Arkansas Brewers

Hi, I wanted to start gathering information about what is in and around Arkansas for homebrewers and beer lovers. I will be moving there within a month for my first real job and be living near the Fort Smith area. So I was looking to find out what are good places to buy craft beer and if there are any homebrew clubs in that area.

Any information is appreciated, thanks!

bubbachunk said:

Hi, I wanted to start gathering information about what is in and around Arkansas for homebrewers and beer lovers. I will be moving there within a month for my first real job and be living near the Fort Smith area. So I was looking to find out what are good places to buy craft beer and if there are any homebrew clubs in that area.

Any information is appreciated, thanks!

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Yep, lad, you're in for a really disturbing culture change. It will be like going back in time to before you were even born. Craft Brewing is only an idea here. There is a HBC called "Hell On The Border Homebrew Club". Can't say more than that because I've never attended. Local HB supplies are skimpy. The Fort Smith Area is wet, but the surrounding counties are dry.
Now, if you asked about churches....... Good luck in your new job..

sudbuster said:

Yep, lad, you're in for a really disturbing culture change. It will be like going back in time to before you were even born. Craft Brewing is only an idea here. There is a HBC called "Hell On The Border Homebrew Club". Can't say more than that because I've never attended. Local HB supplies are skimpy. The Fort Smith Area is wet, but the surrounding counties are dry.
Now, if you asked about churches....... Good luck in your new job..

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Haha, thanks. What kind of craft beer makes it to that area though do you know?

Anybody else with any input?

I don't know of What is/isn't available for sure, but have been looking a little since I'm hoping to move down there in a couple years. I have learned from my trips there that about half the counties are dry, and most of the licensed breweries are in the Greater Little Rock area.

I would defiantly like to see what you find out for sure.

bubbachunk said:

Haha, thanks. What kind of craft beer makes it to that area though do you know?

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Live in a dry county about an hour away from Ft. Smith

Options are fairly limited IIRC I checked out a couple places in FS once, had a decent score, but not great. You take what you can get and it's relatively pricy. There's a place in LR(2 hours from Ft Smith) that's good. SpringHill Wine and Spirits. I think there's a couple decent places up towards Fayeteville/Springdale/Rogers but not sure of them.

The only ones I can speak for are Diamond Bear, Boscos, and Vinos. We also have the distillery that just opened. These are all in Little Rock though. There is a decently large group of brewers in the Central Arkansas Fermenters (CAF for short). We are involved in the Littlerocktoberfest and the beer judging at the state fair. We are also involved in a number of events but those are the next two in the pipe. Cheers!

http://www.boscosbeer.com/

http://www.vinosbrewpub.com/

http://www.diamondbear.com/

http://drinkbrandons.com/

http://www.centralarkansasfermenters.com/

Ok thanks for the input. I was thinking that travel may be involved and even Tulsa OK would be a possibility as it would be about the same distance as little rock for me.

As an arkie native all I can say is best of luck. It's a great place IMO and i can't wait to move back, but the beer culture sucks.

If you want to buy something out of the mainstream for home, your best bet is a trip to Fayetteville. The hipsters there make it worthwhile for stores there to stock interesting beers. Try 'Liquor Mart' or 'Liquor World' (really generic names I know, but good selections). The market doesn't really exist in Fort Smith.

Fayetteville also has a Home Brew Shop...dunno the quality.

However, if you just want to go out and get a good beer, ONE restaurant in Fort Smith seems to have a good tap selection. R. Landry's Downtown... they have good 'creole' food too.

I just moved from there to Baton Rouge. I am from Fayetteville, but was commuting to Fort Smith for work. It's a beautiful area to live, enjoy it!

I have only been around Fort Smith for a little bit today and yesterday but it looks very bleak on the beer scene.

Ha! Welcome to Arkansas! Fayetteville or LR is your best bet.

Going to bump this to see if anyone is in the NWA area

I'm in fort smith as well and we have a great club called the river valley ale raisers. There is also a lhbs called wine and beer makers gallery. Its located on zero street in the grow fresh organics store. Yall are right though about the beer culture, it seems everyone just wants their coors and keystone.

Haha at least you guys live close to an interstate so you can make it to LR or NWA easily...

I agree. Liquor World and Liquor Mart in Fayetteville are your best bets as far as selection goes. I went to college up there and very much enjoyed their build-your-own-six-pack option (probably not a big deal elsewhere but rare in AR). I'd love to have stayed up there but turns out there aren't any good jobs for my major up in the mountains.

The homebrewery in Fayetteville, AR has some really great kits to make. Drinking one now. Prices may not be as low as some of the larger suppliers but I think the quality is much better than Austin or Midwest. Price or quality its your choice!

Zombie resurrection! Just bought some local beers thanks to HBT! Diamond Bear IPA (Little Rock) and Charleville Explicit APA from Liquor World

Omg talk about a trip on the way back machine.... I spent a fair amount of money in that store back in my grad school days. It was the only place where one could get such exotic gems as McEwan's Scottish Ale and Abita Turbo Dog. In fact, we drank soooooo much McEwan's one night that we thought it would be a great idea to build our own fish tank filter. 6 drunk chemical engineering phd students. Fish tanks. It wasn't pretty.

Thanks for the memories!!!

What years where you up there blakelyc? I graduated BS ChE from there in 2010. Haha I definitely spent lots of money at Liquor World

Some decent breweries opening up in Fayetteville. One up on the square try west mountain brewery.

Go Hogs!! I graduated in 1997. Spicer was my original grad professor, but I ended up switching to Beitle's program for a Master's degree.

For Fayetteville, Liquor world is my regular stop but there's a new place that has some good beer called The Bottle Shop off of Joyce St. and Macadoodles on Elm Springs Rd is decent.

I'll second that our beer selection is limited though

RCCOLA said:

For Fayetteville, Liquor world is my regular stop but there's a new place that has some good beer called The Bottle Shop off of Joyce St. and Macadoodles on Elm Springs Rd is decent.

I'll second that our beer selection is limited though

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I just saw The Bottle Shop today. Will check it tomorrow. So far, pretty underwhelmed by the regional IPA/APA offerings. Gotta check out the brewery mentioned in town!

Glad to spark a little nostalgia

Piratwolf said:

I just saw The Bottle Shop today. Will check it tomorrow. So far, pretty underwhelmed by the regional IPA/APA offerings. Gotta check out the brewery mentioned in town!

Glad to spark a little nostalgia

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I've been told that the Macadoodle's across the MO state line has some Stone brews and other beers not available in AR if you feel like taking a drive up there.

Ryush806 said:

I've been told that the Macadoodle's across the MO state line has some Stone brews and other beers not available in AR if you feel like taking a drive up there.

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Yep. They have Lagunitas and Bear Republic stuff which we can't get. I always pick up some Hop Stoopid when I'm up there.

Ryush806 said:

I've been told that the Macadoodle's across the MO state line has some Stone brews and other beers not available in AR if you feel like taking a drive up there.

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It is the best place to buy beer if you are in western/NWA

I can get Bells, Founders etc. Disappointed that I have not seen The Breury though or Jolly Pumpkin.

bubbachunk said:

It is the best place to buy beer if you are in western/NWA

I can get Bells, Founders etc. Disappointed that I have not seen The Breury though or Jolly Pumpkin.

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I picked up some southern tier there

bubbachunk said:

It is the best place to buy beer if you are in western/NWA

I can get Bells, Founders etc. Disappointed that I have not seen The Breury though or Jolly Pumpkin.

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I love bells and have made the trek up there just for some bells porter. Macadooldles hase a good selection and most beer can't be got in AR.

Arkansas beer scene lacks. Diamond bear is the only true brewery and well they are not that loved here. Most DB beers I've had stink (porter is the exception). Most stores barely stock them cause there is almost no demand.

If your board you can always drive into Little Rock to paruse colonial wines and spirits (best selection in the state). They have everything they can get. Spring hill has a ok selection too (second best in central ar) they have in stock some of the sesonals/limited releases longer then colonial.

Now some of the stuff we can get that others can't get are
Tallgrass (I really like their stuff)
Goose Island (bcbs is delicious)
Boulevard (smokestack series rules)
Diamond Bear...

People actually live in Arkansas???? “I say…I say…that’s a joke son...”

I live in Virginia but I like Vino's in Little Rock for Pizza and beer... their Vino's special is to die for....

They also have a Flying Saucer and Buscos downtown....

Been to the Hog Haus Fayetteville also but never Ft.Smith

On one trip I lost my Appendix in Conway… I guess it still is there somewhere…

Happy Brewing

DPBISME said:

Been to the Hog Haus Fayetteville

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It's pretty famous for rushing to serve. Last time I went there, the IPA tasted like rubbing alcohol--undrinkable. I should have sent it back, but was trying to be a nice guy and left 3/4 of it. I wouldn't have served that batch to anyone. if it had been mine, I would have dumped.

Amazingly enough, mountain home has a couple of liquor stores with a good (but not great) selection of craft beers. In a recent conversation with one of the owners, she expressed interest in becoming a LHBS as well... So fingers crossed!

Also, I posted a thread a few days ago about starting a brew club in Mountain Home, AR with no takers thus far so if you or anyone you know live in the area feel free to PM me. (sorry for hijacking)

RCCOLA said:

It's pretty famous for rushing to serve. Last time I went there, the IPA tasted like rubbing alcohol--undrinkable. I should have sent it back, but was trying to be a nice guy and left 3/4 of it. I wouldn't have served that batch to anyone. if it had been mine, I would have dumped.

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Hog haus pretty much sux. Beer underwhelming and peeps that work there are clueless. As mentioned earlier, I've been enjoying the brews at west mountain on the square. They had a good double IPA that I tried this weekend.

I went to law school and graduated in 2008 from the U. of A. I wasn't into being picky about beer at the time, but I did like Hog Haus's sweet potato fries...

sethcros said:

I went to law school and graduated in 2008 from the U. of A. I wasn't into being picky about beer at the time, but I did like Hog Haus's sweet potato fries...

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+1. The burger and sweet potato fries are the best thing in the place.

RCCOLA said:

It's pretty famous for rushing to serve. Last time I went there, the IPA tasted like rubbing alcohol--undrinkable. I should have sent it back, but was trying to be a nice guy and left 3/4 of it. I wouldn't have served that batch to anyone. if it had been mine, I would have dumped.

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Well when I did go I would get a taster and drink the best one... or at least the one I thought was best...

I did not have a real bad beer as you described but there were some I did not care for the style... Happy Brewing... and Vino Pizza Ya...

we used to go to hog haus when it was originally Ozark Brewing Company. I even went to GABF once or twice with the owner of the place (john g.) and a couple of other regulars before he left and the current folks took over. When he was brewing I thought it was the greatest beer ever, although looking back on it I was not very knowledgeable. I recall he had a hefeweizen that was lovely....

My favorite sandwich was the Dagwood.

blakelyc said:

we used to go to hog haus when it was originally Ozark Brewing Company. I even went to GABF once or twice with the owner of the place (john g.) and a couple of other regulars before he left and the current folks took over. When he was brewing I thought it was the greatest beer ever, although looking back on it I was not very knowledgeable. I recall he had a hefeweizen that was lovely....

My favorite sandwich was the Dagwood.

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I had been in when it was Ozark Brewing and the 7 hopped IPA was fantastic. That's why I was so disappointed to have it again and it to be so bad. Maybe just a bad batch. Ill have to give them another shot and see if they have improved.

I don't recall a 7 hop ipa, but I left town in '97... The hefe and the stout were memorable but other than that it has been too long and too many brews ago to recall clearly.

Anyone know what happened to the previous owner? I had heard that he just got burned out because he couldn't grow outside the pub. A friend in the city council didn't seem to have any additional info, at least that he wanted to share. That place was undoubtedly crazy expensive to build. Hopefully John g. is still brewing away somewhere--he was crazy passionate.


It is nice to see someone getting a bit of traction in Mountain Home. The best fly fishing in the country is around there and I find myself in the area once or twice a year. I will pay attention and maybe catch a club meeting

If you come to Fayetteville check out my brewpub.
Cheers!

Ragutis said:

If you come to Fayetteville check out my brewpub.
Cheers!

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I'll vouch for this! I visited a few months ago. I had your old ale I think. It was a fine beer! Also a good selection from microbreweries and excellent sandwiches! Unfortunately I live in SE Arkansas and can't visit but a few times a year :-(