Video: Starkville Gets First Brewery in the Golden Triangle

[syndicaster id=’5366467′]

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – A new brew will soon hit the market in Starkville. Sweetgum Brewing Company will debut it’s signature beer next week. It’s the first brewery in the Golden Triangle. Co-founder Cameron Fogle says Starkville was the best place to base the company.

“It’s a town of people who are fiercly loyal. They love Starkville, they love State. It’s a town that likes beer. So this was about the time that the beer laws were changing so we said, ‘You know what? This would be great,'” says Fogle.

Lazy Magnolia Brewing Company in Kiln produces SweetGum’s Standby Red Ale. Founded nearly three years ago, SweetGum’s name also represents the natural beauty of the Magnolia State.

“We had a sweet gum tree in our backyard that fell down a couple of years ago and we had to get it cut up. My wife kind of suggested that SweetGum might be a good name for a brewery. The actual genus name is liquid amber, which fits well with some of the beer ideas that we’ve got,” says Ed Dechert, Co-founder of SweetGum Brewing Company.

Family-owned business Clark Beverage Group, also based in Starkville, will distribute the beer for SweetGum. Clark management says they’re looking forward to working with a local brewery.

“We’ve never had a brewery in Starkville before. We’re a distributor of many products from all over the world. It’s great to have a craft distributor brewery in Starkville,” says Phillip Elgin, Operations Manager at Clark Beverage Group in Starkville.

SweetGum Brewing Company will have an official release party at Bin 612 on Monday, Oct. 6. Standby Red Ale will be available in most Starkville retail outlets and restaurants on Tuesday.