Chicago Crafts Quality Microbrews

A tour of a microbrewery is a fun and educational way to spend a Saturday afternoon in Chicago. I say this because I recently took the tour offered by Half Acre Beer Company. The minute you walk through the door, you can feel the energy. People are in line, hoping to buy tickets for the tour. Only 60 tickets are sold for the tour, so be sure to arrive by noon. Aside from having a good time, you can learn a lot. I’ve taken brewery tours before. This one gets into more detail about the brewing process than any tour that I’ve taken. It gets downright technical. That’s when about half the people on the tour headed for the table to get another pint-sized sample. If you have a passion for handcrafted beers and technology, this tour should be on your bucket list. Even if you can’t find time to take the tour, be sure to check out the company’s website for an upcoming code game that offers prizes. It sounds intriguing. Half Acre Beer Company

  About Half Acre’s Tour When: Saturdays at 1:00 p.m. Where: 4227 N Lincoln Avenue, Chicago Reservations: No, so arrive by noon Cost: $10.00 per person Duration: 60 to 90 minutes What you get: Souvenir pint glass and token for pint-sized samples

 

  If this tour interests you, here are a few tips:

• Show up before 1:00 PM. We arrived at 12:15 PM, and there were only 5 tickets remaining.
• Avoid a DUI by taking the CTA. For more information, read Adam Evans’ post How to Get Around Chicago.
• If you have the time, make an afternoon of it. Meander back to Rosemont by stopping at a few local watering holes that serve Half Acre’s Daisy Cutter Pale Ale on tap. Two bars that I highly recommend are on the way back to the Blue Line station:
  • O’Donovans Bar, 2100 W. Irvin Park Road. Just a half-mile walk from Half Acre, you’ll find one of the oldest bars in Chicago. It’s also one of my favorites. Step through the door and you’ll find great atmosphere, friendly patrons, and the best pub grub in the city. Try to get a table in the outdoor beer garden. Atmosphere: Usually laid back.
  • Leader Bar, 3000 W. Irving Park Road. One of Chicago’s newer bars, “The Leader” is already a favorite with many Chicagoans. Atmosphere: Often loud and rowdy.

Microbrews in Rosemont RAM Restaurant and Brewery Exactly 1.1 miles form the Rosemont Hyatt Regency, this restaurant and sports bar serves up microbrews. RAM did not start in Chicago, but it now has three restaurants in Chicago’s suburbs. More Brew Pubs in Chicago Goose Island Opening its doors in 1988, this is the microbrewery that started Chicago’s current love for microbreweries. Goose Island also offers tours. When: Saturdays and Sundays Where:  At its  Clybourn location Reservations: Required Cost: $10.00 per person Duration: 60 to 90 minutes What you get: Text six selections, souvenir glass Plus: Restaurant and bar on premises Moonshine In the warm months, the entire restaurant opens up to offer open-air seating. That’s my favorite time to squander away an afternoon here. No tours, but good food and superb beer. Plus: Take the CTA Blue Line and get off at the Division stop. It’s about a 7-minute walk from the station. Revolution Brewing Company I haven’t been here, but I hear good things about the brews and the restaurant. Revolution offers a weekly tour: When: Saturdays at noon Cost: Free Plus: Take the CTA Blue Line and get off at the California stop. Revolution is just around the corner. Paula Ludmann is a member of the STC Chicago 2012 Host Committee and a senior technical writer at the American Academy of Dermatology.