In an effort to promote the amazing brews of the Chicagoland area, I’ve begun devising a plan to visit and try more than 77 breweries in 18 hours.

A gentleman accomplished the feat in Portland, and the ultra-competitive midwesterner in me wants to top it.

(Reminder: The plan is try each brew with a one-ounce steins and just a few pints at milestone stops in order to drink responsibly.)

Thankfully, some fellow enthusiasts are game and so are some of my favorite breweries.

 

 

Now we’re identifying all potential breweries we can possibly visit before planning a route. Going off the Hop Review database, there are 67 breweries in Chicago and 87 in the areas around the season. While there are Illinois breweries listed as far north as Zion, I think Tighthead Brewing in Mundelein is where I’m willing to begin. There are a number of south suburb breweries as well but for time’s sake, going as far as the Northwest Indiana (notably 3 Floyds), sounds worth the finish. 

The next steps will include plotting a route with 80 or so brewers chosen, and then reaching out to each one to see what’s good. For now, here is a preliminary list of where the #ChiBrewChallenge adventure could go! 

In The City…

Alarmist Brewing 4055 W. Peterson Ave. – North Park 60646

Ale Syndicate 2601 W. Diversey Ave. – Logan Square 60647

Aleman (In Progress) 3304 N. Knox Ave. – Belmont Cragin 60641

All Rise Brewing Co 235 N. Ashland Ave. – West Loop 60607

Andersonville Brewing 5402 N. Clark St. – Andersonville 60640

Aquanaut Brewing 5435 N. Wolcott Ave. – Bowmanville 60640

Arcade Brewery 2601 W. Diversey Ave. – Logan Square 60647

Argus Brewery 11314 S. Front Ave. – Roseland 60628

Around the Bend Beer Co. 2601 W. Diversey Ave. – Logan Square 60647

Atlas Beer Company 2747 N. Lincoln Ave. – Lincoln Park 60614

Baderbräu (In Progress, Beer Available) 2515 S. Wabash – Bronzeville 60611

Band of Bohemia (In Progress) 4710 N. Ravenswood – Ravenswood 60640

Berghoff Brewery 17 W. Adams St. – Loop 60603

Begyle Brewing Company 1800 W. Cuyler St. – Northcenter 60613

Birreria Chicago 43 East Ohio St. – River North 60611

Bixi Brewery (In Progress) 2515 N. Milwaukee Ave. – Logan Square 60647

Bold Dog Brewing (In Planning) 1935 E Irving Park Rd. – Northcenter 60613

Breakroom Brewery 2925 W. Montrose Ave. – Irving Park 60618

Bucket List Brewing (In Planning) Chicago, IL 60641

Chicago Beer Company (Beer Available) 1140 W. Randolph St. – West Loop 60607

Corridor Brewery & Provisions 3446 N. Southport Ave – Lakeview 60657

Crooked Fork Brewing (In Planning) 4419 W. Montrose Ave – Mayfair 60641

Cruz Blanca (In Progress) 900 W. Randolph St. – West Loop 60607

Diversey Brewing Company (In Planning) – Logan Square 60647

DryHop Brewers 3155 N. Broadway Ave. – Lakeview 60657

Empirical Brewing 1801 W. Foster Ave. – Ravenswood 60640

Eris Brewery & Ciderhouse (In Planning) 4240 W. Irving Park Rd. – Old Irving 60641

Finch’s Beer Company 4565 N Elston Ave. – Avondale 60630

Forbidden Root 1746 W. Chicago Ave. – West Town 60622 

Gino’s East Brewing Company 500 N. LaSalle St. – River North 60654

Goose Island Beer Company 1800 W. Fulton St. – Near West Side 60612

Goose Island – Clybourn 1800 N. Clybourn St. – Lincoln Park 60614

Great Central Brewing (In Planning) 1745 W. Walnut St. – Near West Side 60612

Greenstar Brewing Co 3800 N. Clark St. – Lakeview 60613

Half Acre Beer Company Tap Room 4257 N. Lincoln Ave. – Northcenter 60618

Half Acre Beer Company (In Progress) 2050 W. Balmoral Ave. – Bowmanville 60640

Haymarket Pub & Brewery 737 W. Randolph St. – West Loop 60661

Hopewell Brewing (In Progress) 2760 N. Milwaukee Ave. – Logan Square 60647

Hopothesis Beer Company 730 W. Randolph St. – West Loop 60661

Horse Thief Hollow 10426 S. Western Ave. – Beverly 60643

Illuminated Brew Works 415 N. Sangamon Ave. – West Loop 60642

Lagunitas Brewing Company 1843 S. Washtenaw Ave. – Douglas Park 60608

Lake Effect Brewing Company 4727 W. Montrose Ave. – Irving Park 60641

Like Minds Brewing 1800 W. Walnut St. – Near West Side 60612

Lo Rez Brewing (In Planning) Chicago, IL

Mad Mouse Brewery 724 Maxwell St. – University Village/Little Italy 60607

Maplewood Brewery & Distillery 2717 N. Maplewood Ave. – Logan Square 60647

Marz Community Brewing 3315 S. Halsted St. – Bridgeport 60608

Metropolitan Brewing 5121 N Ravenswood Ave. – Ravenswood 60640

Mikerphone Brewing (Beer Available) 3223 S. Kolin Ave. – South Lawndale 60623

Moody Tongue 2136 S. Peoria St. – Pilsen 60608

Motor Row Brewing 2337 S. Michigan Ave. – South Loop 60616

Off Color Brewing 3925 W. Dickens Ave. – Hermosa 60639

Piece Brewery & Pizzeria 1927 W. North Ave. – Wicker Park 60622

Pipeworks Brewing Company 1675 N. Western Ave. – Bucktown 60647

Revolution Brewing 3340 N. Kedzie Ave. – Avondale 60618

Revolution Brewing Brewpub 2323 N. Milwaukee Ave. – Logan Square 60647

Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery 1 W. Grand Ave. – River North 60610

SlapShot Brewing 3223 S. Kolin Ave. – South Lawndale 60623

South Loop Brewing Company (Beer Available) Chicago, IL

Spiteful Brewing 1815 W. Berteau Ave. – Northcenter 60613

Transient Artisan Ales (In Planning, Gypsy Brewer) Chicago, IL

Une Année Brewery 1638 W. Hubbard St. – West Town 60622

Veteran Beer Company (In Planning) Chicago, IL

Vice District Brewing 1454 S. Michigan Ave. – South Loop 60605

Whiner Brewery (In Progress) 1400 W. 46th St. – Back of the Yards 60609

 

Around Chicago/Suburbs

3 Floyds Brewing Company 9750 Indiana Pkwy., Munster, IN 46321

5 Rabbit Cervecería 6399 W. 74th St., Bedford Park, IL 60638

18th Street Brewery 5725 Miller Ave., Gary, IN 46403

51st Ward Brewing (Contracting – Beer Available) Westmont, IL

350 Brewing Company 7144 W. 183rd St., Tinley Park, IL 60477

Arrowhead Ales Brewing Company (In Planning, Beer Available) New Lenox, IL

Ancient Owl Brewing (In Planning) Lombard, IL

Banging Gavel Brews (Beer Available) Palos Heights, IL

Big Hurt Brewing 6801 W. Cermak Rd., Berwyn, IL 60402

Black Belt Brewery (In Planning) Lake Zurich, IL

Blue Island Brewing Company 13357 Old Western Ave., Blue Island, IL 60406

Blue Nose Brewery 6119 East Ave., Hodgkins, IL 60525

Brickstone Brewery 557 William R. Latham Senior Dr., Bourbonnais, IL 60914

BuckleDown Brewing 8699 W 47th St., Lyons, IL 60534

Bulldog Brewing Company 1409 119th St., Whiting, IN 46394

Byway Brewing Company (In Planning) 2825 Carlson Dr., Hammond, IN 46323

Cademon Brewing Company 217 W. Main St., Genoa, IL 60135

Cahoots Brewing (In Planning) Downtown/Lake St. – Oak Park, IL

Chain O’Lakes Brewing Company 3425 Pearl St., McHenry, IL 60050

Church Street Brewing 1480 Industrial Dr. Unit C, Itasca, IL 60143

Crown Brewing 211 S. East St., Crown Point, IN 46307

Crystal Lake Brewing 150 N. Main St., Crystal Lake, IL 60014

The Devil’s Trumpet Brewing Co. 8250 Utah St., Merrillville, IN 46410

Dry City Brew Works 120B N. Main St., Wheaton, IL 60187

Emmett’s Brewing Company 110 N. Brockway St., Palatine, IL 60067

Evil Horse Brewing Company (In Progress) 1336 Main St., Crete, IL 60417

Exit Strategy Brewing Co. 7700 W Madison, Forest Park, IL 60130

Figure Eight Brewing 150 S. Washington St., Valparaiso, IN 46383

Flapjack Brewery (In Planning) Berwyn, IL

Flesk Brewing 844 N. Ridge Ave., Lombard, IL 60148

Flossmoor Station Brewing Company 1035 Sterling Ave., Flossmoor, IL 60422

Four Fathers Brewing 1555 W. Lincolnway Suite 105, Valparaiso, IN 46385

Gordon Biersch 639 E. Boughton Rd. #100, Bolingbrook, IL 60440

Granite City Brewery – Naperville 1828 Abriter Ct., Naperville, IL 60563

Granite City Brewery – Orland Park 14035 S. La Grange Rd., Orland Park, IL 60462

Granite City Brewery – Schaumburg 801 Plaza Dr., Schaumburg, IL 60173

Hailstorm Brewing Company 8060 186th St., Tinley Park, IL 60487

Hofbräuhuas Chicago 5500 Park Pl., Rosemont, IL 60018

Hopvine Brewing Company 4030 Fox Valley Center Dr., Aurora, IL 60504

Hunter’s Brewing 1535 S. Calumet Rd., Chesterton, IN 46304

Imperial Oak Brewing 501 Willow Blvd., Willow Springs, IL 60480

Ironwood Brewing Co. 6 Roosevelt Rd, Valparaiso, IN 46383

Lake Bluff Brewing Company  16 E. Scranton Ave., Lake Bluff, IL 60044

Light the Lamp Brewery 10 N. Lake St., Grayslake, IL 60030

The Lucky Monk 105 Hollywood Blvd., South Barrington, IL 60010

Lunar Brewing Company 54 E. St. Charles Rd. #11, Villa Park, IL 60181

Metal Monkey Brewing (In Progress) 515 Anderson Dr. #900, Romeoville, IL 60446

Mickey Finn’s Brewery 412 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville, IL 60048

Middle Brow Beer Company 2701 Deborah Ave., Zion, IL 60099

Miskatonic Brewing Company 1000 N. Frontage Rd., Darien, IL 60561

Nevin’s Brewing Company 12337 S. Rte. 59 #155, Plainfield, IL 60585

New Oberpfalz Brewing 121 E. Main St., Griffith, IN 46319

Noon Whistle Brewing 800 E. Roosevelt Rd., Lombard, IL 60148

Oak Park Brewing Company (In Progress) 155 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302

One Trick Pony Brewery 17933 Chappel Ave., Lansing, IL 60438

Only Child Brewing 1350 Tri State Pkwy, Ste 124, Gurnee, IL 60031

Peckish Pig 623 Howard St., Evanston, IL 60202

Penrose Brewing Company 509 Stevens St., Geneva, IL 60134

Pokro Brewing Company 311 North Broad Street, Griffith, IN  46319

Pollyanna Brewing Company 431 Talcott Ave., Lemont, IL 60439

Rock Bottom – Lombard 94 Yorktown Shopping Center, Lombard, IL 60148

Rock Bottom – Orland Park 16156 S. La Grange Rd., Orland Park, IL 60467

Rock Bottom – Warrenville 28256 Diehl Rd., Warrenville, IL 60555

Route 2 Brews 141 Harding Dr., Lowell, IN 46356

Rude Hippo Brewing Company 5725 Miller Ave., Gary, IN 46403

Saint John Malt Brothers Brewing 9607 Wicker Ave., St. John, IN 46373

Scorched Earth Brewing Company 203 Berg St., Algonquin, IL 60102

Sketchbook Brewing  825 Chicago Ave., Evanston, IL 60202

Small Town Brewery 1000 Brown St. #212, Wauconda, IL 60084

Smylie Bros. Brewing  1615 Oak Ave., Evanston, IL 60201

Solemn Oath Brewery 1661 Quincy Ave. #179, Naperville, IL 60540

Stockholm’s Brewpub  306 W. State St., Geneva, IL 60134

Temperance Beer Company 2000 Dempster St., Evanston, IL 60202

Ten Ninety Brewing 2701 Deborah Ave., Zion, IL 60099

Three Angels Brewing 10482 Ashley Rd., Yorkville, IL 60560

Tighthead Brewing Company 161 N. Archer Ave., Mundelein, IL 60060

Transient Artisan Ales (Brewing at One Trick Pony) 17933 Chappel Ave., Lansing, IL 60438

Tribes Alehouse Brewery 11220 W. Lincoln Hwy., Mokena, IL 60448

Two Brothers Brewing 30W315 Calumet Ave. W., Warrenville, IL 60555

Two Brothers Roundhouse 205 N. Broadway, Aurora IL 60505

Urban Legend Brewing Company 1115 Zygmunt Cir., Westmont, IL 60559

Village Vitner Winery & Brewery 2380 Esplanade Dr., Algonquin, IL 60102

Werk Force 14903 S. Center St., Plainfield, IL 60544

Wild Onion Pub & Brewery 22221 N. Pepper Rd., Lake Barrington, IL 60010

Wildrose Brewing 1104 E. Main St., Griffith, IN 46319

Windmill Brewing 2121 Gettler St, Dyer, IN 46311

ZümBier 3232 E. Monroe St., Waukegan, IL 60085

 

There are 154 breweries total listed but if you know or recommend others, please let me know on either Facebook or Twitter! 

 

I can also be reached by email at piff.michael@gmail.com. Check back as the plan keeps coming together!