The Chicago brewery boom doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. 2017 has been hopping with new breweries and the last three months being especially busy. Here’s a quick rundown of some of the newest entrants in this constantly fermenting market.
Table of Contents
Open Outcry Brewing Company
10934 S. Western Avenue
The Morgan Park brewpub rolled up the garage doors on July 21 with 12 beers on tap and wood-fired pizzas. Fun fact to keep in your brewing trivia cap: the first beer to sell out was the Open Interest IPA.
The Kings & Convicts Brewing Co.
May 18 saw The Kings and Convicts open the taps in Highwood. The brewery kicked it off with seven colorfully named suds including King’s Bitch IPA and Ned’s Dead Stout. If you want to see how much co-founder Brendan Watters loves his job be sure to check out his videos on Facebook.
Off Square Brewing
Opened on June 28 and due to the overwhelming response had to cancel kitchen service the following day. Off Square offers fresh sangrias on Sundays for the brewhounds who allow non-beer drinkers into their circle. On July 11, they kicked off the opening of the beer garden by tapping the Kolsch-style “Texas Leaguer.”
Short Fuse Brewing Company
5000 N. River Rd, Schiller Park
This Schiller Park Brewery opened with a taproom and restaurant on June 16. Look, we know this is supposed to be all about beer (and Short Fuse has very good beer), but you should try the BBBBLT with beer cheese on top or the Ale Marinated Wings.
Flesk Brewing
200 Applebee St, Barrington
Flesk has been around for more than a year but recently moved shop from Lombard to Barrington. The new taproom opened on June 17 becoming the newest addition to the Ice House Mall and Village Shops. Bonus, the taproom is dog-friendly.
Buffalo Creek Brewing
Long Grove’s newest (and only) brewery was born from brewer Michael Marr’s 14-year brewing hobby. The taproom opened the weekend of July 15 and all of the early reviews are suggesting big things for this hobbyist turned craft pro.
Flapjack Brewery
6833 Stanley Ave., Berwyn
Memorial Day weekend saw Flapjack join the Chicagoland brewing community. The Berwyn brewery (say that three times fast) serves up wood-fired pizzas alongside a healthy tap list. If available, try the smooth AF Fantasmo Vanilla Cream Ale on nitro.
Black Horizon Brewing Company
7560 S. Quincy St., Willowbrook
Black Horizon started tapping kegs for the public on July 14 adding to an already bustling brewery corridor. A short jaunt down the street you’ll find Miskatonic Brewing and, just around the corner, you can visit Myths and Legends Brewing, Skeleton Key brewery, or Imperial Oak Brewing.
More Brewing Company
126 S. Villa Ave., Villa Park
More Brewing Company, which opened up on July 15, is the perfect place for beer fans to bring whiskey fans. Not only do they have the More Brewing tap list, but they also offer a bourbon/whiskey bar. Check out the Chai But Not Sassy which blends Saison with Masala Chai.
ALULU
2011 S. Laflin St.
The much anticipated ALULU softly opened in March with 20 house beers on tap. The expectations for this new Pilsen brewery were high, but based on early reviews those expectations were well met. Bonus, you know that friend you have a hard time coordinating with because she’s become a hardcore cocktail enthusiast and has since eschewed beer? ALULU was built with that friendship in mind. Here you can drink your fancy beer while she sips her fancy cocktail and you both delight in the fancy food menu. So fancy.
Lo Rez Brewing
2101 S Carpenter Steet
A hop, sip, and jump from ALULU is Lo Rez Brewing. When someone poses the question of what the future of beer might look like they could possibly point to Lo Rez. The brewery has made the business decision to not brew IPAs and to instead focus on Belgians and the malt heavy. It’s a brave and, in all honesty, refreshing change in a world where many tap lists are often dominated by a minimum of at least three hoppy beers. That focus shows in the dark beers on the tap list and, most notably, the 80 Column Wrap Scottish Ale.
Soundgrowler Brewing Co.
8201 183rd St., Tinley Park
Of all of those on this list, Soundgrowler Brewing Co. is the youngest. Soundgrowler will become the third brewery in Tinley Park. They join 350 Brewing Co. and Hailstorm Brewing Co. creating a nice little Beermuda Triangle of bad-ass brewers. Bonus, they’ll have a taco window.
Like this? Check out 13 Essential Chicago Breweries with Taprooms
This post originally appeared on UpOut.com.
1 Response
[…] previously documented the fact that between the dates of May 25 and July 18 no less than 12 breweries opened taprooms in Chicagoland as a whole. That’s roughly 1.3 breweries opening per week. It’s hard to keep […]