Welcome to Chicago Beer Enthusiast

Drinking a craft beer in the summer in Chicago.

On a Saturday in mid-August, I stood in Half Acre’s small retail store on Lincoln. I’ve had their bottled and canned beers, but never anything fresh on tap. I was having a record party that night and thought a growler of Half Acre would hit the spot for some porch drinking. When I got in, there were a half dozen people waiting to get their growlers filled. A tall, skinny man was taking the orders, offering samples and being genuinely polite. I waited my turn, but as I did, I noticed that people kept coming in, pushing the total way past a dozen. It was then that I knew something serious was happening in Chicago.

I originally got into craft beer during my senior year at Purdue back in the late ‘90s. It was nothing serious, but on nights when my roommate and I would hangout with a few friends, we’d hit up a local liquor store with some imports and give them a shot. They were much tastier than the normal college swill, but there was also a sense of adventure: trying something different from a place I’ve never been. At that time, it was as close as I could get to traveling to places such as England or Belgium. I’ve been a craft beer drinker ever since.

I’ve lived in and around Chicago my whole life. I looked to the West coast with envy as new craft breweries started to pop up. I knew a lot of people around Chicago who enjoyed craft beer, but it was still the minority. The first “Dark Lord Day” was maybe a dozen guys sitting in a cold Three Floyds brewery drinking out of plastic cups. No tents. No festivities. Most bars might have carried a few interesting beers, but people were still ordering macrobrews by the gallon. Then something started to happen. Bars started to pay attention to the beer they were carrying. Goose Island started to get known in the U.S. for its beers. Restaurants were pairing beers with food. New breweries started to open. Almost overnight, there was a new sense of craft brewing love in Chicago.

Living in Lincoln Square, I’ve seen this change first hand: Metropolitan Brewing, Half Acre, Bad Apple, Fountainhead. All opened in recent years. All making or carrying craft beers. It’s a great time to be a craft beer lover in Chicago. New breweries are opening. People are starting to put down the macroswill and enjoy a well-made beer. This “blog” (how I hate that word) is my attempt to write down what is happening in the craft beer movement in Chicago. Look at who is doing what. Give news about new openings and happenings. Have an excuse to drink.

What I most enjoy about the craft beer movement is the community that it brings. It's something that I might explore later on, but for those who appreciate and enjoy craft beer, there is something beyond just avoiding buying from large corporations. Some might like purchasing from local companies or being outside the mainstream. Whatever the reason, it is a community of people from different backgrounds that can sit and enjoy a beer, a good conversation and a moment without the hype and marketing found through traditional beer.

So here's to a new adventure in Chicago. I hope that I'll be able to provide a bit of insight, knowledge and news to the Chicago craft beer community and continue to work to foster it throughout the entire city and beyond.