Craft Beer

The beer — which uses corn from Knox County — is being made in partnership with Destihl Brewery. It's called “Roots Lager."

The Pourcade is the first bar and arcade combo in Bloomington-Normal since 2022.

Destihl describes the new IWU Brew as an “American Golden Ale that embodies the rich tradition and vibrant energy of Titan pride, with subtle malt sweetness balanced by a crisp, clean finish.”

Craft beer is all about the flavor. Even after small brewers have found a niche, they keep experimenting, running test batches, and sometimes finding the next big thing their customers like. It's not so easy, though, to predict the next big thing.

In the last 15 years, McLean County has gone from one craft brewery to eight, and another just over the county line in Fairbury. There are six in Bloomington-Normal alone. At some point, craft brewers will start competing and there won't be room for more — but not yet.

The reasons Illinois specialty farmers are slow to embrace hops production include a high risk for crop failure — no federal crop insurance is offered to cover hops production in Illinois — and an underdeveloped statewide market for their harvested crop.

Bloomington-Normal's largest brewery has won a gold medal at this year's Great American Beer Festival. The award for Destihl comes as brewing continues to boom nationwide.

Heartland Community College’s Challenger Learning Center is tapping into local beermaking expertise for a unique immersive Escape Room experience this…

PMP Fermentation Products is a company with some 50 employees operating on the Peoria riverfront, overlooking a public housing project and the RiverPlex...

The pandemic has hurt so many businesses in central Illinois. But not, apparently, some alcohol producers.Lil Beaver Brewery on the south end of…