Fox Republic Brewing now open in downtown Yorkville

YORKVILLE – Beer lovers will find a rich variety of hand-crafted ales and lagers on tap at Fox Republic Brewing in downtown Yorkville.

The new brewery and tap room opened recently at 101 W. Hydraulic Ave., where Ken McMullen of Naperville and Sam Walstaff of Aurora are producing a variety of beers designed to please every palate.

“This is a community brewery and everyone has different tastes,” said McMullen, the brewmaster.

There are 15 beers on tap at any one time, ranging from a light Kolsch golden ale to a creamy oatmeal stout, along with a flavored tequila seltzer and a cider.

“It’s about what people want,” said Walstaff, the head brewer.

Fox Republic occupies a large space inside the high-profile former industrial building on the west side of South Bridge Street (Route 47) between the Fox River and Hydraulic Avenue.

The brewery joins the Iconic Coffee Shop and Foxes Dean Meadery, which have already turned the downtown building into a destination for premium beverages.

With an indoor seating capacity of about 100, Fox Republic has plenty more space outside at the beer garden set up on the grassy area along Hydraulic Avenue.

The large tap room shares space with the brewing operation, allowing patrons to see where and how their beer is made.

McMullen and Walstaff are taking a lot of pride in their brand-new seven-barrel brewing system, which produces 14 kegs of beer per batch.

The process starts with the water, which goes through a process involving a charcoal filter and reverse osmosis. The brewers can regulate this process to benefit the particular beer they are producing.

The magic starts in the mash lauder tun, a giant vessel for combining the water and grain to produce the wort, which is then pumped into the equally large brew kettle, where hopping takes place.

From there it is into one of Fox Republic’s four huge fermenters, which may or may not include dry hopping for some of the beers.

In addition to the main brewing set-up, the brewers also utilize a one-barrel pilot system, allowing them to experiment with new recipes before putting them into full production.

McMullen and Walstaff said they are working with Foxes Den to produce a mead barrel-aged beer and with Iconic to develop a coffee-flavored brew.

The brewery’s tap room features a large bar and seating area. There are only drinks on the menu, but food trucks are parking outside the building several days a week and patrons can get a delivery from nearby Parma Pizza Bar.

Fox Republic Brewing was developed by the Williams Group, which owns the building. McMullen is a partner in the brewing business along with Ed, Karin and Mike Williams of Yorkville and three others.