By Ray Stout
Executive Director of the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild

What is the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild? Good question, complicated answer. The Illinois Craft Brewers Guild (ICBG) is a nonprofit trade association representing Illinois craft breweries. Since its inception in 1997, the ICBG has served as a unified voice for Illinois Brewers, supported member and consumer education, advocated for the modernization of craft beer laws and promoted the Illinois craft beer industry.

On the advocacy front, do you know why we have around 300 craft breweries in Illinois? It is because of the work being done by the ICBG and its members in Springfield to modernize alcohol laws. The ICBG worked to change many laws in the state, but none were more impactful than self-distribution exemptions. Before laws were changed, breweries of all sizes were forced to enter interminable agreements with distributors who were the only ones able to sell beer to retailers. By changing the law to allow breweries to self-distribute beer, small local breweries were allowed to compete in the retail space. And it worked — you can now find small local brands everywhere from grocery store shelves to your local tavern.

You know how breweries can have more than one location, and in many cases sell other types of alcohol or host guest taps at their brewery? We did that too! Also, as you are sipping on a beer from a brewery outdoors this summer in Chicago, remember it was the work of the ICBG that permitted breweries to participate in the Chicago outdoor dining program.

By changing the law to allow breweries to self-distribute beer, small local breweries were allowed to compete in the retail space. And it worked — you can now find small local brands everywhere from grocery store shelves to your local tavern.

Our partnership with Illinois Brewing magazine (which is independently owned by Venture Forth Media) is just one of the many ways the ICBG works to promote the craft beer industry. Our annual promotion schedule starts early in the year with the #myillinoisbeerfridge competition in January. Illinois Craft Beer Week is also a product of the ICBG. Illinois Craft Beer Week includes the Beer Under Glass festival (BUG) and the popular Drink Illinois Passport Program running until August 17, so keep getting those stamps!

The ICBG’s popular Drink Illinois Passport Program runs through August 17, so keep getting those stamps!

Don’t forget FoBAB, North America’s Largest and most prestigious barrel-aged beer festival in November of every year. All these events and programs generate millions of media impressions every year highlighting our awesome craft beer community. Heck, Chicago was named the Best Craft Beer City in the Country in 2023 by Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine, but we knew that already — didn’t we? Follow the ICBG on both Instagram and Facebook to stay updated on our promotions and events or check us out at www.IllinoisBeer.org.

The ICBG can accomplish its mission because we can leverage funding from several different sources. First, our members. While most breweries in Illinois are members of the ICBG, some are not. So, if you are wondering why some breweries are not on the brew maps, it’s because only members of the ICBG that pay their fair share toward its mission — which benefits all Illinois breweries — are listed. So next time you are at a brewery, look for the ICBG logo.

Secondly, our world-class events, like Beer Under Glass, Friday Night Flights Chicago and FoBAB, are all fundraisers for the ICBG, so make sure you show up!

Lastly, it’s you. You can join the ICBG as an enthusiast member through our ImBIBE program. ImBIBE members get complimentary early entry into FoBAB with the purchase of a ticket, a free VIP upgrade to Beer Under Glass, discounted tickets to Friday Night Flights, a copy of Illinois Brewing magazine mailed directly to your house, a discount membership in the American Home Brewers Association, as well as an invite to our annual craft brewers golf outing each summer.

Sign up for ImBIBE here, and look for the ICBG logo next time you are at your favorite Illinois brewery!