Amanda Lafferty
There’s been something brewing in the Old Irving neighborhood — literally.

Trevor Rose-Hamblin, Matthias Merges and John Linnemeyer are co-owners of the recently opened Old Irving Brewing Co., located on 4419 W. Montrose Ave. Whilst a brewery in name, it is meant to be both child and neighborhood friendly.

As soon as you enter Old Irving Brewing (OIB), you’re greeted by an attentive waitstaff, large stainless steel beer vessels and the impressively grand garage door. The demographics of OIB range from people in their early 20s, to young families and long time Irving Park residers.

To start off my highly anticipated meal, I ordered a non-alcoholic house-made ginger beer that was delightfully smooth, without having an overwhelming spice to it.

Then the first food order arrived: Sriracha chile deviled eggs. Uniquely pungent and tangy pickled mushrooms sat atop the eggs, pairing extremely well with the smooth filling. Both the chefs and drink specialists at OIB focus on flavors sure to complement one another, instead of joining together overwhelming tastes.

Another crowd favorite were the pork rinds. Highly addictive, the chicharrones were a perfectly light golden brown, with a tangy house-made ranch and Valentina aioli on the side. (I recommend combining the two sauces.) The rinds were laden with a hint of lime zest, which I was left wanting more of. The acidity of the lime introduced a thoughtful juxtaposition to the salty pork skins.

 As the ginger beers kept coming, so did the plates of diverse flavors. When Rose-Hamblin described the inspiration for the food menu, he said to think of “comfort food from around the world.”

The beer here is not just for drinking, Rose-Hamblin said. It is used in some of the recipes that Executive Chef Michael Schrader and his Sous Chef Aaron have come up with, like the potted chicken liver mousse which is paired with a beer mustard.

Easily accessible by the Blue Line, the newest culinary addition to Irving Park is surely not to disappoint. Appearance wise, OIB is most obviously a brewery. Yet, the food is not forgotten among the rows of beer fermenters.

While the food shows complexities, OIB’s philosophy remains simple. In reference to the surrounding neighborhood community, Rose-Hamblin said, “We wouldn’t be here without them.”