Wolfden Brewing
112 W. Lake Street
Bloomingdale, IL
WolfdenBrewing.com

Monday-Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday-Thursday: 4-10 p.m.
Friday 2-11 p.m.
Saturday: Noon-11 p.m.
Sunday: 12-5 p.m.

History in short: Wolfden Brewing is the creation of Krys and Katie Wolf, who started home brewing in 2012. A handful of years later, they were looking at a few different business ideas and a brewery won out. Fortunately, the village of Bloomingdale wanted a brewery as well, and upon hearing their business plan, actually helped them shop for a property and fast tracked the process.

The brewery’s eventual home, a farmhouse dating back to 1851, had been vacant for eight years after previously serving as a fireplace restoration company. A lot of family members contributed to the year-long renovation, spearheaded by an uncle who is a carpenter by trade and handled all the woodwork and built the bar. Wolfden officially opened in 2018. 

This is such a unique venue and one of the coziest spots — from the inside and out — we’ve encountered. “We travel a lot up north to Wisconsin and wanted to created a lodge or supper club feel,” Krys Wolf tells us.

The space: This is such a unique venue and one of the coziest spots — from the inside and out — we’ve encountered. “We travel a lot up north to Wisconsin and wanted to created a lodge or supper club feel,” Krys Wolf tells us. “We wanted to make it feel like you’re at your family’s house for Thanksgiving in just a really comfortable setting.”

String lights adorn the ceiling upon entrance, and a little semi-private room with a fireplace called “The Snug” lies to the right behind birch posts. Plenty of seating surrounds the bar, and a cool mezzanine area, located up a few stairs, overlooks the brewing process. 

We look forward to swinging back this summer to check out the popular, family-friendly 1/4-acre beer garden that boasts a tent, concrete patio and regular live music. 

Interesting note: Wolfden hosts regular arts and crafts shows with Streetz Artz Alliance, and oh, yeah, it’s haunted. Quite haunted, actually, by a mischievous resident spirit named “Jack” who has been known to make his presence felt in a variety of ways throughout the property. Ask for some stories. 

What we’re eating and drinking: Foggy Thoughts, a hazy IPA brewed with tangerine puree, is their flagship beer and a good one at that. We also enjoyed the Boujie Frut, a fruited sour ale brewed with loads of blackberries, raspberries, oats, wheat and lactose, and then rested on Madagascar vanilla beans. The Squatch Coast American IPA, with rare Sasquatch hops, and Game Trail, a trail mix-inspired porter with notes of dried fruit, cocoa nib and roasted peanut, were other solid options.  

Wolfden offers up a small kitchen with snacks and appetizers (think spinach artichoke dip and chips, chicken tenders and cheese-filled pretzel bites) during the week, and the menu expands on the weekend to include pizzas, sandwiches, mac and cheese, etc.

Turns out Wolfden is haunted. Quite haunted, actually, by a mischievous resident spirit named Jack who has been known to make his presence felt in a variety of ways.

On the horizon: In honor of the billions of cicadas that are expected to surface this spring — after 13 years and 17 years of dormancy — Wolfden is doing a brood beer (a brood is a group of cicadas, we learned) that’s a Maibock. It’ll come out in May. “Don’t worry, no cicadas are involved in the brewing process,” Krys says with a laugh.

From the brewery: “I love the space we’ve created with the decor and the welcoming feel. As for our beers, we’re not pumping in all kinds of of adjunct stuff. We will follow some trends, but we’re more about the classics with some modern twists.” — Krys Wolf, co-owner and director of brewing operations