Mississippi

See which of the state’s breweries was named the best in Mississippi

Published

2 years ago

May 2, 2024

See which of the state’s breweries was named the best in Mississippi

If you’re looking for a good craft beer brewed in Mississippi, you may not have to look far. With roughly 20 brewers in the state, your chances are good.

Finding the best beers in the state is another story, but SB Nation’s Hustle Belt – Belts Beer Garden makes it easier to hop on a crafty destination.

This year’s Top 5 breweries in the state feature some familiar favorites and a couple new ones to sample, if you haven’t yet.

Hattiesburg’s Southern Prohibition Brewing Co., which opened in 2013, tops this year’s list.

It’s the passion of the people working at SoPro that makes the brewery what it is.

“The beer is a piece of the puzzle,” said Ben Green, who has been SoPro’s head brewer since the beginning. “It might be a big piece of the puzzle, but it’s the details that make it go from good to great. We’re always striving to get better at those details.”

Over the years, the brewery has experimented with a lot of beers and beer styles, pushing each to the extreme and trying variations of the brews to make them exciting, fun and appealing to beer aficionados. In addition, SoPro opened a taproom, a large outdoor patio and an event room for special occasions. There is a full-service restaurant and full bar, including a selection of alcohol-free mocktails, making it a family-friendly, something-for-everyone kind of place.

“In 2024, we look a lot different,” Green said. “We’re really focused on the experience.”

But Southern Prohibition is focused on the beers, too. Greens said the brewery is constantly making improvements.

“The landscape is awesome right now,” Green said. “It’s become more competitive, which is better for everybody. We’re constantly trying to be better versions of ourselves and that shows in our beers.”

Other breweries on the list include No. 2 Fly Llama Brewing in Biloxi; Natchez Brewing Co. in Natchez at No. 3; No. 4 Lazy Magnolia Brewing Co. in Kiln; and Jackson’s Fertile Ground Beer Co. rounding out the list at No. 5.

Fertile Ground owner Matthew McLaughlin said his brewery takes a different perspective on making beer.

“We approach our portfolio a little bit differently than other breweries,” he said. “IPAs ruled the world for the last 15-plus years. We make some of those, but we really focus on lagers, which take a considerable amount of time and attention to brew.”

The brewery is in the heart of the Belhaven Town Center development. Weekly events include trivia and adult spelling bees, and monthly weekend events include crawfish boils and cookouts. Oktoberfest, of course, is a main event going into the fall.

“It’s a social magnet,” McLaughlin said. “Being that kind of cohesive community glue is what is most inspiring to me.”

Mississippi’s venture in the craft beer industry was slow getting started, mainly because state law wasn’t conducive to building a thriving beer business.

The first new law that kicked off the movement was one that allowed for beers containing more than 5% alcohol to be sold in the state. Allowing breweries to sell their beer on site also helped.

The changes to state law started in 2012, and since then the growth of beer sales and number of breweries popping up has continued to grow.

The oldest brewery in the state is Lazy Magnolia, which started making and selling packaged beer in 2005. In 2013, Southern Prohibition Brewing and several other breweries opened and the craft beer trend took off.

Although the breweries could make beer, they couldn’t sell it on location, so beer lovers had to buy their favorites in retail stores. Instead of selling beer, breweries offered tours for a fee and gave away samples of their beer with the tours.

In 2017, another new law was enacted to allow breweries to sell a limited amount of their beers, so many opened taprooms to the delight of fans. Craft beer lovers could meet at the breweries and compare notes on the beers in person.

Other new laws in recent years have done even more to help the craft beer business in Mississippi, creating an even more robust industry.

Today, Mississippi’s craft beer industry has an economic impact on the state of roughly $269 million per year, according to 2022 figures, the most recent available from the Brewers Association. The state’s breweries produce more than 20,000 barrels of beer each year.

Raise Your Pints: Small group helped bring big change to Mississippi’s craft beer movement

Do you have a story to share? Contact Lici Beveridge at lbeveridge@gannett.com. Follow her on X  @licibev or Facebook at facebook.com/licibeveridge.

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Mississippi

Where Ace Reese, Mississippi State signees appear in latest MLB mock drafts

Published

8 hours ago

July 9, 2026

Press Room

Where Ace Reese, Mississippi State signees appear in latest MLB mock drafts

STARKVILLE — Mississippi State baseball could have its first position player picked in the first round of the MLB draft since 2020.

That’s where star third baseman Ace Reese is ranked ahead of the 2026 MLB Draft. He has two years of eligibility remaining but is not expected back with the Bulldogs because of his high draft ranking.

There are other draft outcomes that can impact MSU’s 2027 roster for coach Brian O’Connor’s second season. The draft begins July 11 (noon, NBC/Peacock) with Rounds 1-4 and continues July 12 with Rounds 5-20.

Here’s a look at where Mississippi State players are ranked for the draft, including high school signees.

MLB draft rankings for Ace Reese, other Mississippi State players

MLB.com’s list of the top 250 prospects has Reese at No. 18. He’s the highest-ranked third baseman. USA Today’s mock draft predicts the Miami Marlins to select Reese with the No. 14 pick, which has a slot value of nearly $5.5 million.

If Reese is picked in the top 10, he’d be Mississippi State’s first top 10 pick since Paul Maholm in 2003.

The only other Mississippi State player in MLB.com’s top 250 is relief pitcher Ben Davis at No. 232. Davis does not have any college eligibility remaining.

That does not mean there won’t be more MSU players drafted. MSU has two starters in particular, catcher Kevin Milewski and outfielder Aidan Teel, who are draft eligible. If they are drafted, they’ll have to decide whether to sign with the pro team or return to Mississippi State. Relief pitcher Maddox Webb is in the same situation.

None of Mississippi State’s incoming transfers are ranked as top 250 draft prospects.

Mississippi State baseball signees rankings for MLB draft

Mississippi State has the No. 6 recruiting class, according to Perfect Game, and there are many players who are draft risks.

Eight of the signees are ranked inside MLB.com’s top 250 with four in the top 100.

Catcher Will Brick is the top signee at No. 46 after reclassifying to the 2026 class. Shortstop Rocco Maniscalco is just behind him at No. 49, followed by pitchers Landon Brown (No. 77) and Denton Lord (No. 80).

Other signees in the top 250 are pitcher Wilson Andersen (No. 111), outfielder Martin Shelar (No. 175), pitcher Jake Carbaugh (No. 203) and shortstop Noah Danza (No. 239).

Last summer, Mississippi State got signees Jack Bauer and Jacob Parker to turn down the MLB draft and play for the Bulldogs. Bauer was ranked as the No. 44 prospect and Parker, who turned into a freshman All-American, was No. 109.

The deadline for draftees to sign contracts with pro teams is July 27 at 4 p.m. CT.

Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.

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Mississippi

Ben Crump seeks independent autopsy in Nolan Wells death

Published

18 hours ago

July 8, 2026

Press Room

Ben Crump seeks independent autopsy in Nolan Wells death

Attorney Ben Crump says Nolan Xavier Wells’ family is pursuing an independent autopsy. Investigators continue working to determine what happened to the 18-year-old after his body was found on Horn Island this week.

Wells, 18, went missing on Saturday, July 4, after taking a boat to the island with friends. A body was found Monday, ending a two-day search.

Jackson County Coroner Bruce Lynd told the Sun Herald on Tuesday that the body was identified as Wells. The State Medical Examiner’s Office used dental records to confirm his identity. Officials did not release his cause of death.

In an exclusive interview with Don Lemon on Wednesday, Crump said the body was being flown to Washington, D.C., for a medical examiner to study.

Wells’ disappearance led to an outpouring of prayers, volunteer efforts and community support. By Wednesday morning, a GoFundMe to help the family had raised more than $237,000.

There are still many questions about why Wells was on the island after the boat with his high school friends left. What happened before his death remains unclear.

On Tuesday, his family hired nationally known civil rights attorney Crump and his team to help them find answers in the case.

What was Nolan Wells’ cause of death?

Crump said the second autopsy will find out “if he had any physical injuries to his body beyond drowning.” He was unaware of the physical condition of the body at the time of the interview.

The remains were being flown to Washington on Wednesday. Crump said his team expects the results on Friday.

Crump said investigators in Mississippi have not given them information about the state’s autopsy.

Crump says family is living in a nightmare

Crump told Lemon the family is living in a nightmare, and they still have many questions about the young man’s death.

He was clear, however, that his investigation is still in very early stages and they are not sure yet if they will find signs of foul play. If they do, he said, they will work with local law enforcement and the state if there’s anyone who should face criminal charges.

According to the attorney, the sheriff’s office has not shared information with the family about what happened and whether the sheriff’s office suspects criminal behavior.

“There’s no information that we have right now that would lead us to believe that a crime has occurred,” Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter told ABC News earlier this week.

He said the family has concerns about “inconsistencies” including texts deleted from Wells’ phone. They don’t want Wells’ death to be called an accident and swept under the rug if it wasn’t.

Crump said Wells had a tryout to play Division I football on Monday. The teen was reportedly avoiding substances that could affect his performance. His family said he was an extraordinary athlete and strong swimmer.

There was allegedly an argument on the island, Crump said. Now, Wells’ family isn’t accepting that his death could be a coincidence.

Lemon asked if they knew what the argument was and if Wells and his group were involved. Crump said they have an investigator talking to Wells’ friends. He plans to share the information when the issue becomes clear.

Crump said investigation, not speculation, is the goal.

Questions remain after Horn Island death

Ledbetter said the county’s investigation is still active.

According to reporting from TMZ, the sheriff’s office was investigating a video shared on social media that appears to show people arguing on Horn Island on the holiday. It’s unclear if the footage, which shows a crowded beach, is related to the case.

Crump and his legal team are planning their independent review. They have committed to urging “the timely release of all records, witness accounts, and autopsy findings.”

What investigators know so far

Wells was reported missing over the holiday weekend after traveling to Horn Island with friends on July 4. The barrier island is part of Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Wells, who also went by Nono, was last seen on the northwest tip of Horn Island on the afternoon of Saturday, July 4. He did not come back to the mainland with his group, and his mom reported him missing that night.

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office led a search on land and water Sunday and Monday. The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, National Park Service employees and the U.S. Coast Guard helped with the search. The United Cajun Navy and other volunteers also worked to find Wells.

His mother, Christine Wonsley, said during the search that she and his father had received Wells’ phone. Location tracking wasn’t an option while they looked for him.

A park ranger found the body Monday morning. The identification was confirmed Tuesday following an autopsy.

Investigators are still trying to determine why he didn’t leave the island and who he was with. They’re limiting the information released at this time as deputies work to find witnesses and collect evidence.

Authorities seek witnesses, photos and video

Ledbetter issued a statement saying rumors, commentary and unchecked information spreading on social media have been a challenge in the investigation.

Deputies need to speak to people who were at Horn Island. They’re also looking for original photos, video or sound recordings.

They are asking anyone who saw or heard an “argument, disturbance or other unusual activity” on the island to come forward.

Call 228-769-3065 during regular business hours or 228-769-3063 after hours if you have firsthand information about the case.

Bonnie Bolden is the Deep South Connect reporter for Mississippi with USA TODAY Network. Email her at bbolden@usatodayco.com.

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