Flossmoor Station Celebrates 30 Years, Birthday Bash Set

FLOSSMOOR, IL — Flossmoor Station Restaurant and Brewery is celebrating its 30th anniversary this summer.

In 1996, Flossmoor Station opened in the old Illinois Central Railroad Station, which dates back to 1906. The Station’s owner, Carolyn Armstrong, and her husband, Dean, spent two years restoring the historic train station, transforming it into a microbrewery, pub and restaurant. To this day, their small-batch craft beers, food dishes and decor all pay homage to the Station’s iconic setting with train-themed names and historic photos lining the space.

When it opened, Flossmoor Station, 1035 Sterling Ave., was one of only a handful of microbreweries in the country.

"We pre-date nearly all breweries in the area, including some of the big names you hear, as well as many nationwide," said owner Armstrong. "There were only about 1,000 breweries established nationally in 1996.

"So, you won’t find many breweries celebrating 30 years, and we’re especially proud to still brew our original recipes."

Affectionately dubbed the "Great Eight," Flossmoor Station’s original craft beers, as well as specialty brews, have racked up nearly 100 awards, locally, nationally and internationally. Notably, the Station was named “Best Small Brewpub in America” at the prestigious Great American Beer Festival in 2006.

Today, Brewmaster Jake LaDuke leads all brewing operations, including maintaining supply of the "Great Eight" and other staple beers, developing new small-batch craft beers, barrel-aging blends and canning and bottling beers, all done in-house.

"I really have fun experimenting with variants of our beers," said LaDuke. "We’ve developed a popular salted lime version of our classic Zephyr Golden Lager and several variants of one of my newer recipes, The Pawn and The King, which is a barrel-aged stout."

Two of those The Pawn and The King variants—Almond Joy and Chocolate Cherry—have recently taken top prizes in Journeyman Distillery’s Barrel-Aged Beer Fest and the Chicago Beer Society’s Brewpub Shootout.

On the restaurant side, Flossmoor Station is known for its hearty, Americana cuisine. Many dishes still remain on the menu from 1996, including fan-favorite, “The Burrito that Ate Flossmoor.”

In addition to the pub and restaurant, Flossmoor Station’s craft beer garden is a popular spot during warmer months. Situated on top of the hill overlooking beautiful downtown Flossmoor, the outdoor space features a renovated caboose that doubles as a tap room and ice cream shoppe. There’s also plenty of seating, a fire pit for cool nights and a fenced-in dog park, a hit during the “Dog Days of Summer,” a Thursday night tradition at the Station throughout the summer.

"We have so many regulars here at the Station—and such a great community in Flossmoor and beyond–who eat and drink here time and time again,” said Armstrong. "They like the quality and consistency of our beer, food and, most importantly, staff. We’re one big family and proud to be a staple in the community."

To celebrate their 30th anniversary, Flossmoor Station will be holding a free birthday bash in its Craft Beer Garden on Friday, July 10 from 4 to 10 p.m. The event will be fun for all ages, featuring:

• A kid’s zone, including face painting, balloon animals and giveaways;
• Beer tappings, including a specialty anniversary West Coast Double IPA and an old favorite, Gandy Dancer Honey Ale;
• A cookout
• Special guest speeches; and
• Live music from the local band, Extra, Extra!

For more information, visit www.flossmoorstation.com.