Back in March 2020, just before the pandemic hit, things were looking good for Second City Meadery. The mead winery was in the process of building out a 2,500 square foot production center and taproom at 4465 North Elston Avenue in Albany Park, with the work slated for completion that spring.
On March 15, Second City Meadery was granted its commercial liquor production license from the state of Illinois, a major milestone for the small business.
And on March 19, the world shut down.
“Construction just screeched to a halt,” Peter Schultz, co-owner of Second City Meadery, recalled. Thankfully, the liquor production license meant the meadery could at least make and sell its wares.
“That totally saved us,” he said. “I don’t see how we could have survived if we hadn’t gotten our liquor license when we did.”
But it wasn’t just luck that kept Second City Meadery afloat: It also makes a pretty good mead, as evidenced by the awards it has begun racking up at industry trade shows like the Orpheus Meadfest in Colorado, where among other accolades its brew “BA Wolf Point” was named second best in show. Over the year, those meads were in demand by local liquor stores, restaurants and breweries, such as Revolution Brewing in Logan Square, as well as through an online distributor. The meadery made enough money to keep its business alive, and to restart construction in late summer last year.
“Our whole business model was supposed to based around face-to-face interactions with customers,” Schultz said. “We had to throw that out the window during the pandemic, which took a lot of flexibility and making stuff up on the fly.”
Now, two years after signing its lease and starting construction, the meadery is complete and is finally preparing to open its doors. It’s planning for a soft opening at the beginning of November and a grand opening on Black Friday, Nov. 26.
“It feels crazy because over the past 2 years I keep getting asked, “When are you guys opening?” Schultz said. “Now it’s actually happening and it’s kind of surreal.”
The taproom will have space to seat between 40 to 50 guests. It will have on draft a selection of its “session meads” — carbonated, low alcohol meads similar to cider — plus bottles of its stronger, sweeter meads for bottle pours. And while it doesn’t have a kitchen nor plans to add one anytime soon, guests are welcome to bring in food, Schultz said. Next year, it plans to add brews from local Chicago breweries as well as cocktails, some of which will feature mead as the star ingredient.
“We’ll want to hit your negronis and your old fashioneds, but put some mead spins on some other stuff,” Schultz said. “I’m very much looking forward to the R&D around that.”
Second City Meadery will continue selling its wares at local breweries, liquor stores, restaurants and online. Keep up with news from the meadery on its website, Facebook page and Instagram account.
This article has been updated with comments and context from Peter Shultz, co-owner of Second City Meadery.
