10 Best Breweries and Beer Places in Salt Creek

"North Center/Bowmanville Founded in 2006 well before the current craft beer craze took hold of America, Half Acre is one of the OGs of Chicago brewing and is regarded by many experts as the finest craft brewer in the city. With not one, but two breweries on the North Side (within a 10-minute drive of each other), Half Acre recently opened its massive 60,000-square-foot Balmoral facility as a testament to its increasing popularity and thirst for experimentation. Daisy Cutter (one of five year-round ales) is the beer that put Half Acre on the map, but the new digs have carved out more room for so-called “wyld beers” marked by experimentation and mixed fermentation."

"In a city that has detonated with craft breweries in the last decade, Half Acre Beer Company, founded in 2006, is considered one of the original players. The first brewery location is on Chicago’s north side on Lincoln Avenue and the expanded space is about 15 minutes away on Balmoral—both complete with kitchens and taprooms and both offer inexpensive tours. The Balmoral spot, however, has a lovely outdoor beer garden that is perfect for drinking all of those Daisy Cutters."

"Go to Moody Tongue for an elevated brewery experience|Courtesy of Moody Tongue. The Moody Tongue philosophy is all about culinary brewing: applying a chef’s mindset, with the most creative flavors and highest quality ingredients, to creating beer. (Brewmaster Jared Rouben has a background in Michelin-star dining.) Visit the tasting room, housed inside a former glass factory, and you’ll get an elevated brewery experience in every regard, from the impeccable service to the flavorful beers and a small, thoughtfully curated food menu including oysters flown in daily, baguettes and sausages, and a 12-layer German chocolate cake."

"You won’t find a classier brewery around Chicago than Moody Tongue, now settled into South Loop. For god’s sake, their beers are served in wine glasses, and if that isn’t dedication to the atmosphere, we don’t know what is. Their minimal menu includes fan favorites like the Smoked Applewood Gold and Carmalized Chocolate Churro Porter (WUT), but also a few limited releases, such as the champagne-reminiscent Shaved Black Truffle Pilsner."

"The gist: After moving to its new brewing facility just south of the Motor Row District, Moody Tongue wisely tapped Michelin-starred chef Jared Wentworth (Longman & Eagle, Dusek’s) to help hone a culinary experience on par with the chef-driven beers they’ve been crafting for years."

"Lincoln Park/Wrigleyville Most hipsters may have abandoned Goose Island since it “went mainstream” with its much-maligned sale to InBev in 2011, but the brewery that basically started the Chicago craft beer scene continues to make high-quality beers worthy of your attention. Founded in 1988 and shut out of the Great America Beer Festival for the first time last year (it is no longer considered “craft”), Goose Island continues to forge ahead by opening new brewpubs across the globe in addition to its two Chicago locations. 312 is the beer most locals know best, but Goose’s food-focused offerings like Sofia and Matilda are steadily increasing in popularity."

"When you think Chicago, you think 312, the signature, school-bus-yellow bottle of beer from Goose Island. This popular, Chicago-based brewery has since expanded its single location on Fulton Street to several brewpubs and brewhouses around the city and beyond, so make sure to stop into one of your local Goose Island locations just in time for their fall releases."

"Goose Island continues to serve some of Chicago's finest beer, and a one-stop-shop for a perfect evening beer and bites. They offer tours of the brewery and are also open for brunch!. Place a pick-up order to enjoy all their offerings at home, and check out their menu for seasonal and limited-edition brews."

"Tucked down Rockwell Avenue in the Avondale neighborhood, Metropolitan Brewing’s Tap Room sits right on the banks of the North Branch of the Chicago River. They’re currently building a massive outdoor patio right on the river, but in the meantime, you can get a beer, order food from the rotating delivery partners, and gaze at the green views out the massive floor to ceiling windows. ➙ Need a place to stay?"

"Bars Breweries Avondale. You won't find food on the menu at this Avondale brewery's riverside patio and dining room space, but guests are welcome to order from nearby restaurants—Kuma's Corner and Dmen Tap are just a couple options—to accompany Metropolitan's German-style lagers."

"Don’t be fooled by the warehouse aesthetic—there’s a lot more going on behind the scenes than you realize. This BYO food joint nestled up on the riverbanks in Bucktown offers outdoor seating with gorgeous views of the surrounding greenery, making you feel like you’re miles outside the city limits."

"Farmhouse-style ales go hand in hand with a rustic farmhouse kitchen at Corridor Brewery & Provisions. Pair one of their hop-forward brews with a Midwest bar snacks or an artisan pizza made with local ingredients. The always-changing draft list ranges from double IPAs to fruity sours to funky saisons."

"Food and crowlers are available for patio dining, pick-up and delivery from these Lakeview brewers!. Patio tables are seated on a first-come, first-served basis."

"Another Chicago staples, Off Color was founded in 2013 by John Laffler (formerly of Goose Island Brewery) and Dave Bleitner (formerly of Two Brothers Brewing). As you might expect, the pedigree of the founders is obvious in Off Color Brewing’s mature and technically excellent beers, which lean toward European styles. While the beers are serious, the branding is fun, leading to a very silly and unique taproom experience at both the original location and The Mousetrap, located on the North Branch Canal just west of the Old Town neighborhood."

"There’s something a little wacky about Off Color’s chosen mascot, a charming cartoon mouse that appears in all sorts of adventures through their label artwork, whether it’s Sibling Rivalry, Little Friend, or Dino S’mores. Other characters make their debuts as well, giving each bottle a captivating aesthetic that makes it even tastier to consume."

"A selection of seven cans in the "Beer for" series is seen at Off Color Brewing's Mousetrap taproom. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)"

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"Motor Row Brewery is located in Chicago’s historic Motor Row neighborhood|Courtesy of Motor Row Brewery. Frank Lassandrello, the head brewer of Motor Row, learned the tricks of his trade while at college in Vermont, creating home brews with his roommate. It wasn’t until 2007 that Lassandrello partnered with his son and purchased a space in Chicago’s historic Motor Row neighborhood to start his own legitimate brewery."

"German influence meets Midwestern hospitality at Motor Row Brewing. Located in an historic landmark warehouse building, Motor Row Brewing takes you back in time to when the neighborhood was home to Chicago’s auto industry. It offers extended seasonal releases (including a series of easy-drinking Belgian-style ales, perfect for summer), plus collaborations and experimental one-offs."

"Motor Row Brewing is a microbrewery with a tasting room and taproom. It produces and serves seasonal beers. As it is located in the neighborhood of automobile manufacturers and dealers, their name is conceived."

"Douglas Park While Lagunitas isn’t exactly a “Chicago brewery,” the native California craft behemoth continues to operate the largest facility in Chicago at its gigantic 300,000-square-foot Douglas Park location, which opened in 2014. Since then Lagunitas has been fully acquired by Heineken (in 2017) and Illinois’ largest brewer is planning to open a second California brewery near Los Angeles this fall in addition to the original Petaluma location, which opened in 1994. History and expansion aside, Lagunitas remains a favorite in Chicago thanks to its famously laid-back 420-friendly vibes and ever-popular ales including Lagunitas IPA and Little Sumpin’ Sumpin."

"This California-based brewing company has a sick location near Pilsen, and it should absolutely take precedence on your list of breweries to hit up. Whether you’re more intrigued by the planetary artwork lining the walls of the entry hall or the delicious beer awaiting you inside the taproom, Lagunitas offers communal seating and live music to make its guests feel all sorts of welcome."

"Entering the facility feels like walking through a Willy Wonka-style light show, but things mellow out once you reach the 300-seat tap room. California-based Lagunitas Brewing Companyserves up their classic brews, plus live music, munchies, and tree tours every day."

"This charming ice cream parlor serves up root beer floats from an old-fashioned soda fountain. Their homemade ice creams, pies and cakes are fresh, delicious and definitely worth the trip to Forest Park. Double up on the chocolate-chip ice cream sandwiches — they are divine!"

"A post shared by @cafe_selmarie on Dec 20, 2018 at 4:37pm PST. Nostalgia is in the air this time of year, and the cookies at Café Selmarie will take you right back to your childhood of sprinkling/dumping colored sugar on your Christmas cookies. The Lincoln Square bakery also has cookie exchange-worthy varieties like chocolate crackles, raspberry kolachkys and cinnamon walnut butter cookies."

"Restaurants American Lincoln Square. You might have stopped by this Lincoln Square bakery for a croissant to go and missed the dining room hidden in back. The first-come, first-served policy means you’ll have a half-hour wait for brunch, but a cup of coffee and slice of coffee cake will tide you over."

"Finish your ride at the waterfront behind the Alder Planetarium, for your very last photography stop. With dreamy views of the skyline framed by the glittering lake, it’s considered one of the best spots in the city to watch the sunset and makes for the perfect ending to a whirlwind Chicago getaway."

"The Adler Planetarium has a lot to offer curious visitors. With nine special exhibits, multiple theaters, and the historic Atwood Sphere experience, you’ll enjoy a plethora of things to do, whether you’re traveling with kids or a group of adults."

"Taking you on a journey through the stars to unlock the mysteries of our galaxy and beyond, the Adler tells amazing stories of space…"

"The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum opened in 1999 in Lincoln Park with a clear mission: to educate the public, especially urban dwellers, on the importance of maintaining the quality of nature that surrounds us and steps to take that can help the environment. Your little ones will learn a little bit about nature and the environment that surrounds them, with a look at Chicago's waterways, an animal habitat play area, a year-round butterfly garden and more. The museum also hosts traveling exhibits that change every few months."

"The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum has the most hands-on activities of any museum in the city. They offer suggested donation days on July 22, July 29, August 5, August 12, August 19, and August 26."