In his early 20s, Phil Wages didn’t like beer, not at all.
He didn’t like the flavor, so he steered clear of it. “I thought beer sucked,” Wages recalled.
Then, one of his buddies brought home a craft beer from Seattle and coaxed him to try it, despite his protests. It turned out to be not so bad.
In fact, Wages downed three glasses and had to call his wife for a ride home. A new world opened up for him, one where he would celebrate craft beers with his friends until he eventually began brewing his own.
Wages Brewing Co. opened in 2012 in West Plains with just six choices on the menu. Since then, Wages has built the taproom into a community hangout that’s “quirky and fun,” with a rotating drink menu and zany food items, plus entertainment and events.
Customers have told Wages that walking into the taproom is like walking into their living room, “for better or worse.” He chooses to take this as a compliment and continues to foster that atmosphere through his menu and entertainment lineup.
For first-time visitors, Wages recommends the flagship brew, called the Landlocked IPA. It’s a labor of love that he and brewer Amy Fischer have spent years perfecting, brewing it at least 150 times.
If IPAs aren’t a favorite, a lighter beer called Whatknot, or darker ones, like Front Porch Porter in the summer and Good Morning Stout in the winter, are possibilities, Wages said. Sour beers are also in rotation.
At one point Wages noticed a lack of good options for cocktails in town, so he said they have had fun filling the gap.
“It’s not just about beer,” he said. “It’s about providing all the experiences that we can.”
The rotating drink menu at the brewery allows for experimentation. Through the years, Wages and Fischer have tried homemade sodas, kombuchas and even beer made from mushrooms — that last one didn’t quite work out, but there is always something new to try.
Through the years, the company has tried several dining possibilities, from hosting food trucks to hiring guest chefs and bringing restaurant partners inside, all of them causing difficulties in the kitchen. Even though Wages insists he never wanted to run a restaurant, the taproom has expanded its food menu and taken on more.
Wages sources pizzas from Ozark Pizza Co. nearby where the pizza is made and then baked in-house. Salads with locally grown produce, deviled eggs in different flavors every week, alternating dips and some experimental sandwiches are all served at the taproom. Wages said he plans to expand business hours to include lunch.
In addition to drinks and food, the brewery is known throughout West Plains as a hub for entertainment.
Live music is offered nearly every Saturday, Wages said. Even more up-and-coming artists snag spots in the line-up on week nights, sometimes resulting in two or three performers in a single week.
Chess night and a trivia tournament are held every month, and a local Wii Bowling league is based there. Other board and card games are available to play, or customers can bring their own.
Fundraisers also find a home at Wages, including a poetry slam in April to raise money for the local chapter of Imagination Library and a cruise-in in May to raise money alongside Bikers Against Child Abuse.
“I really enjoy doing that and whatever we can do to give back to the community,” Wages said.
At the end of the day, the brewery is a place that’s meant to be welcoming to all, he said.
With purse hooks at the bar and sidewalk chalk outside for families, local artwork on the walls and a handwritten menu, it all fit sthe brewery’s motto: “The middle of nowhere never tasted so good.”
