Clan Ironstout

Among the finest Brews in Khaz Modan!

## Description

Clan Ironstout is a small brewing Clan in Ironforge. The clan is young, only consisting of three generations of primarily traditional Bronzebeard brewers.

## Holdings

Clan Ironstout's holdings in Ironforge consist of a Brewery in the Commons, only a few meters from the Mystic Ward; a small Hearth in the Mystic Ward, a large wagon called The Traveling Tankard, and a sizable, yet portable festival tent.

## History

### Founding of the Clan

Delkas Ironstout is the patriarch of the clan. Born to a Wildhammer father, and a Bronzebeard mother, he grew up in what is now referred to as the Twilight Highlands, in the small village of Thundermar. Upon the death of the High King, Modimus Anvilmar, his clan was torn apart by unrest caused by the War of the Three Hammers.
As he was too young to fight for a faction, and too torn by his lineage to choose one, he and his mother escaped to the safety of Ironforge. He spent his younger years not knowing his father, who perished during the civil war. His mother and he were seen as outcasts to other Bronzebeard dwarves, so they dropped their original clan name for an alias. Ever since, their lives were simple and low-key. They lived out their day-to-day as she educated her son, and he formed into a passionate, yet somewhat rebellious young adult. Sadly, she passed away before seeing the seeds of her labor bear fruit.

Once Delkas had tasted good brew for the first time, his passion found direction. He apprenticed under the Barleybrew clan of brewers in Brewnall for nearly a century before growing restless and attempting life out on his own. Though his brews did not compare to that of his adoptive clan's, he toiled away, attempting to make a name for himself.

Eventually, Delkas' brews started to become popular to a small crowd. He had no name for his brews, so he adopted one based of off his first successful original recipie, Iron Stout. From that day forward, he tossed his past aside, taking on the name Ironstout, and marketing his brews through that name.

Eventually, Delkas met a Bronzebeard alchemist, only slightly younger than himself, who shared in his passion for brewing. Baerra Firestein worked with Delkas, reveling in her joy of chemistry to help perfect his brews. Over years of working together, the two fell in love and forged the Iron Band, thus establishing Clan Ironstout. They purchased a moderately sized Hearth in Ironforge, utilizing the large cellar as their brewery.

### Buying a Brewery

The pair had three sons. The eldest, Eldann, perished valorously in battle. The middle son, Altherius fought in the same war, returning not quite the same. Instead of taking up the family name, he became estranged only popping up on rare occasions but remaining mostly a mystery. The youngest son, Alberich, took up the family business, despite having been conscripted into various wars throughout the ages.
Retiring from his post in the military, Alberich's curiosity for brewing legends he heard while abroad developed into a wanderlust, sending him all over Azeroth on wild ale-soaked adventures. In his travels, he learned of rare recipes, found the best ingredients, and learned how to brew from various intelligent cultures, taking a little information away from each journey and applying it to his technique. The small crowd that enjoyed the brewery's concoctions grew significantly with each new recipe, and eventually, Alberich was able to purchase a low-end brewery in Ironforge's Commons district. This brewery remains as the Clan's place of business to this day.

Alberich eventually forged the Iron Band with Helja Stormpike, a lass he met on one of his adventures, and the two birthed a daughter, Bathildis Ironstout.

### Falling out of Favor

Ironstout Brewery began to suffer when Alberich went missing for four years, leaving Delkas and Helja to try to keep up with orders with only a few hired hands. It wasn't until Delkas' granddaughter, Bathildis, stepped up to run the Brewery, that it began seeing a renaissance of sorts, once again emerging into the public eye.

### Resurgence

Bathildis Ironstout had her hands full. Her mother was a warrior, and her Grandfather was entering into senility in his old age. Without Alberich around, they were having a lot of trouble keeping the Brewery afloat. Whenever possible, Bath intervened with one task or another over the course of a year until eventually she was doing almost everything herself. From running deliveries, to kegging the beers, to eventually taking over brewing, she found her stride, and ran with it. She was an expert having apprenticed nearly fifty years of her life; however, she discovered that it was different under supervision versus fending for herself.

### Prosperity

Despite the tragic death of Helja to a Horde assault in the Hinterlands, Bathildis brought the brewery back into the lime-light after years of hard work and unrelenting devotion to her craft. Under Bathildis' supervision, Ironstout beer was well known to both the Alliance and the Horde, finding its way to distribution all over the Eastern Kingdoms, and occasionally on a ship bound for Kalimdor. Even after Alberich's return from captivity, he was so impressed with his daughter's work, that he stepped aside to continue his adventuring and allow her to run the brewery.

### Brewfest

Over a century after the founding of the Brewery, Clan Ironstout was finally invited to participate in the prestigious festival - Brewfest. With a few helpful volunteers, Bathildis Ironstout seldom left the tent, handing out beers, and leading patrons in drinking contests, ram-races, and more!

It was at this festival that Clan Ironstout finally gained some significant renown among the peoples of the Alliance. As of right now, it is believed that Clan Ironstout will remain a regular installment at Brewfest. According to Bathildis, after seven years of consistent attendance, they are counting on it.

### Alliance Brewer's Guild

In the year 32, Bathildis gathered together various Brewers, Distillers, and Tavern-owners throughout the Alliance, and formed an organization called the Alliance Brewer's Guild. Members of the Guild were allowed special perks at guild-run festivals, as well as exclusive rights to special meet-ups, training and share sessions, and the right to distribute other member's goods at their establishments. Unfortunately, due to lack of involvement from various member-groups, this project did not last.

### Ironforge Craft Fest

Bathildis, on top of running the Alliance Brewer's Guild, also formed a council of volunteers focused on running a seasonal festival around the Great Forge of Ironforge. The festival, coined the Ironforge Craft Fest, was created to feature various local businesses from around Khaz Modan, and to invite tourism within the mountain in an effort to boost the local economy.
Though her duties became too much to handle, she was able to peacefully step down from her position as organizer to focus on her Brewery and the Battlestein Company (her guild). After running the Craft Fest for five years, Clan Ironstout will always be associated with this seasonal event's history as it's new organizers continue to grow its success.

### Brewfest Benefit Bash

On her seventh year running her clan's tent at Brewfest, Bathildis joined with other organizers to create the Brewfest Benefit Bash. For one weekend, Brewfest doubles in size with all proceeds and sales contributing to charity. Both members of the Alliance and the Horde formed together just outside the official Brewfest grounds to share their culture and celebrate what they hold in common.

## Beer List

Below is a list of all Ironstout Beers, past and current.