Yard House celebrated the arrival of some 250 kegs and 4,000 gallons of beer during Keg Day, a company ritual that takes place just days before a Yard House opens. In this case, Keg Day signaled that the new Yard House NewCity at Lincoln Park, Chicago, is on the brink of welcoming its first guest at 11 a.m. on September 26.
Yard House, which helped revolutionize the craft beer movement when the first restaurant opened in 1996 along the Long Beach waterfront, will feature 110 tap handles with 21 regional craft beer offerings brewed by 15 local brewers in the Greater Chicago area. In addition, five handles will be reserved for the restaurant's Chalkboard Series, a selection of small, limited releases from mostly craft brewers that rotate monthly keeping the selection innovative and fresh. These featured beers are listed on a digital chalkboard prominently displayed above the island bar.
"We take a lot of pride in putting together the best craft beer offerings possible," says Gregory Howard, beverage manager for Yard House. "It's a process, and no two locations are a like; each has its own distinct beer list driven by what guests are enjoying locally. We always strive to showcase local brewers, and with NewCity at Lincoln Park we are very pleased with the local and regional selection."
Among the local brewers are Ale Syndicate, Begyle, BuckleDown, Goose Island, Half Acre, Local Option, Metropolitan, Moody Tongue, Crown Valley, Off Color, Penrose, Revolution, Solemn Oath, Temperance, Two Brothers, Three Floyds, and Jolly Pumpkin.
In addition, Yard House NewCity at Lincoln Park will boast 14 new draft offerings that have never been offered before at any Yard House location, including the Not Your Father's Hard Root Beer, available by the bottle.
"I'm excited to see our guests' reaction when we open this week," Howard adds. "Chicago has a dynamic craft beer scene, so it was important for us to seek out the best brewers the region has to offer."
The glass-enclosed keg room, one of Yard House's signature architectural features, contains around 4,000 gallons of beer and is kept at a consistent temperature that ranges from 34 to 36 degrees. It's now stacked with kegs that have been tagged, dated, assigned a tap handle, and placed on the beer head awaiting doors to open Saturday when five 5 of individual beer lines encased in stainless steel will carry the golden liquid to the signature island bar.
