Gather your beer-loving friends and embark on a tour of Chicago’s hottest taprooms with our picks for the best breweries to visit in Chicago.
See Also: The 9 Best Martinis In Chicago
901 W. Kinzie St. / Website
This recently debuted 15,000-square-foot taproom and brewery has quickly become a West Loop staple with a vast tap list, a food menu and the first Guinness bakery. Visit to try fan-favorite brews on tap, including the Dublin-brewed 1801 Guinness Foreign Extra Stout with 7.5% ABV and the dry Clover Honey Ale with 7% ABV, among others.
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3446 N. Southport Ave. / Website
Head to Lakeview to indulge in industry veteran Brant Dubovick’s robust beer program and chef Jeff Parkin’s tasty, locally sourced cuisine. To drink, try favorites like the Nomikai Rice Lager with 5.3% ABV, the Wizard Fight American IPA with 6.5% ABV and the Unnatural Love double IPA with 8% ABV. Dine on housemade specials, including the tempura-battered fish tacos with pico de gallo, radish, corn, fresco crema and lime, and the patty melt burger, topped with provolone, cheddar, Thousand Island dressing, caramelized onions, toasted rye and a side of fries.
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600 N. Michigan Ave., Floor 2 / Website
Brewery director Brant Dubovick and head brewers Jacob Huston and Chris Hollenbeck have curated an ever-changing beer program at this Streeterville brewpub with menu pairings from chef Enrique Roman. Sip on popular beverage selections, including the Dragonheart amber ale with 5.75% ABV and the Neon Werewolf hazy IPA with 6.8% ABV. Dine on specials like the spicy fried chicken sandwich with herb ranch, pickled green tomatoes and a brioche roll and the Rueben sandwich, made with housemade pastrami, swiss, sauerkraut, Thousand Island and marble rye.
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1800 W. Belle Plaine Ave. / Website
Founded and owned by certified master brewers Bill Wesselink and Hagen Dost, Dovetail creates high-quality craft brews and features seasonal and nonalcoholic selections. In the taproom and beer garden, find an array of beers on tap, including the golden Lager brew with 4.8% ABV, the malt Pilsner beer with 4.6% ABV and the Rauchbier, the brewery’s take on a Bamberg classic with 5.3% ABV.
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4240 W. Irving Park Road / Website
Check out this female-owned brewery and cider house for an alfresco experience and an intimate taproom. Explore nine unique craft ciders made in-house, house beers and the occasional guest beers on tap. For a brew that really packs a punch, try the Eris Espresso Stout, which has notes of caramel, dark chocolate and coffee with 7.6% ABV. Boozier yet, try the Dippa Sippa double IPA for a smooth finish and 8.4% ABV. Or, sample one of Eris’ 6% ABV ciders, including the cherry-flavored Blush hard cider and the E-Phoria hard cider with notes of apple and vanilla. Pair the spot’s libation offerings with shareable snacks, including the maize-coated fried pickles, the mac & cheese and the Wisconsin cheddar cheese curds, served with a generous side of maple mustard.
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Multiple Locations / Website
This inventive brewery prides itself on being the first botanic brewery in Chicago, with nature-inspired brews crafted from unique botanicals and wild ingredients. The company opened its first brick-and-mortar store in West Town in 2016, and it has since expanded to two other outposts, with another Chicago location in Ravenswood. Pair Forbidden Root’s brews, including the oak and vanilla-flavored Panda Party black lager and the oak-aged Vienna-style lager Hoodie Weather, with the brewery’s lengthy menu of cheeses, bar snacks, veggie-focused dishes and proteins. Try the ora king salmon with sourdough crust, carrot purée, edamame, ginger-garlic dashi and pickled pearl onions or the beer-braised short rib with creamy polenta, Japanese sweet potato, crispy kale and fresh horseradish.
See also: The 5 Best Cosmopolitans In Chicago
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2050 W. Balmoral Ave. / Website
Founded in 2007, this brewery is a local favorite, featuring a taproom and a beer garden at its production facility. Find IPAs, pale ales, lagers, pilsners, barrel-aged brews and rotating seasonal pours on tap, including the 5.2% ABV Daisy Cutter pale ale, the Waybird hazy IPA with 6.5% ABV and the 4.5% ABV Green Torch lime lager.
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3630 S. Iron St. / Website
Check out this community-focused brewery to indulge in experimental brews and connect with like-minded beer enthusiasts. The brewery was founded in 2013 and has expanded its beer production and facilities since. Rather unique to this brewery, they also brew kombucha, sparkling waters, sparkling botanical tea with CBD and numerous beers made with unique, locally sourced ingredients. Visitors can sample canned offerings like the 5.4% ABV floral Lavender Lemon Gose, the Lunar Dragon rice lager with 5.2% ABV and the sweet Chocolate Orange Porter with 5.3% ABV.
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2515 S. Wabash Ave. / Website
The first two-Michelin-starred brewery in the world, founded by trained chef-turned-brewmaster Jared Rouben, features an ever-changing tasting menu from 11-time Michelin-starred chef Jared Wentworth. Visitors can indulge in the taproom’s seven perennial beers, including Caramelized Chocolate Churro Porter, Juiced Lychee IPA, Orange Blossom Belgian Blonde, and its collection of seasonal selections, including barrel-aged beers, wine and whiskey.
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1460 N. Kingsbury St. / Website
Check out Off Color Brewing’s taproom, Mousetrap, for a welcoming atmosphere, 16 draft beers, a full bar and an emphasis on housemade craft beers and guest ciders. Founded by two Siebel Institute-trained brewers, David Bleitner and John Laffler, this fun spot features numerous brews with playfully self-explanatory names like Beer For Bowling, Beer For Burgers and Beer for Lounging, among others.
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1725 W. Hubbard St. / Website
Lovers of classic rock and craft beer should check out On Tour Brewing. The brewery regularly hosts live bands, open mic nights and engaging pop-up events. On tap, explore six housemade beers, including the Thalia Hall Pilsner, brewed for the concert venue and crafted in a Bohemian Style Pilsner with 5% ABV.
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1757 N. Kimball Ave., Floor 1 / Website
Located in the Kimball Arts Center, this brewery is known for its creative, artful brews and inspired ingredients. On tap, find a seasonally rotating lineup of lagers, ales, pilsners, sours and ciders, among others. The Oyster Stout utilizes oysters as an ingredient, evoking the flavor of a dry stout with hints of the ocean. Or, try the Buckwheat Farmhouse Ale with notes of lemon verbena and shiso. For those looking for something other than beer, the cocktail menu has unique craft creations and visitors will find a menu featuring crab beignets, caraway buns and roasted oysters.
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2140 N. Milwaukee Ave. / Website
Head to this Logan Square brewery incubator and taproom to try beers from up-and-coming distilleries. On tap, find hard kombuchas, lagers, numerous IPAs and a handful of stouts, with options like Brewer’s Kitchen’s Fifty-Five Rocks hazy pale ale, Pilot Project’s Akazukin farmhouse brew with yuzu and Azadi’s Kaduk stout with notes of chai and milk sugar. There’s an innovative beer and kombucha mix on the menu and zero-proof options as well.
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3340 N. Kedzie Ave. / Website
This popular brewery encompasses over 90,000 square feet and serves as the Chicago brand’s only brewery facility. On draft, find a variety of sours, ales, stouts, pilsners and IPAs. Try the Deth By Currants stout with an ABV of 14.1% for a draft that packs a punch. Looking for something even stronger? Snag a can of the Thundertaker stout with 16.2% ABV.
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1400 W. 46th St. / Website
Visit this South Side hub to sample hard kombucha varieties and ales, saisons, IPAS and more. The company’s Siebel Institute-trained co-founders, Brian Taylor and Ria Neri focus on crafting barrel-aged brews with sustainable practices. Swing by to indulge in fan-favorite selections like the Bubble Tub, a kettle-soured farmhouse ale with notes of watermelon and the Mango Gelato IPA, a dry hopped brew with mango, vanilla and milk flavor accents.
Looking for more luxe stops in the city? Check out our picks for The 10 Best Oyster Restaurants In Chicago.
Photography by: Winzent / Getty Images; COURTESY OF SV IMAGES AND KENDALL MCCAUGHERTY
