• Posted: October 30, 2023
• better communities, better construction, Bob Fimbinati, Brian Wallace, Carmella Wallace, Community Building, Crosstown Design Build, Homewood Brewing Company, IBEW Local 134, Juice WRLD, Kam Horn, Linera Electric, POB, power of better, powering chicago, The Power of Better, YouTube, youtube show

 

The Power of Better episode 7 offers an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at a special project underway in Homewood, Illinois – the construction of Homewood Brewing Company, a new restaurant and brewery honoring the beloved rapper Juice WRLD, who tragically passed away four years ago at only 21 years old. 

“Even after he became famous, he always ran back to Homewood. You know, he always felt safe at home. So it just seemed like the right place to be,” Carmella Wallace, mother of the late artist recalled.

To execute the buildout, experienced construction partners were brought in. As the general contractor, Crosstown Design Build was responsible for managing and executing the overall construction. They worked closely with Carmella Wallace on design details like layout, customer flow, aesthetics, and optimal building placement to bring the vision to life.

To achieve the ambitious vision of brewing exceptional beer with unparalleled consistency, Brian Wallace, Juice WRLD’s brother, brought on master brewer Kam Horn. Applying his German brewing techniques expertise, Horn fine-tuned the state-of-the-art brewery system to enable precise control of the brewing process. 

“You want that beer to taste exactly the same when you come back months later and share it with friends,” Horn explained. “This advanced system lets me perfectly calibrate each batch, so customers enjoy the same incredible beer every single visit.” 

By leveraging the technology, Horn could ensure every pint delivers a superb, consistent brewing experience.

The brewery required advanced systems where Powering Chicago member contractor Linear Electric provided invaluable expertise. 

“Our workers bring high technical skills from our apprenticeship school, and have had one of the finest upbringings in the industry,” Bob Fimbianti, Owner of Linear Electric, said.

Linear Electric played a critical role making the brewery vision a reality by handling the motor control center installation. This centralized system coordinates all brewing processes. By flawlessly implementing it, Linear Electric enabled oversight and automation for streamlined, consistent production. The system allows precise calibration by master brewer Kam Horn so customers enjoy the same incredible beer every visit. Linear Electric’s execution provided advanced infrastructure to meet Brian Wallace’s exceptional consistency vision.

The Homewood Brewing Company is expected to open in spring of 2024, continuing Juice WRLD’s legacy. For an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at how this vision was brought to life, be sure to subscribe to Powering Chicago’s YouTube channel  and watch Episode 7.