Gateway

Issue date: 5/2/08 Section: Arts & Leisure

Empyrean Brewing Company is Omaha's biggest brewery and the only brewery in Nebraska to distribute their beers. (Andrea Barbe) [Click to enlarge]

For a cost of $5.50, Lazlo's Brewery and Grill offers an eight-beer sampler of all of their brews in shot glasses. (Andrea Barbe) [Click to enlarge]

Empyrean Brewing Company believes that we're all brewers at heart, whether we're brewing dreams or brewing beer.

In 1991, Rich Chapin's little, brewed dream became a reality when he was chosen as head brewer of the newly founded Lazlo's Brewery and Grill.

Lazlo's was the first brewpub to open in Nebraska and, in that year alone, nearly 15,500 gallons of beer were sold.

In 1998, Empyrean Brewing Company was founded in order to sell Lazlo's brews to outside vendors.

"We have four of our own restaurants. Three Lazlo's locations - including one in Omaha - and Fireworks," said Jim Engelbart, marketing and production manager of Empyrean Brewing Company. "Our beer is then sold to a middle man by law. We have seven different beer distributors that we work with in Nebraska."

In 2001, Empyrean became the biggest brewery in Nebraska and by 2002 was the first brewer to distribute statewide. With over 400 retail accounts, Lazlo's sells the highest volume of Empyrean beer, followed by Super Saver in Lincoln.

But if you're not willing to drive to Lincoln for a good brew, Empyrean products can also be found at Lazlo's Omaha location, Old Chicago and local grocery stores.

Dave Doll, bar manager at the Old Chicago on Cass Street, appreciates a good beer, especially if it's from Empyrean.

"A lot of their brews are very mainstream," Doll said. "They don't make a lot of exotic kinds of beers, though they are very distinctive. They're very palatable."

Empyrean brews 12 beers, providing a variety to please any kind of beer drinker.

When asked what he recommends to first time Empyrean drinkers, Engelbart said he usually asks what kind of beer a person normally drinks.

"I usually recommend our Chaco Canyon Honey Gold," he said. "It's our lightest bodied beer. It's the most easy-going."

Another suggestion is Empyrean's latest brewing adventure, the friendly Better World Wheat. Its Belgian Wit style and citrusy flavor makes it easy to swallow, literally.

Engelbart said it's another beer that is "easy on the pallet."

Although Empyrean Brewing Company isn't allowed to ship its beer across the country for distribution without the help of a third party, they are allowed to ship it out for competition.

Each year, Empyrean enters brews for The World Beer Cup competition held in San Diego.

Though they didn't win a prize this year, they took home the silver medal for the Extra Special Bitter category in 2006.

With over 90 categories judged, Empyrean often competes with 30 to 70 beers around the world. Over 3000 breweries have competed in the competition.

"It's like the Olympics of beer," Engelbart said.

Empyrean's Luna Sea ESB is one of their most noted flavorful beers. Made with hints of caramel and distinctive galena and cluster hops, it certainly is "Extra Special."

Unfortunately for brewers, it's going to start costing them more to continue to brew specialty beers. With the recent increase in the price of hops, smaller breweries are certainly feeling the strain on their budget.

"It's affected us in a lot of ways. We're the state's largest brewery," Engelbart said. "There is currently a 20-percent shortage of hops. It's impossible to get them. For the first time ever we've actually contracted our hops. It's a way of ensuring the hops we need for the next five years."

Engelbart is quick to point out that the accuracy of those kinds of predictions are never a sure thing.

"We have to be sophisticated in forecasting sales," he said. "We have never done a sales forecast longer than three years. You have to make your best educated guess."

With such an important ingredient becoming so expensive, it's bound to have an effect.

"When an ingredient goes up 400 percent, it changes the price of beer. I can see us having another increase," Engelbart said.

Price increase or not, one thing is certain: the quality of Empyrean brews is well worth the cost.

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