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product takes off). Slate Rock is not planning on offering any food, though the owners do want to partner with area restaurants for a takeout and delivery program. The Burgess- es will also be kegging their beer to sell to restaurants, including several that reached out to them at Arkadelphia’s Arktoberfest celebration.
Slate Rock likely won’t be ready to go until late 2016, but that’s not keeping people from getting excited.
“In Amity, the mayor wants to see this happen. He says we need some good beer here,” Orianne says. “And the guy with city water and sewer has been very helpful. All the breweries we’ve talked to have been su- per helpful with any information we needed. We’re working together with Blood Eagle, Superior in Hot Springs, also Bubba Brews has been friendly and helpful.”
As for the name?
“I had 20 names written down that hadn’t already been taken, and [Shawn] picked that one,” Orianne says. “We live in the woods; we live next to a creek and a slate pit, so the area is slate. Of course, it would be the hardest logo to draw.”
Slate Rock beers (unnamed):
P ale ale
S moked stout H abanero IP A Blonde ale
For Caleb Looney, beer making is about more than just the brewing chemistry and process. It’s about a more holistic experience, part of a complete strategy of relaxation and self-improvement. That’s the key to Asana Alehouse, which looks to become one of the country’s first brewery-and-yoga-studio businesses.
“At Asana, we have a yoga philosophy on brewing. We like to experiment a lot but kind of keep it formulaic,” says Looney, the brew- ery’s owner. “We keep working on the same recipes over and over, like you would with a
yoga pose. We also want to offer yoga classes and offer some experimental beers that cater to the specific class. So we want to do yoga and have a pint afterward.”
It’s an interesting approach that combines Looney’s two biggest passions. Like many brewers, Looney started making beer at home early on. But like everything else in his life, Looney’s efforts at brewing were hampered by some medical problems. That got him started with yoga.
“I have two herniated discs in my back. I had a lot of pain all the time, and I heard that yoga could help alleviate the pain,” he says. “And it did. My back almost never gives me pain anymore. I kind of fell in love with it. I went from being in constant pain to being an active person again.”
While Looney kept refining his beer mak- ing skills, he also received his yoga instructor certification three years ago. It’s an experi- ence that has informed much of his future planning (“asana” is a yoga term for a pose).
As for the brewery, Looney ran a suc- cessful Kickstarter campaign in the summer, raising $15,000 to get Asana started. With funding in hand, Looney is actively shopping locations in North Little Rock, hoping to take part in a craft beer surge there.
“It’s exploding right now; there are just so many breweries popping up, and everybody is really friendly, open to giving advice and helping us find a spot,” Looney says. “One of my favorite is Blood Eagle; they’re kind of the opposite of us, with the biker and Viking theme. I love those guys. We always have fun hanging out with them. Joe Mains is always helpful, too.”
Until he gets a location, Looney is taking a break from brewing for festivals to focus on business aspects with his wife, Alisyn Reid, and giving out Kickstarter rewards for those who donated. He hopes for the brewery to be open sometime next year.
Asana Alehouse beers:
Fiery Ginger (an adult ginger root beer) Lavender IP A
Elderflower wheat (most popular so far) Caramel stout
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