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Boulder's Avery Brewing hosts American Sign Language happy hours - Boulder Daily Camera
This story should have reported that pints of beer are $1 off during the brewery's American Sign Language happy hours.
It started as something of a trade-off: Matt "Truck" Thrall, a brewmaster at Boulder's Avery Brewing Co. Tap Room, was Aaron Potts' and Matt Webster's go-to guy for learning more about beer.
And in exchange, Webster, who was born deaf, and Potts, who lost his hearing at nine months, wound up teaching Thrall how to communicate via American Sign Language -- after growing tired of passing scribbled notes across the bar.
"Although I knew the basic survival words like 'yes,' 'no,' 'water' and 'bathroom,' after a while, I just said, 'I'm going to be slow, but I want to learn sign language,'" Thrall said. "It's one thing I never thought I'd know, and I had a chance to learn it, so why not?"
Earlier this year, the trio decided to turn their Tuesday night beer-and-signing sessions at Avery into a more public event. Every first Tuesday of the month, the Avery Tap Room hosts an American Sign Language happy hour, featuring $1 off pints.
Anyone in the deaf community, even those just learning to sign or interested in the language, is welcome.
And for those really interested in working on their sign language, Potts, Webster and Thrall still meet there every Tuesday -- and encourage others to join them.
"Whenever I see someone on the street signing, I tell them about Avery and tell them if they want to improve their sign to come by," said Potts, who lost his hearing to spinal meningitis and now wears a cochlear implant to help him hear.
The monthly event has drawn enough people that many of Avery's employees now understand and can use some American Sign Language to communicate with their patrons.
"I appreciate Avery and their staff taking the time to learn," Webster said.
The happy hours are advertised via a Facebook group Potts created as well as ColoradoDeaf.com's calendar page. But mostly, beer lovers within the local deaf community have spread the word.
"Once you find out a bit about the deaf community, it's mind-blowing how interlaced it is," said Thrall, who has worked at Avery for seven years.
Willy Moers, an American Sign Language teacher at the University of Colorado, said he often sends his students to Avery's events to interact and be exposed to an active signing culture. Because Avery's Tap Room is not limited to adults over the age of 21, the sign-language happy hours are very much open to the public.
"It's just a very relaxed place to learn," Webster said. "It's good for loosening up and socializing."
As for drawbacks of hosting the sign-language nights, Thrall said there's only one: "the hangovers."
If you go
What: American Sign Language Happy Hour
Where: Avery Brewing Co. Tap Room, 5763 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder
When: 4 to 8 p.m. on the first Tuesday of the month
Etc. There also are informal gatherings every Tuesday
averybrewing.com
This story should have reported that pints of beer are $1 off during the brewery's American Sign Language happy hours.
It started as something of a trade-off: Matt "Truck" Thrall, a brewmaster at Boulder's Avery Brewing Co. Tap Room, was Aaron Potts' and Matt Webster's go-to guy for learning more about beer.
And in exchange, Webster, who was born deaf, and Potts, who lost his hearing at nine months, wound up teaching Thrall how to communicate via American Sign Language -- after growing tired of passing scribbled notes across the bar.
"Although I knew the basic survival words like 'yes,' 'no,' 'water' and 'bathroom,' after a while, I just said, 'I'm going to be slow, but I want to learn sign language,'" Thrall said. "It's one thing I never thought I'd know, and I had a chance to learn it, so why not?"
Earlier this year, the trio decided to turn their Tuesday night beer-and-signing sessions at Avery into a more public event. Every first Tuesday of the month, the Avery Tap Room hosts an American Sign Language happy hour, featuring $1 off pints.
Anyone in the deaf community, even those just learning to sign or interested in the language, is welcome.
And for those really interested in working on their sign language, Potts, Webster and Thrall still meet there every Tuesday -- and encourage others to join them.
"Whenever I see someone on the street signing, I tell them about Avery and tell them if they want to improve their sign to come by," said Potts, who lost his hearing to spinal meningitis and now wears a cochlear implant to help him hear.
The monthly event has drawn enough people that many of Avery's employees now understand and can use some American Sign Language to communicate with their patrons.
"I appreciate Avery and their staff taking the time to learn," Webster said.
The happy hours are advertised via a Facebook group Potts created as well as ColoradoDeaf.com's calendar page. But mostly, beer lovers within the local deaf community have spread the word.
"Once you find out a bit about the deaf community, it's mind-blowing how interlaced it is," said Thrall, who has worked at Avery for seven years.
Willy Moers, an American Sign Language teacher at the University of Colorado, said he often sends his students to Avery's events to interact and be exposed to an active signing culture. Because Avery's Tap Room is not limited to adults over the age of 21, the sign-language happy hours are very much open to the public.
"It's just a very relaxed place to learn," Webster said. "It's good for loosening up and socializing."
As for drawbacks of hosting the sign-language nights, Thrall said there's only one: "the hangovers."
If you go
What: American Sign Language Happy Hour
Where: Avery Brewing Co. Tap Room, 5763 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder
When: 4 to 8 p.m. on the first Tuesday of the month
Etc. There also are informal gatherings every Tuesday
averybrewing.com
Awesome!!
