A Beer Lover's Guide to Chicago
- ablondewithabrew
- Dec 9, 2023
- 4 min read
The Windy City is the craft beer hotspot of the Midwest.
I used to spend a lot of time in Chicago, and back then, beer to me there basically just consisted of drinking Goose Island.
Nothing wrong with Goose Island's beer, but the beer scene in Chicago is full of quality small breweries and taprooms. I have been fortunate to visit twice in the past year after a decade away, and I still have only made a small dent into this thriving craft beer scene.
Nevertheless, in this post, I will share some of my favorite Chicago breweries (in alphabetical order). Plus, I will include some of the breweries and beer bars that are still on my wishlist to visit on a future trip. I love Chicago and fully plan on completing this wish list, as well as returning to my favorites below.
Dovetail Brewery
This list is in alphabetical order as mentioned, but Dovetail Brewery also happens to be my favorite overall brewery in Chicago.
Dovetail gets everything right. The taproom is inviting and even includes games. They serve snacks from local vendors, but also allow outside food. The beertenders are the friendliest -- one even topped off my beer so it would be perfect for my picture (seen on the right).
The beer is as great as everything else mentioned above. I tried four different styles, and it would be tough to pick a favorite. They even have a spontaneous fermentation program, which further sets them apart. I think it's rare for a brewery to do such a variety of styles so well, plus not have a single Hazy IPA on the tap list!
Hop Butcher
Anytime I get beers from Hop Butcher they feel like a treat, so the ultimate treat was visiting their taproom, which only opened just over a year ago. It's walking distance from Dovetail Brewing, so this makes for a perfect mini brewery crawl.
The tap list was extensive and heavily consisted of Hazy IPAs and DIPAs. Thankfully, they offered taster sized pours, so I was able to sample many different options. I was also impressed by the number of non-alcoholic beers offered, although not brewed by them.
Hop Butcher does not serve any food, but they encourage you to bring in food from nearby restaurants, of which there are many options within a short walk for pick-up.
Middle Brow Beer
Middle Brow Beer may be better known for its pizza than its beer, but both are worth the visit. The pizza does provide the edge to make Middle Brow a must visit on any trip to Chicago (the sauce is my favorite), and then the beer really is such a bonus. It also doesn't hurt that the taproom/restaurant is stunningly beautiful.
Most days, the pizza is a thin crust, but on Tuesdays, they only offer a tavern style pizza, which sells out and this place gets packed! I learned the hard way to always make a reservation if I wish to eat here, especially on a Tavern Tuesday.
The beer selection here always has a great variety. I have ordered everything from Fresh Hops West Coast IPAs to funky Wild Ales to refreshing Kellerbiers. Middle Brow also is Chicago's first natural winery, so if wine is more your thing, Middle Brow has something for you too.
Off Color Brewing
I don't think any other brewery came more highly recommended in Chicago than Off Color Brewing. I totally get why too.
Off Color Brewing makes fantastic Wild Ales and Foedre Aged beers, but they also have a variety of other styles. I think a lot of their beer names are particularly amusing, like any of them that fall into the "Beer For ____" category. They do some fun collaboration beers too, like one with a local farmers market and even one with the Field Museum.
Their "Mousetrap" taproom is large and aesthetically pleasing with both indoor and outdoor seating. I think it would be a great spot even for a group meetup. They don't serve food, but welcome outside food.
Solemn Oath Brewery
Solemn Oath's Chicago taproom is located just across the street from Middle Brow Beer in the Logan Square neighborhood, which makes visiting these two together very easy.
Solemn Oath Still Life has some of the kindest staff and always has a solid tap list of both their own beers and also those by their side project, Hidden Hand Beer. I actually tend to gravitate toward the Hidden Hand beers, but you really can't go wrong here.
Solemn Oath has a large fridge of beer cans to go, and you can purchase both four packs and just single cans. If you've followed me long enough, you know I wish every brewery would offer this option! I never skip a visit here on any trip to Chicago.
On the Wish List
Breweries still to visit on my wish list include:
Beer bars I love and/or wish to visit include:
Centennial Crafted Beer & Eatery - really great on draft and cans selection. There's a discount on cans if you take them to-go. This is where I have purchased cans of Phase Three Brewing, which is located just far enough outside of Chicago to make it more challenging to get to.
The Beer Temple - this well-known beer bar and bottle shop makes it on my list to visit every trip, but somehow I never make it here.
Hopleaf - the other beer bar I always hear about with The Beer Temple.
Lastly, to settle the great debate over which deep dish pizza is better Giordano's or Lou Malnati's:
I'm Team Giordano's.
Share what you love from this post, what you now want to do because of this post, your favorite Chicago brewery I missed, or which deep dish pizza is your favorite in the comments.
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