Recommendations for Chicago brewpubs

[tieflyer]

So doing a trip to Chicago area end of October, (yeah I know, October) but I plan ahead. Other than the required side trip to 3floyds for zombie dust, alpha king, and dark lord, what are the must visit, great beer, take some home brew pubs I gotta visit.

I love the atmosphere beer and chilli at Rhinegeist brewery In Cincinnati, the beers at broken chair brewery in west reading, the vibe at red rock brewing in Salt Lake City. So looking for more must visit places.

 

[Spartan1979]

Three Floyd's no longer has a tap room. They still have a store where you can buy packaged beer but you're not going to find Dark Lord.

If you like German style beers, my favorite brewery is Dovetail. I also like Revolution a lot.

 

[Mike B1190]

Haven't lived in Chicago in a few years, so, not sure how much things have changed, but there's plenty of good breweries depending on what you're after.

Don't overlook Goose Island. Yeah, they sold out, but at their brewpubs they still brew interesting stuff on premises that isn't commercially available. They usually have good examples of English pale ales, and when I was there last, they were serving off a beer engine. Pretty neat. Good food too.

Metropolitan does a lot of German style lagers that are tasty. Their flagship is a kolsch called crankshaft.

Off Color does some nice sours and Belgian styles.
Pipeworks is an old standard.
Revolution is solid and highly recommended.

If you're willing to venture into the suburbs at all Buckledown in Lyons was always fun. I loved their oktoberfest, which they'll probably still have available at the end of October. It's pretty sweet for the style but it goes down easy in my opinion.

Two Brothers in Warrenville is good too. That's pretty far outside of the city, but they're pub is built into an old railroad roundhouse they converted into a restaurant/banquet hall. It's kinda neat.

Finally, Lagunitas opened a Chicago brewery a few years back. They built it in an old steel mill. Walking the catwalks above the brewery floor for the tour is pretty cool.

Anyway, hope that helps a bit.

 

[NTBeer]

Be aware, Lagunitas has very limited hours. Used to love Revolution, but the food had fallen off a steep or two last time I visited, but that was a few years ago. The Two Brothers roundhouse location is actually in Aurora. They have a location in Warrenville also, just not the one described. If you enjoy stouts, I recommend Imperial Oak, though it's a bit out of the way in Willow Springs. Not my thing, but they do a lot of sours also. No food there. If you're still going to make the trek to Three Floyd's, check out 18th Street Brewery in Hammond. Good beer, great brisket.

 

[hopkincr]

Heading to Chicago at the end of August. Will be interested in any responses.