Macushla Brewing
1516 E. Lake Ave.
Glenview, IL
MacushlaBeer.com

Tuesday-Thursday 3-10 p.m.
Friday-Saturday 12-11 p.m.
Sunday 12-6 p.m. 

History in short: Back in 2015, Megan and Mike Welch decided it was time for Mike to follow his dream of owning his own craft brewery. An avid home brewer who was no longer fulfilled by his full-time job as a commodities trader, Mike, after a few years of planning and getting the extended family involved, officially made the jump in 2017, opening Macushla in his hometown of Glenview.

But sadly, just short of Macushla’s first anniversary, Mike passed away suddenly. With the desire to keep his dream alive, Megan persevered through the tragedy and continued on, and she still operates the brewery to this day.

“I enjoyed the design component of it, but I was more just along for the ride and there to support him in his endeavor,” Megan tells us, looking back at the early days. “In the beginning (after Mike’s passing), I didn’t know what the hell I was doing, but with the help of our family and the community, I have grown to love it. Everyone has been so supportive from day one, and we wouldn’t be here without them. It’s been a growing experience for sure. And it continues to this day.”

Fittingly, Macushla is a Gaelic term of endearment, meaning “my pulse”, “my lifeblood”, “my darling.”

The space: “Eclectic, warm and homey,” is how Megan describes Macushla’s cozy taproom, which was purposefully furnished with lamps, furniture and rugs from “a lot of different spots.”

Located on the northeast corner of Waukegan Road and Lake Avenue, next to the famous Hackney’s restaurant, the original buildout was a family effort for sure, as they even made their own signage and got their daughter involved in the painting of the interior.

Adorned with plants, string lights and plenty of communal seating — not to mention regular live music on the weekends — the patio is like a little oasis that makes you forget you’re a 7-iron away from one of the busiest intersections in the north burbs.

The highlight for us is the spacious patio. Adorned with plants, string lights and plenty of communal seating — not to mention regular live music on the weekends — it’s like a little oasis that makes you forget you’re a 7-iron away from one of the busiest intersections in the north burbs.

This past winter, they added an enclosure between the taproom and patio that nearly doubled the capacity. It’s not uncommon to see wedding receptions, baby showers and birthday parties held on the patio and in the enclosure.

Interesting note: Back in 1939, Mike’s grandparents took ownership of a roadhouse run by his great uncle, Jack Hackney, and opened Hackey’s on Harms in Glenview. Nearly 80 years later, following in the footsteps of four generations of restauranteurs, Mike and Megan founded Macushla next door to Hackney’s on Lake, which is still owned by the family.

Machushla also offers Community Supported Brewery memberships, where you get growler/crowler fills each month and discounts on beer and merchandise.

What we’re eating and drinking: Macushla recently welcomed Brad Pulver, previously of Smiley Brothers Brewing in Evanston, on board as head brewer. For a smaller production space, Macushla doesn’t shy away from churning out a wide variety of small-batch beers from blondes to IPAs and stouts.

Cherry Glazer is a popular sour that isn’t overwhelming tart, and the toasty/malty Kitz Irish red, a perennial favorite and solid representation of the style, has made its return and will be on draft through the rest of the spring. Midnight Czech is a tasty dark lager that we always have a few pints of during post-golf outings, and if you’re looking for a little zest, try the HollaPeño IPA.

Pulver is particularly looking forward to a new hefeweizen called Hefferweizen, and he will be playing around with different variations. Also getting tapped soon is a Belgian strong that was aged in Caribbean rum barrels. “Everyone is looking for light, spritzy beers for spring and summer,” says Pulver, “but this is a fun project we’ve been working on for a bit and we’re excited about.”

“There’s a real family component to what we’re doing. … And you can feel it in the energy and the vibe here. Most of the staff has been with us since the beginning, and I think that comes across when you visit.”  — Megan Welch

Pulver has plenty of experience in this department, as he took gold twice at FoBAB in the rum barrel-aged Belgian category while working at Smylie Brothers. Macushla also keeps cider, spirits, wine and non-alcoholic options on hand for guests.

For food, look no further than the aforementioned Hackney’s across the parking lot. Known for their stellar burgers, Hackney’s now has a kiosk inside to make ordering food easier for Macushla’s guests, and they’ll deliver food right to your table.

On the horizon: Live music is the norm here on the weekends, but ramping up the schedule of musicians is something that’s in the works. … And Macushla’s golf outing, which raises money for educational charities, is on June 13.

From the brewery: “There’s a real family component to what we’re doing. It’s such a small production, so our staff is super close, and we truly care about one another. And you can feel it in the energy and the vibe here. Most of the staff has been with us since the beginning, and I think that comes across when you visit.”

— Owner Megan Welch