Marksville native brewing up something new

The burgeoning craft beer movement has made its way to Central Louisiana.

Jonathan Knoll and Chris Pahl have been serving creations from Broken Wheel Brewery at Knoll's restaurant in Marksville, Fresh Catch Bistreaux, for about a month. With perseverance and some good fortune, they hope, the small operation will eventually expand and make a name for itself outside the area the way several other Louisiana breweries have.

"It's cool that Louisiana is already known for its food," Knoll said. "Now, people are taking that same cultural inspiration and applying it to something everyone here likes — beer."

Knoll opened Fresh Catch Bistreaux in 2008 and convinced Pahl, a friend from their days at the University of Colorado, to come to Marksville and help him run it. About a year ago, they got serious about producing and serving their own beer.

They had no idea what they were getting themselves into.

Thankfully, Broken Wheel had a great friend in Gary Guillory, an avid home brewer who showed Knoll and Pahl the ropes, helping them with everything from the basics of brewing to putting together the equipment they needed to produce beer commercially.

"We had a lot to learn," said Pahl, Broken Wheel's head brewer. "It was a lot of trial and error."

"When we started getting into it, I had no idea how in depth it was going to be," Knoll said. "It's been a fun journey. The restaurant business is extremely tough. Adding the brewing part has made it a lot easier, because I really enjoy doing it. It makes coming to work fun."

Broken Wheel got its name from the story of Marksville's founding, when a wheel on traveling trader Marc Eliche's wagon broke, and he stayed to exchange goods with local Indian tribes. Its first two creations also have a local flavor to their names — Pachafa Pale Ale (named for mythical Avoyelles Parish bogeyman Johnny Patchafire) and Spring Bayou Blonde Ale (after the wildlife management area and popular recreation spot).

That's part of the strategy to establish the product first with the restaurant's customers. Convert those locals who look skeptically at craft beer, Knoll figures, and they'll really have something.

Knoll and Pahl are experimenting with other flavors, and hope before too long to offer three regular beers and one rotating seasonal.

Saturday, Broken Wheel is participating in the first Louisiana Winter Beer Festival, serving its ales alongside well known craft beer brewers such as New Belgium and Sierra Nevada. Knoll said he was nervous to be "pouring there next to the big dogs," but also excited to pick up more feedback from a state craft beer community that he says has been nothing but supportive.

The state has established a thriving scene for small, independent brewers. Abita Brewing Co. is the biggest and best known, but commercial breweries have popped up in several other cities, including New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Broussard, Hammond, Mandeville and Arnaudville.

Many started as small or smaller than Broken Wheel. Could the Marksville-based brewery someday take its place alongside them in bar taps, restaurant tables and store coolers?

"Distribution would be great some day," Knoll said. "Right now, we're just trying to perfect our process, have fun brewing some beer and get really good at it."