Relocated Flesk Brewing a highlight of downtown Barrington scene
As an admitted craft beer snob, I was pumped to try the recently relocated Flesk Brewing. The brewery moved from Lombard to the center of Barrington, officially opening in the historic Ice House Mall in June.
<b>Motif:</b> Housed within the dated exterior of the Ice House Mall, the exposed brick archway of the brewery leads to a modern and casual taproom with seating for about 70 people. Plenty of high-top tables and benches are available, with beer fermentation tanks just to the side. I enjoy sitting near the brewing equipment in a taproom and getting a sense of being in the heart of it - it's you, the equipment and the sudsy goodness. If you're not entertained with just hanging with tanks of beer, there are also several TVs playing sports.
<b>Liquid consumption:</b> The 10 taps at Flesk present a nice variety of beer styles. Cider, wine and soda are also available. My companion (an even bigger beer snob) and I started with tasting sizes of the Wit with Orange Peelz wheat beer and the Sticky Sunrise double IPA. The Wit is easy to drink and refreshing. The not-so-hazy New England-style IPA was dank and fresh, but didn't have the usual citrus explosion. From there, I moved on to two of my favorite styles - Running Man Milk Stout and Other Brother American amber. The stout had a strong nose of chocolate, but drank more like a porter. The amber was chewy and malty - attributes that won me over.
Things started to get more interesting when we ordered styles we generally would not. I know - crazy, right? My companion got a taster of the Kai Grapefruit Ginger Wheat beer and I went for the Amber Kolsch. Ginger grapefruit wheat beer sounds presumptuous, but we found it a surprising highlight. The Kolsch is equally a crowd pleaser with a crisp, true-to-the-style flavor. It was easily the best pour I tried during the trip.
The brews are all pretty strong in ABV with nothing less than 5.6 percent. They'll pour you a 5-ounce taster or a 16-ounce draft, as well as fill up growlers.
<b>Food: </b>There is no food served, but menus are available to places that will deliver or are within walking distance.
<b>
Service:</b> We found the bartender friendly and happy to share information about the brewery.
<b>Crowd:</b> We visited on a Saturday evening and there were about 25 people in the taproom. The spot drew a mixed crowd in their late 20s and beyond.
<b>Music:</b> The room was on the quiet side, so talking is easy. Music seems like an afterthought. What I could hear of it was a mix of classic and popular alternative music. One of my favorite draws to a successful taproom is a nice eclectic mix of music, and I almost always come away with a few new discoveries.
<b>
Parking:</b> Flesk has a small lot, but there were no issues finding parking by the entrance. Situated in a pretty area near the train in Barrington, the taproom is accessible by Metra.
<b>Overall:</b> Sitting among Ice House's shops and offices, Flesk Brewing is a place to bring your friends for a fresh, cold brew in the heart of downtown Barrington. Drop in for a quick pick-me-up or hang out for a while.
Flesk Brewing
200 Applebee St., Barrington, (224) 655-7291,
Hours: 3 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 3 p.m. to midnight Friday, noon to midnight Saturday, noon to 10 p.m. Sunday; closed Labor Day