Buzzed IN: Flat12 Bierwerks’ Erik Fox, AKA EZ

Buzzed IN: Flat12 Bierwerks’ Erik Fox, AKA EZ

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By Sarah Burns for Indiana On Tap

I know you all have been chomping at the bit to read my next Buzzed IN Q&A. Don’t worry my friends, I have a good one for you: this time around I interviewed Erik Fox, a brewer at Flat12. . When you go into Flat12. to gaze at Erik’s long eyelashes (mentioned in this interview), do not ask for Erik. No one will know who you are talking about and they’ll look at you like you’re a stupid idiot (been there). He simply goes by EZ.

My interview with Erik was very in depth and thought provoking. What an insightful guy. I never knew there were so many life lessons to be learned from “The Muppets.”

Me (S):  So, what would you say your most feminine quality is?

Erik (E):  My most feminine quality… My wife says it’s my eyelashes. I think I have naturally long eyelashes… I do like “The Notebook” a lot though… That and “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.”  Very good movie.

S:  What’s your go to karaoke song and this was submitted by @thedumpbuckets?

E:  Awesome. My go to karaoke song is Garth Brooks’ “Rodeo.”  It’s one of my favorite songs. It’s off that album Rope in the Winds. It’s the first CD I ever bought when I was in third grade I think. Uh, I sang “The River…”

S:  By Bruce Springsteen (leave it to me to think everyone loves The Boss as much as I do)?

E:  Uh, no. By Garth Brooks. It might have been a cover. I’m not sure. I sang that for my talent show in third grade in elementary school. I found that no matter what place I’m at, and if I sing a Garth Brooks song, it instantly just breaks me. Everyone gets so pumped.

S:  To Garth?

E:  Yeah!  Everyone loves Garth!  So I go with that. I’ve done Hall and Oats “Rich Girl” before. I like that a lot or “Scar Tissue” Red Hot Chili Peppers. That’s a fun one. I think, yeah, Garth Brooks is my just go to. It’s always a fun time. We went to DJ’s Lounge there in Fountain Square last year and a buddy of mine sang some Conway Twitty, another guy did Fat Bottom Girls by Queen…I did Garth and it was just a hit. Everyone loved it. It’s a good song. There’s a lot of truth to it.

S: I’m going to have to look that song up because I don’t know that I’ve seen it or heard it and link it to this interview.

E:  Oh, please do. There might be some videos of me floating around.

S:  My mandatory beer question or brewing question: how do you get rid of the stench that lives inside your brew boots? That was submitted by Johnny Chimpo. His Twitter name is not appropriate to publish.

E: (Erik says said inappropriate name and tells me he works at Flat12 now) I might have to ask him the same question ‘cause his are always stinkin’ I can smell them all the way around the room now too. I’ve used odor eaters before. That didn’t do anything. I’ve used mink oil on my boots to keep the water and the stench out and that didn’t work. It’s almost like brewing indoors, there’s no way to get rid of it I found. You have to accept that it’s what your feet smell like. I don’t know, maybe pouring beer on it?  That might just make it worse.

S:  Did your wife know when she married you that your feet were going to be, like, forever disgustingly smelly?

E:  Actually, I hope that she did. Maybe just kind of looked past that fault.

S:  Even if you wash your feet, it’s still there?

E: Well, sometimes. You can wash your feet but it’s just going to come back the next day. It’s a never ending struggle. I don’t know. Maybe I should put some chamomile thing in my boots that I wear. I don’t think there really is a solution to smelly feet brew day boots. (4:09)

S:  How do you feel about bowling shirts?  Greg from Deviate wants to know because I’m trying to push him on getting bowling shirts made for their brewery and he’s like, “No one likes bowling shirts,” and I’m like, “I beg to differ.”

E:  I think bowling shirts are appropriate in certain situations. Obviously, bowling…

S:  Yes


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E:  That brings to mind, two years ago for Summerfest, a microbrewers fest, we did a bowling theme and we had bowling shirts and we had ten pins, uh different beer. We also had a bowling pin costume on. So, that was appropriate. So, I had a gold chain and my hair slicked back. I was trying to be like John Tuturro in the Big Lebowski. But other than that, I don’t know. I wore bowling shirts in junior high with dragons and flames on them. 

S:  Sweet.

E:  Yeah. I would say I could be very pro bowling shirt if it’s appropriate. Maybe, if you’re the band Lit and you’re doing covers of “My Own Worst Enemy” that would be very appropriate because it’s a bowling music video. Also one of my go to karaoke songs.

S:  So, like, if you were to buy a shirt from a brewery and it had a brewery logo on it and it was a bowling shirt what would you think about that?

E:  I guess it might be a fine line. I mean, is it a work shirt or a bowling shirt?

S:  No, it’s a bowling shirt.

E:  Ok. Straight up bowling shirt.

S:  I mean, it’s a button up shirt with a collar. It could be a work shirt but it is a bowling shirt.

E:  That’s a good point (Thank you). If it’s a brewery bowling shirt, yeah, I’d buy it (told you so Greg). You could make it a bowling shirt or a work shirt or if you work in a bowling alley, it’s a two in one deal.

S:  Well, I just need to make a note verbally for this recording that I did not pay you or persuade you either way to agree with me in this question.

E:  Anything the Deviate boys tell me to do, I’ll do.

S:  Ok, let’s see. One more. Which Muppet, this is a @dumpbuckets question, would be the best wingman at a bar (here’s where it gets deep)?

E:  I would say Dr. Teeth.

S:  Who’s that!?

E: Dr. Teeth. He’s the band leader of The Electric Mayhem. He’s got the gold tooth.

S:  I was totally thinking Animal.

E:  Animal could actually work in your favor. Because he’d be the silent Wild Card where he would freak everybody out and then people would gravitate toward you because you’d be the normal one.

S:  But he also might scare people away which would be good but Kermit is really sensitive so he might draw people…

E:  I might recant that statement. I’m gonna probably say Rolph. I remember him from the first Muppets movie, he played the piano, I don’t remember what scene he shows up in in the movie, but he talks about at the end of the day, all he wants to do is go home and crack open a cold beer and kind of relax. He would be, like, the perfect wingman for anything really. He’s always down to clown, down to chill.

S:  You guys could be best friends.

E:  Exactly. If you needed him to take one for the team, I think he would really be all about it because he understands the greater role. Dr. Teeth would be good for… He’s more of a reserved Animal. He’s got the band. You could say, “I know this band,” and it works out in your favor.

S:  I am so glad I asked you that question because I don’t think anyone else would have had as much Muppet knowledge as you.

E:  I love the Muppets.

S:  They’re awesome!

E:  I’ve got all the seasons of the early, of the original “Muppet Show.”  Muppets are great. They answer all of the questions you ever have about life.

S:  How do you feel about Miss Piggy?

E:  Miss Piggy?  Eh, she’s ok. I feel like she’s a little too overdramatic at times. But, she’s a really good opposite to Kermit and that’s how really good relationships work. Opposites attract. You kind of push and pull and you make compromises for each other…  She’s definitely out of Kermit’s league but it kind of gives hope for other dudes that you could win the girl of your dreams over. I’m all about it. There’s a lot more depth to her I think than people give her credit.

I’ll never watch “The Muppets” the same again. I will always be looking for glimpses of life’s truths. Thanks EZ for the wisdom. When you decide to go chat him up at Flat12, make sure you take your Tasting Society Marketplace certificate with you for $2 towards the purchase of a growler fill. Until next time… Cheers!


3 Comments
  • Mr. Banks
    Posted at 12:27h, 10 November Reply

    LOL…this had me laughing. Bravo. Amazing beer at Flat12.

  • Johnny Chimpo
    Posted at 14:50h, 12 November Reply

    @punchdaTaint

  • Sarah
    Posted at 06:08h, 13 November Reply

    Thanks for clarifying Johnny 😉

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