Hey guys. My buddy and I will be staying in Homewood the night before DLD this year. We have considered doing the Flosmoor Station event Friday night, but was wondering if it was worth it? Also, if anyone was planning a bottle share in the immediate area, let me know if you have any open spots for some Iowa boys.
Flossmoor Station is a cool location (in an old train station) but tragically, their beers have gone downhill over recent years. They have had some really talented brewers who have brewed there and left over the years. I cannot speak for the release they will be doing since I have not had it. While you are in the area you should stop in Grape and Grain in Homewood. They have a handful of good taps but the real appeal is the bottle shop. They usually have the recent Pipeworks releases along with many other interesting things from around Chicago (Half Acre, Solemn Oath, Hailstorm, Off Color, etc.).
I have gone to the last 2 pre dark lord parties. Never again. Two years ago, they released barrel aged Thundersnow. It was fine on tap, but my bottles tasted like malted lime juice when I opened them a few months later. Terrible! Last year, they did BA no. 4 and BA Big Poppa. On tap, I thought they tasted like striaght booze. I was guilted into buying 1 bottle though. I will say one nice thing, the location is nice.
Keep in mind, Todd Ashman returned last summer: http://thefullpint.com/beer-news/fiftyfifty-brewings-todd-ashman-leaves-expand-flossmoor-station/ I haven't been back since, but I would assume the quality of beer would improve from the past few years.
Ashman left soon after he came back, as Flossmoor didn't have the production facility that the owners promised. They know how to run that place into the ground, that's for sure...
He never came back. He was supposed to but had another fallout with the owners prior to coming back. He is at 50/50 still.
When I searched for the article, I didn't see anything new, so I wondered if something happened. Good to know there's no reason to go out of my way to visit.
Thanks! My fiances parents live near the Brunswick Zone so I frequent Grapes and Grain whenever I'm in town. thank you for letting me know about Flossmoor so I don't waste my time!
If you're in Homewood you're only about 20 mins east of HIGHLY RECOMMENDED Hailstorm Brewing (Mokena), as well as 350 Brewing (Tinley Park) and bottle shop/tap room Open Bottle (Tinley Park). Or, you're also only about the same distance - or less- west from One Trick Pony Brewing (Lansing) PM me if you need directional assistance... I like the Flossmoor brews on tap, though the BA bottle releases have been hit-or-miss over recent years.
Sorry for the slight thread detour, but is anybody brewing the ba fireside chat recipe? Not sure if a previous brewer or flossmoor owned it. I'd like more of that beer in my life.
I did go back and was truly looking forward to getting a production facility up and running. Sadly, that wasn't what they really had in mind. Operate the brewpub in Flossmoor and 'not to worry about issues with the physical plant'. A moment of weakness on my part to decide to got back there. Costly, emotionally and financially. It was a grand 7 week disaster. I'm at 5050 and live in Reno, NV. Want to open a 'side project' brewery in Reno but the drought makes it hard to convince folks it's the right time... Cheers!
