FERDINAND — A brewery planned on the grounds of Monastery Immaculate Conception is one step closer to pouring its first pint.
St. Benedict’s Brew Works, to be run by local brewers Vince Luecke of New Boston and Andy Hedinger of St. Meinrad, is in discussions with the Sisters of St. Benedict to lease a former art studio at the Ferdinand monastery. Luecke and Hedinger will use the vacant building to run a microbrewery with a tasting room. To do so, the property zoned as agriculture had to be rezoned with a special exception for the business.
At Wednesday night at Ferdinand’s Board of Zoning and Appeals meeting, the special exception was granted with a 4-0 vote. Before the vote, Luecke pitched the idea to the board.
“Our plan is to use the former art studio as a craft microbrewery. The building fits well with our design and what we’d like to do,” Luecke said. “Folks would be able to come and sample a flight of beers, see how the beer is made and, hopefully, purchase beer to take with them.”
Luecke added that they hope to retail their beer at local restaurants.
Board members asked about traffic patterns, proper permitting and possible construction. Luecke said all those items have been addressed with the sisters and plans are in place. Construction would be minimal — one step is to ensure the building is properly ventilated — and there will be no deliveries made by large trucks.
“Our goal is to bring more people into Ferdinand. Wineries and breweries are popular attractions that certainly fit into the history of the town, and I think it’s good timing with (Ferdinand’s 175th) celebration next year. I see nothing but positives,” Luecke said.
Board chairman Mark Dilger asked Sister Barbara Lynn Schmitz, in attendance with monastery business manager Alan Hoffman, for the sisters’ opinion on the brewery. Schmitz said the sisters are completely on board.
“If you go back to our history, the very founding monastery sold beer. Basically, we’re renting the building to them to do this,” Sr. Barbara said. “I don’t see it as a bar, it seems like something that can add to the attractions in Ferdinand. As responsible as our citizens are, which they are, we feel all right with (the brewery).”
Luecke and Hedinger are in discussions with Hoffman and the sisters to solidify a lease agreement. Should everything go smoothly and the pair receive proper permitting in a timely manner, they hope to be up and running by late winter or early spring.