By Katie Carrier Director of the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild  There’s just something special about this season for beer lovers. As summer winds down, breweries across the state start tapping into their fall lineups: crisp Oktoberfests, smooth Marzens, and fresh-hopped ales, which are, of course, best enjoyed outside with friends. Almost every weekend there’s an ...

Phase Three expanding into former Metropolitan venue on the Chicago River We’re not going to lie. We were as excited as anyone when he heard the news in August that Phase Three Brewing — already with two successful locations in Lake Zurich and Elmhurst and especially known for their array of IPAs and extensive barrel-aging ...

By Katie Carrier Director of the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild Beer Under Glass returns to Millennium Park May 8 The Illinois Craft Brewers Guild is excited to announce the return of Illinois Craft Beer Week May 8-15, 2026. This year we’re continuing to focus our weeklong celebration on the enduring impact craft breweries have on ...

Joining ImBIBE (the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild’s annual enthusiast program) is an incredible opportunity for you to immerse yourself deeper into Illinois’ vibrant beer scene while enjoying exclusive benefits. ImBIBE, which stands for “I’m a Big Illinois Beer Enthusiast,” is the only statewide membership program designed specifically for craft beer lovers, offering access to a ...

By Ray Stout Executive director of the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild In towns big and small, from Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods to rural Main Streets, Illinois craft breweries are more than just places to enjoy a pint. They are economic engines, cultural hubs and proud representations of our state’s creativity. As Executive Director of the Illinois ...

Illinois Craft Beer Week runs May 9-16: Busy times for enjoying good brews with Beer Under Glass, the Summer Passport program, Pint Day and more By Ray Stout Executive director of the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild The Illinois Craft Brewers Guild is excited to announce the return of Illinois Craft Beer Week May 9-16, 2025. ...

By Trent Modglin Links Taproom & Brewery set to take over On Tour Brewing space in Chicago’s West Town this summer Links Taproom, a popular craft beer and sausage bar that operated for six years in Chicago’s Wicker Park before closing amidst the Covid pandemic, is set to return this summer and reopen as Links ...

By Ray Stout Executive director of the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild In recent years, intoxicating hemp beverages — drinks infused with Delta-8 and Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) derived from hemp — have gained popularity across the U.S. These non-alcoholic drinks, containing significant amounts of THC (e.g., 5 mg per 12-ounce serving), present a new frontier for ...

By Ray Stout Executive director of the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild Get ready for an unforgettable experience at this year’s Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beer (a.k.a. FoBAB), where the finest in wood and barrel-aged brews will take center stage Nov. 22-23. This spectacular event will showcase a handpicked selection of barrel-aged beers, ciders, meads ...

From our big fall issue: What was your favorite beer experience of the summer?  “The Great Taste of the Midwest festival in August. It was the best weather we’ve had in 10-plus years up there. There’s just so much great beer in the Midwest to celebrate, and it has a somewhat local feel to it. ...