Ferus Artisan Ales is an Alabama Maker embracing its wild side
Coby Lake, owner of Ferus Artisan Ales, is a fan of beer and what a brewery can mean for a community. (Michael Tomberlin / Alabama NewsCenter)
Ferus Artisan Ales (Trussville)
The Makers: Cody Lake and Nate Darnell
Coby Lake knows the power of beer, or, more specifically a brewery.
It was Lake who started Avondale Brewing Company, helping to transform a struggling Birmingham neighborhood into what has become one of the city’s favorite places for dining and entertainment. Lake’s team sold Avondale to Good People Brewing Co. two years ago.
With the opening of Ferus Artisan Ales on Oct. 24, Lake has launched what could be a similar revitalization of downtown Trussville.
“I learned a lot in Avondale, for sure, in the beer business and also in the redevelopment business,” Lake said.
Ferus Artisan Ales is an Alabama Maker barreling beer from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.
For starters, he’s starting much bigger.
Avondale began in a 3,000-square-foot space. Ferus is starting out with 20,000 square feet, which includes an eatery, a large main bar and an event space with a smaller bar.
There is also a larger brewing and canning space and a barrel room for aging the beers that give Ferus its name.
“Ferus is Latin for ‘feral,’” Lake explained. “We’re going to have focus on wild and sour beers.”
It’s a theme that runs through the brewery’s décor, right down to wild animals on the beer can labels.
“Ferus really wants to focus on lagers, IPAs, stouts and then we have a wild and sour program,” said Nate Darnell, brewmaster at Ferus.
The beers use wild yeast and bacteria and winemaking techniques to age the beers in barrels for up to two years. Wild yeast and bacteria take time to ferment and age.
“It sits and has its due time,” Darnell said. “Once the flavors are all good and ready to go, that’s when we pull them off” the barrel racks.
Future plans call for working with other breweries to come up with unique flavors. Ferus has announced it is working with Birmingham’s Ghost Train Brewing for its first collaboration.
Next June, Ferus plans to have in place the outdoor area and a stage for performances. Lake is already working to book bands to perform.
“I don’t know if Trussville is ready for 2,500 people, but we’re going to try to pack them in here and see what happens,” Lake said.
The new brewery will anchor a larger revitalized entertainment district in downtown Trussville.
Ferus beers are available in more than 100 locations on tap. The brewery is canning beers, but they can only be purchased at the brewery due to a state law – a law Ferus is working to get changed with the help of the beer industry advocacy group Free the Hops.
“We are canning,” Lake said. “However, the current law prohibits brewpubs from selling cans out in the market. We’re just in kegs out in the market. If you need canned beer, you have to get it here.”
Lake said he’s ready for the public to experience Ferus.
“I’m excited about our staff. I’m excited about our brewery,” he said. “I’m ready to get this going.”
The product: A selection of beers in various styles, specializing in sours.
Take home: A four-pack of Ferus Blonde Ale.
Ferus Artisan Ales can be found online, on Facebook and Instagram.
