The links below are grouped by subject. On-line reviews were used when an official website was not available.

NOTE: to easily find area breweries, brewpubs, beer bars, good beer stores and homebrew shops, check out (CBS’s own) Jonathan Surratt’s amazing Chicago Beer Map.

Regional Breweries and Brewpubs (in operation as of March 2008)

Most (but not all) Illinois breweries are members of the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild

Regional Brew on Premise (BOP)

The most common information request we get at CBS is “where can I find a place that lets me brew my own beer.” Sorry, but the Chicago area hasn’t had a brew-on-premise in 10 years. The only place in Illinois we know of is:

Regional Beer Bars

It’s quite common to find at least a few decent beers on tap at many bars these days. The places listed here are noteworthy either for the quality of their selection or - as in the case of various ethnic pubs - their unique character and atmosphere. If you feel a place should be added (or removed), please inform us via the Contact page.

Regional Homebrewing Suppliers

Other Regional Homebrew Clubs

Regional CO2 Providers

Beer and Brewing - General

Beer Festivals and Competitions

Beer Importers and Distributors

Beer and Brewing Books

Beer Associations and Guilds