Proudly Brewing in Green Lake Kitchens
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.
Green Lake Renewal: How did you decide to start making Ginger Beer?
Zach Frazier: I started making beer at home as a hobby. With the same brewing kit, I realized I could make sodas instead. I wanted to involve family, so I started making sodas with kids. Blueberry, cream soda, ginger beer… we sampled them all, and ginger beer was the most delicious (and less messy).
GLR: How did you hear about Green Lake Kitchens?
ZF: I was doing some online searching for commercial kitchen space. As a new entrepreneur, I was looking for something low cost. I asked restaurants and other kitchen spaces in the area, but Green Lake Kitchens offered the best package for a startup. I emailed Kate Salas and we got to work right away. It’s a great setup, low cost, accommodating, and flexible.
GLR: What do you do in kitchen?
ZF: We brew all the ginger beer there. The process includes cleaning and sterilizing fresh, organic ginger, along with a few other ingredients, and brewing them in a traditional style with no chemical extracts. We clean all the ginger by hand, cut it and slow brew it. Most ginger beers are not brewed, but rather chemically made, so we take pride in how we make it.
GLR: What does Foxtale Ginger Beer Brewing have planned for the future?
ZF: We are currently selling at the Town Square summer market, Oshkosh Farm Market, and Bare Bones bar in Oshkosh. Next summer, I would like to expand to the Appleton Farm Market and other local bars. My overall goal is to produce and distribute the best ginger beer in the midwest.
GLR: How have we helped u reach your goals?
ZF: You guys have the space and the facility that allows one to start a business at low cost. The farm market was our first sale. It was all very low cost and low risk. Everything is clean and up to code. And you went out of your way to help the little guy! Town Square is a hub of creativity. The whole town in it of itself is a little gem for entrepreneurs.
“This is a little gem of a community area. Green Lake Renewal has done a lot to develop Foxtale Ginger Beer Brewing and really helped from a business perspective. 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.”