The Springfield Brewing Company 

  

There are more breweries in and around Springfield than you can count on both hands. But while the pandemic has slowed things down for everyone, Springfield Brewing Company (SBC) is busy making things happen.

 “It’s pretty intense,” Todd Schade, Director of Operations at SBC, said of the craft beer scene in Springfield. “We have a bunch of pretty cool breweries in town. It is a competitive atmosphere and that’s been the catalyst to keep things moving forward.” 

 

 

On Wednesday, SBC opened up a brand-new, second taproom and brewpub after acquiring Missouri Spirits, a distilling company next door. 

They had originally planned to use the new addition as a wedding venue, but circumstances resulted in the space becoming a world-class live music venue. 

The new taproom and brewpub is next door to the original SBC building, known as the “Mothership”. 

 In order to remain compliant under state law, SBC said they had to connect the two buildings.  “So, we basically blew through the walls between the two buildings and built a corridor going between them so we can actually transfer products.  “Whether it’s bourbon or bourbon barrels or beer or whatever it is, we can seamlessly go between the two buildings transferring products with forklifts without ever going outside.” 

Now, SBC plans to slowly phase out their entire well line of distilled spirits and replace it with their own house made products by March, Schade said.  “Now it’s one entire company that has a brewery permit, distillery permit, winery permit, as well as a distribution permit,” Schade said. “We are distributing products ourselves now as well, so we literally run the entire game of alcohol operations out of this building.” 

 For the last eight months, SBC has been distilling constantly, expecting to release some of their new products in 2022. This March however, SBC will be rolling out new spirits starting with Vodka, Bourbon and Rum.   

 Other products include their own brandy, grappa, cognac, gin and agave spirits. 

“We are pretty good at making gins,” Schade replied. “And we happen to love gins.” SBC also produces a “bone dry, super fresh and delicious” hard cider, Schade said.  

While SBC has all of these exciting new things planned, its soul is the beer. Literally every week, Schade said, SBC is pushing out a new brew.

 Green Ghost IPA is still the brewery’s top selling creation, and Todd’s favorite, but the brewmasters at SBC are whipping up a new “small batch line” pretty much every week. In addition to the brewing, their creative team produces “really ornate designs,” to adorn cans of, Blue Canoe Pale Ale and 417 Lager, just to name a couple. 

 

The original SBC is two stories, with an upper deck looking down at the lower floor. The glass walls provide guests a pristine view into the brewery operation itself, and Schade said that the new taproom and brewpub has an entirely different, “industrial” looking vibe compared to the original, more traditional space.  The new space is huge and chock-full of high quality sound equipment, Schade said.  

Given the virus situation, everything will remain socially distanced and patrons will remain seated at their own tables. The restaurant, Schade said, is meant for people to come with their friends, and to safely enjoy each other in addition to the great food, beer, and live music. 

The SBC campus boasts three outdoor patios with a fourth on the way, and inside, “cozy corners” with couches set up. “On nice nights we pop the garage door open and the music just flows into the streets,” Schade said. 

In the end, for Schade, it’s about creating an atmosphere where people can enjoy themselves. “I love great music, I love crazy food and I love crazy alcohol,” said Schade,  “I just love having a good time.” “We just want others who have those same passions to come and be able to enjoy it all at one amazing place.”

The new taproom and brewpub, originally slated to be a wedding venue, instead ended up as the “most kickass brewpub and live music venue in the entire Midwest,” Schade added.  “It’s a beautiful creative hub of a bunch of passionate people and we are just trying to spread love and cheer across the land and having fun while doing it.”

 

Springfield Brewing Company

301 – 305 South Market

Springfield, MO

www.springfieldbrewingco.com