Small Town Brewery
Pioneer of the hard soda category with Not Your Father's Root Beer.
Small Town Brewery, based in Wauconda, Illinois, was best known for its Not Your Father's line of flavored beers. The company was founded in 2010 by John Dopak and Tim Kovac, who had begun homebrewing in 1988. After three years of development, Not Your Father's Root Beer launched in Illinois in 2012, initially sold in kegs at 19.5% abv in local bars and liquor stores. Two small bottling runs of a 10.7% abv version followed in 22-ounce bottles, and in November 2014, 12-ounce bottles of a 5.9% abv variant were released.
In March 2015, Small Town partnered with Pabst Brewing Company for national distribution. Shortly after, Pabst owners, including CEO Eugene Kashper, acquired a stake in the brand and the company. The success of Not Your Father's Root Beer created a new alcoholic beverage category called "hard soda" or "flavored beer." The brewery's tap room in Wauconda opened on October 15, 2015, serving a rotating selection of 16 Small Town beers, including flavors like French Toast, Bourbon Pecan, and Strawberry Rhubarb.
The company ceased operations in 2019. Later that year, Kovac opened a new taproom in Cary under the name Spirit Water.
Not Your Father's Root Beer is brewed with botanicals, spices, and herbs—including wintergreen, sarsaparilla bark, anise, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla bean, and honey—to mimic the taste of old-fashioned root beer. It is available nationally in 5.9% and 10.7% abv. The 5.9% abv six-pack was the best-selling craft beer in the United States in 2015. Not Your Father's Ginger Ale was released in November 2015, and Not Your Father's Vanilla Cream Ale (4.1% abv) followed in 2016. Currently, only Root Beer and Lemonade are sold in the line.
Not Your Father's Root Beer won Second Place in BeerHoptacular Beer of the Year in 2013, and Beer Advocate rated the 10.7% variant 94 out of 100. Some critics questioned the product's production: Michael Agnew of A Perfect Pint argued the brewery's equipment could not produce such high alcohol content and suggested added neutral grain spirit; Andrew Gill of *Strange Brews* speculated it might be a flavored malt beverage rather than beer; and a *Chicago Tribune* article challenged the claim that no sugar is added, asserting sweetness came solely from grains and spices.
Quick Facts
- Founder
- Tim Kovac
- Hq Location City
- Wauconda, Illinois
- Hq Location Country
- US
- Industry
- Alcoholic beverage
- Products
- Beer
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Small Town Brewery was founded by John Dopak and Tim Kovac in Wauconda in 2010. Kovac had first started homebrewing in 1988. After three years of development, Not Your Father's Root Beer was released in Illinois in 2012, initially sold in its 19.5% abv incarnation in kegs at local bars and liquor stores. The brewery then did two small bottling runs of a 10.7% abv root beer in 22-ounce bottles, and in November 2014 released 12-ounce bottles of a 5.9% abv version.
In March 2015, Small Town partnered with Pabst Brewing Company to distribute the Not Your Father's brand nationally. Shortly thereafter, Pabst owners, including Pabst CEO Eugene Kashper, acquired a stake in the brand and the company. The Small Town Brewery tap room in Wauconda opened on October 15, 2015, serving a rotating cycle of 16 Small Town beers with flavors including French Toast, Bourbon Pecan and Strawberry Rhubarb. The company ceased operations in 2019, and Kovac opened a new taproom later that year in Cary under the name Spirit Water.
Reader's Guide
Small Town Brewery's significance lies in its creation of Not Your Father's Root Beer, which established the 'hard soda' or 'flavored beer' category in the alcoholic beverage industry. The 5.9% abv version in 6-pack bottles became the best-selling craft beer in the United States in 2015. The brewery's products were traditionally brewed with botanicals, spices, and herbs such as wintergreen, sarsaparilla bark, anise, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla bean and honey to replicate the taste of old-fashioned root beer. However, the brewery faced scrutiny: Michael Agnew, owner of A Perfect Pint, argued that the equipment he saw could not produce such a high alcohol content product and suggested the root beer contained added neutral grain spirit. Strange Brews host Andrew Gill speculated that perhaps it was not beer but rather a flavored malt beverage. Additionally, a Chicago Tribune article questioned the brewery's statement that no sugar is added to the beverage and that its sweetness comes solely from grains and spices. Despite these disputes, the brand's impact was substantial, though by the time of the brewery's closure only Root Beer and Lemonade remained in the Not Your Father's line.
Did You Know?
- Not Your Father's Root Beer was initially sold in 19.5% abv kegs in 2012.
- The 5.9% abv 6-pack bottles were the best-selling craft beer in the United States in 2015.
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