Our Beer
Tangled Roots is widely known for its wide collection of award-winning, locally brewed beers. Based in the small rural town of Ottawa IL., we draw on a variety of local and regional ingredients to brew our beers, including barley grown on our own small farm.
Our mission as a brewery has always been to make high quality craft beer approachable to as many people as possible. To achieve this, our brewers are committed to producing a range of excellent beers that appeal to every type of beer drinker. So whether you are a serious beer cicerone with a passion for hoppy IPAs, a lover of dark stouts and porters, or someone who simply likes crisp, light refreshment, you are sure to find a quality brew to suit your taste.
And while we take brewing our beer very seriously, we never forget that beer is supposed to be fun for everyone - so we keep the vibe distinctly down-to-earth and easygoing.
Hoppy
The beers in this category feature a hop forward flavor. But don’t let the hops scare you away. Those flavor profiles can range from bitter and citrusy to sweet and tropical making this the perfect category to explore those hop-forward beers.
Crisp & Clean
These beer aren’t fussy. They don’t contain lactose or vanilla. They aren’t over-hopped or over-hyped. These are beer-flavored beers. From lawnmower beers to crispy pilsners, these light and refreshing lagers and ales will quench your thirst and bring you back for more.
Fruity & Spicy
Beers in this category explore the expressive flavors of fruits and spices. In beers like our Vermilion River Weiss, those banana and clove flavors come from a traditional Bavarian yeast strain. In others, like Sunkissed Blonde Ale, those flavors come from the addition of fruit purees, dried peels, and spices.
Tart & Funky
These beers are separated from the rest by the use of lactobacillus to create an acidic and tart flavor profile. The tartness can often be a surprise on the first try but, when balanced properly, it can be as refreshing as a lemon spritzer. Our VIBES series of kettle-soured ales fits squarely in this category.
Malty & Mild
These beers will highlight unique malt flavors that range from biscuits, baked bread, and toast to caramel and toffee. Kit Kupfer, our flagship Amber Ale, falls in this category along with our Nitro English Mild. Sick of the hop craze? Give some of these classic styles a try.
Dark & Roasted
Rich and flavorful, these dark beers highlight the chocolate and coffee notes of highly kilned malts. But big flavor doesn’t always mean high alcohol content. You can find low abv beers, like our Black Forest Bedtime Story, in this category along with some that are on the higher end, like our Dobroy Nochi Imperial Stout.
Survival of the Fittest
Survival of the Fittest is our innovation program creating unique offerings from safe and approachable to crazy and innovative keeping our portfolio offering refreshed and relevant. Learn more about our Survival of the Fittest program.
Specialty Beers
Our specialty beers range from cause beers, where money from the beer is donated to a cause, as well some of our small batch limited ones that are only brewed once a year.
Award Winners
All of the beers in this category have won an award. So we must have done something right when we brewed these.
Farm-to-Foam
Our commitment to local farming is an important piece of who we are and where we began. We grow barley right down the road from our flagship brewery in Ottawa, IL and use it in our brewing process. Our original signature beer, Forty1 Eighty8, uses 100% locally-grown ingredients.