Bringing Home the Brew
Back Forty Beer Company braves Alabama’s uncharted waters with charm, local support and a surprisingly highbrow approach to beer.
BY ASHLEY RIDDLE | PHOTOGRAPHY BY ARIK SOKOL

Jason Wilson had a dream: a dream of launching a career in his home state of Alabama, providing jobs for other locals and elevating the reputation of that redheaded-step-child of wine, beer, to a whole new level. Generally relegated to the world of guy’s poker nights, college fraternity parties and weekend fishing trips, the seemingly less sophisticated alcoholic beverage gets a gourmet makeover at the hands of Jason and his partner Zach Folmar, founders of Back Forty Beer Company.
     Just last year, Jason’s dream would have been an impossibility. Alabama limited beverages to 6% alcohol by volume (ABV), which, according to Jason, made approximately 75 percent of the world’s beer unavailable—and discouraged entrepreneurs from practicing a profession that was once considered an art form. Thankfully, Free the Hops, a grassroots non-profit organization devoted to bringing the best of beer to Alabama, stepped in. In a 2009 legislative session, Free the Hops, led by president Stuart Carter, proposed and successfully passed the Gourmet Beer Bill, which raised the state’s ABV allowance to 13.9%.
     The newfound freedom for beer has not only brought a much wider variety to grocery retailers and restaurants, but also encouraged a few local entrepreneurs like Jason and Zach to bring microbreweries back to a state that hasn’t seen any since before the 1920s prohibition era. The duo gave the first public offering of the Back Forty Beer Company’s debut brew, Naked Pig Ale, at the Magic City Brewfest this past year. “We quickly ran out of the 11 kegs we brought,” Jason recalls. “We had to go to J. Clydes (a Birmingham pub that serves the beer) to get more from the tap.”
     Although the recent pass of the Gourmet Beer Bill was great timing for the launch of his company, Jason had been brewing the idea for Back Forty Beer Company for quite some time. After college, he moved to Baton Rogue to find work and quickly realized that he wanted to return to Alabama to make a living. Seeing that jobs in his field were limited here, he knew he had to create an opportunity for himself, and hoped that in his endeavor to do so, he would also create jobs for others. This gave way to the idea of Back Forty, which gets its name from an old agricultural term referring to the back 40 acres on farming land. Located farthest from the barn and the most difficult to irrigate and manage, the neglected, and thus fertile, soil yielded the best crops. Fitting, considering Alabama is the equivalent of the back 40 on the beer front and Jason and Zach aim to yield some of the best beers on the market.
     As Jason originally envisioned, the company is supporting local businesses, using graphic design company, MindVolt, out of Athens for logos and labels, and attorney David Carne of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, P.C. for legal needs. They also aim to have at least one Alabama-grown ingredient in each product they put out. The Back Forty crew gives the different brews rural lifestyle-inspired names, like Naked Pig Ale, which is currently sold throughout the state, and Truck Stop Honey Brown, which is next to hit the market. What’s in the works? Jason and Zach are presently experimenting with a peach ale made from Chilton County’s famous peaches.
     In Birmingham, you can find Back Forty beer at a wide range of eateries, from white-tablecloth restaurant Daniel George to Jason’s favorite match for Naked Pig Ale, Moe’s Original Bar B Que. In the future, they hope to work with local chefs to create meals that go specifically with their variety of beers. Until then, Jason and Zach plan to offer food pairings on the their labels to maximize enjoyment.
     Thanks largely to the Free the Hops organization, Alabama residents now have the luxury of embracing the world of boutique beers without leaving their state for supply.  Cheers to that! And cheers to beer enthusiasts-turned-brew producers like Jason and Zach, who are pioneering the way for Birminghamians. Even for those indifferent to beer and its many unique versions, the recent movement of Free The Hops has opened up opportunities that everyone can enjoy, like promoting the generation of a new type of business and employment in the state. At long last, Alabama is on the beer map. As they say, the best is saved for last. And in the farmland of Alabama, the best comes from the Back Forty.

For a complete list of restaurants and stores where you can find Naked Pig Ale,visit backfortybeer.com.
 

You're Invited ...
to explore the fine craftsmanship of four extraordinary Birmingham wedding invitation and stationery designers.

BY ALICIA K. CLAVELL | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEAN ALLSOPP


Your wedding invitation sets the tone for the entire event, so you want to choose the look that suits your personality best. But sifting through the countless options can feel like searching for a stylish needle in an otherwise bland haystack. Lucky for Birmingham brides, several sought-after stationery experts are based here in town, so you can find the perfect invitation and support local artists.  Which one’s right for you?

Stacy Claire Boyd
    Like something out of a Hollywood movie, stationery and invitation designer Stacy Claire Boyd was “discovered” while working in the stationery department at Henri Bendels in New York City. “Luck was on my side when Maria Shriver came in and needed an invitation for a bridal shower that she was giving for Caroline Kennedy,” remembers Stacy. “The store couldn't design it for her in the time in which she needed it, so my manager suggested that because I dabbled in this kind of thing, I should design something for her. I did, she liked it, word spread and I began designing more and more invitations. The rest is history.”
     Though this successful business owner and mother of three began with a bridal invitation, she quickly expanded to keep up with customer demand for what she calls the “whole package.” “By this I mean a wedding suite, which includes a save-the-date card; the invitation; a reception, response and direction card; as well as a coordinating thank you note,” explains Stacy. She also offers albums, favors, party and holiday invitations, and more.
     Stacy takes inspiration from every nook and cranny in her life. “It might be one of my daughter's drawings or the rings that my iced coffee leaves on the table. Nothing is off limits,” she says. “I like to think that great design and a good sense of color sets my company apart from others. I love what I do, and I hope to grow the business by providing fresh designs in all of the areas where I see that there is a need.”


Prentiss Douthit
    What makes Prentiss Douthit different from other stationery and invitation designers? He believes in old-school design aesthetics. Prentiss offers flat printed or engraved invitations, but he doesn’t do work on a digital press. “Wedding invitations were always engraved in the past, and we want to keep to the traditional method,” he says.
     Prentiss worked in the advertising business for 10 years before launching his first line of birth announcements in 2002 at the National Stationery Show. “People wanted more, and we grew quickly,” he says. In January, Prentiss moved his business from a spot at Pepper Place to a bigger building just across the street that houses his printing press, assembly room and offices for seven employees, including his wife, plus two dogs. “My design aesthetic has always been clean, sophisticated and simple—but with an edge. We want the bride to be excited,” he says.

  Night Owl Paper Goods
    Night owls Jennifer Tatham and Alan Henderson met at Birmingham’s Slaughter Hanson, working in their respective advertising/design careers by day and teaching themselves how to run a letterpress by night. “At first we designed, printed and assembled cards and invitations for friends and family. Now, we're thrilled to say that our friends and family print and assemble cards for Night Owl Paper Goods,” Jennifer says.
     Inspired by the creations of Swedish and American folk artists, as well as Mother Nature, Jennifer and Alan’s works feature cute critters such as birds, otters and—of course—their signature owls. One of their most popular pieces is the eco-friendly sustainable wood wedding invitation. "Alan was working on an architect's logo identity to include a wood business card," says Jennifer. “And I was concepting a wood direct mail piece for Habit for Humanity." The two talked about their respective projects, and so the wildly popular wedding invitations were born. Now more than 700 stores worldwide carry the pair’s “modern yet folksy” designs.

Fabulous Designs
    Amy Kendrick, new owner of Fabulous Designs, trained under Stacy Claire Boyd before pursuing a career in design and antiques. When she had the opportunity to purchase Fabulous Designs from Beth Picard in August of last year, Amy jumped at the chance. “It would be my greatest dream to be able to grow to be an established and large company like Stacy Claire Boyd,” she says.
     Fabulous Designs carries invitations, holiday cards and stationery lines, including popular wedding items. Amy says her wedding line differs from others in its hands-on construction. “Most of the designs are done using exquisite papers and ribbons that are hand-cut, tied and placed on each piece,” she notes. “My staff is so patient and particular about the exact way the ribbon is to be tied or placed. They are perfectionists in every way.”
      The company also offers a wide range of options, so the bride can design an invitation tailor-made for her event. “We have a large selection of papers, fonts and attachments to choose from,” Amy says.

Just Breathe

Shake your pre-wedding jitters with a calming yoga routine. 

BY DEIDRA WHITFIELD | PHOTO BY ROB CULPEPPER

While the period before you say “I do” can be one of the most exciting times in your life, the endless to-do list filled with appointments and tasks can quickly transform any carefree, blushing bride into an emotional basket case. So we've come bearing two little words of advice: just breathe. After spending time with Suzanne Graham, manager of SoHo-PiYo Yoga Studio in Homewood, we quickly learned that nothing could be more beneficial than breathing deeply and relaxing as anticipation for the big day builds.

increase awareness
Suzanne is a believer in the power of a good inhale-exhale
routine. The most important part of coping with stress, she explains, is breathing. “All too often we take our breath for granted,” she says. “If you’re standing in the checkout line behind the person who can’t seem to find their driver’s license, and you have an appointment in five minutes to pick out invitations, check in with your breathing pattern. Be aware of what’s happening with the tension in your body. It may very well
surprise you.”

Prevent tension
“When we’re stressed, we have a tendency to tighten our jaw muscle,” explains Suzanne.  “This muscle is one of the strongest in the body. As you clench the jaw, you automatically begin to tighten the muscles of the neck, shoulders and back. You then begin contracting your internal organs as well.  All of this is happening and you aren’t even aware of it. If you can become aware of the tension in your body, you can begin to breathe deeply, relax and feel the tension diminish.”

Suzanne recommends working these quick and practical exercises into your daily routine to relieve stress and tension and promote a more relaxing and enjoyable pre-wedding experience. Finally! A task you’ll be happy to tack onto your to-do list.

Exercises
Abdominal breathing technique
Place one hand on your stomach and the other on your chest. As you inhale, feel your stomach rise.  (Your chest should only rise slightly.) As you exhale, the stomach contracts. Either inhale and exhale through the nostrils or inhale through the nostrils and exhale out of the mouth. Quietly focusing on your breathing will not only help you release muscle tension, but also clear your head.

Progressive muscle relaxation sequence
Turn your attention to the body part that you are working on and contract the muscle as tightly as possible for a count of 10. Release and relax the muscle and focus on the tension flowing away from the body part. Notice how it relaxes and becomes limp and loose. Follow this sequence: right foot, left foot, right calf, left calf, right thigh, left thigh, hips and buttocks, stomach, chest, back, right arm and hand, left arm and hand, neck, shoulders and finally, face.

Moving sequence
1. Begin with neutral breathing in Table position (on hands and knees, shoulders aligned and squared)
2. Inhale and roll up into Dog Tilt (still on hands and knees, with abdomen lowered and tailbone raised)
3. Exhale into Cat position (arch back up as far as you can like a scared cat)
4. Inhale into Dog Tilt again
5. Exhale into Downward Facing Dog (body in an inverted “V” shape, buttocks raised)
6. Take 3 breaths and exhale through Table position into Child's Pose in one breath (Knees to floor, abdomen pressed into thighs, forehead to the floor, arms parallel to legs)
7. Inhale into Table and repeat

Legs up the wall (Restorative Posture)
Lie on the ground, hips parallel to the wall, legs stretched up the wall. Perform deep breathing technique, inhaling and exhaling, allowing the stomach to rise and fall. Lie in this position for 10 minutes.  

Half-Moon Pose
Stand with arms over your head. Exhale and lower body to one side. Inhale up, and repeat for opposite side.

 

Ladies Who Lunch
Dress up your outdoor bridesmaids’ luncheon with fine china and all the trimmings.

PRODUCED AND WRITTEN BY ELIZABETH BEELER | STYLED BY NANCY BEELER & MARTHA DAVIES | PHOTO BY EMILY HOOTEN

On your wedding day, the party is all about you. But before you take that stroll down the aisle, be sure to thank the friends and family who will make the day so special. Follow PORTICO’s simple tips to treat your friends to a stylish luncheon that they’ll never forget.

Pick a location.
Whether you choose your backyard or a park setting, select a spot with plenty of shade. Even in nice weather, a hot sun can put a damper on the occasion.

Choose a palette.
For cohesion, it’s best to select a single color and stick within three shades of the chosen hue. A simple scheme allows white, gold and silver accents to blend elegantly. Consider flowers, food, china and accessories before deciding on a color. For this event, we selected shades of pink. From soft, delicate shades to bold, snappy hues, anything goes!

Mix and match.
Similar to decorating a home or putting together an outfit, a tablescape is more interesting when details coordinate but don’t necessarily match. We opted for muted green china and simple porcelain edged in gold, and we varied each setting by combining salad and dinner plates from the two patterns. A similar effect may be achieved by alternating patterns at every other seat. Combining sets is a sensible solution when hosting large parties where the number of guests exceeds the number of plates in a given set. Ask to borrow china from family; your mother, grandmother and sisters will appreciate being included.

Combine formal with fanciful.
While fine china, sterling goblets and floral arrangements lend formality, we kept the overall mood of this soiree light with a few unexpected touches such as the tissue flowers strewn overhead. On the table set for 14, dainty pink champagne flutes complement traditional goblets.

Add personal touches.
We selected white grosgrain frames and used guests' photos in lieu of the standard name card to designate seating. To adorn the bride's chair, we asked the florist to outline the bride’s initial with a laurel of greenery topped with sweetheart roses.

Go all out.
Whether hosting a casual luncheon or something more elaborate, details are key to any successful event. We placed colorful silk petals underfoot to create a soft, welcoming atmosphere. Tablecloths in varying lengths and colors add depth, and satin bows dress up even the most basic chair. Strands of pearls, tantalizing candies and bridesmaids’ gifts wrapped in silver complete this sumptuous tablescape.

Cakes by Teresa Scott
205.356.1749
teresascott123@yahoo.com

Flowers by Flowerbuds
3114 Cahaba Heights Vlg.
Birmingham, AL 35243
205.970.3223
flowerbudsinc.com