Scott Schahrer
Co-owner and head brewer
White Oak Brewing
1801 Industrial Park Dr. in Normal, IL
WhiteOak.Beer

The last really good beer I drank was… when I attended Destihl Brewery’s Dosvidanya Day here in Bloomington. Their coconut variant of the Russian imperial stout was really rich, had good barrel character and the toasted coconut put it over the top. It was perfect, like a German chocolate cake, and so well balanced. It’s the one that stands out to me in the last few months for sure.

Dank Meme pale ale from Triptych Brewing is one of the first beers I drank that I fell in love with. The balance, the taste, the sessionability.

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

Anytime I find myself near Dank Meme pale ale from Triptych Brewing, it’s a must. It’s one of the first beers I drank that I fell in love with and realized I could drink a million of. The balance, the taste, the sessionability. 

Anything I get my hands on from Roaring Table (Lake Zurich) too. Lane and Beth are doing great things up there. That’s no secret.  

The last guilty pleasure of mine would be Goldfinger’s original lager. Kemp’s Upper Tap in Lexington (IL) has it on draft, and it’s the only place down here I can find it. They serve it in this mug that’s perfect. It’s one of the better beers you can have. When you get it in your hands, it just feels right. There’s no way you can order just one. 

What are you most proud of at your brewery? 

We built the new brewery last year and pretty much did it all ourselves on the weekends with one of our good buddies, my dad and another partner here in the brewery. It was their skilled labor and the rest of us… our ability to hold things and take direction. 

This facility is something we put our heart and soul into, and now the space matches the quality of beer we produce.

We turned an old electrical warehouse into a brewery that we’re all really proud of. This facility is something we put our heart and soul into, and now the space matches the quality of beer we produce. We’ve come a long way facility-wise, so that’s been nice. 

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

This winter we upgraded our taproom from eight to 12 taps with a beer engine and proper glassware to maximize the experience. We have seltzers on draft and are offering more of our own stuff that was previously only available in cans. We do an English mild called Extra Medium Mild that we’ve never been able to serve properly here at the taproom, and that’s now on cask, which is ideal.  

Also, keep an eye out for Rippin’ Lips, a sessionable pale ale that’s one of the best things we’ve done.