Local Suds - Beer pubs and breweries not to miss

Bluegrass {1636 Old Deerfield Road, Highland Park; 847.831.0595}
For Owner Jim Lederer, beer is a family business, and he sees beer and food as natural mates. “I look at the tap selection as a rainbow of flavors,” he says, “and try to offer softer, sweeter beers that pair well with food, instead of beers that shut down the palate.” To him, it’s all about the dining experience, and Bluegrass’ own local brew has a lot to add.
Beers on tap: Six taps with rotating local brews
Beers on nitro: The rotating nitro tap currently pours the Sculpin IPA, offering a creamier, rounder texture
Local pint: “The Tavern Pale is our rockstar,” Lederer says. “It’s a simple lager, easy drinking, and still our number one seller.”
Food pairings: Barbecue, barbecue, barbecue. Try the Smoked Corn Beef Brisket, Pulled Pork, or Ribs with a pint of Tavern Pale. “The beer helps cleanse the palate, allowing you to get the different flavors from sweet to bitter, and prepare for the next bite.”

 

Villains

Villains  {730 South Clark Street; 312.583.0283}
According to partner Marco Silva, Villains serves the best beer in the world. “We love our local beer here, but we’re more of a global beer place. We go out of state and out of the country to source the best beer we can.”
Beers on tap: 40
Local pints: “We respect all the great local beer here, and for us, Half Acre Beer Company offers the best craft beer on the market,” says Silva. Look for beers like Big Hugs Imperial Stout or Golden Tuna Pale Ale. For something from farther afield, ask about Prairie Artisan Ales from Oklahoma, Grimm Artisan Ales from Brooklyn, NY, and Magic Rock from England. “We want to turn people on to new beer that they might not otherwise drink unless they went to the state or country where it is brewed. We like to think we’re saving people the trip.”
Food pairing: Every dish on the menu includes two beer pairing suggestions, and beers rotate constantly to offer more variety. Try the Half Acre Big Hugs with the Grilled Country Ribs or 30- day Top Sirloin. At 10-percent ABV, this big beer stands up easily to hearty plates such as these.

 

Public House

Public House {400 North State Street; 312.265.1240}
With a constant influx of new beers on tap and by the bottle, Public House makes it easy to find something you love every time you visit. Each beer on the menu is paired with an array of different icons, allowing drinkers to know what flavors and tones to associate with each respective brew.
Beers on tap: 28*
Beers by the bottle: Approximately 104*
Local pints: Local beers can be found by the bottle or on tap. Look for the Revolution Anti-Hero or Half Acre Daisy Cutter, as well as Brickstone Brewing Co.’s Hop Skip, a strong ale brewed with citrusy hops from Bourbonnais, Ill. Another local favorite is Off Color Brewing’s Troublesome brewed with coriander and salt for a lemony tartness. Another is Finch’s Beer Co.’s Fascist Pig, a deep red, malt-forward ale with plenty of caramel malts and a touch of rye, brewed and dry-hopped with Palisade and Zythos hops. Can’t decide? Order a flight of any three drafts.
Beer bonus: Public House has personal, customizable table taps at 12 of its booths, inviting guests to pour their own drinks from two beer taps and one liquor tap.
Food pairing: The House Smoked Wings come alive with the Finch’s Fascist Pig red ale; if you choose the Brickstone’s Hop Skip brew, the housemade Pulled Pork Sandwich with scratch-made spicy barbecue sauce is the way to go.

*Beer offerings are subject to change.

Breweries

Lagunitas Brewing Co. Chicago {2607 West 17th Street; 773.522.2097}
In June of 2014 in Douglas Park near Pilsen, this California import took up residence in the old Ryerson steel fabrication plant. “We brew and serve all of our year-round beers at Lagunitas Chicago, including our seasonals, fusion beers, and our one-hitter series,” says Karen Hamilton, director of communications for Lagunitas Brewing Co. Thoughts on the Chicago beer scene: “The local beer scene in Chicago is exploding!” Hamilton says. “It is exciting for all of us beer makers and drinkers alike.”
Food pairing tip: “The best and most obvious choice would be our Beer Mussels,” Hamilton says. “Our chef changes the recipe each week, but they are always cooked with one of our beers.” Our suggestion? Ask which beer was used to cook the mussels and pair it with the same.

Lagunitas Seasonal Releases:
Undercover Investigation Shutdown Ale (9.3-percent ABV): Malty and rich with a snappy hop finish; pairs well with bitter, aromatic greens, and corned beef.
Cappuccino Stout (9.7-percent ABV): Rich and opaque with coffee flavors from both the beans and the highly roasted malted barley; best served with vanilla ice cream.
Lucky 13 (8.7-percent ABV): Dark and roasty with caramel flavors from the crystal malts and a spicy bite and dank nose thanks to a massive dose of Amarillo hops; great with French Onion soup.
HotSide Sour Mash: This is the funkified version of the DayTime Ale. A portion of the hot, malty mash is allowed to sour and is finished with the fractional IPA to become “an even stooped-lier slammable-ier, tart, and hoppy electric lemon parade.” We have no words.