THE PINEY RIVER STORY

Would you believe that Piney River Brewing Company was born around a bonfire while drinking a Belgian quad? It’s true.

OUR STORY

A Brewery in the Ozarks?

Joleen and Brian Durham, the founders and owners of Piney River, bought their home and first 80-acres in Bucyrus in 1998. Joleen’s background was writing and communications. Brian’s background was accounting and business. They had a few beef cattle on the farm and they enjoyed living in the Ozarks, but they wanted something more.

“We wanted to make some type of investment in ourselves, and if possible, we wanted to use our land and bring additional value to our rural area and community,” Joleen said.

Cue the banjo music, light the fire pit, and break out a bottle of Ommegang’s Three Philosophers! These two homebrewers decided to start a brewery.

“We really enjoyed drinking craft beer, and whenever we traveled, we would ask for local beer or even visit the local brewery,” Brian said. “Craft beer is about the area that it’s from and where it’s made, and at the time there were no breweries in the Ozarks making beer that went out on store shelves or into area bars and restaurants.”

So, Piney River Brewing Company was born.