Family roots turn barley to beer in Champaign County

SIDNEY, Ill. (WCIA) — Locally-grown products can have a lot of benefits for the surrounding economy, and can also keep the quality high. In Sidney lies 1874 Maple Lawn Farm. They grow barley for a local brewery in Urbana.

Dennis Riggs has been farming for more than half his life, and this endeavor with barley services his son’s brewery. So, cultivating this crop is more about legacy.

He said barley relies heavily on direct sunlight. This allows for the grain to be dry enough to be processed and sent over the brewery. If the stem is still green, the crop won’t be dry enough to be used.

“Barley is a pain. It’s one of the reasons that most people don’t grow it,” Riggs said. “It’s an ancient crop. It’s been around for 9000 years before Christ.”

Just up the road in Urbana, Riggs Beer Company turns all the grain into beer ready to be canned, kegged, or topped off in a glass.

“We’ve ever only used grain water, hops, and yeast in our brewery. We like to make traditional, old-school beer with these all-natural, raw materials,” Co-Owner Matt Riggs said.

Matthew, along with his brother, Darin, have a passion for beer. They say brewing and growing locally for the last 8 years just gives them a stronger tie with the surrounding community.

“My crew here fills these kegs of beer, and within a day or two, they’re in the market being consumed,” Matt Riggs said. “And they didn’t leave a 40-mile radius.”

From the grain to the glass, from the farm to the can — all here in Sidney and Urbana.

If you want to try some for yourself, Riggs Beer Company is open Thursday through Sunday from 3 – 10 p.m. at 1901 South High Cross Road.

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