It's Illinois Craft Beer Week!
Powered by tonight's BUG game plan
If you were waiting for the last second to grab Beer Under Glass tickets, bad news: This year’s event is sold out:
Looks like switching locations was a great decision, and sunny weather in the mid-upper 50s looks pretty great too. Even if it were worse, we’ve slogged rough stuff at the Garfield Park conservatory and I’m excited to see what this year’s event may bring.
Given the fact that you have chosen to subscribe to a beer news email that’s focused on Chicagoland and the midwest, I’m going to guess that some of you reading may in fact be planning to attend tonight’s event. If that’s the case, please say hi! Would love to chat about beer with y’all in person instead of through a keyboard for a change.
Reminder: Only Premium Subscribers are being sent Wednesday label updates via email. Lite Subscribers can click here to see this week’s spice-y label. Prost!
I did a quick spin around many of the social media channels for breweries this morning, working to find any evidence of Illinois Craft Beer Week outside of Beer Under Glass. I found a lot of breweries advertising the guild’s passport program, and releasing a few new beers, but outside of that: pretty much crickets.
I also checked out a number of beer bars and craft beer stores to see if they had anything going on this week, but again, nothing to really report. Kinda feels like maybe rescheduling our Craft Beer Week might be a good move for next year?
We’ve got a couple of things to mention this week though!
This Friday / Starting Friday:
Beer Under Glass, of course. See you there, assuming you got tickets.
There’s also another Side Project launch party at Hopleaf going on … right now, basically. Or right now at Bitter Pops, depending on when you’re reading this, assuming you’re reading on Friday.
Buffalo Creek Brewing’s Maifest starts today and runs into tomorrow with music and multiple stein holding competitions.
Artesia Brewing’s Maifest also starts today and continues into tomorrow. If you’re still there tomorrow, they’re also hosting some musicians for a Music of the Beeroque gathering that afternoon.
Beyond that, go grab a Beer Week passport at your favorite brewery. You’ve got until August 9th to fill it.
Saturday, May 10:
Imperial Oak is also hosting a Maifest today with live German music and Maibock.
Sunday, May 11:
Go grab a beer somewhere and start filling that Beer Week passport. ‘Cuz otherwise I’ve got nothing of note.
The event portion of our Friday emails remains free and unrestricted, because we want to give you a reason (or three) to visit a local brewery or beer event every week.
Our Social Updates section is now exclusively for Premium Subscribers. We’re extremely thankful for all your ongoing support. You keep these emails going.
I am opting to skip our usual social updates this week in favor of something I haven’t done in a while:
My 2025 Beer Under Glass Gameplan.
At FoBAB, I generally just let my heart guide me (and the vague yet helpful recommendations of people I know that served as judges). At Beer Under Glass, I find it helpful to flag a few places that I know I really want to try out, lest I get overwhelmed. Many times, beers from new-to-me breweries turned out to be the best of the evening - I’m thinking of discoveries in past years from places like Blue Island Beer Company, Afterthought and Energy City.
With some semblance of organization, here’s what I’m prioritizing this afternoon:
The “I Don’t Drive in the Suburbs Very Much” Cadre
Look, I’m from the suburbs. Born and raised in Wheaton, spent a ton of time in Naperville, West Chicago, Aurora and St. Charles. Even when I lived there, some suburban spots are just a haul to get to. Chicagoland is a big place, and I know places like Roaring Table, Sundial Brewing & Blending, Sturdy Shelter and Brothership all surely make great beer … and now I get a chance to try all of them.
The “I Don’t Know Much About You, But … I’m Curious” Squad
These breweries are always a crap shoot but often pay off. I don’t know much of anything about Crust Brewing … but I know I liked the beers they made when they were the Hofbrauhaus in Rosemont. Now they’ve stretched into a second taproom in Old Irving Park, so I think they’re intent on sticking around for a while. Let’s see what they’ve got.
Another one I’d put in this category is Good Times Brewing in Lakeview. Now that former Metropolitan brewer Doug Hurst is taking over the beers, I’m definitely interested in seeing whatever they bring tonight - as an example of where they’re starting, at least.
And finally, I’ve never had a beer from Knack Brewing … but I did have a collab between Knack and Gnosis that was my beer of the year for ‘24. So it’s going to be fun to give their actual beers a try.
Team “I’ve Been Interested in You For a While But Never Had a Chance to Try Your Beers Yet”
This is where Beer Under Glass really shines, and I’m especially excited because it’s my first BUG in quite some time. (‘19, in fact.) There’s also a lot of suburban crossover here, but in this case, it’s more than a difficult location drawing me to them at BUG.
I’m thinking about breweries like Rabid Brewing. Wolfden. Nightshade and Dark. Double Clutch. Bubblehouse.1 As someone who digests a lot of social media, all these breweries have interested me with their storytelling but I haven’t tried their product yet. This is my chance!
The Rookie Class.
A brewery’s first Beer Under Glass is always an exciting opportunity to swing for the fences and show all these drinkers what you’ve got. So join me in grabbing beers from Homewood Brewing Company and Blind Corner. (It’s definitely a smaller class this year.)
What are you looking forward to trying!? Let me know in the comments and maybe I’ll see you there.
Thank you all for being here!
~Karl, a Guy Drinking, well, most or all of the above, if plans go accordingly.
Now that I think of it, can we get a Double Clutch & Bubblehouse “Double Bubble” collab, please?