Bikes and brews: Take a bicycle brewery tour along the Fox River Trail this fall

The Fox River Trail has long been a haven for cyclists and nature enthusiasts. But lately, a new kind of two-wheeled tourism is gaining traction: the brewery tour.

Craft beer enthusiasts are discovering that the Fox River Trail offers the perfect route to sample the region’s best suds, all while enjoying a scenic bike ride. This growing trend is bringing a fresh spin to the trail, attracting visitors and boosting local breweries along the way.

Here are some breweries located on the trail, or just a short away, beginning in Aurora and continuing north to West Dundee.

Two Brothers Roundhouse

205 N. Broadway, Aurora, (630) 264-2739, twobrothersbrewing.com/home

This family-owned brewery, located just a block or two off the Fox River Trail, offers a variety of artisan craft beer. Choose from year-round staples like Pinball Pale Ale, Amplifier IPA and the gluten-free Prairie Path to seasonal favorites like Peppermint Bark Porter, Cane and Ebel Red Rye Ale and In The Flesh: Razz, White and Blueberry fruited sour. Two Brothers is the home of the Bloodline series, as well as limited batch releases like Wouch, a barrel-aged cherry sour ale and Black Velvet extra stout. If you’re in the mood for something else, try Two Brothers’ Single Barrel Whiskey or a Two Brothers Artisan Spirits ready-to-drink canned mojito, mule, old fashioned or vodka sodas with flavors like blackberry lime or mango pineapple. Two Brothers also offers handcrafted gin, vodka, cold brew coffee liqueur and many other spirits. If you’re hungry, enjoy a meal from Two Brothers’ full-service restaurant.

Grainology Brewstillery

131 Flinn St., Suite C, Batavia, grainologybatavia.com/

The recently opened Grainology Brewstillery is located just off the river and Fox River Trail near downtown Batavia. Stop by the tasting room and try one of the many craft beers, including Schultzy Amber Ale, Tenebrous Imperial Stout, Pit Mold Porter or 1902 Classic West Coast IPA. Their craft cocktail menu, made with Grainology spirits, includes the Maple Bacon Old Fashioned, Cosmo, Sparkling Vodka Lemonade and more. Check out the rotating food trucks parked outside the tasting room and enjoy live music on select nights. Stop by on a Wednesday night for indoor bocce ball.

Sturdy Shelter Brewery

10 S. Shumway Ave., Batavia, (630) 389-7769, sturdyshelterbrewing.com

Sturdy Shelter Brewing is another new addition to downtown Batavia that’s located along the Fox River Trail on the west side of the Fox River. The taproom, which offers views of the river, has 18 taps, including two Lukr side pour faucets for classic lagers and nitro for stouts and porters. The draft list includes a variety of both light, dark and hoppy beers like the Depot Red IPA, 1833 Barrel Aged Imperial Milk Stout and Batavia Helles Lager. Other options include a vodka lemonade cocktail, cider and wine. Sturdy Shelter does not serve food, but guests are welcome to bring food into the taproom to enjoy while sipping on a beverage. Check out the website for special events, including trivia and live music.

Penrose Brewing

509 Stevens St., Geneva, (630) 232-2115, penrosebrewing.com

Penrose Brewing in Geneva has a rotating craft beer menu combined with a welcoming taproom. The beer options include classics as well as seasonal and limited-edition beers and seltzers. Some of the beers available year-round include the Taproom IPA, Penrose Light, Lil Boots, a hazy IPA and Lemon Selz-Up. Seasonal favorites include hazy IPAs Rain Boots, America the Boot-iful and Summer Crush. Penrose doesn’t have a kitchen, but guests are welcome to bring their own food or order in. Brewery tours are available for $15 on Saturday afternoons and include a glass of beer in a keepsake glass.

Alter Brewing

12 S. First St., St. Charles, (331) 901-5949, alterbrewing.com/

Take a break from your bicycle trek and enjoy a pint or two on Alter Brewing’s patio, which overlooks the Fox River and downtown St. Charles. Choose from mainstay beers like Rally Point West Coast Style IPA, Alterado, a Mexican style beer, Hopular Kid, a strong pale ale or Center Line Golden Ale. Seasonal brews include the German-style lager Festbeir crafted in the fall, Heavy Squeeze Lemon Ale in the summer, Swedda Wedda oatmeal stout in the winter and more. Alter Brewing offers wines and spirits and a full-service kitchen. Live music and other special events are planned throughout the year.

Pollyanna Brewing & Distilling

106 S. Riverside Ave., St. Charles, pollyannabrewing.com

Located across the river from Alter Brewing in downtown St. Charles is Pollyanna Brewing Company. And like Alter Brewing, Pollyanna has a large patio for guests to enjoy a pint while overlooking the river and downtown area. Not only does Pollyanna offer a variety of beers, but also distilled spirits and cocktails. Year-round beers include Lite Thinking American Lager, The Full Lemonty, a golden ale and Lexical Gap, a west coast IPA. Other rotating beers include the hazy IPA River Neighbors, the red IPA Scarlet Wave, the raspberry wheat ale Summerly and the fruited sour ale Strawberry Kiwi Allure. Check out the rotating schedule of food trucks for a quick bite. Pollyanna also offers live music and other events, including Beer.Music.Charity nights that benefit local nonprofits.

Emmett’s Brewing Co.

128 W. Main St., West Dundee, (847) 428-4500, emmettsbrewingco.com/

Emmett’s Brewing Co. has been a mainstay in West Dundee for 25 years. The brewery is located a block off the river in the historic Hunt’s Block building. Beers include Munich Light Helles Lager, World’s End New World India Pale Ale, Peacekeeper American Wheat Ale, Cow Tipper Milk Stout and more. Emmett’s offers a full menu, including appetizers, salads, sandwiches, vegetarian options, desserts and more. The brewery has a Beer Club, and those who sign up get perks like a free birthday lunch, discounts and an in-house special Beer Club mug.