Photo: Mickey Finn’s 

By Trent Modglin

Mickey Finn’s Brewery
345 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Libertyville
MickeyFinnsBrewery.com

The details: Mickey Finn’s just happens to be the oldest continuously operated microbrewery in Illinois, and it’s celebrating its 30th anniversary in downtown Libertyville this year.

It only takes one step inside to appreciate how versatile the 15,000 square-foot, century-old building is, offering up a large dining room, performance stage, 60-foot bar, beautiful patio and even a private event space in the back. The original bow-truss ceilings with skylights are particularly eye catching. 

“The building kind of designed itself,” says owner Brian Grano, who opened the venue in 2014 (after buying the original brewery, which sat 100 yards away, in 2004). “We like to think we’re kind of like Wrigley Field in that we offer something for everyone and every age. We are very family friendly, but also a late-night destination with the live music, karaoke and private-party possibilities. …. We introduce a lot of people to craft beer — more than other taprooms might because everything else we offer gets them in the door, and then they realize how good our beer is.”

Food and beer: The beer program is operated by head brewer Jason Martens, a silver medal award winner at the World Beer Cup and Great American Beer Festival who is Libertyville born and raised and came over from Tighthead Brewing four years ago. 

If you hurry, you can still get your hands on their Festbier called Pretzel Logic, which is lighter and slightly hoppier than a standard Oktoberfest (much like what you’d find in Munich).

Martens’ Hop Excursions platform was created to experiment with new varieties of hops for their IPAs, and we fell in love with a pint of their current Volume 6 that highlights Vista hops and has notes of tropical fruit, dank pine and sweet melon. Simply delicious. The Sesh is a crushable pale ale, and Martens has been busy brewing a bunch of one-off beers for the 30th anniversary, such as a traditional German bock, mixed-culture farmhouse ale (Grisette) and a rauchbier. Don’t sleep on the amber or Pineapple Express West Coast-style double IPA either.

We introduce a lot of people to craft beer — more than other taprooms might because everything else we offer gets them in the door, and then they realize how good our beer is.” — Owner Brian Grano

And a little heads up: Their popular Belgian strong golden ale called Santa’s Magic is a popular December-January staple that doesn’t stay in kegs for long.

As for food, be prepared to make your waitress wait, because the loaded menu makes decisions rather difficult. The light and airy beer nuggets are a delightful way to kick things off, and the brisket nachos are perfect for sharing. From the main menu, you can’t go wrong with the eight burger options, signature Reuben, broiled or fried walleye, or chipotle chicken tacos. Come hungry. You won’t be disappointed. 

From the brewery: “We’re very proud of the space we’ve created. It’s a very inviting atmosphere to come enjoy a beer, live music and some good food. As the brewer, I think we hold true to some of the traditional styles, but at the same try to push boundaries and play around with some new stuff. Tradition is important, but also being inventive because that’s what excites people in craft beer.”

— Head brewer Jason Martens

Half Day Brewing Co.
200 Village Green in Lincolnshire
HalfDayBrewing.com

The details: The building Half Day calls home used to belong to Flatlander’s Brewing, but it had long since been vacated before Half Day, following a grueling one-year renovation, was opened by a pair of successful restauranteurs — Mark Zych and Scott Ward — in January of 2016.

Half Day Brewing offers a lot of opportunities for whatever you’re looking for. Want to sit at the bar, try a flight and catch the game on the TVs overhead? You got it. Meeting co-workers for happy hour and need a high-top table to accommodate everyone? No problem. Planning a private party, ranging from a 10-person family dinner to larger weddings, corporate events or anniversary parties? They’ve got ample space for that too — and seating for up to 500. 

In the main taproom, three massive garage door-style windows open up to a spacious, semi-enclosed patio that’s adorned with string lights year round. Fire pits or fireplace? Take your pick. Half Day offers both. 

Food and beer: The scratch kitchen kicks out a lot of well-designed options, but if you’re wondering what the specialties are, brewery regulars tend to side with the wood-fired pizzas and anything that comes out of the in-house smoker (like the smoked brewhouse wings). A few items that caught our eye were the mango mahi quesadilla, chicken club sandwich and truffle farm burger with a fried egg and pickled red onion on top. 

As far as the beer is concerned, Half Day boasts some 40 total taps, at least 15 of which are their own, including usually a handful of decadent barrel-aged stouts. The Iron Horse coffee porter has a lot of character, the cherry vanilla sour is packed with fruit, and Lincolnshire Lager is a refreshing Czech pilsner. Our fave? The Cloud Cover NEIPA with its huge flavors of tangerine, vanilla and berries. 

We like to push the boundaries of traditional styles. Everyday drinkers will find plenty to like, but we’re not afraid to venture out and experiment too.” — Head brewer Brandon Boshers

Head brewer Brandon Boshers is quite proud of their barrel-aging program, and for good reason. In particular, we recommend the S’Mores Barrel-Aged Warrior Paint imperial stout that spent a year in Willet Bourbon barrels. Think creamy honey and graham cracker meeting up with some rich caramel.

If someone in your group isn’t in the mood for beer, check out Half Day’s seasonal cocktails or extensive bourbon and wine lists. 

From the brewery: “We go from experimental recipes to 14-percent barrel-aged pastry stouts to bright IPAs, fruited sours and German lagers. … We like to push the boundaries of traditional styles. Everyday drinkers will find plenty to like, but we’re not afraid to venture out and experiment too.”

— Head brewer Brandon Boshers

District Brew Yards
700 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Wheeling (as well as 417 N. Ashland in Chicago)
DistrictBrewYards.com

The details: In case you didn’t know, Chicago is a city that likes being first. And District Brew Yards just happened to be the nation’s first production brewery collective, pour-your-own beer hall and shop under one roof.

In short, it’s a completely unique experience that’s customizable based on your own preferences. Meander from station to station and choose between eight beers on draft from each of four Illinois breweries — including Around the Bend Beer Co., Burnt City Brewing, Casa Humilde Cerveceria and Twisted Hippo — and then pour as much, or as little, as you’d like using a swipe card. 

Enjoy the brew? Go pour yourself a full pint and settle in with friends at one of the large communal tables. Not your thing? Not to worry. Just grab a new tasting glass and move on to the 39 other beers. A visit to Brew Yards is like a personal brewery crawl or festival, boasting the freshest beer possible made just a few steps away, all in a cavernous, beautifully designed space. Spacious patio included. It’s also a perfect opportunity for the beer novice to learn a bit and discover — by way of small, non-intimidating portions — the styles they favor. 

A visit to Brew Yards is like a personal brewery crawl or festival, boasting the freshest beer possible made just a few steps away, all in a cavernous, beautifully designed space.

The first location, opened in 2019, is in Chicago’s West Town neighborhood, walking distance to the United Center and the red hot West Loop and Fulton Market District. Then in October of 2022, District Brew Yards expanded into the north suburbs and opened a second location in Wheeling. Boasting nearly 12,000 square feet in all, it’s provided a comfortable spot to informally meet up with co-workers without the hassle of splitting bills. 

“We have a beer concierge to get you started and answer any questions, but that’s it,” says co-founder Steve Soble. “We want to keep everything as frictionless as possible. We have enough friction in our lives, so this is the last place we want that.” 

Food in Wheeling is available from the Paulie Gee’s, with specialties like Detroit-style pizzas, lemon honey-glazed chicken and burgers topped with garlic aioli. 

From the owner: “I remember when I used to ask for little tasters of beer, and I felt like I was always putting the bartender out. But with this approach, you get to go on your own beer journey without the pressure of someone asking you questions or looking over your shoulder. It’s just you and the beer.” 

— Co-founder Steve Soble

Hangar Two by Tangled Roots Brewing Company
1100 North Milwaukee Ave. in Glenview
TangledRootsBrewingCo.com

The details: Tangled Roots Brewing Company has done a lot of work in a small amount of time. The original brewery (called The Lone Buffalo), located in Ottawa, IL, creates the majority of the beer for all four restaurants — now in Lockport (Lock & Mule), Glenview (Hangar Two) and Vernon Hills (Tangled Roots Craft Beer & Kitchen), with more expansion on the way. 

The stylish Hangar Two is an ode to the former Glenview Naval Air Station and training center. There’s a versatile mix of lounge seating, tables, leather booths and bar seating to go with plenty of aeronautical decor like pilot helmets, ceiling fans shaped like propellors and photos showcasing the history of flight. Even the lounge seats are made from refurbished airplane seats and metal from actual aircraft. 

The stylish Hangar Two is an ode to the former Glenview Naval Air Station and training center, and there’s plenty of aeronautical decor like ceiling fans shaped like propellors and lounge seats made from refurbished airplane seats and metal from actual aircraft.

The large dining room and bar are beautiful in their own right, but we were immediately drawn to the open and airy atrium with its glass ceiling and a bit of a coastal vacation vibe. Not surprisingly, it’s quite popular for brunch, private parties and baby/wedding showers. The front patio is a destination during the summer months too. 

Food and beer: Approximately 20 percent of the scratch menu at Tangled Roots’ venues is based on seasonal creations determined by the individual restaurant chefs, while the other 80 percent is generally consistent across all four locations. And it’s an impressive menu to be sure, full of specialty items (pan-seared chicken schnitzel, parmesan-crusted cod), brew-pub favorites (BBQ Brewmaster burger, pulled pork grilled cheese) and some unique creations (Aunt Bee’s biscuits, bison chili).

On the beer front, we recently enjoyed a pint of Devil’s Paint Box, which is a bitter grapefruit-flavored IPA, as well as the Sunkissed blackberry wheat ale and Campfire Flannel brown ale that we’ll have to stock up on for fall bonfires. 

Take advantage of a solid weekday happy hour from 3-6 p.m. that includes food specials, $4 select beers and $5 house wines.

From the brewery: “From the start, our goal has always been to make sure that great beer and food can be enjoyed by as many people as possible, whether or not they consider themselves ‘foodies’ or beer connoisseurs. … Each of our stunning restaurants and brewpubs is unique, drawing its name and concept from the local history of the town it occupies.”

Liquid Love Brewing
1310 Busch Parkway in Buffalo Grove
LiquidLoveBrewing.com

The details: Owner Manny Khosla, who started home brewing back in 2008, developed a love of beer early on, especially when it came to sharing his creations with neighbors and friends. A few years later, he began thinking about scaling his operation, and he credits Haymarket Brewing’s Pete Crowley for being his mentor from day one, training him on what it takes to brew beer at a commercial level.

Khosla launched Prairie Krafts Brewing in his current Buffalo Grove space in 2016 with a focus on traditional-style beers, before later rebranding as Liquid Love Brewing during Covid, when they were one of the early Illinois breweries to begin experimenting in the world of fruited sours. 

Strategically tucked back in a Buffalo Grove corporate park, Liquid Love was one of the early Illinois breweries to begin experimenting in the world of fruited sours.

The location of the brewery, which is tucked back in a corporate park, was strategic by design, as Khosla’s former office was nearby and it makes it ideal for group happy hours and appeals to the handful of nearby hotels too.

The rustic tables that almost look like they’re made out of driftwood caught our eye immediately. They sit alongside the huge window that takes up nearly the entire length of the small, contemporary taproom. A neon blue light with Liquid Love’s logo at the entrance and a painted mural on the other end offer a bit of character, and there is no shortage of board games to keep you occupied between sips. We saw patrons playing everything from Life and Clue to Trivial Pursuit and Battleship. 

Food and beer: Liquid Love offers a variety of snacks, and they’re working on adding a food truck of their own as well as a full liquor license. In total, they offer 14 beers on draft, most of which are also available in cans to go. We tried their delightfully sweet and malty Oktoberfest, as well as the unique and not too boozy barrel-aged version — which sits in a Heaven’s Door bourbon barrel for just a few weeks.

The Love Amplify hazy IPA hit the spot on a hot afternoon, and another standout was the Triple Berry Hugs sour. Get this: They added boxes of graham cracker and milk sugar and blended loads of blackberry, blueberry, strawberry and vanilla, to go with just a touch of cinnamon. One of the best sours we’ve had all year. 

From the brewery: “We have a vast portfolio, so anyone can come in and find something that suits them. And people appreciate that. We use the freshest, natural ingredients, so that’s the best part. You can taste the difference in our fruited sours. It’s almost like drinking a glass of fruit punch or eating a bowl of cereal with fruit on top.”    

— Owner Manny Khosla