Broken Arrow Brewing Company Opens
OPENING DAY: The Ribbon Cutting for the Broken Arrow Brewing Company was held in June. The person holding the scissors is the founder, Austin Ferguson. His wife, Emily Ferguson, is next to him in the black dress. His business partners are Jason Northern and Bud Farris. Ferris is to the right of Emily in the black hat and sunglasses, and Northern is to the left of Austin in the red brewing company shirt.
Broken Arrow Express photo
Broken Arrow Brewing Company opened in June and it has become a popular gathering place at the 333 West Dallas Street location in the historic building that once housed the Broken Arrow Electric Light Company and Ice House.
The 3,300-square foot five-barrel brewhouse features up to 12 beers on tap and sample flights are available. Beers on tap include an American Strong Ale, New England Style , Saison, Melon Kettle Sour, Rattler, and Hefeweizen.
Broken Arrow Brewing Company is a lifelong dream for founder Austin Ferguson and an eight-year labor of love for him and his business partners Jason Northern and Bud Farris. The trio, which has 30 years of craft crew experience between them, purchased their building in 2015 and have done all the remodel work on their own.
“A love for craft beer combined with a passion to own a brewery started this journey for us a long time ago. This building was our dream location and when it became available in 2015, we knew the dream was going to become a reality,” says Austin Ferguson. “We knew when we walked into the building that it would take a lot of work to get it back to its former beauty, but with its history and old red brick style, it was the perfect location to introduce our beer to Broken Arrow.”
The Broken Arrow Electric Light Company and Ice House was built in 1906. The building had been sitting empty for many years and had fallen into disrepair from both age and vandals. “As we walked around inside the building for the first time, we found original wood doors, the original sliding metal door that went in to the room where they stored ice, original roof trusses, all original brick, and even a ladder strapped to roof trusses that had been used in the beginning to load ice onto passing trains,” says Ferguson.
Lori Lewis, local Broken Arrow Historian says “As a historian, I appreciate when buildings are renovated and repurposed. These buildings hold the stories of our town and keep the history alive. When you walk into Broken Arrow Brewing Company, it is like you can see the history in the building and can imagine the townspeople buying ice for their homes. I am thrilled such a vibrant business, a business that will attract lots of visitors, has opened in this building so everyone can enjoy it for years to come.”
The Broken Arrow Brewing Company is not only the first brewery in Broken Arrow, it is the first brewery to open in the suburbs and not in the core of downtown Tulsa where the other successful brewers are. They have the support of the other brewers in the region.
Updated 07-24-2018
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