Tour Stop 126 - Art History Brewing - 4/11/2022

Art History Brewing, 649 W. State Street, Geneva, IL 60134, #630-345-6274
website: ArtHistoryBrewing.com/
Hours: Mon-Wed 12pm - 9pm | Thu 12pm - 10pm | Fri 12pm - 11pm | Sat 12pm - 11pm | Sun 12pm - 9pm

Experience before you go . . .

Being up in Naperville and staying with Beer Drinking Buddy Brad and his wife Lynda, before too long the conversation turns to beer and then before you know it the pre-tour plans begin to take shape and then we're out the door heading to a brewery! But this tour began with a few pre-stops that were sure to stoke the testosterone in any red blooded American male. First stop was a Lawn and Garden store just chalked full of John Deere green........grrrrr!! Next stop was a sausage shop called Wurst Kitchen located in Aurora that has been filling skins since 1895! That's 127 years at the same location folks!! We bought some German Nurnberger sausages to grill that nite and some Landjager sausages to snack on in the truck and also some special mustard to eat anytime.....yum yum!!! Art History Brewing was the next stop on the tour.

Art History Brewing in Geneva, Illinois is located in the elbow of a typical 90 degree Midwest strip mall. Easy to find and adequate parking. We executed the patented front sign selfie, turned and did the Hoppin Brewery Tour shuffle to the front door and in we went. The first thing having been in a lot of breweries that catches your attention the second you walk in are the eight stainless steel, I believe fermentation vessels (*see Brad's note below) located behind the bar. They're stacked two high and four across and in my humble opinion they are way cool!! That's what I love about touring so many breweries....there's never two alike!! Every brewery speaks volumes of the passion and energy of each individual owner. It's their vision of what fills their head for months and even years before they pour their first brew. And then somewhere down the road Brad and I walk in and get to experience the finished dream, the captured spirit, the floor lined with blood, sweat and tears, the space that many day dream about but few actually accomplish. It's a big deal people and hats off to all the brewery owners that sometimes risked everything to have their own place!!

Okay, sorry to digress!! So BDBB and I strolled up to the corner of the bar and took over two bar stools. I glanced down to where our feet hit the outside bottom of the bar and it was well worn with scuff marks and missing paint, just all boogered up and all the way down the bar on both sides the paint was perfect so we were definitely sitting on the two most popular bar stools in the place! Who knows maybe Johnny Depp & Amber Heard sat on these very stools....of course back when they were still getting along!! Brad and I got a good nose for good bar stools. Sean, the lead beer tender greeted us and we ordered some beers. I ordered an Art History Major - New England IPA (6.6%, 50 IBU) mandarin and tangerine, very drinkable. Brad lined up a Art History flight comprising of Varitace - Dark Czech Lager (4.8%, 24 IBU) rich and complex, starts like a porter and finishes like crisp & dry; Chuck's Temple Irish Red - Irish Red Ale (5.6%, 34 IBU) a St. Patty's day favorite, come on over and get'cha some; Ink Line - Imperial Milk Stout (12%, 42 IBU) chocolate covered cherries, licorice & vanilla, followed by a smooth big, roasty finish....oh my! and finally the No Questions Asked - French/Belgium Saison (5.3%, 14 IBU) it's smooth and drinkable...don't ask me no questions!!

I see an experienced gray haired guy looking like he's guilty of brewing all these fab brews so I do what I do best, I approach him with a HBT card in hand and yes indeedy it's Greg, the Master Brewer. Sometimes you can't do any better, bio pulled from AHB website.....Originally from Sydney, Australia, Greg is a naval veteran that has a passion for kayaking wild rivers and brewing delicious beers. Since graduating from Siebel / World Brewing Academy in 1995, Greg has been brewing in Chicago for over 20 years. He has traveled the world seeking beer from the original source, bringing those traditional styles & more, to the western suburbs.....impressive and keep on brewing Greg!!

To my left we have my NBF Josh, Art History regular who has a real knowledge for beer and all things surrounding beer. Brad and I brought Josh into the HBT fold where all beer lovers want to be and want to stay....I know, very convoluted with a touch of "what did he just write"?

Okay Art History is the Real Deal folks!! Aussie Greg is brewing the brews, Sean and the rest of the Tenders are serving it up and regulars like Josh are drinking it so you gotta stop in and join in on the fun!! Right off of State Street in Geneva, Illinois....tell'em Brad & Clyde sent ya!!

Until next time and remember......

Go get'cha one!!


*Art History has an interesting process with their brewing and serving. They have multiple 10 and 20 barrel fermentation vessels and behind the bar they have eight 11 barrel serving vessels, giving them a total fermenting capacity of 60 barrels and an 80 barrel serving capacity! They do one-to-one transfers when brewing in one of their 10 barrel vessels, they transfer it all to an 11 barrel serving vessel. When they brew in a 20 barrel fermentation vessel, some of it goes into a canning process and they transfer the remaining 10 or 11 barrels into one of the serving vessels. This transfer is done with a portable pump (see picture #14).

By the way, in picture #20 you will see Carl and Wendell, who were at Art History celebrating Carl's birthday!