By Amanda Stephens, St. Charles Business Alliance Marketing Promotions Committee Chair
A little bit ago, the Marketing and Promotions Committee, a volunteer group from the St. Charles Business Alliance, decided to get together and check out a couple stops on the St. Charles Brewery Tour! Having six breweries located in St. Charles really makes for a excellent hub of craft beer and brings beer enthusiasts to come check out the town! I am not a beer connoisseur but I have been branching out to try different things so this was definitely a fun day!
Our self-guided tour started at Riverlands Brewing, which is located not too far from downtown St. Charles and close to Randall Road so it is easy to get to. Their indoor space is very welcoming: industrial with beautiful art, awesome lighting and a clear view of the beer tanks behind the bar. I grabbed an Acid Rainbow after some advice from the bartenders and found our group! It was a beautiful day so we opted to sit outside in their outdoor area. We were there midafternoon so the sun was warm and the beers were cold and delicious. While we weren’t there till evening, I’ve heard it’s the place to be since they usually have live entertainment on summer nights and food trucks for people to grab a bite!
Our second stop was at D& G Brewing, which is tucked back behind the well-known Lincoln Park and St. Patrick’s Church. As I entered this non-descript industrial vibe building, one of my favorite jam bands, Phish, was playing on the speakers so I knew I would like this place. With a nod to the Grateful Dead to tie-dyes for sale, this is a haven for chill vibes and good beer. They have an outdoor area, but we opted to stay inside and sit around one of their unique live edge wood tables and take in the company. I learned that they have some bar games and bring in food trucks on the weekends. I even came back on a later weekend to see a great Grateful Dead cover band, the Completely Dead, play. If you haven’t, you definitely need to check out some of the live music performances they host here.
Here I am with Laura Purdy and her daughter, Avery!
Last but not least on our tour was Pollyanna. Having been in the service industry for many years, I had known, drank and enjoyed Pollyanna when they had their first brewery in Lockport. Since then, Pollyanna added a second location in St. Charles and took over a space that needed life. They brought good beer and liveliness to downtown St. Charles. Our group sat outside in their patio area and enjoyed their craft beers and even sampled some of their new distilled craft spirits. Pollyanna does not serve food, along with the other breweries on our tour, but the cool thing is they let all you bring in or order from other local restaurants! Pollyanna is connected to Flagship of the Fox, which is a great sports bar that has food and drinks. They also host different food options on the weekends, and my favorite is 4D’s BBQ. Pollyanna has a great location right downtown with Fox River views and it is a wonderful place to check out!
There are three other breweries we were unable to swing by in this tour but have put them on our list for next time! They include: 93 Octane Brewery, Alter Brewing + Kitchen, and Broken Brix Home Brew Shop LLC. If you are looking to try a new place out or organize a beer tour be sure to utilize the St. Charles Alliance’s resources you can find here and create a fun new adventure!
Plan your own St. Charles Brew Tour today! Visit stcalliance.org/brewtour to learn how you can participate in our self-guided Brew Tour Challenge and win a free t-shirt!
Cheers!