will be visiting madison for a day and chicago for 3.

If you plan on making it to FFF I'd have a rental car. Otherwise, you will be fine w taxis.

 

If you are up in Madison, you have to drive out to New Glarus! The place they built and opened is awesome!

 

Many great places near the Double Door, and Hopleaf is five miles away. Not a difficult commute via cab but if you're pressed for time I'd hit Piece, Revolution or Map Room. Even Haymarket is only 5 miles but I'd personally choose the walkable places over that. Revolution is the furthest but via the Blue Line it's not bad at all.

 

Yes, any sort of public transportation is out of the question for FFF. It's location is in an industrial park in a suburb of NW Indiana. No train or bus comes close. In theory you could take a taxi but it would cost you an arm and a leg (probably $60+ each way). If you do take a cab make sure you get the cabbies # for the return trip.

I agree with yours and everyone else's Chicago plan. There are so many great beer bars in the city that there's no way you could hit them all, I suggest picking a few from the list. All are great and you won't be disappointed.

 

If you're in town for three days, I'd say Hopleaf is worth the trip. They're open for lunch now and expanded pretty recently -- wait times aren't nearly as bad as they once were.

One of my favorite 1-2 combinations in the city is to visit Maria's in Bridgeport and pick up food next door from Pleasant House Bakery. It would be a long bus ride (or a cab -- and, fyi, cabs are cheap here in Chicago compared to most other cities), but it's a really fun, out of the way bar and the food next door is British comfort food at its finest.

You could head to the North Center one evening, too -- check out Fountainhead, Bad Apple (great for burgers in addition to a strong beer list), Half Acre and then swing by the Long Room (if you're still standing).

If you don't make it to Munster for Three Floyds, Local Option is your best bet for finding FFF on tap. Or Maria's, mentioned above.

 

I was there last Saturday at 2 and there were plenty of seats. And that was with a Cubs game @3. Lunch may get busier as time goes by, but it was nice to walk in and not have to worry about waiting.

 

Haymarkets food blows BTW. Eat at Kumas and the Publican (the publican is near Haymarket). Local Option is a can't miss bar IMO. Always carrying some of the best bottles/taps in chicago.

 

or Smallbar, or Bangers & Lace, or Piece, or Map Room, or Northdown Cafe, etc... there's a ton of places that typically have at least 1-2 offerings from Three Floyds Pouring... Now Local Option does tend to be one of the first to get some of the more obscure offerings, but I'd put Northdown right up there in that regard...

+1 to the recommendation of Maria's & Pleasant House - those savory pies are AMAZING!

Also - check http://www.beermenus.com/chicago - some places don't update it all that often, but the ones that do are usually pretty reliable

hope you enjoy your visit!

 

Bobs bad breath burger at weary traveler

 

Well, for Three Floyds, thetomG listed other places that tend to have FFF on tap -- and I didn't necessarily say that the two places I singled out have the best selection, just the best odds of finding something from FFF on tap (and, actually, I'd add Hopleaf to that list -- usually they have Alpha King or Zombie Dust on tap). I'd check with BeerMenus to see which places have updated their listing most recently and then which are most convenient to you (and then cross your fingers that BeerMenus is correct). The thing with FFF, though, is that it's best not to put too much faith in finding it. Hopleaf, for a while, anyway, was getting 5 kegs of Zombie Dust each week -- they still ran out towards the end of the week.

If you do go to Goose Island, head to the Clybourn Ave. brewpub. It's the first one, and the better one. Heck, if you get there soon enough, you may still find this year's Bourbon County Stout on tap! And that, really, could be reason enough to make a stop. It's located relatively close to Local Option, too, so you could easily hit up both places.

 

Definitely hit the Malt House if you are in Madison. You could probably walk to the Great Dane from the High Noon, which has fairly decent beer. I've always enjoyed the food there.

I'd also encourage Brasserie V as it has an excellent bottle and tap list and a pretty good happy hour. Brickhouse BBQ is also a solid bar closer to campus with a bunch of taps as well.

For Chicago, I'd back the recommendations of Map Room, Piece, Hopleaf, Local Option and Revolution.

 

Only the wrigleyvile goose island has the sweet glassware though

 

If you stop by Half Acre, make sure to grab a 4 pack of Double Daisy Cutter. You won't want to miss that.

I would call ( or check internet) Hop Leaf, Twisted Spoke, Local Option, Fountainhead to see way they have on tap.

Haymarket has Indignant on tap. A great Bourbon BA Stout, as well as guest drafts with Dreadnaught and Wookey Jack.

 

Four-year Madison resident here. Don't overlook Madison's own Ale Asylum. If you can find their Bedlam somewhere still available I would highly suggest that as it is an incredibly good Belgian IPA. Your best bet for a good selection of bottles (if you're looking for that) is Riley's House of Wines (conveniently located on Gorham Street, which is a hop skip and a jump from State Street) or Steve's Liquor (probably way out of your way on University Avenue).

It's a shame you won't be able to make it out to New Glarus, but without a car it's entirely impossible.

If I may, I'd like to suggest eating/drinking at The Old Fashioned instead of The Great Dane. The Dane has some good food and good beers, but The Old Fashioned is so quintessentially Wisconsin you'd be remiss to not go there, not to mention their staggering 100 different beers on tap (most of which are Wisconsin-based). They also have what I believe to be the best cheese curds in the city. Also, try their namesake drink, the brandy old fashioned, which is basically THE Wisconsin cocktail.

Finally, on the offhand you're interested in coffee as well as beer and eats, Bradbury's just off Capitol Square makes a mean cup of joe. Fair Trade on State Street is delicious, too.

 

In Madison I would recommend the Old-Fashioned, on Capitol Square. Like 100 beers on tap, and they're ALL from Wisconsin. And the cheese curds are out of this world

Haha, jinx, THANAT0PSIS!!

 

Get the fuck out of my head.

But seriously, are you a Madisonian as well?

 

No, I lived there from '00-'05 (for college). Chicago now. I go back once in a while though.