Last week, our investigative journalism expertise peaked as we spent roughly 30 minutes on Google. We were searching for the origins of dropping a pickle spear into a beer. It wasn’t a glamorous or easy gig, but someone had to bear that responsibility. If you have no clue what we’re talking about, read this first.
Then grab a Stag and get ready for chapter 2 as submitted by The Scout regular reader, Blake Essner. He sent in the following message to tell his version of the tale. Take it away, Blake.
“I can tell you all about the Stag and a Pickle.”
As a matter of fact, I was there the day it was created.
It all started at the Kelso Klassic Softball Tournament around 2006. There was a team from New Zealand playing in the tournament that year and they had noticed many of the locals drinking beer from a majestic gold can with an antlered creature on the front. A good friend of mine, Clayton Eftink, was helping describe the taste of Stag and jokingly mentioned, “You know how Corona is served with a lime? We like to drink Stag with a pickle.”
At this point, the Stag and a pickle was merely an idea that had never been tested. Until one hot summer day when Clayton, David Randolph, Tyler Bruce, and I decided we would go to Muddy Waters Bar & Grill (which has since closed) off of 177 and have a jalapeño burger. A few of us decided to have a Stag and this time we would test Clayton’s idea of garnishing it with a pickle. Despite our low expectations, the drink was surprisingly good, and a legend was born.
That fall Dave, who was with us that day, transferred from SEMO to Mizzou. A friend of his (T.J. Bishop) worked at Shakespeare’s Pizza, and when Dave and company would go for pizza they’d order Stag with a pickle. To this day it is still served there.
There you have it, friends.
As Paul Harvey so eloquently put it, “That’s the rest of the story.” Everything Harvey said was eloquent. Of course it was, he was Midwest-made. Just like me. Just like Blake. Just like you.
As much as we downplayed our “investigation,” it is always great to hear a local tale told. And who can tell a better story than us? We, the people. This one has been shared for years, and now you know the rest of the story. We’re not Paul Harvey, but we are all storytellers and we want to tell yours. Join us as we do just that every morning.
This is The Scout. Good day.
