James Beard Award-winning Sanford chef and owner Justin Aprahamian and long-time industry consultant John Lavelle have announced plans to open Like Minds Brewing at the former Goose Island storage facility at 1800 W. Walnut St. in Chicago.
Aprahamian will continue to develop the recipes for the brews, while former Dogfish Head brewer Matt Brower will act as head brewer.
Like Minds – which launched as a "gypsy" brewer last summer – released numerous beers, including a rhubarb saison, cucumber pilsner and coffee stout thanks to a contract-brewing agreement with Green Bay’s Hinterland Brewery.
Despite efforts to establish a brewery in Wisconsin, Aprahamian and Lavelle were unable to obtain the necessary permits, due to the Wisconsin State statute which prohibits the owner of a brewpub or brewery from holding a Class B retail liquor license for another business. This same law forced Chef Karen Bell out of her partnership with Company Brewing last April.
Like Minds expects to begin distribution of both bottles and barrels by late September.
The brewery will focus on seasonal brews which make use of ingredients plucked at the height of freshness. Cucumber Kolsch will be featured as one of the breweries first brews, along with core beers like Dialekt, a Kolsch style beer; Nighthawks, an oatmeal stout made with Intelligentsia coffee; and and Horehound, a 7.2% IPA.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
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