Jen and Jake Duensing are the big-hearted brewers who brought Great Escape to life. They met freshman year at Mizzou and spent most of college trying out different beers together and comparing tasting notes.
Jake wasn’t even a teenager when he brewed his first beer. The curious 12-year-old learned the chemistry of beer using a kit his sister gave him. His interest in science led him to medical school, but Jake decided he wasn’t cut out for a doctor’s life after just a year.
The Duensings moved to Boulder, Colorado, where Jake delved into homebrewing. There, the couple also began a tradition of either bringing craft beer with them on their outdoor adventures or visiting a brewery afterward.
At Jen’s urging, Jake started working at a brewery, starting on the canning line and eventually becoming head brewer. Even after spending time at a brewery in Washington state, Jake credits Colorado as the main influence in his brewing style—a style the Duensings brought to Springfield when they moved back to Missouri in 2017 to open a brewery.
Now parents to three kids, the Duensings love all the Ozarks have to offer their family when it comes to hiking, biking and camping. They found their escape and invite you to find yours. So pull up a barstool and try something new. There’s a whole wide world of beer to explore.