Dining

BREWING UP SOMETHING NEW

RESTAURATEURS CARVE NEW PATH TO SUCCESS

After years spent working for others Jamie Albert was ready to venture out on his own and when it came to finding a home for his dream brewery there was one location on the map that made the most sense. His hometown of Shorewood. “I was born and raised in the area,” Albert said, adding that he’s lives in different places in the Midwest and even several years in Las Vegas. “I love the community and the community has really embraced us as well,” Albert said. And Albert’s creation, Will County Brewing Company is making a name for itself, in short time earning a reputation for its creative and award-winning microbeers. Albert opened the tap room in 2018, pouring out microbrews that range from traditional flavors to seasonal inspired flavors and some pretty creative ones as well. The microbrew Bam Bam Loves Pebbles, a drink inspired by Fruity Pebbles is their No. 1 selling beer and it’s a 2021 Gold Medal winner from the Great American Beer Fest. “Illinois craft beer scene has really been a leader nationwide,” Albert said. With an estimated 250 breweries in the state, brew-related tourism has people traveling the state to try the crafts. “There are no rules with craft beer,” Albert said. “We test the limits of what we can do and keep it fun.” Feeding people and having fun is at the heart of business for Dave and Stacey Harris, owners of Backroads Burger & Bar in Plainfield. Dave, who grew up near Joliet, had spent most of his career in the restaurant industry before deciding to launch his own restaurant in July 2018. He chose Plainfield, the town he and Stacey had settled in as the perfect spot. The restaurant has a family-friendly atmosphere, serving up creative burgers with 17 different proteins to choose from, starting with ground beef to Wagyu beef, turkey burgers and he’s even incorporated vegan options with Beyond Burger, a nonmeat option. Dave said it was important to provide customers different options and cater to those with dietary requests, whether its vegan or gluten-free. While the highlight is the burgers, Dave and Stacey are having some fun too, adding special events to their monthly calendar including the highly popular Singo, a take on bingo where players hear a few notes of a song and try to name that tune on their card. As a local business, Dave and Stacey are grateful for the community support and they try to give back as well. Stacey said they’ve hired several high school students at the restaurant, giving them a first job and experience. “We take them, train them and we’ve had very low turnover,” Stacey said. Hometown support is a part of the core values at Will County Brewing. Albert said the foundation of his business is craft, community and charity. He launched the Will County Brew Run and donated proceeds to charities like Shorewood Hugs and Will County Habitat for Humanity. “We like to be involved in the community and different charities,” Albert said. “It feels good to give back.”