GOOSE
ISLAND BEER COMPANY: BREWING THE MIDWEST'S FRESHEST
BEER
When Goose Island Beer Company was founded in
1988, there were only 16 brewpubs in the US. As
brewpubs began to spring up across the country
seemingly overnight, Goose Island solidified its
position as a pioneer in the industry. Today,
with distribution of its bottled beer across the
Midwest and a beginning in the nonalcoholic beverage
business, Goose Island has proven its staying
power.
Goose Island Founder
John Hall's goals were lofty from the start. In
1988, mass-produced beers were an ingrained part
of the Midwest's landscape and Midwesterners knew
little about craft beers. Hall knew the best way
to educate consumers was to open a brewpub where
they could see the brewing process and taste the
distinctive beers.
When opening the original
Goose Island brewpub on Clybourn, Hall and his
team of professionals focused on every detail,
from the unique Goose handle taps to the unmistakable
"English-style pub" atmosphere. Hall knew that
success started with a quality product and brand
recognition. The Clybourn pub building was originally
home to a brewery supply company for the pre-prohibition
era brewery district. Now a daily reminder of
Chicago's rich brewing history, Goose Island Clybourn
has been named one of the top ten breweries in
the world by the Beverage Testing Institute.
"If only I could
put it in a bottle and sell it"
As time progressed,
Goose Island added more varieties of ales incorporating
uncommon ingredients and flavors. Eventually,
with a slew of brewing awards under his belt,
Hall began searching for the perfect location
to expand operations. In 1995, Goose Island opened
a second brewery and bottling plant. The 34,000
square foot warehouse at 1800 West Fulton immediately
catapulted production and within the first two
months in operation Goose Island produced twice
as much beer as it had in the entire previous
year. Brewmaster Greg Hall (Founder John Hall's
son) leads the brewing team, all of whom attended
the prestigious United States Brewers Academy
at the Siebel Institute of Technology in Chicago
-- a rare assembly for a brewhouse of any size.
Adjacent to the brewhouse,
on a state-of-the-art, high-speed bottling line,
longneck bottles filled with Goose Island favorites
are packaged and shipped across the Midwest. Last
year, over 600,000 cases of Goose Island Beer
were shipped to eight states. Because no preservatives
are used in the process and the beer is not pasteurized,
Goose Island feels it's important to remain close
to home despite their huge success. "European
beers taste great in their home country," said
Greg Hall. "But by the time they're packaged and
sent here, they often taste old and stale. We
know our limits on distribution and know the boundaries
of how far we can ship while maintaining the freshness."
The Growth Continues.
In April 1999, Goose Island Wrigleyville opened
just south of Chicago's historic Wrigley Field.
Bottles of Honker's Ale and Summertime Kolsch
have been longtime favorites inside the park,
but now Cub fans in Wrigleyville can enjoy the
entire spectrum of Goose Island beers. Like the
original brewpub on Clybourn, Goose Island Wrigleyville
has its own brewery that allows guests to watch
the art of brewing. "We aim to be Chicago's hometown
beer," said John Hall. "And we're excited to be
a part of Wrigleyville, one of the most quintessential
neighborhoods of Chicago."
