Matt Van Wyk
Matt Van Wyk (b 1972- )
Best known as a fervent Hawkeye supporter, Matt Van Wyk grew up on the mean streets of rural Iowa. He studied science at the University of Iowa and eventually became a science teacher in Naperville, Illinois. Van Wyk married his true love Jenni and had two kids, Nick and Ella. But something was missing from Van Wyk’s life, and that was beer.
Matt Van Wyk comes from simple Iowa folk. He grew up knowing the meaning of hard work and honest values. The story of his young life could be told hundreds of times by similar Iowa constituents and no details would seem out of place. He was at the top of his High School class but in towns that number in the low thousands, that doesn’t always say too much.
College was a time for Matt to branch out into drinking Old Milwaukee’s Best and delivering pizza and breadsticks for a living. If you needed tickets to whoever was playing at the civic center that weekend he was the man to go to, as he drove the party wagon for the local radio station. Caller 14? You are totally going to go see White Snake! 28 S 678 rural route 15? What do you mean it’s been more than 30 minutes since you placed this order?
But despite this jet-setting life of partying and entertainment, Matt decided to move his educational efforts into teaching. After graduating from Iowa, Matt took a position at a suburban Middle School in Naperville, teaching young and impressionable minds about the wonders of the world of science.
I was one of those students and I nearly got him fired in his second year of teaching. Without going into details, it involved a science project gone wrong, shooting a hole in the ceiling of my middle school the size of a potato, and lots of getting yelled at my the administration. But it was the birth of a so-far life long friendship.
Our shared ordeal introduced my dad and Matt, which in turn helped blossom Matt’s interest in home brewing. Making beer at home was an easy task for someone with a science background. Along with his friend Steve, Matt worked on various recopies over the years and honed his skills.
Home brewing eventually led to volunteering and finally working for Glen Ellyn Brewing Company as an assistant. From Glen Ellyn, Matt worked the summer at Two Brother’s brewing company, cleaning the hell out of everything, and doing the normal bullshit that assistants have to go through to earn a paycheck. By this point Matt had earned a Master’s degree in science and education or something close to that at least and had come to a crux in his life. He was offered the head-brewing job at the Firehouse in Morris IL. Knowing full well that he couldn’t teach and brew beer at the same time he made a courageous decision, one that would forever leave him poor and with a bad back. He went to join the world of brewing.
Van Wyk cut his teeth at the Firehouse until it closed and was offered the head brewing position at Flossmoor Station, where he currently cranks out award winning beers, with yours truly.
In March of 2005, I hit him up for a job and we have been carrying heaving things together ever since. Matt Van Wyk is a seriously good guy who has a quality family, and outstanding fashion sense. He is a man that you should all meet, and he is today’s daily hero.