WEST TOWN — On Tour Brewing, a brewery recognized for showcasing dwell music at its taproom within the West City industrial hall south of Grand Avenue, is closing after a last “final name” on Tuesday.
On Tour, 1725 W. Hubbard St., opened in 2017. Founder Mark Legenza launched the brick-and-mortar brewery following years of experimenting with homebrewing. The taproom rapidly turned recognized for its jam band-themed reveals, in addition to different sorts of dwell music and occasions like karaoke.
However after eight years in West City, Legenza is leaving the beer trade. Later this yr, the On Tour constructing can be taken over by Hyperlinks Taproom and Brewery, a earlier iteration of which operated on Milwaukee Avenue in Wicker Park for six years earlier than closing in 2020.
The brewery is internet hosting a last live performance on Tuesday to say farewell to its longtime patrons, with extra particulars to come back.
Legenza on Friday stated the closure is “bittersweet” however he’s prepared to maneuver after undertaking what he got down to do with On Tour — and extra so.
“I used to be a homebrewer for six years and have actually fond recollections of creating beer inside my kitchen or exterior in my yard, simply questioning if sometime I’d get a chance to do one thing like this,” Legenza stated. “And I used to be capable of. So, very lucky.”
Over time, On Tour served up a variety of beer types and flavors, together with its “Lightning Will” pilsner and varied saisons and IPAs.
In some methods, the beer was only one a part of the bigger On Tour mission, Legenza stated.
In 2018, he partnered with the West City Chamber of Commerce to launch the jam band-themed road fest Dancing within the Streets, which happened exterior the taproom. Lots of the bands that performed the pageant had been common performers at On Tour, too.
“The core of what we do right here at On Tour is making an attempt to carry individuals collectively and create an surroundings the place you might have one thing for everybody, and the beer is simply a part of that,” Legenza stated. “That’s all the time been the imaginative and prescient. And I feel largely we had been capable of execute that right here, and I couldn’t be happier with the way it got here out.”
Particulars are nonetheless coming collectively for On Tour’s last day of service on Tuesday, however it should positively embrace dwell music, he stated.
“We need to do a send-off the easiest way we all know how, and that’s dwell music, beer and other people getting collectively, having an excellent time making, making one final reminiscence,” Legenza stated.
The On Tour taproom can be quickly vacant come subsequent week, however Hyperlinks is hoping to open there by late summer season, a consultant stated.
Hyperlinks proprietor Michael Quinlan plans to construct out a kitchen and produce again its award-winning faucet program, with 36 handles of American craft beers. One other six can be for its personal brews, Quinlan beforehand advised Block Membership.
Malört, cocktails, wines and spirit-free choices may even be served.
Signature menu gadgets, which Quinlan developed with former Department 27 chef and proprietor Cary Michael years in the past, are returning. They embrace Buried Alive fries, the Hyperlinks Burger and cheese curds.
Hyperlinks may even maintain the jam-band theme going, with plans to host Phish webcasts and different occasions like charity fundraisers.
Block Membership’s Leen Yassine contributed.
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