Last Flight Brewing
Company takes beer brewing
to new heights with
unbeatable craftsmanship
and beverage flavors.

Last Flight Brewing Company officially opened its doors in 2021 after cousins Jared and Mark Cowley decided to try something new and give the brewing industry a shot. The two had previously worked for their family’s magazine distribution business until it sold in 2019. 

“We both had desk jobs,” Jared Cowley says. “I was an HR guy, and Mark was kind of the same thing. We had a choice to go get a job for somebody else or try and go out on our own.” 

At the time, Jared had already been home brewing as a hobby for several years and felt there was an opportunity to take advantage of the craft beer market in Jefferson City. 

“Cities this size in states out west typically have four or five breweries, and people support all of them,” Jared says. “So, we thought we’d try and give it a shot, go out on our own, do something we think is fun, and make something the community can enjoy.” 

As Jefferson City’s only standalone brewery, Last Flight Brewing Company boasts an impressive and carefully crafted menu of 24 rotating taps. From fan favorites like JC Lager, Raspberry Pie in the Sky Sour, and Hummingbird Seltzer to darker beers like Helen the Owl Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout and the Three Story Coffee Porter, everyone is sure to find something. 

The brains behind the brews are their crew of beer brewers, including Will Cooper, who works with the beer-making process step by step. 

“There are four main ingredients in beer making: water, barley, hops, and yeast,” Will says. “That’s where most everything about beer starts.” 

To begin making beer, malted barley is mixed with hot water to make what’s called a mash. Other combinations of grain, like corn, wheat, or rice, can also be used. The mash sits for about an hour, allowing the starches from the grain to convert into fermentable sugars. This process creates a sugary liquid known as wort, which is then filtered and separated from the grain and transferred into a brew kettle. Next, the wort is boiled, and hops are added for the first time. 

The hops are added at different intervals to extract aroma, bitterness, and flavor. Expressed in international bitterness units (IBUs), hops added when the wort begins to boil contribute more bitterness to a beer while hops added later give more flavor and aroma. 

“So, we thought we’d try and give it a shot, go out on our own, do something we
think is fun, and make something the community can enjoy.”

Jared Cowley

The more IBUs you have, the more bitter your beer is,” Will explains. “IPAs are going to have very high IBUs. They can range anywhere from 40 to 80, 90, or even 100 for your double imperial IPAs. Lagers have lower IBUs, somewhere around 20 or less.” 

After boiling, the wort is rapidly cooled and put into a fermenting tank with brewer’s yeast. This is where the real magic happens. The yeast works to release carbon dioxide and convert the sugars in the wort into alcohol, making beer. 

Additional ingredients are often added at this point to give the beer its unique flavor before it is chilled, carbonated, and ready to tap. Customers will recognize familiar tastes in Last Flight Brewing Company’s beers because they enjoy replicating flavors people already know and love, like coffee, chocolate, vanilla, s’mores, peach, blueberry, raspberry, and even Sour Patch Kids candy. Their sour pie series mimics desserts like cherry, raspberry, and Key lime pie. 

“People are very familiar with pie as a dessert, so if we can make a beer have some of those flavor notes, it will make it more approachable and appealing,” Will says. 

From the brew kettles to the taproom, the entire process can take as little as two weeks or up to three or four, depending on the style of beer and how long it takes to ferment. Whether it’s an IPA, ale, or even a seltzer, each batch is made with care, quality, and a lot of creativity. Just ask any of the bartenders, and they’ll gladly provide details about the drinks.

“That’s one of the joys of coming to a brewery taproom like this,” Will says. “A lot of people you see here have a hand in making the product and can explain it to you, which makes it fun.”

 Craft beer is a craft indeed, and it’s something that Last Flight Brewing Company loves to share with the community. It’s the perfect gathering spot to meet up with friends or bring the whole family. Don’t hesitate to stop by and see what’s brewing!

TRY IT! CITY Selzer is now on tap. Perfectly light and invigorating, this white peach seltzer bursts the sweetness of sun-ripened peaches in every sip. Bonus: It’s gluten-free!