About Us...

A Short History of FOSSILS

A series written by Roger A. Baylor, President-for-Life Emeritus.

There hasn't been time to write for a while, so until such a time as
this history can be carried forward, here's what we have.

Introduction: "What Is It with You Guys, Anyway?"

The five-year anniversary of the Fermenters of Special Southern
Indiana Libations Society on September 30, 1995 is an appropriate time
for a retrospective. The group has changed much in this time, and
many current members who weren't around in the beginning might be
interested to learn something about the club's origins. I began by
assembling all 60 issues of Walking the Dog, and immediately I was
struck by the notion that our newsletter has evolved into a
substantial body of work. The newsletter has been my responsibility
since the beginning, and with the exception of the issues edited by
Barry Sears during my stay in Slovakia, I've edited them all.
Naturally, any attempted survey of FOSSILS history must lean heavily
on the words found in Walking the Dog, and numerous excerpts are
included in the following. These are supplemented by information
found in our admittedly scattershot archives, which are composed of
four large cardboard file boxes, and with my running (and sometimes
stumbling) commentary. The intent is to recount the things we've done
and the times we've had, and to interpret these in the light of the
perspective that I hope we've gained after five years of manning the
revolutionary ramparts -- not that the revolution was so clearly
defined for us in the beginning, but the glimmer was there all along.
Much will be omitted, but I hope that this is only temporary, as I
hope to incorporate personal recollections and testimonials in future
installments of this story. I've always wanted to write a book, and
in the story of FOSSILS there is plenty enough to prompt such an
undertaking. Thousands of words, thousands of beers ... sounds like
an epic to me. My immediate advice to my readers, most of whom
weren't around in the beginning, is to pour a beer, find a comfortable
spot for reading and enjoy the ride.

Part 1: Beginnings in 1990 to July, 1991

Part 2: August, 1991 to February, 1992; "Truth, Righteousness and
Common Sense Will Be Our Banner"

Part 3: February, 1992 to November, 1992; "We Can Preach, Teach, Brew
and Bash All At Once."