A Beer Tourist’s Guide To…Chicago
I have it on good authority that the Chicago musical was originally about the craft beer scene there.
The answer of where to drink craft beer in Chicago is actually “everywhere”, as the city has countless breweries dotted around the city’s varying neighbourhoods and is one of those US cities where even a random 7-11 sells local beer, which is very convenient. You cannot sneeze without hitting some local craft, and if you are visiting in the winter then sneeze you shall, which is less convenient. The big name in Chicago is Goose Island, yet the decade-long fall from grace post-sellout is very much evident – so let’s try to avoid that. For those in town who want to sample some independent breweries in the Second City, here are the top spots for a drink to soak up your deep dish pizza.
Half Acre
This is the daddy of the Chi-scene. It’s not the granddaddy, because that’s Goose Island, but grandpa is dead now. Half Acre has been around a good decade, though, and it has that earned-if-arrogant status of “knowing what they’re doing”. Their brewery operation in Bowmanville now encompasses a large, modern and well-operated taproom and the style selection is vast and diverse.
Hop Butcher For The World
A couple of neighbourhoods south of Half Acre, in Ravenswood, you’d be forgiven for thinking this was Half Acre, because…it was. Housed in Half Acre’s old taproom, and with much of the same aesthetic, Hop Butcher have been up and coming for the past few years, brewing just outside of the city, and recently made their move to provide the Chicago locals with fresh stuff on tap. And fresh it is – they excel in hazy, hoppy IPAs that will push your taste buds to the limit. With 10-15 hazy beers on at any given time, it’s a great place for a flight in their cute little glasses that beg for a picture.
Begyle Brewing Company
Situated a 10 minute walk from Hop Butcher, under the terribly named “Brown Line” Metro, is Begyle Brewing Company. The rumbling of the trains overhead doesn’t detract from a very personal-feeling brewery experience in a cosy indoor space with humble staff, laid back brewers and decent beer on tap. Not a blockbuster, more of a slow burner – a definite indie hit.
Dovetail Brewing
Literally next door to Begyle, Dovetail is a lager-only brewery that does the cleanest, tastiest cold ones in the land (the land being Illinois). If you can get your hand on anything smokey, do it. They also let you order in food to the brewery, which is nice of them.
Revolution Brewing
Take a 15 minute cab from Ravenswood for this next three establishments, starting with Revolution. An absolutely gigantic taproom space for the largest independent brewery in Illinois, this is also in the vicinity of Maplewood and The Beer Temple (see below) although the walk might feel a little lengthy if you’re there in the winter. There’s always a lot going on here, with games, live music and brewery tours. Come here with time to spare and enjoy the Revolution.
Maplewood Brewery
This brewery has a very delicious sounding name that I’d praise more highly if it weren’t for the fact that this is simply the name of the street and not some creative branding. The taproom resembles a low key community centre in the middle of a suburban neighbourhood and is only evident from the huge queue outside that materialises each weekend. Try this out early, on a weeknight, or be prepared to queue for the juice, as this stuff is as tasty as the name suggests.
The Beer Temple
Not a brewery but the best showcase of Chicago beers in the city and a great Plan B if Maplewood is full, given it is just a few minutes walk away (though you should go here anyway). The taproom has a great selection on draft so if you don’t have time to visit all the breweries in Chicago (which you won’t, because there are LOADS) this is a great place to try things fresh. The bottle room, a giant walk-in fridge full of local beers, is the kind of place in which you could freeze to death given how long you’ll want to browse the goods for. Choose your poison and go warm up, or if it’s winter then just wear a lot of layers as there’s nowhere to hide.
Pilot Project Brewing
Slightly further south is this innovative community brewing hub, with the tap list a showcase of the various individuals who contract-brew there. Expect a massive variety of styles, flavours and quality levels in a beautiful, airy cafe-style environment replete with sofas, giant windows and a lot of large pot plants.
Off Color
Despite the fact they’ve made us spell the word wrong because it’s in their name, Off Color is a great brewery. They especially excel with sour beers in a big, modern taproom they call The Mousetrap, on the very edge of the actual Goose Island island. Worth a visit if you’re in that part of town, or get a beer and stroll along the water.
Note that there are quite a few more breweries in the city – this list details our favourites and ones we can 100% vouch for. There is no key order in which to do this itinerary as they are all in the north of the city, though it makes sense to visit one set of establishments close to each other and then head to another area. Each place opens in the early afternoon and closes around 9-10pm, though as always, make sure you check their opening hours (click the links and Google Maps gives you the info). These breweries are guaranteed to mean you will have yourself a time, without being too much of a big spender – it is Chicago, after all.