Eris, Chicago’s first cider house, to open Friday

The wait is over. Eris Brewery and Cider House will open for business Friday, the owners announced.

Chicago’s highly anticipated first cider house has been more than three years in the making. Co-owners Michelle Foik and Katy Pizza not only navigated uncharted territory in creating a concept where cider and beer are brewed and served under the same roof, but also undertook the ambitious renovation of a 100-year-old former Masonic Temple.

As the finish line neared, Foik told the Sun-Times: “I’m actually giddy,” and added “tired, excited and overwhelmed.”

Patrons will finally have a chance to sample the work of head brewer Hayley Shine, who single-handedly created and crafted a half-dozen ciders and another half-dozen beers.

Shine’s inaugural beers include both classic and hazy IPAs, a stout, a Belgian wheat and, on the quirkier side, a beet beer and a light ale fermented with apple juice. Her ciders range from dry to semi-sweet, including a blush cider made with cherries and a pair of dry-hopped ciders.

Eris is also a full-service restaurant, with Jonathan Trubow, a veteran of Wishbone and Mrs. Murphy & Sons Irish Bistro, in charge of the kitchen. A notch above traditional pub fare, his menu runs the gamut from duck tacos and mussels to short ribs and a roasted cauliflower steak. Half of the dishes are gluten-free, vegan or both.

The decor is worth more than a passing glance, featuring materials salvaged from the building’s past life.

Eris, 4240 W. Irving Park Road, will open at 11 a.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. on weekends.