Adam Drakulic
Owner of  Chicago Walking Brewery Tours

Favorite breweries: Chicago definitely has the best brewery scene in the country. Just so many wonderful breweries that have found their niche with what they’re doing and are producing some quality brews. I absolutely love Dovetail Brewery and fell for their hefeweizen right away, while my wife is partial to their kolsch. I also love Forbidden Root in Chicago’s Ravenswood neighborhood because I know they’re always going to have some very unique and tasty beers on tap. Moor’s Brewing Company is also doing some really cool stuff right now. Their imperial porter is fantastic. Other favorites include Begyle Brewing, Hopewell Brewing, Solemn Oath Brewery (try the Lu kolsch) and Corridor Brewery & Provisions. 

Drinking tendencies: I would say hefeweizens and stouts would be my two go-to styles. I had a working holiday visa when I was 20, and my first legal drink ever was a pint of Guinness in Ireland, and I lived five minutes away from the brewery in Dublin. Hefeweizens were introduced to me when I visited Germany several years ago, and that trip made me want to try them all. 

Recent beers that have caught your eye: One that is so unique and refreshing is the Cranapple Blonde, a Belgian-style blonde ale made with cranberry and apple from Forbidden Root. So many places do the fruited ales wrong, but this was spot on. It still tastes like a beer, which is important, and it is sightly hopped and fruit forward without overpowering the beer. I could drink many of these on a summer day. Also, the Buck Snort chocolate stout from North Country Brewing in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania is the perfect blend and not too heavy.

Something unique and refreshing is the Cranapple Blonde, a Belgian-style blonde ale from Forbidden Root. It still tastes like a beer, which is important, and it is sightly hopped and fruit forward without overpowering the beer.”

Favorite beer bar: My favorite one here in Chicago, 100 percent, is Hopleaf in Andersonville. My wife’s family is Swedish, so we enjoy the Swedish Museum in the neighborhood with my father in law, and then we follow it up with some good Belgian beers, a few tripel pints and some of the famous mussels at Hopleaf. Such a great spot. 

What are you looking forward to seeing on draft this summer?

My dad’s all-time favorite beer is Goose Island’s Summertime kolsch, so when they come to visit this summer, we’ll be ready and scout out every place that has it on draft. There’s something about that specific kolsch that was love at first sight for him, and he’s never stopped talking about it since. 

The craft beer bar along the first base line at Wrigley is the only place to get certain local drafts anywhere in the stadium, and the Party Pillow hefeweizen from Buckledown Brewing is always one I try to target.”

Secret beer spot: Living two blocks from Wrigley Field, I know the stadium well, and there’s a craft beer bar along the first base line that I always sneak off to during Cubs games because they have a really good selection. It’s the only place to get certain local drafts anywhere in the stadium, and the Party Pillow hefeweizen from Buckledown Brewing is always one I try to target. They serve beers in a special cup with a really cool logo too. There’s never a long line, surprisingly, because I don’t think many people know about it. 

Best brewery you’ve hit on vacation: In Tokyo, Hitachino Brewing Lab is a small brewery in a mall that’s under a train line, and they make some really great beers and food there. Such a unique spot, tucked away like it is and so small, but it’s by far the best beer I had in all of Japan. And in London, there’s a place called Howling Hops. Last year we went to the Cubs-Cardinals series in London, and this place was in a little plaza with bars and restaurants about 10 minutes from the stadium. They serve direct from the tanks — it’s so fresh and tasty.  

Howling Hops in London