F.L.O.P.S was founded on April 4th, 1993 by Dr. John R Griffiths. “Dr. John” was a professor in the Department of Geology at The University of Arkansas, at a time when home brewing was just becoming legal in Arkansas (SENATE BILL 636 was signed into law on 4/10/1995).
Our Dear Departed founder’s Biography (as it appeared in 1995)
John Griffiths, a proud Welshman transplanted via Australia and Canada to Fayetteville, Arkansas, and is a founding member and the Primary Fermentor (President) of FLOPS (Fayetteville Lovers of Pure Suds), the second-oldest home brew club in Arkansas. He has been a home brewer for seven years, largely self-taught in the days before he met other home brewers and organized FLOPS. His all-grain beers have won over a dozen awards in local, regional, and national competitions, and he has formulated and brewed a “guest” 10-barrel batch of “Dr. John’s Magic Stout” at the Ozark Brewing Company in Fayetteville.
“Dr. John” was also published in Zumurgy (” Zymurgy Vol. 18 No.4 (1995) 58-62) in “The Great Grain Issue (Special Issue)“, where he discussed Single Step Infusion Techniques. The pre-published transcript of the article can be found HERE. His Zymurgy articles can also be found below:
| Title | Author | Subject | Issue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weizenbock #112 | Griffiths | Homebrew Recipes | Spring 1996 (Volume 19, Issue 1) |
| Single Step Infusion Techniques | Griffiths | Mashing | Special 1995 (Volume 18, Issue 4) |
| India Pale Ale | Griffiths | Homebrew Recipes | Special 1995 (Volume 18, Issue 4) |
For a glimpse into the early years of the club you can view the first Flops Newsletters: