10 Years of Fernson Brewing Co.
The Most Thoughtful Beer Experience on Earth
Today marks the 10-year anniversary of Fernson Brewing Company! What began with the humble roots of friendship and a garage brew has blossomed into a decade of growth and success. In honor of this huge milestone we are so happy to release an extra special Seed Series # 200 Porter!! It's truly incredible to reflect on how far we've come. Where do we even begin? Well, at the beginning, of course!
While brewing with his friends, Blake Thompson shared that he was working on a business plan to open a brewery in Sioux Falls. One of those friends happened to be Rob Green, who chimed in, saying, "You should talk to my brother-in-law, Derek Fernholz. He's working on a brewery business plan too."
And so, the two got together, exchanged ideas, brewed some beer, and quickly became allies. A new business plan was born. Once funding was secured and a 12,000-square-foot warehouse was found, they got to work designing the brewery and crafting the world-class beer experience you enjoy today.
“As we celebrate a remarkable decade at Fernson, we are filled with gratitude for the journey we’ve shared. Through the ups and downs, the passion for crafting exceptional beers and beverages has been our driving force. We owe our deepest thanks to our loyal customers!”
I’m Cole Casper, the Brand Manager at Fernson, and I joined the team in October 2023. A rich history had already been written before I arrived, and even before I was of legal drinking age. I’ve had the privilege of digging into the archives, learning about the past, and developing a deep appreciation for the journey that brought us here.
The Prairie Storybook
If you've been reading our blogs, you're already familiar with the Prairie Storybook. But for those new to the concept, it was an early idea to introduce our brand through the lens of a “Modern Prairie Storybook.” What does that mean? Simply put, everything we do stems from the creative, inspirational, and timeless character of Fernson.
We had a story to tell. Through this story, we aimed to show how Fernson inspired us and our community to create something better, something new, and something that brings people together for good conversation and great company. And this “something” wasn't limited to just beer. It could be an experience, an adventure, or anything that fosters connection.
In this story, Fernson is a mysterious prairie traveler: a leader, an adventurer, timeless and wise. He offers guidance without boasting, showing others how great he can be rather than telling them. Fernson has been compared to figures like John Muir, Gandalf, and Paul Bunyan. Here’s a condensed version of The Skeleton Key:
““Decades ago, she’d built the house herself—strong and beautiful. But as she aged, the house did too; many of its boards had become weathered and twisted. So Fernson would listen to her while he framed a window or swept the chimney. She’d show pictures of her husband and son, lost in the war, or of the tree where she’d meet her sister just twice a year. She had a glint in her eye that sparkled when she talked about the old days. Still, she was tired and appreciated his company.
Weeks later, he visited and found her in the rocking chair—eyes closed, breathless. In her hand, a skeleton key and a note reading, ‘It’s been a long time since I’ve seen an old soul so young. Thank you, my friend.’
He knew the key belonged to the door behind her jars in the cellar. He turned the lock, pressed the door, and stood back as a golden light reflected against his face.””
The Modern Prairie Storybook was essential in helping our team align with the brand's voice and direction. It guided us in naming beers, decorating our space, and integrating the brand into experiences.
However, we realized that folks weren’t connecting with the fantasy as we had hoped. It was a lot to ask our guests to immerse themselves in a fantasy world just to understand our brand. So, we found it more effective to let the curious and kind spirit of “Fernson the Man” guide us, rather than focusing on the literal story.
Original Beers
The experience at Fernson Downtown today is quite different from our early offerings. The very first beers we brewed were Fernson Farmhouse Ale and Fernson IPA. For those who attended trivia at the brewery, that was a fun piece of history to learn (and one team even nailed that question!). Naming beers has always been a challenge for me, so I’m incredibly grateful for the thoughtfulness the team put into those early beer names. Fernson IPA eventually became Shy Giant IPA, and Lion’s Paw Lager followed, quickly becoming a regional favorite.
Citra Sour
Citra Sour was a company favorite, and I suspect there’s a bit of nostalgia attached to it. Plus, it has an awesome label created by the team back in the day!The recipe was simple: a sour ale dry-hopped with Citra hops. I never had the chance to try it myself, but I’ve heard plenty of stories. Recently, we released a similar beer with #197 Hoppy Sour. After dropping hints for over a year, I finally got my way with a hoppy sour ale! The fruity, tart flavor of the sour ale blends beautifully with the fresh, cool flavors from the hops.
Coffee + Tea
Sometimes, we get so wrapped up in the past that we forget to appreciate what’s right in front of us. It’s almost overwhelming to think about how ingrained I will be in the history of Fernson in another 10 years. I look back at the work of those who held design roles before me and feel a real connection to them, even though we’ve never met in person.
Our Coffee + Tea sub-brand launched almost exactly a year ago. It was a fun challenge to expand the staff, hours, and menu. We’ve learned so much through this launch and introduced the Fernson brand to a new group of guests.
The People
As the brand manager, my goal is to get people to see Fernson the way I do. I’m deeply grateful for the things I get to create, the people I interact with, and the brand story I get to share. I sometimes feel like the Avatar of Fernson—a link between every department. On any given week, I’m talking with production, brewers, ownership, sales, and downtown staff. Everyone makes my job easy by allowing me to be authentic and creative.
Jordan is one of our longest-tenured employees; he’s been with Fernson since the very beginning. He’s often seen wearing a hoodie from 2018, which has been patched together through some Frankenstein-like operations to keep it in service. To me, that hoodie is more than just merch; it’s a testament to Fernson. We’re always striving for continuous improvement, but we’ll never forget our humble roots.
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for ten incredible years. Cheers to many more!
Words By: Cole Casper