Brewery Visit: Finch Brewery, Chicago

Steve-o and I went on the Finch Brewery tour in Chicago on Saturday. The building itself wasn't too easy to find, since it is not marked on the street-side, and even once in the front door you don't even get the feeling it is a brewery. In fact, if I didn't know better myself, it looks exactly like a temporary space would look. Even though they have only been brewing for about a year, there is no way their space will accommodate brewing, packaging and storing of all that the business demands.

We took the tour, of the limited space, and were impressed by the shiny new fermenters and and tricky dick mill room. But they seem really cramped in there, and unless they buy some adjoining space soon, they are going to have to move to bigger quarters.

10 fermenters

They talked for a little about the beer making operation, and moved onto the grinding of the barley then the steps in the process. They built a grain silo out of the back door on the little alleyway, and I was wondering the whole time how the neighbors are taking to a big silo out there back windows. I mean their house windows!

They took us on the canning line, then allowed us to drink beer for another hour. That was about it.


They brew just the three beers we have purchased in the stores, including Golden Wing Blond Ale, Cut Throat Pale Ale and Threadless IPA. I personally think the cans can use a re-design, and, to answer my wishes they are making the can colors more bold and pronounced.

Lots of Cans

They have produced other beers from time to time, including a Sapsucker California Rye Ale, plus a stout. These are only available in local bars in kegs. We need to stay tuned for further details of these releases.

They also mentioned a Kolsch and a Maibock, but I couldn't really remember if they are in the future or in the past. As a Kolsch drinker (hell, practically every German beer style), I would be open to that. Just a move away from heavily hoppy beers from time to time is always a good thing for me. But, I like their beer and I will keep buying it.


Overall I must say I was pretty impressed with the results of the operation. I think he said in the their first year they produced 8000 barrels, which is huge. With the distribution increasing and the popularity of Threadless growing I totally can't see them staying there. They even mentioned starting to sell beer in Georgia. Congratulations to them.

Steve and I noticed something: the tour was full, maybe about 30-40 of us, but the average age was 30, or, as Steve put it: 25 after we left. I also noticed that there were people on the tour who seemed very interested in the machinery and not so much the beer, as if they are thinking of expanding their home-brew operations themselves.

I found this article from last year which talks about these things plus an interview with the distributor. It doesn't go too crazy into Finch's, but more about the distribution situation they are in. Coincidentally they talk about Windy City, who is owned by our other favorites, the Ebels of Two Brothers.

http://chitownontap.com/2011/05/09/windy-citys-take-on-finchs-beer-co/