As if you needed another reason to swing by the Fernweh taproom, you have to see our new, giant bell. And maybe even get a chance to ring it.
A little back story before we tell you how you can try it out: In its former life, the bell was an ammonia tank. It was no longer usable as a tank and was headed to the scrap yard when artist and craftsman Michael Correll rescued it.
For more than thirty years, Michael made bells of all sizes through his company Metal Art Bells, Inc. We’re lucky that we found Michael when we did, because the Utepils bell is one of the last bells Michael ever made. We’re honored to be a part of this incredible tradition of recycling something deemed unusable into awesome art.
Utepils owner Dan Justesen experienced one of these bells at the home of a friend, though this bell was on a much smaller scale. True to his “go big or go home” philosophy, Dan decided to commission a bell worthy of the grand space in the Fernweh taproom.
Our new tradition: Each day, the person who purchases the first beverage will be able to ring the bell to signal the taproom’s formal opening. It’s like getting to kick off trading at the New York Stock Exchange, except with beer. (Or one of our non-alcoholic drinks—kids can ring the bell too!)
At the end of each day, we ring the bell to announce last call for growlers and last call for pints. We’re sure we’ll find other occasions to use it because, well, it’s really fun to ring.
