Empirical’s Rogers Park Brewpub, Opening Tonight, Mixes in Beer with Food and Cocktails

Like a sneaky feline, Empirical Brewery will quietly open its Rogers Park brewpub tonight. No, the new restaurant won’t feature feral cats to ward off pests like Empirical has at its Ravenswood brewing facility. This new brewpub is nestled inside The Mayne Stage and replaces the theater’s Act One Pub at 1330 W. Morse Ave.

The menu (see below) embraces beer in its food too. The poutine’s gravy is flavored with Empirical’s Phase Transition porter. Cooking staff uses a Kolsch cheese sauce in the mac and cheese and as a spread on the burger. Even the veggie patty, “The Spent Grain Burger,” uses grains used in the beer brewing process. Other interesting options from chef Tim Fink (Packing House) include a Shepherd’s Pie wonton.

Beer’s everywhere, even in the cocktails. The list includes a “Beergarita” made with nitro cream ale, tequila, and a lime cordial. Bartenders also use the brewery’s Gamma-Ray Ginger Wheat beer in Empirical’s take on the Moscow Mule with vodka.

Empirical opened its taproom in 2015 in Ravenswood, a space that doesn’t have much room for food options. Patrons in Rogers Park will have no excuse to go home with an empty stomach. DNAinfo snapped photos of the interior. They report that Empirical may eventually brew beer on premises.

Read the full menu below. Thursday’s opening is only a limited engagement from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., GM Steve Milford said. It’ll open again on Friday and start regular hours on Tuesday.

Empirical Brewery, 1330 W. Morse Ave., open noon to midnight on Tuesday through Thursday; noon to 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday; noon to 10 p.m. on Sunday. Weekend brunch starting on July 1 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.