Sketchbook Brewing
4901 Main Street in Skokie
821 Chicago Ave. in Evanston
SketchbookBrewing.com

Monday: 2-8 p.m. (Evanston only)
Tuesday-Thursday: 2-10 p.m.
Friday-Saturday: 12-11 p.m.
Sunday 12-8 p.m.

History in short: Co-founder Cesar Marron started home brewing back in 2010 with the intention to “just learn a little,” but he found himself captivated when he would visit larger breweries.

The turning point came at his toddler’s birthday party: “I was working from home in my software job, and I noticed some of the parents were sticking around after the party,” Cesar tells us, “so I broke out my home brews for them and they really liked what I was doing.”  

Cesar got involved with local homebrew clubs and began entering competitions, and before long, he was scouring the area to find something akin to a “beer cafe,” where he could create a relaxing vibe for people to enjoy a beverage with their friends and family. 

With a strong background in the arts, Sketchbook not only provides a space for music and art to flourish, but they host a ton of groups and community events as well.

In 2014, with the help of his business partner, Shawn Decker, and others, Cesar snared 1,800 square feet of space in Evanston and ordered equipment. Two of their flagship beers pay homage to that space — where they had an “Orange Door” off the alley and a “No Parking” sign because they had to police what little room they had themselves. A humbling memory includes rolling a homemade bar on wheels into their first brewing facility just so they could serve customers a few days a week. The Evanston taproom officially opened in 2016 with 23 seats, and an additional room was added three years later. 

Later, in 2020, they added a long-awaited production facility in Skokie,  totaling 15,000 square feet with a cavernous taproom and large beer garden. 

The spaces: The cozy, colorful Evanston taproom, located just a few steps away from both the CTA Purple line and Metra, boasts large front windows that open in the summer, lots of natural wood and tables of all sizes. 

The Skokie taproom, meanwhile, is massive by comparison but still manages to possess the same welcoming, coffee house charm. A comfy lounge area with couches and a 60-foot curved bar greet you upon entering. A room-length row of windows allows in a ton of natural light, and the brewery’s production facility is visible through two garage doors. Long, communal tables are perfect for groups or making new friends, and a music stage, shuffleboard table and racks of wooden barrels line the back wall. 

Not to be overlooked is the spacious, flower-filled, dog-friendly beer garden out front in Skokie. It’s quite the popular destination when the weather cooperates.

Community involvement and events: With a strong background in the arts, Sketchbook not only provides a space for music and art to flourish, but they host a ton of groups and community events, as well as regular activities of their own (Irish jam sessions in Evanston on Tuesdays, trivia in Skokie on Wednesdays, karaoke, markets, live music, etc.).

Whether it’s a smoked Polish wheat beer, a barrel-aged stout or a West Coast pilsner, you’re likely to find something interesting that you’ll appreciate on our draft board.” — Cesar Marron

Interesting notes: Doing a little homebrewing, or thinking about it at least? Check out Sketchbook’s monthly Thirsty Thursday with the Evanston Homebrew Club and talk shop, bring samples of your goods, share ideas and have a few pints at the Skokie taproom. … It’s also worth noting that Sketchbook is one of the industry’s leaders when it comes to sustainability practices (recycling, delivering spent grains to local farms, etc.) as well as diversity and inclusion. 

What we’re eating and drinking: Sketchbook’s most known for two of their IPAs, Insufficient Clearance (with hints of mango, guava and pineapple) and Orange Door (dry hopped twice to bring out citrus and piney aromas on a complex malt backbone), but the fun hardly stops there with one of Chicagoland’s more versatile beer lineups. 

The Skokie facility totals 15,000 square feet with a cavernous taproom and large beer garden, but still manages to possess the same welcoming, coffee house charm as the cozy Evanston location.

A few favorites include the easy-drinking Amistosa Mexican lager, Pinky Sweater red rice pilsner, Grodziskie smoked Polish wheat ale (perfect for backyard BBQs), the silky smooth Bud’s Corvus dry Irish stout, the tart Catharina fruited sour and the Coastal series of West Coast IPAs. This summer, be on the lookout for their seasonal Cumulus hefeweizen and Honeybird honey basil pale ale.

For grub, the Skokie taproom partners with several local restaurants and food trucks — everything from comfort food specialties to tacos and Cousins Maine Lobster — five or six days a week, and guests are always welcome to bring their own food or order in too.

On the horizon: Never short on events of all kinds, it figures to be a busy summer at Sketchbook. Keep an eye on their online calendar for updates. Highlights include a Jerry Garcia tribute party (with four bands) Aug. 1 and one of the area’s best Oktoberfest celebrations Sept. 20-22.

From the brewery: “We like to run the gamut on different styles of beers to educate both ourselves and our customers on everything that’s out there. Whether it’s a smoked Polish wheat beer, a barrel-aged stout or a West Coast pilsner, you’re likely to find something interesting that you’ll appreciate on our draft board, as well as a comfortable setting where everyone is welcome.”

— Co-owner Cesar Marron