What did Benjamin Franklin, Kaiser Wilhelm, Plato and Thomas Jefferson have in common?
Well, an appreciation of beer, for one thing.
The first thing patrons who enter the Elmhurst Historical Museum exhibit “Beer Chicago: The Refreshing History” will see is a 6-foot-tall beer bottle photo opp featuring quotes by famous beer lovers on the label. Franklin’s “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy,” for example. And Plato’s “He is a wise man who invented beer.” And Jefferson’s “Beer, if drunk in moderation, softens the temper, cheers the spirit and promotes health.”
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None of those guys ever quaffed a cold one in Chicago, so far as we know, but there’s been no shortage of other beer enthusiasts in the area according to “Beer Chicago.” The third exhibit in a row designed by Curator of Exhibits Lance Tawzer to travel to other Chicagoland museums (following “Sweet Home Chicago” about the city’s candy industry and “Sox vs. Cubs: the Chicago Civil Wars”), “Beer Chicago” goes all the way back to 1833 and the decision to officially declare Chicago a town — a vote held in a tavern.
Tawzer said it was the current popularity of craft beers that made him start wondering about Chicago’s place in beer history. And he was fortunate enough to have Liz Garibay, a former employee of the Chicago History Museum who now runs History on Tap tavern tours, as a consultant.
“I was a little surprised to find out how big beer was in Chicago,” Tawzer said. “Chicago had hundreds of breweries after the mid-1800s, but the Chicago Fire knocked the brewery industry down hard. And then Prohibition hit and that didn’t help — only a handful made it through.”
Flash forward to 1988, though, and the establishment of Chicago’s Goose Island Beer, Tawzer said, and Chicago began to get back into the beer business in a big way.
The majority of the exhibit is comprised of installations outlining the history of 10 pre- and post-Prohibition Chicago breweries such as Meisterbrau, Diversey & Lill, Conrad Seipp Brewing Company, Monarch Brewing and the Atlas Brewing Company. With additional features such as an animated film explaining how beer is made, an explanation of how Prohibition affected the brewing industry (and no doubt the crime rate) in Chicago and Tawzer’s pride and joy, a replica of a pre-Prohibition bar complete with a motion-sensor-activated mechanical bartender, who relates Chicago’s saloon history when patrons pull on his beer taps.
The exhibit also includes information on the current craft-brewing phenomenon, which has resulted in more than 150 craft breweries, microbreweries and taprooms in Chicago.
“We’re almost back where we started,” Tawzer said. “Now Chicago has one of the fastest growing craft-beer markets in the country.”
In conjunction with the exhibit, the Elmhurst Heritage Foundation is hosting a Craft Beer Fest fundraiser from 1-5 p.m. Sept. 19 on the grounds of the historical museum, 120 E. Park Ave., Elmhurst. The event wil include snacks, live music and will feature more than 50 craft beers from 29 breweries, including Two Brothers, Lagunitas, Church Street, Argus, Lakefront and Goose Island. Tickets cost $45. Visit www.elmhurstcraftbeerfest.com.
630-833-1457 or www.elmhurst.org.
‘Beer Chicago: The Refreshing History’ exhibit
Sept. 18 to Feb. 14
Elmhurst Historical Museum, 120 E. Park Ave., Elmhurst.
Admission is free.