As you enter Fairfield, Nebraska you are greeted with a sign that reads “The Best Little Town in the State.” I have to say we are blessed with many wonderful small towns throughout the state. It is amazing to learn about the history of them!

Fairfield in its early days was a railroad town. It is fascinating that Union Pacific had a hand in the final name. The original settlement was named White Elm. Then in 1872, Union Pacific renamed it to Frankfort to keep the names alphabetized between Alexandria and Hastings. There was one little problem with this name, there already was a Frankfort, Nebraska in Knox county. The person that happened to survey the town was named George Washington Fairfield and his last name was chosen to represent the community.

Fairfield was a young, vibrant town in the late 1800’s with a college, passenger train station, and even an opera house. The Columbian Opera House was built in 1894 and resided in the second floor of a building on the busiest street in town. The lower floor was occupied by Palmer & Loomis Grocery and Dry Goods. The name of the opera house mostly likely was based on the 400th year anniversary of Columbus discovering America.

*Chandelier with some of the original ceiling tiles from the opera house*

As years past, Fairfield like many towns had residents move away. Today Fairfield now has less than 400 people living there. One of those residents is Lynn Nejezchleb.

Lynn grew up around Fairfield and in 1982 moved to Washington, D.C to be an economist at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). Lynn spent 20 years working for the FDIC and was the Assistant to the Vice Chairman by the end of his career.

During his time in Washington, D.C., Lynn started homebrewing as a hobby. He said that the city had some great places to get ingredients and it was fun to make different styles of beer.

*Beautiful prime rib dinner at the opera house! Photo credit - Fairfield Opera House Brewery and Grill Facebook*

It was in 2002 when Lynn retired and decided to make his way back to Nebraska. He arrived in Fairfield with ambitions of starting a brewpub. The old opera house building had been many things including a hardware store, John Deere dealership, the Branding Iron, and the Good Times Lounge. The building had been vacant for a few years and was the one for Lynn, so he purchased it!

Lynn wanted to bring back some of the original look and feel to the opera house which required a full renovation of the downstairs. A couple of the main items that were done included removing the drop ceilings to open back up to a 14 foot ceiling and to restore the front of the building including the windows closer to its original magnificent state.

Lynn spent the next 3 years preparing to open as just a restaurant at first, the brewery would come later. In 2006, the doors of the Fairfield Opera House Bar & Grill opened for the community to enjoy home cooked meals in this wonderful building.

*The brewing system at the Fairfield Opera House*

People from the local towns around came to enjoy a great meal. Lynn said the prime rib has been a favorite of many and so has the chicken fried steak special on Thursday nights. Many of the nice cuts of meat are sourced locally in Fairfield.

Business was good, but Lynn still wanted to introduce some of his favorite beers he had brewed over the years. In order to get brewing, some additional space was needed. The building adjacent to the brewery was acquired and in 2014, the Fairfield Opera House Brewery and Grill was established. Not only would the space provide room for the brewery, but some additional event space also.

The brewery has a staple of beers it keeps on tap. A nice selection from a lighter Kolsch to a smooth Stout. I asked Lynn what his favorite type of beer to brew was. He told me that IPAs are because of the flavor possibilities from the hops used in IPAs.

It has been a tough year with Covid-19. I always worry about how smaller places can survive. Lynn said the spring was rough not being able to have the small events like wedding rehearsal dinners and some of the local agriculture business dinners.

The weekends as of late have been rather good with people travelling just a little bit further out to visit Fairfield for a nice meal and a pint. Lynn said one recent Saturday, he served over 200 meals!

*The Liberty Farm Pale Ale with its beautiful copper color*

My stop in Fairfield was early in the day, but I was lucky enough to get a crowler to bring home. I brought back the Liberty Farm Pale Ale. This pale ale has a beautiful copper color. The body is crisp and malty. The flavor has citrus and some floral notes in this 6.8% ale. A very nice beer indeed!

It was about time to pack things up and I had one last question for Lynn. What does success look like for him? A smile appeared on Lynn’s face as he said, “A great day for me is when someone comes in and tells me how much they enjoyed my food or beer. Recently a family from Lincoln was in. It was on a Saturday evening of a long day. They thanked me for a wonderful meal and that means the world to me.”

Fairfield is located in South Central Nebraska and a trip you must make! Bring family or friends and an appetite for some incredible food and craft beer.

Cheers!

The Best Little Town In The State