MyGrain Brewing Opens At Joliet Union Station

JOLIET, IL - This city's beer history underwent a dramatic shift Wednesday thanks to the hard opening of MyGrain Brewing Company inside Joliet's Union Station. MyGrain's addition to downtown Joliet marks the first time in 59 years that a brewery has operated within Joliet, according to local beer historian John Bittermann. He was on hand for the opening celebration.

"Joliet was one of the most populous cities in America without a brewery operating in city limits, and today it finally changed," Bittermann told Patch. "It's a great addition to downtown and their attempt to revitalize it. I only see bright things in the future for downtown Joliet and the brewery."

Dozens of people visited MyGrain Brewing around lunch time including employees at the Will County Sheriff's Department and the Joliet Police Department. Unlike many microbreweries, MyGrain employs a chef and offers a full restaurant menu. MyGrain is operated by Vince Turrise and Grzegorz Lesiak. The pair worked out a lease agreement with Joliet to turn their vision of opening a craft beer pub into reality. Building contractors spent the past several months renovating the lower level of Joliet's Union Station.

"I love it. It's fantastic. It's a dream come true," Turrise said Wednesday.

For the opening, MyGrain unveiled five different craft selections on tap:

• Hemlock Caress Cream Ale
• City of Stone Rye Saison
• Stateville Stout
• Iron and Steel Double IPA
• Pilcher's Pale Ale

Several more microbrews are expected to be added to the menu in the coming days.

"The biggest key for us is getting people in for lunch, courthouse people, people at the city of Joliet," Turrise said.

Nights and weekends offer great potential for MyGrain Brewing to become a popular destination for Will County area craft beer enthusiasts. (For more information on this and other neighborhood stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

"We don't want to be known for good beer. We want to be known for great beer. We want to be known in the brewing industry for high quality food, high quality beer and high quality service," Turrise said. "We're a brewery, and that's what we want to be known for."

The operators of MyGrain Brewing believe that downtown Jolie has plenty of upside. They're excited about plans to build a new multi-story Will County Courthouse building over the next few years.

"There are tons and tons people in the city, and we can make our own Chicago down here," Turrise said.

Bittermann said MyGrain Brewing is in a great spot on the lower level of Union Station.

"The location is beautiful, and I like the menu," he said. "It's a very well-rounded solid menu. This is a brewery with a full-service restaurant. It's rare to see. The majority are breweries where you order food elsewhere or there's a food truck outside."

Also on hand was Jamie Albert, president of the Will County Brewing Company in Shorewood. His new microbrewery aims to open before the year ends, he said. "The brewing community, even those new to it, it's just like a fraternity of brewers," Albert said. "They also seem to help each other out.

"I'm really excited about our location (in Shorewood). It's getting a huge positive response from the area."

Bittermann offered advice for anybody from around Will County who might be on the fence about coming downtown and checking out the city of Joliet's first microbrewery.

"They are going to be comfortable," he promised. "MyGrain did a great job on the remodel."

Around Joliet, Bittermann is one of the most respected beer connoisseurs. On Wednesday, he perched himself at the bar and sampled the five new craft brews.

He had nothing but praise.

"They are all well-made beers," he said.

MyGrain Brewing Company's business hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday-Wednesday, 11 a.m. to midnight Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

Images via John Ferak, Joliet Patch Editor