USA, WI: Two breweries on track to open in Menomonie this summer

A pair of breweries are on track to open this summer in downtown Menomonie with one moving into a former railroad depot and the other into a former auto shop, the Leader-Telegram reported on February 3.

Brewery Nonic will be operating from within Menomonie’s former railroad depot, which is currently being restored. Ryan Verdon and Dan Fedderly are pursuing the buildings historic registry as well.

“I’ve been keeping my eye on the depot building for a long time,” Fedderly said.

He said the building has been standing since 1905 and the plan is to restore the historic architecture, but brew and serve inside. The restoration is expected to wrap up by this spring and the business could open early this summer. Fedderly estimates the restoration will cost more than $200,000.

Verdon said the name “Nonic” is an English-style pint glass. The glass is distinct for its bulge near the top. He said that it’s a style of drinkware he is fond of and he also simply likes the name.

The plan is to have eight taps and two cask engines. Beer served from a cask engine involves pumping the beer out without nitrogen or carbon dioxide pressure. Verdon plans to brew all of the beer in house. He wants to offer wide variety of beers and slowly expand the selection throughout the year.

Verdon will own Brewery Nonic with his father. Fedderly currently owns the property. Verdon is the brewer at The Raw Deal, 603 Broadway St. S, and Fedderly is the co-owner of The Raw Deal.

Jon Christiansen will also be opening up a brewery in downtown this summer called Zymurgy Brewing Co. Zymurgy is the study of fermentation.

The brewery is in the former Dennis’ Auto Service, 624 Main St. E. Construction is ongoing at the moment and will continue though the next couple of months. Because the building’s use was for auto work, Christiansen said that the floor is being ripped out. The existing structure will mostly stay the same.

He said that the brewery will not be auto shop themed, but he is attempting to maintain aspects of the former business, such as keeping some of the large glass windows and the back of the building, which functioned as a car wash. Christensen said that’s where the brewing will take place.

“It’s an ideal place to put the beer,” he said.

Christiansen previously worked at Lucette Brewing Co., 910 Hudson Road, in Menomonie and left in March 2016.

“That whole time I’ve been striving to open up a brewery,” he said.

Zymurgy has been in the works for two years and Christiansen estimates that when everything is done it will have cost $700,000 to open.

Because the name of the brewery relates to fermentation, he said in the future he would like to offer fermented foods like kombucha, sauerkraut and kimchi.

Christiansen said he is originally from Milwaukee and he could have brought Zymurgy there, but he said that he is grateful to be staying in Menomonie.

“I just really like the city and I don’t want to leave,” he said.

04 February, 2018