Chicago is a craft beer boomtown and the list of breweries and brewers in Chicago continues to grow rapidly. With 68 breweries in Chicago and over 200 in Illinois, it’s nearly impossible to keep up with who is brewing where and which beers are coming out and when. At Chicago Beer Pass we do our best to sample as much as this city has to offer and well… it is not an easy feat.



To celebrate all the people out there making these tasty wobbly pops, we have put together a list of the top 10 Chicago Craft Brewers. Maybe you will agree with this list, maybe you won’t. If you don’t agree, go ahead and make your own list!

Pete Crowley, Haymarket

Pete has been brewing beer in Chicago for a hell of a long time and although he has stepped away to focus on the new production brewery in Michigan, his beers are still killing it. The reason Pete is on the top of this list isn’t just out of respect for how long he’s been in the game, it’s also that his team is making some truly outstanding beer. One that stands out is The Defender from Haymarket. This beer has won two consecutive Gold medals at the World Beer Cup and it definitely lives up to the hype.



Wil Turner, Revolution

Wil is another one of those brewers who has been putting in the work, brewing stellar beers in this city for years. Wil really made a name for himself when he was the Head Pub Brewer at the Goose Island Clybourn Brewpub. It was there that Wil was able to experiment with some exceptional beers that will be forever lost to time; beers like Queen Bee and Hopscotch Ale. Wil is the Head Pub Brewer at the Revolution Brewpub and he’s been really putting in the work, churning out some quality beer. Wil may not be one of the most talked about brewers out there but he should be because his beers are an example to many in the Chicago scene.

Jonathan Cutler, Piece

Johnathan is the Head Brewer at Piece Brewery and Pizzeria. Piece is perhaps the most award-winning craft brewery in Chicago. Every year, beers like Golden Arm, Dark & Curvy, and The Weight, continue to win awards and get recognized for being phenomenal. If you’ve been going to Piece for a while now it’s likely you’ve sampled most things they have to offer, but what they lack in one-off or white whale beer releases results in a win for consistent quality.

Matt Young, Half Acre

As breweries grow it’s often hard to know who is behind the beers getting made. Matt Young has been with Half Acre for years and slowly worked his way up the brewing ladder. Matt wasn’t the original crafter behind some of your favorites like Daisy Cutter but he is the one making sure that Daisy Cutter tastes just as fantastic at the Bowmanville location as it did at the tap room on Lincoln. Keeping quality and consistency high at the Bowmanville location is crucial to keeping thirsty Chicago beer lovers happy. If you’re looking to learn more about Matt Young, check out the interview from The Hop Review.

Michael Carroll, Band of Bohemia

Michael Carrol is the Co-Founder & Head Brewer at Band Of Bohemia, The First Michelin Rated Brewpub. You’re just starting to see Band Of Bohemia beers around the city so it’s hard to choose a beer that might be a standout at this moment. What makes Michael Carroll one of the top brewers in Chicago is that he is creating an experience at the Brewpub that takes beer to another level; something you can’t get when you just pick up a six pack of cans for the beach. Band of Bohemia is not your ordinary Brewpub so if you’re going to try Band Of Bohemia beers you should really first experience them there.

John Laffler, Off Color

Laffler and Off Color are making some of the most interesting beers right now in Chicago. With each release, they seem to give you something different that you haven’t had before, that you didn’t know you wanted and will likely make you come back for more. There is a good chance there are a few bottles of Off Color in the fridge at all times. With 10.5% ABV beers like Dinosmores all the way down to 3.8% ABV beers like Yuzu Fierce, Off Color is showing they can brew a lot of different styles, do them well and they aren’t afraid to make something different.

Brian Taylor, Whiner

Brian is another former Goose Island alum. Brian’s brewery Whiner Beer Company is one that people are just now starting to fall in love with and will be a household name very soon. The brewery and taproom are located inside The Plant, a vertical farm and “food incubator” in Back of the Yards. It’s worth a visit to take a tour of the Plant and then drink in the pleasant taproom. The beers so far are solid and intriguing. The Miaou, a 6.8% American Wild Ale was the first beer in a long time that struck a nerve since it was a reminder of how great and interesting craft beer in a can could be.

Jared Rouben, Moody Tongue

Jared’s career took off as the brewer at the Goose Island Clybourn Pub when he introduced a handful of beers that were using food as their focus, something new that we were just starting to see at the time. This was a great way for Jared to combine his culinary background with beer. Now that he is the owner and head brewer at Moody Tongue he’s able to experiment even more and make some truly delightful beers. The Steeped Emperor’s Lemon Saison is a beer that has such a distinct flavor and it really stands out from the massive amounts of IPAs we tend to drink. Also, when visiting the gorgeous Tasting Room, drink the beer but don’t forget to order that incredible Chocolate cake!

Doug Hurst, Metropolitan

Flywheel, Krankshaft, and Dynamo, these are some main staples of Chicago’s beer scene at this point. It’s hard to imagine Chicago without Metropolitan Brewing, not sure who else would take the risk and step up to fill the Lager role so well. Although Metropolitan’s line up isn’t the largest it is slowly growing with the Jet Stream Wheat being the newest beer they introduced. Doug is able to brew consistent and dependable lagers, which is frankly the highest praise you can give. With the new location opening soon we’re likely to see more from Metro and they’ll be there to remind the beer drinker how great a lager can be.

Hagen Dost / Bill Wesselink, Dovetail

Ok, so this might be cheating with two names here but we can’t mention Hagen without Bill Wesselink. They are a pair and they refuse to be separated, so they both get credit for what’s coming out of the brewery. If you’re looking to continue your Lager love then Dovetail Brewery is the place you need to be. At Dovetail, they are taking European styles and techniques then combining that with American creativity to produce the kind of beers found in small, family-run breweries in Europe. The simple Dovetail lager is the one to try if you’re looking to get your first take of what they have to offer.

Honorable Mention

Gary Gulley, Alarmist

You can’t have a list without at least one honorable mention. Gary Gulley, head brewer at Alarmist Brewing is one you should be paying attention to. You’re about to see Alarmist explode. The reason Gary is only in the honorable mention section is that we’ve only seen a few beers from Alarmist at the moment. So far the beers have been excellent and Gary makes sure that they are perfect before he releases them rather than experimenting on the public with new beers every week. He takes the time to perfect the recipe so you know you’re in for something good when you order a Pantsless Pale Ale.