USA, IL: Penrose Brewing Company coming to Geneva

Art, science and some Belgium inspiration have come together in the form of the area’s latest craft brews by newcomer Penrose Brewing Co. Penrose Brewing opened in mid-March near downtown Geneva. The new brewery has a tap room that is open to the public and offers beer on tap for patrons to purchase, Aurora Beacon News reported on March 24.

“Our tap room is the best way to come and experience the beers of Penrose,” said co-owner Eric Hobbs, who opened the brewing company with Tom Korder, of Batavia.

Hobbs, 33, of Geneva, said that he and Korder worked on the concept for about three years before opening to the public. They serve direct at their tap room, and sell locally through a wholesaler.

A variety of their beers were showcased on March 19 at 10 Geneva bars and restaurants for Penrose Brewing’s Tap the Town event. The next night, Hobbs and Korder hosted another tasting event at Gammon Coach House in Batavia.

Hobbs and Korder both have experience in the beer world as former Goose Island managers. The plan for Penrose Brewing is to start with local distribution through Windy City Distribution and then grow it from there, Hobbs said.

Hobbs said they will feature six to eight beers in the retail world, but the number of beers could reach 40 or higher in the tap room.

“Our beers are Belgium-inspired with more yeast and they are more aromatic, spicy, clove-natured,” Hobbs said. They also have a lower alcohol content that hovers around 4 to 5 percent. They currently have seven beers on tap.

“We’re always going to be changing it up in the tap room. We can experiment all the time,” Hobbs said.

26 March, 2014