Sew Hop’d Brewery
1 Union Special Plaza, Suite 113
Huntley, IL
SewHopd.com

History in short: The building was originally an old dairy production facility built in 1907. Sew Hop’d shares the building now with Union Special, a manufacturer of industrial sewing machines with a history itself that dates back to 1881 and has been owned by Terry Hitpas and Lance Lamb since 2008. They bought the building in 2013 and, as world travelers who enjoyed drinking beer together, knew they had an ideal spot to open a brewery.

“Having a factory in the middle of the town is not the same as having a brewery,” Hitpas says with a smile.

Their lead brewer, Doug Vanderwalker, was previously an engineer at the sewing machine company who had spent time in the service in Germany and was a home brewer who utilized the kitchen above the factory to make some batches they’d share with employees.

“The backbone of Sew Hop’d has always been the beer,” says Lamb. ”That’s what is important to us. There is a lot of German influence, and it’s largely evolved into that, but we can do some pretty good IPAs too.”

What caught our eye: With the taproom, they managed to maintain a rustic warehouse appeal and combine it with a sleek, industrial look. Huge windows allow a ton of natural light in, and a big draw is the giant patio that plays host to food trucks (expect everything from tacos and smash burgers to pizza and lobster rolls) and live music most Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

The patio and sun-soaked taproom get a lot of attention, but don’t forget the spacious side room that seats 150 and houses shuffleboard tables, dart boards, private parties and live music.

There’s also a spacious side room that seats 150 and houses shuffleboard tables, dart boards, private parties and live music (with a new stage and sound equipment installed this past winter). And if you live in the area, Sew Hop’d has a popular mug club with exclusive events and benefits, so keep an eye on social media for updates on membership openings.

What we’re drinking: So many options here, both the traditional mainstays as well as seasonal favorites and consistent new releases. We’re big fans of the Stairway to Helles lager, juicy Hey Hey Hazy IPA, Stan’s Amber (not too sweet, not too hoppy) and Fabricator, a rich, malty doppelbock (a style we wish everyone brewed regularly). This summer, we’re looking forward to trying their fruited mixed berry wheat beer and the peach cobbler sour, which is described as a “a classic Berliner weisse combined with everything you love about Grandma’s peach cobbler… without preheating the oven.”

We love the vibe that’s been created here in Huntley, and people say they can come in here and really feel at home. That epitomizes what we’re shooting for.” — Lance Lamb

Oh, and did we mention Vanderwalker and Sew Hop’d took home a gold medal in the German-style altbier category (for their Alt 140) at the Great American Beer Festival in 2024? Doesn’t get any bigger than that.

Keep an eye out for: Though we don’t want to look past the glorious summer season that’s upon us, Sew Hop’d is known for their Oktoberfest celebration (this year it’s Sept. 18-20), and the Marzen is already available to patrons. … They’re also working on a fun new double IPA that club members voted on, and that should be ready by late summer/early fall.

From the brewery: “The one thing we hear over and over is that we’re Huntley’s hometown brewery. We love the vibe that’s been created, and people say they can come in here and really feel at home. That epitomizes what we’re shooting for.” — Co-owner Lance Lamb