Ill Will Brewing

If you visit ill will expecting normal beer, you failed in your research before visiting. Also note -- the brewery is only open on weekends.

It's a small brewery halfway between Akron and Pittsburgh, built on former Firestone Tire property. There's two Air BnBs in the complex along with a BBQ restaurant that I did not visit, and a wedding venue a short walk away.

If you came here expecting basic beer, you have failed miserably. These smoothie sours are thicc. The melted ice cream sours are thicc. If beer that looks like green slime from a Nickelodeon show offends you, move on. Everything on tap is wonderful. There is a to-go cooler and there is an online store with a 10-day hold. But remember, they are only open on weekends.

 

This is one hell of a property. While the indoor space isn't particularly large, at least for the moment, the land on which they call home is one outwardly focused on building a community with all kinds of space and access to farmland-style buildings. Picnic tables and outdoor games are right outside of the taproom's garage doors, while just a stone's throw away from some Airbnbs they have recently built, which themselves are adjacent to a farm stand.

While there's plenty of seating inside for a small crowd, it's a little tight, as is the tap station itself, with some tap lines even seemingly coming directly from the neatly stacked tanks just behind the bar. However, it looks like they're still building the interior out, as there's a private party room and some more space that way that appears to be in the works for added seating. The vibe pairs some skeletal spray painting with some hard rock and metal audio peppered by what must be an intentionally ironic mix of pop songs and musical numbers.

The beers were decent to start, but I was most surprised to see how hard in the paint they were going for the newer age whacky styles, like extremely intense smoothie beers, including a PB&J number as well as a fall-themed spiced apple concoction. Both were so thick they were like drinking pudding, and while they hit the desired flavor profiles--undoubtedly impressing the more casual consumers among us--they were a bit overboard for me and the pops alike.