behind the ball and let’s just say I left my mark on the 18-hole course, but not in a good way!

When arriving at Divots, the property seemed like its own community. The Divots Conference Center and the Norfolk Lodge & Suites is a great place for weddings and other events. The lodging and The Sandbar & Grill restaurant provide additional reasons for a nice stay. There have been concerts with names like ZZ Top, Foreigner, and Alabama over the years. Just an incredible entertainment space!

With all the amenities that could be found at Divots, one was missing - craft beer. It was 2014 and craft beer’s popularity was on the rise in Nebraska and around the nation. Divots Brewery was starting to brew small batches of craft beer to be served at the Sandbar & Grill. The brewing space was designed to start this venture to see how folks from around the Norfolk area would like craft beer. It was a work in progress waiting to see what the future might bring.

Divots Brewery in the past few years has started to really make its mark in the Nebraska craft beer scene. This is due to bringing on Jeremy Kirby as the brewmaster. As we sat down for a visit, I was excited to learn about Jeremy’s background and how he got into brewing!

Jeremy grew up in Battle Creek, Nebraska which is about 12 miles west of Norfolk. In the late 1990’s, he was living in California in a smaller community northwest of Los Angeles called Somis. It was there that Jeremy got interested in winemaking. One day Jeremy visited the Home Beer Wine and Cheesemaking Shop. He got what he needed to make his first batch of wine and when he was finished making it, realized it would be a year to see how it would turn out.

*A Mexican Lager on a warm sunny day on the patio at Divots Brewery is so refreshing!*

The good news was that Jeremy also noticed all the great homebrewing kits at the shop. Since most beer can be made in less than a month, why not give it a try. I think we all thank Jeremy for doing that!

Traveling soon started to revolve around finding new breweries and trying different styles of beer. Jeremy would get married and the honeymoon was in Munich. German traditional style beers and history of brewing would make anyone want to learn more about making craft beer.

It wouldn’t be long and Jeremy would be headed back to Germany, but this time to the VLB in Berlin to learn more about brewing. The course was a five-month master brewers program. The class consisted of about 30 students from around the world in which many came from breweries to get their training. Jeremy said it was an intense course with lots of focus on the science side of brewing.

*Great selection of different styles of beer always on tap!*

After school, Jeremy came back to the states and ended up in Durango, Colorado for a couple of years as an assistant brewer at Carver Brewing Company. From there in was onto Gottberg Brew Pub in Columbus, Nebraska.

Jeremy arrived at the Gottberg Brew Pub in 2009 and was there until 2012. Nebraska at that time was just starting to see the beginning of the growth spurt for craft beer breweries. Jeremy said that some of the beers and things they were trying to do were just a little ahead of their time. An opportunity came up in Virginia and it was off to the east coast!

Sunken City Brewing Company in Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia would be Jeremy’s home from 2012 to 2016. During his stay at Sunken City, breweries in Virginia would expand from 50 to 250. That is crazy growth! Jeremy became well known in the area and appeared on a list of the Top Twenty Upcoming Brewmasters for the state of Virginia. A great experience seeing the expansion and how competitive it was to get your beer distributed out into the community.

In the meantime, Nebraska also had experienced a significant increase from about 10 breweries to near 40. Things were changing for Divots Brewery as the main chef and brewer had departed. It was time to find someone who had a vision for growth!

It just happened there was a long-time connection between Jeremy and the owner of Divots. If you can think about someone as a child that you could completely trust, who would that be? A teacher, coach, or maybe even a school nurse. Yes, way back when Donna Herrick was Jeremy’s school nurse. Now the owner of Divots for about 14 years, she would offer Jeremy the opportunity to come back to Nebraska.

It was 2016 and Jeremy had many ideas for the brewery. The most important thing was to get to know what the local patrons liked in terms of the beer that was being brewed at Divots Brewery and to introduce new flavor profiles. Jeremy said, “I like to approach beer like food. Each new experience is a way to help the palate expand.”

The first year started out a little rough, but there were many changes going on. The brewing system was increased from a 15-gallon to a 7-barrel system and still in the same brew space. Getting everything in place and to fit was challenging but the system was up, and new brews were being created. The once 10 tap handles in the Sandbar & Grill would expand to 24. This provided more choices to the growing bar as it opened additional patio space.

The beginning of 2019 became a milestone for Divots Brewery. They would now start to distribute their craft beers outside of Norfolk. By the end of the year, they were looking to expand taproom and brewing space into downtown Norfolk.

This was a huge step and finding the right area would be key. Lots of plans that carried forward into 2020. Then COVID-19 would hit, and plans would have to be put on hold. The dynamics during the virus would change the way to serve the community. Crowler sales in February were around 25 and would explode in April to 550 as the only option to get beer was takeout during the shutdown of businesses due to Corornavirus.

But even though the world was on pause, Divots Brewery and Jeremy were still thinking about the future and how to grow. The unfortunate demise of one Nebraska brewery meant that an incredible brewing system would be up for sale. Divots Brewery will be the new home for this system and expanding their operations is the plan for the fall of 2020. Additional ideas are in the works for smaller seasonal and specialty beer batches.

So many great things happening at Divots Brewery, but I bet by now you are wondering how are their beers? Here is a sample of what I tried during my visit and what I brought home.

Crushable Kolsch ABV 5.2% IBU 21
A very approachable beer. Has a nice maltiness to it and has a great soft mouthfeel!
Cold Pressed Mocha Stout ABV 5.86% IBU 31
The Colombian coffee and cocoa nibs provide rich flavors to this Oatmeal Stout. The creamy body of this stout also adds to the experience!
Red Zone Copper Lager ABV 4.9% IBU 15
The amber color draws you in as the forward bready notes grab your attention. The finish to me was unique. My best description is spicy yet there was more going on!
Misguided Angel - Apricot Belgian Tripel ABV 9.5% IBU 30
I was overwhelmed by the balance of the apricot flavor and the slight spiciness of this beer. So enjoyable and one amazing Tripel!

The afternoon ended with a fine dinner at the Sandbar & Grill. It capped off a great visit! My trip to Divots Brewery was long overdue and I know I am looking forward to going back.

I highly recommend when you are in Norfolk to stop in and enjoy the great craft beers. Better yet spend the night and enjoy the beautiful patio space. Nothing like having so many amenities in the same place!

Cheers!

Saving a Keepsake That Now Has a Bright Future

June 17, 2020

*The beautiful colors of the Ales, Ciders, and Lagers at Stone Hollow Brewing Company*

It is at the end of its life or is it a treasure waiting for the right people? Imagine having a flashlight at hand combing through one of the most monumental buildings in your community. You know there are possibilities to make it great again, but at the same time have the years of vacancy ruined this 1880’s structure known as the Mercantile Building?

Making your way into the basement seems almost as scary as an episode from a horror film, but you work your way forward through the dirt floors and limestone walls all around you. You find a large door and the light flickers past the handle. The door seems to be stuck. You dig some of the hardened dirt away from it. Now with that last tug it opens with the screeching noise and the intenseness of bats flying out of what appears to be an old cooler. It is at that very moment you know you are all in!

About 4 years ago, Todd and Soni Hydo saw life in the Mercantile Building that no one else had seen in years. They had a plan for turning this once saloon and then grocery store into an entertainment place in Beatrice, Nebraska. One of the foremost thoughts in this renovation was that with Beatrice being over 12,000 people, it needed to have a brewery. The brewery would be a major attraction in the city and would bring people to visit the planned shops and also a speakeasy in the basement that would be named the Mechanical Room.

*Bryon Belding head brewer at Stone Hollow Brewing*

I got to spend a couple of hours with Bryon Belding to learn how Stone Hollow Brewing Company came to be. Bryon told me about how he met the Hydos and discussed the opportunities that a brewer could have in Beatrice. Beatrice is where Bryon grew up, so he had many ties to the community even though he was now living in Lincoln.

Bryon had been a homebrewer for over 10 years. His passion for the craft started as a fun hobby. After co-founding a homebrew club called the “Brew Man Group”, Bryon became interested in doing some competitions. The competitions started out as local ones but soon he would compete in regional and national homebrewing contests.

I asked Bryon about some of his greatest memories of the homebrewing competitions. One of his fondest memories was regularly serving his beer at Beer Quest competitions held at Lazlos in Lincoln, Nebraska. Another was recognition for a Peach Rhubarb Saison. Wow, I would really like to try that one!

The most important thing though was all of the friendships gained in homebrewing that exist still today with other professional brewers like Brian Hoesing from Catalyst Brewing and Tim Thomssen from Boiler Brewing Company.

I bet you thought I left you hanging about the meeting Bryon had with Todd and Soni Hydo. Well needless to say it went very well, and Bryon was excited to see how the craft beer scene would be in Beatrice. Knowing this was more than a single person gig to keep up on 7.5-barrel brewing system, Bryon reached out to two other fellow homebrewers to round out the team. Jim Anciaux and Clint Bruhn joined the brewing crew.

*Beautiful since towards the front of the taproom*

The name of the brewery feels so natural now, but it took a bit of time to come up with the name. Bryon told me that the name Stone Hollow came about while they were exploring the building as described earlier. The term hollow refers to the hollowed-out limestone cave that the basement reminded everyone of.

It was early 2018 and the building was coming along nicely when all the work was about getting the brewery up and running. It took time to turn the dirt floor into a cement one with drains. The limestone walls needed some work then it was time to get the brewing equipment installed.

*The brewing station is in the lower level and visible from the taproom*

So much work yet so much excitement growing towards the opening date in March of 2019. What would the community support in terms of craft beer styles? Bryon did lots of research up front in the local bars and stores to see if there was a craft beer presence and if so, what styles were available. The research ended up showing that there was little to no craft beer, so it was time to go over the plan for introducing craft beer to Beatrice.

In the meantime, many hours were spent turning the Mercantile Building into an indoor entertainment center. This was huge because it would allow people to be able to purchase beers at the taproom and enjoy while shopping or making their way into the speakeasy.

Everything was moving extremely fast and the taproom continued to come together. The most important theme was to find items in the building and around the local area to re-purpose into the taproom. Tables were built by the brewers that came from the wood of crates that had belonged to Missouri-Kansas-Texas railroad line that once had a presence in Beatrice. Old signs found in various parts of the building were recovered, restored, and hung throughout the brewery. The metalwork that houses the taps was another great find at a local scrap yard.

*One of the very cool old sign that is now part of the brewery*

I can only imagine how anxious and nerve wracking it had to be when opening the brewery! Bryon had a great background from homebrewing and being a nationally ranked craft beer judge through the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP). This program prepares you to get intimate with so many beer styles!

With the recipes he had and what Jim and Clint brought, this collaborative team set out to put 15 tap handles of flavorful beers and ciders that would tantalize the community. It would a great opportunity to release a new beer every 1 to 2 weeks and see what the reaction would be!

Opening was a success! The community was very intrigued by the beers and ciders. Bryon told me over the last year, they have had so many different styles of beers from light to dark, hoppy to sour, and there has been great response to all.

One that gained huge popularity in its initial release was Sweet Dreamsicle. This orange and vanilla blonde ale was a perfect summer treat and maybe just a little bit nostalgic for those of us who remember having creamsicles when we were young.

Stone Hollow has lots of creative beers and ingredients that go into those beers including rhubarb. Bryon tells me that he has been a huge fan way back when starting to homebrew to use rhubarb to add tartness to a beer. In the past couple of years this has become popular and you will see in sours, goses, and other types of ales.

*A great view of the brewery from the taproom above*

Here is a quick rundown of the beers and cider that I enjoyed on this visit.

Honey, I Drank the Kolsch is a nice light, soft bodied Kolsch with a bit of sweetness from the honey but also some saltiness that you typically get from a Kolsch. Excellent!
ABV - 5.3% 23 IBU
Blarney Stone Red is dry with a medium body. Notes of caramel and nuts. Very Nice!
ABV - 4.4% 26 IBU
Valhalla Baltic Porter is a full-bodied Porter with vanilla and chocolate notes. A nice warmer and outstanding Porter!
ABV - 8.2% 25 IBU
Really Vanilli makes you want to break out in song, “Girl you know it’s true.” Oops channeling my inner Milli Vanilli. Marshmallow aroma and flavor in a light wheat beer. How did they do it - Tahitian vanilla beans.
ABV - 4.6% 22 IBU
Back in Blackberry cider has great fruit flavor and a nice level of sweetness upfront. The finish is semi-dry. What a wonderful cider!
ABV - 5.7% N/A IBU

What a great trip to Stone Hollow Brewing! I am excited to go back with friends for a day trip or maybe weekend. This brewery has so many choices that flights are recommended. I like the fact I can enjoy the taproom while my wife can explore the shops.

Kudos to the vision and restoration of this building! I highly suggest making a visit very soon. You will not be disappointed. Tell all your friends, this might just be the best entertainment building in all of Nebraska!

Cheers!

5 Comments

A Storyteller's Dream

March 26, 2020

*Every Great Beer has a Story to be Told*

I was asked once, “Why do you call yourself a storyteller instead of a writer?” For me, the distinction is that a storyteller wants to become intimate personally with the subject matter. I really take this to heart in everything I write, not that all writers don’t do the same. It makes me think about all the stories my dad and grandpa would tell and the feeling I would get from those stories.

Three years ago, I started on a journey to learn as much as I can about the breweries and craft beer being produced in my home state of Nebraska. I have met so many wonderful people that created breweries in towns all over the state and who have taken risks to start a business that they are passionate about. It has been great to get to tell their stories!

Every taproom is an incredible gathering place for people near and far that can enjoy an amazing craft beer and conversation! I have met so many people from our state in my travels and have formed many new friendships. I have also met folks from as far away as California, Alaska, and New York at Nebraska breweries and it is fun talking with them about craft beers from Nebraska as well as their states. The conversations start with the beer you are having and end with smile as you move on down the road.

Last year I became interested in learning the process of bringing a new beer to market. I wanted to understand everything from label design, formulating the recipe, brewing the beer, and marketing it. My son Paul, who is also my graphic artist, told me that he would really like to do a beer label someday. I told him that I thought that would be a lot of fun and I would start to talk with a few breweries about it.

I think it was the very next day that I was at Pint Nine Brewing Company having a beer. I started a conversation with James (Jimi) Watson, brewer and owner, about finding an opportunity for my son to design a label for them. Without hesitation, Jimi replied, “That’s a great idea and I think it should be a Joe Java-Stout coffee stout”.

One of the Three First Concepts by Paul Meyer Co — *One of the Three First Concepts by* *Paul Meyer Co*

As soon as I left Pine Nine, I called Paul, and told him we have an opportunity to do a label with Pint Nine! He was excited and went to work on some concepts. But instead of me telling how the design came about, here is Paul in his own words.

“Working on the Joe's Storyteller Stout label design was really great. Joe, like a lot of my clients, trust me with a lot so I typically start out the process by sketching different directions for the project to go. These directions are typically varying in idea and solutions to whatever problem we are needing to solve and each have their own unique way to solve the problem.

The direction Joe resonated with the most was the idea of this traveling storyteller who is passionate, enthusiastic, and ultimately a bit kooky, much like Joe. the way I decided to represent this character visually in the label was by placing him in a scene where he could be enjoying beer, the company of others, and storytelling. Unlike Joe's adventures however, we switched the scene up and switched out some of these variables and hence this traveler is in woods spreading the news to all the forest creatures.

With this idea coming together Joe and I were then able to collaborate and really hone in on details that would make the story a bit more holistic and tie the actual beer back into the label. A detail that did this was the coffee tree behind the traveler and the darker hue of the beer so that it was closer to a stout than a lager or IPA. These little details helped to pull it all together to hopefully place anyone who enjoys this beer into the same adventure that Joe has with every beer.”

One of the things most people know about me is that I like to support local as much as possible. When selecting the coffee for Joe’s Storyteller Stout I wanted to include some local favorites from places like Clout Coffee, Green Beans Coffee, and A Hill of Beans Coffee Roasters.

Last summer, I began to try different combinations of coffee in cold brew. The reason I used cold brew is that I felt it would give a more accurate flavor as to how it might appear in the beer. Lots of trials and maybe a few jittery days. Yes, cold brew can be a little bit stronger on the caffeine side! But the trials came down to a final selection.

My coffee style is more on the dark roasted side. I love the deeper, bolder flavor of a dark roasted coffee. I chose Green Beans French Roast for that very reason. Now to build upon that, I am big fan of coconut! Hill of Beans has a Toasted Coconut Dream that has been the best coconut flavored coffee I have ever had. These two flavors in a stout to me would really start to pull in the chocolate notes of the stout.

Yet there was something missing to make this really unique! I fell in love with bourbon barrel aged coffee when I got my first taste of Clout Coffee. Bourbon aged coffee beans provide all the aroma and taste of bourbon with no alcohol. The roasting process burns off the alcohol. The amazing thing when using this coffee in a beer is no bump in ABV for the wonderful bourbon flavor! This completed the trio of coffees that I felt would be a great combination for aroma and flavor.

Getting the opportunity to be part of the brew day was awesome! Over the course of year, there were conversations about the style of stout, what ABV, how much to brew, etc.

Jimi and Lea (owner and Director of Business Operations) were great taking me through the process of determining the batch size which ended up being 5 barrels. There are 42 gallons in a barrel to get an idea of how many gallons are being produced. The next item was determining how many bombers to produce for the taproom and for distribution.

One of the important steps is getting the label approved by the TTB (Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau). Words mean everything when it comes to the labeling which I quickly learned. For instance, 22 fl. oz. had to also include beside it - 1 pint, 6 fl. oz.).

*There are a mixture of 5 different types of malted grains that went into Joe’s Storyteller Stout*

Behind the scenes, you don’t realize how much planning and what it takes to produce a beer. There are over 500 lbs. of malted grains including barley, wheat, and oats that went into the stout. The variety of the blends lend not only to the flavor of the stout but also the mouthfeel.

As the grains are crushed and being prepared to go into the mash, the aroma of the grains can be smelled throughout the brewery. The grains make their way into the mash tun where water is added to turn the grain starches into sugars.

You can see the mash in the mash tun and the grains, but the interesting part was getting a small sample at the end of the process to see the consistency. The kernels of the grains are exposed but the husks are still present. This is key so that the mash doesn’t become one big sticky ball! The liquid from the mash is called the wort. The wort is extracted and removes all the grain. The extract is super sweet! It is hard to believe the starch from the grains can be converted into that much sugar!

The steamy wort comes in as it gets ready for addition of hops and goes through the boil process. The color already was a wonderful deep brown. The hops used for the stout are Sabro hops. Sabro has notes of tropical fruit and coconut as key characteristics. Seemed like a natural choice for blending with the coconut coffee. The target IBU for the stout is 20 IBUs. The addition of the hops quickly changed the aroma of the stout and I couldn’t believe the difference between what the hop pellets smelled like to how they smelled in the wort.

The transfer to the fermentor now takes place and the yeast is added. The yeast will turn all of that sugar into alcohol. Towards the end of the fermentation, the coffee will be added and will stay in for enough time to give the desired flavor. This particular stout will come in at 6% ABV.

This has been an incredible journey! Thanks again Pint Nine Brewing for doing this. I hope everyone enjoys Joe’s Storyteller Stout. Remember, “Every great beer has a story to be told”!

Cheers!

5 Comments

Feeling The Rhythm

February 19, 2020

When you think about rhythm, what pops into your mind first? I think about a musician that practices over and over to really feel what the song should sound like. I also think about a pitcher who gets into that grove and everything he throws seems to paint the edges of the plate.

Well what about a brewer? I have found one that has hit his rhythm and has hit it big time! Sam Riggins, head brewer and co-owner with his wife Michelle of Cosmic Eye Brewing in Lincoln, Nebraska have captivated my attention from the very first beer of theirs that I ever had!

Ratebeer.com recently named Cosmic Eye - Best New Brewer in Nebraska. They also receive a Grand Champion in the American Black Ale category in the winter edition of the United States Beer Tasting Championship for their Arrow of Time Black IPA. So many great things going on at Cosmic Eye that I had to see how things are going as they start their second year!

*Cosmic Eye has a nice brewing space built for today and the future*

We sat down and I had to know what got Sam interested in craft beer. Sam explained that his earliest memories growing up in Fairbury, Nebraska was that when his father had beer in the house that it was always really good beer. Sam remembers his dad’s friends talking about being in the military in Germany and all of the amazing craft beer there. They often would say that they wished they could get that type of beer here in the states.

Sam went on to say that the real moment was when he was in college at Kansas University in Lawrence. One night he went out for dinner at a local brewpub. Sitting down for a meal, there was a surprising large selection of craft beers. Free State Brewing Company was the place. Sam said he became intrigued with fact you were able to see the beer being brewed right there. The experience that night raised a tremendous amount of curiosity of wanting to know more about brewing!

*Lots of artwork within the spacious taproom at Cosmic Eye Brewing*

Sam made his way back to Nebraska and the first brewery that he went to was Jones Street Brewing in downtown Omaha that opened in 1992 and closed in 1996. I remember going there also. Great atmosphere and a decent selection of beers. The more exposure Sam got to craft beer the more it ignited the fire to start homebrewing.

Most homebrewers will start with something simple like a Pilsner or Pale Ale, not Sam. “So, what was your first beer you brewed", I asked. Sam smiled and responded, “A Black Saison with French Saison yeast and malted grains not a malted extract.” Wow that is diving into the deep end of the pool and wandering how well you can swim!

Sam went on to say, “I knew from the beginning I wanted to really understand all of the ingredients at their most natural form. For me, grains were the way to go not that extracts don’t make good beer.”

*Get Lost was the original idea for the name of the brewery*

Homebrewing turned into meeting people and making connections in the Nebraska brewing community. Sam met Tyson Arp and Paul Kavulak from Nebraska Brewing Company and within a short period of time became an Assistant Brewer for NBC. Sam spent four years from 2010 to 2014 taking in everything about brewing. The more he brewed, the more he realized that he wanted to have his own brewery. He enjoyed his time at Nebraska Brewing but with children, the commute from Lincoln had become a challenge and it was time to move on.

*Cosmic Eye Brewing sign as you enter the taproom*

Finding the right location, getting your liquor license, and coming up with a recognizable name were items that Sam had been working on. The original name was Get Lost. Some nice twists for this name like “Get Lost in one of our brews or Get Lost in a great conversation in our taproom”. Unfortunately, there was a brewery with a beer by that name and attempts to work something out with the owner never came into fruition.

As you can imagine, not having a name can drive you wild! Then one day listening to the radio, the song Steambreather from Mastodon was playing and the lyric, “Climbing inside the cosmic eye”. Sam immediately called Michelle and said I got the name - Cosmic Eye.

It’s the eye in the logo that grabs my attention

Branding is always an interesting venture once you have a name then the most important thing is an eye-catching logo. I remember seeing my first Cosmic Eye beer at the local grocery store. The logo grabbed my attention and so did the name of the beers.

I couldn’t believe how fast Cosmic Eye started distributing beer in their first year! Here is just a short list of my favorites:

The Beauty of Forgetting - American IPA
Everything Has Eyes - New England style IPA
Unlock the Time Dragon - American IPA
Straight for the Sun - Session IPA
Your Friend, Death - Imperial Stout

*The taproom has many great individualized spaces for a beer and conversation*

The flavors in the Cosmic Eye beers always come through so distinctly. I asked Sam as to what his secret is. Sam told me, “It is all about keeping things simple. As an example, focus on a couple of malts and hops to let them really shine in the beer. When you start to get too many things going in one beer, you can’t enjoy the difference that one type of ingredient has over another.” That makes complete sense to me as I think about the beers I have had from Cosmic Eye!

We chatted about other influences that Sam has had along the way in developing his line of craft beer. Sam discussed how having mentors have been so important. Geoff Deman, head brewer at Free State Brewing Company has been a great mentor along the way as well as others. Sam talked about how he got to brew with Geoff about 3 or 4 years ago. Geoff asked Sam to bring one of his favorite recipes to brew. The recipe was a version of Straight for the Sun. They brewed it on the original brew house equipment. I could tell by the look in Sam’s eyes that this had to have been an incredible experience!

Sam also explained how the German and English beer cultures have had an impact on his approach to brewing. Sam told me that he likes to keep a great selection of lower ABV beers so that you can enjoy more than just one. This culture also extends to some of the ingredients and styles of beer that Sam brews including a Schwarzbier (German Black Lager) by the name of Gaze of the Basilisk.

Collaborations with other breweries is another thing that Sam loves to do. A couple of the recent collaborations have been with Scratchtown Brewing Company out of Ord, Nebraska and Infusion Brewing Company from Omaha.

Another really cool thing Sam does is he takes his enjoyment of music and craft beer and does collaborations with bands. A recent collaboration with Magic Circle will be on center stage at the Decibel Magazine Metal & Beer festival in Philadelphia this April.

*Sam and Michelle are just the opposite of rude, but ask them to tell you the story behind the shirts - photo credit Cosmic Eye Brewing*

So, the last question of the day was, “Sam what will 2020 bring for Cosmic Eye?” Sam responded by saying that he is looking forward to doing more Belgian and French Farmhouse ales. Also, I would like to continue with some smaller experimental batches now that we have a larger pilot system. I always look forward to doing more collaborations too.”

There is such a warm happy feeling when you are at the Cosmic Eye Brewing taproom. The smiles on people’s faces and conversations going on. It was fun to see the enjoyment Cosmic Eye creates in every pint!'

Make sure you when you are Lincoln, Nebraska that Cosmic Eye Brewing is on the top of your list to visit. Always look for the Eye, you won’t regret it.

Cheers!