Visiting Chicago - Loop

Depending when you're here, Monk's has 3 good tappings this week: https://www.facebook.com/pg/MonksPubChicago/events/?ref=page_internal

Howells and Hood (bit overpriced but they have over 100 taps) or First Draft in the South Loop are other good bets

Breweries off the L, I would say:
Revolution (both the brewpub and taproom are pretty close to the blue line). They should still have a lot of their BA offerings

Corridor (close to brown) they tend to have 2-3 NEIPAs on. Website usually current: http://www.corridorchicago.com/beer-menu/

Half Acre (close to brown). Not their biggest fan but they do have a very big following here for their hops

Lagunitas usually doesn't have anything too special on but the brewery itself is really cool to see and it's pretty close to the pink line.

 

Another good place to hit up in the Loop is Stocks & Blondes...oftentimes a sneaky good taplist, and a great little dive underneath the L.

 

I also edited it to say
Howells and Hood (bit overpriced but they have over 100 taps) or First Draft in the South Loop are other good bets

Just wanted to make sure you didn't miss that

 

Big fan of Monk’s Pub. Their Maple Bacon Brisket Burger is one of my favorite burgers downtown. And they just tapped CBS in the last hour or so. FranklinTap and Jackson Tavern also have really nice draft lists most days too.

 

Brown line trip:

Take it to Montrose. Hit up Half Acre for a couple. Then stroll over to Begyle and/or Dovetail before hopping back on the brown line to Southport for Corridor for some NEIPA and their burger (one of the best in the city IMO). Back on the brown line, transfer to the red line at belmont. Get off at North/Clybourn and hit up Goose brewpub or Off Color Mousetrap for a nightcap. Call an uber home.

 

You'll be getting plenty of tips, all are good, it all depends on how far you're looking to go. Without a doubt Monk's Pub and Stocks & Blondes are probably the best bets for beer IN the Loop itself. You can also take the Green/Pink line west to Ashland, and get very close to On Tour, All Rise, Goose Island, Great Central..Or, you can easily just walk or Uber to one of my personal favorites Haymarket on Randolph.

 

This guy, follow him. This is it. While you're at the Half Acre Lincoln taproom, you can try their very good food, or if in the mood, cross the street for a burger at Bad Apple if you need a food break in between the beers. But that itinerary (above) is exactly what I did, too often, for about 5 months straight. Never every day, mind you.

 

Madon! The original poster asks for some choices for craft beer in the Loop, and you're sending him five miles away {Irving Park and Ravenswood}.
{exhales}
If you're going to expand his area by suggesting the “L”, you should have also thought of All Rise Brwy. on the Green or Pink Line @ Ashland.

Anyhow, I'm going to suggest to the OP that if he wants an interesting beer bar in the Loop, he should strongly consider The Exchequer Pub on S. Wabash. Its pizzas are close to superb. But if it's real, real pizza he wants, The original Gino's East on N. La Salle has that, as well as its own brewed beers.
The venue in the Loop with Tavern License #2 is Kasey's Tavern on S. Dearborn. It is pretty good.
OP, the Loop has gotten a lot better as far as craft beer goes. Start with these. If you want more, query me.