{"id":20414,"date":"2016-05-06T11:00:32","date_gmt":"2016-05-06T16:00:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.guysdrinkingbeer.com\/?p=20414"},"modified":"2021-08-31T11:48:04","modified_gmt":"2021-08-31T16:48:04","slug":"south-of-80-2016","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.guysdrinkingbeer.com\/south-of-80-2016\/","title":{"rendered":"ANNOUNCING: The 5th Annual South of 80: A Celebration of Downstate Brewers"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is our 5th Annual\u00a0South of 80, which returns to showcase some of downstate Illinois and the St. Louis area’s best and brightest brewers.<\/em><\/span><\/h4>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The only event during Chicago Craft Beer Week featuring beer from brewers across downstate Illinois and the St. Louis area, some of which has never poured\u00a0from a Chicago tap handle, returns to The Green Lady on Tuesday, May 24th beginning at 7:00 p.m.<\/p>\n

This year’s South of 80, which celebrates beer brewed below Interstate 80 — the line of demarcation that separates Chicago from “southern Illinois” — includes eight<\/em><\/strong> breweries or brewpubs and 31<\/em><\/strong> different beers. This fifth iteration of the event includes a mix of breweries that joined us for our first go-round in 2011 as well as\u00a0a few fresh faces brand new to Chicago.<\/p>\n

The event first began as a way to show off beer brewed in far-flung reaches of the state and has since morphed in to a means to showcase creative and unique beers never-before poured in Chicago. South of 80 has also served as a bridge to nearly a half-dozen downstate brewers to enter the Chicago market. In the last four years Six Row Brewing<\/a> (RIP), Destihl,<\/a> Urban Chestnut<\/a> and Excel<\/a> have inked distribution deals after participating in South of 80.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s who\u2019s coming to the 5th annual South of 80: A Celebration of Downstate Brewers<\/strong><\/p>\n