​Wheat harvest can be long, hot, and stressful, as farmers race to bring in their crop before the next thunderstorm rolls across the plains.

Once the last bushel is in the bin, well, then it's time for a little celebration!

This photo, taken in 1917 in Otoe County, Nebraska, shows several of David Miesbach's family members and others enjoying some refreshment after threshing. The keg in the center presumably contained one of the final batches produced by Hastings Brewing Company, as Prohibition went into effect in Nebraska in May of 1917, causing all alcohol sales and manufacture to cease. Perhaps they held up the "soda" advertisement to avoid suspicion? 

After Prohibition, former Hastings brewmaster and part-owner Louis Kraus -- recently widowed with three children and having lost his brewery investments -- remarried and took up a new trade: farming in Perkins County. The page turned for the Kraus family.

Now, a few generations later, Louis' great-granddaughter Lisa Kraus and her husband Richard Gibson are proud to carry on a new chapter in their family's story here at Second Chapter Brewing.

​Cheers to all the legacy of the farmers and brewers across the history of this great state!

P.S. We've got your post-harvest party supplies on hand.

What an incredible time we had at our St. Patrick’s Celebration at the brewery! From the lively atmosphere to the amazing company, it truly was a day to remember.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate with us, and a special nod to:

- String Fling, for bringing such great energy and music to the event.
- Main Street Meats, for the delicious salami and Irish cheddar.
- Bittersweet Bakery, for transforming our Imperial Stout into a delicious Irish soda bread.
- Richard, for brewing such a delicious Irish Prose Red Ale.
- Our taproom crew, for their tireless hustle and warm Irish welcome.

We’re so grateful for this community that gathered together and made it feel like an old Irish pub, full of laughter, stories, and good cheer.

Slainte!

​Out where the prairie meets the horizon and the wind carries secrets older than the hills, a body learns to appreciate the finer things. Cool shade. Quiet company. And a drink that cuts through the dust like a clean shot at dawn.
 
This here seltzer is a gentle paradox. Light as a prairie breeze, sharp as a six-shooter’s crack. It don’t come on loud, but it lingers, like the memory of a kind word spoken around a dying campfire.
 
Introducing: 
Lavender L'Amour 
(Lemon Lavender Seltzer)
6.4% ABV
 
Featuring ingredients from: 
Our Lavender Co. (Big Springs, Nebr.)
Long's Honey Farm (Gothenburg, Nebr.)
All Gluten Free Ingredients
 
Hat tip to Chad Seger for the name.
​
Member preview: June 25-29
Public release: July 2

Between playdates, chores, and summer camps, our two kids spend a LOT of time with us at the brewery. Last week, they helped snap together and date-code our latest batch of Lake Mac Lager cans. (They also entertained some gracious taproom customers in long conversations! Ha!)

More than a century ago, my (Lisa's) Grandpa John Kraus grew up much like our children. His father, my great-grandfather Louis Kraus, was brewmaster of the new Hastings Brewing Company, which opened in February 1908. John was born shortly after.

As John grew and the brewery expanded to be the second largest in the state before Prohibition, my young grandpa's job was to "candle" the beers. He would pass the bottles in front of a candle and make sure the only thing you could see in the bottle was clear, crisp, old-style German lager. He would also doodle in his dad's brewer manuals and notebooks (see "Johnny Kraus" in the pics?).

Now, we are writing the Second Chapter of this story and we're so glad our kids are part of it!
​
Do you get to teach your children values through your work? We'd love to hear your stories too!

The dry sarcasm of Oscar Wilde.
The minimalist text of Samuel Beckett.
The mystical verse of W.B. Yeats.
The social realism of Edna O'Brien.
The foreboding atmosphere crafted by Bram Stoker.
The human conditions chronicled by authors such as Jonathan Swift, Maeve Binchy, James Joyce, and George Bernard Shaw.

Welcome back: Irish Prose, a dry Irish-style Red Ale that celebrates the rich literary traditions of Ireland.

The slight bitterness of the hops is balanced by creamy foam and flavors of toasty, roasted malts.

ABV 5%
IBU 23

Available now. Sláinte!

Plan to attend our St. Patrick's Day celebration of Irish culture and heritage on Sunday, March 16, 2-7! https://www.facebook.com/share/15GB2CMVb8/

[pík’l-ík-shuh-ner-ee]

1. (n.) A uniquely crafted beer that blends the tangy zest of pickles with the refreshing crispness of a cream ale.

2. (n. informal) A refreshing solution to a difficult or awkward situation.

3. (n.) Pickle Cream Ale with 5.4 percent alcohol by volume and 11 IBUs by Second Chapter Brewing.

Synonyms: Briny brew, Fermented fun

Usage: "After a long day, nothing beats a cold Pickle-ictionary. It’s a mouthful!"

Where crisp brininess meets frequently-referenced pages! We’ve blended the sharp bite of pickles with a smooth, drinkable brew, creating a taste as bold as a well-played word in Scrabble. Whether you're a logophile, a pickle fanatic, or just here for the puns, this is a beer you’ll want to spell out.

Coming January 22.

“'How many years have I slept?' she inquired."

Like Kate Chopin's novel at the time of its release, the idea of a coffee cream ale was originally dismissed as vulgar by our brewer.

It's not the 1890s anymore.

Now, it is celebrated as sensitive, passionate, and inspiring.

Awaken your senses, throw off society's expectations, and find liberation in this delicious cream ale that is touched by the flavor and aroma of coffee.

Introducing:
The Brewakening
Coffee Cream Ale
ABV: 5.4%
IBU: 11.2

Featuring “Rhythm Blend” coffee, roasted by Regier Coffee Roasters of Madrid, Nebraska. Wake up to your life.

Available starting today in 16-oz or 5-oz pours, and in 16-oz to-go cans. It is also included in our Holiday 6-packs! AND: Rhythm Blend coffee beans (whole bean or ground) are available for purchase in our taproom and online store.

Here's one you haven't heard yet:

A mason, a railroader, and a mechanic walked into a bar…

They pounded their fists on the bar and loudly demanded 200 lbs. of roasted pink pumpkins.

The bartender said, "I'm sorry, I can't serve you. It seems like you're already drunk in public."

"We're not Pumpkin Drublic yet!" they shouted in unison.

Introducing: Pumpkin Drublic (Pumpkin Ale).
​
A collaboration brew brought to you by the brewing minds of Nick at Brewery 719, Dan at Flyover Brewing Company, and Richard at Second Chapter Brewing. Featuring pink pumpkins from BE Farms in Bayard, Nebraska.

For RELEASE at Second Chapter Brewing in October!

​(Available for PREVIEW now through Oktoberfest, EXCLUSIVELY for SCB Members!)

Pouring beer today at HiBeerNation at Kinkaider Brewing Grand Island. Come out and check us out if you're in the area or stop by our taproom in the old library in Ogallala.

Thank you North Platte business women's association for inviting us to serve at the Wine & Brew event last night, and thank you to Shome Slice Pizza for bringing some amazing NY pizza to the brewery last night.

It has been a great weekend!
​
Cheers!