Traveling To Chicago? Here's Why You Should Visit A Brewery While There

Whether you’re specifically visiting Chicago or simply traveling through, there’s one thing you need to do, and that’s visit some of the terrific breweries within the “friendly confines” of the Windy City. You might be wondering why we’re telling you to do this; what do Chicago breweries have that breweries in other places don’t?

You won’t find a city in the nation with better beer than Chicago. It’s as simple as that. But then that’s just a bold statement without any convincing rhetoric behind it.

Read on to explore a few reasons why this is true.

Chicago Is the #1 Beer City in the US
This may seem like a wild statement to make, but there’s factual evidence to back this up. Chicago is the number one city with the most breweries in the U.S., beating out popular beer cities like Seattle, Portland, San Diego, Denver to grab the number one spot. Illinois’ biggest city boasts 167 breweries within the city limits. There’s even German beer in Chicago!

About 60 new breweries have opened in the last three years, not counting downstate. This is a massive increase when you look at it within the context of Chicago’s beer history. More breweries are also planning to move to Chi-Town, and there’s no indication this massive influx of breweries is slowing down anytime soon.

Chicago Has Amazing Beer
While Chicago has its own local breweries that are indigenous to the beautiful city, the city also has access to some of the best beer available in the country. Legendary breweries, such as Adams Street Brewery, known for its heritage of authentic German beer, have been seduced by the city’s wonderful beer market.

Apart from the historical beer the city has, there are also many unique and exhilarating styles that are more popular among modern beer fans. From Forbidden Root to Off Color to Moody Tongue, Chicago breweries know how to create a definable outlook and carve out a niche in the market.

The City’s Neighborhoods and Suburbs Are Full of Breweries
Most Chicago neighborhoods can claim one or two breweries within blocks of each other. That’s what make makes the Windy City the beer capital of the U.S.; it’s not just the city center itself – the suburbs also host many great breweries, too. Thus, if you visit Chicago and don’t try the beer, you’ll be missing out on a spectacularly diverse collection of breweries, each with its own unique appeal.

Beyond Breweries, Chicago Has Plenty of Good Spots to Imbibe
Chicago is home to some of the best pubs in the country. In fact, there are so many options to choose from that, if you’re not careful, you'd end up drunk every night! However, that might be what you want…

Either way, the city has far more than just breweries, as restaurants, taprooms, pubs, bars and brewpubs all dot the cityscape. Check out these terrific places to drink beer in Chicago.

You’ll find many renowned beer destinations in Chi-Town, such as HopLeaf, Map Room, Old Town Ale House, Three Dots and a Dash and The Green Mill – all of which provide terrific atmospheres and robust beer lists.

Bourbon County Brand Stout
Goose Island Brewing Co.’s Bourbon County Brand Stout, founded in Chicago, kickstarted the current barrel-aged beer phenomenon. Bourbon County Brand Stout is easily one of the most-loved craft beers in the country.

If you ever you get to visit Chicago, you should definitely not miss this beer phenomenon as it can be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for travelers.

Homebrew Clubs
When traveling to Chicago, beer fans simply have to stop by and check out some homebrew clubs. Homebrewing has been central to beer production in Chicago for decades. Some of the homebrew clubs to visit includes Square Kegs and CHAOS.

Siebel Institute of Technology
Besides all the fun you’ll be having visiting beer festivals and clubs, you can also go for a truly educational experience by visiting the Siebel Institute of Technology. 

The institute is one of America’s best brewing schools and you can imagine how inspiring it’ll be to visit such a legendary site. Who knows, maybe you’ll be moved to put down the beer you’re drinking and ponder actually becoming a brewer!

Beer Festivals
Beer festivals are an ingrained part of the Chicago lifestyle, and there seems to be a festival every weekend in Chicago. Most of these festivals are organized around a beer theme, such as the Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beers (FOBAB). This festival pours a wide range of barrel-aged brews – many of which are exceedingly rare or one-offs created specifically for the event.

Conclusion
More than anything else, the reason you should visit breweries in Chicago when you’re visiting should be your love of beer. When in the Windy City, beer lovers are guaranteed to have tons of fun as well as a fantastic cultural experience that they’ll carry with them always.

Don’t miss out on a once-in-a-lifetime beer experience and visit Chicago’s legendary breweries while you’re in the city.