Downtown Cape Girardeau craft breweries form 'Beermuda Triangle'

Beer and charity are coming together in downtown Cape Girardeau to create what is being called "Beermuda Triangle", a play on words that started as a nickname by three craft brewers and has blossomed into a fundraising project.

Craft brewers Minglewood Brewery, Ebb & Flow Fermentations and Many Good Things Brewing make up the trio.

They've teamed up to help raise money for local not-for-profit organizations.

Charity choices

• Minglewood Brewery, 121 Broadway, is supporting the Aslinger Foundation, which helps support individuals with disabilities who wish to further their education.
• Ebb & Flow Fermentations, 11 S. Spanish St., is donating to Mac's Mission, a small rescue center for dogs requiring immediate medical attention.
• Many Good Things Brewing, 121 N. Water St., is fundraising for Southeast Missouri Pets, formerly known as Humane Society of Southeast Missouri.

Conception

Ray Perez, co-owner and brewer at Many Good Things, credits himself and Andrew Stewart, fellow co-owner and brewer, with creating the idea.

Perez said Many Good Things was the third craft brewery to be opened in downtown Cape Girardeau, and when Stuart Matthews, owner of Minglewood, visited one day, Perez and Stewart pitched the notion to him.

Trevor Camp, general manager of Ebb & Flow, credits Matthews with helping to create a promotional T-shirt.

Camp said that Matthews recruited individuals to create the shirt's design and organized meetings to choose colors and other elements.

The T-shirts depict a pirate map connecting Minglewood, Ebb & Flow and Many Good Things into a "Beermuda Triangle" shape.

Benefits

"Five dollars of every shirt purchased goes directly to whatever charity the business you buy it from is supporting," Camp said.

Camp said he learned charity is an important part of being involved in the local community.

"You have to support the community around you if you expect them to support you," he said.

Camp said the three breweries wanted the shirts to appeal to people who visit Cape Girardeau on weekends to aid in advertising the downtown brewing scene.

"There's somebody not from Cape Girardeau walking around wearing a T-shirt telling all their friends and neighbors how cool of a beer scene Cape has," Camp said. "If we can turn that as a way to help our community, even better."

Stewart said having numerous craft breweries in the downtown Cape Girardeau area has actually helped make the Beermuda Triangle a tourist destination, adding the appeal of visiting multiple breweries is better than just having one in town.

Camp opined the craft brewing industry is one of the friendliest he's ever worked in and that all three craft breweries in downtown Cape Girardeau enjoy helping one another — while also offering different styles of craft beer.

Stewart and Perez encourage individuals to take time to visit each of the three.

"We all do something a little bit different, so it's a reason to see what each brewery brings to the community," Perez said.

Camp said the best ways for people to help their selected charities are to purchase a shirt or to get involved with the organizations directly.

"Buy the shirts, and rep them. Ultimately, if the charities are [ones] you truly believe in, you know, donate directly to the charities if possible," Camp said. "And if you don't have money to donate, donate [your] time."

Beermuda Triangle T-shirts are available for purchase upon request during business hours inside Minglewood, Ebb & Flow and Many Good Things.

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