There are several new breweries that have been delayed in expansion or opening due to the current lockdown conditions, and one of those is the newest project for brewer Carson Souza. Obscurity Brewing is located in one of the furthest west suburbs, Elburn IL, in fact the last stop on the Union Pacific West line. Last year, Carson left his role as brewer at Rockford’s Pig Minds Brewing to join up with a team of investors and bring a brewery/restaurant to a flagging ‘Agro District’ on Elburn’s main street. They started work on a rehab of the old Farm Services Offices and Warehouse space, and hoped to be open in April or May of 2020. Whether that date will be met remains out of their control, but Carson is positive and hopeful.

We caught up with him via Zoom one afternoon, and he took The Brit, Ken McMullen and Jay Rosicky, on a preview tour of the location where work was still going on. We of course, will be heading down there when the restrictions are lifted, and there is beer in the tanks that we can sample, but for now this is a taster of what’s to come! Join us for 15 minutes of fun and brown-bag drinking! Cheers!

One of the earliest craft breweries to open in the Chicago region was Werk Force Brewing, located in Plainfield IL. Since then, the husband and wife team of Amanda and Brandon Wright have expanded their business from a home brew shop and taproom, to a large scale brewery and tap room, plus winning several medals at the World Beer Cup, GABF, and FOBAB to name just the biggies!

It was therefore a heart-breaking decision that faced them both when the corona-virus pandemic forced them to close their doors early, and furlough most of their staff. Their only concern was everyone’s well-being, including that of their daughter Mabel, who played a big part in keeping everyone positive on social media with short videos of family ‘pillow’ fights!

Just recently, they decided to re-open their doors to curbside pickup, and have organized a safe way for people to begin to obtain their award-winning brews once more. We were lucky to catch them while they were getting orders ready, and the crew enjoyed a virtual beer with them while they told us how they were doing, and also why they donated over 30,000 nitrile gloves to local hospitals and fire fighters. Don’t miss this one!

We finally have got to chat with Jamie ‘The Beard’ Albert from Will County Brewing. We were scheduled to come down and record an audio podcast but the virus stopped all that! So, we got him on Zoom, just after he was back from a grain run, and found out what’s happening with his brewery. We hear the story of how his F.U.S.S. hazy IPA got its name, and how they produce the flavor profile for their ‘Fruity Pebbles cereal’ beer.  We also find out what other beers Jamie drinks when we play ‘Show Us Your Fridge, Please’!

Out of the 5 breweries in St. Charles IL (some yet to open their doors), D&G was the first, and remains the most ‘local’. That said, brewer Alex Drayer (the ‘D’ in the name) produces some classic style that are exceptionally drinkable. The HAH crew had a socially-distanced conference with him as he opened for another week of pick-up/curbside-only sales. His regulars seem to be staying loyal to his brews, and he is planning on brewing more next week. Visit with Alex as he tells his tale, in his own ‘Lee Marvin-like’ voice, complete with his signature durag! Cheers!