The Brewery
Scorched Earth Brewing Company is a production brewery located in the Village of Algonquin, Illinois, a town situated in the scenic Fox River Valley. You can find us in an industrial complex on Berg Street, less than a mile west of the Fox River and Route 31 off Algonquin Road (Route 62).
Old World Brewing Techniques
Brewing
We craft our beer on a 15 barrel (450 gal.), two vessel brewhouse built by Specific Mechanical Systems. Its custom configuration gives our brewers the ability to use old world brewing techniques like step mashing and decoction to maximize the full potential of the ingredients.
Fermentation
Wort generated by the brewhouse is fermented into beer thanks in large part to our single-cell microorganism friends, more commonly referred to as brewer's yeast. Rarely used today by most modern breweries here in the US, we use an open fermenter to create some of our special beers and help encourage the brewer's yeast to create more complexity and intrigue for your senses.
Cellaring
Before beer can be packaged, it must cellar for a length of time, letting the yeast finish their magic. Here we may dry hop the beer or add other ingredients like fruit or chocolate to take the beer in a new direction. Some of our beer will be barrel-aged in wooden casks to infuse spirits or sent to our sour program to develop a unique patina unlike anything you have ever had.
Packaging
Our beer is packaged in kegs. Some of our regular and seasonal beers are now canned in six and four packs respectively. Stay tuned for our barrel aged beer releases. They will be bottle conditioned – a traditional technique developing carbonation directly in the package, as well providing the means to develop more character over time. Perfect for hoarding.