Chicago is arguably one of the best cities for beer lovers, with over 160 breweries within the city and surrounding suburbs. Many of those breweries are local craft beer brewers, like Wild Onion Brewery in the Lake Barrington suburb of the city.
For nearly 30 years, Wild Onion Brewery has been crafting beers to serve to locals and visitors alike. But Wild Onion Brewery is more than just a brewery; it has woven itself into the fabric of Lake Barrington by offering the perfect place for people to come and celebrate all occasions, from baby showers to marriage and corporate events and fundraisers. Just as they have crafted unique, flavorful beers, they've created the perfect space on their land for people to come and celebrate any occasion.
Historical Brief: A Deep-Rooted Community Brewery
"Che-cau-gua." That's the term the Potawatomi people, the original inhabitants of the area, used to represent the wild onions that grew along the shores of Lake Michigan. It is also where the Wild Onion Brewery gets its name.
Wild Onion Brewery began in 1996 with its debut beer, Paddy Pale Ale, to become one of Chicago's first craft breweries. The brewery is a family affair, with Joe Kainz as CEO and his son Mike Kainz as the founding brewer. Mike was initially drawn to brewing, partly from listening to his father telling him about growing up in the dairy business and working alongside his grandfather, Anton, in the early 1900s. With Joe's dairy industry history, it seemed almost fated that the original brewery used dairy tanks, which were scavenged from fields in northern Wisconsin.
Present Day: Exploring Modern Events And Architecture
Since its establishment, Wild Onion Brewery has had a simple mission with its event space: bring the crazy charm of an English country pub into its community and beyond. They have accomplished this goal to become a part of the town's essence by providing a highly sought-after event space that can work for any occasion.
Unification Of Interior And Exterior Design
When the brewery began, they found an old, abandoned tavern, which fit with the family's vision of creating the feeling of an English-style country pub. The grand exterior is a soft, neutral stucco, with common ivy covering the sides, much like you'd find on homes and pubs in the English countryside. The ivy-covered entrance, windows, and door use Richmond brown woods that exude warmth and invite you in, where an equally beautiful and welcoming interior awaits.
The roof is what helps tie the English pub-themed exterior together. They opted for Brava Roof Tile Multi-Width cedar shakes in the Natural color and had them installed by Style Exteriors. The choice complements the siding and exterior wood accents, and appears lighter or darker depending on the time of day to add an element of drama in the evening and brightness during the day.
The venue's interior continues to blend the old and new seamlessly by combining traditional post-and-beam-frames common in English country-style architecture with the modern technology of a brewery to create a captivating atmosphere.
Food, Weddings, Fundraisers, And More
The Wild Onion Brewery event space serves many wedding-related events, from elegant bridal showers and engagement parties to weddings and receptions. They also host various other events, like anniversary parties, baby showers, birthdays, graduations, and corporate events and fundraisers, and they provide elegant, delicious food and great beer.
The Presence Of The Great Hall
With the popularity of their event space and after numerous requests, the Kainz family expanded the brewery's event space in 2006 to create The Great Hall. This beautiful, awe-inspiring space was a passion project designed to accommodate large gatherings and create an even grander feel.
The Banquet facility is anchored to the existing structure by a large timber frame cathedral ceiling, which overlooks the property's beautiful 11-acre Pepper Lake, surrounded by wildflowers, with a cascading waterfall that emphasizes the exceptional views.
Beyond the captivating cathedral ceiling, you can find other features that showcase the attention to detail that went into creating the space: hand-carved chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, detailed woodwork on the bar and windows, and stone accents that add texture and personality.
The Future: Beyond The Brewery
These days, breweries are about much more than beer. They are gathering spaces for private and local events, families celebrating milestones, and old friends reuniting.
For a brewery to continue to find success, it can't just offer great beer; it needs to serve the community. Wild Onion Brewery is a perfect example of this idea; they recognize how a brewery can provide the perfect place for celebrations and they have created a stunning place to make it happen.
But, to be a gathering place, you need the right look, and the brewery has it in abundance. Thanks to the installation methods of Style Exteriors and the addition of Brava’s roof tiles, the Wild Onion Brewery has enough style and design to move beyond the brewery of today and become a building for the future.