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The 5 Major Reasons Ten Ninety Brewing Company Closed: A Look At The North Shore's Lost Craft Beer Gem

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The story of Ten Ninety Brewing Company is a poignant case study in the volatile world of independent craft beer, particularly in the competitive Illinois market. As of December 20, 2025, the brand's physical presence has ceased, with its Glenview, IL taproom permanently closed, leaving many fans wondering what exactly happened to the North Shore's first microbrewery. The journey from a promising contract brewer in Zion to a beloved, but ultimately shuttered, neighborhood destination was marked by ambitious expansion, critical acclaim for its diverse beer portfolio, and the harsh realities of retail operations.

This deep dive explores the full timeline of the brewery, the vision of its founders, and the critical factors—ranging from market saturation to operational challenges—that led to the closure of the Ten Ninety Brewing Company taproom, offering a comprehensive look at the legacy of this lost Illinois craft beer gem.

The Rise and Fall: A Ten Ninety Brewing Company Timeline and Profile

Ten Ninety Brewing Company was more than just a taproom; it was a passion project that evolved from a contract brewing operation into a physical destination for the Glenview community. The company’s name itself—1090—is a nod to the old German purity law, the Reinheitsgebot, which stipulated that beer could only contain water, barley, and hops (though modern Ten Ninety beers certainly expanded on that!).

  • Founded: 2012
  • Initial Operations: Contract Brewing in Zion, Illinois
  • Key Founders/Owners: Brian Schafer (Co-Owner), Jamie Hoban (Co-Owner)
  • Physical Taproom Opening: April 22, 2016
  • Taproom Location: 1025 Waukegan Rd, Glenview, IL 60025 (North Shore)
  • Closure Date: The Glenview location closed its doors, with news of the closure circulating around 2019/2020, marking the end of its retail run.
  • Primary Industry: Beverages, Microbrewery, Craft Beer

The Zion Era: Building the Brand Through Contract Brewing

The brewery’s foundation was laid in 2012 when co-owners Brian Schafer and Jamie Hoban decided to enter the craft beer scene not with a massive facility, but through a smart, low-overhead approach: contract brewing. For three years, Ten Ninety utilized the capacity of other breweries in Zion to produce their recipes, allowing them to focus entirely on quality control, distribution, and brand building without the immense capital expenditure of opening a physical plant immediately. This strategy allowed popular beers like the Half Wit and 72 Hour Work Week Double IPA to gain traction in the Chicago area and North Shore suburbs before they ever poured a pint from their own taps.

The Glenview Dream: Establishing a North Shore Destination

The true realization of the founders’ vision came in 2016. After establishing a solid reputation, Ten Ninety moved into its own dedicated facility at 1025 Waukegan Road in Glenview, making it the first microbrewery in the village. The new location featured a full taproom with a rotating selection of up to 20 beers on tap, becoming a local hub for craft beer enthusiasts. This move transformed the company from a production-only entity to a full-service hospitality venue, requiring them to navigate the complexities of local zoning, liquor licenses, and food service, all while managing the demanding schedule of a working brewery.

The 5 Major Reasons Ten Ninety Brewing Company Closed

The closure of the Glenview taproom, which was confirmed to have happened sometime around 2019/2020, was a disappointment to the local craft beer community. While no single factor is ever solely responsible, the journey of Ten Ninety highlights several common challenges faced by independent breweries in a rapidly evolving market.

1. Intense Market Saturation in Illinois

When Ten Ninety opened in 2012, the craft beer boom was in full swing, but the market grew exponentially in the following years. By the time the Glenview location opened in 2016, and certainly by the time it closed, the Chicago metropolitan area was saturated with hundreds of breweries, microbreweries, and brewpubs. This hyper-competition meant Ten Ninety had to constantly fight for shelf space in retail stores and tap handles in bars, making distribution and visibility increasingly difficult and expensive.

2. Operational and Retail Challenges

Transitioning from a contract brewer to a full-fledged taproom operator brings immense operational hurdles. Anecdotal evidence from the community suggested that business hours and model may have been a factor, with some patrons noting that operating primarily during limited evening hours (e.g., 5-9 PM) made it difficult to maximize revenue from the taproom. Breweries often thrive as daytime community events, and a limited schedule can severely impact profitability and local engagement. The need to generate enough revenue to cover the costs of a large brewing facility, a taproom, and staff in a high-rent area like Glenview proved unsustainable.

3. The North Shore's Unique Customer Base

The North Shore suburbs—including Glenview—present a unique market. While affluent, the customer base can sometimes be less aligned with the "craft beer geek" culture that drives sales in more urban or established beer neighborhoods. Successfully converting a suburban population accustomed to mainstream options into loyal supporters of a local, independent microbrewery requires significant marketing effort and community outreach, which can strain a small business's resources.

4. The Cost and Complexity of Expansion

The decision to move from contract brewing in Zion to owning and operating a facility in Glenview was a massive financial undertaking. This expansion required significant investment in brewing equipment, infrastructure build-out, and navigating complex local ordinances, such as those governing food service in microbreweries. The high cost of this physical expansion, coupled with the slow return on investment typical of the hospitality industry, likely created a financial pressure cooker that was difficult to sustain against falling profit margins in the wider beer market.

5. Evolving Consumer Tastes and Beer Trends

The craft beer landscape is constantly shifting. Ten Ninety's core lineup featured classics like a Witbier (Half Wit), an Amber Ale (Replicale), and a Double IPA (72 Hour Work Week). While they successfully branched into trendy styles like the New England/Hazy IPA with their Juice God, the market's rapid shift towards hard seltzers, low-calorie options, and increasingly niche styles meant that breweries needed to constantly innovate. Keeping up with these fast-moving trends while maintaining the production of established favorites added a layer of complexity to their brewing schedule and distribution strategy.

The Lasting Legacy of Ten Ninety's Core Beer Portfolio

Despite the closure of the physical taproom, Ten Ninety Brewing Company left a distinct mark on the Illinois craft beer scene, primarily through its well-regarded and diverse range of beers. The brand's legacy is kept alive by those who remember its key offerings and the quality it brought to the North Shore.

The Essential Ten Ninety Beers (Key Entities):

  • Half Wit (Witbier): A Belgian-style wheat beer, known for its light body and refreshing notes of coriander and orange peel, making it a popular warm-weather choice.
  • 72 Hour Work Week (Double IPA): A high-ABV, aggressively hopped Double India Pale Ale (DIPA) that demonstrated the brewery's technical skill and commitment to hop-forward styles.
  • Replicale (Amber Ale): A balanced and malty Amber Ale, representing a more traditional and approachable style in their lineup.
  • Juice God (New England/Hazy IPA): Their entry into the Hazy IPA category, characterized by low bitterness and a juicy, tropical fruit profile, appealing to modern IPA drinkers.
  • Imperial Porter: A dark, strong Porter style, showcasing the brewery's versatility with heavier, malt-focused beers.
  • Angry Dragon (Pale Ale): A classic Pale Ale, providing a sessionable, hop-forward option for everyday drinking.
  • 1916 Blonde Ale: A crisp, lower-ABV Blonde Ale, suitable for a wider audience and often cited in beer tracking apps years after the closure, suggesting its lasting appeal.

The story of Ten Ninety Brewing Company serves as a vital reminder of the delicate balance required to succeed as a modern microbrewery. While passion and quality recipes—the core of the craft brewing ethos—are essential, they must be paired with robust business models, strategic retail operations, and the financial resilience to withstand the constant pressures of a highly competitive market. For those who visited the Glenview taproom, the memory of a local, independent beer destination and the taste of a cold Half Wit or 72 Hour Work Week remain its true and enduring legacy.

The 5 Major Reasons Ten Ninety Brewing Company Closed: A Look at the North Shore's Lost Craft Beer Gem
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