Bottle shop
These are stores with great beer selections for purchase, but no onsite drinking.
Just a short ride outside of Chicago in NW Indiana is 18th Street Brewery. Super talented brewers with a kitchen to match. Close to 50 breweries in Chicago proper but if you choose just outside the number almost triples. Next door is their distillery. I believe Sour Note Brewing, also in Hammond Indiana is related to 18 St. Make the trip, you'll not be disappointed. Can also combine with a stop at Three Floyds in Munster, Indiana. Fairly close by. |  |
One of the best breweries to visit during the pandemic(and summer). They have engineered outdoor drinking and eating to adapt to Chicago winters. Enormous, expansive outdoor seating area, reasonable safe protocol, and a large menu of beer and food. As they share the area with a sushi restaurant, the food choices double. Make the trip, it's well worth it. Small two storied brewpub in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago. They make their beer onsite on the second floor and for a small operation they make some great lagers, saisons, IPAs and others. Food is very good with daily specials. As with many breweries, time has made Alulu a great brewery as they have gotten beer brewing down to an art. |  |
Bottle shop and taproom built in. Very good eclectic selection -- the taproom is spacious with room to the side for gatherings. Good rotating selection of beers on tap. The bottle shop will provide something for everyone. Always out of towners stocking up before they for back to Iowa or wherever..... |  |
Friendly neighborhood brewery on what they call Chicago's Malt Row. 100m from Dovetail Brewery and many others in the vicinity. Bring the dog, lunch and/or friends.....Lots of seating.. |  |
Bottle shop with a small pub built in. Very good selection. Dog and child friendly |  |
Liquor store in a strip mall with an unassuming look that carries one of the best selections of craft beers in Chicago and elsewhere. I am talking about a selection even the big guys cannot match. Worth a visit! |  |
Near westside or West Town, right by Grand Central, Goose Island Taproom, All Rise and On Tour. On Cinco de Mayo the place was absolutely packed. Must be doing something right. Pour your own concept with three breweries showcasing their beers along with a few guests. Wristband kind of thing if you are in to that. Burnt City is resurrected in time for Easter. Twisted Hippo and Around the Bend |  |
German themed brewery in what is known as Malt Row. Steps from Begyle Brewery, both with different focuses makes the trip to one better when you also visit the other. A super short walk from Brown Line stop on Irving Park. Close by Jerry's Lincoln Square, Bad Apple and Half Acre Lincoln Avenue. |  |
CHICAGO'S FIRST CRAFT-DEDICATED CONTRACT BREWERY Looks like a small, stylish German beer hall. They have 4 of their own brews, German style and a dozen client beers. |  |
Larger facility than Lincoln Avenue with extensive menu and great beer. Address is for the front of the building but entrance is around the back. Big outdoor garden for the summer months (dog friendly)and comfy child friendly inside for all year round(not dog friendly). Right around the corner from Spiteful. A favorite brewery of mine. |  |
Sadly the original home of Half Acre Brewery has closed down after 13 years and all the operations have be moved to the Balmoral facility a few miles north. The good news is that Hop Butcher Brewery will be taking over the space and opening their first brick and mortar facility. |  |
Open fore now but look for their move to a new space with brewing and a taproom towards the beginning of nest year. Somehow have missed this place. Been in this off the beaten path(and down the alley) location for 8 plus years. It is a bottle shop and production facility. they make an IPA but the specialty appears to be wilds and sours, stouts and Belgian styles. I sampled a couple of their beers and all were delicious. Make your way over there and buy some beer. Also available in beer shops. |  |
Brewpub with creative brews and a great space well worth the extra effort to visit. Lots and lots of creative beers with an emphasis on combining interesting ingredients. In the vicinity of White Sox Park in the Bridgeport neighborhood. Good light menu as well. In the process of opening a Bucktown location. |  |
Taproom with really nice space, specializing in German style beers. |  |
Large space that brews in house with good food and pretty good beer. Kid friendly, sports on TV, and friendly staff. Went back a second time and was impressed with the variety of the beer list. |  |
Since Pilot Project has opened they have upped their game considerably. Great and unique brews, successfully have dealt with the pandemic so far, and retained a great staff. Support local beers and make sure Pilot Project is on your list. Can't make it? Find their brands in stores. Pilot Project, Brewer's Kitchen, Dutchbag Brew Co., Lunas Bay, plus collabs and more. From Pilot Project Brewing "Pilot Project Brewing is a brewery incubator and tasting room based in Logan Square, Chicago. With a bright, west coast, french industrial inspired tasting room to compliment a meticulously designed brewing space, our brewery fosters experimental, small-batch brews and acts as a collaborative brewing incubator to the beer industry. Stop by any day of the week for a brew, locally roasted coffee, and small bites." |  |
Neither brewpub or taproom a bottle shop with some of Chicago's best brews, both their own and others. |  |
Taproom with great beers and around the corner from Half Acre. Always worth the trip. Not so sure how to find their tap list but I will. |  |
Great Brewery, actually two in one. Une Année captures the essence of what Belgium beer is as good or better than anywhere I have been. Hubbard's Cave includes IPA's and Stouts to name but a couple. Always worth the journey and the journey from Chicago is about to get a bit shorter as the move to a new facility is imminent. This is the first brewery/taptroom included in this Chicago guide because it is worth the effort. In addition to the taproom there will now be barbecue centric food. Huge list of beers to go. Make the effort. You will be glad you did. |  |
Formerly Urban Renewal Brewery is a growing entity that produces some very tasty brews. Over the summer of 2020 they had two small tables set out for onsite tasting. Now they have taken over Koval Distillery's space and opened a full Brewpub. Great beers and great people! Check it out! |  |
