We met in 2001 at a dive bar in downtown Springfield. We both loved craft beer already, but could never have imagined that it would eventually play such a huge role in our lives. We both love traveling, cooking, wine/beer and any outdoor activity that the Ozarks has to offer, especially lake/river related.
We got married in 2006 and have two beautiful redheads at home, Avery (our soccer star) and Brooks (the origami king). We started home brewing around 2012 and soon our friends joined in. Our group of 4 husbands and 4 wives started traveling together and tasted all of the local beers along the way. Finally the question was posed, “Chris makes great beer, why don’t we just open a brewery”? THAT my friends, is when this wild notion began to take shape.
We all dreamed of a place that would be family centric, with activities to help people engage with one other and really enjoy their time together. It would have to have outdoor space for kiddos and pups to play. We wanted it to feel like a neighborhood joint, like a second home, only with amazing beer options. Finally, it had to be casual and lighthearted. Craft beer can be intimidating for newbies, we wanted to help eliminate some of the beer snobbery. We believe we’ve accomplished all of that, and more.
We are overwhelmingly proud of what the brewery has become and the extended family it has grown into. It’s an amazing feeling to get to share our beer and brewery with the community and know that they love it as much as we do.
Chris’s fave: O’Zapft Is /Oktoberfest
Shila’s fave : Greenway IPA