An Unexpected City Has Been Crowned The Beer Capital Of America

Beyond Washington, D.C., the United States has a lot of unofficial capitals. In June 2023, Home Bay announced that Richmond, Virginia, was the nation's burger capital, while two years earlier Forbes declared Kansas City the taco capital of America. There are even capitals that you probably didn't think there needed to be a capital of, like Mount Horeb, Wisconsin, the Midwest's troll capital of the world. When it comes to beer, many cities around the world lay claim to the title — Prague and Munich are two that instantly spring to mind. As for the United States, an unexpected destination has recently seized the crown: Chicago.

The Windy City has faced some stiff competition for the title of America's beer capital in recent years, but it still tops the lot when it comes to the sheer number of breweries fueling Chicago's thriving beer scene. The city has a long association with brewing dating back to the 1830s when German immigrants arrived from New York and started producing hundreds of barrels of ale a year. While mass-produced lagers like Coors and Miller are still hugely popular in the modern era, the past decade has seen a massive spike in smaller local-run operations creating flavorful craft beers for more discerning drinkers. Whether it is hipster micro-breweries operating in reclaimed warehouse space, venerable craft beer institutions, or taprooms focusing on European-style brews, you are never far away from quality suds if you're staying in Chicago. Let's take a look at the highlights.

With around 160 breweries currently in Chicago, it is one of the best U.S. cities for beer lovers. The big question is: Where do you begin? Goose Island is one of the forerunners of the city's craft beer scene, established in 1988 after a dark decade in Chicago brewing history when there wasn't a single one operating. Goose Island became the first craft brewery bought by Anheuser-Busch in 2011, reflecting a growing market for craft beers across the country. 

The acquisition may have lost the brewery some of its street cred, but it still turns out quality offerings like Four Star Pils and Green Line, and the slick taproom at the heart of Chicago's brewing district is a great place to start. It's only a short crawl to other notable locations like the award-winning Haymarket Pub and Brewery; Forbidden Root Brewery, where the focus is on botanical brewing ingredients; and District Brew Yards, where you will enjoy the enviable task of selecting from around 40 local craft beers.

Not all of Chicago's craft breweries have needed decades to become major players on the scene. Half Acre Brewery was only founded in 2007 but is now regarded as one of the best in the city. It churns out a substantial range but Daisy Cutter Pale Ale arguably tops the lot. You can check out their offerings at the taproom on Balmoral Avenue, and sup outside in the beer garden when the weather is fine.

It is usually advisable not to drink on an empty stomach, and luckily many of Chicago's breweries also have a kitchen offering a range of bar classics to help soak up the booze. As you go from bar to bar, there are also many smaller snacks to look out for. Simone's Bar on West 18th Street is a friendly neighborhood pub with an enticing range of brews and its menu is famous locally for tempura-battered fried pickles. Monsignor Murphy's on North Broadway is an old-school sports bar with lots of screens (watch "Jeopardy" every weekday) and a free popcorn machine to go with their range of local craft brews on tap. Dovetail Brewery specializes in European ales and lagers and also has a selection of very affordable bar snacks like pretzels, homemade Polish sausage, and spicy pickled eggs — if you don't like what they have to offer, you are also welcome to bring your own food.

With Wisconsin not far away, it is perhaps no surprise that many venues across Chicago also serve up cheese curds as a beer snack. Commonwealth Tavern fries theirs in a Miller Lite batter, served with ranch dip. Daisies Restaurant has gained attention from the New York Times for its upscale twist on the classic, serving their curds with portobello mushrooms and aged parmagiano — pair with Daisies X Pipeworks rye ale made with Vermouth raspberries and beets for something a little different.