Second brewery and taproom
opening in Lincoln Park.
Summer 2017?
As a smallish but growing brewery, we are always thinking about what comes next and what pieces of the puzzle need to move in order to do all of the things we want to do. Where will the new tanks fit? How big of a chiller can the roof support without collapsing? If we come in on Sunday, can we juggle the schedule and brew both this and that? With every square foot, amp, and most waking hours at the current space being used, we need a second facility to keep up with increasing volume demands and to have the time and space to make new things.
After 11 months looking, negotiating, and exploring, we're very excited to announce a spot for a second brewery and taproom at 1460 N. Kingsbury in Lincoln Park. The original Logan Square brewery will continue to operate producing our year-round core beers and seasonals. We'll immediately squander any new found efficiency brewing Tooth and Claw, so everyone can try the dry-hopped pils we make as the house beer for Sue the T-Rex and the Field Museum! (Our motto is, of course, make more beers with dinosaurs on them.) The new space will focus on the more finicky, unpredictable wild beers, foeder and barrel fermentation, and fruit processing that throw a wrench in production scheduling, gobble floor space, and make a huge mess -- tricky stuff that keeps us on our toes.
In the same way enough people knocked on the brewery doors to force us to open our bottleshop at 3925 W. Dickens, we learned that even if you don't build it, they will come. The constant look of disappointment when we have to tell folks they can't actually drink beer there is leading us to finally open a taproom. Hopefully starting summer 2017 you'll be able to see what our ragtag staff is working on with beer in hand without worrying about getting hit by a forklift. Our friends at Threefold are helping with design so you can safely expect lots of things made out of wood and probably a fireplace because Steven Teichelman loves putting fireplaces in places and who are we to say no? The 8,000 odd sq. ft. of interior space are divided between brewery space, a larger, louder area for serious drinking, and a quieter front space to contemplate what, why, and how alongside barrels doing the same. A front patio will let us get some sun in the warm months and parking (parking?!) to make the colder months a little more manageable. Easy access to the Red Line means getting home safely and daytime coffee service means going to the Apple store down the street the next morning if, somehow, your screen gets cracked, won't be such a terrible experience.
In addition to a constant stream of new projects, one-offs, collaborations, and super fresh old loves, we're asking the state of Illinois to let us give some lines to host some of our favorite breweries from around the world, become mayor of Cidertown, learn a thing or two about wine besides how to order rosé, and cocktail our tails off. We love making lots of things and working with folks who know how to do things we don't.
Our fingers are crossed for opening the taproom summer 2017, but the timeline is up to the gods and our beloved City of Chicago. We wouldn't have said anything yet but some of you like to look at liquor license application filings and ask a bunch of pesky questions. We would have gotten away with it too! If it wasn't for you meddling reporters!!
Pictures of the current brewery can be found at http://goodbeerhunting.pixieset.com/offcolorbrewing/
High resolution available upon request to hops@offcolorbrewing.com. Photog credit to M. Kiser/Good Beer Hunting. Artwork and logos available at http://www.offcolorbrewing.com/images. Pictures of the new space can be arranged when we actually get keys.
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