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Brewer's Choice
Home›Featured Post›Brewery Focus›Brewer's Choice›Brewer’s Choice: Rt. 66 Old School Brewing’s Paul Bidne on his “Mango Is Our Middle Name” sour, local disc golf bar crawls and an appreciation for Blue Island Beer Company

Brewer’s Choice: Rt. 66 Old School Brewing’s Paul Bidne on his “Mango Is Our Middle Name” sour, local disc golf bar crawls and an appreciation for Blue Island Beer Company

By Trent Modglin
February 7, 2023
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Paul Bidne
Head brewer at Rt. 66 Old School Brewing
110 Bridge Street in Wilmington, IL
Rt66OldSchoolBrewing.com

1. The last really good beer you drank was… Anchor Brewing’s Christmas Ale at The Open Bottle craft-beer shop in Lockport. It’s my favorite Christmas beer. I look forward to it every year.

2. What fellow Illinois breweries and specific beers have impressed you lately?

Nik and Ivy, Metal Monkey, Will County Brewing, Blue Island Beer Company, Mad Hatchet Brewing. They all make great beer and are always helping their communities. Blue Island has a special spot in my heart. Bryan Shimkos is a mentor to me. He taught me how to brew, and then I started my journey into this.

The rest of them are members of the Joliet Brewers Guild. We are coming up on our 10-year anniversary. This club has about eight or nine members that are doing this professionally.

Of the beers I’m most proud of, Mango Is Our Middle Name is a collaboration we did with Unpossible Mead. It’s a honey mango sour that turned into our biggest selling beer and won gold and bronze medals last year in competition.

3. What are you most proud of at your brewery? 

Well, I can go on and on. For starters, the owners, Steve and Tina Nelson, took a chance and hired me. I am forever grateful for them giving me this opportunity. Of the beers I’m most proud of, Mango Is Our Middle Name is a collaboration we did with Unpossible Mead in Dwight, IL. It’s a honey mango sour that turned into our biggest selling beer and won gold and bronze medals last year in competition.

We keep coming up with new recipes all the time. It keeps the creative aspect to brewing. We are a little brewery 20 miles south of Joliet, in Wilmington, IL on historic Route 66.

4. What do you have coming up that people should know about?

We have all kinds of fun events here. We had Christmas movies all of December, we have a scavenger hunt and arts and craft nights during the week. In the spring, we are doing a disc golf bar crawl where we are teaming up with all the local bars, and each bar is going to have a disc golf hole in their back area to make up a nine-hole course. We also host a home-brew competition each summer.

TagsAnchor BrewingAnchor Christmas AleBlue Island Beer CompanyIllinois BrewingJoliet Brewers GuildMad Hatchet BrewingMango is our Middle NameMetal MonkeyNik and IvyPaul BidneRt. 66 Old School BrewingThe Open Bottle LockportUnpossible MeadWill County Brewing
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About us

Sponsored by the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild, Illinois Brewing is printed and distributed quarterly (early January, April, July and October) to more than 250 breweries across the state as well as more than 100 craft beer-focused bars, restaurants and stores. Each member of the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild’s IMBIBE club also receives the magazine in the mail. 

Publisher/owner: Trent Modglin
[email protected]

Art director: Brian Hertel
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Illinois Brewing's magazine, website and email newsletter are property of Venture Forth Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Copyright 2023.

illinoisbrewing

Stylish magazine, website and e-mail newsletter focused on the vibrant craft beer scene in Illinois. Sponsored by the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild

From our big summer issue... Spotlight on @brother From our big summer issue...
Spotlight on @brotherchimpbrewing — This @worldbeercup gold medal winner in North Aurora boasts a diverse beer menu, welcoming gathering space, and no shortage of fun events

Read the feature here now at IllinoisBrewing.com
From the Inside Scoop section of our summer issue: From the Inside Scoop section of our summer issue: The long-awaited taproom for @lakeeffectbrewing is finally a reality in Chicago’s Logan Square, and the patio is a good one. Grab a copy of Illinois Brewing while you’re there, and a tasty Watermelon Wheat
The talented team at @phasethreebrew knocked one o The talented team at @phasethreebrew knocked one out of the park with this big, bold version of Tonal Range, an 8% Northeast Double IPA. Seen here enjoyed alongside the Led Zeppelin cover band Kashmir. 
#IllinoisBrewing #DrinkIllinois #Zeppelin
It’s official… Imagine us having to keep this It’s official…
Imagine us having to keep this little secret for most of the last year, especially when the second location will be walking distance from our house. Congrats Mike and the talented crew at @mikerphonebrewing … we can’t wait to be your first customer. Look for a Q&A about this fun expansion in the fall issue of Illinois Brewing
The Inside Scoop from our big summer issue: The @m The Inside Scoop from our big summer issue: The @maplewoodbrew new kitchen, Beer Night at the @pistolshrimpbaseball game July 10, @lakeeffectbrewing new long-awaited taproom, Streetz Artz Alliance @streetzmobeatz upcoming shows, the Tinley Park Ale Trail trolley, @stcalliance Brew Tour, @opmicrobrew festival and more

Read it all now at IllinoisBrewing.com
From our Brewer’s Choice section in new summer i From our Brewer’s Choice section in new summer issue: 

Q: What do you have coming up that people should know about?

@burningbushbrewery head brewer Scott McElhenie: We recently brewed Da Pope, an American mild ale, in honor of the new pope, Pope Leo XIV, who is a Chicago native. People immediately loved the name, but were surprised to realize how much they also enjoyed the beer. We workshopped Da Pope as a lighter-bodied option that still offers notes more commonly found in darker styles to give some variety over the summer. It makes me laugh a little every time somebody says, “It’s actually good!” as if we would make a beer that didn’t taste good just for a cheesy name.

Read the spotlight now at IllinoisBrewing.com
Instagram post 18399803860117341 Instagram post 18399803860117341
The Streetz Artz Alliance Summer Art Bazaar return The Streetz Artz Alliance Summer Art Bazaar returns to Tinley Park’s @flipsidebrewing this Sunday, July 6 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

The event with @streetzmobeatz will showcase 16 talented local artists in an intimate and vibrant setting inside the brewery’s taproom, perfectly paired with house-made smash burgers and fresh craft beer.

Shoppers can expect a wide and unique range of offerings — from handcrafted hot sauces, crocheted creatures, and original artwork to houseplants, tarot readings, skincare products, handmade jewelry, coffee, candles and even giant cookies.
Oh yes. The expansion continues. Oh yes. The expansion continues.
From our new summer issue... Brewer’s Choice: @b From our new summer issue...
Brewer’s Choice: @burningbushbrewery head brewer Scott McElhenie on @russianriverbrewingofficial living up to the hype, the @sturdyshelterbrewing sensational Paddlewheel porter, and naming a popular new beer after the Pope Leo XIV

“I just had a couple beers from Sturdy Shelter Brewing that really impressed me. … I have had a few porters in my life, but the Paddlewheel Porter was extraordinarily well crafted. The vanilla is well balanced with the darker malts so that you aren’t left with an overwhelming sweetness in the beer.”

Read it all now at IllinoisBrewing.com
If you haven’t tried the menu at @industryales i If you haven’t tried the menu at @industryales in downtown Chicago yet, prepare to be blown away. 

Be on the lookout for our Breweries in Bunches feature on the four Loop breweries in our new summer issue.
Well, we thought we were doing a decent job with t Well, we thought we were doing a decent job with the magazine, but it seems Illinois Brewing is so entertaining, it can even distract people from enjoying the likes of Malibu Beach and Joshua Tree National Park in California.
From @oldirvingbrewing burgers and the @uneannee c From @oldirvingbrewing burgers and the @uneannee cave monster sandwich to @crustbrewing fish tacos and @morebrewing Indian dishes, we asked readers and industry professionals: What’s the best meal you’ve had recently at an Illinois brewery?

Read the Last Call section now at IllinoisBrewing.com
Quick family vacation to Southern California and c Quick family vacation to Southern California and coming away impressed with the San Diego craft beer scene. Favorites so far include: @moderntimesbeer Orderville hazy IPA (winner so far), @latitude33brew Brewing’s blood orange IPA, @seekbeerco That Adds Up hazy IPA, @coronadobrewing Weekend Vibes IPA, @emboldenbeerco Industry blonde ale and @burgeonbeer Carlsbad Crush pale ale.
Read our spotlight on @suncatcherbrewing — who h Read our spotlight on @suncatcherbrewing — who happens to be hosting a Summer Solstice party today.

“Suncatcher is all about going back to the beers I was stoked and inspired by when I was first learning about beer as a younger person… and keeping that feeling going.” — Co-owner Matt Gallagher

Read the feature now at IllinoisBrewing.com
From the archives: Spotlight on @onelakebrewing — Located in a gorgeously renovated 1920s bank in Oak Park, this brewery from a pair of friends focuses on beer that’s true to the region it’s from and fostering a community vibe. And did we mention they have an awesome rooftop? 

“We try to brew beer that’s true to the region it came from. We bring in ingredients from all over the world and use them in their purest form. … We even adjust the water chemistry too, in order to mimic the environment of the local brewers.” — Shawn Stevens

Read the brewery spotlight at IllinoisBrewing.com
Double hazy IPA from @mikerphonebrewing on the pat Double hazy IPA from @mikerphonebrewing on the patio while playing a “candy Monopoly” my kid created on his own? 

Not a bad way to spend a summer evening.
Had a great time at the annual @illinoisbrewing go Had a great time at the annual @illinoisbrewing golf scramble earlier this week — with a tasty variety of beers from the likes of @hopbutcher @midwestcoastbrewing @blindcornerbeer @werkforcebrewing @reserveartisanales @alterbeer and more.

Also swung by for an interview with @brotherchimpbrewing for a feature in the summer issue. Now that’s a day.
Thanks to @maplewoodbrew for the invite earlier th Thanks to @maplewoodbrew for the invite earlier this week to get a sneak peek of their new kitchen and expanded taproom in Logan Square. Stellar smash burger, Pillowy Mellows NEIPA and In Dark Trees dark Czech lager. And a bottle of their finest bourbon to go. Look for more on Maplewood in the upcoming summer issue
Fun event alert: The fourth annual STC Six collabo Fun event alert: The fourth annual STC Six collaboration launch party is happening on Wednesday, June 18 at 5 p.m. at Pollyanna Brewing & Distilling in downtown St. Charles. 

The STC Six is made up of the following St. Charles breweries: @93octanebrewery @alterbeer.stc @brokenbrix_cidery @pollyannabrewingcompany @riverlandsbrewingcompany and D&G. The breweries invite everyone to join in on the celebration for a great cause with the first opportunity to taste the new beer — a West Coast pilsner with notes of citrus, tropical fruit and a touch of pine. 

This year’s collaboration supports the important mission of Support Over Stigma, a nonprofit helping veterans and first responders. For every beer and limited-edition glassware sold, $1 will be donated to the cause. Can’t make it to the event but want to contribute? You can visit any of the participating breweries to try the beer and purchase limited-edition glassware.

More information: STCSix.com
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