Of course you’re aware that the Great Taste of the Midwest is going on Saturday the 14th in Madison, WI. It’s the biggest sampling event of the midwest, and of course tickets have been sold out for months. Your best bet by this point is to get on some discussion groups or homebrew club email lists to see who is offering tickets because of changes in plans.

Friday, August 13

Wolfden’s 3 Year Anniversary Weekend
Wolfden Brewing, 112 W. Lake St., Bloomingdale, IL (847) 610-5117 Map
Come celebrate our THREE YEAR anniversary weekend event with special beer releases, food, and live music every day – exclusively at Wolfden Brewing!
• FRIDAY 8/13:
— BEER RELEASE: 7 C’s of Rye (Rye IPA) – 6% ABV
— Billy Bricks On Wheels PIZZA (food truck) 5-8p
— Matt Shukin LIVE in the Wolfden Beer Garden! 5-7p
• SATURDAY 8/14:
— BEER RELEASE: Passionfruit We Jammin’ (DIPA w/ Passionfruit) – 8% ABV
— Nice Buns BAO BUNS (food truck) 5-8p
— EBJ Band LIVE in the Wolfden Beer Garden! 5-7p
• SUNDAY 8/15:
— BEER RELEASE: Barrel Aged Cookie Calamity (Pastry Stout aged in bourbon barrels) – 10% ABV
— Savory Crust EMPANADAS (food truck) 3-6p
— Black Bolts LIVE in the Wolfden Beer Garden! 4-6p
For more information on each individual event, visit this link for more details!

12:00 pm • Mexican Lager Can Release
Goldfinger Brewing Co., 513 Rogers St., Downers Grove, IL (630) 541-9728 Map
Gather your camping gear, oil that bike chain, fuel up the boat, pack those beach towels, trace that hiking trail, cut the grass, or refill the propane tank. Whatever last minute activities you’re planning to squeeze in before the end of summer, we got you.
We’re canning our Mexican Lager (“Chela Chido” as you’ve come to know it in our taproom), this Friday! These cans will hit Chicagoland distro the following week. It is hard to think of a more refreshing beer than our crisp, light, Mexican lager with that touch of corn tortilla on the finish.

5:00 – 8:00 pm • Friday Night Food Truck – Lucky Burger & Grill
Buffalo Creek Brewing, 360 Historical Lane, Long Grove, IL 847-821-6140 Map
Lucky Burger and Grill serves quality, always fresh, never frozen classic burgers along with mouthwatering specialty burgers. Classic additions include daily hand cut fries.

5:00 – 8:00 pm • BBQ Pop Up Tour: Whiskey Hill Brewing Co.
Whiskey Hill Brewing Company, 1115 Zygmunt Circle, Westmont, IL 630-442-7864 Map
Chuck’s Cafe Darien is hitting the road all summer long & setting up shop at some of our favorite local breweries!
Up next is a first time brewery for us- Whiskey Hill Brewery!
We’ll be there serving up our killer $6 Menu so come hungry & thirsty!

5:00 – 8:00 pm • The Roseluau
Pollyanna – Roselare, 245 E. Main St., Roselle, IL (847) 285-1909 Map
This Friday, join us for a local favorite event, The Roseluau! Flyin’ Hawaiian Food Truck will be serving food from 5-8pm, we will have Aloha Chicago Hula Dancers, and we will be featuring a new cocktail, our Polly Rum Punch.
Get your pre-ordered tickets at Toast. Each ticket will be $25 and will include a choice of 2 meals and 1 drink ticket.
Luau menu:
1 ticket includes Kalua Pork Plate + 1 drink ticket
Juicy Smoked Pork Shoulder slow cooked for 16 hours- includes white rice and mac salad.
OR
1 ticket includes Huli Huli Chicken Plate + 1 drink ticket
Topped with Grilled Pineapple Salsa- comes with white rice and mac salad.

7:00 pm • Adult “Drunk” Spelling Bee
Side Lot Brewery, 110 Slocum Lake Rd., Wauconda, IL 847-714-2584 Map
No one cares you were the champ in 5th grade. Prove you’re still the spelling bee champion… while drinking!
$10 Per-Entry (Online here). Each entry includes two (2) beers.
Single Elimination.
Prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place.

8:15 pm • Backyard Movie Night
Side Lot Brewery, 110 Slocum Lake Rd., Wauconda, IL 847-714-2584 Map
Side Lot Brewery is excited to bring back Backyard Movie Nights. With school starting just around the corner, this movie night will feature Ferris Buehler’s Day Off.
Reservations are strongly recommended. Make reservations at SideLotBrewing.com
Movie Nights are Weather Permitting.

9:00 pm • Drive-In, Dinner, and Drinks
Rock Island Public House, 13328 S. Olde Western Ave., Blue Island, IL 708-388-5513 Map
Friday the 13th, duh.

Saturday, August 14

Thirsty Ears Festival 2021
1758 W. Wilson Ave, Chicago, IL  Map
Saturday and Sunday:
Access Contemporary Music is proud to present the sixth annual Thirsty Ears Festival: Chicago’s only classical music street festival!
For two days Wilson street between Hermitage and Ravenswood will be closed to feature seventeen stellar ensembles and soloists performing music from Beethoven to Shostakovich to Reich and everything in between on the main stage.
We’ll also have delicious beer from Empirical Brewery, vendor booths, kid friendly activities and food trucks on both days.
Highlights include a special performance of our Sound of Silent Film Festival Saturday at sundown and, to close out the fest on Sunday, a classical remix from Origin of Animal.
$10 suggested donation, all proceeds support the ACM School of Music, a non-profit organization.
Music schedule at the Facebook Event page.

9:00 am – 4:00 pm • Weekend Energy City Releases
Energy City Brewing, 917 First St., Batavia, IL (630) 597-5581 Map
Online pre-orders are live for Bistro Cream Pie and more! Click here to order and we’ll see you Saturday at the brewery!
Available:
Bistro Cream Pie – Pineapple, Coconut & Vanilla, fruited Berliner Weisse (6.5% ABV)
Zephyr Turbine – Pineapple, Orange & Citra Hops, fruited American Sour Ale (6.5% ABV).
Mango’rine Sorbet IPA – Mango, Tangerine & Citra Hops, NEIPA (6.8% ABV)
Mango Strawberry MOSA, Hard Seltzer Smoothie (6.5% ABV)
Apple Cranberry Crumble MOSA, Hard Seltzer Smoothie (6.5% ABV)
Bistro Orange Meringue Pie – Orange, Lemon & Vanilla, fruited Berliner Weisse (6.5% ABV)
Crimson Guava Sorbet IPA – Pink Guava & Blood Orange IPA w/ Sabro hops (6.5% ABV)

11:00 am • Ain’t Life Grand Hazy Fest
Ike & Oak Brewing Co., 6315 Main St., Woodridge, IL (331) 998-2907 Map
On August 14th we will be celebrating our 2.5 Anniversary party! Due to Covid, we were unable to celebrate in February. We’ll be going all out & soaking up the August sun! We will be releasing two different variants of our popular Double NEIPA, Mt. Massive as well as six local guest taps of Hazy IPA’s. Come out and enjoy a day full of live music, games, crafts, Big Fork Brands Sausage tent, and more!

11:00 am • For Grace Day & 1st Anniversary Party
Standard Meadery, 11A W. Park Blvd., Villa Park, IL (630) 359-3999 Map
We are super excited to finally celebrate our first anniversary and we’re having a party! Tickets will be available starting Friday at 1pm CST via Oznr. All the pertinent details are below!
Time: 3 Sessions (11:00-1:30pm, 2:30-5pm, 6pm-8:30pm)
Price: $65 + Taxes & Fees
Limit: 2 tickets per person
Full Ticket Includes
(1) Entry to 1st Anniversary / For Grace Day
(1) 375ml Bottle of For Grace (Black Currant w/ Madagascar Vanilla)
(1) Anniversary/Grace Day Glass
(4) Drink Tickets – Additional tickets can be purchased day of event for $4ea
(1) Iced coffee from Daydream Coffee
We will have special mead pours available for all sessions along with pours from some of our amazing friends that will be attending! Phase Three Brewing, Manic Meadery, Afterthought Brewing, CH Distillery and Daydream Coffee!
If you purchase two tickets, your guest must enter with you as your name is attached to both tickets via Oznr.

12:00 – 4:00 pm • Beer, Bacon & Bourbon Fest 2021
Bulldog Park, 183 S. West St., Crown Point, IN  Map
Off Square Brewing presents the 2nd annual Beer, Bacon & Bourbon Fest! Your $59 ticket will include a collectors bag, bacon inspired cocktail and collectors glass upon entrance. Once inside the event you will enjoy samplings from 25 breweries, 15 distilleries and entertainment provided by Dirt Born & Dick Diamond and the Dusters. Food trucks will also be on sight for food purchase. Tickets available at On Tap Tickets

2:00 – 5:00 pm • Barks ‘n Beer with Little Giants Dog Rescue
Afterthought Brewing Co., 218 E. Saint Charles Rd., Lombard, IL (630) 849-7872 Map
This Saturday we’re partnering with Little Giants Dog Rescue for our first ever fundraiser. Come out to learn about them, meet some dogs, and have some saison! We’re donating 25% of taproom sales back. There will also be raffle prizes.

2:00 – 6:00 pm • Pop Up: Lodi Tap House
Penrose Brewing Co., 509 Stevens St., Geneva, IL (630) 232-2115 Map
Our friends from Lodi will be cooking on site serving up some of their best locally sourced dishes. Come and grab a pint and some grub and get your weekend started!

3:00 – 3:00 pm • Evanston to Skokie Brewery Ride
Sketchbook Brewing Co., 821 Chicago Ave., Evanston, IL (847) 859-9051 Map
The City of Evanston is conducting a shared street experiment on Greenleaf, a lovely east-west route in Evanston. This street just happens to connect Sketchbook to Temperance and take us toward Sketchbook Skokie on the Main St. bike lanes.
Please join us to test this experimental route and sample some local product along the way. We’ll start at Sketchbook Evanston in groups of 10 scheduled to manage this inside space. We’ll arrive at Temperance at roughly 4pm and Sketchbook Skokie around 5pm where great food from Libertad will be available for purchase. This is a free event and participants are responsible for their own beverages and safety.
What to bring:
– beer/food money
– bike & helmet (Divvy bikes available across from Sketchbook Evanston)
– a mask
– friends (please provide headcount)
We’ll follow up with table time in Evanston as needed.
This event is planned in coordination with Skokie Bike Network and the breweries involved. Please share the shared street love on social media and Evanston officials. It’s a small change on Greenleaf but could lead to bigger efforts down the road. And this brewery ride can become a run/ride/walk routine for active beer lovers going forward

4:00 – 8:00 pm • Dark Horse food pop up is back!
Goldfinger Brewing Co., 513 Rogers St., Downers Grove, IL (630) 541-9728 Map
Dark Horse is back and this time they’re firing up the pizza oven. They’ll be set up in the taproom ready to serve you at 4pm.

4:00 – 8:00 pm • Motown Craft Beer Festival
1400 5th Ave., Moline, IL  Map
 This Quad Cities Father’s Day weekend tradition (postponed) is taking on a new name to compliment the Great City of Moline for hosting us for over 7 years! If you thought the Micro Brew Mile Craft Beer Festival was great, the Mo Town Craft Beer Festival will be even “Mo” Better!! Featuring over 40 Breweries, great food on site, vendor booths, merch tents, and live entertainment! All supporting four great local charities here in the Quad Cities, The Children’s Therapy Center of the Quad Cities, Mississippi Bend Trykes, The Peaceful Palate, and the Chris VanSpeybroeck Memorial Scholarship.
Tickets are $39-$59 through Eventbrite.
The 2021 Brewery Line Up: Bent River Brewing Co., Galena Brewery, Front Street Brewery, Crawford Brew Works, 7 Hills Brewing, Potosi Brewing, Backpocket Brewing, Goose Island, Elysian Brewing, Breckenridge Brewery, Golden Road Brewing, Spoetzel Brewery, Kona Brewing, Bell’s Brewery, SweetWater Brewing Co., Alaskan Brewing, BrewDog, Destihl Brewery, Millstream Brewing, Deschutes Brewery, Lena Brewing, Whole Hog Beer Co., Point Brewing, Collective Arts Brewing, Great Revivalist Brewing, Nerdspeak Brewery, Twinspan Brewing, The Long Drink, Geneseo Brewing, Radicle Effect Brewerks, Industry Brewing Co., Wake, Midwest Ale Works, Five Cities Brewery, Odell Brewing Co., 4 Hands Brewing Co., Bootleg Honey Hill Mead, Cider Boys Hard Cider, Woodchuck Hard Cider, Seattle Cider Co., Virtue Cider.

5:00 pm • Flyin’ Hawaiian Food Truck Pop-up at Dry City!
Dry City Brew Works, 120B N. Main St., Wheaton, IL (630) 456-4787 Map
& Metal Monkey Brewing, 515 Anderson Dr. Ste 900, Romeoville, IL 630-862-9595 Map
We adore our friends at Flyin Hawaiian, their food is always amazing and it is the perfect pairing for a cool pint of Dry City beer! Huli Huli Chicken, pork sliders, and Spam Musubi are so so delicious, and a totally different and unique treat! Head on over, and give it a try!

5:00 – 8:00 pm • Friday Night Food Truck – Mario’s Cart 17
Buffalo Creek Brewing, 360 Historical Ln., Long Grove, IL 847-821-6140 Map
Chef Mario and his wife Anita share a passion for cooking and partnered in 2013 to create a food cart and catering company that would allow them to utilize their skills and creativity. They take their treats to the streets, providing delicious food to the community with quality, service and passion.

5:00 – 6:15 pm • Rotary River Cruise
Pottawatomie Park, 8 North Ave., St. Charles, IL  Map
St. Charles Noon Rotary Club is hosting a River Cruise and craft beer tasting fundraiser on Saturday, August 14, 2021 with two fundraising cruises.
First cruise begins at 5:00 p.m.
Second cruise begins at 6:45 p.m.
Guests will enjoy a scenic river cruise down the Fox River and will be able to sample local craft beer, including Pollyanna, Riverlands, and others.
Tickets include six 5oz. beer samples and a commemorative cup! Proceeds from this Rotary Club’s fundraisers support local non-profits. This is a 21+ event.
Paddlewheel boat launches at Pottawatomie Park, 8 North Avenue in St. Charles

5:00 – 8:00 pm • Dope Sandwich Food Truck at Alter Brewing Co.
Alter Brewing Co., 2300 Wisconsin Ave. #213, Downers Grove, IL 630-541-9558 Map
A sandwich is just a sandwich… until it becomes a DOPE sandwich. Join us for some delicious eats from these sandwich ninjas THIS Saturday August 14th at 5pm.

9:00 pm • Drive-In, Dinner, and Drinks
Rock Island Public House, 13328 S. Olde Western Ave., Blue Island, IL 708-388-5513 Map
We’re paying tribute to Elvis this weekend! We start with one of his best, and a personal joke around RIPH, King Creole!

Sunday, August 15

9:00 am – 3:00 pm • Mom’s Day Out! Back To School Bottomless Mimosa Brunch
Side Lot Brewery, 110 Slocum Lake Rd., Wauconda, IL 847-714-2584 Map
Whether you are sending the kids back to school or you’re a teacher getting ready to face another year of teaching, you need to celebrate!
$32 per person, advance tickets through Toast.
Includes bottomless mimosas for 2 hours and brunch board to share!
Reservations are required.
Tax & 20% Gratuity will be added to your final bill.

11:00 am – 12:30 pm • Sunday Yoga and Beer
Buffalo Creek Brewing, 360 Historical Ln., Long Grove, IL 847-821-6140 Map
Join us for an outdoor yoga class sponsored by Mindset Yoga and Buffalo Creek Brewing. Rain or shine, we’ll be enjoying socially distant spacing while getting in a great workout.
Please bring your Yoga Mat and arrive 15 minutes early.
In the event of rain, the Rustic Room and Patio will be used. We have you covered! Reservations through Toast.

11:00 am – 12:00 pm • Pound & Pour
Empirical Brewery, 1330 W. Morse Ave., Chicago (773) 654-1565 Map
Instead of listening to music, you become the music in this exhilarating full-body workout that combines cardio, conditioning, and strength training with yoga and pilates-inspired movements. Using Ripstix®, lightly weighted drumsticks engineered specifically for exercising, POUND transforms drumming into an incredibly effective way of working out.
Designed for all fitness levels, POUND® provides the perfect atmosphere for letting loose, getting energized, toning up and rockin’ out! The workout is easily modifiable and the alternative vibe and welcoming philosophy appeals to men and women of all ages and abilities.
Join us for a live 45 minutes sweat dripping cardio jam session …then quench your thirst afterwards with a drink from the Brewery!Tickets $15 through Eventbrite.

12:00 – 5:00 pm • Sunday Fun Day
The Beer and Now, 2801 Ogden Ave., Ste 7, Lisle, IL (630) 946-6660 Map
Every Sunday stop by for $1 off all draft beers!

3:00 – 5:00 pm • Trivia Night at Noon Whistle Naperville
Noon Whistle Brewing, 1748 W. Jefferson Ave., Naperville, IL 331-431-4882 Map
Are you tired of sitting at home answering every question correct on Jeopardy with nothing to show for it?
Come out for our General Knowledge trivia night with Baig of Tricks Entertainment and join your host as they quiz your teams through two full hours of general knowledge trivia, including awesome themed bonus rounds and music rounds!
While we’re testing your wit, Cellar Door will be keeping you fueled up an incredible food menu and delicious drinks all night, PLUS the top teams will win bragging rights and prizes, so bring your friends, family, and even your enemies (if they’re good at trivia) to increase your chances of winning.
Be sure to get there early and snag your team a spot and fuel up with some drinks, see you soon!
Please follow ALL Covid-19 guidelines and restrictions put in place by the venue, and here are a few extra tips:
1) Please bring your own pen/pencil. Our host will have pencils just in case, but it would be best to use your own for everyone’s safety & comfort.
2) The questions will be read by your host over our PA system, but may not be displayed on a screen if one is not easily available.
3) Any and all rules/restrictions are subject to change.

3:00 – 6:00 pm • Savory Crust’s Empanadas in the Wolfden Beer Garden!
Wolfden Brewing, 112 W. Lake St., Bloomingdale, IL (847) 610-5117 Map
Come celebrate Wolfden Brewing’s third anniversary with Savory Crust’s unbeatable empanadas!
Baked and never fried, Savory Crust’s Fillipino-inspired cuisine combines a delicious pastry turnover with a variety of savory ingredients.
Wash down “the dinner of your dreams” with a frothy brew at Wolfden.

5:00 – 7:00 pm • Marvel Cinematic Universe trivia
Black & Gray Brewing Co., 311 Barrington Ave., East Dundee, IL (224) 484-8200 Map
Join us for a night of trivia covering questions from the Infinity Saga (Iron Man to Spider-Man: Far From Home) movies only.
You can play solo or round up a team of superheroes!
Top teams win prizes!!

9:00 pm • Drive-In, Dinner, and Drinks
Rock Island Public House, 13328 S. Olde Western Ave., Blue Island, IL 708-388-5513 Map
We wrap up Elvis Weekend with Love Me Tender!