Looking Back Feature - Lagunitas Chicago

Take a look back a few years at a great brewery install in Chicago. You've probably heard of the place... and if you haven't, you need to add it to your to-do list of breweries to visit. We're talking about Lagunitas in Chicago. American Industrial Werks started on this job back in 2013. We performed all the major lifting and then some to get this brewery operational...it was an experience to remember. Over 130 tanks and related pieces of equipment went into this 300,000 square foot facility during our time onsite and even more since then. Built in the same building as the show Chicago Fire was being filmed made it even more interesting. Inside, this facility was gutted and built from the ground up into the spectacular brewery you can visit today.

Check out our feature of the Lagunitas Chicago project (to include video) and see how a major portion of this operation came together.

#BreweryInstall #LagunitasChicago

BreweryWerks Brew-Cruise: Local Craft Beer Abound

Most often a Brew-Cruise article is about our adventures, hitting the road to find brewery and winery destinations worthy of a weekend away. But if you don't have time to get out of town, there are plenty of stops you can make right here in river city. Craft brews are spreading like wild fire and whether you're looking for burgers or lobster, it's not hard to find a great tasting local brew to go with it. At Bulldog Ale House, for example, in Roselle IL, you've got your choice of

approximately 70 different types of beers (with a few of their own), many of them local craft beers. Their menu of delicious burgers, pizza, and some of the best wings around will leave you satisfied with your budget intact. On the other hand if your taste buds are feeling the need for the absolute best lobster bisque in the Chicago area, then you'll want to head over to The Clubhouse Restaurant in Oakbrook, once owned,

in part, by Kevin Costner. There you'll have your choice of local brews such as; Church Street Bob's Your Dunkel, Two Brothers Domaine DuPage, Revolution Anti-Hero IPA, or Lagunitas IPA and Little Sumpin' Sumpin'. You may also want to try the mountain of meatloaf better known as the clubhouse meatloaf sundae or the prime rib while you're at it, they’re both outstanding. If you have a taste for an excellent wine, a bottle of 2011 Ferrari-Carano Cabernet Sauvignon may hit the spot. Yes, it's a $56 bottle of wine, but stop in on a Monday and the bottle (and every other bottle) is half price (while the promotion lasts).

Now if the kid inside you is growing wings, you'll definitely want to fly by Pilot Pete's Restaurant at Schaumburg airport.

The Shrimp Diablo Pan Bake will light up your taste buds, but first try the beer battered scallops appetizer. Pete's firecracker lobster sandwich, a full lobster tail on a bun for a mere $13.95, is worth the trip alone, but the $100 hamburger (a pilot joke), 10 oz. of juicy ground sirloin and yum an a bun is... well, worth flying in for. And yes Pilot Pete's too, is embracing the craft beer revolution with several local brews... You'll be pleased to find Pegasus IPA, Chi-Town Pier Pale Ale and Windy City Wheat, Half Acre Over Ale, and Two Brothers Domaine DuPage, Prairie Path, Outlaw, Ebel's Weiss, The Bitter End and Cane and Ebel Hopped Up.

If you'd like to see Pilot Pete's Restaurant carry more local brews... such as... say... Solemn Oath, Finch's Beer, Ten Ninety beer, Lagunitas, Ale Syndicate, or name your favorite... be sure to drop John (the owner) a note in the suggestion box after your next visit.

No, you won’t see the big stainless steel fermenters and brite[sic] tanks or get a brewery tour at these locations, but that limited venue isn’t a survival strategy for craft brewers. Craft beers are becoming more and more available every day; however we've still got a long way to go before we see a good variety of the great beers on the market, available in local restaurants. Restaurant owners want to sell you what you want to buy. Let them know what you like best, next thing you know, you might actually be able to get a nice creamy delicious (local) stout to go with dinner out.

BreweryWerks Brew-Cruise: Redwood Brewing Co.

While in Flint, MI just before Thanksgiving we found an excellent steakhouse / Brewery called Redwood Steakhouse and Brewing Co. Literally walking distance from our hotel (perhaps in warmer weather) this place was truly an unintentional lucky find. The beautiful lodge setting with the glow of shiny copper brewery tanks was welcoming and warm on a cold night as we perused the menu for some great beer and food that would satisfy a long day of driving and appointments.

Satisfaction and then some was exactly what we found at Redwood. The steak, lobster and scallops were all cooked to perfection, and were absolutely mouthwatering good. We tasted several beers, which were delicious, and just sat back and enjoyed the comfortable lodge setting. The shiny copper tanks of the brewery are setup behind the bar... which looks cool... and banners hang over the bar representing all the awards they've won for brewing great beer. At Redwood you can enjoy flights of different craft beers made right onsite or enjoy a tall glass of your favorite.

Redwood Brewery makes India Pale Ales, annual hefeweizens, stouts, porters and more. But that's not all... if wine is more your thing, or you're just in a different mood, you won't be left out; you can try flights of wine or call for reservations at one of their wine tastings. The wine isn't made by Redwood, but they have many tasty options to try. Combined with their presentation, this all lead to a pleasant night out.

If you're passing through Flint Michigan and have the chance, be sure to stop by Redwood Steakhouse and Brewing Co. You can find them online at http://www.theredwoodlodge.com

Naperville Inaugural Craft Beer Festival - JULY 20

Set your calendars for July 20th this summer and join American Industrial Werks in supporting the local community and local breweries. Naperville will host it's inaugural craft beer festival with more than 180 different beers from craft breweries all around the country. Come and taste selections from local breweries as well, at this one-day event with food and live music.

American Industrial Werks is proud to have been part of the installation process for several of the breweries attending this event.

Read more...

NAPERVILLE TO HOST INAUGURAL CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL ON JULY 20

Brewing System Manufacturers and/or Suppliers

Starting a brewery can be a daunting yet thrilling experience.  With new breweries popping up left and right it’s an exciting time to be in the beer making business.  While this trend has been building for several years, if you've got the ambition, now seems to be a great time to bring your own rich tasting brew to the public for sale. But if you’re one of many dreaming about taking that next step from the Home Brew, there’s much to do in the way of planning.

Before you make any beer for sale, you will have to come up with answers to determine financial risk, how to raise the funds, where you will house the new brewery, what equipment to purchase, how you will get your equipment installed, federal and city registration and permits, your sales and marketing plan… and many other important things like… a killer recipe.

As movers and installers of machinery and equipment, here at American Industrial Werks, aside from taste testing, (we’re not much help in the way of that killer recipe) we can help you get the equipment off the trucks and installed.

We've loaded, offloaded, set, leveled, and anchored all kinds of tanks in our time, small 8’ tanks to 40’ silos. There are lots of options to choose from, so if you’re struggling with what brewing tanks to get and where to get them, here are a few suggestions that may get you on your way.


Pacific Brewery System Tech - Diamond Bar, CA
http://www.pbstbeer.com

Premier Stainless Systems - Escondido, CA
http://www.premierstainless.com/breweries.html

United Industries Group, Inc. - Lake Forest, CA
http://unitedind.com/category/shop-fabricated-welded-tanks

Neal H. Knapp, LLC - Cape Coral, FL
http://nealhknapp.com/Microbrewery-Equipment/Beer-Brewing-Supplies.aspx

Ziemann USA, Inc. - Miami, FL
http://www.ziemann.com/cms/index.php?idcatside=133

Allied Beverage Tanks, Inc. - Chicago, IL
http://www.alliedbeveragetanks.com/brewpubsys.shtml

G & F Manufacturing Co., Inc. - Oak Lawn, IL
http://gandf.rtrk.com

pico-Brewing Systems Inc. - Ypsilanti, MI
http://www.pico-brewing.com

DCI, Inc. - St. Cloud, MN
http://www.dciinc.com/products/food.php#beverage

Minnetonka Brewing & Equipment Company - Minnetonka, MN
http://www.mtka-bec.com/brewing.html

Custom Metalcraft, Inc. - Springfield, MO
http://custom-metalcraft.com/wine-distilling-brewing-equipment-1

Paul Mueller Company - Springfield, MO
http://www.muel.com/productdivisions/processingsystems_equipment/beverage/beer


Specialty Products International - Chapel Hill, NC
http://addabrewpub.com


American Beer Equipment - Lincoln, NE
www.americanbeerequipment.com

Gusmer Enterprises, Inc. - Mountainside, NJ
http://catalog.gusmerenterprises.com/category/brewing

Silver State Stainless - Mound House, NV
http://silverstate.homestead.com

Micropub Systems, LLC - Rochester, NY
http://www.micropub.com

Brew Magic - Toledo, OH
https://brewmagic.com/brewing-systems

AAA Metal Fabrication - Beaverton, OR
http://www.aaametal.com/breweries/index.html

Ager Tank & Equipment - Portland, OR
http://www.agertank.com/industry/brewing

JVNW, Inc. - Canby, OR
http://jvnw.com/Industries/BeerTanks.html

Practical Fusion - Oregon City, OR
http://www.practicalfusion.com

Spokane Industries - Spokane Valley, WA
http://www.spokaneindustries.com/stainless-steel-tanks/wine/index.php

Walker Engineered Products - New Lisbon, WI
http://www.walkerep.com/products/products-by-industries/food-dairy--beverage.aspx

W.M. Sprinkman Corporation - Franksville, WI
http://www.sprinkman.com/industries/craft-brewers/Default.aspx

Quality Tank Solutions - Pewaukee, WI
http://www.qts4u.com