"lazy magnolia brewing company" news and stories

Compared to the lush Pacific Northwest and Midwest, the South is a veritable craft-brew desert. Nonetheless, in recent years numerous microbreweries have made inroads into the land of lagers, like Kiln, Mississippi's Lazy Magnolia Brewing Company. It's the state's first -- and still its best -- microbrewery.

Since its 2003 founding, husband-and-wife owners Mark and Leslie Henderson (she's the brewer) have focused on beers employing distinctly Southern ingredients. The silky Jefferson Stout is formulated with sweet potatoes, while the refreshing and lightly sweetened Southern Gold incorporates local honey.

"The South joined the craft-beer revolution pretty late, so many ingredients available here have never been tried in beers," Leslie explains -- notably that of the pecan, which has become Lazy Magnolia's finest muse -- once Leslie cleared a tricky hurdle.