Hairy Cow Brewing Company
450 E. Blackhawk Drive in Byron
HairyCowBrewing.com

Wednesday-Thursday: 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
Friday-Saturday: 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
Sunday: 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

History in short

Even in his younger years, Todd McLester admittedly was never into the bar scene. “So many were dark and smoky and not the place I wanted to hang out, but when I went to a couple breweries, they just felt different,” says McLester, a retired Rockford police officer. “They were more like coffee shops with beer… bright, airy, good food and more of a family-friendly atmosphere.”

Head brewer John Lambert was a home brewer at the time, and a friend of McLester’s from church, and within a few days of an initial conversation between the two, they were meeting with the city of Byron about the possibility of launching a brewery.

The target was a defunct city park that had already seen a couple pieces of the playground removed. The location, tucked away at the bottom of a neighborhood along the banks of the Rock River, was ideal.

Initially turned down for a loan by five different banks, it was far from a smooth start for McLester. But with an unwavering vision and a bit of perseverance, Hairy Cow opened its doors in 2018, some three years after the initial sitdown with the city. And come September, McLester will be opening a second location, this time spread across seven acres in Box Elder, South Dakota, offering views of the mountains, a nearby golf course, even military planes taking off and landing at the Ellsworth Air Force Base.

The space

Casual yet stylish, Hairy Cow has become a destination for beer and pizza lovers alike in the Rockford area and north central part of the state. The spacious, open taproom has large windows overlooking the river and yard. A few TVs tuned to sports, exposed duct work, hanging lights and a view of the pizza oven add a lot.

Situated on the banks of the Rock River, Hairy Cow has a large, covered deck offering great views and a grassy side yard with additional seating, games, fire pits and enough room for the kids to stretch their legs.

“In the end, we kind of aimed for what we liked and created something where I would feel comfortable going,” McLester says. “Focus on the beer, pizza and vibes, and find a good staff, which we definitely have.”

They also take advantage of the location, situated on the banks of the Rock River, with a large, covered deck offering great views and a grassy side yard with additional seating, games, fire pits and enough room for the kids to stretch their legs and let some energy out.

Interesting notes

The brewpub is named after the Scottish highland cattle McLester raises on his farm outside Byron. … You can catch live music on the deck on Sunday afternoons and inside on Thursday and Fridays.

Hairy Cow utilizes locally produced ingredients whenever possible and donates spent grain to local farms to feed livestock, as well as a local artisan bakery.

It’s also not uncommon for the company’s unique logo to draw people in from afar. McLester recently hosted a couple from Ohio who liked the logo and decided to pack up the camper and come visit. He also recently saw someone wearing a Hairy Cow t-shirt while sitting by the pool at his son’s apartment complex in San Antonio.

What we’re eating and drinking

Hairy Cow offers a wide range of 18 signature and seasonal beers, with most using locally sourced ingredients. Two standards are the American Hairy IPA, which is chock full of citrus, pine, fruit and resiny hop flavor, and the Dos Cookies milk stout that is slightly roasty, silky smooth and full of chocolate flavor. The Prairie Grass kolsch is a crisp, refreshing way to pass a summer day, and the Sour Todd series is a popular one, currently utilizing a sour ale that’s conditioned on white peach puree.

They’ve also got a few lower-alcohol pilsners and a new hazy IPA called Hazy Raider on the menu for summer, as well as a full assortment of cocktails, seltzers, wine and other options.

Blessed with a talented kitchen staff, you’d best come hungry for one of their creative wood-fired pizzas, seasonal salads, appetizers and rotating soups. The wings, by the way, are not to be missed. We enjoyed the mango habanero and lemon pepper wings on a recent visit, but you can’t go wrong with any of the flavors. And if you can swing in late this summer, order the grilled chicken pizza that’s topped with fresh local sweet corn. And then thank us later.

The wings are not to be missed. And if you can swing in late this summer, order the grilled chicken pizza that’s topped with fresh local sweet corn. And then thank us later.

On the horizon

The early release of Hairy Cow’s Oktoberfest, called Denmar, was a big hit. … Every Saturday, Hairy Cow offers 30-minute tours (running from 2-5 p.m.) where you can learn about Hairy Cow Brewing Company, see the brewing process and sample different beers. Tours are $10 per person and include a complimentary glass. … Also, keep an eye on social media for their semi-regular cocktail-and-cigar nights in the beer garden.

From the brewery: “I really enjoy what we’ve created. We’re doing something we enjoy and are glad others are enjoying it as much as we have. Ignorance is bliss, I guess, with our focus on beer, cocktails, coffee and pizza — basically what we enjoy. And our staff has a lot of input on the beer and food we do here. … We’re only 15 miles from Route 39 and Rockford, and we have a lot of people coming in from around the state.”

— Todd McLester