Lo Rez Brewing to close in September after 7 years in Pilsen: ‘I can’t thank everybody enough’Lo Rez Brewing is closing in September, with co-founder Dave Dahl chalking it up to a COVID-19 pandemic casualty. August 03, 2023
Which Chicago bars sell the most Malört? Top spots spill secrets on slinging that ‘taste from home’The Chicago bars that go through the most bottles of Malört each year share what makes the drink so loved and so hated. July 28, 2023
Chicago’s Funkytown Brewery wins coveted chance to collab with Sam AdamsThe Black-owned brewery went up against five beer makers in a Samuel Adams competition and took home the grand prize. July 25, 2023
Return with us, and Mike Royko, to beer-tasting days of old“Royko’s Beer Test 50th” will feature the tasting and rating of 11 lagers, local and national, by experts from the city’s lively craft-brewing community. July 25, 2023
Landmarks: ‘Oldest standing brewery in Illinois’ built around water bubbling from deep undergroundAndy Howell, a founder of Thornton Distilling Co., says an underground mineral spring near Thorn Creek is a source of clean, cold mineral water that attracted immigrants who brewed beer. July 22, 2023
Rosé fatigue? 5 intriguing bottles that’ll have you swooning this summerWhile rosé wine's popularity might have cooled, these bottle picks from Chicago sommeliers will have you swooning all summer. July 03, 2023
Wisconsin Assembly passes sweeping bill to overhaul liquor law The massive overhaul to the laws affecting the production, distribution and sale of alcohol passed with broad bipartisan support. June 21, 2023
Wisconsin bill to regulate wedding barns and overhaul state liquor laws wins bipartisan supportUnder the bill, wedding barns that host more than six events a year would have to obtain a Class B liquor license, which would allow them to serve beer and wine. June 15, 2023
Bud Light dethroned as America’s top selling beerAfter more than two decades as America’s best-selling beer, Bud Light has slipped into second place. June 14, 2023
The best places to eat and drink in ChicagoHere are all of the Tribune Food and Dining team’s guides to different food and restaurants throughout Chicago, from best burgers and Italian beef to beer and wine. June 13, 2023
Wisconsin’s alcohol industry gets behind update, greater enforcement of lawsWisconsin’s smallest craft brewers, including the maker of the popular Spotted Cow beer, large retailers like the Kwik Trip convenience store franchise and other producers, wholesalers and retailers are getting behind a rapidly moving proposal that would overhaul the state’s alcohol laws and lead to stricter enforcement efforts. June 12, 2023
Southland now home to ‘world’s best Pilsner,’ second best maibock after area breweries win at World Beer CupHorse Thief Hollow in Chicago’s Beverly neighborhood earned first place gold for its brew “Little Wing,” beating out 128 other entries in the International Pilsener category and Pollyanna Brewing Company in Lemont, received second place silver for its maibock, “Nose Over Tail,” besting 95 other entries in the Maibock category. May 19, 2023
Chicago gay bars dropping Bud Light, Goose Island amid backlash for transgender ad campaignChicago gay bars, including 2Bears Tavern and Sidetrack, will stop carrying Bud Light and Goose Island following backlash to a Dylan Mulvaney campaign. May 10, 2023
Beth Murphy, the Murphy’s Bleachers owner who battled the Chicago Cubs over the Wrigleyville rooftops, dies at 68As the owner of iconic Wrigleyville bar Murphy's Bleachers, Beth Murphy fought for the rights of rooftop owners while running one of the most popular sports bars in America. April 24, 2023
Landmarks: 3 Star Tavern in Chicago Heights, where Jerry Colangelo cut his bocce ball chops, to close after 87 years3 Star Tavern on 22nd Street in Chicago Heights' Hungry Hill neighborhood, where basketball hall of famer Jerry Colangelo used to play bocce ball, will close April 30 after 87 years. April 22, 2023
Guinness to debut Open Gate Brewery in West Loop this summer, with restaurant and bakery in plansOpen Gate Brewery will be the second Guinness brewery in the United States, with the Chicago location offering special brews and a restaurant. April 20, 2023
States where people drink the most alcoholDespite risks to health and safety, many Americans love to drink alcohol. To celebrate National Beer Day (April 7), here is every state ranked based on alcohol consumption per capita, ranging from 1.4 gallons per year all the way to 4.8 gallons. April 07, 2023
Wrigleyville bars: Your 2023 guide to all 45 spots around Wrigley Field for opening dayThe Chicago Cubs will play their 2023 home opener at Wrigley Field March 30 — here are all the Wrigleyville bars for fans, in order of distance from the ballpark. March 30, 2023
7 Malört cocktails that prove Chicago’s notoriously bitter liqueur can actually taste goodMalort cocktails are popping up in Chicago — try them for National Cocktail Day at Mother's Ruin, Osito's Tap, The Wieners Circle and more. March 24, 2023
First cannabis store with a bar and a bakery under the same roof opens in IllinoisThe 12,000-square-foot business, on the site of a former Twin Peaks restaurant, is far larger than most dispensaries. February 02, 2023
Down to Business: Naperville’s Go Brewing finds its niche by tapping into audience that wants beer taste, no alcoholQ&A with Joe Chura and James Bigler, who helped found Naperville's new nonalcoholic brewery/taproom, Go Brewing. January 29, 2023
Miskatonic Brewing Company to open in downtown Naperville this springDarien-based Miskatonic Brewing Co. is expanding westward to include a full-service restaurant in downtown Naperville. January 27, 2023
Get ready to hit the road, beer fans: From saison to hazy IPA, here are 5 suburban breweries worth the driveMany of the most exciting Chicagoland breweries in recent years have sprouted beyond the city lines — in some cases well beyond. Here are five favorites in the suburbs. January 13, 2023
Photos: Brothership Brewing in MokenaBrothership Brewing launched in the south suburbs in February 2020, then pivoted within weeks with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic by selling growlers to go and slowly building a following for a deft touch with hazy IPA and barrel-aged stout. They’ve branched out into other approaches, such as clear IPA and various lagers, but hazy IPA reigns supreme in the Brothership taproom. January 09, 2023
It’s alcohol-free wines, tequila and beer — oh, my — as Chicago’s NA scene takes flightChicago is seeing growth in its options for nondrinkers, including nonalcoholic beer and spirits, Benedition Dry Bar, Go Brewing, Ritual Zero Proof and Prazbar. January 06, 2023
Photos: Naperville's nonalcoholic Go BrewingNaperville's Go Brewing, which Joe Chura launched in October, is the Chicago area’s first primarily nonalcoholic brewery. January 06, 2023
The 12 best new nonalcoholic drinks for Dry JanuaryJust in time for Dry January, here are the best new faux wines, cocktails and liquors to seek out. January 02, 2023
With move from longtime Clybourn Avenue home to The Salt Shed, can Goose Island recapture what once made it essential?Goose Island is set to close its Clybourn Avenue brewpub and open at The Salt Shed concert venue in 2023. Here's what that means for Chicago. December 22, 2022
NA Day is yet another beer and spirits festival — just hold the alcohol NA Day offers alcohol-free festival for Dry January in Chicago's West Loop neighborhood, as nonalcoholic beer, wine and spirits become increasingly popular. December 08, 2022
Craft beer bubble burst? Not quite — but after years of growth in Chicago, closures and headwinds arriveChicago's craft brewery scene has mirrored national growth over the past decade, but closures and fewer openings signal potential struggles ahead. December 08, 2022