Maureen Wallenfang
Appleton Post-Crescent
Published 8:09 AM EST Nov 19, 2018
What happens when you and some of your buddies talk about someday opening your own brewery?
Most of the time, nothing.
Everyone goes back to their day-to-day office jobs.
But that isn’t the way it turned out for a bunch of guys, now in their 20s, who went to Neenah High School together.
They actually did it.
Their new small brewery, Barrel 41 Brewing Co., opens its doors today at 1132 S. Commercial St., in a portion of the Family Video building.
This week will be their “soft opening,” which is a period of getting systems and service down pat in the tap room.
Barrel 41 will hold its grand opening Saturday.
“We’re living the dream,” said brewmaster Nathan Sharpless, 25. “We’re beyond amped.”
“You can’t beat hanging out with some of your longest friends, and to come back and make this happen,” said Matt Stubing, 24, who moved back from Milwaukee to be an operating partner alongside Sharpless.
Barrel 41’s name pays homage to the highway that brought them back home to Neenah.
The idea took shape when Sharpless, who had brewery experience, and another pal, Lance Goodman, a patent attorney, 25, came up with the idea.
They gathered a group of 10 family members and friends to invest in the project. With just a couple of exceptions, most in the group are age 23 to 30.
Goodman figured out the financing. Sharpless came up with the beer recipes, including Birthday Suit blonde ale, All Day Breakfast pale ale and several darker Belgian-style beers.
Barrel 41 also has guest taps for local breweries, cider, root beer, gluten-free beer and nitro coffee.
More information: www.barrel41.com, Facebook or 920-558-4021.
Regular taproom hours will be 3-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 3 p.m.-midnight Friday and noon-midnight Saturday.
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