Twisted Hippo Devastated By Fire

Twisted Hippo Devastated By Fire

A car is buried in bricks after a fire in Chicago’s Albany Park neighborhood that destroyed Tesited Hippo Brewing on Feb. 21, 2022. (Jose M. Osorio/Chicago Tribune)

An Albany Park block that housed the Twisted Hippo brewery was devastated by a fire Monday morning.

According to an update by the Chicago Tribune, the first had started in an apartment building and spread to the neighboring brewery and an obstacle course gym called Ultimate Ninjas. Twisted Hippo was blown over when the fire reached several pressurized tanks. Just one person was taken to the hospital, with severe smoke inhalation, but dozens have been left unhoused. The blaze started at 4 Monday morning and involved 150 firefighters,

A few walls at Twisted Hippo were left standing, but the city of Chicago determined them to be a hazard, and ordered the rest of the building razed.

Twisted Hippo co-owner, Marilee Rutherford, has posted to the brewery’s Facebook page:

Simply unreal. At around 4:00 this morning we found ourselves in the inexplicable position of knowing there was a fire at the brewery. By 4:30 I was onsite – cold, grateful for reports that everyone was safe, but pretty useless – which is not my preferred state of being. It was clear, long before the sun was up, that if we weren’t going to lose everything, it was going to be nearly so.

Today has been a blur of well-wishes, kindness, and compartmentalization. Our staff and neighbors are safe. Our family is well and intact. Go Fund Me campaigns have been plurally started, shared and supported. Fundraisers have been planned. Insurance claims processes have begun, and the expertise of an army of brains and experience offered around every corner. Our cups runneth over so much that we’re left, at the end of the day, surveying a river of love and grief on which we travel forward. The last two years have taught us how to keep standing, keep fighting, and ride the current when we can’t control the wind.

We *will* move forward, though we once again have no idea where the next leg of the journey will take us. And tomorrow, as the remaining walls of the building are likely razed, we will sift through the hundreds of messages, posts, and voicemails we have received in support. We will share more when the sun is up again. Tonight, with gratitude for so much that remains after everything seems lost, we rest.

A GoFundMe page has been started to cover immediate expenses and to help out employees as insurance claims are worked out. In less that 24 hours, it has already $110,000 toward its $200,000 goal, and has counted several donations from other Chicago breweries, large and small.

Twisted Hippo’s mascot, Pinky, or Pinkelsworth Hippoford

The brewery building, at 2925 W. Montrose Ave., was home to three previous brewers before Twisted Hippo moved in. The location had opened in 2015 as BreakRoom Brewery, intended to served as a gastropub and as a showroom for a co-owner’s bar-building business. It ran into problems immediately, including having it original brewer Mike Pallen depart to start Mikerphone Brewing. It closed in May the following year. Finch Beer Co. moved in, but shuttered the place before the end of 2016 and resettled as a production brewery in the West Side, a block from Goose Island. Ravinia Brewing produced a few beers in the building, but coudln’t come to terms for a lease.Twisted Hippo finally took over the space in January, 2019. (Josh Noel, Chicago Tribune).

Twisted Hippo itself saw a twisty pathway to its own brewery. Margie and Karl Rutherford began homebrewing over 12 years ago, and picked up the Twisted Hippo name early on. They turned pro by teaming up with another couple brewing as Rude Boy. The resulting Rude Hippo actually got a few batches made at 18th Street before the two couples parted company, and the Rutherfords resumed the Twisted Hippo brand with business partner, Todd Ruddick. (Tribune)

Their brewpub also attracted notice for paying its staffers $15 per hour as a base, and offering health insurance after 30 days of employement.

Filed under:
Beer News

Tags:
Twisted Hippo

Advertisement:
Advertisement:

Welcome to ChicagoNow.

Meet
our bloggers,

post comments, or

pitch your blog idea.

Subscribe by Email

Fresh Beer Events, occasional bacon, but always spam free, opt out any time.

Meet The Blogger

Mark McDermott

Writer, trivia maven, fan of many things. I thought to learn all there is to know about beer as a way to stay interested in learning. It is my pleasure to bring Chicago’s craft beer scene to you.

Latest of over 3,600 RateBeer reviews:

More Events, blogs and podcasts

Recent posts

Twisted Hippo Devastated By Fire »

Mark McDermott on The Beeronaut
Posted today at 11:17 pm

Chicago’s Week in Beer, February 21-24 »

Mark McDermott on The Beeronaut
Posted February 20, 2022 at 1:06 am

Chicago Craft Beer Weekend, February 18-20 »

Mark McDermott on The Beeronaut
Posted February 17, 2022 at 10:37 pm

Beer Preview: Oskar Blues Western Mutant IPA »

Mark McDermott on The Beeronaut
Posted February 14, 2022 at 11:35 pm

Valentine’s Week in Chicago Beer, February 14-17 »

Mark McDermott on The Beeronaut
Posted February 12, 2022 at 11:27 pm

Categories

Beer Calendar (784)
Beer Review (319)
Beer News (79)
Beer Business (78)
Beer Festivals (60)
Popular Beers Available in Chicago (37)
Beer Pairing (20)
Beer Competition (18)
Miscellaneous (15)
Brewpub/Bar Review (9)

Tags

Bourbon County Stout (164)
Beer review (86)
Oktoberfest (72)
Lagunitas (55)
Goose Island (54)
Craft Beer Review (41)
Kentucky Breakfast Stout (35)
Revolution Brewing (34)
Two Brothers (31)
COVID-19 (31)

Blogroll

The Beeronaut’s favorite blogs

Beer Download
A podcast pitting beers in head-to-head competition!
Chicago Beer Geeks
Homebrewing, event coverage, basic Chicago Beer Geekery!
My 3,400+ beers reviewed at RateBeer.com
Since 2003, I’ve tracked every new beer I’ve had here!
Good Beer Hunting
The überbiersite, with news, podcasts, and movies!

Read these ChicagoNow blogs

Cubs Den

Chicago Cubs news and comprehensive blog, featuring old school baseball writing combined with the latest statistical trends

Pets in need of homes

Pets available for adoption in the Chicago area

Hammervision

It’s like the couch potato version of Mr. and Mrs. Smith.
Advertisement:

About ChicagoNow

FAQs

Advertise

Recent posts RSS

Privacy policy (Updated)

Comment policy

Terms of service

Chicago Tribune Archives

Do not sell my personal info

©2022 CTMG – A Chicago Tribune website –
Crafted by the News Apps team

Read More

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *