CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Walk into the 15,000-square-foot former train depot at 901 W. Kinzie St., and you're greeted by everything Guinness — including a giant harp that hangs high above the taproom, which represents the company's famous logo.
“The harp is the dominant feature of this building,” said Ryan Wagner, a Guinness national ambassador and the head of marketing at Guinness’ Open Gate Brewery.
“Once you enter the space, you're greeted by the brew house and frankly, we want people to remember we want people to know we are a brewery. You're then met with the coolest merch from Guinness, once you're through the retail shop, you enter the bakery … Once you're through the bakery, you reach the so-called cathedral moment. Entering the tap room is a striking moment. We have a 10,000-pound harp strung above the bar,” he smiled.
Wagner said it's the company's second brewery in the world outside of Dublin; the Guinness Open Gate Brewery Baltimore opened in 2018. He added that setting up shop in Chicago's West Loop just made sense.
“This neighborhood is exploding,” he said. “There's so much amazing food and amazing drink, different cultures from around the world all finding West Loop their home. The chance to build on that, frankly, too good to pass up. When you see this building, a 1907 train depot, Guinness first arrived in Chicago via rail. Our history in Dublin with the rail system is such a part of our heritage. It checked so many boxes.”
The project has been two years in the making. Wagner admitted it was a dream that they could only hope would become a reality.
“I think back two years ago, and when we walked into this space it was definitely hard,” he said. “You had to be a bit visionary. What we loved about it was: It was low slung, which is something you don't always see in Chicago — this is a city of broad shoulders and tall buildings. To be a sole building, not attached to anything else, we had a space that we could really sink our teeth into and develop. This is where this brewery was always meant to be.”
He said it was a “very bold idea” to put a bakery into the taproom.
“I love the synergy of baking bread and making beer,” Wagner said. “There's a lot of commonality there. Brown bread is a great way to give back to the community. We're working with the Greater Chicago Food Depository, [and] 10,000 loaves of that brown bread will be donated every year.”
The taproom will also feature a full restaurant, as well as feature brews made specifically for the city of Chicago.
Guests can expect 12 – 16 rotating, experimental draughts, most of which will be brewed on site and exclusively available in the taproom, alongside signatures like Guinness Draught Stout, Guinness Extra Stout, and Guinness Foreign Extra Stout, which will always come straight from Dublin.
“We hope people learn about Guinness, have a perfect pint, and we hope they will enjoy the space and have a great experience,” he said. “Opening in Chicago allows us to be a part of one of the most storied and celebrated beer communities in the United States, and we can’t wait to bring the unique flavors and heritage of Guinness brewing to an exciting tap list that will appeal to every kind of beer drinker.”
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