Dubbed "Malt Row", the Ravenswood Corridor and surrounding area is home to some of Chicago’s best and most unique craft beer options. Below is a guide to exploring those breweries, listed from south to north. Planning a visit? Be sure to share your experience with us on social media using the hashtag #MaltRow!
1800 W Cuyler Ave.
The first taproom to open along the historic Ravenswood Industrial Corridor, Begyle has quickly become a neighborhood institution. Whether it’s a weeknight skeeball league, Sunday yoga session, brewery tour or a visit from local food trucks, there’s always something happening at this laid-back brewery.
Launched in 2012 by a group of longtime friends from Michigan, Begyle offers Chicago’s only Community Supported Brewing (CSB) program. Similar to Community Supported Agriculture, members receive a growler or two a month as a part of their membership, allowing the brewery to build a close relationship with their neighbors.
Year-round brews include:
Begyle Blonde
Free Bird APA
Crash Landed Hophazardly IPA
Neighborly Nitro
Coffee Tough Guy
Find Begyle at 1800 W Cuyler Ave, 1 block north of Irving Park Rd and the Irving Park Brown line stop, on southbound Ravenswood Ave west of the Metra tracks. Begyle has a tap room, offers to-go bottles and growler fills, hosts food trucks, and is pet friendly.
Visit begylebrewing.com for more information.
SATURDAY JUNE 23 & SUNDAY JUNE 24, 2018
RAVENSWOOD + BERTEAU
Malt Row is home to one of the country’s most prolific craft brewing communities and we’ll be celebrating that scene this summer at the second annual Ravenswood On Tap craft beer festival! This two-day outdoor event will feature beer and spirits from local breweries, grub from some of Chicago’s favorite restaurants and food trucks, a lineup of original live music, and handmade goods from local retailers and artists.
It all goes down on Saturday, June 23 and Sunday, June 24 at Ravenswood and Berteau. Proceeds from the event help support the work of the Ravenswood Community Council and the Greater Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce.
2017 PARTICIPANTS
Andersonville Brewing
Band of Bohemia
Begyle Brewing Company
Dovetail Brewery
Empirical Brewery
Greenstar Brewing
Half Acre Beer Company
KOVAL Distillery
Spiteful Brewing
Visit ravenswoodchicago.org/ontap for more information.
1800 W Belle Plaine Ave.
Dovetail founders Hagen and Bill met in Germany while earning their Master Brewer certifications from the Siebel Institute. Bonding over their mutual interest in continental European beer styles, the two formed a friendship that has resulted in an exciting young brewery dedicated to old world brewing methods.
Even seasoned beer geeks will enjoy their Saturday tours, where visitors can get acquainted with unique equipment like open-top fermenters and Chicago's first coolship, a large, flat vessel that allows for the introduction of wild yeast and bacteria. Be sure to ask about Dovetail's lauter grant, a 100 year old piece of antique brewing equipment that Bill and Hagen acquired from a farm outside of Munich.
Year-round brews include:
Lager
Rauchbier
Vienna Lager
Pilsner
Find Dovetail Brewery at 1800 W Belle Plaine Ave, 2 blocks north of Irving Park Rd, on southbound Ravenswood Ave west of the Metra tracks. Dovetail has a taproom, offers growler fills, hosts food trucks, and is pet friendly.
Visit dovetailbrewery.com for more information.
4257 N Lincoln Ave.
Half Acre launched in 2007 and the release of Daisy Cutter Pale Ale in 2009 cemented their place in the landscape of Chicago beer. Their original location on Lincoln Ave includes a shop where visitors can sample beer or buy to go, before settling into the taproom for a full pour and a wild burrito from their kitchen.
Half Acre also operates a second brewing facility in Bowmanville, which in late 2017 will open a restaurant, taproom and beer garden.
Year-round brews include:
Daisy Cutter Pale Ale
Pony Pilsner
Tuna Extra Pale Ale
Find Half Acre at 4257 N Lincoln Ave, 2 blocks south of Montrose Ave. Half Acre has a tap room and kitchen, offers to-go bottles and growler fills, and is pet friendly.
Visit halfacrebeer.com for more information.
JULY 2017
Chicago Brewery Tour: Part 2, The North Side - Mash Tun Journal
The Dovetail Hefeweizen - porchdrinking.com
20 of Chicago's Best Brewpubs and Brewery Tasting Rooms, Mapped - Eater Chicago
JUNE 2017
The Arts Section: Coalition of Chicago Craft Breweries (& Distillery) Brand Themselves Malt Row - WDCB 90.9FM
Ravenswood On Tap: The Great Neighborhood Beer Fest - Urban Matter
Chicago Craft Crawl #10: Malt Row - The Hop Review
Midwest travel: Head to Malt Row - The Daily Herald
A ‘Perfect Storm’ Brewing on Chicago’s North Side - Chicago Tonight
11 Underrated Chicago Festivals You Don't Want To Miss - Urban Matter
The Summer's Hottest Sequel? Half Acre's 'Big North II' Bash In Bowmanville - DNAinfo Chicago
10 Essential Chicago Beers - Chicago Tribune
Local Business Spotlight: Cicerone Certification Program - GRCC
MAY 2017
Ravenswood Avenue to rebrand as Malt Row, home to 7 craft beer and spirits producers - Chicago Tribune
Take a thirst-quenching trip to Malt Row for Chicago Craft Beer Week - WGN Radio
Welcome To 'Malt Row,' The Craft Beer And Distilling Hub (AKA Ravenswood) - DNAinfo Chicago
Fast Facts on Ravenswood’s Newly Branded Malt Row District - PorchDrinking.com
Your Guide To Chicago's Enormous Craft Beer Week 2017 - Chicagoist
Ravenswood Is Now Chicago's 'Malt Row' Because It Has So Much Beer - Chicagoist
Local Business Spotlight: Empirical Brewery - GRCC
AM Intel: Ravenswood has become ground zero for breweries in the city - Eater Chicago
Cheers: City Introduces 'Friday Night Flights' Beer Fests - DNAinfo Chicago
Ravenswood's Newly Branded 'Malt Row' - neighborhoods.com
APRIL 2017
Half Acre 'Stoked' That Bowmanville Taproom & Beer Garden To Become Reality - DNAinfo Chicago
4710 N Ravenswood Ave.
Pairing food and beer is trendy. Crafting unique beers that pair with specific dishes created by a team that honed their skills at restaurants like Alinea and Longman & Eagle- that's how you become the world's first Michelin-rated brewpub.
Located across from the Ravenswood Metra Station, Band of Bohemia is a chic "culinary brewhouse" that offers a range of cuisine including bar snacks, a tasting menu, full coffee service, wine, cocktails and lounge seating. Their eclectic draft list rotates to compliment a seasonally influenced menu. The only mainstay is Band's house beer, The Noble Raven Ale, a delightfully crisp Belgian Golden Ale showcasing yeast from Bastogne and a healthy dose of Tettnanger hops.
Year-round brews include:
Noble Raven Ale
Find Band of Bohemia at 4710 N Ravenswood Ave, just south of Lawrence Ave, on southbound Ravenswood Ave west of the Metra tracks. Begyle has a dining room and full kitchen, and also offers growler fills.
Visit bandofbohemia.com for more information.
5121 N Ravenswood Ave.
KOVAL is one of America's largest artisan distilleries and winner of over 50 international awards, pioneering a new school of distilling in the US that uses only the heart cut of the distillate. The heart cut is the purest, most grain forward portion, affording KOVAL its signature clean, bright style. KOVAL is also known for its use of unique and interesting grains, inspiring Wine Enthusiast to name the distillery a "leader of the alt-grain scene." All of KOVAL's whiskies are single barrel and aged in New American Oak. Each bottle can be traced back to the field on which the grain was grown. All of KOVAL's whiskey, gin, vodka, and liqueurs are certified Organic and Kosher and made from grain to bottle in Chicago.
The KOVAL facility includes a retail shop and space for cocktail classes, tours, and whiskey workshops.
Year-round spirits include:
Whiskey: Oat, Millet, Rye Bourbon, Four Grain, White Rye
Gin: Dry Gin, Barreled Gin
Liqueurs: Ginger, Rosehip, Chrysanthemum & Honey, Orange Blossom, Walnut, Coffee, Jasmine, Caraway
Vodka
Find KOVAL at 5121 N Ravenswood Ave, just south of Foster Ave, on northbound Ravenswood Ave east of the Metra tracks. KOVAL's retail shop offers bottles to go and is pet friendly.
Visit koval-distillery.com for more information.
1801 W Foster Ave.
Most breweries have a bit of mad scientist in them, but few are as dedicated to experimentation as the crew at Empirical. The brewery doubles as a laboratory where a 1-barrel system is dedicated to exploring new styles and recipes. After collecting feedback from taproom guests and making adjustments, some beers graduate to Empirical's 30-barrel production system for wider release.
Tours allow guests to see both systems in action, as well as a chance to meet the famous feral cats that protect grains from pesky rodents. Other taproom activities include Trivia Tuesdays, themed karaoke nights and Firkin Fridays, where a unique beer is served in a cask at 4:30pm each week.
Year-round brews include:
Infinity IPA
Heliotropic Pale Ale
Cold Fusion Cream Ale
Find Empirical at 1801 W Foster Ave, at the corner of Foster and southbound Ravenswood Ave, west of the Metra tracks. Empirical has a tap room, offers to-go bottles and growler fills, hosts food trucks, and is pet friendly.
Visit empiricalbrewery.com for more information.
2024 W Balmoral Ave.
What started with a spiteful incident as kids playing hockey on the pond turned into a lifelong friendship for Brad Shaffer and Jason Klein. With a passion for beer and a desire to start their own business, Spiteful launched in 2012 with G.F.Y. Stout, setting the tone for the aggresive flavors and attitude of Spiteful's beers.
After years of brewing out of a 400 square foot basement in the Ravenswood Corridor, Spiteful is moving operations to Bowmanville, where their production facility and taproom will be opening later in 2017. Fresh cans of 6-pacls and 4-packls can be found in local shops throughout the city.
Year-round brews include:
Spiteful IPA
Working For The Weekend Double IPA
God Damn Pigeon Porter
While not currently open to the public, Spiteful will open their new taproom in 2017.
Visit spitefulbrewing.com for more information.
While Band of Bohemia and Half Acre both have kitchens turning out incredible dishes, not all of Malt Row's taprooms have food on-site. Luckily there is no shortage of excellent restaurants in Ravenswood. Here are a few of our favorite spots to stop in for a meal, or for ordering delivery/carry out:
Ampersand Wine Bar
4845 N Damen Ave ● (773) 728-0031
Refined American comfort food, wines and cocktails served in a contemporary-rustic space with a patio.
Chicago's Pizza
1919 W Montrose Ave ● (773) 348-1700
Casual joint with pizzas, burgers and other comfort foods, plus a bar and late-night delivery/carryout.
Fountainhead
1970 W Montrose Ave ● (773) 697-8204
Low-key bar featuring a long beer list and creative, organic pub eats plus a seasonal rooftop garden.
The Long Room
1612 W Irving Park Rd ● (773) 697-8204
A neighborhood tavern and coffee house. Home of Sidecar: food truck style service, featuring the chef driven contemporary concessions, The Biscuit Man and Beard & Belly...
· Beard & Belly ● (773) 665-8210: Provides dinner and late night food service at The Long Room, offering a hearty comfort food-driven menu featuring housemade sandwiches, sides and snacks.
· The Biscuit Man ● (773) 968-7031: Serves made-from-scratch contemporary American breakfast, brunch and lunch sandwiches, salads, bowls, and sides inside The Long Room 7 days a week.
Mrs. Murphy & Sons Irish Bistro
3905 N Lincoln Ave ● (773) 248-3905
Laid-back spot for upscale Irish eats plus brews and whiskey poured from 2 bars in an elegant space.
The Northman
4337 N Lincoln Ave ● (773) 935-2255
Chicago's first cider bar, featuring a huge list of cider, plus cocktails, offered along with European fare in a warm, buzzy setting.
River Valley Farmer's Table
1820 W Wilson Ave ● (872) 208-3267
Farm-to-table restaurant and community grocery, owned by Wisconsin's oldest organic mushroom farm, serving up brunch classics and farmer's favorites.
Roots Handmade Pizza
2200 W Lawrence Ave ● (773) 433-5959
Relaxed pizzeria and bar featuring thin, malted-crust pies and an all-Midwestern craft beer list.
Spoken Cafe
1812 W Montrose Ave ● (773) 769-200
Premier cafe in the heart of Ravenswood, serving breakfast/lunch fare with Acadian Cajun respects, including locally roasted, organic coffees.
Tuscan Hen
4019 N Damen Ave ● (773) 466-2380
A new BYOB Italian sandwich and pasta spot with a great back patio that also offers take-home options like fresh pasta, ravioli, lasagna, pizza dough and sauces.
Vidalia
1964 W Lawrence Ave ● (773) 293-7608
New neighborhood sandwich shop and pizza place. Home of the Montreal smoked meat.
9/16 + 9/17 Ravenswood ArtWalk, feat. Begyle, Dovetail, Empirical and Spiteful
9/24 Gypsy Caravan Festival, feat. Band of Bohemia + more TBA
11/10 Taste of Ravenswood, feat Band of Bohemia, Begyle, Dovetail, Empirical, Half Acre, Hop Butcher, KOVAL and Spiteful
2018
6/23 + 6/24 Ravenswood On Tap, feat. Andersonville, Band of Bohemia, Begyle, Dovetail, Empirical, Greenstar, Half Acre, KOVAL, Spiteful and more!
