The Herbiery reopens

The Herbiery has reopened at 2015 Winnebago St. The brewing company that makes beer with herbs instead of hops closed its taproom earlier this year after failing to generate enough business.

But owner Nia Ryan, who was “never willing to let it go,” has now teamed up with Lauren Virnoche, owner of Ecotone Herbs. Ecotone manages several farm fields in northern Illinois and southwestern Wisconsin, and Virnoche supplied herbs and fruits to the Herbiery before it took its temporary hiatus.

“Having a partner with the same interest in herbs made me want to continue,” says Ryan.

The taproom looks the same but its beers and menu have been changed. Ryan and Virnoche collaborated with Madison’s Delta Beer Lab on what may become Herbiery’s new flagship beer, a farmhouse ale called Field and Forage made with yarrow, creeping charlie, flaked oats and rye berries. It is a bright hazy yellow and carries a soft subtle fruitiness, woody herbaceous notes, and finishes at just 5% ABV. The beer has a clear range of flavors with an overall earthiness that leans into the name Field and Forage.

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