Illinois

No, Goose island is not the only brewery here. In fact, they were bought out by Anheuser Busch a few years ago, so I choose not to support them. This is why using the Craft Check app is so important nowadays. Here are some quality, locally owned craft beer options in Illinois.

Brewery Map

Brewery Reviews

Chicago

  1. Begyle Brewing Company
    • About The Space:
      • Straightforward microbrewery that offers tours. You are essentially just hanging out in the brewing area, so that’s fun. They also have some pretty cool swag you can pick up.
    • About The Beer:
      • They have a wide range of styles to choose from, and offer some seasonal beers as well. The Crash Landed Pale Ale and the Can’t Find A Bitter Man ESB are good choices.
  2. Corridor Brewery & Provisions
    • About The Space:
      • Warehouse-style brewpub with some great ambiance and decor. They also have delicious, creative gastropub style food. This place can get very busy on weekends.
    • About The Beer:
      • They have an ever-changing draft list with styles ranging from various IPAs to funk-forward Saisons and other experimental styles. Try the Mystic Fog Double IPA.
  3. Cruz Blanca Brewery & Taquería
    • About The Space:
      • Trendy looking microbrewery that has Mexican influences. The place is inspired by Rick Bayless. They offer some great Mexican food.
    • About The Beer:
      • Mostly unfiltered beers of various styles. They have a wide range of options to choose from, so ask for a taster to get an idea of what you like. The Bruce Gomez is an excellent, but very coffee-y Imperial Stout.
  4. Dovetail Brewery
    • About The Space:
      • Chill, cozy taproom that can get crowded on weekends. They will occasionally have food trucks outside.
    • About The Beer:
      • Mostly German style beers, so if that’s your thing, come here! All of the ones I tried were spot on for that style. Try the Dunkelweizen or the Pilsner.
  5. Half Acre Beer Company
    • About The Space:
      • Cozy, friendly high quality craft beer joint that serves up some tasty food as well.
    • About The Beer:
      • They have about 15 beers on tap, so you will likely find something you enjoy, or get a flight to sample them all! The Daisy Cutter Pale Ale is a decent brew to start with.
  6. Haymarket Pub & Brewery
    • About The Space:
      • Rustic, older feeling brewpub that kind of reminds you of a sports bar. They have a decent menu of pub grub and will often have live music.
    • About The Beer:
      • Most of their offerings were average at best, so definitely not a place to go out of your way for. Some recommendations are the Summer Pale Ale and Mother Jones Belgian Abbey Style Dubbel.
  7. Piece Brewery & Pizzeria
    • About The Space:
      • More of a sports bar style atmosphere to it. They have thin-crust pizzas which are really tasty.
    • About The Beer:
      • Pretty standard beer, but they pair nicely with their pizzas. They have a few basic styles to choose from. Try the It’s Your Fault Alt Bier or The Weight Pale Ale.
  8. Temperance Beer Co.
    • About The Space:
      • Chill taproom with a nice patio that can be enjoyed during the warmer months. They’ll occasionally have a food truck on site if you get the munchies.
    • About The Beer:
      • Overall some solid beer choices to satisfy your mood. Try the Restless Years Pale Ale.
  9. Revolution Brewing Tap Room
    • About The Space:
      • Revolution’s brewing facility that offers guided tours on the weekends (you get a full free beer!), plus a taproom pouring their beers. Plenty of space to hang out and play games. They offer free popcorn, otherwise you can order in food.
    • About The Beer:
      • Probably some of the best beer in the Chicago area. They have quite a long menu of beers to choose from. Some recommendations are the A Little Crazy Belgian Pale Ale and the Local Hero IPA.
  10. Revolution Brewing 
    • About The Space:
      • Renovated warehouse that is more of just a taproom in Logan Square that has a creative menu. Fun place to visit and get out of the heart of downtown Chicago.
    • About The Beer:
      • Probably some of the best beer in the Chicago area. They have quite a long menu of beers to choose from. Some recommendations are the A Little Crazy Belgian Pale Ale and the Local Hero IPA.

Itasca

  1. Church Street Brewing Company
    • About The Space:
      • Small-ish, family owned brewery (I think Grandma poured me one of my beers… haha!) that offers tours. Also seems like the kind of place you could host an event at. Overall an interesting vibe that’s hard to explain.
    • About The Beer:
      • They have a fairly long beer list for their size – maybe 8 or so different taps on during my visit. Quite a few different styles. Try the Ctrl + Alt + Bier Altbier and the Devil’s Advocate Belgian Strong Ale are good options.
  2. Itasca Brewing Company

    • About The Space:
      • Located at a country club in the basement, so not the easiest place to find. The brewers are very friendly and super cool guys, so come here and have a chat with them about beer (or anything else!).
    • About The Beer:
      • They have an excellent stout with a few variations – Regular, Vanilla Bean, and Coffee. The Coffee variant (Bean Smith) was probably the best out of the three. Otherwise, they have a few other styles of beer on tap that varies. The Milk of the Honey IPA was the best choice they had on at the time of my visit.