Here’s where we’d be heading first at the 2022 Beer Under Glass event at Union Station this Friday.
It’s weirdly ironic that when I search my Google Photos for anything taken at Union Station, for some reason it displays images from previous Beer Under Glass events at the Garfield Observatory. An odd quirk of metadata fate that I’m choosing to believe bodes well for this week’s Illinois Craft Beer Week kickoff event.
The 2022 Beer Under Glass will take place at a new location for the first time in over a decade, with beer drinkers gathering beneath the glass ceiling at Union Station just outside the Chicago Loop. As always, there are an overwhelming number of breweries from around Illinois participating, and there’s no way to try a beer from all of them … so we’re here to lend a hand.
(One immediate recommendation: Having attended events in that hall before, I strongly suggest you bring earplugs. Sound bounces off those hard walls like crazy.)
It’s best to have a gameplan when heading into a major beer festival, so here’s a few thoughts on who to prioritize based on your preferences. Don’t have a ticket? Grab one here. See you out there!
The Newest Breweries:
If you follow the updates in our weekly craft beer news email, you’ll know that there’s been no stopping breweries from opening over the last couple of years. Since this is the first BUG in a while, this might be the first chance you’ll have to try beers from Bubblehouse Brewing, Crust Brewing (aka the new project in the former Rosemont Hofbrauhaus), First Forest (a new brand from the former Blue Nose Brewing), Funkytown, Niteglow or Milk Money.
Where to Find the Hype Lines:
If you’re heading to Beer Under Glass and don’t follow the beer scene quite as closely as well do, you’re probably wondering where the most sought-after beers will be found (which will also be the ones whose kegs kick the quickest). We’d recommend making a bee-line for the beers from Phase Three (and their side brand Lulz), Energy City, Hop Butcher, MORE Brewing and probably Whiskey Hill as well. And if you see barrel-aged stouts from Revolution, Maplewood or Werk Force, you’re gonna want to sample those as well.
Lagers! Lagers! Lagers!
If you’re looking for beers that skew more traditional and take a bit more time to make, Chicago’s never had a wider array of lager-focused breweries. Naturally you’ll want to start at Metropolitan (maybe they’ll be pouring their new Microvolt table lager?) and then stop by to see what Art History and Goldfinger have on tap. Don’t forget to check out the beers Great Central Brewing Company is pouring—their house-brand lagers are reliably excellent as well.
GABF/WBC Medalwinners Galore:
The 2021 Great American Beer Fest was the best year for Illinois breweries in pretty much ever. Good news: nearly every single one of the medal winners is going to be at BUG this year. DESTIHL, Will County Brewing co. and Pollyanna took gold last fall while silvers were awarded to Old Irving, Sew Hop’d, Tribes, and Mickey Finn’s (which also just won a World Beer Cup medal). Round out your sample pours with this year’s bronze medal winners: Alarmist, Goose Island, Tangled Roots, and Crystal Lake Brewing.
Go Beyond the ‘Burbs:
Like most BUGs this is an extremely Chicagoland-centric event. That’s why we always like to take advantage of the opportunity to try beers from brewers downstate. Check out whatever’s pouring from Cypress Grove (Assumption, IL), Door 4 Brewing (Decatur), Keg Grove Brewing Company (Bloomington), Tangled Roots (Ottawa), White Oak Brewing (Normal) and even Brickstone (Bourbonnais) if you haven’t grabbed a pale ale from them lately.
A list of all participating 2022 Beer Under Glass breweries follows:
2 Fools Cider
93 Octane Brewery
Adams Street Brewery
Alarmist Brewing
All Rise Brewing Co
Alter Brewing Company
Alulu Brewpub
Around the Bend
Art History Brewing
Banging Gavel Brews
BBGB Brewery
Begyle Brewing
Black Horizon Brewing Company
Black Lung Brewing
Bold Dog Beer Company
Brickstone Brewery
Brothership Brewing
Bubblehouse Brewing Co
BuckleDown Brewing
Buffalo Creek Brewing
Burning Bush Brewery
Burnt City Brewing
Casa Humilde Cerveceria
Church Street Brewing Company
Corridor Brewery & Provisions
Crushed By Giants Brewing Company
Crust Brewing
Cruz Blanca Brewery
Crystal Lake Brewing
Cypress Grove Brewing
Destihl Brewery
Door 4 Brewing Company
Dry City Brew Works
DryHop Brewers
Dutchbag Brew Co
Elmhurst Brewing Company
Energy City Brewing
ERIS Brewery and Cider house
Evil Horse Brewing Co.
Exit Strategy Brewing Company
First Forest Brewing
Flapjack Brewery
Forbidden Root
Funkytown Brewery
Goldfinger Brewing Company
Goose Island Beer Co.
Great Central Brewing Company
Hailstorm Brewing Company
Half Acre Beer
Hop Butcher For The World
Hopewell Brewing Company
Hopvine Brewing Company
Horse Thief Hollow
Ike & Oak Brewing Co.
Illuminated Brew Works
Imperial Oak Brewing
Keg Grove Brewing Company
Kishwaukee Brewing Co.
Lake Effect Brewing Company
Light the Lamp Brewery
Lil Beaver Brewery
Lo Rez Brewing
LULZ Hard Seltzer
Lunar Brewing Company
Maplewood Brewery & Distillery
Marz Community Brewing Co
Metal Monkey Brewing
Metropolitan Brewing
Mickey Finn’s Brewery
Middle Brow
Midwest Coast Brewing
Mikerphone Brewing
Milk Money Brewing
Misbeehavin’ Meads
Miskatonic Brewing Company
Moody Tongue Brewing Company
More Brewing Company
Nik & Ivy Brewing Co.
Niteglow
Noon Whistle Brewing
Obscurity Brewing
Odious Cellars
Old Irving Brewing Co
On Tour Brewing Co.
One Allegiance Brewing
One Lake Brewing
Open Outcry Brewing
Orkenoy
Oswego Brewing Company
Penrose Brewing
Phase Three Brewing
Piece Brewery
Pig Minds Brewing Co.
Pilot Project Brewing
Pipeworks Brewing Co
Pollyanna Brewing Company
Primary Colors Brewing
Rabid Brewing
Ravinia Brewing Company
Revolution Brewing
Riverlands Brewing Company
Roaring Table Brewery
Rock Bottom Brewery
Second City Meadery
Sew Hop’d Brewery
Short Fuse Brewing Company
Side Lot Brewery
Sketchbook Brewing co.
Smylie Brothers Brewing Co.
Solemn Oath Brewery
Tangled Roots Brewing Company
Temperance. Beer Company
Tighthead Brewing Company
Tribes Beer Company
Twisted Hippo Brewery
Two Brothers Brewing Company
Two Hound Red Brewing Co.
Urban Brew Labs
Virtue Cider
Werk Force
Whiner Beer Co
Whiskey Hill Brewing Company
White Oak Brewing
Will County Brewing Company
Wolfden Brewing Company