Business: Miskatonic Brewing Craft Kitchen
Address: 47 E. Chicago Ave., Naperville
Phone/website: 331-457-5777; www.miskatonicbrewing.com
Owners: Josh Mowry, 38, of Naperville, and John Wyzkiewicz, 49, of Naperville
Years in business: Opened December 2023
What does your business do? “This location takes the beer we thoughtfully make in Darien and we serve it alongside food (that) we try to put as much thought into. Full cocktail program here, as well,” Mowry said.
There’s another location? “Miskatonic Brewing Co. is the one in Darien. It’s been open since 2015.”
Why did you start these businesses? “What drew me into craft beer is hospitality. It’s in my blood. I’ve been cooking since I was in second grade. It’s a way to connect to people. I love to make them happy with food and drink.”
What brought you to Naperville? “We wanted to have a kitchen eventually at one of our places. But John and I didn’t know how to run a restaurant. (We now) have craft food alongside craft beer. We paired up with a chef who has a butcher’s background, was the chief sausage maker at Publican Quality Meats in the city for a few years. …. He has a great relationship with farmers, so you get that wonderful mix. We have house-made sausages. They’re awesome. And we have great seasonal stuff.”
Who is your chef? “Daniel Davis. He’s spent decades in kitchens in Manhattan and Chicago. Our chicken wings are awesome. He has great experience and applies it to everything he does.”
How’s it going here? “The feedback from customers, the team we have here, it’s been going phenomenally.”
Any challenges? “Since April 1st, the construction (on Washington Street) has been a serious challenge. It’s brutal, really brutal. It’s supposed to be done by the end of October. We’re counting the days. … Struggling with that. Everyone downtown is hurting. Not only (businesses) on Washington.”
Why do you brew craft beer? “It’s a great way of cooking, working with your hands, science. It’s all those things rolled into one. All kinds of variety. … I married into a family with craft brewers. It’s why I became a professional. I was a paralegal before that.”
How do you develop a craft beer? “You almost always start with a seed (of an idea) from someone who made a food or drink that you’re trying to riff off of. ‘What am I going to make different about this?’ From there, you look at flavors. There are hundreds of malts and hops available to use. Both have a huge impact on the flavor of the beer. Water chemistry comes into play. You can make a better hoppy pale ale with certain salts in your water profile. There are many strains of yeast. It’s chemistry, engineering, cullinary. It’s great fun.”
Do you have a favorite beer? “That’s like asking me who my favorite child is. My favorite tends to be what I can enjoy in any situation. Lagers are great for that. Most lager styles are crisp, light, refreshing,” the father of three said.
What are your favorite domestic beers? “Pabst Blue Ribbon for me is No. 2. Hamm’s is No. 1. They’re very similar.”
What do you like best about your job? “One way I’ve connected with people is cooking food, talking about beer. I love being able to talk about that with people. … If I won the lottery tomorrow, I’d be right back here two days later doing what I like to do.”
What are your hours? “Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, 3 to 11. On Friday and Saturday, 11 to midnight. Sunday 11 to 9. Closed on Monday. Saturday and Sunday, we have brunch from 11 to 2.”
Any favorite stories? “The first year we were open, my partner and I were brewing. We hear a lady say ‘hello.’ There’s a very old woman in her 90s. She said she heard there’s a craft brewery in town and she wanted to see it. She said, ‘My son runs a craft brewery as well. His name is Larry.’ We said, ‘Larry? Larry Bell?’ She said yes. Bell’s Brewing. One of the original godfathers of craft brewing.”
Any future plans? “We sell our beer wholesale at Jewel and Mariano’s. I’d like to do that one day with our sausage. Right now, it’s about stabilizing this location.”
What’s your advice for someone starting a business? “Remember you will always be the most excited person about your ideas. Use that to test them out. … Your job is to communicate that excitement so other people catch it.”
Steve Metsch is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun. If you know of a business you’d like to see profiled in Down to Business, contact him at metschmsfl@yahoo.com.
