A Beer is Born at the Lake

Russell Lands On Lake Martin debuted its very own microbrew over the July Fourth holiday. We sat down with Russell Lands’ Roger Holliday to learn the inspiration for the new brew and where it can be found.

What inspired creating your own beer?

The idea first bubbled up from our long-term wishes for a brew pub at Russell Crossroads. Chef Rob McDaniel and I met with various craft breweries, and quickly faced the reality of the near-term possibilities of that happening. In the meantime, Rob was toying with the idea to craft a Saison beer for SpringHouse that would be much more complex. Saison is a very high-quality beer—almost winelike.

Where did the name come from?

One thing lead to another, so we decided to contract for “R” own aLe. Monkeying around with what we were going to call it, it suddenly seemed natural… think about pronouncing the letters, R and L with a deep southern accent…kind of comes out, “our ale.”

We wanted a craft flavor, but also wanted a beer that was light enough for a day at the lake. The folks at Back Forty hit the nail on the head with a cream ale that’s technically a light beer.

So, ouR aLe was born.

Where can folks give it a try?

Right now, it has a very limited distribution, which we hope to grow. For us, it’s intended to be a reminder for folks to come visit the lake. Catherine’s Market sells it on tap by the glass and in six-packs. Kowaliga Restaurant and SpringHouse sell singles for consumption in the restaurants. Willow Point Golf & Country Club sells both draught and cans.

We plan to have it in our marinas that sell beer soon, but right now, we’re very tight on inventory.

While supplies last, you can even find a “package deal” at Catherine’s Market—two six-packs and a $5 Our Ale t-shirt for $24.99!