Our brewery

You can trace the roots of DESTIHL (pronounced as 'des-tih-l') back to the first five-gallon batch of beer made by Founder & CEO Matt Potts in a glass home-brew kit given to him by his wife, Lyn, for Christmas in 1995.   

After many years of practicing law and brewing professionally in Elmwood, Illinois (with his first brewpub concept), Matt & Lyn decided a new venture was worth pursuing. 

The first DESTIHL Restaurant & Brew Works opened in Normal, Illinois, on November 23, 2007.   

Following much success with the beer brewed at DESTIHL Restaurant & Brew Works and then winning several major beer awards to garner national attention and demand for its beers, the team directed attention toward growing its brewery operations. In May 2013, DESTIHL Brewery commenced in the G.E. Warehouses in Bloomington, IL, with the first batch of beer brewed on May 31, 2013.   

Since its formation, numerous craft beer industry insiders, organizations, and competitions have recognized and honored the production brewery. By the end of 2015, there was more demand for DESTIHL beer than could be produced at the G.E. Warehouse production facility. So in June 2016, construction began on DESTIHL Brewery and Beer Hall's massive 47,000 sq. ft., $15 million-dollar brewery complex in Normal, IL, on about six acres of land. All brewery operations ceased at the G.E. Road facility in March of 2017, and the new brewery was commissioned by April 2017. The new brewery and beer hall opened to the public on May 27, 2017.