Jeopardy! champ pays it forward
A corn-fusing experience that’s a-maze-ing
May 27, 2024
MENOMONIE – Brewery Nønic (621 4th St. W.) may be a small, taproom-only handcrafted brewery, but Brewer and Proprietor Ryan Verdon said it is unique in both name and products.
The brewery’s focus on English- and United Kingdom-inspired ales, Verdon said, leads perfectly into the reasoning behind the name, as it means a type of beer glass used in British public houses.
“I always enjoyed how the glass looks and compliments the look and taste,” he said. “There was also hardly anyone else out there that had ‘nønic’ as its name. I thought it would be easy to find if nothing else.”
To Verdon, like all their other glassware, he thinks it looks nicer and more importantly, it’s a nod to the old world he enjoys.
Located in a state with a significant German, Polish and Irish influence, Verdon said he knows they stick out, but in a good way.
He said he first became interested in British culture through its humor – as well as its drinking establishment customs.
“Something about the overall image was appealing,” he said. “All the things from the little cottages and inns that would serve ales. It always seemed inviting.”
Verdon said he loves sharing his British knowledge with customers as he plays host to the community in a pub of his own.
“It goes back to the concept of the English pub being the community living room,” he said. “(A place) where everyone can meet and solve the world’s problems over a pint.”
Brewery tours
The brewery has already hosted a handful of tours, but Verdon said Brewery Nønic’s tours are as different as the brewery itself.
“I think what most people envision when you say ‘brewery tour,’ is you walk around to all the rooms,” he said. “But the reality is, all of our stuff is basically in one room.”
Brewery Nønic tours, Verdon said, focus more on how things are done.
The idea itself, he said, came after the brewery auctioned off a “come make beer with us” prize at a local fundraiser.
Once folks showed up to help make beer, Verdon said he started showing them the beer-making process.
“What became fun and exciting for them was all the other things, not just the ‘how do you make beer’ aspect,” he said.
Verdon said people enjoyed learning about the beer-making process and the stories behind the history of the brewery and the building – including seeing the old foundations from the coal yards and a few rails from the railroad.
He said the brewery even has an exterior wall that has names of World War I soldiers carved into it.
“We give a unique experience in the brewery,” Verdon said. “And maybe my weird ramblings and pop culture references to movies from the ’90s will resonate with some people.”
Becoming a business owner
For as long as Verdon has been in the industry, he said he never gave starting his own business any real consideration.
“I was happy working for other breweries over the years,” he said.
Verdon said the building had been abandoned for quite a while and was one of those that a lot of residents, including Verdon himself, over the years would pass by and say, “I wish somebody would turn that into something.”
“All of a sudden, I had this thought, ‘maybe that’s me,’” he said.
Though Verdon admits it wasn’t necessarily an opportunity he was looking for when it presented itself to him, he hopped on it, no beer puns intended – and opened Brewery Nønic opened Jan. 5, 2019.
Admitting business was never his thing, Verdon said he went into things knowing that wholeheartedly.
“I felt like I could make beer, and I was a big believer in providing an experience,” he said. “So, from the first day, I leaned into those things and have learned how important things around that are as well.”
Verdon said having good beer is one thing, but it isn’t everything.
Looking at the scale of the brewery, and the area it’s in, he said his plan comes down to expanding the brewery’s ability to create an experience for the customer that’s unique and memorable enough to keep them coming back.
That’s where having all the summer events, Verdon said, is helpful.
The industry itself, he said, is changing a lot, quite rapidly, based on how people drink or don’t drink, and it’s especially volatile because it’s less definable than it’s ever been.
“We like to brew on the low ABV (alcohol by volume) realm because it’s more fun to have a few beers and not be over the limit,” he said. “But then, there are folks who want strong beers or sour ales. It’s hard to keep track of all demographics of what people want from beer.”
Verdon said learning to adapt is everything and being able to stay small and agile is key for him right now.
“Everything business-wise we do is done organically, and we invest in things as we can,” he said. “I don’t want to increase our debt load. I want to keep slowly having things move in the right way.”
Always improving, trying new things
Brewery Nønic has eight taps and two cask beers (which Verdon said means it’s a living beer that’s unpasteurized and unfiltered).
Verdon said the brewery’s specialty beers change often, and he encourages patrons to check social media for those updates.
The brewery’s flagship beers include Strange Ways (British bitter, cask pour), Tartan (Scottish ale), Little King (milk stout), Happy Little Trees (India pale ale) and Zeitgeist (German-style pilsner, made through a permanent collaboration with Zymurgy Brewing).
Seasonal beer options include:
- Esprit (belgian patersbier)
- Double IPA
- Facemelter (blonde ale)
- Storm Crow (sweet potato porter)
Adding food to the brewery
Verdon said one of the best partnerships that came out of the COVID-19 pandemic was with Chef Stacy Lang.
She owns an eatery in downtown Menomonie called Stacked.
“She’s a creative chef,” he said. “She is extremely skilled and has put tons of time into making her food. She’s as good as any star chef.”
Verdon said the brewery patrons suggested he add food, and Stacked patrons were encouraging Lang to add a bar – noting neither of them wanted to add either option to their respective businesses.
Then, he said, the idea of a food truck came up, and the rest was history.
“It’s worked out well for both of us,” he said. “There have been days I’ve seen 25-30 people waiting in line for food.”
Verdon said Chef Stacy will be at the brewery during Curry Thursdays (from 4 p.m. until sold out every Thursday) and Summer Sundays (from 1 p.m. until sold out until September).
Upcoming summer events
Keeping with the focus on unique experiences that make the brewery stand out, Verdon said Brewery Nønic offers live-theater events during the late summer months.
He said the brewery has partnered with the Forge Theater from Eau Claire to do a play, and for those who have been before – the one-man reenactments will return.
Verdon said Brewery Nønic is also in the planning stages to bring in the Menomonie Theater Guild.
Live theater in the garden, he said, starts Aug. 2.
Verdon said he is planning a summer Maker’s Market and will announce more details soon on the brewery’s Facebook page.
The brewery is open 3-10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.
For more on Brewery Nønic, visit brewerynonic.com.
