Brother Chimp Brewing is venturing north up the Fox River.

Known for its relaxed taproom, community events, and the mantra “craft beer that tastes like beer,” the North Aurora taproom has become a Fox Valley favorite. Now it’s expanding to St. Charles. 

Owner Steve Newman is aiming to open the new location this fall in the former D and G Brewing space on 4th Street, pending final approvals at the city and state level.

The new space

Don’t expect the new space to be a carbon copy of the North Aurora location. The core vibe, however, should look familiar: a welcoming place with good, approachable beer, plus local food trucks, live music, trivia nights, makers’ markets, and other entertainment. 

“It will still have a vibe of comfort, openness, and diversity — and beers handcrafted with love,” Newman said. “There will be a few cosmetic updates, but nothing major. The goal is to get the doors open as soon as we can.”

Newman already feels connected to St. Charles, so there shouldn’t be much of an adjustment period. He started homebrewing years ago at the Broken Brix homebrew shop in St. Charles, which is where he met his now taproom manager Jessica. He's stayed active in the local craft beer community ever since, including a recent collaboration with Riverlands Brewing (among others).

The St. Charles taproom will initially serve beer brewed at the original location, but eventually, he hopes to shift brewing operations entirely to the new space. With growing commercial sales at places like Binny’s, Woodman’s, and local restaurants, added capacity will be essential.

“I need more space to keep up with production,” Newman said. “We’ve increased commercial sales a lot over the past year, and a bigger presence will help us keep everybody happy.”

The D and G location becoming available was a matter of timing — and good relationships.

“I’ve known Alex [D and G’s former owner] since shortly after he opened,” Newman said. “It felt bad to see him close, but it’s a good opportunity for Brother Chimp to expand and collaborate more with the other great breweries in St. Charles.”

What’s in a name?

Brother Chimp itself got off to an unexpected start, opening March 16, 2020 — the day before COVID-19 shut down the state. But the strange timing worked in Brother Chimp’s favor, giving them flexibility and breathing room to grow within their building. 

Five years later, they’re still growing.

I made a note to ask Steve about the origin story of the “Brother Chimp” name, but he beat me to it. 

“I’ve had the same fantasy baseball team for 35 years, and it’s called the Chimp Monks. Chimps for fun, monks for beer,” Newman said. “We were going to be Chimp Monk Brewing, but people kept thinking it was Chipmunk Brewing. Eventually I landed on Brother Chimp. Same concept, same great logo.” 

Now, the Brother Chimp brand is known for beers like Ludwig (an award-winning Vienna-style lager), Homer (an easy-drinking American pilsner), and For The Masses (a west-coast IPA). But the original approach hasn’t changed.

“We don’t chase trends,” Newman said. “We’re not going to have six double IPAs on tap. Most of our beers are in the 4–6% ABV range — something you can enjoy with friends over a couple hours and make it home fine. We just want to make really good beer that tastes like beer.”

Have fun while giving back

Brother Chimp and Pollyanna Brewing in St. Charles are teaming up for the first of two “Radler Rides” this summer: a guided, out-and-back bike ride along the Fox River. 

The first ride takes place this Sunday (July 13), with a convoy starting at Pollyanna St. Charles and heading to Brother Chimp Brewing in North Aurora before returning to the starting point. 

Registration is $25 and includes a free Radler draft at each stop. A portion of proceeds will benefit Project Mobility.

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