In many ways, I have fallen in love with Chicago, again--it's architecture, it's public spirit, it's wacky highways.
But this decent beer town has no excuse for not being a great beer town. Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin (yes, and 3 Floyds in Indiana) are home to great craft brews, but I have to travel miles to find 'em. In Brooklyn, I lived within walking distance of a beer scene that surpassed all of Chicago's. Chicago's daring chefs, and Intelligentsia and Metropolis coffee roasters (NYC can't match this) prove that this town is no slouch when it comes to taste. So I lay the entire problem at the feet of the distributors, their lobby money, and the government that continues to legislate the infamous "three tier" system. Exhibit one, the sad case of Bell's Brewery, which remains unavailable in Illinois. Corporate welfare spoils our beer scene. At least we aren't one of those states where the government sells all of the beer.
Anyway, I could promise a nice prairie home to the following breweries:
--Bell's, of course
--Oskar Blues. Dale's in a can, baby! Rock and roll! Why hasn't Chicago joined the "craft in a can" movement?! Sly Fox did it for Philly, It'll work here.
--Penn Brewery
--New Glarus (in all fairness, these guys have remained Wisconsin-only on purpose. But they just built a bigger brewhouse. So, c'mon...)
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