‘We’re brewing an experience,’ says Fernson Brewing manager on the company’s new coffee venture

The owners of Fernson Brewing Company have been brewing and serving beers in their downtown location on South Phillips Avenue for the last four years. With their new venture into coffees and teas this year, the idea is to expand their brewing and bring to the table more than just beers and seltzers.

As of Monday, Fernson has now made its debut in the caffeinated-beverage realm with new hours and brand new additions to their menu in the same downtown location. Followed by a coffee pop-up event earlier this month, where they debuted their newly-curated coffee and tea brews, they say this is a unique opportunity to try something new.

“The identity we want to pursue with Fernson as a company is a beverage company,” said Noah Adams, the general manager at Fernson and the person behind bringing the coffee idea to fruition. “Rather than just brewing beer, we want to get into the idea that we’re brewing an experience.”

The idea is to sell both kinds of beverages side by side, with the expresso machine and coffee brewing stand set up on the same counter next to their beer taps. It is about finding and establishing a broader sense of what their company stands for and expanding in ways that is best suited for their skills and the community they are serving, Adams said.

The concept began less than a year ago, in May 2023. Adams and the owners started chatting about expanding the use of the existing space with additional hours and services, which is where the idea of coffee came in, Adams said. Independently, Adams said he always had the dream of owning his own coffee shop and having the creative freedom to pursue his own thing.

More: Senate passes $95 billion foreign aid bill. But the funding faces long odds in House.

“Together, this turned out to be a really unique, exciting opportunity and the best option for both of us,” said Adams.

The summer was spent planning the logistics and curating the menu, by the end of which Adams was wrapping up his time at Caribou Coffee after four years of working there as the general manager. He officially made the change to Fernson by the end of August last year.

With the new hours extending from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. where they will be serving their new coffee and tea menu, the first half of the day will carry the atmosphere of a coffee shop. The coffee menu will comprise of a full expresso menu, drip and pour over coffees and lattes, and the teas will comprise of black, green and herbal teas along with Adams’ specialty chai lattes.

After 3 p.m., their identity of a tap room and brewing company will take over, while they continue to serve drip coffees, cold brew and the entire tea menu aside from the chai.

More: Gov. Kristi Noem appoints business owner, former sheriff’s deputy to state Senate seat

“Whether you’re coming in for coffee and tea or you’re coming in for a drink with your friends, just to have that experience of approachability, we want everyone to feel welcome,” said Adams.

This dual identity will come across in the physical aesthetic of the space, where they want to soften things to bring in comfort while maintaining the taproom vibe as well, Adams said. The changes will include adding lounge seating, older-style, vintage frames to the exposed brick walls as well as plants to brighten up the space, he said.

Whether you’re having a quick little office meeting or you want to sit down and really enjoy the space, you can do either at Fernson, Brand Manager Cole Casper said.

More: House committee approves of video explaining SD's abortion laws

“I like how they have a lot of local stuff, which is really intriguing and awesome,” said Claire Dinger, a customer at Fernson during the weekend pop-up event while enjoying a burger from Wagoo and a cup of latte.

The Spice and Tea Exchange store, placed right next to Fernson on South Phillips Avenue, is the source of their three black teas including the house chai, three green and three herbal teas.

More: Committee defeats bill meant to enshrine active efforts for all children in foster care

The Duluth Coffee Company from Duluth, Minnesota, is the source for their coffee roasts. The coffee company was brought in by Adams based on his childhood influence of Duluth’s coffees which were sourced to Orange City, Iowa, where he grew up. The specialty of the company is that their focus lies on the flavor profiles of each coffee, making each one unique, Adams said.

The idea was to create a menu that emphasized the different flavors of the unique coffees instead of adding a bunch of different sweeteners or syrups, Adams said. The company has only three main flavorings, honey, lavender and vanilla, which are all locally sourced for their coffee and tea creations.

Along with the beverages, Fernson will also be selling a spread of pastries, croissants and breakfast cakes in the morning hours, all sourced from Look’s Marketplace, which is located south of downtown Sioux Falls.

More: House State Affairs committee passes bill prohibiting 'obscene live conduct' at colleges

Wagoo Burger, the food truck which is housed inside Ferson’s establishment that sells burgers along with their beers, is also creating a new breakfast menu to go along with the new morning hours.

Breakfast sandwiches are going to the be the main thing in the menu, with some non-sandwich and feature menu breakfast items such as biscuits and gravy as well, Adams said. Wagoo will also bring in a new lunch menu that they’re currently working on, but both these menus will be rolled out during the month of March. Starting Tuesday, it will be the full coffee and tea menu along with the pastries and cakes.

“We want the place to be where everybody can feel comfortable, be themselves and really capitalize on that experience,” Adams said.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Fernson Brewing opens a coffee shop with new morning hours downtown