The "Heorot: Pub and Draught House" in downtown Muncie serves upa lot of mead, or Guinness if you prefer, but don't dare ask for aBudweiser.
Heorot gets its name from "Beowulf," a Germanic epic usuallyread in high school English class. The story tells of how a warriorfights for the lives of a town.
A character built a mead hall called the Heorot for his warriorsto enjoy, but the drinking hall quickly attracted Grendel, thegrunting, vengeful monster. Beowulf slays Grendel and saves theHeorot and the lives of the good warriors.
This local Muncie drinking hall, however, attractsnonGrendel-like Muncie residents and people looking for a dose ofbeer. The medievel-esque shields, swords, leering Gargoyles andwall-sized, green-fleshed Loch Ness serpent weaving through thewall add to the mystique of this microbrew serving bar.
Perhaps one of the most interesting fixtures at the Heorot,however, is Bob Stephens.
Stephens, wearing dark-tinted eyeglasses, has worked at theHeorot since his nephew, Stan Stephens, opened it approximatelyeight years ago. Bob was in Fort Meyer, Fla., on his boat when hereceived the call on his cell phone from Stan saying he bought abar.
At first, Stephens said the bar looked horrible and needed a lotof work, not to mention electricity.
"My nephew started it from nothing and just built it up,"Stephens said.
He said it was rough leaving his old life at first, but beingable to work closely with his nephew and other family members isworth it.
"I fell in love," Stephens said. "It was a great place. Thecustomers make this bar, no doubt."
Stephens says the Heorot brings something different to Muncie,and everyone is welcome. He said he takes pride in the fact thatthe bar has a family atmosphere free of fights and otherskirmishes.
Stephens said he welcomes all ages and even loves talking to theBall State students who visit.
"I love the students," he said. "I love hearing about theirhopes, plans and everything else."
Students who go to the Heorot can sit down on one of the manybenches, which add to the rustic mead hall d�cor.
Patrons can keep to themselves, play chess with an old buddy orjust breathe in the medieval air and smell the brew.
"You can read a book, play chess, do whatever you want,"Stephens said.
In his spare time, Stephens practices photography and is an avidGrand-Prix fan.
He graduated from Ball State in 1971 with a bachelor's inGeneral Science. Bob goes back to Florida frequently and, at theurging of some of his regular customers, is thinking about startinga photography club in the Muncie community
Heorot regular Maria Taylor summed up Bob's outside interests intwo words: "cars and cameras," she said.
On an average night at the Heorot Stephens said he hears a gamutof interesting conversations, but Stephens said he practices hisown version of a bartender confidentiality agreement. When asked torelay any amusing stories, Stephens declined.
"A bartenders job is not to relate stories he hears," Stephenssaid.
Stephens does not relate his patrons' stories, and he does notserve domestic beer, such as Miller Lite and Budweiser. Instead,the Heorot offers an array of microbrews. Guinness is thebest-selling beer, according to Stephens.
Stephens says they get rid of and add new beers every two tothree weeks. There are approximately 50 beers on tap. Stephens saidhe enjoys introducing the customers to the wide world ofnondomestic beers.
"Surprisingly, it brings people back," Stephens said.
If you're not a beer drinker and want something soft, Stephenssaid Sprechers Root Beer is on tap and very popular fornondrinkers.
According to some of the regulars at the Heorot, Stephens trulycares about the customers and tries hard to remember what peopledrink. He will even pour the beer of your choice before you get achance to sit down if he knows what you usually drink, customerssay.
"I'm treated like family," Shane Taylor, a regular at theHeorot, said.
Some Heorot regulars go out of their way to spend time at thepub.
"If we're going to come from Fort Wayne to drink here, it's gotto be good," Stephen Reuille, another regular at the Heorot,said.
Mitch Wysong, an employee at the Heorot, said the bartenderstake care to make sure each beer is served at the propertemperature and the right glass.
Stephens said he doesn't plan on leaving his job at the Heorotanytime soon. He takes pride in his work and appreciates being ableto help contribute a piece of culture to Muncie.
"At my age, this is more fun than anything else," Stephenssaid.
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