E-Malt.com News article: USA, IL: Like Minds Brewing to open in Chicago by the end of September

The owner of the popular Milwaukee restaurant Sanford will open his brewing business in Chicago instead of staying in Wisconsin. Justin Aprahamian said the blame is a 2011 law that prohibits a restaurant owner with a liquor license to obtain a brewers license, WDJT reported on August 18.

"We were looking at properties, we were talking about distribution and some red flags came up," Aprahamian said. "There was some interpretation that we thought we could and then through conversations with the state that it wasn't in fact going to be feasible and that's when we started looking at Chicago.”

Aprahamian and his partner John Lavelle plan to open Like Minds Brewing in Chicago in an 8,000 sq. ft. building. They are making a range with a seasonal approach, he said. Examples include Rhubarb Saison, Cucumber Pilsner, Black Currant and Lemon Verbena Pale Ale.

Aprahamian said he's not trying to make a political statement, however, he said, some sections of the law need attention because it’s affecting local business.

"It's frustrating, but there are parts of that law that make sense, but there also parts of that law that need to be addressed," Aprahamian said.

"It would have been nice to be in Milwaukee I mean we have roots in Milwaukee, etc., it would have been obviously a better situation but we'll kind of just roll with it I guess," Aprahamian said.

Sandford Restaurant will stay open in Milwaukee. Chicago-based Like Minds Brewing is expected to open in late September.


19 August, 2015