OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - Big Grove Brewery held a soft opening on Friday in Midtown Omaha — but the celebration comes with a legal fight.

The Iowa-based company invested more than $5 million to build out a brewpub in the EDGE District, only to have the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission deny the craft brewer license it sought.

Big Grove has appealed the decision to the Lancaster County District Court.

The license at issue — a Class L craft brewer license — would allow Big Grove to sell both beer it brews on-site and other alcoholic beverages.

In August, the NLCC instead classified the business as a manufacturer (Class V), a designation the company says is far more restrictive and would limit how it operates.

“We have what’s called a manufacturing license, which allows us to sell Big Grove

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