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.

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.

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.

JUNE 2018

Ravenswood’s 'Malt Row' Is Chicago’s Most Diverse Beer Destination - October

After Years Of Waiting, Dovetail Is Bringing Chicago Its First-Ever Kriek Beer - Block Club Chicago

Off The Grid: Ji Suk Yi visits malt row for a cocktail-making lesson - Chicago Sun-Times

The Grid: Exploring the Ravenswood neighborhood - Chicago Sun-Times

Bicentennial bucket list: 20 essential Illinois drinks - Chicago Tribune

MAY 2018

APRIL 2018

MARCH 2018

Band of Bohemia's Chef Ian Davis is a Name to Watch - Chicago Tribune

Not a Bourbon Drinker? This One Might Change Your Mind - The Wall Street Journal

Half Acre Beer Company Expands its Creative Studio – Porchdrinking.com

Beerpinions Episode #32: Jason Klein, Spiteful Brewing - Beerpinions Podcast

Chicago Guide: Hotels, Restaurants and Things to Do - Cosmopolitan UK

FEBRUARY 2018

5 Chicago Breweries Where You Can Have Beer Your Way - Chicago Magazine

Spiteful Brewing Taproom, Another Great Neighborhood Spot - Chicago Magazine

JANUARY 2018

A Beer-Lover's Guide to Ravenswood's Malt Row - Neighborhoods.com Chicago

11 Boozy Experiences to Give You a Taste of the Still Life - Fodor's Travel

DECEMBER 2017

Spiteful Brewing opens taproom Saturday after 5-year wait - Chicago Tribune

Chicago Craft Crawl #10: Ravenswood Avenue, "Malt Row" - The Hop Review

NOVEMBER 2017

Best of Chicago: Best New Food District Branding - Newcity

Dining & Drinking Top 5 - Newcity

Distiller Series: KOVAL - Whiskey and Words

The World’s First Michelin-Starred Brewpub Is a Quirky Chicago Hotspot - Food & Wine

Meet the People: Sonat Birnecker Hart, President of KOVAL Distillery - Cocktails & Bars

Meet Dr. Sonat Birnecker Hart of KOVAL - Good Food Revolution

The Best New Bottles of Alcohol to Give as Gifts - Epicurious

33 Monochromatic Gifts to Add Color to Your Holiday Season - Splash

OCTOBER 2017

Chicago's Craft Beer Scene - Choose Chicago Fall 2017/Winter 2018 Guide

Open House Chicago: The Drinkers Guide - ChicagoNow

Drink Beer To Help Kids Stay Warm At Malt Row's 'Cold Crawl' - DNAinfo Chicago

10 Things to Do This Weekend: Oct. 19-22 - WTTW Chicago Tonight

13 Of Our Favorite Events In Chicago This Weekend - Chicagoist

Koval Donating Tour Sales To Help Employee's Family In Puerto Rico - DNAinfo Chicago

SEPTEMBER 2017

The ‘Made In Chicago’ City Guide to Food, Drinks and More - Observer

Where To Eat In Chicago - Golf Digest

Koval Distillery and CB2 built a booze-filled living room at O'Hare - TimeOut Chicago

AUGUST 2017

Trails to Rails to Ales: The Backstory Behind Band of Bohemia - Choose Chicago

Half Acre's Balmoral Taproom Opening Saturday, 'Giant Moment' For Brewery - DNAinfo Chicago

Five Weird Whiskeys to Challenge Your Ideas About Whiskey - The Whiskey Wash

Half Acre’s New Restaurant & Taproom Will Serve Roasted Meats and Experimental Brews - Eater Chicago

Fenton natives bring Chicago-based Begyle Brewing to Michigan - MLive

Half Acre’s gigantic new Balmoral Taproom is opening very soon - Time Out Chicago

Half Acre's Huge New Beer Garden Opens Soon: Take A Peek - DNAinfo Chicago

Dog-Friendly Restaurants and Bars in Chicago - NBC 5 Chicago

Ravenswood's Malt Row Hosts Friday Night Flights Beer Fest Finale - DNAinfo Chicago

Bright, tangy and weird: In praise of the modern radler - Draft Mag

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

Seven Bottles that are Changing American Whiskey - Wine Enthusiast

A Sneak Peek At Empirical's New Rogers Park Brewpub — A Beer-Lover's Dream - DNAinfo Chicago

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

Empirical’s Rogers Park Brewpub, Opening Tonight, Mixes in Beer with Food and Cocktails - Eater Chicago

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

Mayfestiversary Celebrates One Year of Dovetail Brewery and Two Years of Begyle Brewing’s Taproom - Chicago Tribune

APRIL 2017

Empirical Tapping 'Vanilla Rain' Brew To Commemorate Prince - DNAinfo Chicago

Half Acre 'Stoked' That Bowmanville Taproom & Beer Garden To Become Reality - DNAinfo Chicago

MARCH 2017

KOVAL Founders Earn Small Business Person of the Year Award - BevNet

Chicago's craft distillery revolution: From none to 17 in 14 years - Chicago Tribune

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.

5121 N Ravnswood Ave.

Urban Renewal Brewery is Ravenswood’s newest craft brewery. Located in the heart of Malt Row, they began production in early 2018. At any point they have new beers fermenting away in one of their 6 fermenters. From a red rye to a double IPA, Urban Renewal’s focus is on continuously offering new and exciting beers to the community.

Beginning in early June 2018, visitors to the brewery will be able to take a tour and learn more about UR’s brewing history and how they apply their experience to crafting your next favorite beer. Guests can take home a fresh growler, crowler, or can of any current offering as well as Urban Renewal merchandise.

Year-round brews include:
KisS Kölsch
Razed IPA

Find Urban Renewal at 5121 N Ravenswood Ave, just south of Foster Ave on northbound Ravenswood Ave, right behind KOVAL Distillery. Urban Renewal offers crowler and growler fills, to-go cans, hosts public tours.

Visit urbanrenewbrew.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:

Band of Bohemia
4710 N Ravenswood Ave ● (773) 271-4710
The first ever Michelin starred brewpub. Featuring globally influenced cuisine, cocktails, world-class service and wine program creating harmonious balance.

Chicago's Pizza
1919 W Montrose Ave ● (773) 348-1700
Casual spot with crafted-from-scratch pizza, pasta, burgers and other comfort foods, plus a bar and late-night delivery/carryout.

Fountainhead
1970 W Montrose Ave ● (773) 697-8204
Laid-back bar featuring a long craft beer list, stellar whiskey selection, and creative, organic pub food plus a seasonal rooftop garden.

Half Acre Beer Co. - Balmoral
2050 W Balmoral Ave ● (773) 754-8488
A diverse menu of excellently executed home favorites with a concentration on seasonal and locally sourced ingredients, many dishes feature bread baked in house.

Half Acre Beer Co. - Lincoln
4257 N Lincoln Ave ● (773) 248-4038
Original burritos (think brisket and arugula or beef bulgogi) available rolled or bowled, along with shareables like the ever popular nachos served with science cheese.

The Long Room/The Biscuit Man
1612 W Irving Park Rd ● (773) 968-7031
A neighborhood tavern and coffee house. Home of The Biscuit Man, who serves made-from-scratch breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner sandwiches, salads, bowls, and sides.

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.

Spacca Napoli
1769 W Sunnyside Ave ● (773) 878-2420
Authentic, family-friendly Neapolitan pizzeria with seasonal specials and a gorgeous summertime patio..

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, pastries and house made pickles and preserves.

Tuscan Hen
4019 N Damen Ave ● (773) 466-2380
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.

📌 Begyle/Dovetail Food Truck Calendar

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. In December of 2017, Spiteful opened their new taproom on Balmoral, right next door to Half Acre.

Year-round brews include:
Spiteful IPA
Working For The Weekend Double IPA
God Damn Pigeon Porter

Visit spitefulbrewing.com for more information.

2050 W Balmoral Ave
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.

In late 2017 Half Acre opened a second facility in Bowmanville, which boasts a restaurant, taproom and beer garden. Located right next door to Spiteful, it's the perfect place to start or end your journey on Malt Row. 

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.

SATURDAY JUNE 22 & SUNDAY JUNE 23, 2019

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 party on the street features beer from local breweries, special tappings and collaborations, summer cocktails from KOVAL Distillery, grub from some of Chicago’s favorite restaurants and food trucks, a lineup of killer Chicago musicians, and handmade goods from local retailers and artists. 

It all goes down on Saturday, June 22 and Sunday, June 23 at Ravenswood and Berteau. Proceeds from the event help support the work of the Ravenswood Community Council and the Greater Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce.

PARTICIPANTS

Band of Bohemia
Begyle Brewing Company
Dovetail Brewery
Empirical Brewery
Half Acre Beer Company
KOVAL Distillery
Spiteful Brewing
Urban Renewal Brewery

Saturday Guest: TBA
Sunday Guest: TBA

Visit ravenswoodchicago.org/ontap for more information

Cicerone Certification Program
From their HQ on Malt Row, Cicerone Certification Program certifies and educates beer professionals in order to elevate the beer experience for consumers. The Cicerone Program seeks to ensure that consumers receive the best quality beer at every service occasion. To facilitate this, those who sell and serve beer need to acquire knowledge in five areas: Keeping and Serving Beer, Beer Styles, Beer Flavor and Evaluation, Beer Ingredients and Brewing Processes, and Pairing Beer with Food.

Gnome Brew (Homebrew Shop)
This new home brew shop on Montrose Ave in Ravenswood that has everything you need to start making beer today. For beginners, Gnome Brew offers a Brewing Basics program to get you started. Look out for bottle shares and other cool events!

*Letherbee Distillers
This small craft distillery started out on Malt Row, eventually outgrowing their space and moving on. Luckily, their Seasonal Gins, Bësk, Barrel-Aged Absinthe, and Fernet can be found at shops all around town.

*Metropolitan Brewing
Beer for the proletariat! This lager-heavy, German-style focused brewery is a Chicago favorite that brewed on Malt Row from 2008-2017. We were sad to see them go, but their new riverfront taproom is a thing of beauty and gives us a great excuse to get out of the neighborhood.