Iron&Glass owners Eric Schultz and Colt Snodgrass sell over of nearly 200 varieties of beer, cider and mead in Romeoville.
The Heritage Corridor Region has 19 stops in DuPage, Will and collar Cook counties
By Grace Tucker | Bugle Staff
Will and DuPage counties has become quite the destination for craft beer lovers. With 8 breweries in Will County and four breweries in DuPage beer connoisseurs don’t have to travel far to find a unique beverage.
To encourage the sampling the Heritage Corridor Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) is releasing its “2018 Heritage Corridor Ale Trail Passport” to inspire brew connoisseurs to experience, enjoy, and explore a true haven of craft beer – the Heritage Corridor Ale Trail.
“Whether you live on the trail (from Berwyn’s Flapjack Brewery to Ottawa’s Tangled Roots Brewing Company) or you live in Chicago looking for a flavorful escape, you’ll want to grab a Heritage Corridor Ale Trail Passport,” stated Dan Mulka, marketing manager for the Heritage Corridor CVB. “Not only will you have a guide for exploring the Trail for the rest of the 2018 calendar, you will be able to earn nifty swag along the way.”
“When they told us about the passport we were excited because we’re not a brewery,” said Iron&Glass co-owner Eric Schutz. “Purchase package beer to go and you get a stamp from us.”
Iron & Glass, at 632 S. Weber Road, in Romeoville is a taproom and bottleshop: one-part liquor store, one-part tasting room where patrons can purchase a unique craft beer, cider or mead; sample a new brew of the 10 to 12 latest on tap; or both, bottle sharing with those on premise is welcome.
“It’s been very successful so far,” said Schutz. “We’ve gotten a lot of new customers in the past few days. We get new beer in every day so we’re showcasing all the local beer. Sixty percent of what we sell is local, within the Chicago area.”
“Those guys at Heritage Corridor have always been very supportive of the local breweries,” said Jason Janes, co-owner of Metal Monkey Brewing, 515 Anderson Ave.,Romeoville. “They post our stories and announce any special tappings.”
“We’re glad to do it because it supports the local breweries in our area, Janes said. “We’re glad to move customers around from one brewery to another.
“We’re not brewing anything special but we have anywhere from 12-16 beers on tap,” Janes said.
A purchase at each location will earn an explorer a stamp for their passport. Eight different, unique game stamps will earn that person an exclusive Heritage Corridor Ale Trail pint glass. Fifteen different, unique game stamps will earn that person the pint glass and a Heritage Corridor Ale Trail insulated growler bag. Each location has its own distinct stamp.
The guide is currently available at participating locations as well as the Heritage Corridor’s main office (2701 Black Road, Joliet,). You can also request a guide to be mailed to you at heritagecorridoraletrail.com/passport.
Participating in the 2018 Heritage Corridor Ale Trail Passport:
- Alter Brewing Company (Downers Grove)
- Black Horizon Brewing Company (Willowbrook)
- Blue Nose Brewery (Hodgkins)
- BuckleDown Brewing (Lyons)
- Elder Brewing Company (Joliet)
- Flapjack Brewery (Berwyn)
- Hickory Creek Brewing Company (Opening Soon in New Lenox)
- Iron&Glass (Romeoville)
- Kenwood Liquors (Homer Glen)
- Metal Monkey Brewing (Romeoville)
- Midnight Pig Beer / Nevin’s Brewing Company (Plainfield)
- Miskatonic Brewing Company (Darien)
- MyGrain Brewing Company (Joliet)
- Pollyanna Brewing Company (Lemont)
- River Hawk Brewing (Channahon)
- Skeleton Key Brewing (Woodridge)
- Starved Rock Lodge’s Back Door Lounge (Oglesby)
- Tangled Roots Brewing Company (Ottawa)
- Will County Brewing Company (Shorewood)
To redeem their prize, the completed passport (with stamps) must be mailed to the Heritage Corridor Convention and Visitors Bureau, postmarked by the end of the 2018 calendar year.
Participants must be 21 years of age (or older) to participate in the passport program. Participants are reminded to drink responsibly, and that the passport is meant to be completed over a period of time without drinking and driving.