Art History Brewing
649 West State State
Geneva, IL
ArtHistoryBrewing.com

Monday-Thursday: 12-9 p.m.
Friday-Saturday: 12-10 p.m.
Sunday: 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

History in short: You could say it all started back in Toronto in the mid 1980s. The Amsterdam Brew Pub to be specific. Tom Rau was home brewing in his spare time, but the pub was where he developed a love of tradition styles of beer, especially European lagers.

Born and raised near New Hamburg, Ontario, where his grandfather brewed beer at home and his German roots — and those of many families around his — run 150 years deep, he later would spend chunks of time in the 1990s exploring Europe with his wife, Cindy, and following the writings of the famous beer hunter, Michael Jackson, all the while immersing themselves in the history of brewing and beer culture.

After getting laid off from his corporate job at 55 years old, coincidentally at a time when he was just getting back into home brewing with a friend, he decided to take a leap of faith in 2018 and sign up for an accelerated two-week brewing course at the famed Siebel Institute, which led to a 12-week international course in Munich where, “some very smart people told me to focus on running your business and hire the best brewer you can,” Tom says with a laugh.

Upon graduating, he did just that, teaming up with Greg Browne, who had a long and distinguished career at Goose Island and Mickey Finn’s and shared the same passion for European styles. When they launched Art History, unfortunately amidst the Covid pandemic in early 2020, they decided to make a German pilsner and Czech lager the centerpieces before working to evolve the beer lineup into the well-rounded version it is today.

A few years ago, they expanded with a massive production facility called Geneva Lager Works, located just four blocks from the taproom, to “double down” on their brewing efforts and help with the rapidly increasing demand for distribution.

The space: Tom found the future home of Art History in the winter of 2019 on a warm February day, when the melting snow showcased some beautiful paver stones on what would become their popular beer garden out front. Originally combining two separate spaces helped, as did the functional concrete floors, exposed brick and floor-to-ceiling windows.

The triangle size of the colorful, inviting taproom is deceptively large once you step inside. If you’re looking for an acoustically controlled spot to grab a coffee and get some work done during the day, there’s free wifi, plenty of natural sunlight and snacks can help keep you productive until you’re ready for that first English ale or IPA with friends.

I think our customers who have traveled and drank beer in other countries … they appreciate our efforts to make authentic beers with authentic glassware and an authentic experience.” — Tom Rau

Interesting note: To say the ownership and staff are passionate about ensuring their classic beers are poured with the appropriate amount of foam (to show it’s been carbonated with care and to highlight aromas) and into the correct glassware would be an understatement of epic proportions. They boast a side-pour tower from the Czech Republic, special mugs designed for Bavarian helles lagers and Czech pale lagers, and have a variety of different sized glassware to promote sampling.

They also work with local and international artists for everything from wall art in the taproom to logos and beer can labels.

What we’re drinking: For us, it all starts with the trio of Levitace (Czech-style pilsner), Varitace (Czech-style dark lager) and Gravitace (Czech-style pale lager), especially if the latter is being poured off the lukr in the taproom. “It’s always a hit with our regulars,” Tom admits, not surprisingly.

Not to be forgotten on the current tap list is the smoked porter on cask, made with a cherrywood smoked malt that provides a dark fruitiness to complement the chocolate and dark coffee flavors.

The Good Morning Munich helles lager is another popular one with its German Pils malt and Hallertau Mittelfruh hops, as well as the rich and malty Scotch ale called Wee Heavy that’s perfect for winter, or the Good Night Bamberg rauchbier — a style we gravitate to whenever we find it. Not to be forgotten on the current tap list is the smoked porter on cask, made with a cherrywood smoked malt that provides a dark fruitiness to complement the chocolate and dark coffee flavors.

European lagers not your thing? Never fear, as there is quite a variety on display here in Geneva, including a new fruited sour called Lana’i Sunset that’s made with blood orange and cranberries, the Isla hazy IPA with pineapple, peach and pine flavors, or a traditional American pale ale like Lincoln Highway.

On the horizon: Led by head brewer Carolyn Stephens, the plan is to play a little more with the growing cask ale program, roll out a new Italian pilsner soon and experiment with different IPAs this winter and spring. They’re also planning a pub ale event that celebrates three or four different ales over the course of a weekend, so keep an eye on social media for that.

From the brewery: “We have these core west suburban and Chicago customer bases, and the ones around us seem to have traveled, drank beer in other countries, and a lot of served in the military. I think they appreciate our efforts to make authentic beers with authentic glassware and an authentic experience.”

— Owner Tom Rau