On its sixth anniversary, Lake Bluff Brewing Company has plans to renovate its pub and expand into bottled beers.
Lake Bluff Brewing was started in 2011 by two home brewers from Lake Bluff, according to brewmaster Mike Dorneker.
“I think a lot of people really liked their home brews and said, why don’t you open a brewery in Lake Bluff,” Dorneker said. “And so they did.”
Lake Bluff Brewing, 16 E. Scranton Avenue, opened for business in March 2011 but Dorneker said it will celebrate with an anniversary party on April 5 with cupcakes and the release of two new beers.
The company brews 400 to 500 barrels of beer on site per year, Dorneker said, which is sold both at the brewpub and in kegs to area bars and restaurant. Dorneker aims to increase that by renting space to brew at Octopi Brewing in Waunakee, Wisc.
“This current system, we yield six kegs (at a time),” Dorneker said. “On the larger system, we’ll be able to yield 100 kegs.”
Dorneker plans to start at Octopi with draft beer this spring and then expand to bottling beer, possibly by August.
“We’re looking forward to brewing on a much larger scale,” Dorneker said.
Brian Palmer, a Lake Bluff resident who is a home brewer, says he stops by Lake Bluff Brewing once a week after work.
“They has a pretty good variety,” Palmer said. “Some pretty good accessible beers for people who are novices in the craft beer world. Most of all, the beers are really made well.”
At the brewpub, $50,000 to $60,000 in renovations are planned for mid-April that will make the space more efficient, Dorneker said. Those include getting a 30 percent larger cooler that will be located in the basement rather than first floor of the brewpub, he said.
“We’ll be able to go from ten to 14 taps,” Dorneker said.
Several walls will be torn down and a tiny unused kitchen will be eliminated, which will allow the brewpub the flexibility to do private events, Dorneker said. The bar itself will be moved against a west wall, allowing easier access for people.
The brewpub will close for two to four days during renovations, although the exact dates haven’t been determined.
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