Rhodell Brewery - Peoria, Illinois

Joshua D.

Pour me another one, cap’n.

Years ago, Rhodell Brewery was located just a block over from their new location and truth be told, I’ve been to this new location quite a few times. A few times for birthdays and a few times for just grabbing a beer and shooting the breeze. I was in the mindset of not re-reviewing places until recently but I figured new places (and time) mean new experiences so here we are, visiting Rhodell’s again.

Emily and I decided to drop in on a day full of plans going awry. We dropped in on a Friday afternoon and it was a bit less busy than I expected but the line at the bar was short. The bartender that was working has been there for a long time and has always provided excellent service. I wasn’t sure what I was in the mood for so I sampled their Midwest Wheat and decided to order that. Emily got the Strawberry Blonde and I also snagged a sticker for $3. Since this was a bit of an impromptu visit, I wasn’t super in focus on reviewing it for this blog so bear with me on that since I was just wanting a beer and to chit-chat.

We snagged our usual seat next to the door leading out to the patio and talked life. I won’t bore you with those details but while we were sipping our beers, a group of young’uns came in (god, I sound old) wearing shirts with extreme sexual innuendo. It was hard to not try and read their shirts and laugh out loud but we eventually did get to read them all and they were all great.

I haven’t really explored much of the interior or patio area due to it always being busy and I don’t want to disrupt others just to look around/take photos. But the one thing that sticks out to me is the lack of the giant creepy kilt wearing guy from the old location. I don’t know the history of it but it was such a striking thing to encounter and I think it may be a thing of the past? I would love to know what the deal with that thing is.

Since I’ve been here a few times, I’ve tried: blueberry cream ale, american wheat, strawberry blonde lager, wild berry sour and various other seasonal beers. The blueberry cream ale is one I am especially fond of. I’m not sure which beers are seasonal and which are part of their repertoire so check their Facebook page to see what’s currently on tap. There were some pizza signs around the bar so I do think they need food if you need something for the beer to wash down, but don’t fully quote me on that.

Rhodells is the staple brewery in Peoria. I can’t imagine Peoria without it. So, if you are in ‘whiskey capital of the world’ and need a delicious local beer, Rhodells is the place to go.

Sandi W.

What a nice place. Loved our bartender. Very helpful with beer info. Helped us with the area. Answered questions we had.

Korey S.

We come here every time we visit Peoria. They always have great beers and the lineup is always changing. This time we tried the Kiwi Strawberry Blonde, the Watermelon Wheat, and the Blueberry Cream Ale. All three were great but we took home a growler of the Blueberry Cream Ale, it was fantastic!

Patrick F.

Great experience and a wonderful time. Enviroment and service is second to none would recomend to everyone wanting to either brew or taste excellent craftsmanship.

Chris E.

Always a great selection of finely crafted beers. I like that the menu changes frequently but always has something for everyone. My husband and I have many options of places to go, but always choose to drive the hour it takes to come to our favorite spot. Staff is always very friendly and very knowledgeable about the beers they serve. It is nice that there is a good selection of spirits, wine and ciders for those who are not beer fans.

Huma R.

Nice folks and a cozy setting. Lots of parking in a private lot - although I walked over from Bearded Owl and didn’t need it, but it’s always something I notice and try to comment on because it’s useful o know. The white chocolate pale ale was my favorite!

Chad W.

Great atmosphere, great service, and a great selection of beer and whiskey.

Bryan L.

Never disappoints. Kay had the Camp Wokanda breakfast stout and I had the cask Scotsman's Ale. Both are fantastic