On Friday, I mentioned that Blind Corner Brewery was getting ready to launch with an event at Crafted1979 on the 7th. Looks like they were ready to go a little earlier. On Saturday they announced that their taproom residency at Go Brewing had begun. As such, they’ve been added to our Chicagoland Craft Beer Map.
This was sort of a soft open, but on the flip side of that, I’m going to be keeping my eyes open this year for places that “quiet close.” The kind where you get no announcement email, no post to the socials, just turning out the lights and calling it a day. We saw this just last week with Ten Ninety but we’re also looking into some breweries that may have pivoted away from making their own beer to just selling beer made by others.
Still working to 100% confirm these so we’ll say no more until we know more for sure. Have you noticed any brewpubs or taprooms that no longer have any of their own tap handles on the draft lines? Let us know. And as always, if you see something on the map that needs updating, don’t hesistate to point it out!
Block Club checked out the recent updates to Maplewood Brewery, like the new private events space and a garage door opening up to the patio.
Maplewood is also looking for a new marketing manager. No salary listed, though, which I thought was now the law in Illinois for employers with 15 or more employees. Hm.
Revolution is looking for a couple of sales reps also. Salary range included in this one.
Eris Brewery and Ciderhouse, named for the Greek goddess of chaos, gets a WBBM-AM feature about how they “thrive in chaos”.
Funkytown’s plans to build their own space made it into a release from Governor JB Pritzker’s about economic wins in Illinois.
Bungalow by Middle Brow earned a Jean Banchet nomination as a Best Neighborhood Restaurant, which prompted Maggie Hennessey to ask (for WBEZ): What makes a great neighborhood restaurant?
Speaking of nominations, BiXi Beer owner Bo Fowler was named a James Beard semifinalist in the Best Chef: Great Lakes category …
…while Scratch Brewing earned a semifinalist mention as Outstanding Professional(s) in Beverage Service.
Yuengling finally hits Illinois draft lines this week, and one Peoria distributor says they’ve been working on getting them here for 15 years.
The Tribune has a story on the Illinois rollout of Yuengling here.
MORE Brewing broke ground on their Fort Wayne space back in 2023. So why isn’t it open yet? WANE looks into the reason for the delays.
Iowa State University’s Science and Practice of Brewing class got to produce and sell a beer with Backpocket Brewing.
Voodoo Brewing plans to open its first Iowa location in Cedar Rapids.
Jamesport Brewing Company in Ludington is planning to open a new “brewtique”.
FOX-17 checked out the new Bell’s taproom in the Grand Rapids airport.
PorchDrinking checked out Clare’s Four Leaf Brewing and their purple IPA called Healing Hues, whose proceeds to go support a domestic violence support organization.
MLive’s headline implies that a chocolate glazed donut stout is too weird to believe, but Griffin Claw teamed up with Dutch Girl Donuts to make just that. The Detroit News, WXYZ and the Metro Times all seem a little more open to the idea.
I very much enjoy the name of this Eagan beer festival: Winter SKOLstice.
In the works in Brooklyn Center: Morty’s Bark & Brew, one part brewery, one part dog park.
Destination Cleveland’s brewery passport program is back for 2025 with several new options to visit, including … wait, there’s a Cleveland brewery called Crooked Pecker?
Market Garden Brewery announced a few new beers and a taproom revamp for 2025.
After announcing their closure earlier this month, Racine’s Littleport Brewing now says they might reopen … across the street.
Spectrum News reports on how the Milwaukee brewery scene is helping out following the announcement of an 1840 Brewing Co. owner’s diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.
We mentioned a new Voodoo Brewing location above; one of their franchisees chatted with 1851Franchise.com about deciding to open a franchise brewpub.
UrbanMilwaukee reported on the auction for stuff from the now-closed Enlightened Brewing. I could use a 55-foot bar and a church pew.
Karben4 is the latest to launch a new beer using the sustainable Kernza grain.
Midwest Living has a good roundup of breweries and distilleries that also offer lodging. Lots of cool options in here but “Alcohol Acres” sounds particularly fun.
Last week’s most-clicked link: The social post giving 3rd-party confirmation that Ten Ninety had closed.
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