A new beer that debuted Sunday in Tinley Park is getting positive reviews.
“It’s very good and potent,” said Dan DeCero, of Frankfort. He and his wife, Kathy DeCero, were on hand for the release of Woggly Square Brewing Company’s Piece of Mind at 350 Brewing Co.
Beyond serving those with a taste for India pale ales, the brew also served to raise some funds to help those with autism.
Frankfort resident John Newton, who started the brewing company with his brother, Mark Newton, doesn’t quite know what “woggly square” means. But it’s a favorite phrase of his 12-year-old son Matthew, who is autistic and otherwise mostly nonverbal.
“He used to say that as a kid,” said Matthew’s uncle, Mark Newton. “We didn’t know what it meant. We still don’t know. Even now, if you say ‘woggly’ to Matthew he’ll say ‘square’.”
John Newton also is a craft beer enthusiast whose favorite spot is 350 Brewing Co., where owner Todd Randall occasionally brews beers based on recipes from local, like-minded connoisseurs.
Recently, Newton approached Randall with a proposal to brew his recipe for an IPA, but there was one catch: One hundred percent of the proceeds of the beer would go toward a local autism-related cause.
Newton had brewed in small batches at home, but he needed the equipment at 350 Brewing to brew at the scale he wanted to for his special beer.
“It’s such a good cause,” Randall said. “Of course, we’re all down with that. … It was a no-brainer.”
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The Newton brothers debuted their first batch with a 750 milliliter bottle release party Sunday at 350 Brewing Co.
“We wouldn’t be able to do it without these guys,” Newton said of Randall and brewmaster Dusty Peters.
Piece of Mind, Woggly Square’s debut beer, is a Northeast style IPA with 6.5 percent alcohol. They sold out 350 bottles at $15 each that day.
The fundraising event also featured T-shirt sales and raffles for gift baskets.
“The beer’s fantastic,” said Zach Brown, who had met John through his work.
Brown said he wanted to come to the bottle release party to support Newton’s cause.
Newton estimated they raised as much as $7,000. He plans to present a check for all the proceeds to Lincolnway Special Recreation Association, which serves people with physical and intellectual disabilities in the area.
But that’s just the start.
“Right now, we’re learning from the best,” Newton said of Randall and Peters.
He and his brother would like to open a brick-and-mortar brewery within a few years, and they plan to donate a minimum of 10 percent of its profits to autism-related charities.
John said he’d also like to provide jobs for adults with autism at the brewery.
He said people with autism age out of special needs programs when they turn 21, and many have no way to support themselves.
John said much of the work at a brewery includes cleaning and stocking inventory, which are activities people with autism are very capable of doing.
John said more fundraisers are planned for this year and more information about the company and upcoming events can be found on its Facebook page under Woggly Square or its website, wogglysquare.com.
Frank Vaisvilas is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.