10 minute read
Cover story
from MidWeek_040622
by Shaw Media
COVER STORY SHARED PASSION
Sycamore Whiskey Club about community, friendships – and also whiskey
By KATRINA J.E. MILTON
kmilton@shawmedia.com
SYCAMORE – Paul Fix wasn’t intending to start a whiskey club.
“I was a professional brewer and a home brewer – of beer – for 25 years,” Fix said. “All of my friends and my social circle were related to beer. But then I learned that I am gluten intolerant, and I had to figure out what I was going to do. I’ve always loved whiskey, but beer was my No. 1 for a really long time.”
That’s when Fix decided to post in a local Facebook group, asking if there were other whiskey enthusiasts in the area.
“There was a great response, so I created a Facebook group myself,” Fix said. “There were a bunch of members that joined in that first 24 hours.”
Fix established the Sycamore Whiskey Club in February 2021 and the group now has more than 230 members. He attributes the popularity of the club to the trendiness of whiskey.
According to Statista, a global business data platform with statistics across 170 industries and more than 150 countries, in 2021, the highest whiskey revenue of any country was generated in India with around $16.6 billion. The U.S. totaled $16.5 billion, with Thailand, Japan and France also in the top five. The Statista Consumer Market Outlook estimates that by 2025, revenue from the U.S. whiskey market will be around $22.9 billion.
“Whiskey has grown in popularity, because there’s definitely a whiskey trend and sales are crazy,” Fix said. “Distilleries can’t grow or make whiskey fast enough for the demand. Also, unlike a can or bottle of beer, a bottle of whiskey can be shared with many people. It becomes a social event.”
Whiskey is a distilled spirit made from grains like corn and rye and aged in wooden barrels. Bourbon is a type of whiskey, but for a whiskey to be considered bourbon, it must be made in the U.S., distilled from at least 51% corn and aged in new oak-charred barrels. Scotch whisky is made in Scotland from malted barley.
The Sycamore Whiskey Club meets regularly for tours, tastings and events. On Saturday, March 26, the club partnered with Hy-Vee in Sycamore to hold a whiskey tasting and rare bourbon raffle. The event featured five distilleries, five vendors and 80 items to taste.
Club members Clifford Johnson and his wife Sara, both from Dixon, attended the event. They joined the group last fall and have participated in other club events.
“There is no club in our area, and by joining the club, we’ve made new friends,” Clifford Johnson said. “It’s all about the love of whiskey. There are so many different types of whiskey, too. A group can all share the same bottle and taste different things: caramel, oak and wood, fruit, tobacco or smoky.
“The club is more than just drinking, it’s about sharing knowledge and information and the social
Katrina J.E. Milton photos - kmilton@shawmedia.com Jeff McCarthy (right), master distiller with Rush Creek Distilling in Harvard, pours a sample of whiskey for Travis Shaffer of DeKalb during a whiskey tasting and rare bourbon raffle event at Hy-Vee in Sycamore on March 26. The event was hosted by Hy-Vee and the Sycamore Whiskey Club.
Kaleb Kennay, owner of Kennay Farms Distilling in Rochelle, pours a sample of rye whiskey during a tasting at Hy-Vee in Sycamore on March 26.
aspect,” he said. “It’s a group for people who like whiskey, it’s not about chasing hard-to-find bottles.”
DJ Persad of Sycamore joined the club about a month ago as a way to get to know people after moving to the area.
“It’s an outlet to meet like-minded folks easily, especially as we’re coming out of the pandemic,” Persad said. “I love to travel and bring back a regional bottle. Distilling whiskey really is a craft to be appreciated. It takes years to make and so much time and effort.”
Gus Guevara, Hy-Vee’s assistant wine and spirit manager, said hosting a whiskey tasting event “just made sense.”
“Whiskey is so hot right now, the market is crazy,” Guevara said. “It’s an opportunity for our store to get involved in the community and showcase what we have to offer. It’s an event that’s all about whiskey and bringing people together.”
Ethan Rutten of Sycamore helped the club plan a trip to Barnstormer Distillery in Rockford last month. He joined the club in October.
“It’s as simple as everyone having a love of whiskey,” Rutten said about the club’s purpose. “It’s a chance to share your passion for whiskey with people who are just as passionate as you. It’s actually pretty hard to find. The club allows us to share good whiskeys together and have a good time. It’s connecting the community and building great friendships.”
For more information about the Sycamore Whiskey Club or to join, visit the club’s Facebook group page.
KVAL to honor local art students April 7
THE MIDWEEK STAFF REPORT
The Kishwaukee Valley Art League will honor five local art students from three local schools at its next meeting.
The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 7, at Gallery On State, 322 W. State St. in Sycamore.
Working with art teachers from the three schools, KVAL’s philanthorpy chair, Molly Walker, has arranged for outstanding second semester art students from Sycamore High School, DeKalb High School and Kishwaukee College to be recognized.
This semester’s recipients are Autumn Tomlinson and Abby Johns from Sycamore, taught by Dawn Cavanaugh and Erin DeWitt; Megan Radtke and Samaria Williams from DeKalb, taught by Tricia Schmacher and Chad Gregory; and Milli McCoy from Kishwaukee College, taught by Miles Halpern.
The students will present samples of their artwork and discuss their techniques. They will then receive a monetary award and certificate of excellence from the art league. The three schools also will be given a monetary award to purchase art supplies for their departments. The public is invited to attend the meeting and help honor these five students.
Also this month, Gallery on State will participate in the Sycamore Chamber of Commerce’s “Taste of Spring” from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 13. Tickets for this wine-tasting event can be purchased from the chamber. Attendees will receive a glass to bring to participating businesses to enjoy the samplings of wine.
KVAL member Tamara Shriver is the featured artist of the month for April. Her watercolor paintings are on display in the front window at Gallery on State and are available for purchase.
The art league is working to prepare for the 51st annual Northern Illinois Art Show to be held June 4-5 on the courthouse lawn in Sycamore. This year’s show will offer more than 50 vendors, many of whom are new to the show this year and will provide a variety of new artwork.
The Kishwaukee Valley Art League is committed to promoting local artists and dedicated to the development of upcoming artists in the Kishwaukee Valley area. Hy-Vee and Waste Management are patron members of the organization. Visit www.kval-nfp.org for information.
Photo provided Kishwaukee Valley Art League member Tamara Shriver is the featured artist of the month for April. Her watercolor paintings are on display in the front window at Gallery on State in Sycamore.
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THE MIDWEEK STAFF REPORT
DeKALB – Northern Illinois University’s Chemistry Club will hold its annual Chem Demo Night at 6:30 p.m. Friday, April 8, in the Carl Sandburg Auditorium at the Holmes Student Center, 340 Carroll Ave., DeKalb.
Doors open at 6 p.m. and free parking will be available at 5 p.m. in the NIU parking deck along the west side of Normal Road, about one block north of Lincoln Highway, or in the nearby visitor lot on Carroll Avenue, just west of the parking garage.
This year’s show is titled “Mike and Sully’s Chemistry Clash” and will feature experiments and character based off of the movie “Monsters Inc.” Two teams – True Blue and Mean Green – will compete to fit screams inside of energy canisters, make monster toothpaste, and more.
After the show, attendees can try hands-on experiments with Chemistry Club members and staff from Adventure Works of DeKalb.
Masks are optional but encouraged to be worn at the event.
To get updates on the show and future events presented by NIU Chemistry Club, visit the club’s Facebook page.
Photo provided The Northern Illinois University Chemistry Club will hold its Chem Demo Night on April 8.
Steelband Concert, April 10 Sycamore United Methodist to present Lenten cantata
SYCAMORE – Sycamore United Methodist Church Music Ministries will present its annual Lenten cantata, titled “Come Touch the Robe,” at 5 p.m. Saturday, April 9, and 8:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. Sunday, April 10.
The storyline of “Come Touch the Robe,” narrated by Pepper Choplin, focuses on a robe worn by Jesus Christ as a thematic device to recount the interactions of those who were with him during his last days on Earth. The robe will help display Jesus’s healing, glory, authority, humility and victory during his final days, according to a news release.
The 40+ combined choir and full chamber orchestra will be under the direction of Pete Hansen, SUMC director of music.
The church is located at 160 Johnson Ave. in Sycamore.
For more information, visit sycamoreumc.org or call the church office at 815-895-9113. – The MidWeek
MUSIC
niu.edu/music
April 3 NIU Opera Theatre, “The Happy Prince” and a Stephen Sondheim Tribute, 3 p.m. April 10 NIU Steelband, Steelband Studio, All University Steelband and CSA Steelband, 3 p.m. April 11 Japanese Taiko Concert, 7 p.m. April 13 Chinese Music Ensemble, 6:30 p.m. April 14 Thai Music Concert, 6:30 p.m. April 14 NIU Jazz Orchestra, 8 p.m. April 15 Roland Barber Quintet, 4 p.m. April 15 World Music Fusion, 6:30 p.m. April 16 World Music Concert, 3 p.m. April 16 International Guitar Concert Series featuring Grisha Goryachev, 7 p.m.
The Arts at NIU
THEATRE
niu.edu/theatre The Conference of the Birds
by Sholeh Wolpe, adapted from Attar’s epic poem April 1-3 and 7-9 Black Box Theatre
BFA/MFA Actor Showcase
April 13-16 Corner Theatre
The Language Archive
by Julia Cho April 22-24 and 28-30 Sally Stevens Players Theatre
ART
niu.edu/art
Biennial NIU School of Art and Design Faculty Exhibition
NIU Art Museum, Altgeld Hall Extended through May 14
niu.edu/artmuseum
Annual Juried Blick Arts Materials Ars Nova Exhibition
Featuring work by current School of Art and Design students Jack Olson Gallery, Jack Arends Hall March 25-April 13
A look at what’s coming up! For a full schedule of events and ticket information:
