New Geneva brewery Lager Works gets liquor license OK

Geneva aldermen this week approved a new liquor license for Geneva Lager Works, 421 Stevens St., for the retail sale of beer in connection with an on-site brewery.

Katie Hofmann, general manager for Art History Brewing, said the new brewery is a sister company.

"This will be a production facility that brews Art History beers specifically with the lager house for us to increase our production and distribution capabilities," Hofmann said.

Art History Brewing, at 649-653 W. State St., is owned by the Rau family, but Hofmann said they put her in charge.

"It will still be owned by the same family, the Raus," Hofmann said. "It's just an extension of Art History Brewing, basically. And we'll have the possibility of contract brewing for other breweries.

"We're just going to make the beer there and serve it out of our taproom (on State Street)," she said.

Art History will maintain its brewery as well, she said.