DESTIHL Experience

History and Vision

Established in Normal, IL and founded in 2007, Destihl offers a different experience to Bloomington-Normal dining, utilizing their own microbrewery, wood stone oven, and dishes that tickle the palate with flavor. You are sure to find something on the menu interesting enough to try the experience more than once. The experience is unique to an area that boasts the 'most restaurants per capita', with dishes unique and delicious, with vegan options available.

Featured in a number of publications including Chicagoist, the Denver Post, the Pantagraph, The Daily Illini, and Buzz Magazine, there's no stopping this restaurant from bringing the area some of the finest dining experiences, great beer selections, catering options, and an experience like no other for your tast buds. As stated on their web site - "Destihl's mission is to fill our gastrobreweryTM with fun, energy and passion for great artisan food and beers" which they certainly do - all while providing a 'down to earth', high level of service.

This restaurant describes its decor as 'metro-industrial', and it seats up to 200 guests. Party rooms are also available for your events and special occasions. The atmosphere is very much like a brewery - bustling often, and not the most quiet for a quaint gathering during their busy times, but definitely what you may be looking for if you like an environment that is often busy, yet exciting. Destihl is definitely exciting for a dining and beer experience!

If you are a warm-weather diner, during the spring and summer months, you can enjoy the outside air while you dine, because Destihl offers seating outside that can accommodate up to 75. The outdoor seating is also welcoming for families, or if you are looking for more a private place to enjoy your meal.

General Information

Directions: Destihl is located in College Hills Mall, near the Hampton Inn., in a free-standing building, just off of Towanda Avenue. From Towanda Avenue driving north, turn right onto Hobby Lobby Avenue, and another immediate right into the parking lot.

Reservations: Reservations can conveniently be made online, with a request for special accommodations area. Additionally, you can call for reservations and specify any special requests.

Seating: Indoor up to 200, outdoor up to 75, with private rooms available

Location:

318 S. Towanda Ave. Normal, IL 61761

Hours:

Monday-Thursday 11 am - 10 pm Friday and Saturday: 11 am to 11 pm Sunday: 10 am to 9 pm

Phone: (309) 862-233

Website: http://www.destihl.com/DESTIHL_Normal.html

Experience

The experience of dining at Destihl can be described as a great one! From making reservations to finishing a meal, the customer service is top-notch. The menus offered bring comfort food with 'big flavors', using a base of 3-5 ingredients, and inspiration from all over the world, and for those that can appreciate locally-grown, sustainable farming - Destihl does its best to bring it from the farm to your plate. The servers are happy to answer questions, make recommendation, and help you through the menu. Their patience is priceless as you slowly narrow down your selections to what will please your taste buds that meal, and they are happy to help you decide between the very last few - because with a menu so appealing, it's a very tough decision.

For the full Destihl experience, choosing an appetizer is a great first step (after choosing your beer or beverage - see below). The portions are plenty for a table of 3-4, just enough to grab your interest as you anticipate dinner without filling you.

When your dinner comes, while you may want to savor every bite of it - remember, the experience isn't complete without a dessert option!

Handcrafted food http://www.destihl.com/Handcrafted_Food.html

The variety at Destihl and the uniqueness of the dishes is what makes this place so diverse and pallete pleasing. When you go out to any restaurant you go for the experience and the food. In this case all of the dishes are handcrafted to perfection and unique you cannot find these dishes anywhere else.

With a variety of foods, crafted beer, and a uniquely diversified environment how can you not go ?

Lunch: The lunch menu offers a variety of appetizers and small plates, soups, salads, sandwiches, or even a combination! From beer-battered jalapeno bacon, chorizo stuffed dates, potato croquettes, and bavarian-style pretzels, the flavor blends are interesting in themselves. Soups include tomato couscous, three cheese and ale, corn chowder, or the featured soup of the day which your server will describe with detail.

Interested in a cold or hot salad? What about brussel sprouts? Or possibly something with steak or chicken? They have them too!

Sandwiches are also served, and you can find most of the lunch menu carried over to dinner as well, with larger portion sizes.

You can download a printer-friendly version of the lunch menu here.

Dinner: Locals will tell you many favorites from the dinner menu, though one appetizer stands above all - beer- Thai fried chicken, spicy but well balanced with sweet and hot. battered bacon. As it is described on the menu- "hefeweizen-battered jalapeno bacon", if that didn't interest you enough or make you struggle to read it - it's doused in a maple-chipotle sauce, one of the signature sauces that Destihl is known for. This appetizer is sure to please!

Entree's include a variety, though some of their more well-known entrees include signatures dishes such as: jambalaya, suffed poblano pepper, caucho skirt steak, or thai fried chicken.

How about a pizza? Prepared in a wood-stone oven, crusts are crunchy and thin, while the toppings are deliciously perfected. Choose from thai pork, brewmaster's, greek-style lamb, fennel sausage and date, pesto and goat cheese, or mediterranean for the veggie-lovers. Gluten-free pizza crusts are also available upon request.

Other favorites with the area are the dijon chicken, and warm potato and salmon with oven-roasted veggies, and the fish and chips. If you are a fan of a good Reuben sandwich, the reuben egg rolls are a must-try!

Want to see:

Maybe a sandwich or burger is more your thing... and since it's a brewery, why not try the beer-battered back and egg burger? Angus beef, beer battered bacon (if you couldn't get enough of it, or just want more!), tomato-bacon jam, chile-fried egg, maple-smoked white cheddar cheese, served a gold brioche bun - it's a meal in a sandwich. Or, maybe you fancy a southern flair - you might choose the cajun-style shrimp po'boy, very likely to be one of the best you could find outside of New Orleans.

Dessert: However, no meal is complete without dessert - especially when the portions are as large as the entree! Especially accompanied by a maple creme brule or a pound of chocolate cake, or even good 'ole backyard s'mores, served on a platter and without the campfire. You may just want to try a few and share with your table.

Vegan: Quite a variety of vegan options are available, with something to be offered in every category from appetizers to dessert. Especially for those that may struggle to find a menu that boasts opportunity, this is one menu that delivers a number of options, and even a signature dish.

The craft revolution and when discussing beer and taste has a heavy emphasis on types, flavor, color, pairings, origin, and use. Crisp beers like Pilsners are the sparkling wine and it goes with a fatty food. Bitter beers such as pale ales and lagers pair very well with rich food. Beers with malty richness however beers with malty richness pair well with spicy food malt driven beers are also good with acidic foods.

In brewing a great beer the important thing is the quality of the barley! There are two types of barley two-row, six-row named for how the kernels for on the stalks and it are the source of sugar. Water is another important quality of beer my family utilizes these two principles as the basis for a great beer. The taste of the beer and the quality of the ingredients that produce this golden delight make it a profitable venture and what draws people is the taste. What makes a great beer and what makes a profitable beer taste are two questions brew masters around the world are asking themselves at this moment.

Brewery

Beers-

Year Round

Has a variety of beers and drink options but If indeed you enjoy beer specifically, Hefeweizen is nothing short of heavenly in my opinion. However for as bitter or as smooth as a beer can be the variety will accommodate. These beers are brewed throughout the year at Destihl's gastrobrewpubs.. Here is a list of beers a description of the beer specifically Alcohol By Volume (ABV) and International Bitterness Units (IBU). Hefeweizen is nothing short of heavenly in my opinion. However for as bitter or as smooth as a beer can be the variety will accommodate.

American Style Blonde Ale:

Blonder light golden color- this all barley beer is low on hops and light on malt flavor give the beer a touch of sweetness. ABV: 4.9 % IBU: 16

American Style Amber

Medium caramel color-and a balanced hop bitterness. ABV: 4.9 % IBU: 33

Weissenheimer Hefeweizen

Golden color with flavors of banana, clove, and vanilla. ABV: 5.2% IBU:16

Redbird Ale

Hoppier than the other beers with caramel notes and sweetness/ pleasant hoppy aroma and finish.. ABV: 5.3% IBU: 33

lhttp://www.destihl.com/Craft_Beers.html

Brews all craft beers in house with a varitey of beers to choose from. Craft beers that fit a variety of palettes from connoisseur to casual with an array of pairings and menu options that fit the bill and the taste buds. A dream and a love for beer is what formulated this brewery and It all started with a brew kit that Matt Potts wife bought him.

This brewery concept formulated by Matt Potts in five gallon batches at first became thousands of gallons of a dream come true. This lawyer-turned-brewmaster-entreprenuer went to brew school and took an idea and ran with it by developing a team and later opening one of the best breweries in Bloomington/Normal.

Currently about 15,000 barrels a year are being produced at this brewery. Destihl has a steam heated brewhouse that can produce up to 25,000 barrels a year. The brewery is located in the GE Warehouses right off of Veterans Parkway.

Finding Destihl Beers

http://www.destihlbrewery.com/Find_Our_Beer.html

Rotating IPA's:

AMRA- Mango IPA Hoperation -Overload- Imperial Pale Ale Tenebrous-India Black Rye Ale

Seasonal

Strawberry Blonde- American style blonde ale Lawnmower Ale- With lemon grass and peel super delicious shandy

Samhain- Robust porter with pumpkins Black Angel Stout-American style stout, stout

Belgian Series- Beer crafted in small batches(limited time only)

Saison-Farmhouse ale Dubbel_ Belgian style Abbey Tripel- Belgian style Tripel Quaddrupel- Belgian style Quaddrupel

Wild Sour Series

Flanders Red Here Goes Nothing Flemish Amber Counter Clockwiesse Adambier Dissension Lynnbrook Rasberry

Wood Aged: limited release aged in barrel cellar

Bela: Imperial Pilsner Czech Style Antiquity: Barley Wine with Rye

Barrel Aged: Limited release aged in cellar

Dosividanya: Bourbon barrel aged stout Cerise: Belgian style imperial stout w/ cherries added

Saint Dekkera: Reserve sour ale - single barrel aged

Catering>http://www.destihl.com/Catering.html

http://www.destihl.com/Special_Events.html

In terms of Catering Destihl offers a variety of food and beverage options. They even host parties may I suggest a brewery tour or tasting.

Also Destihl has a variety of food options for parties and meetings just call up and set an appointment for a price list or you can click the link above to print off an information packet.

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