Category: Stories

Since 1988, when the first craft brewery in Chicago opened, there’s been a consistent wave of new brewers on the scene, each one having to dig deeper to bring something innovative to an ever-changing market.  While Maplewood Brewery & Distillery is hardly the first to combine brewing and distillation under one roof, they’re the first… Continue reading Maplewood Brewery & Distillery Comes Full-Circle

One of the best things about traveling as a beer lover is delving into whatever might be available where your plane touches down. With the U.S. reaching a total of 4,144 licensed breweries as of December 2015, it’s almost a given that where ever you end up, you’ll be able to find something new and… Continue reading Craft Beer’s Crawl in Montreal

It’s not uncommon for an upstart brewery to have some growing pains before finally hitting their stride and getting comfortable. Sometimes getting comfortable means upheaval, sudden change and big risk; all circumstances that are even more common when trying to grow a business from little to no funding and passion for a common interest. After… Continue reading Blue Nose Brewery: A Second Home for a Second Beer

I walked into the Aberdeen Tap on the near West side around 4pm on a Tuesday and tucked myself at the end of the bar, hoping I had found a quiet place to pass the time before meeting a friend. After polishing off one beer, I conceded a second and asked the bartender if they… Continue reading Around The Bend Beer Co. – A Lesson in History

Every beer that ends up in your glass takes a different route to get there. Certain pours come right from the source, simply making the trek in a keg across the brewery to the in-house taproom, while others make the long journey down the supply line from brewer, distributor, to bottle shop or bar. Much… Continue reading Pilsner Urquell: Part of the Community

“Can you say that again?” John Wyzkiewicz asked as I was saying goodbye to him and his brewing partner, Josh Mowry, at Miskatonic Brewing in Darien, IL. I was happy to oblige and again assured them, “You guys are going to do very well.” Walking into Miskatonic’s production facility and taproom late on a Wednesday… Continue reading Miskatonic Brewing – Veteran brewers, first-time owners