Tyler Harnung
Eris Brewery & Cider House
Chicago, IL
ErisChicago.com

Q: The last really good beer I drank was…

A: Coastal Encounter by Brothership Brewing. I’ve always loved everything they do, but they really knocked this one out of the park. A great dry, bitter and clear West Coast IPA with a blend of Citra, Simcoe and Mosaic hops, with Strata Abstrax. Their brewmaster, Dan Ray, has always made some of the most impressive West Coast IPAs I’ve had the pleasure of tasting, and he still finds a way to continue improving his process. With the weather still warm, I couldn’t recommend grabbing a couple friends and a couple four packs to enjoy the day more.

Q: What are you most proud of at your brewery?

A: Eris Brewery and Cider House co-owner Michelle Foik: “I wanted to jump in on this question since Tyler really has been the thing that we are most proud of at Eris. He started over a year ago at Eris and really worked hard, kept quiet and started to learn more about cider.

One year later, he decided that it was his turn to take the reins and had proven to be a very detailed, determined and passionate leader. Taking on responsibilities, reining in our cider blending and production, and helping us achieve our goals. Cheers to Tyler and thank you for your hard work. We can’t wait for the team you built to start moving forward.”

Tighthead Brewing in Mundelein has always impressed me. It’s such a great space filled with an absolutely delightful staff. … They keep giving me more reasons to come back.

Tighthead Brewing in Mundelein

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

A: Tighthead Brewing in Mundelein has always impressed me. It’s such a great space filled with an absolutely delightful staff. Between options like Longsnapper IPA, Bear’s Choice, Chilly Water and Tres Izquierdas, I always have a hard time deciding where to start. I’ve been coming here for years, and they keep giving me more reasons to come back.

Another brewery that has really impressed me is Roaring Table in Lake Zurich. They’ve been doing great things for years over there, but their Maibock was one of my top choices this past spring. There’s a lot of really great things coming out of Lake County this year. I would absolutely recommend taking a trip out there.

Eris is not just a brewery, cider house, full restaurant and patio. We are also a special-events venue; we are innovative and creative. … This year we will be creating new cider blends, getting back to brewing beer and finishing off our new Delta 9 soda project.

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

A: Eris is not just a brewery, cider house, full restaurant and patio. We are also a special-events venue; we are innovative and creative. We will be having some fun fests and fundraisers at the pub this year. But we will also create new cider blends, get back to brewing beer and finally finishing off our new Delta 9 project, AFK Delta 9 sodas. Stay tuned to our socials (@erischicago) and visit ErisChicago.com to sign up for our newsletters.