Thriving Brewery Has Future Plans

RACHEL DICKERSON/MCDONALD COUNTY PRESS Chris Nogy, left, Steven Myers, Summer Myers, Pam Davis and Richard Davis are pictured on the front porch of Whistling Springs Brewery in Jacket.
RACHEL DICKERSON/MCDONALD COUNTY PRESS Chris Nogy, left, Steven Myers, Summer Myers, Pam Davis and Richard Davis are pictured on the front porch of Whistling Springs Brewery in Jacket.

JACKET, Mo. -- Richard and Pam Davis and their family recently shared the history of Whistling Springs Brewery in Jacket and their future plans for the business.

Richard said they got their license in 2016 and started brewing in 2017.

Pam said the enterprise started as a hobby that Richard and his son Mike worked on in a corner of a shop after Richard had retired from 45 years in the plumbing business. They met Chris and Leigh Nogy, who began brewing their beers. Leigh's specialty is in gluten-free beverages. She comes up with the recipes, and Chris is talented at coming up with the mechanics of how to brew the beers.

They started brewing and held an Oktoberfest that drew 800 people in 2018 and more than 1,000 in 2019, Pam said, noting the brewery's popularity grew from there. They shut down for six to eight weeks during 2020 for covid-19 but opened back up and started serving outdoors on their patio.

"We're very family-oriented," Richard said, noting they allow pets. The brewery also has three non-alcoholic sodas on tap and, on Sundays, they offer root beer floats. Their root beer has won several medals from the U.S. Open Brewing Championship this year, Chris said.

The Davis' daughter, Summer Myers, and her husband Steven are also part of the family business. Summer runs Twin Willows Stables, which is on the same farm as the brewery. From there she offers pony rides to children who come to the brewery with their parents on Sundays.

The brewery also has a mascot, Buttons the pig, which one of their customers gave them after seeing all the horses and dogs on site.

Whistling Springs brews a variety of ciders, which are all gluten-free, and two gluten-free beers. Chris noted the brewery has two trade names: Whistling Springs for the regular beers and Dark Hills Brewery for the gluten-free products.

The business has a veterans' wall with photos. Richard was a Vietnam veteran in the Marine Corps First Marine Division. The brewery has a signature beer called Veterans XXX, which is Richard's tribute to the beer the U.S. used to airdrop into Vietnam for the troops to drink. He said they drank it warm.

Chris said, "People who grew up in the '80s and '90s don't have a connection with that beer, but people who grew up in that era (like it) because it's their beer."

The third Sunday of every month at 8 a.m. there is a potluck veterans' breakfast at the brewery, Richard added.

Some of the most popular beverages at the brewery are Mango Habanero Cider; Loki's Lemon Ale; the three non-alcoholic sodas, which include Root Beer, Butter Beer and Sarsaparilla; Veterans XXX; Irish Red; Irish Stout; Stableman's Porter; Monks on a Diet; and Good Old Beer.

They also take recommendations on flavors.

"We get tunnel vision," Chris said. "Left to ourselves, we repeat ourselves, so we listen to customers."

Pam said, "They brew in the old German style, which is unfiltered and a more full-body style."

The family has a number of plans for the future of the brewery. They are currently having live music once a month, and they plan on adding a stage on the patio. They are trying to get approval for outdoor pizza ovens. They are planning a Frisbee golf course, a dog park and VRBO cabins. They also hope to add wine to their beverage options in the future.

Richard said they really love their customers and appreciate all the support.

"These customers actively come out here and do things that improve the place," Chris said.

He also noted they have customers coming from far away, with one customer using his frequent flier miles to fly in from Boston to Fayetteville and driving up to Jacket.

"I always say we were a little place in the middle of nowhere that became somewhere," Pam said. "We thought no one would come down the dirt road, and that's what everyone loves about it," Summer added.

COURTESY PHOTO Whistling Springs Brewery in Jacket has ciders, beers, gluten-free beers and non-alcoholic sodas. They also hope to add wine in the future.
COURTESY PHOTO Whistling Springs Brewery in Jacket has ciders, beers, gluten-free beers and non-alcoholic sodas. They also hope to add wine in the future.