Saw the Apple Cider Donut seltzer on a menu at a nearby restaurant and it was sold out. To my surprise, Penrose was extremely close by so we decided to give it a visit. We had bev flights and tried all of the seltzers. I loved the Grape one and wished there were cans available to-go (sold out). The lemon seltzer was refreshing and would be perfect on a hot day with some crumbly ice. Fun place to hang out, lots of games available. Special event room off to the side too! I'll be back :) read more

Checked out yet another brewery in Geneva. It certainly has a lot. Penrose is pretty hard to locate because it's on some random ass street. Has a great amount on tap for not being big. They also have a few basic things like pretzels. Beers are the main things of course. It's one of the many breweries around here. There's a pretty good list and it has variety. Lots of interesting ones to choose from. They certainly have more than one expects, as there's plenty more in cans you can take. Good choices. It's about $6 a pint. Best one of these we had was the Taproom IPA. This is an American IPA with Chinook hops and it's one of the stronger ones. Also has a few basic things to eat. It's about $6 to get a Soft Pretzel. Baked fresh. They sometimes have frozen pizzas and other things. For sure it's one of the great places around here to get beers. It's closed Mondays. They have a limited food menu with pretzels but they also sometimes have food trucks working. read more

Penrose Brewing - Taproom IPA And The Soft Pretzel - Breweries Near Me - Geneva, Illinois

Visited Penrose for a wedding welcome party this weekend and had a blast! Super cool space and friendly staff. There is plenty of parking out front and there are other bars/ restaurants a short drive or walk away. For beer on tap I tried the Penrose Light and the Looper. I preferred the Looper but both were good! My favorite drink of the night was the Cranberry Orange Seltz-Up. Would definitely stop again if in the area to try more of their beers! read more

Penrose Brewing - Breweries Near Me - Geneva, Illinois

We went on a Thursday night. The taproom itself was pretty empty but there was a private party in the back generating some noise. We sat at the bar and ordered the 20 year anniversary Imperial Stout. First sip was amazing! But after a few sips, the sweetness took over and by the sip I was ready to move on. There was not a single Belgium beer on the menu. A little disappointed they have gotten so far away from their roots, especially on their anniversary. There were a lot of IPAs on the menu and while I do love them, I just really wanted a good old fashioned Penrose beer. read more

Penrose Brewing - Impromptu brewery tour on a Friday night. Sours aging room. - Breweries Near Me - Geneva, Illinois

I never was a fan of beer or seltzer. I spent countless days wandering the cold nights. Searching. Yearning. It was the soft glow of the Penrose sign, that welcomed me, but it was the staff that made me feel at home. In my darkest hours they were there. One evening I was trapped in a burning building and Elise burst open the door calling out, "Did you want another grape seltz-up?". I wept tears of joy as she threw me over her shoulder and carried me and a lone puppy out. As I thanked her, she simply said, "Anything for our customers." My life has changed forever, and there is no better place to enjoy a seltzer in the world. read more

Visited here on a Saturday evening, it was lively, there was a private party in the room attached next door, there was a black tie bar crawl event happening as well, not a empty seat in the brewery. Had the luck just as we arrived 2 fellow beer heads were closing there tab, 2 seats opened at the bar top. Started the evening with a 4 (5oz) flight (Pilsner, Goofy Boots, Hazy Skies, Neapolitan Stout). Ordered: Apple Cider Donut our (highly recommended, didn't disappoint) 2nd flight: Oktofest, Blackberry, Spooky Boots, Peach Tea Slush-Up. I just couldn't resist, had to order the $14 sausage pizza (crispy crust, hit the spot, the lemon hot sauce was ok, idk for $9 though) The wait staff we excellent, great recommendations! For the adventurous ones, they have shots of Malort for you!!! Will be back again..... read more

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The Goofy boots is one of my favorite beers and it's always great stopping by here to try their different varieties of their famous IPA. The service is straightforward. The outdoor seating is really nice, it's a great place to bring your own food and enjoy some of the best IPAs in Chicagoland! read more

Small but nice taproom. The beer was good and the pretzel was okay. Unfortunately, serving beer at a microbrewery at less than a pint (for every variety) and charging more than other similar breweries just sends me down the road of desiring to seek another option - and there are plenty to try. read more

So disappointing. Only 4 patio tables. Beers were not great. Patio needs work . They have been around for many years: regrets.... Not a good brewery. So many good ones out there. Skip this one. Owners stopped caring about those location read more

We were visiting a friend who lives in Geneva and thought it would be fun to do a brewery tour. Not being from the area, we didn't realize their beer is in many restaurants, and grocery stores. We got a beer for the tour, as a part of the ticket. They have 80-90% IPA's, which is great if that is your thing. The back was disgustingly dirty, I don't know how they could pass a health inspection. There Was a dirty paddle laying around, chemicals that had seeped out and had another chemical bottle sitting on top of it. It was shocking. If you don't keep it clean, why offer a tour, for $15.00??? read more

Really liked the Lemon Seltzer and the Lemon Tea. Good drinks. Good service. Fair prices. What more can one ask for? read more

Penrose Brewing - Yum. Highly recommended the Lemon Seltz-up and Lemon Tea-up. - Breweries Near Me - Geneva, Illinois

A bit disappointed. My aged barleywine was terrific, but nearly the entire menu is IPAs and seltzers, all female bar staff and just a bit effeminate overall. Many pizza ovens but definitely a tap house vibe read more

clean with a good selection of beers to choose from the bartender was quick to take the order and answer any questions about the beers offered read more

Penrose Brewing - Breweries Near Me - Geneva, Illinois

The staff was so communicative, friendly and helpful. We had our baby shower here and everyone had a wonderful time. Great beverage options, loved the back barrel room for the event, close proximity to the bar but private, Penrose provided music that was fun but didn't take away from the party socializing. read more

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I've been here several more times since my first review nearly 4 years ago. I end up here almost every time I'm in town visiting my parents, because a few of my friends live nearby and love this place. I stand by my earlier review in that I wish that they offered more size options. I'm not sure if it has to do with Geneva liquor laws or not, but I would love a half pint or 4 ounce option so I can try a broader range of brews (but without having to do the full 4 x 4 ounce beer flight). I think that's just something I've been spoiled by at my "home" breweries in Evanston. (I ultimately compare everything to Sketchbook and Temperance). But, this is a little gem in the suburbs, the staff is super chill, and the last time I went there it happened to be around 5pm on a Friday, so they were tapping one of their one-and-done casks so we got to try some brand new beer (it was a lime infused beer and it was fantastic). read more

Penrose Brewing - Tangerine pale ale - Breweries Near Me - Geneva, Illinois

Nice little brewery with outdoor seating for warmer days. Inside was cozy and when ordering you go to the bar. The seltzers are amazing with great flavors however they are a little sweeter than others. read more

I really didn't like these beers. My BF and I came here while out on a Saturday and decided to grab a few tasters. We opened a tab thinking we were going to order more. After trying what we got, we closed out and left. The base flavor for every drink we got was the same and didn't taste good. read more

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We came here over the weekend on a Saturday at about 7 PM and the place was pretty crowded but not over the top. We were able to find hightop seats right away. The bartender was friendly and gave some great recommendations. I tried a flight because I couldn't decide! I find flights very helpful especially when I'm trying out new places just so I can see which ones I like first. I tried the juicy Midwest IPA, Pilsner, Grapefruit radler, & American pale ale. The juicy Midwest IPA was by far my favorite. It had a subtle hop, citrus hints, and a wheat-y finish. I wish I got a full one of this! My husband got the Hazy Midwest IPA and liked my Juicy Midwest IPA a lot better. I really like the vibe of this place. It has some warm rustic touches but still felt really industrial. I like the picnic-like tables for people to sit at inside cause it promotes different people sitting together. Overall this is a really cool spot and I wish we had more time. We'll definitely be back! read more

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Came here during COVID times. They had a list of requirements prior to entering. Menus were available via phone or disposable. Beer was brought out promptly when ordered. Inside was very clean. They had sanitizer and wipes everywhere. Staff was observed wiping tables down immediately after guests left. read more

Hey New Year, decided to try something new and used a groupon for a brewery tour for 45 mins. I always wanted to try Penrose for two reasons: one just because it pretty local to me and two it's my daughters former middle school teacher owned it. I've never done a brewery tour before, so this was our first time. No food here, but you can bring your own. I didn't know where to check-in and it is pretty loud and crowded. But I figured it out eventually it would be nice if they had someone to greet you upon entry and check you in as well. They have a wall of gameboards and games to choose from while you enjoy their beers. It's tucked away from downtown past some residential and in an industrial area. Reminder to book your tour ahead online. Our tour guide was a bartender their as well, he was laid back and kinda funny. I had they passion fruit pale ale (has some sour notes) and proto beer. Not bad at all. It was cool to learn how Penrose got started and how their product is made. It starts from SBB (steeping for an hour some grain, boil's, and then brew). It takes approx. a day to brew 10-16 hours. Some of the beers are made rest in mostly oak, some whiskey, and tequila barrels and also some sit in a fermentation tank which are huge 40 barrel tanks. It was fun and I'd definitely like to try more of their beers next time. read more

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Came in here again and found it very quaint. Yes I will come back. It's so much nicer after 10 pm when it slows down and. It crowded. read more

Penrose Brewing - Very rustic and quaint. It's best to go later when there is no crowd. - Breweries Near Me - Geneva, Illinois

Excellent beer. Love their Goofy Boots. The service is good . Ambiance is nothing special.

Decent. Kinda small inside but went in winter. Would be nice outdoors in good weather. Drinks were tasty. Fun patrons

Fantastic brewery in a beautiful area. The staff was friendly and wonderful. I had their IPAs (my go-to) and even enjoyed the others such as the Raspberry. Pleasantly surprised in the other offerings but West Coast IPA was my top pick. They have a main room with lots of space and picnic table style setup, then a backroom that can be used for private parties so it has something for everyone. read more

Walked out for the second time without being served after sitting at the bar for several minutes watching one very novice bartender doing one task at a time. Wasn't even that busy. Seems like they got rid of all the good people, unfortunately. Not sure when it was converted to romper room. Place seems to consistently be filled with toddlers and babies. Don't get me wrong; we love kids but doesn't seem appropriate to have them in a bar. Is that even legal? First time we walked out there was no room at the bar yet there were two kids watching videos taking up paying patron space. Kind of sad since we had really liked this place for a number of years. Going down hill and falling off our go to list. read more

Beer was good, however, I never appreciate when the bartender/server complain openly for the customers to hear. I've been a bartender myself and I never complain when customers are within earshot (sitting at the bar). Complain in the back or quietly through your breath. Again, I've served before so the blonde bartender with the septum piercing should be thankful, rather than complaining about the decently busy bar. It wasn't busy enough to be exasperatedly pouring beers and complaining to everyone who walked up. I've been in worse situations and kept a better attitude. It sounds like an excuse as to why she's ignoring people sitting at the bar who need a refill rather than a reason to her slow service. read more

I had seen cans of Penrose at many stores, and seen their beer on tap at many bars in/around Chicago where I live, but never knew where the actual brewery was. I also liked what I had from them, and when I happened to be in Geneva for a wedding, I made a point to stop by. While there I got Timber and Imaginary Numbers on draft there, and then 4 packs of Infinite Stairs and Swedish Days Haze to go. I enjoyed them all. Unfortunately due to the state shutting indoor seating down, I couldn't enjoy the taproom, but it looked nice. There's a few tables outside with a heater, but there aren't a whole lot, so you may not be able to get a seat. I went early thankfully and was able to sit. I'd say if you're a craft beer fan and happen to be in the area it's definitely worth stopping at. read more

Fun place and great atmosphere. We enjoy bringing our own games, ordering food to be delivered and hanging out

Nice craft brewery with friendly staff. My flight of primarily sours were good. They don't take cash. read more

Penrose Brewing - Flight in tap room. - Breweries Near Me - Geneva, Illinois

I really liked the feel of the place, even though it's out in the middle of nowhere they've tried really hard to make it unique and makes you want to stay a while. I had two beers there a spiced, Chai inspired Stout, where the spices offset the high alcohol content. I really enjoyed that one and spiced beers aren't my favorites. I had a couple of waters before I tried their Harvest Saison, which had a tart finish but had a mild flavor throughout. Penrose, is a good spot to go to and I'm looking forward to going to it again. read more

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Have ALWAYS had excellent service everytime we have been here. Any urstiins boutique the beers have been answered with professionalism and extreme detail. read more

My fiance and I had a nice time here. He did two flights so he could sample the majority of their beers. Some of them were definitely different in flavor profile than I'm used to, but he enjoyed the majority of them. I had the blond with blueberries which was nice and light, but I was expecting a lot more fruit flavor & sweetness to come through (especially with it's pretty color). But I didn't really get any hint of blueberry at all. They have a shuffle board in there, but it's really worn down and doesn't work well at all. But they offer lots of other board games and the tables in there are perfect for that, plus there is a bags set outside as well! There was a baby shower going on while we were there. It looked absolutely beautiful and such a good idea for all the guests who have to sit through it! read more

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Very unassuming from the outside if you're used to the "brewery-in-an-industrial-area" spot. The inside is very roomy though with all of the brewing equipment tucked away through a door behind the bar. No food so bring your own, and like Solemn Oath they don't accept cash so have some plastic ready. I've had many of their beers including the Raspberry Dubbel (one of my favorites), Taproom IPA, Brite Blonde, Kettle Juice, Axial Wit, Spectral, Spelt Drei, Coffee Navette, and of course, Vector. Guess you can say I'm a fan. The atmosphere has been very relaxed the few times I've been there, which is always appreciated. There's a corner with board games and such, like most other brewery taprooms have. On our first visit, a few littles were there being a bit loud and running around, but it wasn't too terrible. On our second visit, there were no kids but a private party was being held (bridal shower, I think) in the brewery proper and I was immediately jealous that my hubs and I didn't do that for our co-ed shower. That would have been fantastic. I've heard great things about the tours they give but we have yet to go on one; I'm not sure if we will as we've been on more than enough at other spots. But maybe that will change. We've always had decent service and the bartenders have been friendly when we visit, so no complaints there. Clean bathrooms and good beer. It's enough to bring me back. read more

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I try to stop in a brewery in every city that I go to. So my boyfriend and I decided to swing by Penrose when I was in Illinois. It was Easter Sunday, so they had modified hours, but I was still really pleased that they were open. The brewery itself is fairly unassuming on the outside, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The inside is really clean. There is a TV, but it's not right behind the bar, which I appreciate. It means when you sit down at the bar, you get to talk to the people/person that you're with. It wasn't too loud either, which I think gave it a really nice and relaxed ambiance. Penrose does offer tours, which is good for the discerning beer drinker who likes to take a look behind the scenes. Although I didn't get the opportunity to try the tour, I think it would probably be really cool for people to check out. There were a good mix of beers on tap. I tried a flight, which was decently priced, and also ended up getting a cup of the Passionfruit Cocktail. The latter wasn't as sweet as I thought it was going to be, but it was still pretty easily drinkable. For me, the standout was the Session Sour. Now, I am a (pretty huge) fan of sour beer, so if you aren't, you probably shouldn't be drinking it anyways. But I thought it was a crisp, straightforward sour - sippable without that mouth-puckering nature. If I were to ever travel back to Illinois and stop by again, I'd probably get another glass of that to drink. read more

Penrose Brewing - Two glasses of the Passionfruit Cocktail - one of the additional taps that they had - Breweries Near Me - Geneva, Illinois

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FUN!! I had a Groupon for a tour for 2, 2 beers, souvenir glasses, and growler- $2 off a fill. We arrived on Saturday 10/6/18 about 15 minutes before the tour. I checked us in at the bar and my husband had a beer in hand within a few minutes. We had our 1 yr old with us as it was time for her 1st brewery tour. The brewery is definitely baby/kid friendly which is awesome! There were several kids/babies when we arrived which put me at ease immediately. The tour was about 30 minutes and informative. My daughter seemed interested as well. My husband liked his beers and brought home a growler of the Wet Hop Haze. We recommend this brewery- very friendly people and kid friendly! read more

Brand new brewery tucked away just off the downtown strip in Geneva! Penrose specializes in Belgian-inspired ales and brewing, and it's easy to tell this is high quality stuff. Most pours currently run about $5 or $6. The taproom reminds me a little of Half Acre with all the wood benches and metalwork, and the fact that all the beers are ordered at the bar. Penrose also takes a page out of Solemn Oath's book and accepts only plastic for payment. I sampled 5 beers, and enjoyed the Patina the most. Coincidentally, it was also the highest ABV beer they had on tap. It's a biere de garde, so a little malty and sweet, but a nice clean finish. No stouts or super hoppy IPA's here, and that's fine with me. The taproom looks smart and sharp, and Katie is awesome and knew her stuff. Once construction is finished on 38 and it doesn't take me 40 mins to get here, I'll definitely be back! read more

Penrose Brewing - Sampler rack. Samples are $2 or $3, depending on the beer. - Breweries Near Me - Geneva, Illinois

I found Penrose Brewing on groupon and thought I would check it out. I went with my husband and we got there a little early to check out the taproom. They have a bar top and plenty of seating for large groups. Heads up- everyone must order their beer at the bar. I noticed a few games in the corner. Penrose would be a great place to meet friends for a beer. A large crowd gathered right before the tour started. I would recommend getting there 10-15 minutes before the tour is scheduled to begin. The large crowd caused the tour to start 10-15 late but everyone had a beer in hand- no worries! Our tour guide (Jake) was great! He was very knowledgeable and open to questions during the tour. He took us through every part of the beer making process. Everyone received a pint glass and growler at the end of the tour. Penrose Brewing is worth the visit and I would encourage everyone to do the tour. They have a variety of beers but they do not offer food. I would recommend the tour and then walking to lunch at a nearby restaurant in Geneva! read more

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This is a brewery that specializes in belgian ales and low alcohol IPAs. I came for the tour and yes, I had a Groupon. Since it was just me, I was able to get two beers, instead of just one. Guess I made out pretty well on that one! First, I got the Devoir, which was an incredibly light saison. It tasted very clean and a had a dry crisp finish. It was well made, but a little light for my taste. The P-2 was my second, which is their Belgian Pale Ale and it's also one of their flagship beers. I like a good medium body and this more than qualifies. It is drinkable, starting with a tropical fruit flavor, but it finishes a little bit bitter with some hops. I also god a beer flight of four. I tried the Desirious, which is a White IPA. I'm not really an IPA drinker, but this one was decent. It had some citrus flavor, but it still had a pretty strong bitterness. The Deminimus Blanc reminded me more of a wine, since it had a strong white grape taste to it. The Deminimus Mandarina had more of an orange flavor to it, but it was a session sour, so it's not like this resembled a Blue Moon or a typical orange-flavored beer. It still tasted earthy and this was actually one of my favorites. Finally, I sampled the Wild 12. I'm not a big apricot lover, so I guess that's why I didn't fall in love with this. It tasted very light, with fruity flavors. It's nice to sample, but I wouldn't go out of my way just to drink this one. I enjoyed some of the beers, but there were only one or two that I could see myself ordering again. The tour itself was pretty good. The guide was new at the job and I think one of the owners showed up in the middle of the tour just to pepper him with a bunch of random questions. The rest of us were too out of it to think of questions that deep anyway. Getting th souvenir glass was nice as their logo is really cool when you really take the time to look at it. Plus we got a free growler, only you had to pay to get it filled. Have to admit, I was thrown by that one! I guess after all that beer, I wasn't exactly thinking straight! Big props to Nobel house for running the grill outside. I'm a sucker for good condiments and they had a table filled with such treasures as five different BBQ sauces, four different pickles, horseradish, and even a bowl of kim chee. I had an Asian flank steak sandwich and I added some green onions to the cubed pieces of grilled steak and pickled bell peppers. It was a little strange that they served the steak sandwich on tomato foccacia. I mean, who thinks of that combo? But it was a fine sandwich all in all. read more

This was a nice place to enjoy a beer. The room is filled with table benches and a bar in the back. It is well lit from all the windows and giant window door. The Fractal Belgian IPA $6/glass was pretty good. They don't server food but you can bring in outside food. There happened to be a food truck outside on a Saturday afternoon when I was there called Nobel House. read more

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LOVED this place! We came for the groupon tour, which was efficient and well-run with a simple check in process. Everyone was instructed to get their free beer before the tour, which was a delightful treat to bring with as we walked and learned. Our tourguide, Rob, was able to answer all questions with ease, was easy to listen to, and kept the information to the point. The back brewery area is huge, and well maintained. So cool to see! It was also cool to see two employees hand bottling a bourbon ale for limited release. I tried their Raspberry Dubbel and the Maple beer. The Raspberry was light, with just a hint of that tartness, but super easy to drink. I loved it. For a second beer after the tour, I tried the maple beer, which was darker, with good flavor. Shocking to see it was less than 4% abv though! The bar area was open and large, with beer-brewing 'art' on the wall, large picnic tables and some extra barrels for standing room. It was so nice to be able to get a table on a Friday night too! I would give this place 5 stars because we loved everything except the wait for a beer. It wasn't super crowded but my date got ignored for quite a while requesting beer, a growler fill and the check at the end of the night. That was a little disappointing. Their bathrooms were super nice, with 3 stalls that were floor to ceiling walls- like little closets. Clean and well-maintained. I would definitely go back here. I bet it'll be nice in summer when they can open up the garage doors! Credit/debit only! read more

Penrose Brewing - Tour swag!! Loved their beers too. - Breweries Near Me - Geneva, Illinois