USA, AR: Native Dog Brewing could open in Camden in next three to four weeks
They’re almost at the finish line and hope to be open in the next three or four weeks, said Bobby Glaze, co-founder with wife, Lauren, of Camden’s first craft brewery, Native Dog Brewing, the Arkansas Business reported on October 26.
Bobby Glaze, a Camden native, and Lauren, originally from Little Rock, are pharmacists in that south Arkansas city, perched upon the Ouachita River, who wanted to do something good for the community.
Glaze has been interested in beer brewing for a decade, ever since he helped a friend with a homebrewing kit, “and the beer turned out absolutely terrible. I mean, it was awful, but it kind of drove this passion.” And as a pharmacist with a background in chemistry and biology, “I really got into the science of it, especially the chemistry portion of it,” Glaze said.
He began competing in homebrew competitions across the country, and the Glazes lived in Louisville, Kentucky, for a while after pharmacy school, and craft beer was readily available. On their return to Camden, Glaze found that his hometown was a “craft beer desert,” though the situation has improved in the last few years. Still, the closest brewery is 93 miles away, in Hot Springs.
“We decided we wanted to invest back in our community,” Glaze said. To that end, they’ve built a 2,400-SF facility at 125 Madison Ave. S.E., and the property features a covered 800-SF patio outside that takes advantage of the river view. “I think we are the first new building in downtown Camden in right around, like, 56 years,” he said.
And though it’s a new building with an industrial feel, the couple has incorporated parts of historic Camden throughout. For example, their bar uses brick from the old Rialto movie theater downtown and doors from the original Grapette factory.
The couple plans to start with eight to 12 beers on tap with a goal of brewing about 4,600 gallons in their first year of operation. Glaze, the brewmaster, will start with lighter beer options, mentioning specifically Kolsch beer, a kind of hybrid between lager and ale, and an amber, Ouachita Amber.
Glaze is familiar with the restaurant industry — his parents own Catherine’s Bistro in Camden — and decided to focus first on the brewing of beer, so food will be provided by a rotating round of local food trucks.
Bobby and Lauren Glaze are investing about $250,000 in Native Dog Brewing, which will be dog-friendly.
About that name: The Glazes did a pharmacy rotation on a Native American reservation at Fort Thompson, South Dakota, and “we rescued this little scruffy dog.” They call Baxter their “native dog” and also, Glaze said, “I’m native to Camden and Camden is home to us, and we want everyone to feel at home when they walk in the doors.”
“Our hope is that maybe this will kind of kickstart south Arkansas to really get more craft breweries open down here and really expose people to the craft brewery industry,” Glaze said.
26 October, 2020
