New brewing company might build facility in Janesville
JANESVILLE — A startup brewing company is headquartered in Janesville, but it’s using a contract brewer in another part of the state until it can build its own brewery.
When Lead Feather Brewing builds a facility, it could be in Janesville, Fort Atkinson or Jefferson, said Denise Harris, a company spokeswoman.
Lead Feather Brewing formed in November as a limited liability company. Richard A. Austin of Janesville is the corporation’s registered agent, according to the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions.
Harris would not identify any of the owners other than to say they are from the area, which is why they would like to build a brewery locally.
Local economic development experts and city officials said they were not aware of Lead Feather or its plans.
Harris said the company plans to market its own brands and partner with private label customers.
Lead Feather has partnered with Wisconsin Hospitality Group, the state’s largest restaurant franchise company, as the exclusive provider of private label “Hodag” beer.
Starting on Thursday, all 40 of the hospitality group’s Applebee’s Grill & Bar restaurants will sell Hodag.
“The beer is a honey wheat ale made with pure Wisconsin clover honey and a light wheat flavor with a slightly sweet finish,” Lead Feather brew master Richard Ruscher said in a news release, which carries a Janesville dateline.
Lead Feather expects to launch its four primary brands in the next year through partnerships with River City Distribution of Watertown, which operates in 15 counties in southeastern Wisconsin.
Following an oxymoron theme, Harris said the four brands would be “Dark Star,” a brown ale; “Crash Landing,” a pale ale; “Pretty Ugly,” an India pale ale, and “True Blarney,” an Irish stout.
Lead Feather developed the brands after market research, including a blind taste test with industry professionals, she said.
Harris said the company will use contract manufacturing until its own brewery is built.
She said the company is trying to raise capital from private investors to support its brewery development, brand establishment and sales and distribution networks.
Jul 1, 2010 at 11:41 a.m.
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AWESOME! Would love to have a new, craft brewery in town. Very much looking forward to the development of Lead Feather...
Jun 27, 2010 at 5:38 a.m.
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Some will say that bringing this biz to Janesville during a financial down period is a fine mess. I think we should move forward and act naturally about this or any other biz with arrogant humility. The idea for the biz seems almost safe and almost exactly what the city needs. I have heard that the beer is awfully good tasting, but that is only a accurate rumor.
Jun 26, 2010 at 7:57 p.m.
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Zoom, My comment wasn't meant to be negative, only honest and as far as agents not discussing this with others I wan't saying this should've been made public by them, but the team of said "experts" should have enough ties with real estate agents to keep up on what opportunities there are to attract business to the area, and how about the other idea I had stated, this company surely checked with city officials on zoning?? We need to be aggressive in attracting new industry to the city and if we aren't then we will never climb out of this current economic situation!!! That is in no way me being negative, only honest and extremely worried about Janesvilles future.....
Jun 26, 2010 at 7:15 p.m.
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emac, maybe you haven't heard because you don't read the paper.
Jun 26, 2010 at 6:11 p.m.
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The darker,the better. Porters? Omnom. Stouts? Omnomnom. Red lager? Lets give it a shot! Yummmmm
never head it but I'd surely try!
Jun 26, 2010 at 4:32 p.m.
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So, will this also be the start of rumors of automobile companies also looking?
Jun 26, 2010 at 12:47 p.m.
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While I am on the subject. Any chance the Gazette could update us on just what JVL 5.0 has going on? We haven't heard anything positive out of them lately.
Jun 26, 2010 at 12:45 p.m.
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What is Janesville 5.0 going to do to make sure they set-up shop in Janesville rather than the other options?
Jun 26, 2010 at 12:30 p.m.
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The negativity from the first two comments are sad.
doc, it would be inapropriate for a real estate agent to discuss with others who their clients are, especially if they have a buyers agent agreement.
Jun 26, 2010 at 10:59 a.m.
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Ok janesvillean, if you would think once again before you jump at me, what do you think they have done so far?, scribbled a few things on a bar napkin, had secret meetings in hotel rooms, NO. I would suspect that they have been in contact with real estate agents to see what is available and checked zonings with the city at least, these "experts" I would think would be able to find those types of things out though being intouch with those agencies and possibly court, so to say, new business to the area. I understand though, its just easier to mock me and be sarcastic though.
Jun 26, 2010 at 10:47 a.m.
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doc0430, it's so strange that government doesn't know about these things! What do you propose? I suggest deploying audio bugs to be placed in conference centers and hotel rooms so that business deals can be detected "as they happen". A crack team of economic development response experts could descend upon the meeting armed with tax rebates and land swaps. They'll have no chance to escape. Before you know it they'll be sentenced to 10 to 20 in one of our hospitable business parks.
Jun 26, 2010 at 7:27 a.m.
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First order of business: Let's figure out all the reasons this business should not come to Janesville.
Jun 25, 2010 at 11:47 p.m.
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Local economic development experts and city officials said they were not aware of Lead Feather or its plans.
I guess that tells us how on top of things these said "experts" are, they should've been aware of this long before it made news here in the Gazette.
If these "experts" are what we are depending on to revitalize this cities economy, then we are in really big trouble! I would think the team of economic development "experts" would be out trying to lure new businesses in to the city, yet here is a LOCALLY owned business that is thinking about opening a brewery right here and they had no idea....
Jun 25, 2010 at 9:01 p.m.
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Good luck getting that past the City Council here!
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