Algonquin's Scorched Earth Brewing Co. spreads cheer through beer
When Michael Dallas got into home brewing, he began dreaming of opening his own brewery and taproom to share his work with others. Working with his wife, Jennifer, he opened Scorched Earth Brewing Co. in Algonquin in August and has set his sights on spreading his beers throughout the area.
Motif: Located in a warehouse, the space fuses farmhouse and industrial aesthetics. Barn wood lines the walls and was used to build a shuffleboard table equipped with slots for pint glasses. You can grab a seat at one of the red stools at the wood bar or at the bench tables that provide a view of the brewing facility, without any glass separating you. There are also plush red chairs and bench seating where you can lounge and watch sports on TV. A large display case shows off Scorched Earth's growlers, glasses and tasters.
Food: The taproom doesn't serve any food, but you're welcome to bring in whatever you want. Scorched Earth periodically hosts food trucks on Fridays and Saturdays, but with the winter weather, they're looking into having local restaurants drop by to serve food.
Liquid consumption: Your best bet is to try a $6 flight of four brews to pick out something you like, though they also offer a larger flight that gives you a taste of everything they have on tap if you're truly curious or indecisive. Our favorites were the tart Der Sommer Besitzer sour ale and the Crypt Keeper imperial pumpkin porter where the spice helps refine the dark base flavor.
Scorched Earth has four to five brews it makes on a regular basis and distributes in McHenry, Lake and Kane counties and parts of DuPage and Northwest Cook, but Dallas wants to keep the flexibility he had as a home brewer even though he's working on a larger scale. A pilot system lets him brew a half-barrel at a time and you'll often find a firkin or cask of one of these experimental brews available at the taproom. Scorched Earth is also aging sour beers made with raspberries and Midwest grapes in red wine bottles, and the first batch of those brews should be available by spring.
Crowd: The brewery has already built up a loyal base who stop in regularly to refill their howlers and growlers. Saturday afternoons and Sundays people like to drop by to chat with employees about what's new at the brewery while things are quiet. Families sometimes come in to have dinner and even play games.
Scorched Earth hosts brewery tours at 11 a.m. the first Saturday of the month, with the next tour on Jan. 3. The $10 (cash) tour includes a beer tasting, too. Reserve a spot online, otherwise it's first come first served.
Service: While we were quickly given a beer menu when we stopped in, the bartender repeatedly overlooked us as we tried to order in favor of serving people who had been there earlier or chatting with regulars. Once we did get our initial order through, service improved and she stopped by to share some information about the brewery and talk about her favorite drinks.
Parking: There are plenty of spots available in the free lot.
Overall: Stop in for a taste of what's new on tap at Scorched Earth Brewing.
Scorched Earth Brewing Co.
203 Berg St., Algonquin, (224) 209-8472, <a href="http://scorchedearthbrewing.com">scorchedearthbrewing.com</a>
<b>Hours:</b> 4 to 10 p.m. Thursday and Friday, noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, noon to 7 p.m. Sunday