Beer Travels - Chicago Area Beer Run!
Beer travels don't need to be far off destination locations. Sometimes they can be practically in your own back yard. Chicago is a short hour and a half drive south of Milwaukee so we decided to go check out what our neighbors are doing. We selected our brewery stops based on recommendations from friends and breweries we are aware of but haven't visited. It was a long but fun day and hopefully this can be a nice guide to help you discover what Chicago has to offer.
Our first stop was Forbidden Root because I heard they have really good food and we needed a base before our adventures. We got there a little early so we waited outside with a small group. They have menus in the window so that helped us pass the time. Parking was pretty easy during this time of day so we had no issues there.
When we got inside we took a seat near the open window and started to pour over the menu. I had studied it before coming here so I knew what I wanted to order. The Grain Bowl had my name all over it!! Due to a small mishap we were able to get the Lunch Beer Flight which is typically reserved for during the week. I got the Sparkling Rose Ale, Ghost Tropic and Keine Krumel. Ghost Tropic was my favorite, that hazy NE IPA style is always one I will seek. Keine Krumel seemed to have a bitterness at the end that I didn't really enjoy and the Sparkling Roes Ale just wasn't the kind of style I could get into.
Recommendation: I would definitely make the stop. The beers are tasty and the food was wonderful. My buddies had the burger and really enjoyed it. Plus it's a great way to start your beer adventures!
Forbidden Root Pictures
Walking into the building on the first level you see a sign for the taproom and one for brewery. The taproom and brewery are separated by a long hallway where you can find other vendors during the Saturday Farmer's Market. There is a second level where you will find a coffee roaster, an Italian baker and some artisan ice cream. I believe there is a cheese maker on that level too but either they aren't open to the public or wasn't open at all. This is what was so awesome about this place. It's a destination location! You can spend a good chunk of time here with the food vendors and the brewery taproom.
We started off in the taproom and took a seat at the far end of the bar. This place is setup really nice and for me had a warm feeling to it. The woodwork (tables) and lighting fixtures worked well with the concrete walls and columns and it kept me interested in the decor the entire time. The taproom beer list is written in chalk on one of the columns but they also have it printed out with more explanation to what each beer is. I tried Francine, Pounce! and Bubble Tub.
As we were enjoying our beers we had started a great conversation with the gentleman behind the bar. Little did we know that we were actually talking to Brian Taylor, Head Brewer/Owner of Whiner Beer Co. Our conversation was based around the beer culture, beer nerds and beer trends. Brian then graciously offered us a tour of the brewery complete with building history, plans for the future and their culture. For the grand finale he pulled out a bottle of Ultraviolet for us to open. I am really excited about the beers coming out of here and more excited about what beers Brian plans for the future.
Recommendation: A must stop. Not only is the atmosphere cool but with so many vendors there you can find some nice gems. The beers are unique and tasty with nice drinkability to them. If Brian is around you may end up with some great beer conversation.
Whiner Beer Pictures
I was really intrigued by this brewery based on what I have read about them. A culinary take on beers, my first one ever from Moody Tongue was a bourbon barrel aged chocolate barleywine. Since this was on the way back north it was a must stop for us.
The interior can almost be described as sterile. I personally don't mind this style and found it a nice escape from what most brewery taprooms are like. The bar area makes up the center with tables and booths around the exterior. Doesn't feel like it would be a good place for large groups but smaller ones would work well here. I think they serve food here but we were never offered a food menu. I could swear I saw plates coming out. I should have asked for a menu.
Most of the beers they have here are available to go. One of the nice offerings they have is a Farmer's Beer which is their Saison with different fruits depending on what's available at the time. This typically changes from week to week so you know they are small batch beers. They also had a few barrel aged beers. This was the one place where I sampled a little more because each beer seemed intriguing to me. I had their Farmer's Saison which if memory serves me right was Pluot. I also had the Chocolate Barleywine, the Peeled Grapefruit Pilsner (I fell in love with this beer but when I opened a bottle at home it wasn't the same which was a huge let down), a Lemon Saison and a Barrel Aged version of the Lemon Saison (which I really liked because it brought out a lot of the mute flavors I got in the regular version).
Recommendation: I would stop here if you are near by but probably not make it a destination place. The service was probably as sterile as the atmosphere, nice but missing something. Most of their beers are available at Binny's but as I have found it's better from the source.
Moody Tongue Pictures
Our last stop on this side of town was Old Irving. A true neighborhood joint, there was a baby shower going on when we got there. The brewpub is larger than it seems thanks to a separate dining area. Full exposure to the brewery in the back makes you feel like you are in the brewery space. I liked the overall setup and design, mainly because of the large bar area with plenty of seating.
It's worth noting here that when I got here I wasn't feeling the greatest. Not sure if it was the beers or not eating enough but I wasn't at my peak and really didn't want anymore beer quite yet. But I sucked it up and ordered a flight with Dunes of the Cape, Scentinel and Trendiii. I wasn't a fan of the stout (shocking right?) but I did enjoy the Scentinel. The Trendiii felt like the same beer as Scentinel except at a higher ABV which for me lost something there.
I knew I needed some food so I ordered the Ninja Fries. This was a damn tasty creation that is meant for sharing. If you like Korean food, you'll love this dish. My buddies also got small appetizers and they came out really quick where mine took a little more time. Not a big deal, but I was shocked how fast the food came out. The service here was good, not great. The guys behind the bar were rough around the edges and how the staff communicated together seemed a tad weird. Maybe it was just busy or something but I didn't get the best vibe.
Recommendation: I would probably try this place again if the purpose was to eat. I wouldn't stop here just for beers. I also wouldn't make this a destination stop but if I am in the area it becomes a contender for a stop.
Old Irving Pictures
The brewpub is located in what looks to be a small town, a far cry from where we just came from. There seems to be some parking in a lot on the side of the building but you are probably better off parking on the street. The brewery was pretty packed and we were told that it's common for them to be busy. We were able to get a table right away though and sat down to get some food and beers.
We went beer first since we had a nice break from it on the drive in. They had four beers on tap, two IPA's (Climbing Through Windows and Smog Strangler) and two sours (Sourenity Now! and Sourenity Now! w/watermelon). They also had a host of guest taps available if you wanted something else. Personally I was a tad bummed to only see four beers on tap from them. I like to see different styles to get a feel for their take on those styles but with how busy they are I can see where they had to keep it simple. The Watermelon Sourenity Now! tasted like watermelon jolly ranchers while the Smog Strangler was my favorite IPA from them. I did max out on crowlers for the IPA's since the sours were not available in crowlers.
We ordered appetizers here based on one of my buddies recommendations. Cheese curds, sliders and wings. The food was pretty tasty and a welcome accompaniment to our beers. We actually spent a good chunk of time here visiting with Vee and the awesome folks at More, along with a special guest from 18th Street Brewery. A nice surprise were the pours of Henna we received in advance of the release. A barrel aged stout which would be the first to come out of More. If you kept tabs on their social media site when it was released you saw pretty quickly the demand was high for this bottle.
Recommendation: Do it. On this side of town with a little less traffic and a slower pace this is a great place to visit with friends over great food and good beer. The staff are all friendly and the ambiance is great. Just don't ask to put on the Packers game.
More Brewing Pictures
We got here just in time to get a few samplers and some to-go bottles. There is no food here and I am not sure if they have food trucks come out to them but it looked like you may be able to bring your own in.
The system is a little different here. You only can have up to 48oz of beer a day. For the math impaired, that's four 12oz beers. You get a wristband that they mark up with how much you have had to drink. From what I understand this was due to the agreements made with the city to open their taproom. I wasn't even going to get close to that number though as I tried samplers of Imperial Smells Like Bean Spirit, Say Uhh! and That One Guitar. I also bought a bunch of bottles to take home of beers I didn't get to try because I wasn't going to pass up this oppurtunity.
Recommendation: I would say this is a must stop place, maybe even a destination stop. The beers here are just awesome and there is enough in the surrounding areas to keep you busy. More Brewing is about a 20 minute drive away and a good place to start so you can get a base going. Grab some bottles to go for your friends too! They will appreciate you!
Mikerphone Pictures
I hope you enjoyed the summary of our trip. For as close as we are to the area I am surprised we don't get down here more often. I am hoping that we can do one day trip down to the Chicagoland area with a stop at 18th Street Brewery. If you have any recommendations of other places we need to hit up, give us a shout!! Don't forget to visit us on Instagram and Facebook!!
Forbidden Root Restaurant and Brewery
Our first stop was Forbidden Root because I heard they have really good food and we needed a base before our adventures. We got there a little early so we waited outside with a small group. They have menus in the window so that helped us pass the time. Parking was pretty easy during this time of day so we had no issues there.When we got inside we took a seat near the open window and started to pour over the menu. I had studied it before coming here so I knew what I wanted to order. The Grain Bowl had my name all over it!! Due to a small mishap we were able to get the Lunch Beer Flight which is typically reserved for during the week. I got the Sparkling Rose Ale, Ghost Tropic and Keine Krumel. Ghost Tropic was my favorite, that hazy NE IPA style is always one I will seek. Keine Krumel seemed to have a bitterness at the end that I didn't really enjoy and the Sparkling Roes Ale just wasn't the kind of style I could get into.
Recommendation: I would definitely make the stop. The beers are tasty and the food was wonderful. My buddies had the burger and really enjoyed it. Plus it's a great way to start your beer adventures!
Forbidden Root Pictures
Whiner Beer Co.
This was the surprise brewery of the day for me. Driving up I was a little concerned what we may be getting into. There was a small farmers market going on outside and the building looked like an old factory. The big BEER sign at the top of the building was a welcome sign that we were in the right place.Walking into the building on the first level you see a sign for the taproom and one for brewery. The taproom and brewery are separated by a long hallway where you can find other vendors during the Saturday Farmer's Market. There is a second level where you will find a coffee roaster, an Italian baker and some artisan ice cream. I believe there is a cheese maker on that level too but either they aren't open to the public or wasn't open at all. This is what was so awesome about this place. It's a destination location! You can spend a good chunk of time here with the food vendors and the brewery taproom.
We started off in the taproom and took a seat at the far end of the bar. This place is setup really nice and for me had a warm feeling to it. The woodwork (tables) and lighting fixtures worked well with the concrete walls and columns and it kept me interested in the decor the entire time. The taproom beer list is written in chalk on one of the columns but they also have it printed out with more explanation to what each beer is. I tried Francine, Pounce! and Bubble Tub.
As we were enjoying our beers we had started a great conversation with the gentleman behind the bar. Little did we know that we were actually talking to Brian Taylor, Head Brewer/Owner of Whiner Beer Co. Our conversation was based around the beer culture, beer nerds and beer trends. Brian then graciously offered us a tour of the brewery complete with building history, plans for the future and their culture. For the grand finale he pulled out a bottle of Ultraviolet for us to open. I am really excited about the beers coming out of here and more excited about what beers Brian plans for the future.
Recommendation: A must stop. Not only is the atmosphere cool but with so many vendors there you can find some nice gems. The beers are unique and tasty with nice drinkability to them. If Brian is around you may end up with some great beer conversation.
Whiner Beer Pictures
Moody Tongue Brewing Co.
I was really intrigued by this brewery based on what I have read about them. A culinary take on beers, my first one ever from Moody Tongue was a bourbon barrel aged chocolate barleywine. Since this was on the way back north it was a must stop for us.The interior can almost be described as sterile. I personally don't mind this style and found it a nice escape from what most brewery taprooms are like. The bar area makes up the center with tables and booths around the exterior. Doesn't feel like it would be a good place for large groups but smaller ones would work well here. I think they serve food here but we were never offered a food menu. I could swear I saw plates coming out. I should have asked for a menu.
Most of the beers they have here are available to go. One of the nice offerings they have is a Farmer's Beer which is their Saison with different fruits depending on what's available at the time. This typically changes from week to week so you know they are small batch beers. They also had a few barrel aged beers. This was the one place where I sampled a little more because each beer seemed intriguing to me. I had their Farmer's Saison which if memory serves me right was Pluot. I also had the Chocolate Barleywine, the Peeled Grapefruit Pilsner (I fell in love with this beer but when I opened a bottle at home it wasn't the same which was a huge let down), a Lemon Saison and a Barrel Aged version of the Lemon Saison (which I really liked because it brought out a lot of the mute flavors I got in the regular version).
Recommendation: I would stop here if you are near by but probably not make it a destination place. The service was probably as sterile as the atmosphere, nice but missing something. Most of their beers are available at Binny's but as I have found it's better from the source.
Moody Tongue Pictures
Old Irving Brewing Co.
Our last stop on this side of town was Old Irving. A true neighborhood joint, there was a baby shower going on when we got there. The brewpub is larger than it seems thanks to a separate dining area. Full exposure to the brewery in the back makes you feel like you are in the brewery space. I liked the overall setup and design, mainly because of the large bar area with plenty of seating.
It's worth noting here that when I got here I wasn't feeling the greatest. Not sure if it was the beers or not eating enough but I wasn't at my peak and really didn't want anymore beer quite yet. But I sucked it up and ordered a flight with Dunes of the Cape, Scentinel and Trendiii. I wasn't a fan of the stout (shocking right?) but I did enjoy the Scentinel. The Trendiii felt like the same beer as Scentinel except at a higher ABV which for me lost something there.
I knew I needed some food so I ordered the Ninja Fries. This was a damn tasty creation that is meant for sharing. If you like Korean food, you'll love this dish. My buddies also got small appetizers and they came out really quick where mine took a little more time. Not a big deal, but I was shocked how fast the food came out. The service here was good, not great. The guys behind the bar were rough around the edges and how the staff communicated together seemed a tad weird. Maybe it was just busy or something but I didn't get the best vibe.
Recommendation: I would probably try this place again if the purpose was to eat. I wouldn't stop here just for beers. I also wouldn't make this a destination stop but if I am in the area it becomes a contender for a stop.
Old Irving Pictures
More Brewing Co.
This was the reason we started this beer trip, with all the hype around More Brewing we needed to come see for ourselves what is going on here. I happened to be following their marketing person, Vee on Instagram so it was also a great chance to meet her.The brewpub is located in what looks to be a small town, a far cry from where we just came from. There seems to be some parking in a lot on the side of the building but you are probably better off parking on the street. The brewery was pretty packed and we were told that it's common for them to be busy. We were able to get a table right away though and sat down to get some food and beers.
We went beer first since we had a nice break from it on the drive in. They had four beers on tap, two IPA's (Climbing Through Windows and Smog Strangler) and two sours (Sourenity Now! and Sourenity Now! w/watermelon). They also had a host of guest taps available if you wanted something else. Personally I was a tad bummed to only see four beers on tap from them. I like to see different styles to get a feel for their take on those styles but with how busy they are I can see where they had to keep it simple. The Watermelon Sourenity Now! tasted like watermelon jolly ranchers while the Smog Strangler was my favorite IPA from them. I did max out on crowlers for the IPA's since the sours were not available in crowlers.
We ordered appetizers here based on one of my buddies recommendations. Cheese curds, sliders and wings. The food was pretty tasty and a welcome accompaniment to our beers. We actually spent a good chunk of time here visiting with Vee and the awesome folks at More, along with a special guest from 18th Street Brewery. A nice surprise were the pours of Henna we received in advance of the release. A barrel aged stout which would be the first to come out of More. If you kept tabs on their social media site when it was released you saw pretty quickly the demand was high for this bottle.
Recommendation: Do it. On this side of town with a little less traffic and a slower pace this is a great place to visit with friends over great food and good beer. The staff are all friendly and the ambiance is great. Just don't ask to put on the Packers game.
More Brewing Pictures
Mikerphone Brewing
The final stop on our journey! We almost didn't make it but so glad we did. Mikerphone has been around for a little while now and has been pushing out good beers since inception. The fact that they have at taproom made this a must stop on our journey. Their to-go bottle list is pretty awesome too and if you are lucky they will have a few crowlers to go. They don't do them on demand though so once they are gone, they are gone.We got here just in time to get a few samplers and some to-go bottles. There is no food here and I am not sure if they have food trucks come out to them but it looked like you may be able to bring your own in.
The system is a little different here. You only can have up to 48oz of beer a day. For the math impaired, that's four 12oz beers. You get a wristband that they mark up with how much you have had to drink. From what I understand this was due to the agreements made with the city to open their taproom. I wasn't even going to get close to that number though as I tried samplers of Imperial Smells Like Bean Spirit, Say Uhh! and That One Guitar. I also bought a bunch of bottles to take home of beers I didn't get to try because I wasn't going to pass up this oppurtunity.
Recommendation: I would say this is a must stop place, maybe even a destination stop. The beers here are just awesome and there is enough in the surrounding areas to keep you busy. More Brewing is about a 20 minute drive away and a good place to start so you can get a base going. Grab some bottles to go for your friends too! They will appreciate you!
Mikerphone Pictures
I hope you enjoyed the summary of our trip. For as close as we are to the area I am surprised we don't get down here more often. I am hoping that we can do one day trip down to the Chicagoland area with a stop at 18th Street Brewery. If you have any recommendations of other places we need to hit up, give us a shout!! Don't forget to visit us on Instagram and Facebook!!
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