PILSEN — In an effort to keep up with growing demand, Moody Tongue Brewing is packing up its Pilsen digs and moving to a larger space in the former Baderbrau brewery in South Loop.
Last month, cousins and brewery founders Jared Rouben and Jeremy Cohn ceased production at the 9,500-square-foot Pilsen brewery at 2136 S. Peoria St. and begun relocating to Moody’s new 25,800-square-foot home at 2515 S. Wabash Ave.
Cohn said Moody needed more space, especially after the company reached production capacity in 2017. The new space would double production capabilities, he said.
“Our primary business is a production brewery,” Cohn said. “So for us to grow, we literally need more space so we can create more beer.”
Last summer, Baderbrau brewery abruptly shut down and its production equipment was auctioned off.
Before deciding to move production from Pilsen to the South Loop, Rouben said they looked “extensively” in the neighborhood for a bigger space to house their expansion.
“We looked in Pilsen, and like most people, we prefer to stay,” Rouben said. “But when there’s a perfect opportunity in a space that previously had a brewery that you know will have the business. It’s a tough offer to turn down.”
Cohn did not disclose what the future will hold for their Pilsen taproom, but the Tribune reported they plan to close this summer.
Along with moving the brewery’s production, Moody Tongue will also open a South Loop taproom later this year, Rouben said.
“The last five years have been incredible,” Cohn said. “We will always be grateful and thankful for the opportunity to grow to be a part of a beautiful community.”
Since opening in Pilsen five years ago, the craft brewing company expanded its market beyond Chicago. Today, you can get Moody Tongue’s brews in nine other states, including New York, Nevada and Kentucky, as well as abroad in China and Brazil.
The cousins said the larger space will allow Moody Tongue to further expand its distribution domestically and internationally. Production at the new location is expected to resume in the next few months, Rouben and Cohn said.
Rouben, who previously worked at Rock Bottom Brewing and at Goose Island Beer, said the larger location would also allow them to be “creative” and make more “barrel aged beers, sour beers, and wild beers.”
Rouben and Cohn opened their Pilsen taproom in 2016. Earlier this year, the taproom was recognized as the best bar at the Jean Banchet Awards.
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