Chicago brewery brews up 'Regeneration Station' beer with water from city's 'magic well'

CHICAGO - It’s been called Chicago‘s fountain of youth and now, one of Chicago’s foremost craft breweries is dipping into the so-called "magic well" to make a little beer history.

Hop Butcher Head Brewer Justin Miller poured a still-fermenting sample of their newest creation, called Regeneration Station.

"That’s awesome. I can’t wait for this," Miller said as he sipped a small pour.

That’s because the water used to brew the beer comes from the famous Schiller Woods "magic water pump."

For nearly 90 years, Chicagoans have been flocking to a Cook County Forest Preserve water well off Irving Park Road to fill bottles and jugs with unfiltered water from an aquifer 85 feet below.

"Well it’s nice to get water that’s fresh and rich from the Earth, rather than a plastic bottle," said Nick Shterev, as he pumped water into a plastic container.

But many believe the water has magical properties, improving health and vigor. Which is why it’s been called the "magic well." And special water makes special beer.

So last week, Hop Butcher founder Jeremiah Zimmer visited the well and pumped 200 gallons, which was poured into a brewing tank and mixed with Brewers Malt and a West Coast ale yeast to make a golden ale that checks in at a modest 4.5% ABV.

"Being able to use this water fresh out of a pump in the brewing process is what I think makes this special," Zimmer said. "Magic or not, I think this beers going to taste awesome, taste great."

And even though it’s still fermenting, the mineral profile of the well water is still in the beer.

"The goal is to really allow that water to shine," said Miller.

Of course, legally, the folks at Hop Butcher can’t claim that the beer has any special powers. But if you believe in Chicago traditions — "What’s more fun than getting water from a local source and using it in your brew," said Miller. "And tasting it in the final product and sharing it with a lot of people."

The beer will be available on February 21st. But since they only brewed about 200 gallons, it will only be available at the Hop Butcher brewery on Lincoln Avenue on Chicago’s North Side.