Near & Far Brewing Co.

Ownership

The brewery is owned by three local residents: Ed Wreh (former McFarland trustee), Melissa Ratcliff (Wisconsin State Senator and Cottage Grove resident), and Garrett Shaw (McFarland resident and longtime homebrewer), making it independently locally-owned.

Local Sourcing

The business emphasizes using traditional ingredients like continental malt and British hops for specific beer styles, suggesting reliance on established global supply chains rather than primarily local sources.

Community Involvement

The brewery is explicitly designed as a community gathering space with significant community investment from its founders who have extensive local government experience, though specific sponsorship details are limited at launch stage.

Local Workforce

The brewery has not yet opened, so there is no available information about labor practices, wages, turnover, or employee reviews.

Revenue Retention

As an independent local brewery that sources some ingredients globally, revenue distribution is unclear; typical independent breweries have mixed local retention depending on supply chain complexity.

Local Presence

Mixed signals: local phone number, specific Madison/Waunakee references, personality-driven copy about community environment, and locally-sourced ingredients are positive. However, the site feels more polished/template-driven than truly personal, lacks owner/staff names, and presents multiple locations (Waunakee brewpub + Madison taproom + event venue) suggesting a small chain rather than single-location focus.