By Lori Fredrich Senior Food Writer, Dining Editor Published Jun 13, 2021 at 8:58 AM

When folks think about Milwaukee, two things often come to mind: beer and cheese. But how about vegan beer and cheese?  The two go hand in hand at Dead Bird Brewing Co., a craft brewery that’s making a splash with not only its beer, but its housemade plant-based deli offerings, including cheese.

This week we’re chatting with co-founder Nick Kocis about how the plant-based brewery got its start, the story behind its name (of course) and the cool things they’ve been brewing up, including their Big Baby Vegan Deli product line.

Along the way, we geek out about the science behind creating vegan cheese, why the brewery chose sunflower seeds as the protein source for its cheese and the cheese-making technology that informs the process. Kocis also gives us a glimpse into the exciting things on the docket for the crafty vegan brewery.

 

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Lori Fredrich Senior Food Writer, Dining Editor

As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.

Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.

When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.