Smylie Brothers Brewing Co. in Evanston is poised to roll out the welcome mat to three fellow microbreweries in town on May 21, as part of this year’s Chicago Craft Beer Week, May 14-24.
On that day, besides showcasing four of its mainstay beers, Smylie Brothers also will open its guest taps to brewery/taproom Temperance Brewing, 2000 Dempster St., TemperanceBeer.com.; brewery/restaurant Peckish Pig, 623 Howard St., ThePeckishPig.com.; and Sketchbook Brewery, 825 Chicago Ave., SketchbookBrewing.com.
The public event is designed to highlight the recent explosive growth of the craft beer movement and draw attention to its presence in a town once a bastion of the Temperance Movement, one that remained dry until the early 1970s.
“Everybody’s beer is different and has something unique to offer,” said Jen Peterson, Smylie Brothers’ marketing manager. The rapid growth of craft brewing parallels how consumer palates have become more sophisticated as they branch out to try not only new beers but wines as well, she adds. “People love local — and as Evanston’s brewpubs expand, they want to support them.”
The other Craft Beer Week-related event Symlie Brothers will host is a Brothers Brunch, partnering with Warrenville’s Two Brothers Brewing Company from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 17 for a buffet-style brunch paired with beers from Smylie Brothers and Two Brothers. Tickets cost $65. Two Brothers Brewing Company’s Sarah Rempala and our Smylie Brothers’ Head Brewer Brad Pulver will be on hand to discuss the pairings.
Founded in June 2014 by Mike Smylie and his four brothers, Symlie Brothers has a 10-barrel capacity, equivalent to 31 gallons per barrel and is focused on keeping up with demand, said Pulver.
“We’re maxed out with fermenter space and serving tanks,” Pulver noted. All of its product is sold to customers in refillable take-home growlers or consumed on the premises, which includes a restaurant known for comfort food dishes including barbecue, brisket and pizza.
Pulver said Smylie’s Pale Ale, Farmhouse, Cali Common, Blood Orange Dunkelweiss and, most likely, Irish Red Rye, will be featured during the Evanston Tap Takeover event. “It’s a non-competitive event to celebrate handcrafted beer, and we’re leaving it up to the participating brewers [none of which is older than three years] to select the best examples of what they produce,” he said.
Discussing the steady growth in the industry, Pulver observed: “I honestly don’t know that there can be too many microbreweries. Right now we are on track to reaching pre-Prohibition levels. In the past, every community of size had its own local brewery to supply the region.”
Evanston Tap Takeover
11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Thursday, May 21
Smylie Brothers Brewing Company, 1615 Oak Ave., Evanston
224-999-7320; SmylieBrothers.com
