Bio
Using a chef’s mindset to highlight flavors and aromatics in balanced beers, Brewmaster Jared Rouben launched the culinary brewing company Moody Tongue in Chicago in the summer of 2014. A graduate of Washington University in St. Louis and the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in New York, Rouben has worked in critically acclaimed kitchens across the country including the Michelin-starred Martini House (Napa Valley) and Thomas Keller’s three Michelin-starred Per Se (New York City). After completing the Siebel Diploma Course from the world-renowned beer science institute in Chicago, Rouben served as Brewmaster at Chicago-based Goose Island Beer Company’s Brewpubs. Here, he developed the brewery’s Farmers’ Market Series and Chef Collaboration Series with celebrity chefs like Rick Bayless, Stephanie Izard and Paul Kahan, ultimately building the foundation for the “culinary brewing” philosophy showcased at Moody Tongue.
By 2016, Rouben and CEO Jeremy Cohn opened The Tasting Room at Moody Tongue within the original Pilsen brewery location, and the high-design space showcasing his perennial and limited edition beers would go on to garner the Jean Banchet Award for “Best Bar” in 2019. Later that year, Rouben and Cohn relocated operations to Chicago’s South Loop to expand production and partnered with ten-time Michelin-starred Executive Chef Jared Wentworth to open two new restaurants. Focused on bringing together food with Moody Tongue’s signature beer, The Bar (casual) and The Dining Room (fine dining) at Moody Tongue exhibit the endless possibilities of expertly crafted pairings by Wentworth and Rouben for their 12-course tasting and a la carte menus, earning Two Stars in the Michelin Guide in 2021 and 2022.