Hailstorm Brewery opens in Tinley Park

Bar manager Gene Wabiszczewicz and tasting room bartender Rachel Shaw with one of the five brews on tap at Hailstorm Brewing in Tinley Park.

By Bob Bong

Southland Savvy 
 

A new craft brewery tapped its first kegs earlier this month when Hailstorm Brewing opened the doors at 8060 W. 186th St. in Tinley Park.

Co-owner Chris Schiller, of Orland Park, said Hailstorm was a production brewery rather than a brew pub with its beers, stouts and ales meant for distribution through bars and stores or directly to the public in half-gallon jugs called growlers or 22-ounce bottles known as bombers.

"We have no food," he said. "And we have a small tasting room" that will accommodate a few dozen people at the most.

"We're looking to produce about 4,000 barrels this year," he said. "Which is a pretty good starting out point for a small brewery."

Schiller said Hailstorm will keep its main circulation area small to ensure quality.

"Our core will be Tinley, Orland, Frankfort and Mokena," he said. "Though we will eventually reach out to Bolingbrook and Naperville and Blue Island."

Schiller said Hailstorm would specialize in barrel-aged beers that can take up to a year to be ready to be tapped and sours, which is a growing sector of the craft beer market.

"Sours feature a sour taste that can create some complex flavors," he said. "Beer geeks love the stuff."

"We will also feature Belgian tripels that can have an alcohol content of 11 to 14 percent," he said.

Hailstorm brews are or soon will be available at stores such as Binny's and Kenwood Liquors in Oak Lawn and Homer Glen.

"We are waiting on labels before we can start selling 22-ounce bottles," Schiller said.

In the meantime, Hailstorm brews are available at Ariel's Irish restaurant in Tinley Park, Mama Maria's in Orland Park and the Mapletree Inn in Blue Island. It also is available at Emporium Beer Arcade in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood.

Hailstorm is set to debut at Tribes Alehouse in Mokena and Tinley Park with a tasting demonstration in June, Schiller said.

Schiller said his move from a consulting, software and IT career came after he spent about five years as a home brewer.

"You have to follow your hobby," he said.

Co-owner Brandon Banbury, of Frankfort, is the head brewer who decided on a career change after some of his home brews won national awards and gained a lot of recognition.

For information, check out Hailstorm Brewing.

Italian restaurant opens in Palos Heights

Mondello City Grill opened earlier in April in the former Limestone City Grill space at 13415 S. Ridgeland Ave. in Palos Heights.

Owner Mario Mondello said the eatery would feature fine casual dining with a mixed menu of Italian and American cuisine, though it leans toward Italian.

Mondello, of Hickory Hills, is the longtime owner of Mario's Salon at 11329 S. Harlem Ave. in Worth. This is his first attempt at running a restaurant.

Mondello's is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Friday, from 4-10:30 p.m. Saturday and from 4-9 p.m. Sunday.

For information and to make reservations, call 708-925-9191 or visit their website.

If you see a new business in town or wonder what happened to an old favorite, drop me a line at bobbong@hotmail.com.

You can also catch up on Comings & Goings in other parts of the Southland at www.southlandbusinessnews.com.