The Big Swing Brewing Company, located in the spot of the former Blue Cat Brew Pub at 113 8th St., Rock Island, will be opening in March prior to the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, sources say. The new owners of The Big Swing are local real estate developers John Timmer, Shane Scott and Jon McAtee. The trio are the creative and financial force behind the new Backyard Bowl and Abides Bar, in the old Milan Lanes building, 2020 1st St. W, Milan. Some members of the Blue Cat staff will be moving to the Big Swing, so Cat fans can expect to see some familiar faces. It’s still up in the air as... Read More

Are you a beer lover? Do you enjoy filling your brain and body with all that is beer? Then you’ll love this event coming to the Quad Cities! Crawford Brew Works (3659 Devils Glen Road Bettendorf) invites you to join them on the CBW Mezzanine for Brewhouse Chat Series, which will continue on Tuesday Feb 19 at 7 p.m. and Tuesday Feb 26 at 7 p.m. Brewhouse Chat Series is a series of lectures hosted by local historians, story tellers, and Crawford Brew Works’ very own Head Brewer. Tuesday Feb 19 at 7 p.m. storyteller John Brassard will be sharing ‘Murder and Mayhem in Scott County’. Tuesday... Read More

The 7 Days of Darkness approaches. Its ominous presence brings with it some of the most diabolical and tasty Dark brews conjured by the minds of some of the most twisted brewers. Beginning this Sunday Feb 17 and continuing through Saturday Feb 23, Radicle Effect Breworks (1340 31st St. Rock Island) proudly presents 7 Days of Darkness. For 7 long, flavorful days, one Dark beer will appear on Radicle Effect Breworks’ list that will rip your taste buds apart! You will soon beg for the light to return if you can endure The 7 Days of Darkness! The list this year, in no particular order: 2018 Radicle... Read More

Let it be… on ice? A very strange rumor began to surface late this week that former Beatle Paul McCartney had accepted an invitation to be a VIP to the Quad City Storm’s home opening game this Saturday at 7 p.m. at the TaxSlayer Center, 1201 River Drive, Moline. According to various reports, hub-bub, gossip and chewing the fat, Paul McCartney is a big hockey fan, and, wanting to check out the TaxSlayer prior to his gig there next summer, he accepted an invitation, replete with many perks, including a nacho bar with a Velveeta cheese river, a case of Natty Light, a hoverboard with ground effects... Read More

QC United and Pete the Purple Bull’s Kindness Rocks campaign is in full swing! The Run with the Bull 5K and Youth Relays scheduled for this Saturday Oct 13 have been cancelled. Due to the unfortunate Midwest weather we have been experiencing, the original race route is currently being taken over by the Mighty Mississippi. The good news? The race has been rescheduled! The rescheduled race date is Saturday Nov 17 at 9 a.m. Thanks to the wonderful people at Arconic, the new route will be located near Arconic and the bike path (265 Bellingham Road Riverdale). Participants will be treated to Burritos... Read More

Farewell, old friend. Through murky magnificent memories of countless theater after-parties, lonely nights of last calls, the rushes of love and infatuation, passionate kisses and warm hands held, a very public breakup at the bar, a very public makeup off in a corner booth upstairs, huge smiles and laughs, big embraces from friends, solitary lunches with a notebook and a pen, business meetings and birthday celebrations, late nights and early mornings, and even a baby shower, the Blue Cat has been the setting for a large portion of my adult life, as well as the lives of many others. When the Cat... Read More

Will the Scotch Egg be scotched? Will the soups survive? And will Arkham Stout be in, or out? Blue Cat Brew Pub will close its doors tonight, after 24 years in business, and soon, a new brew pub, Big Swing, will take its place after a few weeks of renovations. It’s still up in the air as to what Blue Cat menu items will be kept around beyond its demise. Brew master Dan Cleaveland will remain on staff for at least a year with the new venue, bringing his 60-plus beer recipes with him, so the chances of the BC brews still popping up in the new spot are high. But what about the food? As reported... Read More

Since opening in 1994, Blue Cat Brew Pub has been one of the favorite hangouts, restaurants and brew pubs for thousands of Quad-Citians, and been the spot for many great memories. As we near the Blue Cat’s closing date of Aug. 31, we’re asking you to share your favorite Blue Cat memories and menu items with us! Please feel free to email your favorite memories to Sean@QuadCities.com. This will be for an upcoming story about the Blue Cat, its customers and people’s favorite memories of the local hot spot. Also, please email your favorite Blue Cat menu items and beers to us as well at Sean@QuadCities.com.... Read More

EXCLUSIVE – The new owners of Rock Island’s Blue Cat Brew Pub, soon to be the Big Swing Brew Pub, are local real estate developers John Timmer, Shane Scott and Jon McAtee, according to a number of sources who asked not to be identified, and verified through city documents and applications. The sale to the trio was also confirmed Friday by Rock Island Mayor Mike Thoms, during recording of an episode of the podcast QCUNCUT. The trio are the creative and financial force behind the new Backyard Bowl and Abides Bar, in the old Milan Lanes building, 2020 1st St. W, Milan, which is having its opening... Read More

The Blue Cat is becoming the Big Swing. The Rock Island Blue Cat Brew Pub, 113 18th St., will close Aug. 31, remain shut for renovations and open later this fall as The Big Swing Brewing Company, sources close to the situation said. It was reported first here on QuadCities.com that Blue Cat, one of the first brew pubs opened in the Quad-Cities in 1994 by brewer and chef Dan Cleveland and his sister, Martha Cleveland, was sold by the duo to an unnamed local buyer last week for an undisclosed sales price. Dan will stay on as brew master after the purchase, sources said, and the menu will continue... Read More