With new brewery, OKC trio taps into microbrewing trend
OKCBiz Magazine
Bill Kizer
12.23.2008


http://www.okcbusiness.com/Libraries/January_2009/Coop-Ale-01-SC.sflb.ashx
Photo/Shannon Cornman

Who could have guessed that the idea for COOP Ale Works, Oklahoma City’s newest microbrewery, would come together over – what else – a beer? But as Mark Seibold and J.D. Merryweather chatted over the beer tub at a business function one evening in 2005, they discovered both had a long-harbored desire to open a brewery.

The timing seemed right. A re-emergence of local microbreweries in the U.S. began in the ’80s when beer drinkers began experimenting and found they could produce a brew with a quality and flavor that far exceeded anything offered by the major brewing houses.
has experienced phenomenal growth in the years since.

“We researched local, regional, national and international microbrewing trends,” says Merryweather, general manager, “and we realized that Oklahoma City is primed for some good beer. We are actually way behind the curve, nationally.”

Adds Seibold, manager, “We learned that our assumptions were supported by the numbers, indicating to us that demand did exist.”

While still a long way from posing a real competitive threat to the majors as far as total sales volume, small “quality-based” beers (versus large “quantity-based” beers) have been increasingly embraced by the U.S. beer-buying public.

“It (higher quality, fuller-tasting beer) is available, and they know it,” says Merryweather. “People have been educated about it and, more and more, they are seeking it out.”

After adding Daniel Mercer as a third partner, the trio set about turning its vision into reality with a visit to Denver’s thriving microbrewery community. There, they came away with more than just a solid practical insight into the process.

“It was a great opportunity for us to figure out what we could handle and how we should move into the market,” Merryweather says. “It was also very inspirational for us to look at the different beer styles, then come back and hone our portfolio of beers.”

But before visions become functioning breweries, a common hurdle must be overcome: the need for capital.

“We spent thousands of hours researching industry performance and standards, and we developed a plan and a financial model that rivals those developed by startup companies seeking millions in equity capital in the venture markets,” says Mercer, the financial specialist behind COOP Ale Works.

How much capital is required to open a brewery? “A lot,” he says.

Flying their COOP
The company name – COOP Ale Works – originated as a play on the word “co-op,” describing the cooperative nature of the project. But Merryweather, the company’s head of creative, explains that the name also hints at “coopersmith” and reflects back to the company symbol – an anvil – and theme of “hand-forged.”

“We are emphasizing the quality and the flavor of our beer,” he says. “And there is a real pride that goes into making a product like this. We feel we have ‘hand-forged’ it. That industrial feeling and aesthetic is carried through in the company’s label and packaging designs.”

The company has completed the construction and permitting process for its NW 51 Street and Classen Boulevard plant, with plans to commence brewing operations in mid-January.

“Initially, our focus will be on Oklahoma City and parts of Tulsa,” Merryweather says. “We are going to come out of the gate with keg beer, and will be in many of the fine drinking establishments and restaurants in town.”

Plans are already in place to add a bottling line to the operation that will make COOP products available to package stores and restaurants that don’t have tap facilities. As for longer-term growth plans, COOP plans to expand from its current seven-barrel (217 gallon) system to a 30-barrel system within five years.

“Our plans are to expand statewide, and, if we are well-received, add parts of Texas and New Mexico,” Merryweather says. “We will let it pick up momentum and see where it goes.”

With only one other microbrewery in Oklahoma City and only four others statewide, as far as the overall competitive picture, COOP Ale Works finds itself in a very comfortable position.

“This could be a risky business if we were competing against 20 or 30 other breweries for the same market, but we are not, really, because we’re all offering very different beer styles,” Merryweather says. “Some may overlap, but, for the most part, we are all bringing a distinctly different product to the market.”

The growing popularity of microbreweries comes, in part, from a desire by many people to break away from the uniformity of America’s “national” culture. In that way, the “local-ness” and unique nature of COOP Ale Works becomes a real marketing advantage – one on which Mercer says his company intends to capitalize.

“We will be the beer that represents Oklahoma City,” he says, “just as Anchor represents San Francisco and Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams) represents Boston.”

awesome!!!!!!

Do they deliver?

It said it was at 51st and Classen but do we know where in that area they are? Are they by Edna's or on the west side?

51st & Classen is right by the former Classen Circle, just south of I-44.

Here's a link (http://www.okcbusiness.com) to the original story, on the OKC Business website (http://www.okcbusiness.com). These guys are friends of mine, so I've been lucky enough to sample quite a few of their test batches as they developed their various recipes. They have also traveled all over the U.S. over the past several years meeting with and touring many of the breweries that are super-strong brands in that niche. It's not fly-by-night; they have literally been in development for several years. They are the real deal indeed.

One observation: they are tending towards the hop-heads, who I understand are the most serious of the beer drinkers. They have a real emphasis on ales. Being primarily a lager and stout drinker, I'm most excited about the stouts and porters that they have been kicking around.

Here's a link (http://www.okcbusiness.com) to the original story, on the OKC Business website (http://www.okcbusiness.com). These guys are friends of mine, so I've been lucky enough to sample quite a few of their test batches as they developed their various recipes. They have also traveled all over the U.S. over the past several years meeting with and touring many of the breweries that are super-strong brands in that niche. It's not fly-by-night; they have literally been in development for several years. They are the real deal indeed.

One observation: they are tending towards the hop-heads, who I understand are the most serious of the beer drinkers. They have a real emphasis on ales. Being primarily a lager and stout drinker, I'm most excited about the stouts and porters that they have been kicking around.


Let me know if you guys needs tasters for a focus group!!! :kicking:

is that other local still around, hubner's?

brew on, braumeister

Thought I'd bump this and give everyone an update. We are in full production and have made the necessary price posting to have our beer ready to roll out the door on March 1st of 2009!!

We will be in kegs for the first few months and then be on the shelves by mid-May. We already have our bottling line - we just want to get the keg works all dialed in before we start moving in the package direction.

We will be launching with Horny Toad a cerveza style lager, Zeppelin a german style wheat, Native our amber and DNR a Belgian style golden ale.

Also in production we have a premium lager, a porter and a imperial stout.

Our address is 1124 NW 51st Street. Two doors west of the Speakeasy. We will be offering tours hopefully starting in March and the Speakeasy will be our tasting room. Website coming soon - Coop Aleworks (http://www.coopaleworks.com) and we will be listing all the locations carrying our beer in the metro area.

Thanks and let me know if you have any questions.

JD Merryweather
COOP Ale Works

jd (at) coopaleworks.com

Very nice...I will be on the lookout for the Zeppelin and Native then

I've tried them all. My favorite has got to be the porter. The DNR is going to be huge, I'm thinking. Anybody who likes Chimay is going to love it.

Thought I'd bump this and give everyone an update. We are in full production and have made the necessary price posting to have our beer ready to roll out the door on March 1st of 2009!!

We will be in kegs for the first few months and then be on the shelves by mid-May. We already have our bottling line - we just want to get the keg works all dialed in before we start moving in the package direction.

We will be launching with Horny Toad a cerveza style lager, Zeppelin a german style wheat, Native our amber and DNR a Belgian style golden ale.

Also in production we have a premium lager, a porter and a imperial stout.

Our address is 1124 NW 51st Street. Two doors west of the Speakeasy. We will be offering tours hopefully starting in March and the Speakeasy will be our tasting room. Website coming soon - Coop Aleworks (http://www.coopaleworks.com) and we will be listing all the locations carrying our beer in the metro area.

Thanks and let me know if you have any questions.

JD Merryweather
COOP Ale Works

jd (at) coopaleworks.com

Well I'm sure drooling. I've been on an amber kick for a couple of years now.


I've tried them all. My favorite has got to be the porter. The DNR is going to be huge, I'm thinking. Anybody who likes Chimay is going to love it.

Now I'm REALLY drooling.

/looooves him some Chimay

Thought I'd bump this and give everyone an update. We are in full production and have made the necessary price posting to have our beer ready to roll out the door on March 1st of 2009!!

We will be in kegs for the first few months and then be on the shelves by mid-May. We already have our bottling line - we just want to get the keg works all dialed in before we start moving in the package direction.

We will be launching with Horny Toad a cerveza style lager, Zeppelin a german style wheat, Native our amber and DNR a Belgian style golden ale.

Also in production we have a premium lager, a porter and a imperial stout.

Our address is 1124 NW 51st Street. Two doors west of the Speakeasy. We will be offering tours hopefully starting in March and the Speakeasy will be our tasting room. Website coming soon - Coop Aleworks (http://www.coopaleworks.com) and we will be listing all the locations carrying our beer in the metro area.

Thanks and let me know if you have any questions.

JD Merryweather
COOP Ale Works

jd (at) coopaleworks.com


Dear Lord, I can't wait. I live right by there. I frequent the Speakeasy. YES!

I am interested to see if this does, in fact, quench a small part of the parched oklahoma landscape in regards to the availability of quality beer. Oklahoma deserves it. I would be interested to know what places they did visit in pursuit of creating quality ales. Did they go the conventional route of places that everyone around here seems think are on the cutting edge of breweries or have they gained inspiration from places that beer drinkers across the world agree are setting the bar in the US like dogfish, bells, russian river, three floyds, etc. I look forward to partaking and being apart.

P.S. Are these 'hopheads' going to throw us a lupulin bone...IPA, pale ale, something??

Video: Newsok Videos (http://feeds.newsok.tv/services/player/bcpid1815820490?bctid=10057147001)

Had a chance to try some of the Zepplin and the Amber yesterday at the OKCSocialRave and it was amazing! Be looking for it - I guess - around town starting March 2nd (so I hear!).

It is great to see another local thing to add to the list!

We are doing a ribbon cutting on tuesday the 3rd. I think around 2, that would be a great thing to attend. It will be at the speakeasy where you can try all the beers.

Cheers!

Chase Healey
Head Brewer
COOP Ale Works
918.740.9293
Chase@coopaleworks.com

Had a chance to try some of the Zepplin and the Amber yesterday at the OKCSocialRave and it was amazing! Be looking for it - I guess - around town starting March 2nd (so I hear!).

It is great to see another local thing to add to the list!

I was there and tried both of them as well. Top notch stuff and EXACTLY what the city needs.

If you needed another good reason to stop buying crap beer...now you'll be able to buy great local brews :)

Anyone going to the Speak tonight? I think i will...






This after​noon at 2pm at the 51st Stree​t Speak​easy we will be cutti​ng the ribbo​n to celeb​rate the first​ comme​rcial​ pints​ of beer to be deliv​ered by COOP Ale Works​!​

Pleas​e join us and have some fun. The Speak​easy has all FOUR style​s of COOP on the marke​t and a speci​al oppor​tunit​y to try DNR our Belgi​an Golde​n ALe on a nitro​gen deliv​ery - it is HEAVE​N!​

Look for -

Horny​ Toad
Zeppe​lin Germa​n Wheat​
Nativ​e Amber​
DNR

Drink​ local​ and drink​ often​.​

See you soon I hope - they are oprn until​ 2am.

Best -

JD

Weird question, but is the name pronounced coup or co-op?

coop

The DNR belgian style is totally legit, BTW.

Anyone try any of their beers yet? I tried the Amber at Iron Starr the other day and was pleased.

http://www.okctalk.com/okc-metro-area-talk/15164-coop-ale-works.html


They've got it going on, IMO!

I went to Iron Starr tonight to pick up my world's favorite 7 layer chocolate cake and while I was waiting, one of the guys brought me a sample of the COOP amber ale. I thought it was very good. It had a nice smoothness and great aftertaste. And best of all, it was free. I will definitely try it again sometime.

Eric, just FYI, you can get their chocolate cake at Market C. Makes it a little easier for the take home items. Also I know one of the owners of COOP so I can introduce you sometime.

Tried them out at Speakeasy's the other day. Best beer I've had since I last enjoyed a pint in England.

I tried all 4 the other night. Top notch stuff!

The porter should be available in May.

Hello all -

JD Merryweather here from COOP Ale Works. We want to thank OKC & Tulsa for the support we have received our first 45 days of being opened. We have 47 taps in 27 locations in OKC, Tulsa & Norman. We are expanding coverage on a steady pace so we can keep up with production. Sales have been great.

Check out coopaleworks.com for a location serving near you. We have four styles on tap at the moment and will be bringing out our Gran Sport Porter in May, as well as, a limited release of our Martzen Style aka Oktoberfest. The Oktoberfest is being released early in prep for Choctaw's festival.

Our focus has been to bring a local product to the market for the community. OKC has needed a citywide brewery! Hopefully COOP will meet that need.

Best to all and we welcome your input. Support your local bars & restaurants - they are a key element to a thriving city.

JD Merryweather jd (at) coopaleworks.com

Talked to an employee at Henry Hudsons tonight that didn't know about Coop's. Told him about the last 2 times I stopped at Tapwerks they were sold out of Coop's. Heard him talking to another customer who bragged on the product as well. In a later discussion he mentioned that they were getting 2 to 3 new taps per location. He also mentioned checking out Coop's so we'll see if anything comes of it. Hope so.

It's at Tapwerks now? My evening is looking up!

COOP's Horny Toad cerveza (http://www.coopaleworks.com/beers/horny-toad/) is my current fav....I crave it sometimes. An absolute perfect patio drinking beer.

tried their zeppelin and dnr at prohibition room. not a fan of the zeppelin but the dnr is a nice strong 10 point beer.

JD Merryweather jd (at) coopaleworks.com

hey JD, i haven't had your products yet, but i am anxious to try them. i've a number of hopheaded friends who rave about them.

quick question, just a tad off topic; how are you dealing with some of the ABLE and other antiquated laws that don't seem very oklahoma brewer friendly?

is there any sort of lobbying group that we can throw our support behind to help make okc more brewer friendly?

The DNR belgian style is totally legit, BTW.

Yes it is!

We are serving COOP DNR and Zeppilin at Prohibition Room and have had very good sales on both. We are adding 2 more COOP taps very soon.

We also have a beer dinner with all 5 COOP products on May 26th at 6:30 Call 405-601-0363 if you are interested in attending.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2451/3563507498_eb1746914f_o.jpg

Any plans on bottling? I would like to bring some back to Austin.

They definitely do plan on bottling. They already have the labels and packaging designed, and have purchased and installed bottling equipment. However, they have pushed back their planned rollout for bottling a couple of times due to demand on the keg product.

The reception has been incredible due to the aforementioned first-rate product. They have exceed all of their own early expectations for sales and are not wanting to scale up too fast, instead doing everything the right way and preserving the quality of the delivered product. Gotta say that I totally agree with their approach.

That's good, I just want to know when I can pick some up when back in OKC to bring back down here to enjoy.

Last I heard, they were planning on July, although that too may have been pushed back by now. I know they have slowed down on trying to place new taps here and in the Tulsa market, because they are having to burn the candle at both ends to satisfy the demand from the taps they already have. They have been really, really happy with the demand and like I said don't want to scale so quickly that they lose quality or leave existing customers without. Some other notable micros made that mistake, and they want to avoid that at all costs.

Weird question, but is the name pronounced coup or co-op?
Coop. Like a barrel cooper. They did, however, like the (clean) double entendre that the name brings to mind, meaning the cooperative nature of their business.

any update on when they start bottling? -M

i asked the owner at a big liquor store in town if i could get my hands on some dnr. that was last week, and he told me all you can get are kegs. he said it would be that way for a long time to come.

perhaps their success has pushed the bottling plans way back... shucks.

-M

Don't rule it out ... I was visiting with someone last week (Urbanized, not sure it was you) and they were saying Coop folks might be working on a deal with another brewer needing bottling as well and going in on it together. At least that's what I recall - I wasn't taking notes and the conversation is kind of fuzzy now.

i heard they have kegs of a belgian style brew, 11% alcohol content, at the coach's in norman. 6 bucks a pint, if its true. good stuff

Coop has an app for the iPhone. it will tell you about the beer and where to get it based on your location.

Blangtang, the coop DNR is a belian style but it is only 10%. Damn Good too!

i heard they have kegs of a belgian style brew, 11% alcohol content, at the coach's in norman. 6 bucks a pint, if its true. good stuff

The DNR is great, as is their Gran Sport Porter. I think the Horny Toad and the Zeppelin wheat are both above-average/good offerings...the onyl oen that didn't impress me at all was the Native amber...but I don't drink much amber, so I'm probably not a good person to ask.

The dealio is this: they have 90-ish tap handles in 42 (I think) places. The tap demand has exceeded their expectations much more quickly than anticipated. They don't want to scale too fast, compromise quality, or have establishments running out of beer while they ramp up another product. They believe the best way to develop a core audience is by putting the beer on tap in quality restaurants and pubs throughout the state. As long as requests for tap handles keep coming in at the current pace, they probably won't be rushing into bottling.

Now, they DO own all of the equipment required, and have all of the labels and cartons designed, etc. In fact most of that was done before they even started keg production. They're just not in a hurry, and want to do things right.

Something that might change things is hitting certain revenue/cash milestones that they have set for themselves. Hitting those milestones would allow them to expand staff and add more equipment, etc., which would then increase capacity enough to satisfy tap AND bottle demand. Based on conversations I've had with them, they are closer to hitting those milestones than they expected to be at this point, so who knows? He said it could happen in a month or not until next spring, and while it's great to have as much interest as they do, they aren't going to rush things.

Remember, these guys studied the market, travelled to other craft breweries and did test batches for something like three years before they opened their doors. They are deliberate, and far more committed to doing things the right way, beer-wise, than they are in being the next Boulevard.

Tried their seasonal imperial stout. It was really, really good but I doubt I'll ever buy it again.

Why?

One pint at the Prohibition Room cost over $10 with tax. That's just absurd. Locally brewed beers that traveled about 3 miles to where it came out of the tap should never cost that much.

I prefer Shiner Bock's model: they got in taps locally by being CHEAPER. Now look at this: they charge import price by the bottle.

Tried their seasonal imperial stout. It was really, really good but I doubt I'll ever buy it again.

Why?

One pint at the Prohibition Room cost over $10 with tax. That's just absurd. Locally brewed beers that traveled about 3 miles to where it came out of the tap should never cost that much.

I prefer Shiner Bock's model: they got in taps locally by being CHEAPER. Now look at this: they charge import price by the bottle.

I agree, $10 is totally outrageous, I frequent a bar/club on the S. side of OKC, they charge $3 for bottle domestic and I think that's outrageous.

Tried their seasonal imperial stout. It was really, really good but I doubt I'll ever buy it again.

Why?

One pint at the Prohibition Room cost over $10 with tax. That's just absurd. Locally brewed beers that traveled about 3 miles to where it came out of the tap should never cost that much.


Is that Prohibition Room's price or the brewery's?

IMHO, everything at Prohibition Room is outrageously overpriced.

Is that Prohibition Room's price or the brewery's?

IMHO, everything at Prohibition Room is outrageously overpriced.

Maybe overpriced...but they pour some of the stiffest drinks in town.

OK, here's the dealio (I don't work for COOP, but as I have mentioned before, the owners are friends of mine): the COOP Imperial Stout has several factors that dramatically affect its price: LOTS more hops than the other beers, more expensive hops, and oak barrel aging. This is a really limited production seasonal beer, so the economy of scale for the oak barrel aging -- just the barrels themselves are pretty pricey -- is spread out over a small quantity of kegs produced. This is the first oak barrel aged beer brought to market in Oklahoma.

The production cost per keg for the imperial stout is 55% higher than COOP's DNR, which is by itself FAR higher production cost than the other beers COOP brews. COOP DNR (10% ABV) is typically viewed as a comparable beer to Chimay. Have you bought a Chimay Blue lately?

Also, Prohibition Room chooses to pour the COOP Imperial Stout as a full pint with a base price of $8.75 + tax. Many other places are choosing a 10 oz. pour (think Stella glass). Some places include tax in their price; Prohibition Room does not. That's no knock on Prohibition Room, which is one of my favorite places. If they can get it, they can get it. Some places also keep prices higher because they target a specific clientele. But if you want to check out that particular beer again you're going to be able to find cheaper pours of it at places like The Drunken Fry, Coach's in Norman, Tapwerks or The Speakeasy. You're probably going to find some of those places selling it around $7.00. Those are choices made by the establishment, not by the brewery.

And frankly, if you don't want to drink it at all, I'm fine with that because it means more for me of a quality, very-limited-production local beer. There are lots of other great COOP beers (GranSport Porter, Native Amber, Zeppelin German Wheat, Horny Toad Cerveza) that sell for far less. Go to Iron Starr BBQ 2-6 PM Mon-Fri and get half-price Native Amber and Horny Toad for $2.25.

$10...a PINT??? :ohno:

Ri. dic. u. lous.

There's a brewery right around the corner that has a $5 red cup special for their home brew. Belle Isle. Good stuff. Stout. Pale Amber is my favorite. $5 to get in, get free brew, and see a live band. Pretty dang good deal.

Some people love a great hamburger, some people love a great steak. Nothing wrong with either one. My problem is that I love both!

Thank heavens! The Zeppelin is amazing, and there aren't that many places you can get it.

Update: bought a glass, a small tulip glass, of DNR at Bolero yesterday for $9. I didn't know what the price would be when I ordered it.

I love COOP, and I try to drink it everywhere, but it gets to a point where it's simply ridiculous.

I'm still hitting up Picasso's in the Paseo for cheaper Zeppelin, though. Anyone else know where to find reasonably priced COOP?

Do we have any updates on bottling?

I heard they are going with cans and will not be bottling at this time. May be available this fall.

Update: bought a glass, a small tulip glass, of DNR at Bolero yesterday for $9. I didn't know what the price would be when I ordered it.

I love COOP, and I try to drink it everywhere, but it gets to a point where it's simply ridiculous.

I'm still hitting up Picasso's in the Paseo for cheaper Zeppelin, though. Anyone else know where to find reasonably priced COOP?

Do we have any updates on bottling?

Got $5 Zeppelin at VZD's, if memory serves correct.