Revolution Brewing welcomes your feedback!

I doubt you'll find much negative things people will say about Revolution.

I've had an awesome time every visit. About a year ago my homebrew club did a Brewpub tour, and Matt the brewer welcomed us and talked with us for a good hour plus about anything we asked. Truly a top notch guy.

The food is outstanding (I'm looking at you bacon fat popcorn) and the beers are always great. My only negative experience was having a Eugene porter on cask that tasted a day or two too old. One bad beer in a field of many is a fine track record in my book.

I'd love to see Workingman Mild back on cask. I realize you guys stopped it because of lack on turnover, but I'd like to see it given another shot.

 

what's up morgan!

echoing weatherdog, i don't really have any negative feedback. i always find the staff, especially the newer faces (to me), as helpful and approachable as all those i've gotten to know the last 2 years. i appreciate every server i've had seeming knowledgeable about the beers. LOVE the brewers lounge. it's always a nice surprise to see a variation of one of your flagships on cask. in fact, more of that please! excited for the future as Wil settles in. there have been a few surprises for me when a new beer was tapped, but josh has been providing a nice "coming soon" message to mug club members as of late. always great guest taps if for some reason the house beers aren't calling my name. many of the bartenders treat me like an actual friend, and certainly a valued patron. prolly one of my favorite things about revolution actually. and that includes you, player. always good to see you and rap for a few.

digging the new portraits on the wall. was in there for a beer on st. patty's. i'll be in again tuesday night for the revolution for refugees event upstairs. perhaps i'll see ya then—cheers!

 

Hey Morgan, I have seen you plenty of times around the brewpub and have talked to you every once in awhile, but I will make a point to introduce myself next time I am in. I am a Revolution fanboy, so you won't find much negative feedback from me, but here is what I have:

What I Would Like to See
-Continue doing new, unique themes for your dinners. My girlfriend and I attended the Wild Game dinner and we had an incredible time. I know the vegetarian dinner was similarly well received as well.
-When bottling starts, please consider bottling some of the barrel aged stuff. I know this might not be a reality right now, but you guys are cranking out some very exciting things in your barrel program right now and I would love to have some sitting in the cellar.
-Continue to keep the website updated appropriately for upcoming beers. It's nice to be informed on what the brewpub has planned for the next couple weeks and attention to little things like that shows me that the brewery cares about its relationship with patrons.

Experiences @ the Brewpub
Haven't had a singly bad experience yet. The bartenders and wait staff are incredibly knowledgeable and helpful, the food is easily the best of any brewpub in the city (smokehouse pizza FTW), and the beer speaks for itself. I dig the atmosphere, especially when the upstairs is open.

Sorry I dont really have any constructive criticism, I geniunely think you guys are killing it right now. Whenever I have folks come to visit, Revolution is always the first stop we make. Wish you guys the best moving forward and I am really excited about the direction you guys are heading in.


Did you guys change the recipe of Eugene btw?

 

As some have already said, you guys are killing it and have a great thing going that the craft beer advocates of Chicago are loving and happy to embrace.

Although I have not yet been to a beer dinner yet, please keep doing special events like that as I have heard nothing but good things and would like to go soon!

Your barrel aged beers and regular stouts are out of this world. Please continue to make Baracus, Sodomy and Mad Cow, and their amazing BA versions.

Do you plan on doing any sort of loyal member program when you start bottling special beers down the road?

Cheers!

 

One thing that I've noticed is some inconsistency with offering food specials. I usually come in late afternoons on weekends so maybe it's a timing issue, but do you guys typically have specials? I used to get the small slip of paper with additional specials and then... I wouldn't. Are specials typically available during brunch and dinner? And I'm just coming in during that random in-between time? Not that the normal menu isn't solid but, you know, if something is special, I'd like to know about it for sure.

At peak times, and while sitting at the bar, I've noticed service can be slow - but it seems like for lack of staff (2 instead of 3 people behind the bar) rather than poor staff. But then again, peak times so I personally don't really mind it. I have seen others, though, get really frustrated -- particularly if they're not seated at the bar and instead may be waiting for a table or sitting in the lounge area by the fireplace.

I'm also curious if you guys have had any talks about the idea of a 'reserve society'. Given how hard it is to find limited/special releases (I know, I know - no one is making me seek them out), any route wherein that difficulty could be alleviated would be welcome.

I don't entirely understand some of the criticisms about Revolution being too "hip" or full of hipsters. I've never felt talked down to or patronized -- even if I stop in after work sporting the full-on business casual look (with my hipster ink completed covered!). Yeah, everyone has a black shirt and the bar is full of reclaimed wood but I don't know how/why that would be a turn-off.

 

The only constructive criticism that I have is to start taking online and phone reservations for maybe 50% of the tables. Sometimes I don't mind waiting for an hour for a table before eating and having a few drinks, but sometimes I just want to eat and drink a few beers with my meal.

Oh, and more Gravedigger Billy, one of the best beers I had all winter.

 

He means Sodom. We here in the BA community do not endorse the making of Sodomy under any circumstances, even if it involves a collab with Three Floyds.

 

+1. My apologies, yes, I meant Sodom. I think as I was typing my memory went back to Stoutfest 2011 where my buddy, after having multiple pours, kept going back to the tap, slamming down his glass, and saying "Sodomize me". Good times. Great beer.

 

I have never had a bad experience at Revolution. The staff is friendly and attentive. The food has always been fresh, served at the appropriate temperature for the dish, and we've never had to wait long for our meals. The brewers know what they are doing and it shows. Keep up the good work.

 

Gomorrah was excellent, too. As was Wee Gene. It's a shame Workingman doesn't sell better - do people see the lower ABV and just move on? I'd love to see more 'small' beers that are as flavorful as the other options.

 

I was just there over the weekend. Expected a long wait and that was before I realized it was also St. Patty's day. Dragged three other friends along for the ride, took the wrong stop, and we still made it. And no one had any complaints! (Well, my smoked tofu sandwich was a tad on the dry side.) We were seated immediately, had some stellar brews and just a fantastic time. No cask however, as I think it had run out? What I saw was an airy neighborhood spot which also worked as a destination. When I gathered recommendations for beer joints in Chicago Revolution came to the top of the lists. Clearly you're doing something right--keep it up! Looking forward to my next visit.

 

What's the story on the upstairs bar? Is it open all the time?

I ask because I only make it here every few months and it's usually during the day on weekday so it's not busy. I've always just sat at the main bar. Haven't tried to venture upstairs as there wasn't a need to.

 

Last time I asked, it's only open Wednesday - Saturday (and probably only during the evenings, at that). Assuming they have the staff available, opening that space on Sundays might be helpful, too, going into summer.

 

What is the brewers lounge?

 

Distribute some stuff to lake county and kenosha county.

 

You guys have really been hitting it out of the park on the barrel aged stuff, and that stuff is so trendy right now... what an opportunity you guys have, if you can get it into bottles and start getting it out of the building. You're no dummies, and nothing is as easy as just "doing that." But BA Sodom and BA Baracus were two of the best BA stouts I've ever had. You guys will create mass hysteria when you can get some of that stuff out to beer advocates across the country.

 

Love that you offer the tasting sizes so we can sample the different styles without falling off our bar stools!

Seriously, keep up the great work and would love to see your stuff up in Lake County. Probably will be in on Saturday with my 21 year old son who I have converted to a craft beer lover. It will be is first time in and I am sure he will love it.