The visiting Chicagoland resource thread (Spring 2018)

Great job @lloydboss. A couple other notes are that Bitter Pops also has a bar, and a couple Binny’s locations (Lincoln Park and South Loop) also have bars. I think Fischman is still working on their new bar after re-opening - not sure when that is expected to be done

 

While I am at it,

Pollyanna has two locations:
Roselare is in Roselle. Opened in 2017 and installed foeders for sour plans.
Pollyanna is in Lemont.

Thanks @lloydboss

 

Nice list. I'd also like to add Ardmore Station in Villa Park for bottle shops in the suburbs. The bonus is that one can stop in there after visiting More Brewing (and/or Noon Whistle Brewing, which is in close proximity).

 

@lloydboss Well done sir. Thanks for taking one for the team.

 

Nitpicking somewhat but our (Half Acre) entrance is on Rascher through the parking lot and not on Balmoral itself. Seems to cause some confusion and / or annoyance.

 

Yeah, any reason that door on Balmoral, over by the bathrooms, isn't an entrance? You guys even call it Half Acre Balmoral.

 

Believe it’s a zoning issue for the Taproom but our mailing address plus loading dock / shipping and receiving are Balmoral Ave.

 

Still learning how to internet, but I think the vision for this thread is to be consistently available among the top posts in the GL forum.

TO THAT END:

1) Should us locals be posting suggestions to be included in the next quarterly update? Perhaps including upcoming seasonal and/or one off releases? Or regularly scheduled events/festivals run by local breweries?

2) In order to perhaps support pinning this thread, can any visitors who review the contents provide some feedback for us?

 

One way for us to keep it among the top threads are if visitors start another thread, come tag them on here and even request they provide some feedback to their trip once over. It’s always nice to hear what visitors liked and didn’t like, since us locals sometimes like stuff that others don’t.

 

Appreciate the effort that went into the OP. My $0.02 is that NW Indiana should be a totally separate geography.

 

Looking for recommendations here.
I’m flying into ORD this Monday the 9th for 3 days of work related training near the Elk Grove/Des Plaines area (near Mikerphone). I have no car. I will be using the L, bus and Uber. Monday will be my only day to visit DT Chicago, from noon till 6 or 7pm. I was hoping the weather would cooperate for me on this trip. It doesn’t look like it will. So that could be a factor on where to go.
I will be starting at Rosemont Station Blue Line to DT. I am looking to grab lunch first. Preferably with some good local IPA’s. Now I’ve been to Chicago several times in the last 4 years. So lots have changed since my last visit there a year ago. I’ve been to Kuma’s, Beer Temple, Revolution, Half Acre, Piece, Lockdown, Logan’s, Wrigley’s, and a few more I can’t remember at this time.
After lunch and a pint I’ll be looking for a brewery to visit. I was thinking Off Color? But they really don’t have much IPA’s. Or should I go to Corridor? I would like to visit Bitter Pops for some Noon Whistle Gummy Vortex can’s to bring back to CA. I would also like to go to the bar at the top of the Hancock Center on the 96th floor. Is there any pubs/beer bars in the areas mentioned with a good IPA (hazy or regular) selection? I am interested in anything local or can’t get in CA. Is this doable in 6+ hours? Is there a better recommendation in the amount of time that I have?
The rest of the time I will visit Mikerphone and a few pubs in the araea that I will be staying.

I know I asked this in another thread here. But would like to ask again on this one. Sorry.

 

Corridor is a must!
Check out Howells and hood it's about a 15 minute walf from Hancock center.

 

*walk

 

If anyone were to go to Dovetail brewery it should be noted Begyle is literally a 1 min walk away. 2 breweries for the effort of going to 1.

 

I can easily agree with your thoughts on this one. But, NW Indiana is closer than some suburban Chicago locations, depending upon where in Chicago one is. Maybe a NW Indiana thread could be set up. With a link to it in the Chicagoland thread. And vice-versa. Just throwing out an idea...

 

If you REALLY want to go to the Hancock Center, I might recommend doing lunch right away at Jake Melnick's, which has solid food and usually a good selection of different beers (not the best beer bar by any means, but very solid offerings to go along with the food). Or, you could go to Timothy O'Toole's - it's kind of known as a tourist bar, but it is a sneaky good-to-great option for craft beer. Food is decent as well. From there, you could go to Hancock Center and get that out of the way.

After that head up to Corridor (Uber/Lyft is probably the best/quickest option) for a beer or two and then go to Bitter Pops, which is in walking distance (although today's snow may impede that a bit ). That may be a bit of an aggressive schedule, but I think you can pull it off.

 

Maplewood? Picked up 4pk of Son of Juice to take back.