Anthem Brewing Company has been around for the last six years and has only grown in popularity and love since then. The founders, Alan Musser and Matt Anthony, introduced Oklahoma City to Anthem Golden One and White Flame in 2012 after Anthony completed years of experimentation. Anthony traveled all over the United States, as well as Europe, learning more about breweries and beer making in order to start his own beer and brewing company. In 2012, Matt Anthony met Alan Musser and they made the Anthem dream into a reality.
Matt Anthony began brewing beer at the end of 2005, after his wife bought him a brew kit for Christmas. From 2005-2012, Anthony practiced making beer, researched new ways to make it, and traveled to see how other brewers did it. Anthony and Musser met in the year of 2012 and began their brewing journey. Anthony and Musser did not have a brewhouse at the release of their first two beers, however the brewers at OKCity Brewery allowed them some space to get their beer out there.
In the May 2013 tornado, the shared brewery got destroyed to the point the health department shut it down. Already on the search for a new place, Musser and Anthony found their home at 908 SW 4th St. in OKC in 2014, where it still resides today.
Later that year, Matt Anthony handed over his position at Anthem to Patrick Lively, a man that is “not only a great brewer, but also incredibly good at operations.” Lively had a plan for the brewhouse and kept the brewers on their toes. While Lively has been at Anthem, he has not stopped creating new, delicious beers. One of his creations, Rye’d or D’IPA was just released on November 15, 2018, which brought in quite a crowd.
After Lively left, Brian Kippenberger took over as head of brewery operations. Kippenberger is from St. Louis and has had plenty of brewing experience and time at Schlafle Brewing Company. Kippenberger has been the mastermind of many small brew batches that have been featured on taps in the Anthem taproom. He is currently installing a 30 barrel brew house and once this project is finished, Kippenberger will be creating small batch beer every week.
Within the last year, Anthem has started their expansion project. This project will feature a bigger and better taproom, a giant 30 Barrel Brew House, four new 60 barrel fermenters, and one new bright tank. The 15 Barrel Brew House is staying right where it is to be used for small batch brews. The new taproom will be huge, while keeping it’s industrial feel, will now have room for 16 new tap handles, more space for tables, and a bigger and better bar.
If you have been to Anthem before, you will understand just how big the new taproom will be. The industrial vibe that all of the brewery goers enjoy, will still be relevant throughout the taproom. The current tanks and canning line will be moved to another part of the brewery, in order to fully optimize the taproom space.
The completion of this project has not been announced yet, but look forward to the new Anthem Brewing Company Brewery and Taproom.
Written by Samantha Ackerman
SOURCES:
Jesse House (Brand Ambassador) and Alan Musser (Founder) - Anthem Brewing Company
Comments