Tyler Harnung Eris Brewery & Cider House Chicago, IL ErisChicago.com Q: The last really good beer I drank was… A: Coastal Encounter by Brothership Brewing. I’ve always loved everything they do, but they really knocked this one out of the park. A great dry, bitter and clear West Coast IPA with a blend of Citra, ...

The Berghoff and Adams Street Brewery celebrate Oktoberfest Sept. 11-Oct. 18 This iconic German restaurant, which dates back to 1898, hosts one of the longest, and certainly most authentic and fun, Oktoberfest celebrations anywhere in the Midwest. And did we mention The Berghoff happens to be home to the award-winning Adams Street Brewery? Running through ...

Harbor Brewing Company 136 Cedar Avenue in Lake Villa HarborBeer.com Wednesday-Thursday: 12-10 p.m. Friday: 12-11p.m. Saturday: 12 p.m.-midnight Sunday: 12-8 p.m. Harbor Brewing’s lakefront biergarten & taproom 701 N. Point Dr. in Winthrop Harbor History in short: Kyle Wenzel, a mechanic in his previous life, was a passionate home brewer for about five years before ...

Sketchbook Brewing in Skokie To us, it’s always about hanging with family and friends at Sketchbook Brewing’s spacious front patio in Skokie. It’s a mix of sun and shade like your own backyard, only with great beer, food trucks, board games, fun events and live music on Sundays. — Dominic Soric Small but mighty, I ...

Hairy Cow Brewing Company 450 E. Blackhawk Drive in Byron HairyCowBrewing.com Wednesday-Thursday: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday-Saturday: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. History in short Even in his younger years, Todd McLester admittedly was never into the bar scene. “So many were dark and smoky and not the place I wanted to hang out, ...

Jeff Bovee Sterling, IL Favorite breweries: My wife and I started visiting breweries as a fun activity to do together on weekends or while traveling, and we have enjoyed so many great breweries in Illinois and surrounding states over the last few years that it’s really hard to choose a favorite. One of the first ...

Jacob Jones Head brewer at Keg Grove Brewing Company Normal and Morris, IL KegGroveBrewing.com The last really good beer I drank was… Pabst Blue Ribbon. Don’t judge. Well, from a craft standpoint, Grass Assassin is one of our summer light beer offerings at Keg Grove that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed. Analytical Brewing in Lexington has a great ...

Corridor Brewing & Provisions Heading to Wrigley Field to watch the Cubs before summer comes to a close? We’ve got a few great craft breweries nearby you should know about Corridor Brewery & Provisions 3446 N. Southport Ave. CorridorChicago.com The basics: From the same brewery group that owns Crushed by Giants in the Loop) and ...

Double Clutch Brewing’s beer garden at Millennium Park Once void of quality craft beer options, downtown Chicago is now home to a quartet of proven, versatile breweries that have appealing food menus to match By Trent Modglin Double Clutch Brewing Company’s beer garden at Millennium Park 11 N. Michigan Ave. DoubleClutchBrewing.com and MillenniumHallChicago.com The details: ...

Spotlight on Brother Chimp Brewing 1059 W. Orchard Road North Aurora, IL BrotherChimpBrewing.com History in short: Steve Newman is not your typical brewery owner. Although he is a life long beer lover, he didn’t make his first batch of home brew until he retired from the corporate world in 2015. After being introduced to the ...