A new brewery in De Soto had its soft opening for friends and family on Wednesday.
Force of Nature Brewing, owned by Lindsay and Alex Waller, saw this opportunity as a way to combine their love for craft beer and herbal remedies.
Lindsay Waller has always used medicinal herbal remedies in her daily life to care for her kids and herself so thought she would bring that same practice to brewing. She noticed there was not a market for craft beer with herbal components and took it upon herself to make it happen in De Soto.
She plans to use herbs like echinacea and dandelion that are known to the public but less likely to be known for their health benefits.
Force of Nature Brewing will have pale ales, IPAs, lagers and just about anything expected from a brewery, she said. They’ll also have craft cocktails with herbs, ciders and wine. You can find the full drink menu here.
They’ll also have some gourmet sandwiches, salads and soups. They’re still working out menu details but all plates will keep fresh vegetables and herbs at the forefront. Charcuterie, shareables and other snacks will also be offered.
The location is in a historic auto body shop in downtown De Soto at 33015 W. 83rd St., meaning its character and charm are known throughout the community. It feels special to get to carry on the building’s legacy with their new venture, she said.
She hopes it’ll be a place that’s inclusive to everyone, no matter what they like to drink or eat, and a place for families.
Waller’s husband Alex had experience making mead and wine. During the pandemic, they became craft beer enthusiasts and always had their eyes on the space. With more growth and business coming to the area, Waller felt like it was time to try something new because she’s never strayed away from a risky new thing, she said.
Waller was a longtime art teacher so being creative and planning long-term projects is nothing new to her, she said.
They hope to not only draw people to the area but keep those in the area supporting local businesses instead of traveling out of town, she said.
They started putting pieces of the project together in 2022, collecting furniture, glassware, perfecting recipes and getting everything to the place it is now.
Taking a small family and friend operation into a large scale operation has been scary, she said, but it’s been a lesson in perseverance.
“This project has really taught me to just remember what’s important. Like, ‘Why are we doing this? And it’s been a great thing to teach me the skill of pushing away pressure,’” she said.
Her husband is an engineer and has been the handyman behind the project, as well as the brewer for now, she said.
This project has been living in her head for so long, she’s just excited to finally share it with De Soto, she said.
“I’m also an artist, and I thrive on presenting and, Look at what I made, and this is how I made it. I want to tell you all about it. Tonight is going to be a big deal to let people in here and see what we’ve been working on for so long,” she said Wednesday.
The line to order was out the door on Wednesday night as families and friends of the owners traveled from around the area to support their new project. She was overwhelmed by the response and thankful to bring this new business to her small town, she said.
Heather Seitz had been looking forward to the brewery opening and knew she had to be there on day one.
“I love what Lindsay has done to kind of bring everybody together in the community. The beers are fantastic. Food’s fantastic,” Seitz said.
Lisa Bolliger said the unique space made the experience even better, with its original character. She agreed the drinks and food were good.
Daniel Porter, also a friend of the owners, said he loved the vibe of the industrial building with the car decor still inside.
Waller hopes their actual opening day is just as busy. Force of Nature’s grand opening will be Aug. 8.
Ryn Drummond contributed reporting to this story.
Reach reporter Sara Maloney at [email protected].
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