Monday, August 16, 1999 The University Daily Kansan Section D ยท Page 5 Free State Brewing Company, located at 636 Massachusetts St., came to Lawrence 10.5 years ago. Photo by Joseph Griffin/KANSAN Success recipe: Brew up business with good beer Sports Page Brewery, at Clinton Pkwy. and Kasold, attracts sports fans of all ages. photo by Joseph Griffin/KANSAN By Carrie Petree Kansan staff writer Lawrence is brimming with breweries, and University of Kansas students are brewing for the beer. "I love the breweries here in town," Tim Mock, Lincoln, Neb., senior said. "They are really the only places that offer different kinds of beer that you can't find in a liquor store. And there is nothing better than a good beer." Microbreweries have taken America by storm, but only three restaurant-microbrewery combinations have infiltrated Lawrence in the last ten years. Free State Brewing Company, 636 Massachusetts St., was the first of its kind to come to Lawrence. Ten years ago, Chuck Magerl, owner, was writing an article about the histories of breweries in Kansas for a tabloid community paper. His research took on a life of its own, he said. The article set a lot of wheels turning, and Free State was the result. "We didn't get into this business because it was a current fad or trend." Magerl said. "We started it more to gratify our own curiosities and dedication to a good beer." More recently, two other breweries have joined in force. Brown Bear Brewing Co., 729 Massachusetts St., came to downtown Lawrence two years ago and Sports Page Brewery, 3512 Clinton Pkwy., was built in West Lawrence shortly thereafter. train station decades before. The bar seems to have an atmosphere that evokes a sense of being close to nature and age-old tradition. Each of these breweries has its own unique flavors of beers, atmosphere and clientele. Free State is known for its food, as well as for its brews. The restaurant is downtown in a building that was a Brown Bear uses more of a party atmosphere. The combination of live music and beer makes for a wild night out in Lawrence, even though it's the smallest of the breweries. Sports Page is just as the name suggests, a sports bar. Though it may be farther away from campus, it attracts sports fans of all ages. There are six to nine basic beers on tap at the breweries. The beers range from a golden pale ale and a copper ale to a stout, and a little bit of everything else to satisfy customers' variety of tastes. Shawn Schlegel, managing partner of Brown Bear Brewing Co., said they have a new speciality brew each month. They are working on an imperial stout that will debut in November. When formulating a new recipe, brewers are allowed creativity. "Our head brewer, Ian Adams, makes up recipes like a head chef," Schlegel said. "He takes a recipe from a different brewer and tweaks it a bit, to his liking, and then we are left with a new beer with his signature." Specialty beers are not the only thing that sets these breweries apart. Music also plays a role in attracting crowds. Both Brown Bear and Free State offer live music on a weekly basis. Schlegel said he thinks that music is what sets his brewery apart. University of Kansas students seem to agree. John Houlehan, Kansas City, Kan. senior, said that music is what initially attracted him and his friends to Brown Bear. "We go to Brown Bear for the live music and then the beer, but we go to Free State for the beer," Houlehan said. The breweries are no stranger to students and their huge market in Lawrence, especially for beer. "You never neglect the students," Schlegel said. "They, and KU, are a huge part of this community." And many students, like Mock, are just as dedicated as Magerl to finding and enjoying a good beer. "It would be a disappointing world if they decided that only one beer was best," Magerl said. Custom Installation Home Theater Systems Edited by Mike Miller Kansan classifieds reach the college people who have the same needs and interests that you do. End your parking woes. Make the smart choice. Park & Ride Save time and money. -Park&Ride Satellite parking for off-campus and commuting students comes to KU! Passes go on sale Aug. 16 at the Kansas Union. Get yours before it's too late! Only 500 passes will be sold. With a Park&Ride pass you're guaranteed a parking place in the Lied Center lot. A KU on Wheels bus will stop there 6 times an hour. Take unlimited bus rides to and from campus. 841-PLAY 1029 Massachusetts We Buy, Sell & Trade USED & NEW Sports Equipment Come On Down to the Caddy! We've Got a Night for EVERYBODY Wednesday - $1 anything! No cover before 10pm Thursday - All Request Night $1.50 anything! Friday - 80's Retro Night $2.50 pitchers & $2 wells Saturday - $1 anything again! Cadillac Ranch 2515 w 6th St. 842-9845 Where You Don't Need Cowboy Boots to Have a Good Time!