The Perch Kitchen & Tap

Preston Mick
Head Brewer at The Perch Kitchen & Tap in Chicago
ThePerchChicago.com

The last really good beer you drank was… A Wonderful Digression, which was a black IPA I grabbed a pint of at Green Cheek Beer Co. in Costa Mesa, California. Just a memorable beer in a style I’d love to see more of.

What are you most proud of at your brewery?

We took home Best of the Midwest at the United States Beer Tasting Championship this past winter for our Born to Ride Baltic porter, so we’re obviously proud of that. But I’m just proud to be a neighborhood favorite that brings a lot of good people together. It’s fun to be a part of it.

We’ve also started brewing quarterly scale-up recipes from CHAOS Brew Club, which has already been a lot of fun, and we’re excited to continue working with them. These beers will be available at various events throughout the year. 

Alarmist Brewing’s Midwest Royalty is one I always reach for when the sun comes out. It’s a real nice balance of corn, malt and noble hops … and super crushable.

What fellow Illinois breweries and specific beers have impressed you lately?

I’ve been impressed with Sketchbook Brewing’s Session Coastal West Coast IPA. Session IPAs are a huge go-to for me this time of year, and this one is done well. Tons of citrus, clean and crisp, light enough to have a few — right up my alley. 

Alarmist Brewing’s Midwest Royalty is another one I always reach for when the sun comes out. It’s a real nice balance of corn, malt and noble hops … and super crushable. I also want to give a nod to Great Central Brewing Company’s newly released kolsch. Crisp and a tad dry, it’s right on the money, and my personal favorite beer style, so I’m happy about this one.

We now offer a Mug Club membership as part of 4 Star Rewards, and we’re very excited to be promoting it. The membership is $120 annually and comes with a lot of perks.

What do you have coming up that people should know about?

We now offer a Mug Club membership as part of 4 Star Rewards, and we’re very excited to be promoting it. The membership is $120 per member annually and comes with the following perks: 24-ounce beers for the price of a pint (happy hour included), one crowler each month, a beer on your birthday and discounts on select merchandise. Be on the lookout for to-go 4-packs this summer and fall too. We’ll have Woodpecker Pils and Kick, Push (hazy IPA) and others available to-go.