Frontier Frau pours new life into Central Nebraska

COZAD, Neb. - A unique destination is brewing up business with a unique mix of German tradition and Nebraska charm.

A historic building in downtown Cozad has found new life as Frontier Frau, a German-inspired brewery with a story as rich as its lagers.

Owner and brewmaster Amara Block is a licensed attorney turned entrepreneur. After falling in love with German beer on a trip to Munich, she decided to bring the flavor and atmosphere to Central Nebraska.

"It blew my mind, and so I made a comment to my then-boyfriend, now-husband that maybe I should just brew this. I didn't actually mean that, but he brought me a homebrew kit and things just quickly got out of control as they do for a lot of brewers, and here we are. I always wanted to own my own business and now I get to brew beer that I love and that other people love," said Block.

Frontier Frau also serves handmade pretzels, German sausage and more authentic food.

The business recently adding a new beer garden so patrons can enjoy nice days outside.

This among other recent improvements helped the establishment get selected as one of 70 stops on Nebraska's Passport program for this year.

The German-inspired brewery is in the "Her Way" category, which highlights women-owned businesses across the state.

Block says the authenticity and effort put into the decor, food, and beer have all helped separate the Frontier Frau from other businesses.

"We're not a typical brewery. It's very unusual for a brewery of this size to have actual lagering tanks. Lagering is similar to aging wine, where you hold it. In this case, you have to hold it at a low temperature near freezing, and we like to see it lager for at least six weeks," said Block. 

With just under a year of business in the books, the Frontier Frau says they're showing why good beer and a great community are an ideal pairing.