Chicago’s Old Irving Brewing Company is looking to open a brand new taproom in West Town, located at 1800 W. Walnut St.
The company’s second facility will move into the former home of Finch Brewing Company, marking the building’s fourth brewery in ten years, according to the Chicago Tribune. Co-owner and head brewer Trevor Rose-Hamblin and co-founder Jeff Linnemeyer hope to open this new facility sometime in 2023. Rose-Hamblin tells the publication he hopes the new brewery will produce about 10,000 barrels of beer, nearly four times more than its original location at 4419 W Montrose Ave.
Old Irving has become a famous brand in the Chicagoland area, and this new taproom will only help the growth. Another big reason this company has become a familiar name to beer lovers is its recent award-winning success through its beers. Beezer IPA, made under contract at Great Central Brewing in Chicago, won a gold medal in the highly competitive juicy or hazy India pale ale category at the 2019 Great American Beer Festival, which had about 348 entries. Rose-Hamblin says Beezer will be a priority at its new location, as it has “made a big difference” in the brewery’s trajectory.
“Our growth point has always been low and slow,” Rose-Hamblin told Chicago Tribune. “We’re betting on a brand that’s already proven itself. We went from being a smaller brewpub to an acclaimed brewery at that moment. It was a big change for me personally. You think, ‘Am I doing the right thing with my life?’ and then when your cohort tells you you’re doing great work, it cements it.”
