Lombard's Noon Whistle Brewing to open Naperville taproom Friday

In 2014, three childhood friends opened a 5,000-square-foot brewery in Lombard with a goal of creating “drinkable” beer.

Four years later, the business was named one of the nation's Top 50 fastest-growing breweries by the Brewers Association.

Now, Noon Whistle Brewing has expanded its Lombard site, launched a new production center in Naperville, and is set to open its second taproom Friday at the front of that location.

“It's big. It's new. For us, it's just an exciting facility,” co-owner Mike Condon said. “We're able to produce more, and we can share more of our beer in Illinois.”

At 29,000 square feet, the Naperville space at 1748 W. Jefferson Ave. is nearly six times the size of Noon Whistle's original headquarters, allowing for a larger canning line and an on-site laboratory for quality testing. After kicking off production operations this summer, the brewery is now opening its tasting room to customers who can try out the product or buy beer to go, Condon said.

Noon Whistle was “completely maxed out” at its Lombard facility when owners started eyeing expansion options two years ago, he said.

Several factors went into choosing Naperville for its second location, including the community's support and the opportunity to broaden distribution across the suburbs and downstate, Condon said. The pieces started falling into place when operators found a building that checked all the right boxes, such as a large open space and the high ceilings needed for a brewery.

“It seemed like a good fit,” he said.

The Lombard location has recently undergone a renovation of its own, including tripling the size of the taproom, adding an on-site kitchen and creating a small banquet space.

Though the Naperville taproom does not have a kitchen, operators say a rotation of food trucks will be available on weekends and for special events.

Despite the brewery's expansion, Condon said, Noon Whistle is staying true to its roots as a small craft brewery, aiming to blend relatability with innovation. He and co-founders Paul Kreiner and Jim Cagle have maintained a mindset of brewing “drinkable” beer — meaning customers can enjoy more than one at a time — and engaging with patrons directly, he said.

“We're three friends who are like family, and we hope when people come in our tasting room, they get the sense that they're our friends as well,” Condon said. “There are a lot of small craft brewers out there now, but we're taking another step and investing in ourselves.”

Noon Whistle is hosting a grand opening weekend at its Naperville location, with food trucks and live music beginning Friday.

The taproom will be open noon to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, noon to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon to 7 p.m. on Sundays.