Page 19 - OzarksMagazineFeb17

The middle of nowhere never tasted so good
By KIM Langston
WEst PLaIns, Mo. — “It’s a avor journey all the time here,” said Phil Wages, co-owner of Wages Brewing Company.
Open in West Plains since August of 2016, Wages has its own variety of cra ed stouts and ales on tap, plus bottled o erings from other cra breweries and local wine by the glass or bottle. e taproom is located at 1382 Bill Virdon Boulevard.
e taproom’s regular beers are the light and refreshing Whatknot Ale, Good Morning Stout – a dark beer Wages describes as “roasty with co ee,” and Land- locked IPA, the brewery’s best seller. ose three avors account for about half of sales.
A fourth avor is a gose with a salt, coriander and wheat base that can take on many di erent avors. Wages said they
separate the batch into four ve-gallon
kegs, adding a di erent avor to each
one, usually fruit.
e brewery is committed to staying
with local ingredients and when possible, Wages sources its fruit from local farms. at has included blackberries from ree Oaks Farm, elderberries from Fish- er Farms and prickly pear cactus from Maranatha Farms. Paw-paws have been used as an ingredient but had to be sourced from the University of Missouri agricultural department.
ere was even a batch with persim- mons which was “a lot of work but worth it,” Wages said.
Flights of four small sample glasses of beer are o ered, one each of the three regular avors and a choice of avor in the fourth glass.
On Wednesday nights, head brewer Amy Fischer opens a new bottle of high- end spirits such as scotch, bourbon or tequila or taps a limited release keg of Wages beer or guest beer.
e brewery doesn’t o er bottled beer, but take-out re llable 32-ounce and www.OzarksMag.com
KIM LANGSTON
Wages Brewing Company co-owner Phil Wages draws a glass of “Black Door Man,” a New England IPA crafted by the brewery. “Beer nerds will know what that is,” Wages added. At left, head brewer Amy Fischer stirs the mash, one of the multiple steps of brewing beer.
Spring 2018 | Ozarks Magazine | 19