Chicago has incredible breweries and taprooms, and I mean a lot of them. If you’re a beer lover, it’s one of the best cities to go exploring for your new favourites, and there are a number of fresh and innovative places to try.
Across the city there are dozens of breweries, big and small, and you can use the Chicago BrewPass app to track your stops.
Read on for some of my favourite breweries in the city, and for a few more ideas, check Choose Chicago’s list of top stops.
Industry Ales
230 S Wabash Ave, Chicago
One of the only brew pubs in the heart of the Chicago Loop, Industry Ales is a passion project born when three friends wanted to make great beer and create a lively, fun, and unique experience in their dream venue.
Like all great breweries, their list of brews changes seasonally, but everything I tried was excellent. Industry Ales also has guest taps, cocktails, and an excellent food menu.
I had a delicious rye ale when I visited, they had a great Kellerbier, a Japanese red ale, and one classic you can usually find on tap is Zeal for Zielke, made with New Zealand hops and special yeast, that’s nicely dry, flavourful, with just a little hint of fruit.
Goose Island Salt Shed Pub
1221 W Blackhawk St., Chicago
Across the Chicago River from the literal Goose Island, this brewery is a new classic, and it’s a must visit for a few reasons.
Beside the Salt Shed concert venue, Goose Island Salt Shed Pub is the perfect blend of modern and nostalgic, with a relaxed vibe, lots of light, and a wonderful range of beer, from wheat and pilsner, to ales and IPAs. I adore their Honkers ale, and La Palomita, so I definitely recommend trying a flight to sample their range.
They have indoor and outdoor seating, a great menu with burgers and wings, plus a highlight that you need to savour: their iconic Bourbon County Stout Milkshake. Made with malt, the delectable treat is like no milkshake you’ve probably tried before, and you definitely won’t want to share. I also highly recommend trying the spicy Fried Chicken sandwich with Gochujang, Kimchi slaw, and Kewpie.
Crushed By Giants Brewing Company
600 N Michigan Ave 2nd Floor, Chicago
Around the corner from North Michigan Avenue, Crushed By Giants is a very relaxed and cozy brewpub. From their Neon Werewolf, to light lagers, brown ales, and IPAs, their flavours pop, with trendy, fun, and unique twists on a range of styles.
The brewpub has great food, with pizza, burgers, and really fantastic sandwiches–Havana Good Time in particular is excellent–and I love their style. From the comic book themed monsters, to the art and can designs, the whole place feels like a great twist on the average brewery.
And the brewery is in the same building as a cinema, so you can catch a movie and then have some pints, or have a drink before the next showing.
Cultivate by Forbidden Root
4710 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago
Forbidden Root prides itself on using all natural ingredients to create what they call fine botanic beers. They put an artful spin on some really classic styles of beer, and make them fresh and exciting.
For many of their best brews they combine uncommon flavours, like their Strawberry Basil Hefeweizen, or the Peach Wit, and you can find both of those year-round. But their style goes beyond that, and I love how the flavours stand out. All of the flavours are fresh and a little richer than I’ve tasted at your average brewery.
Their location on North Ravenswood Avenue is warm and welcoming, with a thoughtful menu that’s dynamic, from cheeses, and fantastic snacks, to mains like mussels, scallops, and dumplings.
Revolution Brewing
2323 N. Milwaukee Ave, Chicago & 3340 N. Kedzie Ave, Chicago
This Chicago staple has a huge range of award-winning brews, two lively locations–including N. Kedzie Ave and N. Milwaukee Ave–and their can designs are iconic.
The independently-owned brewery is the largest in the state, they’re consistently recognized as one of the best in Chicago, and they take sustainability seriously, from their packaging and water usage, to waste, and they even have a rooftop beehive.
Try their Freedom of Assembly sour, the Straight Jacket barleywine, Anti-Hero IPA, and the DDH Jukebox Hero black IPA.
And there are many more…
My adventures in Chicago will continue in 2025, so I can’t wait to try more breweries and beer. I have heard great things about Dovetail Brewery, and Half Acre Beer Company, and there are more in every neighbourhood.
While The Loop is iconic, I definitely recommend getting out to explore Chicago’s other amazing neighbourhoods. Jump on transit and head out and discover Chinatown, Pullman, Humboldt Park, Englewood, and more.
To get the most out of Chicago, I highly recommend trying a free Greeter tour with their knowledgeable locals who love what they do.
For a look at more highlights from the city, watch my video below.
