Luciano Fiore
GM at Beer on the Wall in Elmhurst
105 N. York Street
WeHaveGreatBeer.com

Favorite breweries: This is a pretty tough question to answer, as we are extremely spoiled for good suds here in Illinois. Some of the names that come to mind for me are Maplewood, Mikerphone, Half Acre, Roaring Table, Goldfinger and Art History. I don’t want to leave anyone out because there are things I love about all of the breweries we get to represent on our shelves, but my gut reaction is to name those folks I mentioned. Also, Energy City consistently comes through with smoothie sours that are just as good as the big players for those styles like 450 North (Indiana) or Drekker (North Dakota). So next time anyone wants to get a smoothie sour, make sure you don’t forget about Batavia’s very own!

Riverlands Brewing has also been pumping out some super crispy and clean West Coast IPAs that deserve some more love. And for being new to the game, Blind Corner Brewery in Naperville is starting off on an incredibly high note. Their lower-ABV Sub 4 series is killer, and I’m excited to see them grow. I’ve met so many great folks from all of these Chicagoland spots that it’s never been easier to support drinking local, and I’m really fortunate that I get to be a central hub at Beer on the Wall and get folks excited about breweries and beers they might not be familiar with.

Drinking tendencies: I’m all over the board. There’s been instances in which I thought I didn’t care for a particular style until I found the right brewery’s rendition of that beer. When I first started working at Beer on the Wall in 2021, I was definitely into the haze craze, and I drank up every smoothie sour I could find.

But as the years have progressed, I’ve gotten super into lagers and definitely have an affinity for English-style beers nowadays. I suppose two years of cask beer will make a guy love some bitters and milds! I tend to drink seasonally, which I can admit is a lame answer, but it couldn’t be more true. Lager time in the summer, and I go for the darker styles when the temperatures drop; they tend to hit the spot a little harder when it’s appropriate.

For being new to the game, Blind Corner Brewery in Naperville is starting off on an incredibly high note. Their lower-ABV Sub 4 series is killer, and I’m excited to see them grow.

What are you looking forward to enjoying on draft this summer?

It came and went already, but the Le Jus Clear from Alarmist Brewing was spectacular, and one of those IPAs with excellent balance that doesn’t sit heavy at all. Also, Daisy Cutter Union is a Half Acre and Firestone Walker collaboration that I’m super excited to have on our draft lines. It was excellent in cans, I can’t wait to see how it tastes on draft.

I love the Sundial PILS — it’s consistently great, and it tastes even better when you drink it amongst friends. I also absolutely loved Off Menu, which was the Sundial and More Brewing’s saison collaboration.

Recent beers that have caught your eye: Goldfinger Brewing dropped a Bohemian-style pilsner around half a month ago, and I’ve been pretty hooked on that since it came in. I love the Sundial PILS — it’s consistently great, and it tastes even better when you drink it amongst friends. I absolutely loved Off Menu, which was the Sundial and More Brewing’s saison collaboration. We had both the Coolship and regular version on draft at Beer on the Wall, and I couldn’t get enough. Lastly, I am extremely biased here, but our Take One Down collaboration with More turned out fantastic this year. Possibly the best batch yet.

Phase Three’s Elmhurst restaurant and taproom

Favorite beer bar: Honestly, I’m loving Phase Three‘s newish spot on the other side of Elmhurst. Having side pour and cask options in the same location is lethal, and a killer food menu to boot is always a plus. Those side pour pilsners are insanely crushable, and I can drink them all day. I’d also like to give them a huge shoutout for the industry night they hosted recently, which was a fantastic time.

Secret beer spot: I’m gonna go with a homer pick here, but I really dig Poor Phil’s right by me in Oak Park. The selection there is super legit. They also offer a great happy hour that we try to get to as often as possible. Sitting in Oak Park’s Pleasant District while eating oysters and having a swath of awesome draft options to choose from never gets old.

Best brewery you’ve hit on vacation: Zero hesitation here for me: Allagash Brewing Company in Portland, Maine was a craft beer nerd’s dream. I went to Portland on a recommendation from my coworker, Matt Geary, and because he grew up in Portland and his family started a kick-ass brewery, he reached out to them on my behalf and got me some special accommodations. We had a private tour of the production facility, including the cool shipping area, and our guide Lindsay couldn’t have been better. Allagash is a premium standard on how breweries should aspire to operate. All of the folks working there seemed to love their jobs, which is a huge plus. It was a pretty surreal experience. I would travel to Portland again just to go there.

Allagash Brewing Company in Maine