USA, IL: Humboldt Park’s first brewery targeting late July or early August opening

A lot has changed since last year when the team behind Orkenoy announced plans to open Humboldt Park’s first brewery. The beer is just a small part of the ambitious project, located off the 606 elevated trail at Kimball, and it is now targeted to open in late July or early August inside the Kimball Arts Center. Orkenoy will lean into that setting with a philosophy similar to an arts collective. The space will host concerts, gallery shows, and more. The kitchen talent also includes chefs who’ve worked at a trio of popular Chicago brewpubs, Eater Chicago reported on June 23.

Last year, the team was fronted by Jonny Ifergan (a musician who plays in a rock band called the Kickback) and Ryan Sanders (a chef who worked a Lagunitas Brewing in Douglas Park and High Dive bar in West Town). They’ve added two new members. Briana Hestad is Orkenoy’s operations manager. She’s worked in England at London Beer Lab. They’ve also named Madison Burns as sous chef. She worked at Forbidden Root in West Town and at Band of Bohemia, America’s only Michelin-starred brewpub.

Range Design & Architecture is designing the space. They’ve worked on Hopewell Brewing in Logan Square and Avondale Bowl. They plan to mesh Danish design with bright South Beach colors.

Ifergan, who worked at Whiner Beer, will brew farmhouse-style beers. Sanders is creating a menu of sharable plates for to-go and dine-in customers. The menu will carry some Nordic inspiration, while the beer will use locally foraged ingredients that can also be found in Norway, Denmark, Estonia, and other northern European countries. Look for Scandinavian open-faced sandwiches. The bar will sell crowlers. Cocktails will also find Nordic inspiration. Hestad calls her concoctions “Neo-Nordic tiki.”

The crew hoped to open in 2019, but plans snarled. There’s also a coffee component. A spokesperson says they’ll reveal more news about that at a later date. While Oreknoy remains on track as Humboldt Park’s first brewery, its founders want potential customers that it’s only a part of the project. Check back for updates this summer. The opening date remains fluid. Don’t forget the country remains in the middle of a public health crisis.

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