BEST NEW BUSINESS NOT DOWNTOWN
Springfield Beer Company
Springfield Beer Company is a newcomer to the craft beer scene in Springfield, having just opened last summer. The owner, Ryan Kunken, said his interest in craft beer started with a brewing class taken at the local community college. That led to home brewing, and then several years later Springfield Beer Company came to fruition.
Springfield Beer Company is a microbrewery with an on-site taproom, located on Wabash next to Freddy’s Frozen Custard. While the other local breweries are located in the downtown area, a bonus for west-side residents is there is now no need to venture far from home to get a taste of freshly brewed beer. It’s also conveniently located near two of the local movie theaters, making it a place where friends can hang out, bring food to enjoy and have some beers before catching a show.
Springfield Beer Company has about 20 beer offerings, the majority of which are brewed in-house. The beers are served up on a concrete bar, or you can enjoy your pint at one of the many tables. Patrons will find American IPA, Dunkelweizen, Belgian Strong Dark Ale and Hefeweizen as a few of the many beers currently on tap. The Facebook page shows an Apricot Milkshake IPA and Coffee Blonde Ale currently waiting on deck – we can’t wait.
Springfield Beer Company doesn’t serve food, but with the many restaurants on the west side there’s no shortage of choices for what to bring and enjoy alongside your beer. Or you can even bring something you whipped up at home; a Crock-Pot® of wings to chow down on could be a nice touch. In addition, Springfield Beer Company is opening on Monday nights for the duration of the football season, so it’s a great opportunity to bring some snacks and enjoy the game with a nice cold beer.
But perhaps most fun of all, Springfield Beer Company recently held a Best Brewery Dog event where customers brought their pups to enter the contest. Think your dog is up to the challenge? We hope they do it again, because it sounds like a good time. Upcoming events include a Halloween costume contest (for people, although one for dogs could be fun, too) and a chili cook off.
