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[Dave Marck, a St. Charles native, is one of the five partners behind the newly opened Riverlands Brewing Company in his hometown.] ST. CHARLES – Capacity crowds filled Riverlands Brewing Company, when it celebrated its grand opening in the business park just north of Dean Street, a half block east of Randall Road in St. Charles. Close friends and family comprise the five partners behind the debut enterprise, including head brewer Eric Bramwell of Pingree Grove, Jason Arges of Plainfield, and St. Charles native Dave Marck, who is assistant brewer among his many titles, along with brother Steve Marck of Plainfield and father Andy Marck of St. Charles. "We are trying to create a destination out here for craft beer," Dave Marck said, naming fellow artisan breweries in St. Charles, Geneva and Batavia as part of the draw. (Photos by)
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[An imperial stout is dubbed Secret Burrito.] Riverlands had been working with an architect for more than a year and started building out the space last summer, he said. The spacious, high-ceilinged room is warmed by reclaimed barn wood and accented with stone selected to echo Batavia's famed limestone quarries. Suspended vintage-style light bulbs and other lights can be dimmed to suit the ambiance, Dave Marck said. A chalkboard next to the bar lists myriad offerings, and patrons in the taproom can watch the action in the brewery where stainless steel tanks produce the signature recipes developed by Bramwell. The weekend's packed tasting room saw people trying a rainbow of beer flights among the many beverages.
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To satisfy appetites during the opening, Riverlands brought in two food trucks: Chuck’s Wood Fired Pizza of Elburn the first day and The Roaming Hog (shown) the second. The brewery plans to arrange for food trucks on occasion in the future, and will offer pre-packaged snacks. Patrons also are welcome to bring in their own food or order deliveries, according to Dave Marck. He said the grand opening weekend had a "super reception" from the community. Riverlands has been operating its 10-barrel system for eight weeks. They offer everything from New England style IPAs to imperial stouts to Buried in Berries, a "killer sour" in the Acid Rainbow series, Dave Marck said.
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He compared Buried in Berries to sorbet, noting its creamy mouth-feel. "We load it with berries," he said, pointing out it must be stored cold to prevent a second fermentation from beginning. Added refinements abound. A friend who is an artisan coffee roaster is providing his product for some of the brewing process, and Riverlands uses Weller bourbon barrels to age the imperial stouts, he said.
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For people taking beer home, the bar will fill 32-ounce crowlers. The brewery also produces a hard apple cider. Dave Marck was a wine aficionado until he was introduced to Bramwell's craft brews. He said he switched to "the dark side" and hasn't looked back. Riverlands Brewing Company is at 1860 Dean St., unit A, and is open from noon to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. More information is offered at facebook.com/RiverlandsBrewing.