It’s More Than a Brewery

From morning to night, the bakery, pizzeria, brewery, and winery center on fermentation, offering a variety of ever-changing recipes. The day begins at 8 a.m. with sweet breakfast treats like the morning bun, a rich cinnamon roll infused with orange and tonka bean. By 11 a.m., sourdough pizza takes center stage, featuring options like a Neapolitan slice topped with oregano, yuzu oil, and tangy red sauce. At happy hour, sourdough bread plates with sides such as ‘nduja butter or sunflower tahini dip make great companions to their unique drafts.

In the evening, salads and pizzas are made with seasonal local ingredients like the “Super Green” with mushrooms, tatsoi, and toasted birdseed; or house-made sausage with green olives. Pair them with a You, a double-barrel aged saison with raspberries, or a sharp and funky wine called Boat, a skin-contact Riesling from the shores of Lake Michigan. 

Ternes’s go-to is their “pizza wine”—a light, effervescent red—paired with bread, butter and honey, the house-made sausage pizza, or the veggie special of the day.

Let’s Talk About Yeast, Baby

Driven by a desire to explore flavors beyond IPAs and malty beers — the trend in the mid to late aughts — Ternes and fellow founders Bryan Grohnke and Polly Nevins found themselves interested in the mystery of fermentation and yeast. “We were a bit different from the start,” Ternes laughs. “I know, everyone says that, but it’s true for everyone in their own way.” 

They began experimenting with various yeast strains, letting their beers ferment spontaneously using wild yeast and bacteria cultures. “From the beginning, our goal was to explore yeast and create off-the-wall, yeast-forward beers,” Ternes says. And they did just that. Wild beers are known for their diverse aromas and flavors, and their unpredictability is what makes them so alluring, perhaps even a little strange. “When we started working out of other people’s spaces, we were told ‘no’ every time we tried to make a wild beer. Back then, people knew less about wild yeast and were wary of what it might do to the equipment. So, sometimes we had to sneak batches in,” Ternes recalls.

Once their brick and mortar opened, they experimented freely. “That’s when we started capturing yeast from our garden,” Ternes says. Neighborhood, a constant beer on tap that is the result of 15 years of experimental brewing, features grain from central Indiana, local hops from Hop Head Farms in Michigan, and Michigan water. “It’s as close to true farmhouse brewing as you can get, with all inputs coming from our neighbors and surroundings,” he says. Although their focus is now lager-heavy, Middle Brow always keeps one or two wild beers on tap as a reminder of their roots.

From Michigan Vines to Chicago Wines

Their winery represents the deepest connection to local farmers. “We go to Michigan farms, ask to buy the grapes, help with the harvest, haul them back, and turn them into wine. It’s the most local action we take,” says Ternes. 

Wine experimentation has been part of their journey since day one. “We began by applying brewery principles to winemaking, and we  adjusted our methods gradually until we learned how to make good wine with our equipment,” Ternes explains. They have been selling Middle Brow wine since last year. 

Their approach is hands-off: grapes are pressed and fermented naturally, with minimal intervention. “We press the grapes and let the yeasts do their work. We only add a bit of sulfur right before packaging to stabilize the wine,” Ternes says. Central to their method, much like their beer, is allowing the wine to express itself naturally. The result is hazy wines rich with sediment. A cooler climate off Michigan’s shore provides a shorter growing season, which imparts a lighter body and crisp acidity — ideal for pairing with pizza. 

It’s No Surprise Breweries Know Sourdough Best 

Early on, the mystery of fermentation and the diversity of yeast strains turned Ternes into a hobbyist sourdough bread baker— which eventually led to everything else. Ternes has led the pizzeria since its inception. Now, chef de cuisine Carolyn Centofanti is leading the kitchen, adding a unique touch of her own.

Just like their beer fermentation processes, Middle Brow’s dough process involves wild fermentation, which they are appropriately obsessive about. “We’re always adjusting the recipe and technique in small ways. Being obsessive is kind of what it takes to keep it good,” laughs Ternes. 

Part of the secret to the dough lies in the flour, sourced from Meadowlark Mill, known for its 100% identity-preserved grains. “Identity-preserved means the wheat is all grown and milled by [one farm], and they blend with neighboring farms only when necessary,” Ternes explains. “Every bag of flour we get, we know which  of the three farmers it comes from and how they’re growing it.” This dedication to quality results in a pizza  that’s uniquely local and flavorful. It’s airy with a crisp, golden crust, carrying a hearty texture that’s slightly tangy from the long fermentation. 

The Respect for Local Ingredients is Strong. Everything Else is Loose. 

When it comes to Middle Brow, passion came first, expertise came later. “Just like raising kids, you don’t get to practice it first,” laughs Ternes. But they jumped in and learned the good old fashioned way: from experience. That means regularly visiting farmer’s markets and developing relationships with local farms for large orders in the kitchen. “ Seeing what’s growing gives Carolyn an idea and then she’ll go for it,” says Ternes. 

Middle Brow’s focus on local ingredients should come as no surprise. After all, keeping things close to home has always been a core part of the craft beer ethos. “Craft beer was a big driver in the farm-to-table movement because people were excited to say, ‘I could go drink at a brewery down the street where brewers make the beer right here.’ Many had only seen other giant macro breweries churning out massive quantities of beer,” says Ternes. “So, when we opened the restaurant, it was natural to emphasize local farmers, the neighborhood, and the community.” 

Elanor Bock is a Chicago-born professional writer, dancer, and Renaissance woman. Follow her on Instagram. Follow Resy, too.