The Oldest Brewery In Illinois Has Been Doing Things The Old-Fashioned Way Since 1871
History and great beer come together for an amazing experience at Illinois’ oldest brewery. Located in Rockford, this riverside restaurant is a wonderful spot for casual dates and special events.
This award-winning brewery is iconic to this part of the state. Scroll on for more details.

This place is so old, it's had to survive prohibition. By 1909, the facility was putting out 75,000 barrels of beer each year. Though it tried to continue operations in 1919, the Feds found out and converted the space into the Rockford Storage Warehouse.

Jonathan Peacock immigrated from England in 1847 from the town of Markingham. He originally ended up in Chicago before making his own way in Rockford. His first method of beer-making was to hand-grind malt in a coffee grinder and brew the mash in a washtub.

Inside or out, you'll find a plethora of lovely places to sit and enjoy your meal or drink at this excellent restaurant. In addition to a bar and dining room, there is also event space and docks for boats sailing the Fox River.



Generally, the restaurant is open at 11 a.m. for beer and food. The kitchen is open each night until 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. and the bar is typically open an hour later. Check the website (link below) for specific hours.
Prairie Street Brewing Co. is located at 200 Prairie St., Rockford, IL 61107, and you can learn more on its website or Facebook page.
For more like this, check out these 13 brew houses in Illinois that locals mostly visit for the food.
If you’ve ever been to the state’s oldest brewery, we’d love to hear from you. Please share your experiences and photos with us below in the comments.