The

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create • share • evolve

A FREE Independent Paper for Springfield, The Ozarks and Beyond!

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by Dave Maloney

Digital Version Facebook

HB CB CHThe

The

Bare HandCollective

create • share • evolve

Publisher. Tim Robson

Editor. Amy Robson

Logos. Ben Blauvelt Website/Tech. Simon Nogin

Photos Val Cooley Meighan Walsh

Contributors. Paul Killingsworth Aaron Rozeboom Adam Lauderdale Aaron Hadlow Silas Miener Madison DuPree Simon Nogin Sean Brownfield Dave Maloney Jay Howard White River Brewing Company MaMa Jeans Urban Chestnut Brewing Company Perennial Artisan Ales BrewDog 4Hands Brewing Company

Here at The BHC we want to draw young creative professionals to Springfield and Southwest, MO. We strive to do this by drawing attention to the amazing creativity, culture and craft that is the atmoshpere and environment of our cities in The Ozarks.

We are asking you to help us do this by investing in several ways. You can invest in a Sponsorship Space (3x3 ad space), Sponsoring an article (Logo and contact details at the end of the article), or a Story Ad on your business (1/3 page or full page).

Contact us for our Media Kit pricing and to set up an appointment with our sponsorship team. Let’s get our name out there together!

Sponsorship!

From the Publisher.It’s October and the world is celebrating beer! Why is this?

Well in my mind there are several reasons.

Let us just start with just beer. What a majestic, magical liquid! I find most fascinating this chemical, organic, creative process. It is hard to image that someone back in the days of simple housing, clothing and life, left their cereal outside to accidentally become saturated with moisture. Thinking the grains were ruined, they were left for disposal on another day. Days and days passed, as they do with house/yard cleaning projects, but eventually it came time to dump the ruined cereal out. Upon observing the mixture there were curious odors and some obvious bubbling developments. As we are all compelled to do, when we approach something unknown, interesting and gross, we taste it! The outcome of that tasting revealed a unique liquid that produced feelings of lightheartedness and love, and the rest is history!

Now to the broader topic of why beer is celebrated. It is an ancient tradition that spans across multiple cultures as a gathering point of community. I had the good fortune to do a bit of trekking across Scotland. In particular, I have travelled St. Cuthbert’s Way, reaching from Melrose in the South of Scotland to Holy Island on the coast of Northumberland, England. Travelling 12-20 miles a day will enrich your life with tales of adventure and create a might hunger and thirst in your belly! There is nothing like heading down to the pub to share these tales with friends and strangers while you guzzle pints of your favorite ale and consume hearty pub food. Across the world beer brings people together to share one of the most important elements of being human, telling stories.

So grab your favorite drink and some munchies and settle in for this Beer edition of The BHC!

Looking forward to getting to know you!Tim Robson

The BHC - 4176161477

Get Involved!If you are a photographer, writer, illustrator, graphic novelist, poet, storyteller, editor, graphic designer, public relations - anything having to do with putting together The BHC and you want to contribute - get in touch through:

facebook/TheBareHandCollective or barehandcollective@gmail.com

If you know someone that we should do a story on, get us connected through Facebook, email, or phone at 417-616-1477.

Participate in our live Bare Hand Collective events each month as a creative vendor, performer, short film producer or musician/band. Get in touch through the details above!

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The Bavarian Purity Law. by Paul Killingsworth

It’s been proven, the biological engineering process to make beer is older than, well almost anything. Chemical analysis of clay pots found, in what we know today as Iran, contained residue of a fermentation process dating nearly 7,000 years ago. Almost as quick as we mere humans learned how to make cereal, we were brewing beer.

During the medieval times, the majority of beer was made in the home, and it wasn’t till the 14th and 15th centuries that it made the swing toward production for the masses. The oldest operating commercial brewery is perfectly located in Bavaria (Munich area of Germany) and is the abbey of Weihenstephan. In fact, Christianity was one of the largest contributors to the rise in the production of beer, mainly due to monks living in monasteries wanting to supply provisions to pilgrims and travelers. Many saints, surprisingly, were supporters of the brew. Saint Arnulf, Saint Luke, Saint Augustine, and Saint Nicholas (yes, Santa Clause) to name a few, but Saint Arnold hits home for me personally. St. Arnold’s brewery is located in Houston and is the oldest craft brewery in Texas (and sorry, the don’t “export” out of the Lone Star State).

The legend of Saint Arnold goes like this: “It was July 642 and very hot when the parishioners of Metz went to Remiremont to recover the remains of their former bishop. They had little to drink and the terrain was inhospitable. At the point when the exhausted procession was about to leave Champigneulles, one of the parishioners, Duc Notto, prayed, “By his powerful intercession the Blessed Arnold will bring us what we lack.” Immediately the small remnant of beer at the bottom of a pot multiplied in such amounts that the pilgrims thirst was quenched and they had enough to enjoy the next evening when they arrived in Metz.” - - from www.saintarnold.com

The brewery at St. Arnolds is like many “craft breweries” around the country that not only are a part of the craft brewery explosion we are seeing in our modern culture, but that follow the “Bavarian Purity Law” (Bavarian recipe) or in German, the Reinheistsgebot. It is the original recipe adopted by William IV in 1516 and this is it: water, barely, hops, and yeast. The reason the law was established was to consistently uphold a level of excellence and tradition that didn’t incorporate different herbs or other ingredients. Some brewers are experimenting with other recipes, like my favorite… Maui Brewing Company, where their “Mana Wheat” is brewed with pineapple juice. But, the underlying component of the craft brewery movement is the trend towards smaller production and mimicking (if you will), the way beer used to be made before beer plants like Budweiser brainwashed our country. Those products are hardly beer in the true sense of the word; they are made using cheap rice and corn for alcohol in massive warehouse production plants. These production facilities literally spit out millions of gallons a day worldwide.

On a more authentic note, I had the privilege to attend opening weekend of Oktoberfest in Munich this year. The festival is a 16-day commemoration of the marriage of Prince Ludwig and his princess on October 17, 1810 and actually starts the last week of September. Now, I do realize that the production of the German breweries like Spaten, Paulaner, or Hofbrau which are the chief component of the festival, are far from “craft” size (to be considered a craft brewery, your annual production must be 6 million barrels a year or less), but they are made in the Bavarian tradition. It was an incredible experience - a bucket list kind of thing.

There is a great sense of pride and history in the city and can be seen in the old fashioned costumes that everyone wears. We followed right along in our Lederhosen and Dirndl. During the day, you might see a Clydesdale drawn carriage packed to the brim with wooden kegs, reminiscent of the time that horses took the freshly made brew to the festival. You’ll also find enormous beer gardens that can hold thousands of people, live bands, polka bands, carnival rides and games, heart-shaped cookies you wear around your neck, foot-long bratwursts’, fresh pretzels, hats, and beer and lots and lots of beer. The steins that they serve you in are massive. They serve you a liter at a time. My favorite was Augustiner. They are the only remaining family owned brewery on the Oktoberfest approved producer list.

At the end of the day, whether you’re at the world’s largest beer festival, or enjoying a craft brew with a close friend from a local brewer, remember that there is history and culture in every glass you hold. Gone are the days of thinking beer is just a lifeless liquid to chug brainlessly. I’m happy to see our culture getting back its beer roots, and like the monks, making it about quality ingredients, and most importantly, caring for your fellow travelers in life.

2009We had to put huge new tanks outside the brewery to try and keep up with the demand for our beers as Punk IPA became the UK's fastest growing alternative beer brand and the top selling IPA in Scandinavia. We also launched Equity for Punks and in a ground-breaking first, we offered people the opportunity to buy shares in our company online. Over 1300 invested and our anti-business business model was born. We continued to push boundaries and smash people's perceptions of what beer can be by brewing the world's strongest ever beer, Tactical Nuclear Penguin at 32%. We also aged a beer on the deck of a fishing boat, smashed loads of industrial beers with a golf club and grew our business by 200% (in a recession).

20102010 was a veritable rollercoaster for us as we continued our mission to spread the craft beer gospel. Opening our first craft beer bar in our home town of Aberdeen was a dream come true and we were blown away by the response from customers. We picked up the Gold Medal for Hardcore IPA at the World Beer Cup and James became Scotland's youngest ever Entrepreneur of the Year. We brewed a 55% beer and packed it in road kill making it the world's most expensive beer ever as we fused art, craft beer and taxidermy. We managed to find space for even more fermentation tanks in our increasingly cramped brewery and we also held our first ever AGM for our

shareholders in a very snowy Aberdeen in December. as the 2011Due to the run-away success of BrewDog Aberdeen we were able to open bars in Edinburgh, Glasgow and a flagship London venue in Camden. In true BrewDog style we announced our arrival in the capital by driving down Camden High Street in a BrewDog tank. We also brewed a beer at the bottom of the ocean (seriously), dispensed a 28% beer from a modified deer’s head and grew our business over 200% (again!) as we started building our new eco-brewery with demand for our beers reaching scary new levels. Most significantly we also launched Equity for Punks II and in doing so raised over £2.2m to help us continue to grow and welcomed over 5,000 new shareholders. Martin also dressed up as the Queen for our year end video blog.

20122012 was a hell of a year for us at BrewDog. What started off as a dream 5 years ago became a reality as we moved from a brewery we cobbled together on a shoestring to our new world class craft brewery. 6 new BrewDog beer bars opened across the UK with a new flagship site opening in Shoreditch as Diageo infamously cheated us out of an award for our bars which resulted in a global media storm. We grew revenues by 95% and were awarded the Fastest Growing Company in Scotland and named by The Sunday Times Fast Track 100 as the fastest growing food and drink company in the UK. We projected ourselves naked onto the houses of parliament, made a special beer for the Olympics, launched the phenomenal Dead Pony Club and hosted 2,000 Equity Punks

in Aberdeen for our rock ‘n roll AGM.

The Illustrious History of BrewDog- the revolutionary Scottish Punk Brewers.

2007Martin and I (James) were bored of the industrially brewed lagers and stuffy ales that dominated the UK market. We decided the best way to fix this undesirable predicament was to brew our own beers. Consequently in April 2007 BrewDog was born. Both only 24 at the time, we leased a building, got some scary bank loans, spent all our money on stainless steel and started making some hardcore craft beers. We brewed tiny batches, filled bottles by hand and sold our beers at local markets and out of the back of our beat up old van. Our biggest mission when we set up BrewDog was to make other people as passionate about great craft beer as we are. And that is still our biggest mission today.

2008Things started getting crazy for us in 2008. They have stayed crazy or perhaps got even crazier ever since. We somehow persuaded the banks to give us money to buy loads more tanks and a proper bottling machine. We masterminded the UK's stron-gest ever beer, Tokyo. This beer resulted in a huge media storm, and, if you believed the headlines, the downfall of Western civilisation. The Portman Group pretty much banned all of our beers. We started exporting to Sweden, Japan and America. We also got to go on TV with Oz Clark. And in only the 2nd year of BrewDog we also became Scotland’s largest independent brewery: we worked hard.

BrewDog.

The BHC chats with James Watt...

Tell us about your New Brewery.

“We have an awesome £7m eco-brewery, which was funded in part by our 6,000 shareholders. We are stoked to have been able to attribute such a huge portion to our growth to our dedicated fans who have invested their own money in our future, proving their belief in BrewDog beer and our potential over the next few years.”

What are you are proud of?

“Our beer and our team. We have some of the most knowledgable craft beer experts working at BrewDog in our bars and in our brewery. They drive us forward, challenge us on a daily basis and in doing so challenge convention and opinion in consumers. They rock. Hardcore.”

Tell us a bit about some of your favorite BrewDog beers...

“Punk IPA is our flagship beer and never gets old. It's such a versatile beer, it works for any occassion and we're all really proud of how great it's tasting from the new brewery too. Our Abstrakt beers are also pretty epic, AB:04 is one of our most raved about beers, so we've got to be pretty pleased with that!”

Tell us a little bit about the people that make it happen at BrewDog...

“We have some of the most eccentric, eclectic craft beer geeks in the world working at BrewDog. They are seriously passionate about beer, and are working hard to drive the craft beer revolution. Everyone we employ is committed to making other people as passionate about craft beer as we are, and it works.”

Any failures or points of learning you wish to enlighten us with?

“Never hold battle owl battles in the brewery. They make dents in shiny tanks.”

What does the future hold for brewdog?“World Domination”

www.brewdog.com

White River.photos by Meighan Walsh The building, that houses White River Brewing Company

(WRBC), was built in 1924 for A.C. Abbott and it holds a diverse history of usage: it was originally used as a coal storage facility, in 1956 it became the Keener Keener peanut product company, in 1967 the building was purchased by the Wellner Tent and Awning Company. Then in 2002 Mr. Wellner moved his business from the building leaving the space vacant until 2007. It was in 2007 that it became White River Brewing Company. On January 31st, 2013 the first keg was rolled out of the door!

The vision behind WRBC started with John “Buz” Hosfield. After retiring from a successful career in banking, Hosfield moved

to Springfield from California in 2006, and in 2007 bought the facility where today, extraordinary beers are made.

With his background, and an unending desire to make White River more than just another brewery, it has

grown from an idea to a reality.

www.whiteriverbrewingco.com

Completing the vision and helping set WRBC apart is brewmaster, Dave Lamb. Since 1979, Lamb has been known throughout the region as an accomplished brewer and beer expert. With decades of experience, spanning all things beer, Lamb is known for his work at White River Mining Company, Ebbets Field, Hickok’s Steak House & Brewery, and Rye Bread and Apple Core, not to mention his work with homebrewers as a craft beer specialist.

Another key player is Larry Anderson. Assisting the brewmaster, Anderson helps bring the beers to life and supplies the elbow grease to all that needs done. With more than 20 years experience as a successful home brewer, he keeps things sparkling, ready and plays a crucial role behind the scenes.

Larry

Buzz

Dave

The newest member to the team is Elonzo King III. He is the promotional, networking, social media guru of WRBC! Whatever you need to know about WRBC just ask him. You will find Elonzo everywhere pouring WRBC pints to introduce the general public to their tasty beer. Whether in the private tasting room at WRBC (you should book a tasting with him soon), at Brown Derby events, Farmer’s Market events, or Hyvee, Elonzo is up for a chat about Life and all things beer!

This fall WRBC hope to have 2 new beers coming. One Beer will be their Oktoberfest and the other is going to be a beer with Blackberries. Next year, they assured us, they have some surprises which include barrels and their normal beers!

If all goes to plan WRBC will be the place to be in Springfield in 2014.

With their Brewery occupying 1/3 of their facility they have exciting designs for the rest of their space. The front of the building will welcome you with an inviting patio area for conversation and sunshine during spring, summer and fall. Live music will accompany this setting as the mobile stage rolls out the front garage door bringing with it tunes for all.

During the colder months, and for scheduled events, the stage will be able to be rolled back inside. Here in this enormous back room with the exposed brick walls, high ceilings and an industrial setting, you will enjoy music and laughter. WRBC beers will flow like rivers at a long bar with taps pulling directly from their beastly cooler room.

If you require a more intimate setting you can mosey up to a smaller enclosed taproom in the front center of the building. This will be the hub of WRBC during all seasons!

What of food you ask? In classic WRBC style they are seeking to include community by drawing on the growing food truck scene in Springfield. It will become normal for you to grab a pint of your favorite WRBC beer and grab your favorite grub from the local trucks.

Another way WRBC is striving to be well rounded is offering their own style of bottle return. They also hope to recycle as much brick and other supplies for use on the remodel of these spaces.

Completion date for the new space is estimated for January 2014. March 1st, 2014, is when the first event is scheduled.

Get ready for something new and exciting!

Elonzo

White Creek Wit beer is distinctly Belgian in origin, brewed in the classic style of Belgian Wit, White or Wheat beers. White Creek is brewed with American 2-row barley malt, American un-malted white wheat, flaked wheat and flaked oats. A delicious, balanced Wit, it is bittered and flavored with English Kent Golding hop, orange peel, and coriander. A distinct, refreshing beer with a sharp, sweet-sour flavor, White Creek finishes crisp and dry with orange and coriander notes.

5.2% ABV.

Tavern Creek Triple beer is brewed in the classic style of Belgian Triples, boasting a distinct German pilsner malt and Belgian Biscuit malt. Appealing to the complex palate, Tavern Creek is bittered with German Perle hops and finished with English Kent Golding. Tavern Creek has a remarkably long and smooth finish, expressing a very full character with spicy fruitiness and a dry-tart finish, making it a great sipping beer.

9.5% ABV.

Table Rock Red Ale is brewed with English ESB(s) in mind, and brewed with five malts including German Caramel Rye, as well as German and English hops. Table Rock Red is a mellow ale that treats the palate to a wonderful complex-ity, both in aroma and flavor. Our draft version is conditioned with ni-trogen and served on a special fau-cet to produce a creamy, cascading head, and whether on draft or in a bottle, Table Rock Red promises an incredible drinking experience.

6.0% ABV.

Copper Creek IPA is brewed with a nod to the original English style, highly hopped and higher in alcohol. Copper Creek is brewed with four malts, bittered with New Zealand Pacific Jade hops, and finished with American Cascade. This complex pale ale is then dry-hopped with Pacific Jade and Kent Golding. Entering with both complex malt and hop aromas, Copper Creek’s distinct malt flavor is of toasted malt, caramel and biscuits. With a slight citrus finish, sweet fruitiness and spiciness, and a dry lingering hop bitterness, Copper Creek is a regional favorite.

6.7% ABV

facebook.com/whiteriverbrewing

Experiencing Oktoberfest in the Ozarks

The heat index is 95 degrees, yet hundreds of people are gathered outside, huddling together under anything that offers shade: a packed pavilion, a few trees and scattered tents, a few stylish hats. What could possibly bring so many people together on a hot day like today?

Ice cold beer, of course! Oktoberfest in the Ozarks was held in the backyard of Mother’s Brewing Company on Saturday, September 7, 2013.

Oktoberfest is a much-anticipated event, both in Springfield and around the world. This particular event was the third Oktoberfest to be celebrated at Mother’s Brewery, but Oktoberfest has been annually observed worldwide since 1810.

The tradition began in Munich, Bavaria, which is one of the states of Germany. When the Prince of Bavaria (later to become King) got married, the citizens of Munich were invited to attend a festival in celebration and the rest is history. It must have been a really good wedding.

These days, the festival is usually 16 days long, unless the Germans can find a reason to extend it, which sometimes happens. For example, the last day of the festival is generally the first Sunday in October. However, if day 16 falls before October 3 (German Unity Day), then the festival will be extended until October 3. Nobody complains.

So, back in the United States, Mother’s Brewery was not really breaking tradition by scheduling their Oktoberfest in September. Even if they were breaking tradition, people tend not to complain when the beer-fest gets moved up on the calendar.

Many of the folks at Mother’s donned traditional Oktoberfest garb for the occasion: For men, this means pants (Lederhosen), suspenders, and a checkered shirt, the attire for women includes a traditional blouse and dress.

Mother’s had many beers on tap for the event, including a special festival pale ale. Celebrants could sip their beverages from a plastic 16 ounce cup or from a glass 36 ounce stein, both emblazoned with the Mother’s logo. I grabbed a pale ale and found a seat under the pavilion to listen to some of the bands playing at the event, including the Hillbenders, Speakeasy and the Garbonzos.

As I listened to the music, my mind wandered back in time to when I first learned about Mother’s Brewery.

In the summer of 2011, I left Springfield Missouri for Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. Within a year, I realized the error of my ways and came back to Springfield. Little did I know that Mother’s had already begun renovations in 2010 on the bakery building that would eventually become the brewery. When I returned to Springfield, I suddenly found the Mother’s heart logo in every shop window.

The Queen City embraced Mother’s, and it wasn’t long before I fell in love with it myself. We Springfieldians love all our precious breweries, and we are quite fond of Oktoberfest, too.

Continuing in the spirit of Oktoberfest, I am looking forward next to Oktoberfest Village – Downtown’s Oktoberfest celebration – which will be held on October 5, 2013 on Park Central Square. The Ceremonial keg tapping will take place at 11:15 AM. I’ll be there.

Oktoberfest.by Jay Howard

Urban Chestnut Partners with Green Street toConstruct New $10MM ‘Green’ Brewery in St. Louis, MO

St. Louis, MO - Urban Chestnut Brewing Company (UCBC), a two-year old St. Louis, MO craft brewery, has announced they are in the planning stages to open a second and significantly larger production brewery also located in the city of Saint Louis.

The new facility is expected to be a $10MM project increasing Urban Chestnut’s current annual brewing capacity to about 15,000 barrels, while further enhancing an area within the City of St. Louis that has undergone significant transformation over the last several years (Forest Park Southeast, aka “The Grove”). The UCBC project will add approximately 10 full-time and 30 part-time jobs in the City of St. Louis within the next two years. Projected to open in early 2014, UCBC is partnering with Green Street St. Louis (Green Street), an innovative real estate firm recognized for the sustainable redevelopment of underutilized St. Louis-area commercial properties into LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified buildings.

“People might ask why open a second facility and ALSO locate it in St. Louis? Well, first & foremost 95% of the beer we sold last year was in St. Louis, and like Schlafly and many of the other small, local brewers, we’re dedicated to the evolution of St. Louis as a craft beer destination,” remarked Wolfe.

Kuplent added, “We’ve been growing at about 200%, year over year, and we never imagined we’d grow this fast. Essentially it means we’re going to run out of the space to add further capacity at our current location sometime this year...and we mostly have St. Louis beer drinkers and our retail partners to thank for that!”

Operationally, Urban Chestnut plans to brew, package and sell beer at BOTH locations:- The current 20 barrel brew house, taste room and Biergarten, located at 3229 Washington Ave in Midtown St. Louis, will remain open and will be utilized to primarily test, brew, and package smaller batch beers.- Initially the new brewery will have an annual capacity of approximately 15,000 barrels using a 60 barrel brewhouse, with the space to expand to 100,000 bbls. Urban Chestnut brewed around 3500 bbls in 2012 and expects to brew approximately 7000 bbls in 2013.

The two former Anheuser-Busch veterans and co-founders of Urban Chestnut, Florian Kuplent and David Wolfe, have been working with Green Street for over a year to identify a property that would meet their collective vision. A vision resulting in the plan to renovate the former Renard Paper Company at 4465 Manchester Ave into a 70,000 square foot production brewery, packaging facility, warehouse and indoor/outdoor retail taste room. Beyond embracing the principles of environmental stewardship and social responsibility by seeking LEED certification, UCBC & Green Street also plan to modify the façade of the current city-block long warehouse to visibly and physically integrate it into the already vibrant “The Grove” neighborhood.

Urban Chestnut.

Urban Chestnut Brewing Company (UCBC) is an unconventional-minded yet tradition-oriented brewer of craft beer. Founded in early 2011 and located at 3229 Washington Avenue in Midtown St. Louis, it brews both small batches of artisanal, modern American beers (their Revolution series) and classically-crafted European styles (their Reverence series). The founders are Florian Kuplent and David Wolfe. Kuplent is a German born and trained brewmaster with extensive experience at both small breweries, worldwide, and with the world's largest, Anheuser-Busch. Wolfe is a 20-year beer industry member, who was with Anheuser-Busch as well, prior to joining Kuplent in founding Urban Chestnut.

Green Street St. Louis is an entrepreneurial, full-service real estate solutions provider. Green Street distinguishes itself through the application of sustainable design and building principles in the adaptive reuse of infill locations. With a focus on user objectives, Green Street provides a comprehensive and integrative suite of services from project conception through construction leading to operational success for our clients. Green Street’s approach utilizes established experience to complete innovative real estate projects as an advisor, a developer, and as a property owner.

Urban Chestnut Brewing Co, 3229 Washington Ave St. Louis, MO 63103 For more information on UCBC- Visit www.urbanchestnut.com

In addition to operating both breweries, Wolfe and Kuplent also plan to provide a unique & distinctive customer experience at each Urban Chestnut location. “Our brewing philosophy and branding has always been based on the idea of ‘new world ~ old world’ or what we call ‘Revolution and ‘Reverence’. We think it’s really cool that we’re going to apply this same concept to each of the two facilities; our original location will possess the “Reverence” identity and our new location the “Revolution” identity,” says Wolfe.

Urban Chestnut and Green Street plan to implement design and material elements that will award them with a level of LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. “Our collective goal is to renovate the building and introduce mechanisms that maximize the efficiency of Urban Chestnut operations while minimizing their impact on the environment,” stated Hulse. “Generally speaking, we intend to employ ‘green’ modifications to minimize Urban Chestnut’s energy footprint.”

Sunday 11am-9pmMon-Wed 11am-10pmThurs-Sat 11am-2am

221 E. Walnut, Downtown Springfield

www.thecreativefoundry.org

This Oktoberfest style lager starts with

traditional malt fullness finishing with toasted malt

and floral hop flavors.

750 ML • 1 PINT, 9.4 FL OZ • 6.5% ALC/VOL750 ML • 1 PINT, 9.4 FL OZ • 6.5% ALC/VOL

Opinion.by Aaron Rozeboom

Beer for the Masses: an Outsiders Musings on the Craft Beer Movement

I like beer. But to be fair, I am not a “beer guy.” I might buy the equivalent of a 6 pack a month, just to keep up with some of the more interesting domestic “special releases” or to revisit an old familiar friend from across the pond. Nevertheless, the craft beer movement in the United States fascinates me. Do you remember when beer meant one of about five things, namely Bud, Miller, Coors, Busch, or maybe a run across a state line for Pabst? I don’t, but these are the stories I hear. Now North Americans have more brew options than ever before. There are even critics and awards for beers, bars, and breweries. Whole towns define themselves as craft beer destinations. I recently visited my college town of Grand Rapids, MI and found that what was a sleepy little furniture and theology town is now abuzz with all things beer.

In fact, an entire sub-culture has gathered around decent beer. Wine lovers no longer need to cower at the prospect of being labeled snobs, because where one wine enthusiast stands, there lurk three craft beer warriors. As erudite wine lovers mull over the vintages in France, how long to age a Barolo, and what’s going on with the prices in California, craft beer groupies chatter about who has failed miserably with their summer IPA release, which is the best domestic hefeweizen, and how they just can’t wait for the Bourbon barrel breakfast stout to be released. It has always been cool to drink beer, but the craft beer movement has successfully created a context in which it is no longer hip to drink the old American brands that have set up shop selling gazillions of what even the uninitiated can only liken to slightly alcoholic Perrier. Bud Light now has the same social status as White Zinfandel and drinking it is tantamount to eating Ramen with Spam or driving a Mercury.

Regardless of how exclusive the movement might seem, the craft beer galaxy is no small place. Last year craft beer accounted for $12 billion in retail sales. That is roughly equivalent to the amount of money the entire country spends on a good Black Friday. You could buy 500 private islands with the money Americans spend on craft beer in a year. To be called “craft” a brewery can produce “only” 6 million barrels. That’s just shy of 1.5 billion pints per year. For perspective, that means I could brew a pint of beer for nearly every McDonalds hamburger sold in a year’s time and still be a “craft” brewer. That’s a lot of beer! But lest beer lovers despair, even the largest craft breweries have not reached that level of volume, and all together, craft beer only accounts for around 7% of total beer sales in the U.S. Beyond that there is nothing that says that there must be a direct correlation between volume and quality—just ask Sam Adams, Opus One or Chateau Lafite!

One of the interesting cultural benefits of the craft beer movement is its infatuation with Europe. The bridge between the New and Old World is significant. What the Beatles did for England, craft beer is now doing for the UK. Nowhere in the world are folks making better beer than in the Germany and Belgium, and Americans are thinking about these traditions and the quality that comes from hundreds of years of brewing experience in ways they never have before. As American brewmasters seek to copy and emulate these time-tested traditions, the quality of our beer will continue to improve. The old world is the benchmark for beer as much as it is for wine. It is nearly as difficult to find a uniquely American beer as it is to find a uniquely American wine.

Hypothesizing about the future of the high-end beer market is presumptuous for an outsider, but things seem to be reaching capacity. Home brewing will likely never be more popular than roasting one’s own coffee beans, and the competition among the smallest of craft breweries is intense. I am continually amused by the gratuitous names and labels employed by craft breweries to get an edge or stand out. When they start brewing beer with yeast strains cultivated in the brewmaster’s beard, invoking zombie monkeys, unicorn killers, love children, and all such like, you know competition must be tough. Either that, or these craft beer types are a pretty dark bunch!

My inexpert prediction is that the most competent of the large craft breweries will percolate to the top, dominate the market, and eventually be bought out by the big boys who will continue to produce vats of everyday beer for everyday consumption as their bread and butter. The smaller independent types will come and go, thereby keeping things interesting for beer geeks. And each little town with even a faint interest in food and beverage will have a brewpub or two of its own. The craft beer boom will fade and it will no longer be fashionable to drink fancy beer. Instead it will be normal. Americans will be the richer for its discovery of what Germany, Belgium and England have been doing for centuries—enjoying good beer with good friends as a matter of course. I for one am grateful.

Gentlemen’s Corner.

WITH NECESSITY I insist that the quest for the “True Gentlemen” begin with the root explanation of the term “Gentlemen”. Why search for a concept that may be long gone or no longer fashionable? Why strive for a tradition that is perhaps antiquated? Why deliberate, debate or exasperate when Status quo could be “good enough”?

It is my true belief that all men (no matter what station in the community they serve, origins they hail from, or upbringing they were exposed to) have a unique and true gentlemen inside of them. We all desire to respect others and thus be respected, but it is only in this order that this communal relationship takes place. It is with this in mind that we have developed the content in this column entitled the “Gentlemen’s Corner”.

Let us begin with the origin and definition of the word gentlemen. Its origin comes from the middle English and dates back to the mid 1600’s. The use of the word gentlemen typically referred to a man who was chivalrous, courteous, and honorable. To call one a "Gentlemen" would have been the polite and socially acceptable way to refer to another man. Even when the term was not fitting for an individual, a true gentlemen would have used it out of respect when referring to such a man.

A true gentlemen would not conduct himself so only in public. This would be his inner being and would be the utmost of importance to his personal countenance. This etiquette would be the way he conducted himself in formal settings and also when in presence of those in full dress. The man who says “I know nothing about etiquette” does not realize that he is saying “I know nothing about courtesy for my fellow being.” (book entitled Correct Social Usage, 1901).

I have been reading books from the late 1800’s to the early 1900’s and I am finding a large disconnect from then to now. The formality of society then was rigid and was the very thing that defined a man’s credit worthiness. There was no credit rating system that judged a man character. It was his demeanor and his correct social usage that defined him. When arriving at a dinner party a “true gentlemen” would not look at the drapes and tapestries. He would not comment at the loveli-ness of the furniture in the parlor nor would he praise the fine china from which he ate. This could lead others to think that he did not have such fine things in his own home and this could be disastrous to his place in society.

The point is this… how does one blend the historic gentlemen with the fast paced modern society of today? This will be the topic for discussion through this column. Next month we will be talking about what we as gentlemen need to realize has taken place over the last 170 years. What has happened to social etiquette in regards to the ladies in our life and how we can tap into that inner gentlemen.

by Sean Brownfield

Taproom.

Val Cooley

by Simon Nogin

Schlafly Tap Room – 2100 Locust Street St. Louis, MO

The Schlafly Tap Room opened its doors in December 1991 as the first brewpub in Missouri since Prohibition. The space was built in 1904 to house massive printing presses. After surviving Saint Louis’ worst fire and many years of disrepair, the venue now provides a great atmosphere to eat, drink, and catch live music.

The Tap Room serves a mix of European and American pub-food – from White Cheddar Sauce Pretzels, to Oysters, to Reuben’s, even Vindaloo Curry – the Tap Room offers great fare that will pair with any of their beers.

A new beer is offered just about every week, lending approximately 45 new styles every year. On tap you’ll find a vast variety of brews; the full line of Schlafly beers, including a couple on cask, and some seasonal brews as well.

The Tap Room produces Schlafly’s 50,000 barrels annually, distributed within 300 miles of STL. Schlafly just recently began selling their beers in New York and DC, with plans to distribute to Chicago in the works.

Next time you are in Saint Louis, plan to stop for a meal and a few beers at this great brewery.

Chunes and pints.

With this month's issue of The BHC, being themed around beer, I wasn't quite sure if a music article would fit in - then again beer seems to be a favorite topic among many of the musicians I know. So, I decided I would love to know which beers my favorite musicians prefer to drink and started contacting some of them. Of course it was incredibly exciting for me to start receiving responses back but the quality and personality in the responses have exceeded my expectations!

If someone ever asks you the age old question of "If you could ask *insert famous musician/celebrity here* just one question, what would it be?" I would now recommend, "What is your favorite beer, and why?" because I'm now fairly certain you would not be disappointed with the answers!

Lincoln of LINCOLN DURHAM

My current favorite beer is Lakewood Brewing's "Temptress". It's as black as a crow's feather, velvety in taste but with an almost "whiskey" bite that's like drinking a sweet, welcomed poison. It's made out of Garland, TX but tastes even sweeter out of the tap from the good folks at Zio Carlo Magnolia Brew Pub in Fort Worth.

Darren King of MUTEMATH

I think I like beverages more than other people. One of my favorite things is to drink four or five different types of drinks with a meal. I know it's disgusting but I love it. If I could order a coke, a coffee, a milkshake, and scotch all at once at a restaurant without creeping everyone out I would do it every time. I didn't start drinking alcohol until my mid twenties and beer was the very last libation I came around to. But I enjoy it now. When we tour we often request a case of beer local to the city we are performing in rather than just have Corona every night. This was our tour manager's idea. He's a smart dude.

However, at home I keep a few bottles of Stella around for Stacy* and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale for myself. *Darren's wife Stacy King of Eisley and Sucre

Deb Talan & Steve Tannen of THE WEEPIES

DEB: I like Chimay. It's tasty with almost everything, yet you can still get fancy with just some Chimay, cheese, and fruit! There are several kinds, but I like the blue and the red most. We found it while on tour in Europe, and even though it's made in Belgium and they sell it here in the US!

STEVE: I like Bass or Sam Adams or really whatever you have in the back of the fridge! But I do want to know why Guinness on tap tastes a thousand times better in Ireland than it does anywhere else? We did many taste tests and even the Guinness in the Dublin Airport tastes awesome, but here it's just eh. If you find out, in the course of your article, let me know! [Note: I'm still working on an answer for you on this one, Steve!]

by Madison Dupree

Eric Nichelson of MIDLAKE

My favorite foreign beer would have to be Stiegl. It's the national beer of Austria and was founded in 1492. You can really taste the history... very old flavor. Comes in 16oz cans, so it's a big beer for the price. As for a local selection I'd say Armadillo Ale's from Denton, TX is my favorite! It's Denton's first real microbrew that's gotten out in the world. They have an ale called the "Greenbelt" that's really great.

Gabe Lehner of METROFIQUE

My favorite beer is a Flemish red called Rodenbach, which I discovered in Bruges while travelling in Belgium on a European backpacking trip. It has an awesome taste unlike any other beer I've had, and it's slightly sour in a lovely way without being too sour. For years after my Europe trip it was unavailable in the states, but now you can get it at BevMo and a few other random places that have large selections. Check it out if you never have before!

Ben Jaffe of HONEY, HONEY

I've really been getting back into Yazoo's Dos Perros. I absolutely love the richness of it! In the winter months it's certainly the most delicious way to gain heat retentive winter weight.

I would like to thank each artist, that took time out of his or her busy schedule, to indulge my curiosity. I believe I'll make it my next mission is to try each one of these beers while listening to music by the artist who recommended it!

Perennial.

Val Cooley

Greg Rannells

8125 Michigan Ave. Ste. 114Saint Louis, Missouri 63111Closed until Wednesday 4:00 pm - 10:00 pm(314) 631-7300info@perennialbeer.com

http://www.perennialbeer.com

Greg Rannells

Phil from Perennial didn’t always have an aspiration of opening his own brewery, but he did want to have a brewing career.

“The bug that grabbed me, working at the brew-pub in college, was the intersection of being able to work with my hands, having a creative outlet in the formulation process, then being able to geek-out on all of the science aspects of what we do. All of that rolled up into one job is pretty satisfying. “

He started out in Columbia, MO, at a brewpub for about 6 months. “That was enough time for me to realize this is exactly what I wanted to do with my life!” So he cast his net a bit wider and got a brewing job in Chicago, for about a year. After a promotion to management the wheels start spinning a bit and Phil began to wonder, “Maybe I could do this for myself… that would be great!” So he moved from Goose Island to Half-Acre, moving down in scale, as a calculated move. “Those guys knew that I wanted to open my own brewery so it was a really cool arrangement. I could bring them bigger brewing experience so they could hit the ground running, which they did!” In turn, they opened up everything for Phil. This was a year tutorial with guys that just started a brewery. It was a great experience for both of Phil and Half-Acre.

facebook.com/perennialbeer

Perennial began in the facility they are in now. The facility used to be a Coca-Cola syrup plant listed on the historic register. It’s a beautiful building meant for beverage manufacturing. After standing vacant for about 22 years renovation started a few years ago. Perennial is the anchor tenant, but it’s a mix-used facility with 77 loft apartments and a first floor that is all commercial. Perennial is starting to expand within their 13,000 sq. ft.

Phil has a strong focus on Barrel ageing. Goose Island definitely played a role in this. His experience there, at a particularly exciting time, prepared him for what was ahead. Goose Island is the innovator of Barrel-ageing and has been barrel ageing since the mid-90’s. The first bourbon barrel aged beer was Bourbon County Stout. What a Wonderful beer! Phil managed the cellar there, where he helped grow Bourbon County by 10 fold. “When I first came in there in ’06 we were bringing in about 100, Elijah Craig barrels, then when I left in ’09 the order was for 1,000. Not including the BCS rare barrels.”

That was ‘spirits’ barrel ageing, but Perennial started by getting into wine barrel ageing. “We decided, right out of the gate, that we were not going to be this high-volume brewery. We were going to dedicate a lot of our space to barrel ageing, and we started doing it right away. Within a month or two of opening, we started filling barrels. “

Perennial has stuck close to their original plan. They create new beers all the time, and are not exactly sure where that’s going to go. Every year they sit down and look at their year-beer calendar and in the open spots and they challenge some of the brewers to come up with some really cool stuff. “What’s nice is having our attached tasting room; you get instant feedback from the customers that come through your door. So what we do is we release a new beer every Thursday night at 6pm. We do a beer premier. When you brew a new beer every week, there are going to be hits and misses, but we get great feed back from our customers.”

These guys are all about supporting local producers. They have a beer called Barry Rye, which is fermented on local blackberries. Soon they will release Peace Offering, a pumpkin style beer but brewed with MO squash.

Phil grew up here, in MO, and MO is one of those states with 4 distinct seasons. Those seasons influence what you would find him drinking. “Hot outside/Summer - I’d go for the Berliner Weisse, or something refreshing. But when that weather starts to turn cold, I get really excited about those big stouts. We like to go with the season of the harvest, as well. We won’t release a pumpkin ale in July! “

Perennial stand out because of their focus on creativity and innovation in the craft brewing craze. Another distinguishing factor is their commitment to their locals. The input from the experimental taproom beers is taken seriously. The feedback and suggestions shape what emerges as the beers for the year. The last and most inspirational factor is their lack of desire to grow quickly into a large craft beer brewing company. The focus is on the quality and what they want to brew.

I like that.

One last tip, if you ever get a chance to try Barrel-Aged Abraxas, do it, it will change your life!

How did you get started into the Craft Beer Industry?

“I’ve been in the craft beer industry since college. After graduating, I went to work for a local distributor, growing the craft beer portfolio and Gallo wine portfolio.

I then went into managing half of the state. Next I went to Illinois and worked directly with Gallo winery, calling on distributors there in Illinois. After that I came back to St. Louis and managed the craft beer portfolio for the distributor I started with.

I always wanted to own my own business. I fell in love with craft beer my sophomore year of college. My wife and I felt like it was the right timing, right age, and the right thing for our family to do. So we just jumped out, with a couple of parachutes on, and hoped for the best! Our last name is Lent – no affiliation with the ‘Lent’ brewing dynasty. Who, before the prohibition, was the largest brewery in the country. Because of that, we couldn’t be the Lent Brewing Company. So, the 4 Hands represent my wife, our two sons and myself. This was our version of a family named brewing company.

We have been brewing and selling beer for 18 months now. January 2014 will be our 2-year anniversary. We don’t just view this as a brewery, but an opportunity for people to get out of their homes, try something different, experience new things, and have fun.

We want to talk to each other, meet new people; so we do events that don’t just focus on beer. We’ve had multiple art exhibits and food truck events.”

4 Hands.photos by Val Cooley

A few weeks ago some of The BHC crew had the pleasure of meeting up with Kevin, and while sipping on some of their delicious beers, got to chat with him about 4 Hands Brewing Co.

1220 S. 8th StreetSt. Louis, MO 63104

Tel: 314.436.1559Fax: 314.436.1559

www.4handsbrewery.com

When you think of brewing – what’s your vision?

“We really pride ourselves on two things: brewing outside of the box – we don’t just do a pale ale or hefewiesen . We look to do things a little bit different - most of the beers that we brew we try and develop them around a food group. Our Pyrus is a Saison that has organic pear juice, whole white peppercorns, and orange zest. This beer was specifically developed around pork. Our labels tell a story, and we pair it with food. We don’t want to take the spot of wine on the dinner table but we’re trying to be served adjacent to it. We are definitely American craft focus, with Belgium/French/Saison/Barrel age inspired. “

Tell us about your space:

“This is our original spot. When we took this space over, it was 4 white walls. This project was so cool to me, it’s my project obviously, but it was the first time where I was able to do something and just do it the way I wanted to without having to compromise. This is the one time I’m going to own a business, so no compromising at all! There is a picture of a barn here in the brewery, and that barn was out in Tifton Missouri. So on one of the hottest days in August, I got a U-haul, and went out to Tifton and took down that barn.

Our bar is made out of that barn wood, all of our tables and chairs are made out of that work and recycled American steel. Our community table is the original dock door of this building.

During construction we had to replace some sprinklers lines, so we used those sprinklers as merchandising hooks and at the bar for foot rests. So yes, sustainability is a big deal for us.”

What do you love most about beer? What makes you do what you do?

“My favorite thing about a project is being able to take a concept to a 5 gallon batch, to a round-table discussion about a name, a theme on a label, to a 15-30 barrel batch brewed, to seeing it on the shelf. The birth of that brand is really rewarding. We take a lot of pride in what we do.”

What would we find you drinking, on a consistent basis?

“From our portfolio – Divided Sky or Rye IPA - probably my go-to all the time. If I’m not drinking that, then I’m probably drinking a Bells 2 hearted ale.

Two beers that got me into craft beer – New Belgium Fat Tire and Franziskaner Weissbeir.”

Barstool Bards.

Light Pollution

by Aaron Hadlow

“Stars are just that. Massive spheres of burning gas," Melvin said as he propped up the tripod stand for his telescope.

"Some are even still burning, but others are all choked up, just running on fumes. I guess those ones aren't really stars. Just shimmering likenesses. They’ve become a billion rays of un-spindled light, by the time we see them, cause you know that light has traveled a million years to get here, they may not be anything more than a dense hunk of iron floating through space. Now ain't that something?"

Melvin’s son occasionally recast a line baited with gummy catfish dough while sitting on the bank of the White River, where Melvin would set up his scope on clear summer nights. The boy would sip orange Nehi's.

When word got out about Melvin and his telescope, neighbors would hike to the river's bank to gaze into the space that was both foreign and familiar to them; foreign in that the ability to see with detail planets and moons from such a distance was novel to the rustics, and familiar in that the experience of peering beyond the biblical firmament was accompanied by the same dizzying feeling that occurs after waking from a night terror, upon realizing the distinction between dream and reality.

On Friday nights when the weather was fair, they’d stay up till the morning hours, and family by family would pilgrimage to peek at outer space.

Tonight Melvin was tracking the conjunction of the moon and Jupiter. He slid his wire-framed glasses to saddle the tip of his nose.

The neighbors would dress for the occasion: Father in Sunday bibs, hair slicked back with fragrant pomade, a mother in a Pentecostal jean skirt, a broach pined on blouse, the children scrubbed clean smelling of soap. Some of the more religious would give praise to God, or audibly argue the negation of their doubts.

“It's too big for there not to be a God out there,”

Others, like Levi Tucker, who’d been thrown out of every house of worship, from Eaglerock to Lampe; Tucker, whiskey drinking iconoclast, who was known to bour-bon-stink-heckle preachers every time he set foot under a steeple; Tucker, who once shot his own little brother, Ben, after Ben pulled a bowie knife on him during a drunken tussle; Tucker, who never forgave himself for killing Ben; Levi Tucker would stagger up to Melvin’s telescope and would stare long and hard, perhaps not seeing past the objective, suffering moonshine induced parallax.

Others, like Tucker would walk away laughing like they'd read the dirty joke scrawled on the empty space between the stars.

-Saint Zachariah-

Zachariah hung dying from his parachute cords in a tree. Beside him were two other companions, already dead. The sun was rising. A bluebird landed on a branch before him and in the sunlight the bird was transfigured to the form of an angel.

“Zachariah” she said, “don’t be afraid. I am the angel of vengeance. Speak to me that I may carry your last wish unto God.”

Zachariah looked over the earth and he felt the gun strapped to his back, and the knife strapped like a prosthetic to his leg and he said… “Does it seem good that I oppress? That I despise the works of my enemies hands And further the designs of the wicked?” Out in the world he heard the cries of dying men. “My eyes are eyes of flesh I see as man sees My days are the days of man My years are a man’s years That I seek out the iniquity of others And search daily for their sins.” “Zachariah” she said reaching out to touch his cheek. “That’s about it” he said, and he died.

by Adam Lauderdale

-Memories of the Pearl Dress-

In dark blue waters he drowned. He was diving for pearls that looked like bronze bullets in the oceans depths.

As the sun he would never reach faded from his starving brain, he felt the brush of shark’s skin against his leg.

They can live to be over a century old, he thought and his left hand brushed its snout as it passed. He imagined finding his grandmothers cuckoo clock somewhere inside its ancient belly. She was in pigtails in the photo.

“It was a blue dress… My favorite dress.” She had told him. “But you can’t tell because the photograph is so old.”

“What color are the polka dots grandma?” he had asked.

“White. White like little pearls.” It was the last time they met before she died. “It was my very favorite dress.”

-Saint Sandy of the Wolf Pack-

Adam and Eve proved their humanity by eating of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil. Their sons, Cain and Abel proved their animal nature by murdering one another, one in spirit, and one in deed. I met a woman with 6 sons. “I’m sure they fight all the time.” I told her.

“Not my boys.” She said proud and fierce. She had just sent two on a mission to get drinks for the rest.

“Whenever they start to fight I remind them that they are a wolf pack; that no one can stand against 6 united.”

“And if they forget?” I asked.

“Oh they won’t forget.” She said. “Because it’s me they have to stand against.” The wind was blowing through her hair. “And there’s no way they’d pull that off alone.”

-Delmar: Saint of Skeletons-

Delmar Hutchens liked to hike. He liked to go off the trails. He liked to rent topographical maps of park land from the library. He liked to plot hiking routes to see waterfalls and caves. Delmar Hutchens was exploring a cave he found one afternoon when he noticed a pair of old boots sprouting a skeleton in the corner.

The skeleton looked like it had been there for a long time. Old tattered ribbons of trousers draped over the dusty leg bones, and a civil war era revolver (heavily rusted) lay on the ground beside it. The skeleton was smiling. Delmar Hutchens smiled back. He played his light over the body, and noticed a twinkle somewhere down inside the ribs. He kneeled down and carefully peered into the ribcage. He saw two tarnished bronze balls on the ground. Beside them, half buried in cave dust, was an old silver pocket watch. It was elaborately etched around the outside rim. The etched figures appeared to be doing a harvest dance.

Delmar reached down through the bones and slowly retrieved the watch. He took out his cloth handkerchief and wiped the dust and grime from the lid. His light flashed and echoed off the silver, creating patterns on the cave walls. The etched figures seemed to move in the half-light. They looked like they were dancing around the rim. Near the top of the watch the figures were skeletons holding sickles and threshers, and as Delmar turned the watch, they became people, holding bread, then sewing seed, then dancing, and eventually turning into skeletons again near the top. He flipped it open to inspect the face. It was intact but it wasn’t ticking. “Busted old watch” Delmar said. Delmar wrapped the watch in his handkerchief and made his way out of the cave. In the sunlight he brought it out again to look at. To his amazement the watch had begun to tick. The hands had even been set to the proper time. This puzzled Delmar until he heard a voice whispering in his ear. “Delmar Hutchens” it said.

“Who’s there” Delmar shouted.

“Delmar” the voice whispered again “I have a gift for you.”

“Whatever this is I don’t want anything to do with it.” Delmar said turning round and round to find out where the voice was coming from.

“When this watch strikes midnight, Delmar Hutchens, you will die.”

Delmar looked at the watch in his hand and he heard the laughter of the ghost in his ear. He threw the watch as far as he could from him and ran all the way back to his truck. When he arrived he reached into his pocket to find his keys, only to find the watch there instead. He placed it between two rocks and backed his truck over it three times, then floored it. On the way home, Delmar began to reason with himself. Perhaps he was losing his mind. Maybe he just inhaled some wacky cave gas that made him hallucinate. He even let out a curt little laugh and he turned on the radio.

Delmar drove for miles before he began to worry. Between the songs and the incessant chatter of the DJ, Delmar could not help but imagine that he heard something. He turned the radio off, and he could hear it under the sound of his engine, beneath the sound of his tires on the asphalt. He pulled over and listened: tic tic tic tic. He heard the sound of a watch. He listened closely, and heard it even louder: Tic Tic Tic Tic. He reached out towards his glove box and the sound was like a thunder in his brain: TIC TIC TIC TIC. He pulled it open and there it was, sitting on top of his owner’s manual, snuggled between his registration papers, like it had been there for years: the silver watch. He shut the box with a snap, and made a U-turn heading for St. Zacharias’ Catholic Church.

In the sanctuary, pinkish evening light fell slantingly through the tall arched windows. Old wooden pews defied time and an unknown draft rustled the yellowed pages of a bible that was sitting open on a sturdy wooden podium. The door creaked as Delmar crept in. He looked around, noting the emptiness of the room. He sprinted silently from the door to the basin where the holy water was kept. He pulled the watch from his jeans with his handkerchief and dumped it into the water. He backed slowly out of the door, his eyes still on the basin. On the way home, Delmar checked the glove compartment 36 times. He checked his pockets 65 times, and when he reached his driveway he turned his truck inside out looking for the watch. He never found it.

In the church, an old bearded man in robes was emptying the holy water to make his tea. “What have we here?” he said picking up the watch to inspect it. He chuckled “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you.” He opened the door, and flicked it into the woods.

At 11:57 Delmar Hutchens’ eyes flew open. He hoped for a moment that he was still dreaming, but he was not. He lay still hoping the sound would go away, but it did not. It was under his pillow, he could almost feel his cheek twitching with the sound. TIC TIC TIC TIC. He turned on his lamp and pulled out the watch. The dial read 11:58. Delmar lie there looking at the watch, his sweat pouring off of his unwashed body, soaking into his sheets. The dial read 11:59. Delmar did not know what to do. The second hand traveled around the watches face, relentlessly making its way to 12. At 11:59:59 Delmar winced, and closed his eyes. For several seconds he remained, waiting. When he opened his eyes the watch read 12:01:01. He laughed a laugh of relief; the watched had skipped 12:00 and landed on 12:01. A voice whispered in his ear:

“Not tonight Delmar. Hahahahaha. Not tonight.”

Flash-fiction by Silas Misener…

“Stupid Question”

Certain varieties of lily pollen could kill Howard, his allergies are that bad. He wears an industrial respirator to work. He uses a steroid inhaler to fight the sinus headaches and keep his throat from closing. His eyes itch constantly. Most days the sinus headaches aren’t too bad. When they ask him, “Why do you work at a flower shop? Do you hate yourself?” Howard replies. “No, I work at a flower shop because I love flowers.”

“I Am Become Life, Creator of Worlds”

The bomb whistles faintly as it falls toward the surface of the planet. It falls toward oil slicks and smoking buildings, garbage dumps and broken asphalt. It detonates. The sound would have burst any ear, if there had been any to hear. The shockwave goes out in a ring of dust, followed by fire. It erases everything within a mile radius. Rusting cars and toppled skyscrapers disintegrate like sugar-cubes in a rainstorm. Everything becomes a simple particle. Slowly, the dust clears revealing a crater filled with elemental dust. Beads of water lie about like pearls scattered over a Japanese sand garden. There is no radiation. The second bomb is dropped. It is the size of an apple. The device barely explodes at all. Just a pop, above the crater. The seed detonates in midair. Vapor falls to the ground: the DNA code of an entire planet.

“Myth”

When Deus first came to the people they worshipped him. He walked down the center line of their battlefield and they dropped their swords. They made it a day of peace and learned wisdom from him. It was the first holy day. The day the god walked among them. But their grandchildren forgot peace. Deus made them stop fighting, but he had to kill two men to do it. The grandchildren of the grandchildren fought and this time he had to kill many men to stop the war. The time after that, he had to enlist the help of his brothers and sisters. After that he did not interfere. He sent messages to them but few heeded. All claimed his favor. All justified their nefarious acts, saying it was the “will of the god.” Deus decided it might be best if he were forgotten. These days Deus stands on the street, handing out atheist pamphlets.

“Cookie”

There is a little demon at the bottom of the cookie jar. He’s there because the jar is big and it’s hard to reach the last one. He’ll lift up the cookie for you if you answer a riddle or give him a thimble to wear as a hat. But don’t insult him. Keep him happy, and whatever you do, don’t help him out of the jar. If you do, he’ll crawl in your mouth while you’re asleep. He’ll look for the cookies you ate. Chances are, he’ll get lost in your stomach and try to claw his way out. That’s why your mother only fills the cookie jar half-way: so the demon can’t climb out.

“Monochromatic”

Cows stare at barns. Farmers often stare at the cows, wondering why they’re looking at the barn like that. Chances are, the cows are thinking about food, which usually comes from the barn. However, with their simple minds, it’s possible that cows appreciate simple beauty. Walter struggled in Art school. He was obsessed with monochromatic displays. His professors understood his passion completely, and quietly told him that the art world had moved past this kind of stuff a very long time ago. Just a single color on a canvas. Once, he did a thirty piece series in various off-whites. Nothing sold. People walked past his work without realizing that there was anything on the wall. Now, Walter paints barns. Mostly red. Sometimes blue. Cows stare at Walter’s barns for hours at a time.

Roxie Castro - 1, 2, 3Genny Cramer - 4Nancy Crandall - 5Stephanie Cramer - 6

2 3 4

51

“Monotypes--Painterly Printmaking”

As an artist, I am better known as a painter than as a printmaker. Why would I occasionally print rather than paint?

Sometimes as a painter looking at a large blank canvas with multiple tubes of paint, I feel the need to produce a masterpiece. Looking at a piece of thick paper and a few jars of ink can seem less threatening and more like a exercise or an experiment. One single piece of paper is very freeing. The printed line is softer than a painted or drawn line. The image can often be unexpected. I lose some control of the process because of the density of the ink, the humidity in the air, the pressure of the plate and the wheel, many variables.

When I make prints, I have increasingly come to enjoy working with monotypes. With monotypes I roll out the ink with a brayer on a piece of acrylic. I then must move quickly to make marks or strokes as I have a limited time before the ink dries. I place a piece of paper on top over the inked plate. I then roll the plate and paper through a 1,000 pound printing press.

Frequently printmaking newbies ask, “Why go to all this trouble when you can photocopy any drawing you want?” The answer comes from the process and the result.

Relief Printmaking is a process that takes time, and in that way it gives me time. Time to imagine the drawing—where the lights and darks will best be placed to bring out the subject of the picture. Time in carving the lines into linoleum or wood slows me down to make just the right curve or cut. It all becomes a meditation and therefore a space where the eye, hand, and mind can be free to work together to create a sweet surprise.And we haven’t even talked about putting ink on plate and paper to plate. Rolling out the ink, maybe blending colors, requires attention to consistency and hue. Then by hand you roll

the ink on the plate that you so carefully carved, and for the first time you begin to see your image. Then paper is put on top of the inked plate and pressed to transfer the ink. When you feel enough pressure has been thoroughly applied, you lift the print and the image and WOW! You decide all the work was more than worth it. Or you are disappointed and need to carve some more or ink differently. Then you begin again. Prints become old friends that can remind of a late night walk when you found a spectacular mushroom and decided it was worthy of showing to others.

Now comes my favorite part. Feeling like a sea captain at the wheel of a large ship, I wheel the press roller over the paper. I say a few calm words to my inner self, hoping the monotype will turn out as planned. Slowly I lift the blankets protecting the roller from the ink. “Wah La!” The print goddess was in my favor, and the piece turned out even better than planned.

Stephanie Cramer is an artist living in Springfield, MOYou can see more of her work at her website: Stephaniecramer.com

6

Perspective.

Arts Council makes call for entries: Paper, Prints, Books, and Zines by Hand

Springfield, MO, September 27, 2013 – The Springfield Regional Arts Council (SRAC) is pleased to announce a call for artists for “Paper, Prints, Books, and Zines by Hand,” on display at The Creamery Arts Center from November 1-29, 2013.

The exhibition is intended to bring together print artists and groups from around the region as well as those from local colleges and universities. SRAC hopes that the exhibition will facilitate networking amongst print and book artists and will inspire others to explore the art of printmaking.

Entries must be delivered to SRAC in person at The Creamery on Friday or Monday, October 25 or 28, 2013 between 9:00am-5:00pm. Entries may include all print forms produced by hand, including manual press work, artist books, book art, zines, and handmade paper. Acceptable entries may range from traditional to experimental and from small-scale to large-scale.

Participants may submit as many pieces as they like for review and potential selection. Participants must be 18 years of age or older and will be required to complete an entry form for each work submitted:• Name of artist• Title of piece• Medium(s)• Dimensions• Price (include 25% commission)

The Creamery is located at 411 N. Sherman Parkway, Springfield, MO.

For more information, contact Stephanie Cramer, Director of Programs and Exhibitions, by phone at 417-862-2787(ARTS) or by e-mail at Stephanie@SpringfieldArts.org. You may also log on to www.SpringfieldArts.org.

The SRAC, incorporated in 1978, connects people and the arts. It supports some of the most prominent visual, performing, literary and film/media arts organizations and artists within 27 counties, the largest outreach of any in the state of Missouri. The current mission of the SRAC is to transform lives and enrich our Community through the Arts. The SRAC also manages The Creamery Arts Center, which houses the offices of the SRAC, Springfield Symphony Orchestra, Springfield Ballet, Springfield Regional Opera, Springfield Community Center and Care to Learn, as well as a board room, classrooms, arts library, exhibition hall, film editing bays, shared costume and set design shops managed by the Springfield Little Theatre and instrument storage.

Some of the techniques we plan to explore include wood cutting, paper plate lithogra-phy, screen printing–stencils, collographs, etching (current, non-chemical methods a.k.a. solarprinting).

Use of the room and press are provided free of charge by the Springfield Regional Arts Council. It is the mandate of the council to keep the facility “GREEN” by using only non-toxic products to protect all users of the Creamery, especially the children.

See price list for cost of materials. Purchase standard products or bring your own. We are often surprised how use of the most mundane objects contribute to a great print. Participation is limited to adults who are dues-paying members of the Council.

PRINT GROUP at The CREAMERY

Printmaking at the CreamerySpringfield Regional Arts Council(417) 862-2787TWICE a WeekMonday evenings 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.Friday mornings 10:00 to 12:00 Noon

Purpose: We are a loose gathering of artists exploring printmaking techniques to allow us to realize more of our artistic vision. Gathering regularly in a group allows us to network with others knowledgeable in printmaking or at the very least excited about just doing the work.

What you can expect: At the first meeting of each month demonstrations of new techniques will be offered. By scheduling these presentations once a month, we will have the remaining sessions of the month to explore it or work on an individual project. If you have a particular printmaking method you would like to try, share that with us and we'll put it on the schedule. Or if you would like to demonstrate, we'll put you on the schedule.

Pickwick Underground Framing617 S Pickwick Ave

Springfield, MO 65802-3305417-863-9770

HoursMonday 10am-5:30pmTueday 10am-5:30pm

Wednesday 10am-5:30pmThursday 10am-5:30pm

Friday 10am-5:30pmSaturday 10am-2pm

*Sunday by appointment

Emailframer@pickwickframing.com

www.pickwickundergroundframing.com

Context.

photos by Val Cooley

Laurie Knowlton – Owner. Master Framer. Art Consultant. Designer.

Andrea Petersburg – Custom Framer. Art Consultant. Interior Designer.

Social Media.

Kylene Koschak – Head framer. Art Consultant. Installs. Designer.

Framing is an art in and of itself. The Frame gives the piece context, preservation, and distinction - this what the ladies of Pickwick Underground Framing are all about.

“I started this framing business in the basement of my home on Pickwick Street. Next we found space in this area and started our first design studio sharing space with a photographer. Then we moved across the street to a renovated gas station, and finally moved into our spot here.” says Laurie. “Keeping up with trends, knowing our materials, and proper color selection is what helps us end up with a unique finished product,” continues Laurie.

As we spoke to the other staff they had some interesting insights.

“We love all of the people that we get to interact with and the special items that come through the door that tells peoples stories. When it all gets put together and looks phenomenal, we get to hang it, in its intended place! That’s the icing on the cake!” says Andrea.

“We seek out the best way to care for your piece of great value. Value isn’t always about the dollar amount – it’s the picture of grandma that is no longer with you, your baby’s shoes, the baptism dress. Those are valuable things that cannot be replaced. Helping to preserve those memories, moments and people is our mission,” shares Kylene.

Of course we asked the Ladies about their favorite beers.

Laurie , “ Well since I’m an Irish girl, it has to be Guiness!” Andrea , “Amber Bock, on draft if possible.”Kylene, “ Woodchuck. I know it’s not a beer but I like it!”

So the next time you find yourself in the need of some context, preservation and distinction for your valuable art, grab some beers or cider, and take a stroll down to Pickwick to hang out with these three lovelies.

The BHC. Sponsorship Spaces and Story Ads.

Unique. Creative.

Relational.You and The BHC.

On Springfield, Mo- “Few cities fill me with feelings such as youth, kind heartedness, and dreams succeeded as this one does. It is my home town. Although, not where I was born and raised or grown to maturity, it is where my friends and family sleep. Home, not so much due to number of years spent but due to the relationships and memories that I've collected. My dreams were born here. My heart belongs here in Springfield.”

Brandon Cook

Cut this out, check your option and hand it to our distributor or sponorship salesman to reserve your space with The BHC in the next edition. -Email your graphics to barehandcollective@gmail.com. -Call 4176161477 to arrange a visit to discuss your options.

*

Aaron Rozeboom is a Certified Specialist of Wine working at the Brown Derby Wine Center where he specializes in Old World wines and food pairing. aaronr@brownderby.com

Paul Killingsworthis a certified wine sommelier who lives in the Houston suburb of Sugar Land. He currently is working for Pioneer, a Texas distributor who specializes in fam-ily owned vineyards and wineries. He hates snobs, and hopes to help people have genuine “ah ha!” moments in life with wine, food, coffee, music… whatever.

Simon Nogin was raised in Saint Louis. He loves the STL community and the improvements that have come to the region in the last 15 years. He is currently studying IT Management at MSU and is excited to be involved with The BHC. He looks forward to travelling after he graduates, but also looks forward to the day he can settle back in Saint Louis.

My name is Madison DuPree and I hail from Houston, TX! I’ve been an avid music lover since a very young age and I’ve been sharing the music I love via my weblog, Predictably Me, for over 3 years now. I come from a big family and I love spending my free time with them playing guitar, writing, and drinking exceptionally good coffee.I’m passionate about sharing some of the great music that’s out there and supporting talented musicians who are working hard to make it in what is current-ly a tough market. While I may use print as a medium I do believe that music is something that should be experienced. As Billy Joel said, “There’s a new band in town but you can’t get the sound from a story in a magazine.”

www.predictablyme.typepad.com

Among other things, Silas Misener is a figment of your imagination.

Adam Lauderdale is an aspiring writer living in Springfield, Missouri. He currently works at Mudhouse coffee, and in the Youth Services division at the Central Branch Library. Adam is amember of a writer’s circle in Springfield called "The Barstool Bards", and takes inspiration for his short stories from his upbringing in the Ozarks, as well as from his travels and experiences abroad. Adam is currently working on a number of projects that he hopes will help define the way that Americans approach the written word. He enjoys bike rides, and Battlestar Galactica.

Raised in mid Missouri, Val Cooley, is the owner and photographer of Val Cooley Photography. She became a professional photographer 6 years ago. Her passion began with nature / landscape photography. She lives for the opportunity to head south to the Ozark Mountains in Arkansas any time she gets the chance. Val and her trusty dog Hunter usually begin their hikes long before the sun comes up - flashlight in hand, so they can be ready for that perfect sunrise or waterfall shot. The day continues with many trips down unknown roads in search of beautiful scenery, and usually ends with the perfect sunset shot at the end of the day.

Her work has been featured twice as cover photos for The Ozarks Mountaineer Magazine, (winning the 2010 Cover Photo Of The Year), The Louisiana Hiking Club newsletter, the Springfield News-Leader, 417 Magazine, and her work can also be found in the halls of the Boone County Hospital in Columbia, MO.

Val’s passion for photography recently took her to the Middle East with a visit to Beirut, Lebanon. The entire country of Lebanon is a photographer’s paradise. She photographed the beautiful ancient Roman Ruins, castles in Byblos and Siada, along with the war damage still left from the civil war. Val is now reaching her goal of becoming a journalistic photographer by working for the BHC.

The Bare Hand Crew.

Aaron Hadlowwas born on an Arkansas mountain, both mountain and man bald as a buzzard. Yep, sprung up like a spring turnip...

This birth naturally inbred in him a belief in faith-healing—the laying on of hands, and Ozark spirituality—'shine as they call it.

My name is Jay Howard. I am a graduate student at Missouri State studying communication and conflict resolution. My hob-bies include writing, playing chess, brewing beer, and playing with my dog. My wife and I love living in Springfield Misouri.

www.bodysmithpilates.com

317 E Walnut Street/Springfield, MO 65806/417.865.0500

www.thriveandbewell.com

Tea Bar & Bites Bakery, Cafe and Catering now has extended hours with a Small Bites Menu and Wine and Beer Menu!

Now open until 7pm on Mon.- Thurs. and Friday night until 9pm!

Check out our menus at www.teabarandbites.com

621 S. Pickwick, Springfield, MO 65802

417.866.7500

Josh Nipstad.“I’m the kind of person who doesn’t really like to sit behind a desk.”

For anyone who knows Josh Nipstad, that may seem like an understatement. Josh, who has worked for MaMa Jean’s since 2010 and currently runs the bulk department at the South Campbell location, is high energy, upbeat and always moving.

MaMa Jean’s bulk department is always buzzing with customers - keeping the turnover high and fresh products in demand. Bags of fruit and snacks, dispensers of liquids like honey, vanilla and olive oil, and a huge variety of bulk bins, have to be filled constantly throughout the day.

“It keeps me nice and busy, and that’s one of my favorite things about my job. That, and that fact that I eat this stuff; It fits my lifestyle.”

Like many staff members, Josh picks the unsweetened dried mangos and sprouted almonds as his go-to bulk snack. He and his wife Stacy – a MaMa Jean’s employee herself for six years – buy as much as possible from MaMa Jean’s, especially meat and produce.

“I like that our store is the kind of place that caters to everything from a vegan lifestyle to a conscientious meat eater. It’s a big deal to find meat raised humanely in your own area!”

Josh doesn’t just have one MaMa – he’s got two! He spends a couple evenings a week filling pints and growlers at the Mother’s Brewing Company tap room.

“Mother’s is another great example of a business that provides a quality, local product and they love to give back to the community.”

Outside of work, Josh is heavily involved in promoting and participating in local music. He plays guitar for both The Dark Alleys and Sister Shakedown, and has a personal connection with numerous other bands in the area. Like MaMa Jean’s and Mother’s Brewing Company, local art culture relies on community support.

“These different parts of my life seem to constantly be connecting,” Josh says.

The connection can be seen coming full circle when he plays a show with one of his bands, in a venue serving Mother’s beer, surrounded by his MaMa Jean’s family. “It’s cool to have so many things I love and care about in the same place.” At the top of that list of things Josh cares about is Stacy, his partner in work, fun and healthy living. “I want to thank my wife for always inspiring and supporting me in all the things I do.”

Staff Spotlight!