In this episode we venture back up to Lake County and the village of Lake Villa, where we visit with a brewery that has been in existence for over 5 years, but seems to be a “best kept secret”, at least from those in the southern suburbs! Harbor Brewing Company is located just a short walk from the Metra station, a stop on the North Central Line, so accessible from Chicago. Plus they have a lakefront biergarten location in Winthrop Harbor that has their great brews and awesome views!
Founder Kyle Wenzel and Head Brewer Adam Brose talk with The Brit and co-host Ken McMullen (Fox Republic Brewing) about how they have kept people coming back again and again, building up a solid taproom following, and now doing well with their self-distro. With an impressive 24 tap selection on hand, there is something for all tastes, and we get to sample a few on the podcast.
We check out the large event space and how this has helped them host regular events that bring in the local community. With a ‘wall o’ barrels’ on one side they tell us about how they are getting their barrel program off the ground. And with the beer fest season starting up, Kyle talks about how he likes to attend these so he can actually meet and talk to the attendees who are trying his beer. We find out about what they are viewing and listening to these days, and Ken has a tip for a new band he’s been hooked into! Cheers!
Beers Sampled:
- Harbor Lager, American Lager, 4.3% ABV
- Buffer Zone, Dunkelweizen, 5.2% ABV
- Wintertide, Rye IPA, 6.6% ABV
- Camp Nights, Brown Ale, 5.8% ABV
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