Our Story

If it weren't for hockey, there wouldn't be PRB.

Owners Virg Mazzeo (head brewer) and Jon Wolf (the guy who talks to people) met playing pick-up hockey as far back as the 90s in Virg’s hometown of Niles, IL. From there, they and many friends formed teams that played in various leagues in and around the Chicagoland area, even still today.

Flash forward to one team, in the 2000s, which was largely composed of Canadians who all worked in Chicago. That company closed, and they all lost their work visas and needed to depart the United States. Quickly.

Virg, Wolf, 2 other skaters, and a goalie sat in their locker room before the ensuing game (hardly enough people to play a hockey game) when some 18-year-old kid walked in and said "Hey, I was supposed to play for the other team tonight, but they have 20 skaters and you losers only have 4, can I skate with you?” Yeah, kid, thanks for filling in.

Believe it or not, and against all odds, they won that game, and a lifelong friendship with then 18-year-old (now brewer) Kyle Fisher was born.

Mid 2000s

Wolf, a Chicago North/West-sider, moves into the amazing South Loop neighborhood of Printer's Row. Virg, after hanging out at the fantastic bars Wolf had begun frequenting in the area, also fell in love with the neighborhood and followed suit in moving down to Printer's Row. In his new apartment in Printer’s Row, Virg falls in love…. with home brewing (see fun sidebar story below for more love info).

Virg made his first batch of beer on a Mr. Beer Kit (which is still on display at our tasting room) and even though this first batch of beer was only suitable for consumption via beer bong, Virg’s love for brewing grew and grew. Soon his studio apartment in Printer’s Row, Chicago, had more space dedicated to brewing than sleeping or eating. This included 2 beer taps coming out of the wall in his kitchen, which he uses extensively when having people over at “Printer’s Row Brewing”.  

Current incredibly popular beers, such as Cannonball Porter, Bookbinder Blonde and Out of Sorts, Brown Ale, were all born in that apartment.

Beer, beer, beer. Hockey, hockey, hockey. Printer’s Row, Printer’s Row, Printer’s Row…….

The 2010s

Virg goes back to school to obtain a second Bachelor’s degree, this time a BSEE (Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering). Almost simultaneously, while working and studying, As Wolf put it at the time, “The guy is making amazing beer in pots and pans on his stove top”.

One day, Virg is sitting at Wolf’s kitchen island and says, “Dude, we have to open a brewery. I’d throw away my entire education, just to brew beer.” Wolf, a small business owner and fan of craft beer, has the lightbulb moment.

A 15-gallon pilot brewery is built from the most humble means in a friend's garage. Lessons were learned. Our friend Fish had begun volunteering his time on a weekly basis to help out. Small batches of rather exceptional beer was created. Many lessons were learned. Much beer was created.

Winter arrived, and that garage without heat, and a good way to drain water, didn’t allow us to brew there any longer. So, in 2017, they carved out 425 Sq Ft of Wolf’s other business and created what might be the coolest, 2-barrel, DIY brewery, which was licensed and inspected. The Official Printer’s Row Brewing was born.

That brewery was used largely to sell beer to numerous bars and restaurants in the Printer’s Row area that Virg and Wolf had frequented and become great friends with. Their beer was often the leading-selling beer in the area and still is today. Virg, Wolf, and Fish spent a lot of time in those 425 sq ft. But alas, a 2-barrel system won’t get you very far in life, it was time to upgrade. Many lessons were learned. Much beer was created.

“Alternative Proprietorship” in the brewery world is when one brewery (federally and state licensed) moves into another (typically larger) brewery, in an effort to make larger quantities of beer and/or share costs. Printer’s Row Brewing engaged in an alternative proprietorship with their friends at Lake Effect Brewing. Virg had volunteered at Lake Effect for years, which led up to the formation of PRB. Virg, Wolf and Fish essentially went in as third-shifters, working after the Lake Effect crew had gone home for the night, working to the wee hours of the morning. Fish and Wolf famously spent one Father’s Day morning watching the sun come up on Montrose Ave, beer in hand of course. Many lessons were learned. Much beer was created.

January, 2020.

Well, we all know what’s coming: the sky fell. But before that, PRB was ready to go out on its own, buy a building, and create its own permanent brew space and tasting room. Wolf was driving down Austin Ave, near a former location of his other business, and passed an old restaurant he had frequented years before for cheap breakfasts as a new business owner. The building was an eyesore. It was an oddly shaped triangle on the corner of a strange intersection of Lawrence, Austin, and Mason avenues. Inside, there was a low, water-damaged ceiling, pink walls, and horrifying bathrooms.

In February of 2020, PRB bought the building.

Virg, Wolf and Fish are brewing their hearts out for an eventual end of Covid and grand opening. Inching closer with every contractor completing their work, passing every inspection, the Covid restrictions had begun to repeal, and it was finally time to open. PRB finally had a place of its own to call home. The Day before Father’s Day, 2021, which will always be our anniversary, PRB opened its doors.

Four years later.

PRB is still selling tons of beer in its namesake neighborhood of Printer’s Row as well as several bars and restaurants on the Northwest Side, near the brewery. The once, considered blighted building PRB bought, houses The Jefferson Park Chamber of Commerce “Neighborhood Beautification Award”, an award that hadn’t been handed out in 20 years. It’s hosted countless block parties on Mason Ave, weekly trivia, its own book club, and Concerts on the Corner music series. The entire area around the brewery, also deemed blighted, is now revitalized and has the Chamber of Commerce-named moniker of “Jeff West”.

An outdoor, 50-person pergola and beer garden has been implemented. Food options like Pequod’s thin-crust frozen pizza, baked pretzels, Guac & chips, grilled cheese, mozzarella sticks, and more are all available.

Today

PRB stands not only on its strength of beer, but on the strength of its people. We’ve added to the Virg, Fish, and Wolf team with an amazing cast of bartenders, including our homegrown trivia master, and family support. Even Santa Claus makes an annual trip with a pop-up Christmas Tree Stand. PRB is a Chicago, Northwest-side staple. A neighborhood brewery that is heavily supported by its regulars and embraced by its local Chamber of Commerce, business community, politicians, and even currently sponsors and runs 4 men's league hockey teams, a bowling team, and numerous youth baseball teams.

PRB has created over 30 different beers to date and has plans for many more. We also plan on increasing our distribution, our canning, and cocktail menu.

Despite a seemingly long history, PRB feels it’s just getting started. We’d all like to thank our people and their people, our regulars and irregulars, friends & family, scoundrels & saints.

Cheers to the future and many more years!