Copyright Arkansas Times
On a busy street just off the Bentonville square, inside a building that once housed a popular beer and pizza joint called Pedaler’s Pub, something new is brewing. Stoic Brews Alternative (410 SW A St.), the state’s first dedicated gluten-free brewery, opened its doors in March with fresh energy, a serious mission and tasty beers. Walk through the front door and you won’t find much that remains from the previous tenant, and the mood is remarkably different. “We wanted it to feel like its own place,” co-founder Jay Davitt said. “Stoic Brews isn’t trying to be the old pub. It’s something new.” With warm wood accents, clean branding and an inviting bar, Stoic has quickly become the talk of the town, even among folks who aren’t gluten intolerant. Owners Jay and Rebecca Davitt didn’t always see beer in their future. In fact, their most recent business venture was a chain of boxing gyms, which they successfully ran before selling everything off and, for a time, stepping back. “We thought we were retiring,” Jay Davitt said with a laugh. The couple is nowhere near the traditional retirement age, and it didn’t take long before ideas on next steps came to mind. “We didn’t do anything for a year and a half, and honestly, I was happy. But one night I said, ‘Let’s brew beer.’” There was just one hitch. Rebecca Davitt can’t drink beer with gluten. That could have stopped the idea cold in its tracks. Wheat, rye and barley are cornerstones of the beer world, after all, inextricable from beer’s history and fundamental to most taproom inventories. But instead, Rebecca Davitt did some research and discovered that there were only 23 dedicated gluten-free breweries in the entire country (Ground Breaker Brewing in Portland, Oregon, was the first, opening in 2011). “That’s when I said, ‘If they can do it, we can do it,’” she said. Rebecca Davitt, who has a background in food science, took charge of production. Brewing gluten-free isn’t as simple as swapping grains, though; it requires rethinking the entire process. The overall procedure looks similar to traditional brewing, but each step involves a subtle (and sometimes substantial) tweak. Ingredients, gear and times/temperatures/measures can vary to different degrees, depending on the type of beer being brewed and the outcome desired. Instead of the traditional barley and wheat, Stoic’s beers start with grains like millet, buckwheat and rice. The mash, the process of soaking the grains in hot water to convert starches to fermentable sugars, is done at higher temperatures — as high as 175°F (compared to a range of 144-158°F for traditional beers) — requiring added enzymes to ensure proper starch conversion. Equipment modifications were also needed: custom false bottoms to handle the finer grain sizes, and a one-barrel system from Spike Brewing Equipment designed to keep things manageable. Despite these differences, Jay Davitt insists the goal isn’t to make “gluten-free beer”; it’s to make great beer. “We get people in here all the time who are shocked,” he said. “They say, ‘This tastes like beer,’ and I have to explain that it is beer. It just happens to be gluten-free.” As far as taste goes, the distinction is barely noticeable. If anything, malt-free brews are a bit thinner on the palate with less foam retention. Yes, the process is slightly more complicated and a bit more expensive to produce, but the average beer drinker would struggle to contrast a gluten-free beer with a traditional malt-based brew. It seems likely that consumer demand will grow as more people are exposed and realize it’s a quality alternative to regular beer. The tap list rotates, but some early favorites are already emerging. The Hazy IPA, with its juicy hop aroma and smooth finish, is one of the most popular. The Blonde Ale is a hit as well. But it’s the stout that gets the most love, and the most surprised reactions. “It’s dry and roasty, with chocolate and vanilla on the nose,” Rebecca Davitt said. “There’s no coffee in it, but it tastes like there is.” Without barley or roasted malt, the deep color and rich flavor come from roasted rice sourced from a California supplier since Arkansas, despite being the country’s top rice producer, doesn’t yet have a roasting facility. The couple had no idea the stout would be such a hit. “We made bets on which beers would be most popular,” said Rebecca Davitt. “The stout wasn’t one we expected to win, but people threaten us if we take it off the menu.” For the Davitts, Stoic Brews isn’t just about beer. It’s about creating a place where everyone feels welcome. “There was a guy in here the other night and he hadn’t had beer in 10 years,” Rebecca Davitt said. “He had tears in his eyes. His wife was teasing him, but he was genuinely emotional. He finally had something he could enjoy again.” That type of reaction is part of what makes Stoic different. Gluten sensitivities can be isolating, and a place like Stoic provides a home for people who’ve felt left out of taproom fun for too long. Even for those who aren’t gluten-free, Stoic’s friendly staff and low-key vibe make it a great place to grab a beer. “You can sit at the bar, strike up a conversation, or not. Our staff is great at reading people,” Jay Davitt said. “They make everyone feel welcome.” And there’s food, too. Pizzas, calzones and Salvadoran pupusas (quite the combination!) highlight the menu. It’s the kind of place you can drop in for a drink, or order some food at the bar and stay for dinner. The inspiration for the brewery’s name comes from the ancient philosophy of perseverance, wisdom and the pursuit of joy in everyday life. It’s also a subtle nod to the couple’s journey. They stayed the course while navigating personal change, government bureaucracy (they endured a frustrating permit mix-up that delayed sales) and the steep learning curve of gluten-free brewing. For now, Stoic Brews is focused on its taproom and serving the local community. The Davitts have secured federal approval for canning and hope to sell select beers to-go at some point soon. There are also mocktails for nondrinkers, and maybe, at some point in the future, a gluten-free non-alcoholic beer. But Jay and Rebecca Davitt have no plans to expand production or distribute widely. “We don’t want to haul kegs or clean lines for other people,” Jay Davitt said. “We built this place to be here, for people to come to us.” And they are coming in droves, thanks in part to the booming population of young workers in Northwest Arkansas seeking the next great trend, but mostly because the beer is flat-out good. Whether they’re gluten-free or just curious, visitors to Stoic Brews find more than good beer. They find an environment that welcomes people traditionally excluded from taproom merrymaking. Those with a sensitivity to gluten finally have a place to frequent, and regular beer drinkers will hardly know the difference.
