By JAMES BELL
Hays Post
A local hotspot that has received national attention over the last few years will celebrate a significant milestone Thursday as Gella’s Diner and Lb. Brewing Co., 117 E. 11th, will officially recognize 10 years in business.
Over the years, the diner has been the recipient of numerous awards and was even listed as the “one thing to do in Kansas” by Huffington Post. But for anyone that has frequented the establishment, it doesn’t come as surprise as online reviews can attest.
While the food and service is noteworthy, the success of the establishment has no doubt been in part due to the quality of beer produced in-house and that can only be bought in the location.
Gerald Wyman has been the brewmaster at the location since before it was open.
“Hays was ready for it,” he said about the opening of the location in 2005. “It’s our 10-year anniversary. It’s kind of a big deal.”
When Wyman arrived, he was no stranger to brewing beer, and many of the award-winning brews served at Gella’s evolved from his recipes, but he is insistent that beer be brewed in a way that drinkers will expect what the drink will taste like before ordering.
“All the beers I brought here evolved from my home-brewing recipes,” he said. “You drink a beer you really like and then you clone it, but the way you do that, you clone it to the style.”
“I’m very passionate about brewing beer to style,” Wyman said.
This creates a consistency in the product and in combination with a detailed process has helped keep customers coming back year after year.
“It’s pretty much a given how things will turn out,” he said adding, “attention to detail through the brewing process, in my opinion, (is) incredibly important.”
Cleanliness and purity also weigh heavily on the final product.
“When you drink a pint of Lb. beer, it’s as pure as I can possibly make it,” Wyman said. “That makes a better tasting beer.”
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From his home-brew beginnings, Wyman has adapted the brew house at Lb. to be an expanded version of what he already knew, but expansion is still possible.
“After 10 years, it’s just an overgrown home-brew system,” Wyman said, however the brew house has not yet reached peak capacity.
“That’s always been one of my goals to, to get the brew house to capacity,” he said.
While the success of the establishment has been driven by local interest, an expanding craft beer market has helped as well.
“I’m really happy with the way everybody in Kansas went to craft beer,” Wyman said. “It’s like people really want a beer with more flavor and more to it. It’s so much more than your commercial lagers.”
In celebration of the anniversary Thursday night, Gella’s will offer some special features, but much like the low-key rustic design of the building and the humble nature of the staff, the event will be subtle.
“At 8:30 p.m. is when the music starts, and then we are doing a toast with the staff and whoever’s here to 10 years and then be serving complimentary anniversary cake,” said Derrick Broeckelman, front of house manager, who has been with the restaurant for seven years.
Jessica Paige, who plays frequently at the establishment, will be the musician of the night.
As with any new restaurant, getting established took some time, but Broeckelman said management and staff have worked hard over the years to continuing improving.
“I know since I’ve got here, it’s been nothing but progression,” he said. “Every day, we’re just doing more to make it better.”
But the establishment has had plenty of help with notoriety.
“I guess it’s surprising when we started gaining popularity,” Broeckelman said. That popularity came from all over including magazine features, favorable online reviews and awards from national beer competitions. That popularity has created a spot where people from all over come to find great beer and local food.
“It is surprising when you walk down and see how many different people are here at the restaurant from all over the country. Not only just all over the country, but all over the world,” Broeckelman said.
“I just think it’s great how we are celebrating 10 years. Not only have we been in business, but to be a downtown business and really just help try to be that cornerstone business of downtown and bring people down here to eat and shop and see a different side of Hays than you may see from the interstate or from a highway traveling through and to see that small-town charm that we are trying to develop here in downtown,” he said.