Choc Beer Company

In 1903, 11-year old Pietro Piegari traveled with his family from San Gregorio Mango, Italy to the coal mining community of Krebs, Oklahoma.
At age 14, he officially changed his name to Pete Prichard when he signed on to work in the mines.

 

Pete was only 21 years old when a coalmine cave-in injury almost took his life, crushing one of his legs so badly that he was unable to return to work.

 

While taking any odd job to support his family, the enterprising young immigrant came up with the idea of using an Indian Territory recipe to brew a beverage for the coal miners to enjoy in their free time.

 

Pete Prichard soon began making and selling Choc beer from his home. Choc was a home brew recipe passed from the Indians in the territory to the Italian immigrants.

 

Soon, the miners began gathering in Pete's home to buy and drink Choc. It seemed a natural progression for Pete to begin serving food as well.

 

In 1925, Pete officially opened a restaurant in his home. He began his food preparation by fixing lunches for the English, Irish, Scots, Welsh and Italians who swarmed into the area to work in the rich coalmines.

Customers came to "Pete's Place" for homemade spaghetti, meatballs, ravioli, sausage, and other Italian dishes served family-style, often with Choc beer, which was soon outlawed by the federal prohibition act.

Pete eventually expanded his menu, adding salad, lamb fries, veal chicken and steak. And, he began making a red wine, an appropriate beverage for his Italian dishes. Of course, the wine, as well as the Choc beer, violated federal law.

 

Pete's innovation led to trouble during prohibition. He was convicted, not once but twice, for breaking the federal prohibition act. Later, prison officials and politicians objected to his being paroled, based on the fact they never had a better cook behind the walls.

 

During World War II, the generation citizens from nations like Germany and Italy, America's enemies at the time, were not allowed to possess weapons. During that period, Pete had a new challenge: operating an eating establishment with no knives.

 

Area residents also recall, for many years Pete provided a special reward to those who attended Christmas mass. As they came from church after the midnight service, Pete opened his restaurant to serve supper.

In 1964, Pete put on his son Bill in charge of the restaurant operations. Pete himself continued to make ravioli by hand every day to feed an ever-increasing clientele, including U.S. senators, governors, congressmen, legislators, sports and movie stars, and celebrities from every field, many of who sampled the still-illegal home-brewed beer and wine.

 

Although prohibition was repealed in the 1950's home-brewed beverages remained illegal, since they didn't bear the proper stamps. Nevertheless, homemade Choc and wine continued to be available to regular customers at Pete's.

 

In 1995, through tireless efforts on the part of Joe Prichard, the grandson of the founder, Pete's Place reintroduced Choc beer as part of the restaurant's tradition and a "legal" brew for customers.

Despite all the legal trouble over brewing early on, Pete Prichard ended up with the last laugh, as Choc Beer Company continues to grow today.

 

The brewery now produces more than twelve distinct craft brews, several of which are packaged to tell the uniquely American story of Pete Prichard's life. Many brews from Choc Beer Company are special recipes developed to honor friends and family. Styles range from Belgian-style White, Beire de Garde, and the unique Saison, to the classic Choctoberfest and Belgian Dubbel among many others.

 

Keep an eye on Choc Beer Company. This is one story that is just beginning.