Two Brothers Brewing Company - Pinch of Grace

Pouring a bright golden orange color, Pinch of Grace rests nicely in the glass, topped by a fluffy cap of foam. Two Brothers has built an unusual IPA here, using citrus peel to augment the citric hop notes – which is not particularly uncommon – but they’ve also added a “pinch” of vanilla to create a very unique experience. Look for plenty of citrus notes in the aroma, courtesy of the hops and citrus peel, with a light hint of vanilla, all overlaid on a touch of caramelized malt. On the palate, the story continues as we get a good malty base with some caramel and light toast. But, naturally, it’s the hops and the special additions which are the stars here. Hop bitterness isn’t stratospheric, allowing some malt sweetness to come through and work with the citrus and vanilla to conjure a bit of a creamsicle impression. For pairing options, we’d steer towards well spiced dishes with citrus and creamy elements, such as a Nepalese citrus curry. Cheers!

Two Brothers Brewing Company is a family-owned brewery located in Warrenville, Illinois, just outside of Chicago. Prior to starting the brewery, founders Jim Ebel and his brother Jason opened up The Brewer’s Coop, a homebrewing and home winemaking shop. Between the two of them, they were seasoned homebrewers, and for years, they talked about starting a brewery. Jason moved out west to hone his brewing skills at the Tabernash Brewery in Denver, Colorado, and also gained some experience at Mickey Finn’s in Libertyville, IL. But the two still talked about starting their own brewery. Eventually, they drove their families just a little bit nuts with all the talk and finally decided to go for it and start a brewpub. But with no real financing and no experience in restaurant management, they decided a brewery would be a better bet. While planning, and working the shop, Jim earned his law degree and Jason earned his brewing degree at the famed Siebel Institute in Chicago. In 1996 they officially opened the brewery. Their goal was to bring fresh, high-quality brews to the Chicagoland area.

Over the past 25-plus years, Two Brothers has grown in leaps and bounds, now inhabiting a 40,000 sq. ft. brewing facility with a 50-barrel system and 3,000 barrels of fermenter space. Should you be visiting the Chicago area, you can check out the Two Brothers wares in greater detail at Two Brothers Tap House in Warrenville or the Two Brothers Roundhouse in Aurora—all within 25 minutes of one another. For their latest news, hours of operation, and tour availability, head over to the Two Brothers website at twobrothersbrewing.com.