Scorched Earth Brewing Company
203 Berg Street
Algonquin, IL 60102
ScorchedEarthBrewing.com

Wednesday: 3-9 p.m.
Thursday-Friday: 3-10 p.m.
Saturday: 12-10 p.m.
Sunday: 12-7 p.m.

History in short: Greg Doyen was fully settled into a job in the corporate financial world, but he always had an itch to own a brewery and, like so many others out there, he started brewing at home to learn the ropes. But it took time. A five-year journey to be exact, as he spent a lot of time researching breweries in Arizona, California and Illinois to hone in on what they were doing right.

In April of 2022, his focus turned to Scorched Earth, which originally opened in 2014. “I just really loved the brand, loved the beer, and it was close enough to where I lived that it was a good combination,” Doyen tells us. “Keeping the brewery production and taproom teams, including head brewer Bryan Hochstetler, was a big deal too.”

The space: The previous owners added on in 2019, more than doubling the size of the space. The cozy taproom up front, highlighted by a U-shaped bar, shuffleboard table, hanging pendant lights, exposed air ducts and some old-school lounge chairs provides a nice view of the working brewery and tanks. A second room has long communal tables and some cool graffiti wall art. 

Private parties are held in the cavernous event room, where groups can gather next to a plethora of stacked cans and barrels. The expanded beer garden off the parking lot is a popular post-work gathering spot for happy hour during the warmer months. 

Interesting note: Scorched Earth will be expanding distribution throughout Chicago and the north and northwest suburbs soon, and hosts trivia contests on Thursdays, yoga on Saturday mornings and food trucks and live music on Friday and Saturday evenings. 

I just really loved the brand, loved the beer, and it was close enough to where I lived that it was a good combination. Keeping the production and taproom teams was a big deal too.” — owner Greg Doyen

What we’re drinking: We enjoyed more than our share of samples during a visit to Scorched Earth late this fall and came away impressed by the variety of brews. The Rugged Coal Miner, a rich and chocolatey robust porter that carries some coffee-like notes, may have been the MVP of the night. Blueprint, a blackberry-blueberry wheat ale, has a nice flavor profile and isn’t too sweet. Flipmode is their strong-selling New England IPA series, Hickster is a smooth cream ale, and Phoenix Tears is a crushable Vienna-style lager that uses a blend of imported German malts. 

A beer called Day Old Donuts? Scorched Earth throws 25 dozen day-old donuts in the tank to make one seriously highly-rated milk stout.

On the horizon: Day Old Donuts. Curious? So were we. Scorched Earth throws 25 dozen day-old donuts (in collaboration with local Country Donuts of Crystal Lake) in the tank to make one seriously highly-rated milk stout. 

They’re also planning some retro releases, which are highly influenced by customer feedback, that go way back in the archives of Scorched Earth — pilot batches, if you will. “One of our best customers, it’s his nickname, so we have to keep it a secret,” Doyen says. “We’re going to surprise him when he comes in. Basically the equivalent of a ribbon-cutting ceremony.”

Looking ahead to May, Scorched Earth Days is a full weekend of fun in the parking lot and beer garden with plenty of bands. 

From the brewery: “To me, there are two big unknowns when you invest in a business. You only really know so much about the employees and customers. Those were my two unknown worries, but as it turns out, those have been my two most consistent mainstays since I bought the brewery. The two things I appreciate most.” — Owner Greg Doyen