The Beer
Since 2016
We're EXPANDING!!! Find out where.
Handcrafted With Love
Over a dozen signature and seasonal hand crafted beers and hard seltzers, made from locally produced ingredients in our hometown of Byron, Illinois.
Signature Beers
American IPA
One of our most popular beers, the American Hairy IPA is chock full of citrus, pine, fruit, resiny hop flavor. If you are an IPA fan, you will love this brew!
ABV: 7.9%
IBU: 58
Dos Dookies Milk Stout
Double Chocolate Milk Stout. A rich, light-bodied milk stout. You can leave without trying this one, but it’s not recommended.
ABV: 5%
IBU: 25
Highland Hairy Belgian IPA
This Belgian IPA features flavors created through a special Belgian yeast and double dry-hopping, resulting in a memorable fruit and spice experience.
ABV: 7.5%
IBU: 76
Turtle Tree Cream Ale
A flavorful American “lawnmower” beer – light, crisp, and refreshing. This one goes well sitting on out deck enjoying the river view.
ABV: 4.9%
IBU: 13
Kyloe Coconut Porter
Delicately toasted coconut, fine vanilla, and just the right amount of chocolate result in a beer you won’t soon forget.
ABV: 5.5%
IBU: 31
Dossan Amber - American Amber Ale
This American Amber Ale is a malt-forward beer with caramel malty flavor and an assertive hop bitterness.
ABV: 5.7%
IBU: 30
Preach Tree Fruit Beer
Sometimes you’re in that mood. Slightly tart, peachy, and refreshing. You might want to tell others how good it is, but you’d be preaching to the choir.
ABV: 5%
IBU: 13
Currently On Tap
The Hairy Cow
Brewing PhilosophY
The perfect beer brings people together, and we do not take that lightly. We work tirelessly bringing quality ingredients together in the perfect combination for a premium finished, full flavored beer.
Brewing Process
Malting
Malting is the process in which raw barley or another grain is made ready to become the main ingredient in the brewing process. The grain is steeped in water, then rested under precise conditions to encourage germination, and finally dried in a kiln and/or a roaster.
Milling
Milling takes the whole barley or wheat kernels and cracks them open, being careful to not crush the barley to dust. The husks end up being a very important part of the brewing process down the line.
Mashing
This is the process of mixing the crushed malt with hot water at a very specific temperature. Given the right conditions, enzymes in the malt activate and go to work converting starches into sugars. This process takes between 30-90 minutes.
Vorlauf
(German for “recirculation”)The process of clarifying the liquid (now called wort - pronounced wert) by recirculating from the bottom of the mash back on top of itself. The mash/grain bed, including the intact husks from the milling process, becomes a natural filter bed thus clearing the wort over about 15 minutes.
Lautering
The process of separating the wort from the spent grain while extracting as much of the sugar still trapped in the grain. This clear wort is slowly transferred into the boil kettle. The leftover spent grain is given to a local farmer to use as livestock feed.
Boiling
This is where the wort is boiled, concentrated, and volatile compounds are boiled off. Hops are added for bitterness, flavor, & aroma throughout the boil; sometimes other flavors are added here. Typically wort is boiled for 60-90 minutes.
Fermentation
Once the wort is boiled, it gets transferred to the fermenter. As the wort is transferred, it passes through a heat exchanger, cooling it to a specific temperature. Once the transfer is complete, yeast is pitched into the fermenter. Over the next 4-6 days the yeast consumes all of the sugars, turning them into alcohol and carbon dioxide. When fermentation is complete, the liquid is now officially beer. The beer is cooled to 30 degrees for conditioning, this process helps clarify the beer & allows us to collect the yeast for reuse.
Final Transfer
Once the beer has conditioned, it is time for its final transfer into a serving tank. This is where the beer is carbonated to the appropriate level, and served in a beautiful, “beer clean” glass.
Meet Our Brewers
Jon Lambert
I am Jon Lambert, Head Brewer, and partner at HCB. I started home brewing in 2010 before taking it up a notch (or ten) and turning pro. I love the brewing process but, more than that, I love sharing beer with friends and family. Brewing is an extension of cooking for me, using high quality ingredients, solid processes, and attention to detail. While brewing I create a specific goal and, although I may not hit the bullseye every time, I believe this mindset has made me better at my craft. When I am not brewing, I love to cook, camp, mountain bike, and explore the great outdoors.
Alex Ortiz
An Illinois native, Alex lived in Austin, TX for 8 years before returning to the midwest via Madison, WI. The move led to a career change that allowed him to explore his passion for beer and led to a return to Northern Illinois.
Alex brings a wide-range of experience from his previous work at two other breweries (Karben4 Brewing, Pig Minds) and is excited for the opportunities that Hairy Cow presents.
Become an Insider
Become a Hairy Cow Brewing Company Insider to receive advance notice of the Pizza of the Month, as well as your favorite seasonal cocktails and upcoming events.
Earn 1 point for every $1 spent, redeem 100 points for a $2 discount on your next order.
Tour The Brewery
Every Saturday, we offer 30 minute tours where you will learn about Hairy Cow Brewing Company, see our brewing process, and sample different beers. We run tours hourly starting at 2:00 P.M., with our last tour starting at 5:00 P.M. Tours are $10 per person and include a complimentary glass.
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