Bust’d Brewing: Peoria Heights’ Craft Beer Success Story

In an old Subway restaurant in Peoria Heights, Illinois, something remarkable is brewing. Behind the modest three-barrel brewing system, Brian Buss is crafting more than just beer—he’s building a community hub that’s redefining what it means to be a neighborhood brewery. Since opening its doors in May 2023, Bust’d Brewing has transformed from a home brewer’s dream into a thriving family-friendly destination, proving that sometimes the best business plans start with a passion and a willingness to dive in headfirst.

The Journey Begins: A Home Brewer’s Evolution

Brian Buss didn’t set out to become a brewery owner. Like many craft beer entrepreneurs, his journey began with curiosity and a friend’s recommendation back in 2009. What started with a handful of extract brewing kits quickly evolved into an all-consuming passion for the craft. “It just kind of became a rabbit hole,” Buss recalls. “I liked the artistic nature of it plus the science and just the overall vibe of homebrewers in general.”

For more than a decade, Buss honed his craft, developing recipes and immersing himself in the homebrewing community. The scene offered more than just technical knowledge—it provided a blueprint for the kind of atmosphere he would eventually create at Bust’d Brewing. The camaraderie, the generosity, the simple joy of making and sharing beer: these values would become the foundation of his business philosophy.

When the opportunity arose to open a brewery, Buss and his wife saw potential where others might have seen limitations. The old Subway location wasn’t glamorous, but it was affordable and available. More importantly, it was a chance to turn years of passion into something tangible. “We just kind of dove head first in,” Buss explains. That fearless approach would become characteristic of how they run their business.

More Than a Bar: Building a Community Gathering Place

Step into Bust’d Brewing and you’ll quickly realize this isn’t your typical taproom. The 35-seat space feels less like a bar and more like your neighbor’s well-stocked living room. That’s entirely intentional. “We didn’t start a bar, we started a company,” Buss emphasizes, and that distinction shapes everything about the brewery’s identity.

Sundays have organically evolved into what Buss calls the “de facto family day,” where parents can relax with a pint while their children play together. It’s an atmosphere where friendships form not just between adults, but between families. Buss’s own son has made friends with the children of regulars, creating bonds that extend beyond the brewery walls. This low-key, family-friendly approach has helped Bust’d carve out a unique niche in a market that often skews toward adults-only spaces.

In just two and a half years, the brewery has cultivated a dedicated core of regulars who do more than just drink beer—they’ve become part of the Bust’d story. When Buss tore his bicep tendon and faced months of recovery, one regular offered to help with the heavy lifting involved in brewing. That volunteer is still there more than a year later. “He’s retired and doesn’t know how to sit still,” Buss jokes, but the story speaks to something deeper: when you build a community rather than just a customer base, people invest in your success.

Brewing With Purpose: Community Engagement and Charity

The Buss family’s commitment to community extends well beyond their taproom walls. As members of the Peoria Heights Kiwanis Club, they’ve developed a unique model that combines craft brewing with charitable giving. Twice a year, the brewery collaborates with the club on special beer releases tied to fundraising events.

During the summer, Bust’d creates a special beer for the BarStool Open, a nine-hole bar mini-golf crawl that has become a local favorite. In winter, they release Peanutty Purpose, a robust peanut butter porter that’s distributed to several bars around Peoria Heights. The model is simple but effective: participating venues donate a dollar per can or glass back to the Kiwanis Club, turning every beer into a small act of charity while introducing Bust’d to new customers.

The brewery has also hosted events for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Make-A-Wish Foundation. For the Buss family, this commitment is personal. Brian’s wife works with adults with disabilities, and they’ve made giving back a core part of their business identity. “We didn’t start this to just sit in our corner and do our thing,” Buss says. “We just try to give back where we can.”

The Liquid: Crafting Beer for Every Palate

With twelve taps at his disposal, Buss has embraced variety as a guiding principle. His approach is simple: brew across the style spectrum to ensure there’s something for everyone, from hop-heads to those who prefer their beer light and crisp.

The Flagship: Citra Crash

While Buss initially brewed a variety of beers, one has emerged as the undisputed favorite: Citra Crash, an all-Citra-hopped West Coast IPA. The beer wasn’t even part of his original lineup. It came to life almost by accident when a supplier offered a deal on Citra hops. Buss took a chance, brewed a batch, and watched it sell out in record time. Now, he can barely keep it in stock—a batch kegged less than three weeks ago was already down to the last keg at the time of our interview.

What makes Citra Crash special isn’t just the single-hop showcase, but how it’s converted skeptics. “I always take pride whenever somebody tells me they don’t like IPAs, but they like my IPAs,” Buss says. It’s become something of a signature move: winning over customers who thought they knew what they didn’t like.

Beyond the Hops

The lineup extends well beyond hop-forward beers. Trailblazer, a Pilsner-based blonde ale, takes its name from the Rock Island Trail that runs right behind the brewery. It’s what Buss calls a “beer for beer drinkers”—light and crisp but with more character than a macro lager. The beer has found particular success at Parks on Tap, a local program where a draft van serves beer at family-friendly park events.

Then there’s That One, Coach, a brown ale with a playful origin story. Initially called Coach Beard after a character from the TV show Ted Lasso who mentions being from Peoria, Buss wisely changed the name before distributing to avoid any legal complications. The beer has become such a hit that one local bar actually sells it faster than the brewery itself does.

Innovation Meets Heritage: Looking Forward While Honoring the Past

Buss isn’t content to rest on his core lineup. He’s constantly experimenting with advanced hop products and exploring new territory in lager brewing. But perhaps his most meaningful recent creation is Heights Heritage, a collaboration that pays tribute to Peoria Heights’ brewing history.

What many people don’t know is that Pabst Blue Ribbon operated a production facility in Peoria Heights from the late 1940s to the early 1980s—and that building sits just up the block from Bust’d Brewing. Working with a cocktail bar now housed in the old PBR facility, Buss created Heights Heritage, a 3.7% American light lager brewed in the traditional style. The beer is both a technical challenge (lagers require four to five weeks to produce) and a love letter to the area’s brewing heritage.

Released on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, Heights Heritage proved so popular that Buss had to rush two more batches into production to avoid what he half-jokingly calls a “small customer revolt.” The beer has earned high marks on Untappd, and Buss believes it could become one of their leading sellers. “It’s kind of standing on the shoulders of giants,” he says, acknowledging the legacy he’s building upon.

The Unexpected Hit: Choose Your Own Adventure Seltzers

One of Bust’d’s most creative offerings doesn’t involve hops at all. The brewery produces Blank Space (a cheeky Taylor Swift reference), a neutral hard seltzer that serves as a base for their syrup bar. Customers can customize their drinks by choosing from a variety of fruit syrups, creating their own flavor combinations.

The concept emerged from a practical limitation. Bust’d’s license doesn’t allow them to serve liquor or wine, so they needed to offer alternatives for customers who wanted something beyond beer. The choose-your-own-adventure seltzer system has proven surprisingly popular, giving the brewery another way to stand out in a crowded market while maintaining their commitment to providing options for everyone.

Seasonal Favorites and Future Plans

As spring approaches, Buss is preparing to release Summer Bash, an orange pale ale that holds special significance. The beer won him a gold medal as a homebrewer, and bringing it to market felt like a natural progression. Made with Citra and Mosaic hops along with crystallized orange, the 4.5% beer delivers a refreshing citrus pop that’s perfect for warmer weather. This year, Buss plans to can Summer Bash for the first time, making it available beyond the taproom.

Other seasonal releases are in the works, including a salt-lime lager for Cinco de Mayo and a watermelon wheat beer that has its own story. Buss originally brewed the watermelon wheat for his wedding reception, but the groom never got to taste it—guests drained the keg during the photo session. “I guess people like that one,” he says with a laugh. Now it’s getting a second chance to shine.

The brewery is also expanding its barrel-aging program through a partnership with another local company that provides about one barrel every six months. These limited releases add another dimension to the beer lineup and give Buss an outlet for more experimental brewing.

Building Traditions: The Bust’d Brewing Beer Festival

Perhaps no event better captures Bust’d’s growing influence than their annual beer festival. Currently the only beer festival in Peoria, the event takes place on the Sunday before Memorial Day—strategically timed to coincide with the brewery’s May 17th anniversary. After seeing strong attendance in 2024, Buss has high hopes for continued growth.

The timing works perfectly: most businesses around the brewery are closed on Memorial Day weekend, making parking abundant. It’s a smart logistical choice that also speaks to Buss’s pragmatic approach to running his business. The festival, scheduled for May 24th this year, represents an opportunity to bring together the brewing community and showcase not just Bust’d’s offerings, but the wider craft beer scene. Tickets will go on sale February 1st through the brewery’s website, with VIP, general admission, and designated driver options available.

In some ways, the festival feels like picking up a mantle. The Peoria Jaycees ran a successful beer festival in the area for years, and Bust’d is working to continue that tradition while putting their own stamp on it. “We’re just trying to bring awareness and kind of put our own stamp on it,” Buss explains.

The Challenges of Being Best-Kept Secret

Despite their success in building a loyal following, Bust’d faces a challenge that would be almost comical if it weren’t so frustrating: people don’t know they exist. “I’ve got a 12-foot LED sign on the front of my building and people still drive by and say, ‘Oh, I didn’t know you guys were here,’” Buss says with resigned humor.

To combat this, the brewery has started investing in radio commercials and exploring new ways to build brand awareness. It’s part of a broader effort to reach beyond their established customer base and tap into what Buss hopes is a renewed interest in seeking out local breweries. The goal isn’t just to survive, but to thrive in an increasingly competitive market by staying true to what makes Bust’d special: quality beer, genuine community engagement, and a welcoming atmosphere.

The Bust’d Philosophy: Quality, Community, and Authenticity

When asked what visitors should know before their first visit, Buss’s answer is characteristically modest and focused on the people rather than the beer. “Our absolute best attribute is our staff,” he says. “They were trained from day one to be engaging with the customer and help them figure out what they like.”

It’s this attention to the human element that sets Bust’d apart. In an industry that can sometimes prioritize beer snobbery over accessibility, the Buss family has created a space where regulars become friends, where families feel welcome, and where someone who “doesn’t like IPAs” might discover they actually do. The brewery operates as a true family business, with Brian’s wife managing front-of-house operations and his sister-in-law serving as taproom manager and event coordinator. Together, they’ve built something that feels less like a commercial enterprise and more like an extension of their living room.

For Buss, the distinction between being a hobbyist and being a businessman comes down to knowing when you’ve struck gold. “If you got something that sells, keep on selling it because that’ll pay for the pet projects,” he explains. It’s practical wisdom that applies to more than just brewing: know your strengths, serve your community, and never lose sight of why you started in the first place.

In just two and a half years, Bust’d Brewing has grown from an idea into a community institution. They’ve proven that you don’t need a massive facility or a huge marketing budget to make an impact—you just need good beer, genuine hospitality, and a commitment to being part of something larger than yourself. As Peoria Heights continues to evolve, Bust’d Brewing stands as a testament to the enduring power of local businesses that dare to dive in headfirst and never forget the people who make it all possible.

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Visit Bust’d Brewing at their Peoria Heights location, or follow them on Facebook and Instagram @BustdBrewing. For more information about the upcoming beer festival on May 24th, visit bustdbrewing.com where tickets go on sale February 1st.