Rock Island’s Blue Cat Brew Pub is losing another of its lives. After a promising re-opening last year, the iconic downtown Rock Island brew pub and restaurant is closing its doors once again. Owner Charlie Cole posted the following on social media: A message from our Brewmaster, Charlie Cole: Effective 1/1/2023 Blue Cat Brewing Co. will be closing. I don’t know if this is temporary or permanently. All I know is we do not have the management to continue operating. As a brewmaster who has never worked in a restaurant, I have been filling in as the restaurant manager on top of my other... Read More

The Blue Cat Brewery in Rock Island will celebrate their first anniversary of reviving the classic Quad City beer brand this November. The original owners ran the second oldest operating craft brew pub in Illinois from 1993 to 2017 before brewmaster Charlie Cole and partners brought the brand back to life with the original beer recipes around this time last year. As part of their celebration they’ll be inviting a few other local professional brewers in for a live discussion panel to tell their unique journeys of making beer their career. Charlie’s story took him from St. Louis as an... Read More

Late Saturday night the south side wall of Blue Cat Brewing Co. was vandalized with graffiti. Unfortunately, the public cameras in The District courtyard could not identify the culprit. But the Blue Cat owners are determined to turn this negative into a positive. After Blue Cat co-owner Charlie Cole made a facebook post about the vandalism, local artist Atlanta Fulscher reached out and offered to cover the graffiti with her own artwork. She will be onsite around 10 am on Thursday 12/23 adding a big blue catfish to the side of the building. Other local artists have also reached out offering their... Read More

The new, revamped Blue Cat Brew Pub has reopened TODAY at its traditional spot, 113 18th St., Rock Island! The revamped brew pub and restaurant will feature a number of old favorites on its beer and food menu as well as some new flavors. A temporary menu (see pictures) will be available initially as the new Cat makes its transition from the previous incarnation as Big Swing Brewing Company. The first eight brews on tap will include Vino #1, Boch Nelson, Back on Track, Baby Behre Scottish Export, Birthday Cake Stout, Blue Cat Blonde, Off the Rail Pale Ale and Wigged Pig Wheat. More information about... Read More

BREAKING NEWS: After nearly four years, the Blue Cat Brew Pub is making its return to The District in Rock Island. The classic Blue Cat beer recipes will be resurrected under a new brewer. Charlie Cole has joined the current ownership group and will take on the Head Brewer role after having been a previous brewer at five breweries including three in the Quad Cities. Blue Cat Brew Pub was originally opened in 1994 by Dan Cleveland and his sister, Martha Cleveland. During the 1990’s the brewpub earned 11 awards in the World Beer Championships. The siblings chose to retire in 2017 and sold the... Read More