Tag: Great American Beer Festival
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Brewer’s Choice: Sketchbook Brewing’s Jay Dogen on Art History and Goldfinger setting the bar for lagers, discovering the Bierstadt Lagerhaus in Denver, and being proud of Sketchbook’s winter warmer and American stout
Jay Dogen Assistant brewer at Sketchbook Brewing in Skokie, IL SketchbookBrewing.com The last really good beer I drank was… out in Denver for the Great American Beer Festival. We swung by the Bierstadt Lagerhaus, a German-style, lager-only brewery, and we tried their Oktoberfest, pilsner and helles lager. We had liters of all three, and all ... -
Taproom treasures: We scoped out some of the most unique and historic brewery taprooms across the state… and had a few pints along the way
By Trent Modglin, Publisher Double Clutch Brewery 2121 Ashland Avenue in Evanston DoubleClutchBrewing.com What makes it unique: Double Clutch head brewer Scott Frank and Mike Chookaszian, a partner in Vandalay Brands (the company that owns Double Clutch), have long been neighbors and friends, not to mention car guys. So when you add in Scott’s skills ... -
Spotlight on Werk Force Brewing Company: From a brewing supply store to hand crafting an award-winning brewery in Plainfield, Brandon and Amanda Wright are enjoying 10 years of bringing a community together
Werk Force Brewing Company 14903 S. Center Street Plainfield, IL WerkForceBrewing.com History in short: In 2012, Brandon and Amanda Wright opened Chicago Brew Works, a brewing supply store in southwest suburban Plainfield. Two years later, they opened Werk Force Brewing Company in the same space. “We thought it would be an awesome path to take ... -
Brewer’s Choice: Horse Thief Hollow’s Andrian Morrison on the Sgt. Reckless pale ale from Evil Horse, admiring Hailstorm Brewing, winning two gold medals and helping veterans with PTSD
Morrison (left), along with Horse Thief Hollow’s Neil Byers and Jake Nelson Andrian Morrison Brewer and sales manager Horse Thief Hollow Brewing Co. 10426 S Western Ave. in Chicago’s Beverly neighborhood HorseThiefBrewing.com The last really good beer I drank was… Sgt. Reckless from Evil Horse Brewing, an American pale ale at 5.2% ABV. It’s got a ... -
Illinois Brewing Insider: Flipside Brewing owner Erik Pizer on the impressive variety at Werk Force, Horse Thief Hollow’s Little Wing pilsner and relaxing at The Open Bottle and Sheboygan’s 3 Sheeps Brewing
Erik Pizer Owner/head brewer of Flipside Brewing Tinley Park, IL Favorite breweries: It’s impossible to pick just one or even name just a few. Over the years I’ve made so many great friends with Illinois breweries, but Brando and the gang at Werk Force Brewing Co. are some of my closest friends, so I’ll have ... -
Breweries in Bunches: NW suburban Huntley and Woodstock are home to a handful of some of the state’s more creative and comfortable craft breweries
By Trent Modglin Kishwaukee Brewing Co. 1900 Dillard Court Woodstock, IL 60098 KishwaukeeBrewing.com What they’re known for: Kishwaukee founder and brewmaster Dan Payson learned his craft in Seattle, and the Pacific Northwest had a profound effect on him. “The Seattle beer scene was a big influence for both of us,” Dan says of himself and his ... -
Spotlight on Triptych Brewing: Located just outside of Champaign, this 10-year-old brewery with 28 beers on draft has seen significant expansion while focusing on owning the local market
Triptych Brewing 1703 Woodfield Drive Savoy, IL TriptychBrewing.com Monday-Wednesday: 3-9 p.m. Thursday: 3-10 p.m. Friday: 12-11 p.m. Saturday: 12-11 p.m. Sunday: 12-8 p.m. History in short: It all started some 10 years ago, when Anthony Benjamin and a couple friends had an inkling to start a brewery. “I had home-brewing experience and computer engineering experience, ... -
Brewer’s Choice: Double Clutch Brewing’s Scott Frank on the unique vibe at his award-winning brewery, a fondness for Evanston neighbors Temperance and Sketchbook, and gearing up for a big Oktoberfest party
Scott Frank Head brewer at Double Clutch Brewing Company 2121 N. Ashland in Evanston, IL DoubleClutchBrewing.com The last really good beer you drank was… I had a really good Maibock from Church Street recently that was given to me in a can by their sales rep. It had all the flavor profiles and an amber ... -
Brewery spotlight: Both innovative and unconventional, Off Color Brewing, the self-proclaimed “fermentation-focused brewery,” has been racking up awards for 10 years in Chicago
Off Color Brewing 1460 N. Kingsbury Chicago, IL OffColorBrewing.com Sunday-Thursday: Noon-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday: Noon-midnight History in short: Owners John Laffler and Dave Bleitner, like so many others in the industry, did “other stuff” for a while before figuring out they were better at making beer than at the other stuff. The two met at the famed Siebel ... -
Spotlight on Hailstorm Brewing: An award-winning brewing team, spacious patio, expanding barrel-aging program and delicious smoked wings in south suburban Tinley Park
Hailstorm Brewing 8060 186th Street Tinley Park, IL 60487 HailstormBrewing.com Tuesday-Wednesday: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. 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: Chris Schiller, a former consultant and software engineer, always anticipated scaling up to a commercial level while home brewing for better than five years. He and former ...
