*This is the fifty-ninth post in an on-going chronicle dubbed the Great Wisconsin Brewery Tour. Follow the journey here.*
The Fermentorium
7481 Hwy 60
Cedarburg, WI 53012
(262) 421-8593
Visit date: 06/15/16
Quick Hits:
1) How many different beers?
7 this night, usually 8: around 24 total.
2) How long operational?
January 2016.
3) Why? (here, this, etc)
Local homebrew-owner “wanted a destination” away from the hustle-and-bustle of his downtown Milwaukee corporate job.
4) Distribution?
Kegs to bars, bottling coming soon.
5) What sets you apart?
“Local quality.” Quizmaster trivia. 20 years of brewing experience.
6) How did you get your name?
A nod to the fermentation process that takes place during brewing. They also may start looking into fermented foods.
The Fermentorium in Cedarburg. All photos by Joe Powell.
It’s a bold statement when a business chooses a unique name that doesn’t immediately identify it’s purpose (The Squeaky Curd makes sense for a blog, right?). You’ve got to be able to provide such a great product or service that your moniker ultimately becomes associated with what you’re delivering. After our visit, I have no doubt high-quality craft beer will come to mind when The Fermentorium is mentioned (as opposed to a Dr Dreadful knock-off).
Asteroids and Millipede and orange soda. Awwww yeaaaah.
These folks don’t take themselves too seriously, which made the industrial building a comfortable space. There’s free arcade and board games, weekly trivia, frequent beer pairings, plush sofas, and giant farm animals.
Rooster. No introduction needed.
Besides being functional, I’m a sucker for re-usable chalkboard beer menus; here they were little works of art. I was also partial to their logo, which easily fit into their name and makes a memorable statement. Hooray for good graphic design!
We tried all 7 of their own they had that night ($12):
A Kolsch With No Name
Extremely smooth: the Kolsch bite only comes on the back of the tongue.
Manoomin Cherry-Wood Smoked Wild Rice Ale
Buttery and tasty, taking you to a wild-flower field.
Hefeweizen
Very clove-forward with a satisfying mouthfeel.
Safe Passage Porter
About as well-executed a Porter can be: slight smoke, slight coffee.
Frühlingsbock Maibock
A unique, lingering nose with a dry finish.
Hello World Red IPA
Hoppy but malty. Perfect to pair with popcorn.
XXX Strong Bitter
Exactly that: strong, but the hop bite is mellowed by the high alcohol content.
The large, modern brewing space is mostly empty, making The Fermentorium’s big ambitions obvious: there’s plenty of room to grow. This is also used as a private event space.
The impressive quantity and quality of beer for such a new brewery left an impression on us, ensuring that we’ll be on the lookout for what comes bubbling out of The Fermentorium next.
We spent our selfie-stick money on more beer.