collage of images from the 2026 Brewpub Shootout

BPSO XXVII Recap

Another fantastic Brewpub Shootout is in the books and the chefs & brewers took it to another level – yet again – for this 27th edition of the event.

Each participant brought something special to this special event, but after the votes were tallied these competitors stood out as crowd favorites:

BEST PAIRING:

1: @flossmoorbrewco
 Chocolate Peanut Butter Cream Pie w/ Double Barrel Aged Almond Joy Pawn & The King (Barrel Aged Stout)

2: @oldirvingbrewing
Chorizo Smashburger w/ Walking West (Mexican Vienna Lager)

3: @duneyrr_wine_beer x @chicagosecretburger
Al Pastor Smoked Hot Dog w/Pineapple Plush (Tepache-style Pineapple Pale Ale)

BEST FOOD:

1: @cruzblancachi
Carnitas Taco: Pork shoulder slow cooked in lard, fresh made yellow corn tortilla, salsa cruda verde, onions, cilantro

2: @morebrewing
Tonkatsu Curry w/ Basmati Rice & Furikake Pickled Cabbage

3: @duneyrr_wine_beer x @chicagosecretburger
Al Pastor Smoked Hot Dog w/ Crispy Chihuahua Cheese, Pineapple Relish, and Avocado Tomatillo Salsa

BEST BEER:

1: @cruzblancachi
Agent Tepache PiƱa (Mixed Culture Saison)

2: @industryales
Jazz Pipe (West Coast IPA)

3: @haymarketbeer
Secret Alley (Belgian-Style Tripel)

~~~~~

Many thanks to everyone who came out to support this event (including the volunteers who helped with hours of setup & teardown), and especially to our wonderful hosts @halfacrebeer – we’ll see you all again next year!

🍻

BPSO XXVII logo overlay on half acre brewery space

BPSO XXVII: The 27th Annual Brewpub Shootout

Saturday January 31st, 2026 // 1pm – 5pm

Half Acre Beer Co.

2050 W Balmoral Ave Chicago, IL

Come out and enjoy the best beers paired with the best food from Chicago-area brewpubs and microbreweries. Attendees will sample a wide variety of beers as well as each brewpub’s food items and vote for their favorite beer, food, and pairing. Winners will be announced at the end of the event and presented with their hard earned awards.

For the 27th BPSO, we are delighted to be returning to Half Acre. Their distinctive brewery space is set to provide the backdrop for yet another amazing and competitive culinary experience.

Current CBS members are able to purchase tickets at the discounted member rate of $75. Use the the code or link you received via email to purchase tickets. If you have issues, please email info@chibeer.org for assistance.

Individual members can purchase up to 2 tickets. Couples memberships can purchase up to 4 tickets by visiting chibeer.org/bpso

Non-members will be able to purchase any remaining tickets starting at noon on Monday December 22nd for $85 each.

Come to support your favorite brewery/brewpub or discover a new favorite – either way, you get to taste the very best beer and food that Chicago has to offer.

NOTE: Parking around Half Acre is EXTREMELY limited. We strongly suggest that all attendees use public transit and/or rideshare options.

LAUNCH PARTICIPANTS:

SEE YOU THERE!

~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

– Ticket sales are final

– Attendees must be 21 years or older (no children, no pets)

– Admission includes all beer & food samples from each brewery/brewpub

– Brewery and chef participation is subject to change due to circumstances beyond our control

– Parking is lextremely imited. We strongly suggest that all attendees use public transit and/or rideshare options to attend the event.

– Visit our website for information: www.CHIBEER.org

BPSO XXVI

BPSO XXVI: The 26th Annual Brewpub Shootout

Chicago Beer Society presents:
The 26th Annual Brewpub Shootout // BPSO XXVI

Saturday February 1st, 2025 // 1pm – 5pm
Half Acre Beer Co.

Come out and enjoy the best beers paired with the best food from Chicago-area brewpubs and microbreweries. Attendees will sample a wide variety of beers as well as each brewpub’s food items and vote for their favorite beer, food, and pairing. Winners will be announced at the end of the event and presented with their hard-earned awards.

For the 26th BPSO, we are returning once again to Half Acre Beer Company, and we look forward to hosting you in unique space that will provide for another unforgettable experience.

Come to support your favorite brewery/brewpub or discover a new favorite – either way, you get to taste the very best beer and food that Chicago has to offer.

PARTICIPANTS:

– Art History x Burger Antics
– Church Street
– Flipside
– Half Acre
– Haymarket
– Miskatonic
– MORE Brewing
– Obscurity
– Off Color
– Old Irving
– Other Half Ramova
– Steep Ravine
– Une Annee
+ more TBA ?????

TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

– Ticket sales are final
– Attendees must be 21 years or older (no children, no pets)
– Admission includes all beer & food samples from each brewery/brewpub
– Brewery/chef participation is subject to change due to circumstances beyond our control
– We recommend public transportation for all our events

BPSO XXV

BPSO XXV: The 25th Annual Brewpub Shootout

Saturday February 17th, 2024 // 1pm – 5pm
Half Acre Beer Co.
2050 W Balmoral Ave Chicago, IL

Come out and enjoy the best beers paired with the best food from Chicago-area brewpubs and microbreweries. Attendees will sample a wide variety of beers as well as each brewpub’s food items and vote for their favorite beer, food, and pairing. Winners will be announced at the end of the event and presented with their hard earned awards.

For the 25th BPSO, we are moving the event to a very exciting new venue, Half Acre Brewing which offers a unique space that should provide for an amazing BPSO experience.

Current CBS members are now able to purchase tickets at the discounted member rate of $75. Use the the code or link you received via email to purchase tickets. If you have issues, please email info@chibeer.org for assistance.

Individual members can purchase up to 2 tickets. Couples memberships can purchase up to 4 tickets. Your unique code can be used to purchase tickets one time only.

Non-members will be able to purchase any remaining tickets starting at Noon Central on Friday January 12th 2024 for $85 each.

Come to support your favorite brewery/brewpub or discover a new favorite – either way, you get to taste the very best beer and food that Chicago has to offer.

NOTE: Parking around Half Acre is EXTREMELY limited. We strongly suggest that all attendees use public transit and/or rideshare options.

PARTICIPATING BREWERIES:

SEE YOU THERE!

~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

– Ticket sales are final

– Attendees must be 21 years or older (no children, no pets)

– Admission includes all beer & food samples from each brewery/brewpub

– Brewery and chef participation is subject to change due to circumstances beyond our control

– Parking is lextremely imited. We strongly suggest that all attendees use public transit and/or rideshare options to attend the event.

– Visit our website for information: www.CHIBEER.org

brewpub shootout attendees enjoying their beer and food pairings inside Metropolitan Brewery

BPSO XXIV – RECAP & WINNERS

On Saturday we welcomed around 300 of the most knowledgeable, dedicated beer enthusiasts in the area to crown the best beers, foods, and pairings around at the 24th annual Brewpub Shootout.

The quality on offer this year represented the most impressive spread we’ve had in many, many years and the tight results of the vote reflected that; everyone involved truly brought their “A game” and we can’t thank enough all of the brewers and chefs who made it possible.

Special thanks also go out to our devoted attendees, our hosts Metropolitan Brewing, and the CBS volunteers and board members who put in many hours of work to make this event so special once again.

With all that being said, here are the winners:

BEST PAIRING

Champion: Eris Brewery and Cider House

Favorite: Off Color Brewing / Qing Xiang Yuan Dumplings

Favorite: Flipside Brewing

BEST FOOD

Champion: BrickStone Brewery

Favorite: Half Acre Beer Company

Favorite: Revolution Brewing

BEST BEER

Champion: Off Color Brewing

Favorite: Double Clutch Brewery

Favorite: Flipside Brewing