Architectural rendering of Ashland Brewing Company - image credit Ashland Brewing Company
Ashland, Nebraska’s origins go back to being a critical part of the Oregon Trail. Salt Creek provided crossing points for travelers' caravans on their journey westward across the United States. As an established town of 700 people in 1870, Ashland would grow due to the benefits of having a Burlington and Missouri River railroad going through the area.
The late 1990s and early 2000s would be the next renaissance, and Ashland would grow in many ways, feeding off its central location to Omaha and Lincoln. New housing developments like Whitetail Estates and a prestigious golf course named Iron Horse would elevate interest in the area. Other vital businesses, like Cellar 426 Winery, Glacial Till Cider House & Tasting Room, and, most recently, Ruhlman’s Steakhouse, are bringing people to the area for food and drinks. Oh, and for those who like glamping (not camping), there is Kimberly Creek Retreat.
Tim's grandparent's cabin - current picture on Willow Point Lake
I was excited to find out who was behind Ashland Brewing Company, and I found out it was Tim Uryasz. I was also looking forward to talking with Tim! I met Tim on a Wednesday evening at the brewery site. I had many questions, and Tim was happy to answer them.
The first question I had was about Tim's connection to Ashland. Tim explained that his family is from the greater Omaha area. He said that his great grandparents bought the first cabin at Willow Point Lake. Although Tim and his family grew up in Kansas City, he always loved visiting Ashland in the summer and holidays. The lake provided great family memories!
Tim attended the University of Nebraska for college, and his wife Ashley went to Creighton. Tim and his sisters are fourth-generation Cornhuskers—Go Big Red! In 2008, the Uryasz bought a building in downtown Ashland with the aspiration of opening an Italian restaurant. Unfortunately, the building at 1316 Silver Street burned down on December 25, 2009, and the restaurant was never opened.
Time passed, and the draw to open a business again in Ashland reappeared. Tim enjoyed craft beer and the brewery vibe. Since there wasn’t a brewery in Ashland, Tim began to vet the idea in 2021. It would start to materialize in 2022.
The question was where would be the best location. Tim contacted the developers of Whitetail Estates, which had five acres of commercial land for sale. The Uryasz family purchased the five acres of land and named the area Salt Creek Station. The property sits elevated on a hill at the corner of Highway 6 and 66. It felt like a great location and would make Ashland Brewing Company the anchor business!
Tim wearing one of the brewery themed t-shirts.
The frame of Ashland Brewing Company is up and has people excited to watch the progress! You can see the formation of the letter 'A' on the left that faces west.
Construction started earlier this year. Tim partnered with Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture to design the brewery building and C2 Building Company as the general contractor. The design is very cool, including:
a restaurant and bar
indoor and outdoor pickleball courts
indoor event space
outdoor patio with firepits, access to the bar, and family-friendly yard games
upstairs patio with an unbelievable view of the Salt Creek valley
As I walked through the property, I could envision everything Tim explained. The brewing setup will be a 5-barrel system. As you drive on Highway 6, you will see the brewing equipment through the tall windows shown above on the right side of the brewery drawing.
Tim went on to say that the restaurant would serve gastropub-style food. He has been working with Rich Barmettler, a well-known restaurant and bar consultant, to develop a menu that will complement the beer and enhance the brewery experience.
"The Cabin" is the second story general setting area. It will hold about 70 people with ties to TIm's great grandparent's cabin. Image provided by Ashland Brewing Company.
Themes tied to Tim’s family and the local area will be present throughout the brewery. This includes the upstairs area, “The Cabin,” reminiscent of Tim’s great grandparents’ cabin on Willow Point Lake and its interior design.
The beer names will be fun and tie to the local area. The goal is to have six to eight of their beers on tap. In addition, other local products will be available as guest taps.
The above pictures show the logo and how it will appear on the taps and glasses. Tim said this journey is exciting, and he is looking forward to having events and bringing the community together at the brewery.
I hope this gives a good sneak peek at what is to come. I will be following the progress all the way to the grand opening! Look for more posts in the near future.
Cheers!