Foxtale ginger beer brewing owners Zach Johnson, left, and Zach Frazier stand by their product at the Oshkosh Farmer’s Market. Left, Zach Johnson assists a customer. Ariana Hones photo.
by Ariana Hones
It all began with a blueberry soda that exploded all over the kitchen counters, leaving stained spots.
Eventually transforming from live yeast in home brewing soda bottles that didn’t explode, to kegs inside of Green Lake’s Town Square, Foxtale is the area’s newest ginger beer brewing company.
Like its winding river counterpart, the mission of Foxtale is to connect communities in the valleys of eastern Wisconsin.
Specifically, welcoming people to share stories and moments together over a glass of botanically infused ginger beer and a brand established around a strong sense of place.
Two years ago, Foxtale owner Zach Frazier created Genuine Beverages, LLC in Martin County, Minn.
He had been concocting sodas at home and wanted to take the next step in his business endeavors.
Then, Frazier lost his job and considered closing the door on his brewing dreams.
However, over the next few months as he interviewed for jobs, he re-discovered his passion for creating sodas.
When he found a new job, Frazier realized he still wanted an outlet for brewing creativity.
The birth of Foxtale commenced.
Based out of Green Lake’s Town Square, Frazier uses his background of alcoholic beer brewing to create this family friendly soda.
“We make it like beer as we brew the ginger with lemon juice and botanicals and then keg it,” Frazier said.
Why ginger beer?
“I started with beer, but beer brewing takes quite a long time and with three kids and a wife, it takes awhile to empty a keg,” Frazier said. “We wanted something that the whole family could enjoy.”
As this hobby has transitioned into a side business, Frazier and his business partner, Zach Johnson, are continually tweaking their recipe as they get their product to more customers and receive feedback.
“We are trying to take what people say to heart and continually create a better product,” Frazier said.
Currently, Foxtale sells its ginger beer at the Green Lake and Oshkosh farmer’s markets, but have hopes to bring it to local bars by this fall.
“We have increased sales at every single market and keep asking ourselves how can we improve this product and at a price where people selling our ginger beer can make a good profit,” Frazier said.
After lots of trial and error, Foxtale has settled on a “classic ginger beer flavor” that works “to make people’s lives better.”
In the future, Frazier and Johnson are hoping to develop a diet ginger beer and hard ginger beer as well.
Frazier and Johnson believe that the purpose of Foxtale is more than just a perfectly brewed beverage.
Guided by their motto of “common grace,” their passion is about serving the community.
“We want people to discover the story of ginger beer and sodas, but we also want to hear other people’s stories,” Frazier said. “We want our product to have a strong sense of pride in this physical place.”
He added he is grateful for Green Lake and Town Square.
“This is a little gem of a community area. They have done a lot to develop Foxtail and really helped from a business perspective,” Frazier said. “In terms of an area to start a food business, it is the best around. They have great facilities and we have wonderful support from the community.
“We are happy to contribute our story to the Fox Valley brewing culture.”
Like the river, let the ginger beer flow on.