Beard Wizard and Sarina Visit Lil Beaver Brewery

Julie and I made our way out to Bloomington, Illinois a little while back to have dinner with our son. We met at Lil Beaver Brewery which is just off Veterans. It was a beautiful night so we chose to sit out on the nice, dog friendly, patio they have out front.

The place had a great feel, with a variety of seating outside, from picnic to pub tables, as well as individual chairs around fireplaces. It was like visiting a large family gathering on a rich uncle’s deck, complete with an outdoor bar. The staff was fantastic, namely Cody, who was one of the best servers we’ve had at a restaurant in a long time.

Thankfully, they had flights so I tried a few beers before settling on what I was going to drink with dinner. The IPDC Mexican Lager I’d had before. It’s decent, but seemed to be made with lime peel which was more bitter than I would have liked. The Amber, and the Logger Lager were great. I went with the latter for dinner. A nice, clean lager that went well with the main course. I also had a vanilla cream ale called Now I Know my Knowing (I Think) and it was alright, but not something I’d drink more than one of. The vanilla flavor was good, but it was a little sweet for me.

The star of the show, surprisingly, was the food. The brewery does have a great selection of beers and ciders, and even some seltzers, but the birria grilled cheese sandwich I ordered was fantastic. I like birria tacos, but never imagined having that same seasoned and juicy beef on a thick grilled cheese sandwich. Probably the best grilled cheese I’ve ever had.

I highly recommend Lil Beaver Brewery if you’re in the area, or close enough to drive. You’ll have great food and beer, all at a wonderful setting great for families and even dogs. Go when the weather is nice so you can enjoy the patio, you won’t regret it.