BREW, OLD STYLE

A Chicago Classic: Filbert's Root Beer

WHEN I FIRST HEARD ABOUT FILBERT'S, a soda factory in Chicago that has been making and bottling its own soda pop since 1927, I was curious.

When I traveled to the non-descript building at 3430 S. Ashland in the city's Bridgeport neighborhood, I knew I found something special.

When I walked up the worn stairs through the barn-style doors, I fell in love.

I can't put my finger on what exactly makes Filbert's so charming. It might be the friendly employees, or the welcoming feeling that only a building with so much history can have. When I walked in I was met by Ron Filbert, whose grandfather started the business over 80 years ago, and the smell of their famous root beer.

Ron introduced me to Dennis Antkowiak, one of Filbert's three employees. Dennis has worked for the Filbert's family for nearly 40 years. He's a lot like the machinery that has been used in the bottling process since the 1920s; an important part of what makes Filbert's so special. Dennis opened up a bottle of root beer for me to enjoy while he shared his stories and explained the history of a business that is one of the only of its kind left.

The bottling company famous for its root beer has been using the same recipe for more than eight decades. The company now produces a total of 18 pop flavors, and distributes to about 300 small shops and restaurants in the Chicagoland area.