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Old 06-12-2013, 09:37 AM
 
Location: Houston, TX
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Article - The Case for Chicago

Getting a rep as a beer mecca?
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Old 06-12-2013, 09:53 AM
 
Location: Chicago, IL
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Chicago has come a really long way with craft brews in recent years, but I don't think we can call ourselves a mecca yet. Illinois ranks 34th of the 50 states for breweries per capita. Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota all rank in the top 20.

A New Yorker Interactive

Of course, several of Chicagoland's breweries, most notably 3 Floyd's, are on the Indiana side of the metro, but even counting those Chicago has nothing on Denver, Portland, Seattle, San Francisco, and other Western U.S. cities as a craft beer mecca, IMO.

Also note that Chicagoland has zero of the nation's 50 largest craft breweries, though Half Acre is the 45th fastest-growing.

Last edited by nearnorth; 06-12-2013 at 10:06 AM..
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Old 06-12-2013, 10:04 AM
 
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NPR ran a segment a couple of years ago mentioning that Chicago was becoming one of the most innovative craft beer cities, in terms of experimenting with different varieties of yeast or hops. They linked it to the experimentation that's been going on with food here over the past decade. I think we're just at the beginning of a boom, and it will continue to get better here.
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Old 06-12-2013, 10:07 AM
 
Location: Chicago, IL
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lookout Kid View Post
NPR ran a segment a couple of years ago mentioning that Chicago was becoming one of the most innovative craft beer cities, in terms of experimenting with different varieties of yeast or hops. They linked it to the experimentation that's been going on with food here over the past decade. I think we're just at the beginning of a boom, and it will continue to get better here.
I could see the argument for that, though that's much more subjective, and there's innovative stuff going on in lots of places with craft beers right now.
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Old 06-12-2013, 10:47 AM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nearnorth View Post
I could see the argument for that, though that's much more subjective, and there's innovative stuff going on in lots of places with craft beers right now.
Well, if the numbers don't back you up, go subjective!
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Old 06-12-2013, 10:49 AM
 
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I'm very interested in Off Color Brewing. Not sure when they are supposed to open.
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Old 06-12-2013, 12:15 PM
 
Location: Chicago - Logan Square
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I've always believed that you don't have to have be a brewing capitol to be a beer mecca. Chicago has had a great selection of beer bars and restaurants with great beer selections for awhile now. Think of it this way - which would you rather have, a bar with an excellent selection of 30 regional and international beers on tap or 3 brewpubs each doing the standard line up of of an IPA, a stout, a porter, etc. While Chicago may lag other cities in the second category, it's solid in the first one.

It's also important to look at the new trend of "nano-breweries". It seems like they're popping up all over the place: Pipeworks, 18th St., Spiteful, Begyl, Panic, Powell, Low Dive, Brutally Honest, and others. I can't even keep track of them anymore.

Last edited by Attrill; 06-12-2013 at 12:23 PM..
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Old 06-12-2013, 12:19 PM
 
Location: Chicago, IL
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lookout Kid View Post
Well, if the numbers don't back you up, go subjective!
Yep, that appears to have been the strategy.
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Old 06-12-2013, 12:32 PM
 
Location: Nort Seid
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Vlajos View Post
I'm very interested in Off Color Brewing. Not sure when they are supposed to open.
Their first kegs were shipped out a week ago, I don't believe they have plans to open a tasting room.
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Old 06-12-2013, 12:33 PM
 
Location: IL
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Attrill View Post
It's also important to look at the new trend of "nano-breweries". It seems like they're popping up all over the place: Pipeworks, 18th St., Spiteful, Begyl, Panic, Powell, Low Dive, Brutally Honest, and others. I can't even keep track of them anymore.
They are basically large homebrewers, right?
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