Lessons in Lore - Stormstout Brewery

One thing we learn about the Pandaren as we adventure through their homeland is that they value quite highly the art of making beer. Not only can you make a Brewmaster Monk, but you can learn the Way of the Brew cooking recipes in Halfhill, and there are numerous quests and scenarios centered around saving beer, or making beer, or drinking beer. With the focus the Pandaren have on beer you might expect there to be more breweries around, but it seems that most of the brewers are more of the home brew types. There is one prominent brewery however, and it sits in the middle of the Valley of the Four Winds.

When you first enter the valley from the Jade Forest, you come across what may be a familiar face in Chen Stormstout. Chen was a prominent figure in Warcraft III where he played a part in the founding of Durotar. He was born on the Wandering Isle, so when you team up with him in the Valley of the Four Winds the entire land is new to him as well. He's traveling with his niece, Li Li, who was also born on the wandering isle. When the mists parted they made their way to Pandaria to explore their ancestral home.

As you quest through the valley, you see Chen and Li Li discovering new places and people as you go, and at some points you even join up with them to perform tasks. Early on, you'll learn of the Stormstout Brewery within the valley, and this gets Chen's attention because it's the first he's heard his family name used since coming to Pandaria. He will rush off to check on the brewery while you and Li Li continue to explore the valley. Eventually you'll catch up with Chen at the brewery, and not all is well.

The brewery itself seems to be in operation, but it has been overrun with a number of different pests and unwelcome guests. Hozen have infiltrated the stores of beer to throw their own party. Virmen have infested the grain and barley reserves. On top of that, flying beer monsters known as alementals seem to be causing havoc in the main brewing areas. Together with Chen and Li Li you fight your way in to the brewery to deal with the intruders and find out why the alementals are in such a frenzy. When you enter you meat Auntie Stormstout who explains that Uncle Gao was put in charge of the brewery while the others went beyond the wall to fight. In the mean time, the hozen entered and stole the secret recipes that Gao would need to make the brew correctly. Looks like it's time to do some house cleaning!

Ook-Ook
The first boss you deal with is the Hozen, Ook-Ook, who along with his hozen buddies has broken in to the brewery to throw a party. You interrupt the party and use the beer barrels to your advantage. By taking out Ook-Ook, you earn the respect from the lesser Hozen, who throw a dance party in your name after the fight.

Hozen Dance Party

Hoptallus
Hoptallus and his offspring have infested the grain stores of the brewery. He's quite possibly the largest virmen in existence, known to eat entire crop fields in a single night. It's up to you to clear him out of the brewery and save the ingredients from spoiling.

Yan-Zhu the Uncasked
At the end of the brewery in the tasting room, you finally come across the main cause of trouble for the Stormstouts. Uncle Gao, in his effort to come up with a new brew that will make the Stormstout name a mainstay in brewing again, has unleashed the alemental, Yan-Zhu. Unable to contain the volatile brew, it's up to you and Chen to fight off the large flying beer monster.

Once Yan-Zhu is casked, you can give Uncle Gao the recipes, and he can start making some good brew with the help of Chen. Before you bid him and Uncle Gao farewell though, head back to Auntie Stormstout and try some of Ling Ling's Favorite Tea. You might find it helps you see some other creatures around the Brewery. Find them all and you'll get a virmen pet of your very own.

What is Worth Fighting For?
When all is said in done, you're going into the Stormstout Brewery to help Chen Stormstout reunite with his family and clear out the intruders and pests from the place. You have to stop Uncle Gao's failed brewing experiments and set the Stormstouts on the path to creating great brews again. It serves as a an end to the Chen Stormstout story line in the Valley, but I don't think that's the last we'll hear from Chen Stormstout, or his niece Li Li.