New Guy from Naperville, IL

[chiguy]

This forum kept coming up in all of my Google searches for various brewing topics, so I figured it would be smart to join. I'm getting ready to brew my second batch of beer while my first batch (Coopers Stout) is still conditioning...I'm rapidly becoming addicted to the whole process. So far I'm sticking to Coopers kits but even those bring questions of their own, one of which I'll be posting shortly...

Looking forward to being a part of this community!

 

[cbmikey]

Welcome Chiguy! I just joined about 10 minutes ago myself.

 

[adivito]

Welcome from down the street

 

[TyTanium]

Welcome! I'm ~20mins north in Wheaton. Lots of helpful homebrewers in the Chicagoland area, and decent selection of homebrew shops in the western burbs.

 

[WhiteEagle1]

What up! from northern IL.!!

 

[3PegBrew]

I'm in Machesney Park (Rockford Area)

 

[glenn514]

Hello, Chiguy! My second daughter did her college work at North Central, and she currently lives in Woodridge! I know you will enjoy this little corner of insanity that we all fondly call "brewing." Again, welcome!

glenn514

 

[chiguy]

Hey all! Good to see there are a bunch of you in the area.

So, here's a question: I've been shopping at the Brew & Grow in Bolingbrook (which has been a good place). Any recommendations for other good homebrew shops near Naperville?

 

[TyTanium]

The Two Brothers Brewery in Warrenville has a VERY small homerbew shop (The Brewers Coop) when you enter their taphouse. Poor selection, but great prices. Yeast stock is ok, they sell expired yeast for cheap, hops selection is abysmal, pre-packaged grain/adjuncts is ok, odds & ends equipment is ok. In an industrial park off of Butterfield & 59

- Fox Valley Home Brew in Aurora, but I've never been there - too far from Wheaton.
- Home Brew Shop in St. Charles, but that may be too far from Naperville. They have a fantastic selection, and grain in bins so you can select exactly what you need from your recipe, and they'll crush it there for you. Average pricing.

 

[adivito]

Two decent ones close by:

Home Brew Shop
Home Brew Shop Ltd | Beer And Wine Making Supplies, St. Charles Illinois
225 W.Main Street
St. Charles, IL 60174

Fox Valley Brew
Fox Valley Homebrew & Winery Supplies
14 West Downer Place in Aurora

and John at Farmhousebrewingsupply.com is in Wisconsin but good guy great prices and fast shipping

 

[FermentedTed]

Welcome from Villa Park!

 

[rcrabb22]

Hey all! Good to see there are a bunch of you in the area.

So, here's a question: I've been shopping at the Brew & Grow in Bolingbrook (which has been a good place). Any recommendations for other good homebrew shops near Naperville?

Fox Valley Home Brew and Winery Supplies
14 W Downer Pl in downtown Aurora.

I should mention I work there part time.

 

[chiguy]

Fox Valley Home Brew and Winery Supplies
14 W Downer Pl in downtown Aurora.

I should mention I work there part time.

Took your advice and made a trip. Fred helped me out...awesome guy. I'll definitely be doing more business there.

 

[Kegcowboy]

I'm in Machesney Park (Rockford Area)

My brother in law is the anouncer for the Icehogs

 

[Kegcowboy]

Welcome to HBT!-Jeff

 

[3PegBrew]

My brother in law is the anouncer for the Icehogs

is his name brett?

 

[rcrabb22]

Took your advice and made a trip. Fred helped me out...awesome guy. I'll definitely be doing more business there.

Good to hear!!!

 

[chiguy]

Another question for locals: do you use straight local tap water for brewing? Or do you filter it? Pretty sure all our water comes from the Lake Michigan supply but not sure of its profile.

 

[adivito]

I think I have a copy of the city's water report, I'll see if I can find it. I think it may be available on the city website too.

 

[chiguy]

I think I have a copy of the city's water report, I'll see if I can find it. I think it may be available on the city website too.

Thanks for the tip...didn't even think about the city website. Found it:
http://www.naperville.il.us/emplibrary/WaterQualityReport2010.pdf

 

[TyTanium]

Check the city of Chicago's report too for anything not listed on the Naperville report...I assume you get Lake Michigan water too like we do in Wheaton.

Generally, our water is very soft and benefits from some Calcium & Chloride additions. I also use campden to get rid of chlorines/chloramines.

 

[chiguy]

Hmmm...chloramine isn't even listed on the Naperville water analysis. Just chlorine. Same goes for the Chicago report (though they oddly don't have any available after 2010). But then some Google searches turned up rumors that chloramine is added to Chicago-area supplies during the winter.

Not sure what to think...