A sense of humping-camel place.

Local free lance writer (and pub regular) Amanda Arnold has given me permission to publish this essay, which she wrote recently for submission to a magazine. It was not published there, and so now it is published here. Thanks to Amanda for her work; she's been a good friend to us for a very long time.

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For some time, I have been what one would call a regular at the New Albanian Brewing Company that is tucked away in a small, no-frills shopping area in Southern Indiana. While the establishment serves half a dozen or more of its own brews, 40 guest taps and 300 bottled selections, that is only just one lure of the place.

The New Albanian Brewing Company is of course a bar, but because of close friendships, great conversations held on comfortable couches and the epiphanies one may have while creating written work, this “bar” is more appropriately defined as a pub. I call it such because based on my perception and of other patrons, this is how my “sense of place” relates to the New Albanian Brewing Company.

“In churchy terms, it’s the fellowship that good beer lubricates. I like that the pub feels like it's ‘mine’ since I've been going up there since 1994. I know so many others have that feeling too,” said pub regular Ronnie Dreistadt.

We create our sense of place through our perception and how we communicate and assign labels to what makes the space into our reality. One aspect that is often communicated within a commercial space is the decor chosen by the proprietor, which the patrons may share the same opinion, or interpret it completely different. If the establishment is lacking in creative detail, the public may not be as interested in visiting.

The walls within the New Albanian Brewing Company are dressed eclectically with music memorabilia and international pieces that depicts beer-inspired art, historic events and some are of a Communist nature displayed in what patrons call the “Red Room.” This is Roger Baylor’s, co-owner, New Albanian Brewing Company, way to encourage conversation.

“Because many of these items were chosen intentionally so as to foster thought and discussion, there is a sense of the pub as a place for thinking as well as drinking – the poor man’s university, as some have said,” said Baylor.

Also on the wall, directly below several diplomas belonging to some regulars is the framed cover of The Economist, September 10, 1994: The Camel-Humping Issue, which has been a topic of discussion about economic issues for Dreistadt, and other regulars since it was displayed on the wall over a decade ago.

“The camel cover struck me as both humorous, and as a good way to make people aware of The Economist’s existence,” said Baylor.

Baylor added that he often hears a reaction, and the reaction is sometimes similar.

“They respond to the camel-humping aspect first, and then often ask, “what’s The Economist?” When I’m around, it’s a question that I’m happy to answer,” said Baylor, who also keeps a stack of past issues available for patrons to read.

With this in mind, one could consider the New Albanian Brewing Company as more of a pub, as it may serve as a pseudo university where patrons learn about fine beer and worldly issues. Therefore, perhaps the next time you are in the Louisville-metro area, you might consider visiting it too.