The Best Breweries And Brewpubs Of Illinois

Explore Illinois mug-by-mug!

This information-packed guidebook introduces you to more than sixty breweries and brewpubs-from the Shipwrecked Brew Pub in Egg Harbor, to smaller craft breweries like Capital Brewery west of Madison, to the world-famous Miller Brewing Company of Milwaukee. Robin Shepard includes descriptions and his personal ratings of some 600 local beers, plus a taster's chart you can use to record your own preferences. For each brewpub and brewery site you'll find: - a description and brief history, plus any "Don't miss" features - names, comments, and ratings for all their specialty beers - notes on the pub food, with recommendations - suggestions of other sites to see and activities in the local area - information about bottling and distribution - availability of tours, tastings, gift shops, mug clubs, and "growlers" - address and contact data, including Web sites and GPS coordinates Shepard also introduces novices to the brewing process and a wide variety of beer styles. And, you'll find a list of helpful books and Web sites, as well as information on Wisconsin beer tastings and festivals. As we say in Wisconsin, "So, have a couple a two, three beers, hey?"

Beer Lover's Chicago features Chicagoland's breweries, brewpubs, and beer bars geared toward hop heads looking to seek out the best beers—from bitter seasonal IPAs to rich, dark stouts. The book also features beer recipes for home brewers, regional food recipes that incorporate beer, suggested regional food and beer pairings, and walkable pub crawl itineraries for craft beer-centric towns and cities.

This book builds on the highly successful Geography of Beer: Regions, Environment, and Society (2014) and investigates the geography of beer from two expanded perspectives: culture and economics. The respective chapters provide case studies that illustrate various aspects of these themes. As the beer industry continues to reinvent itself and its economic and cultural geographies, this book showcases historical, current, and future trends at the local, regional, national, and international scales.

Once dominated by megabreweries like Miller and G. Heilemann, the Midwest has in recent years become home to a dynamic craft beer industry at the core of America's current brewing renaissance. Beer writer and Certified Cicerone® Michael Agnew crisscrossed Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin sampling the astonishing variety of beers on offer at breweries and brewpubs. The result is a region-wide survey of the Midwestern craft beer scene. Packed with details on more than 200 breweries, A Perfect Pint's Beer Guide to the Heartland offers actual and armchair travelers alike a handbook that includes: Agnew's exclusive choices on which beers to try at each location Entries on every brewery's history and philosophy Information on tours, tasting rooms and attached pubs, and dining options and other amenities A survey of each brewery's brands, including its flagship beer plus seasonal brews and special releases Brewery equipment and capacity Nearby attractions In addition, Agnew sets the stage with a history of Midwestern beer spanning the origins of the immigrant brewers who arrived in the 1800s to the homebrewers-made-good who have built a new kind of brewing culture founded on creativity, dedication to quality, and attention to customer feedback. Informed and unique, A Perfect Pint's Beer Guide to the Heartland is the essential companion for beer aficionados and curious others determined to drink the best the Midwest has to offer. Includes more than 150 full color images, including the region's most distinctive beer labels, trademarks, and company logos.

Based on four years of travel and research, Minnesota’s Best Breweries and Brewpubs is a welcome addition to Robin Shepard’s series of guides to the best of the Midwest’s beer industries. From large-scale breweries such as Cold Spring, to chains like Granite City, to individual brewpubs like Fitger’s Brewhouse, Shepard provides commentary for more than thirty beer makers and three-hundred Minnesota beers. Accessible enough for people at all stages in their journeys to discover great-tasting beer, the information-packed guidebook also features a list of helpful books and websites, as well as information on Minnesota’s beer tastings and festivals. For each brewery and brewpub site you’ll find: • a description and brief history, plus many “don’t miss” features • a description of beers on tap and a list of seasonal and specialty beers • a space for the brewmaster’s autograph • notes on the pub food, with recommendations • suggestions of nearby sights and activities • general directions to the location • Shepard’s personal ratings of the experience, plus room to add your own.

Perfect for “beer nerds and history buffs . . . This quirky volume . . . uses Chicago-area breweries as an entry point into the city s broader history” (Time Out New York). Chicago is full of colorful history, local legends, and great beer—and they all converge in this pint-sized history of brewing and drinking in the Windy City. Author Denese Neu uses the local craft brewing industry as a gateway to Chicago’s storied past, with tales designed to be read in the time it takes to enjoy a pint or two. So belly up to the bar and learn how Chicago’s best brews were born, and how some of its historic breweries and brewpubs are connected to notable figures from sports legends to bank robbers and more.