Two men are attempting to open a microbrewery in Sycamore, a first for the city.

Andrew “Cad” Nordman and Brian “Demon” Matejka, co-owners of Cademon Brewing, plan to open up a brewery and tasting room at 2155 Oakland Drive. The project isn’t without obstacles for the two brewmasters. Cademon Brewing needs to obtain two special use permits before it can start selling craft beer. Nordman and Matejka are applying for their special use permits on Monday at the Sycamore Planning Commission meeting.

“I started making my own beer about four years ago,” Nodman said. “Eventually I started getting enough people that were asking me, ‘Hey, when can I buy some of your beer? When are you going to go commercial?’”

Nordman started planning to open a brewery about two years ago. He said the earliest timeline of opening up shop would be sometime in January.

“My emphasis is a little bit different from most of the traditional breweries,” Nordman said. “I want to have more of a variety than having just a traditional set of the same three or four beers at any given time.”

Nordman was born and raised in Sycamore, and he has brewed beer for personal use in his home.

The first step for Cademon Brewing was to take its inquiry to City Council. Previously, Sycamore’s unified development ordinance only specified the definition of a brewpub. A brewpub is an establishment that brews and sells with a restaurant component. Since Cademon Brewing’s location won’t have a restaurant component, the ordinance needed to be amended to define and permit microbreweries, tap rooms and large breweries.

The vote to amend Sycamore’s ordinance was unanimously approved by City Council on Oct. 21.

“There could be a market here,” said Sycamore Mayor Ken Mundy. “We’re hoping this can be done here and within the rules of our city and state liquor code.”

The next step for Cademon Brewing is to receive two special use permits. One permit is for having a microbrewery in a C3 zoning district, and the second is for a tap room.

“It’s the first microbrewery that I’ve been approached with,” said Sycamore city manager Brian Gregory.

Residents and local businesses are notified when someone applies for a special use permit and are encouraged to attend a hearing in front of the planning commission. Hours of operation and brewing ventilation will be discussed.

“I think it will be a good thing,” Mundy said.