Chicago Craft Beer Week 2016

I'll most likely stick to events happening within my walking/short Uber ride vicinity, plus I have some non-craft friends coming into town for the Royals/White Sox weekend series. The way KC is playing right now, CCBW couldn't be timed any better. On my radar though is:

Pipeworks kickoff at Quenchers
Pipeworks vs Emporium
Battle for Lake Michigan at Links
Pipeworks/Spiteful PAWS benefit

 

I haven't. There's a decent chance I may be in this week. If so, I'll ask and report back if they haven't already updated their site with details. Last years PW vs Emporium was the first event I attended after moving to Chicago and I had a blast. Looking forward to experiencing CCBW in its entirety this year.

 

Live in the burbs so will pick my spots. Headed to Half Acre on the 20th for the Galactic DDC release and will also be at the Wells fest on the 28th with friends. Those Pipeworks events sound awesome though and a rare chance to see that kind of variety from them in one place at one time

 

I'm going to BUG and Sunday Funday, not sure what else yet.

 

I'm hitting up Sunday Funday and Welles Park Beer Fest for sure. I may do the GDDC release at Half Acre. And that Pipeworks event at Quenchers seems interesting.

It will be my first time going to the Welles Park event, but I was told they had some good beers at the VIP tent last year. I'm doing VIP in case they have special ones this year, as well. Plus they will have a "rare beer tent" that will be accessible to everyone so my VIP ticket will let me have at them for an hour before everyone else gets to them.

 

Welles Park was pretty good last year, trying to find a brewery list for this year.

 

Living in the burbs as I do, I'll just be doing one or two things. I'm looking at the Lagunitas dog wash (which would be great as i can just take the train in) or the sausage and beer thing at Madhouse. There are a few others I'd like to do, but if it's not on a weekend it's not happening.

 

I went to the last 2 years, the 1st one was downtown under a different name but still the closing event run by the IL guild. Last year was a lot better, not that the 1st year was bad but last year you won't shoulder to shoulder, could talk to the breweries, and what can be better then drinking in the park sans the brown paper bag.

It's pretty much local breweries only and not really the place to tick whales. You'll see some of the bigger guys but typically only their shelve beer. Deschutes did but out though.

Personalty I like that it focus on local breweries, with so many opening up every year it's nice to sample their stuff without throwing down cash on a bomber. They are doing it a bit differently this year though. They will have a Rare beer Tent and a Specially VIP tent according to their description. Not really sure what that means but for 20 bucks more you get 10 bucks in food and an hour early so I don't see the VIP specially tent being so much more "special" then the Rare beer tent that is open to anyone.

 

Last year the VIP area had Prop on tap a good chunk of the day in addition to the Lagunutas BA coffee stout.

My wife and I paid the extra for VIP and had no regrets. We've not pulled the trigger on them yet, but if we go we'd do VIP in a heartbeat.

 

I had to buy a ticket to BUG when I saw what Mikerphone is pouring. If you see a fat dude frantically trying to find their booth before that BA Stout runs out, it's probably me.

 

Have they said what will be in the Rare tent at BUG yet?

 

This is on the ticket page:

2016 Participating Brewers:
350 Brewing
Against The Grain
Alarmist Brewing
All Rise Brewing Company
Alter Brewing Company
Andersonville Brewing
Aquanaut Brewing Company
Arclight Brewery
Argus Brewery
Around The Bend Beer Co.
Arrowhead Ales Brewing Co
Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits
Band of Bohemia
Banging Gavel Brews
Begyle Brewing Co
Bergoff Beer
Black Horizon Brewing
Blue Island Beer Co.
Blue Nose Brewery
Brickstone Brewery
BuckleDown Brewing
Burnt City Brewing
Cahoots Brewing
Chain O'Lakes Brewing Company
Corridor Brewery & Provisions
Cruz Blanca Cerveceria
Crystal Lake Brewing
Deschutes Brewing Company
DESTIHL Brewery
DryHop Brewers
Emmett's Brewing Co.
Empirical Brewery
Exit Strategy Brewery
Finch Beer Company
Flesk Brewing
Flossmoor Station Restaurant & Brewery
Forbidden Root Restaurant & Brewery
Gino's Brewing Company
Good Island Brew Pub
Goose Island Beer Company
Green Mountain Energy
Hailstorm Brewing Co.
Half Acre Beer Company
Haymarket Pub & Brewery
Hop Butcher for the World
Hopewell Brewing Company
Hopvine Brewing Company
Horse Thief Hollow
Illuminated Brew Works
IMBIBE BOOTH
Imperial Oak Brewing
Kinslahger Brewing Company
Lagunitas Brewing Co.
Lake Effect Brewing Company
Lunar Brewing Company
Mad Mouse Brewery
Maplewood Brewery & Distillery
Marz Community Brewing
Metal Monkey Brewing
Middle Brow Beer Co.
Mikerphone Brewing
Misbeehavin' Meads
Miskatonic
Moody Tongue Brewing Company
Motor Row Brewing
Nevin's Brewing Company
New Belgium Brewing
Noon Whistle Brewing
Oak Park Brewing Company
One Trick Pony
Peckish Pig
Penrose Brewing Co.
Perennial Artisan Ales
Piece Brewery & Pizzeria
Pig Minds Brewing Co.
Pipeworks Brewing Co.
Pollyanna Brewing Company
RAM Restaurant & Brewery
Revolution Brewing
Rock Bottom Brewery
Saugatuck Brewing Co.
Schlafy
Scorched Earth Brewing Company
Scratch Brewing Company
Short's Brewing Company
Sketchbook Brewing Co.
Smylie Brothers Brewing Co.
Solemn Oath Brewery
Spiteful Brewing
Temperance Beer Co.
Ten Ninety Brewing Company
The Church Street Brewing Company
Three Floyds Brewing Co.
Tighthead Brewing Co
Tocayo Brewing Company
Tribes Beer Company
Triptych Brewing
Twisted Hippo
Two Brothers Brewing Company
Uncle John's Cider
Urban Legend Brewing Co.
Vice District Brewing
Werk Force Brewing Co.

 

The only thing I've seen is that Mikerphone posted their beer list. Upon further analysis, this one seems likely to be in the rare beer tent.

2016 BUG EXCLUSIVE - Barrel-Aged Double Milk Stout w/ Cocoa Nibs, Cinnamon, & Vanilla (Journeyman Distillery Whiskey Barrel)

 

Well, they posted the Tap list for Goose Island Sunday Funday. All the BCBS's are sours....surprise, surprise.

http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2532485

 

Yea I saw that last night, disappointed in GI compared to previous. And I convinced friends to go this year based on how fun previous events were.