Buffalo Grove's Prairie Krafts aims to draw beer lovers
When you ask friends to meet at a new beer spot in a suburban industrial park, the pitch sparks more skepticism than excitement. In fact, there's a little pause to hear the punchline. But Prairie Krafts Brewing Company is for real, though you may have to search for Buffalo Grove's first craft brewery while winding your way around neighboring manufacturing facilities and loading docks.
Motif: Located at 1310 Busch Parkway, Prairie Krafts combines brewing, pouring and serving in one location. On the night we visited, the taproom was packed with patrons sitting at and huddled around a small bar with about six tables spread out through a tight space. There may have been about 30 people enjoying any of the dozen craft brews that are born from giant brew kettles in the back, but it sounded like a lot more.
A small table filled with board games sits inside the front door and seemed to be the only spot in the taproom that was open. No one was playing Operation on the night we visited - most people were watching baseball games on monitors high overhead - but the extra table space and a few more chairs would have helped more visitors take a load off and relax.
A large window in the center wall separating the taproom from the production facility enables customers to see what the microbrewery looks like. I was half hoping for a Willy Wonka-esque setting of rivers flowing with pilsner and waterfalls of lager, but there were just lots of shiny steel drums and pipes.
Liquid consumption: My choice brew for the evening was the High Rules IPA. It was very good and very hoppy. A sampler flight of Prairie Krafts' other offerings is available and that also made its way to our table.
Food: Don't walk in hungry. The place is beer-only and there's no grill. Small plastic cups of firey-hot peanuts are put on tables and generate just enough heat on your tongue to make you want to quickly order something. There are also menus available from nearby takeout eateries that will deliver to the taproom. A couple of pizzas arrived for a nearby table while we were scarfing down our peanuts.
Service: It took us a few minutes to figure out how service works in this loud and crowded space. We finally persuaded the bartender to bring over some menus and help educate us “newbies,” and she went over the selections in detail. It's nice when you can learn something you didn't know about craft beer from the staff, and the Prairie Krafts team knows its beer.
Overall: The addition of Prairie Krafts in Buffalo Grove reflects the growing popularity of in-state craft breweries as well as nationwide craft beer sales and production. Along the lines of proudly saying “made in America,” there's a level of community pride associated with a locally made quality product and Prairie Krafts offers just that.
Prairie Krafts Brewing Company
1310 Busch Parkway, Buffalo Grove, (224) 434-2189,
Hours: 2 to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 2 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday