Northbrook IL

Best liquor store in the area would be Binny's in Highalnd Park by far.

Otis & Lee on Waukegan has a pretty big selection, but a lot of old stuff that is out of code. Sometimes you run across something good though, but Binny's should be your first choice. Liquor Barn in Wheeling isn't bad either.

As for breweries and brewpubs, Northbrook is a dead zone unfortunately. Evanston is about a 30 minute Uber drive away and has 4 breweries (Temperance, Sketchbook, Smylie Bros, Peckish Pig), a World of Beer, and a number of restaurants with good beer lists (Bangers & Lace, Farmhouse, Prairie Moon). So that might be worth an evening trip one night or two. If you go to Evanston, Evanston 1st Liquors is a good liquor store to hit.

On Sunday you could take the Metra train into the city and hit a few places. https://metrarail.com/
The Milwaukee District North Line is the line that runs to Northbrook, there are stops on Lake Cook Rd, downtown Northbrook, and downtown Deerfield nearby. Just be sure to check the schedule since not too many trains run on Sunday.

 

If you make your way to Highland Park stop by The Art of Beer. This bar/bottle shop always has something solid on tap. Also can find some Pipeworks and other local beers there.

 

Sadly, Northbrook is perfectly close to nothing related to beer. Only Child Brewing just recently fled to Gurnee rather than fight to open a taphouse there. There is a Yard House in the Glen just south of you. Their selection is very generic and almost aggressively not local.

North (a little farther distance-wise than Evanston) is Lincolnshire where you'll find Half Day Brewing (not yet brewing its own but with a good tap list) a block away from The Beer Market (like World of Beer and right by a bunch of good food places that deliver to your table - Real Urban BBQ, Tom & Eddies). They're a 5 minute drive from Emporium (good taps, pizza & pinball/vintage video games)

North and east of Northbrook, The Art of Beer is indeed an excellent no-nonsense beer bar focused on big beers and sours (it's technically in Highwood) and is walking distance to Barrel Crossing with a decent tap list. AOB does not, however, focus on local - they have some, but it's not his focus. Highland Park (to the south of Highwood) only has Beelow's (a steakhouse with a good set of taps). North of Highwood, Lake Bluff Brewing is a neat little brewpub, but would be hard to justify an Uber on its own

Evanston has been covered very well. Since you're Ubering, I'll just mention that Smylie Bros is the only brewpub centrally located (I prefer Temperance & the Pig). Near Smylie (close enough to walk) are pretty much all the restaurants with great taplists mentioned. I'll add Found Kitchen which has a small but often interesting taplist and suggest Edzo's for a burger (no beer) and you can check Bat 17 (an NU sports bar) just to see if they have anything the other places don't. Using BeerMenus on your phone, you can probably put together a walking tour and taste a little something from most of the Chicago areas best brewers in downtown Evanston.

For bottles & cans (especially if your hotel is on the east side of Northbrook) Binny's Highland Park is very close and probably your best bet.

I'd spend Sunday in Evanston. Maybe one day after training, Uber up to Lake Bluff Brewing - they open at 5p, have a beer or 2 then take the SB metra train (once an hour at about X:20 or so) to Highwood (2 stops), grab a couple at AOB then dinner at Barrel Crossing before Ubering back to the hotel. Maybe on a really nice day Uber to Lincolnshire since Beer Market has a really nice outdoor patio.

Cheers

 

Depending on where you are in Northbrook the Buffalo Grove Binny's might not be too far either.

 

There's a Binny's in Glencoe too. Again depending upon where in Northbrook.

 

I would definitely get into the city, assuming Sunday is your free day. You could do Goose Island Clybourn, Revolution (they have two locations - one a brewpub and one a taproom), Half Acre, Goose Island Taproom (on Fulton - separate [for now] from the Clybourn location), and Lagunitas off the top of my head for breweries - most of which have food. For beer stores, I would say Binny's Lincoln Park (which is right across the street from Goose Island Clybourn), The Beer Temple, Vas Foremost (right across the street from Revolution) or West Lakeview Liquors. Based upon the somewhat limited options directly near you in Northbrook, I think making this trek into the city on your free weekend day is a must.

 

You've gotten some really good replies here but I'll add my 2c an effort to help you filter through it all.

Binny's Highland Park is going to have as big of a selection as most liquor stores in the city if you're just looking for some local stuff and not seeking out any specific rarities. Not worth the hunt or effort to get to some of the more out-of-the-way Chicago liquor stores without a car (Beer Temple, West Lakeview, etc). Binnys Lincoln Park is slightly better though if you do want to venture into the city and go to Goose Island.

My favorite brewery/brewpub in the city is Revolution. The brewery is a little further out of the way but more laid back, no food, more one-off taps. The brewpub has solid food, but be prepared to wait during peak hours. You can't go wrong with either one.

I probably wouldn't go out of my way to Beer Market if I was in town for a few days. It's a fine little spot but nothing particularly local or unique. Just an above-average chain in a strip mall.

Highwood is not a bad place if you are looking to grab a couple beers and dinner on a work night. As far as food, I like Tacos el Norte and The Mean Wiener (Mexican food is better than the hot dogs). Both are a block away from Art of Beer and cheap, easy options. There are some more upscale options down the street, all walk-able. Skip downtown Highland Park.

IMO the best beer in Evanston is Sketchbook, but their taproom is still under construction. They have a small tasting room with growlers and bottles to go. I will say that it's geared more towards your middle aged craft beer convert than the beer nerd- the options are fairly safe (no DIPAs or mexican hot chocolate stouts to see here). Temperance is middle-of-the-road beer and is in a crappy location. Cool little taproom, though. Smylie Bros is just not worth it. Peckish Pig has great food but lackluster beer. Bangers and Lace has the best tap list in town and is a really cool spot, but the food is kind of hit or miss. World of Beer is your generic chain brewpub in the area but the taplist and food are actually pretty good. Soulwich is my favorite place for cheap food in the downtown area in walking distance.

Honestly, if you've never been to Chicago, I'd hit Chicago over Evanston. You might spend a little more time, money, and effort but it's worth it. Revolution -> Map Room -> Lagunitas or hit the other side of town and do Hopleaf -> Half Acre -> Goose Island. Not necessarily in that order.