Iron Monk set to debut new release, expand capacity

If you've ever driven into Stillwater from Interstate 35, than the newest beer from Iron Monk Brewing Co. may just find a special place in your heart.

The brewery is set to debut its latest -- Exit 174 Rye Pale Ale -- on Saturday at the Land Run Beer Fest in Enid.

(Sidebar: If we're having a beer festival in Enid, doesn't that mean we've come a loooong way with the Oklahoma beer scene?)

Iron Monk describes the 5.4% ABV beer as the "first Oklahoma grown, malted, packaged and brewed rye beer."

The rye was "grown by producers around Ames, Oklahoma, malted by Blacklands Malt, packaged by 46 Grain Company and of course brewed by us," said Mark Waits, brand ambassador for Iron Monk.

Exit 174 is due in kegs initially, beginning as early as next week.

And there's more news coming down the line from Iron Monk. The brewery is expecting to take delivery in about a month of two 70-barrel fermenters, which they will pair with their existing brewhouse.

Waits said that equipment addition will produce a dramatic increase in Iron Monk's production capacity.

Of course, if you know commercial brewing, fermenter space is a key consideration. You can boil up as much wort as you want -- it only takes a few hours to turn out a batch -- but you have to have somewhere to let it ferment, and that takes several days.

Lack of fermenter capacity will grind brewing to a halt, so it'll be exciting to see what Iron Monk will be able to do with its new tanks.

Pints and Pins

-Pub W-Memorial Road is holding a Nebraska Brewing Co. tap takeover at 6 p.m. today (April 14) featuring Sexy Betty, Black Betty, Fathead and Melange a Trois.

-McNellie's OKC is hosting another Beer University session -- Hop School -- on Tuesday, April 19. The cost is $25, and you can email jenny.price@mcnellies.com to RSVP.