Something huge is brewing at the Ice House Mall & Village Shops. It’s the Grand Opening of Flesk Brewing on Father’s Day weekend Saturday, June 17 the doors open at 12pm at the Ice House Mall. Flesk’s opening will mark the first brewery in the town of Barrington. Flesk Brewing will feature a large tap room with a bar and seating for around 75 plus, selling homemade beers brewed and bottled in many styles including pale ales along with cider and wine options. Flesk’s mantra; “Nano, meaning extremely small. Where we may be small in production, we are huge on flavor and personality. Brewing has begun!” Flesk’s Brewing hours are Thursday, 3pm to 11pm, Friday and Saturday, 12pm to 12am and Sunday 12pm to 10pm.
Flesk Brewing owners, William and James’s tap room will brew a rotating line of 10 draft lines for their beer brewed on site. They will also have a selection of great cider as well as red and white wine.
Their brewed beers will include, Ghost Relic, Moped Traveler, Chocolate Factory, Into the Void, Occam’s Razor, Imperial Running Man, Coat of Arms, Mister Fancy Pants to name a few. Flesk casual tap room atmosphere will feature walk up service to the bar, sample size 5oz. pours and 16 oz. pours as well as 32 oz. called “To Go Howlers”. Flesk’s personalized merchandise of hats, t-shirts, bottle openers, and glasses will be available for purchase this summer along with Milk Stout Beer Soap by Jomo Soap that will be available for purchase at the Grand Opening. William and James’s favorite board and card games will be available for patrons to enjoy while sipping on a Flesk brew along with live music by local musicians.
Flesk Brewing was founded by two brothers, William and James O’Brien in 2012. Their passion for home brewing quickly became an idea after James 21st Birthday. The brothers decided to make beer for friends and family instead of the typical beer on special. The Flesk name was derived from a castle in Ireland that their father toured as a young man. The story goes that he came upon the castle named Flesk in Kerry, Ireland and brought home two relics from the castle. As the boys grew up their father would tell stories of the castle and the ghosts that lurked behind. William and James went to Ireland to visit the castle and gave their new brewing business its founding name.
William and James received their diploma from the Siebel Institute of Brewing Technology in Chicago. James travelled to Munich, Germany where he completed his WBA from the Doemens Academy.
Flesk originally started in William and James’s hometown of Lombard, Illinois. They brewed and bottled many styles including pale ales, IPAs, stouts, saisons and German helles to name a few. Within a few years they quickly outgrew the space. While searching for a new space, they found the welcoming tenants and their unique new location at the Ice House Mall. Flesk Brewing will open their doors to the public on Father’s Day weekend, Saturday, June 17 at 12pm at the Ice House Mall & Village Shops in Barrington, Illinois. Flesk is a family friendly, community focused business. The brewery is located on the east side of the mall. William and James fell in love with their new space and have renovated it into a unique brew and tap room that features bar and table seating for 75 plus that was designed and made by Peter O’Brien one of five O’Brien brothers. James and Will loved the brick walls and the unique look of the mall and space for their brewery stating it has more character than the typical brewery construction.
Flesk joins the unique mix of retailers at the Ice House Mall & Village Shops the features a variety of stores from women’s clothing and accessories, women’s and children’s shoes, home accessories and gifts, jewelry, art galleries, antiques, a full service salon, a travel agency and Barrington’s favorite place to dine for lunch or dinner, Chessie’s Restaurant.
For more information on the opening of Flesk Brewing at the Ice House Mall & Village Shops go on line to FleskBrewing.com | Facebook.com/Fleskbrewing | Instagram.com/FleskBrewing or IcehouseMall.com. Call Flesk Brewing at 224-655-7291. Photo Credit Linda Barrett Photography.
Located in downtown Barrington, the Ice House Mall & Village Shops is a one of a kind shopping destination with a wide array of stores offering everything from women’s and children’s clothing, shoes, accessories, fine art, antiques and more. Only at the Ice House Mall can you dine at Chessie’s Restaurant and sit inside a vintage Illinois Railway Dining Car for lunch or dinner, pamper yourself at Sanctuary Salon and Spa or visit The Travel House for expert guidance when planning your next weekend getaway or vacation. Guests travel from near and far to experience the Ice House Mall’s turn-of-the century architecture at this historic landmark. Built in 1904, the train-line property was first home tot the Bowman Dairy and then the Jefferson Suburban Ice Company before becoming the Ice House Mall & Village Shops. For more information, visit IceHouseMall.com.
