Beer Beneath Glass 2025: An Night Beneath the Skyline

• Phrases: Karl Klockars
• Pictures (besides the place talked about): Jaime Hernandez / @jaimelikesbeer

I very a lot hope this new dwelling for Beer Beneath Glass sticks round for some time.

Whereas my compatriates Steve, Eric and Jaime have been on the Union Station occasions of current years, It’s been some time since I attended a Beer Beneath Glass. The final one I joined was the ultimate Garfield Park gathering of 2019, after which it’s taken me over 5 years to get again to Chicago for certainly one of these after the world fractured and despatched me careening out of the town.

I’m glad I got here again for this one. I had a very good time beneath the deep blue Chicago sky surrounded by metropolis skyline at this yr’s version, and it feels just like the sold-out crowd did additionally. Even earlier than the overall admission ticketholders rolled in at 5:30, the VIP/Media entry was already buzzing to the tune of a whole bunch of beer drinkers all effectively underway with their tasting time.

Quite a lot of folks made reference to Half Acre’s Far and Away invitational that was held on the similar Harris Theater area some time again, and I’m very glad to seek out that it’s nonetheless an exquisite place for a beer occasion. A central location nearly actually helped transfer tickets for a Friday occasion inside strolling distance of hundreds of workplace areas seeking to kick off some early-summer consuming in a giant approach. I nonetheless noticed fairly just a few acquainted faces from all through the years of beer consuming, which was a pleasant reminder that there’s nonetheless a small sense of neighborhood that runs by means of the years and plenty of, many sq. miles of beer consuming experiences round Chicagoland.

And the beer was excellent as effectively. Whereas previous years might have been an opportunity for some breweries to attempt to out-weird the opposite breweries with wild concoctions pushing the bounds of what beers could possibly be, evidently possibly the current plateau or normal downturn in beer consuming had brewers bringing out some tried and true favorites alongside the considerably weirder stuff for the hardcore like myself.

Total: so many hits, so few misses. Right here’s what I discovered myself actually liking.

My Beer Takeaways from Beer Beneath Glass 2025:

The awards for Double Clutch are, at a fast look, effectively earned – their true-to-style E-City Vienna Lager was spot-on tasty for my first pour of the evening.

The one line I stood in was for Brothership Brewing’s Barrel-Aged Area Particles, which frolicked in rye and bourbon barrels with uncooked and toasted coconut. Yearly there’s a hype brewery and the phrase is out on Brothership – their line was dozens deep firstly of the fest and solely tapered off after a great hour plus into the occasion.

I used to be loads glad they got here to me at BUG as an alternative of me heading out to Mokena, and the Area Particles was syrupy-rich, thick, daring and nonetheless balanced between stout and adjunct. I adopted that up with a pour of Begyle’s Imperial Pajamas with Espresso, only for a little bit of comparability – I do know that FoBAB is all in regards to the barrel however nonetheless, it’s enjoyable to place a pair adjuncted BA stouts again to again and see the variations.

Issues actually began kicking after I obtained a pour of Flipside’s Rascal King pub ale, a 4.8% mid-ABV banger that was simply spot-on about what I like on this fashion. Drinkable, caramel-roasty, vivid with recent earthy malt goodness – I do know they put this on cask every so often; I strongly suggest profiting from that choice if you happen to can.

A brewery who I’ve identified by their very distinctive title however by no means had an opportunity to attempt certainly one of their beers is Dutchbag Brewing. I fairly loved their Issues that Goals Are Made Of, a 3.6% “Nordic Weiss” that was fluffy as hell, sparkly and citrusy and creamy and really refreshing.

As I discussed in Friday’s BUG Gameplan, I used to be trying ahead to attempting a beer or two from Wolfden, and their Path Combine Porter paid off: It was a deliciously well-balanced porter with the chocolate complexity bouncing off the savoriness of roasted peanut whereas not being too heavy-drinking. A tricky needle to string however they did it effectively. Talking of porters, the Imperial Porter from Moor’s Brewing was one other richly fruity pour that – to me – felt prefer it had some deep pomegranate notes to it that have been fairly welcome.

I knew that Guinness Chicago wouldn’t rent any just-average brewers however I didn’t count on to benefit from the Czech darkish lager from them as a lot as I did. True to fashion, clear, up-front sharp roasty character and current physique; no complaints, simply an excellent beer.

You already know what Pipeworks is sweet at? Making beer. No, actually, I imply their simple American mild lager, merely referred to as Beer, was actually a pleasant choice to have on an evening the place my palate was getting a bit slammed. Brilliant, candy, grainy, you’ve had an American mild lager if you happen to’re studying this, I don’t want to clarify it to you. Nevertheless it was a tasty one.

Crust Brewing’s Orange is the New Radler was a mid-festival blast of soda sweetness and sparkle that I didn’t know I wanted however significantly appreciated. Significantly, it tasted identical to Orange Crush however rather less sticky.

Sundial Brewing & Mixing was one other brewery I used to be blissful to have for the primary time, and their Desk Blackberry was a revelation. Barrel-aged saison refermented with second-use blackberries and blended with desk beer (per the label – no approach I’d bear in mind all that) was massive with sharp wild flavors and punched approach above its 4% weight. Scrumptious.

I feel lots of people have slept on Adams Road Brewing, assuming the brewery jammed into the again of the Berghoff Restaurant within the coronary heart of the Loop may solely be common at greatest … however in all probability not a lot after many people tried their spot-on Export Stout that just lately got here dwelling with World Beer Cup {hardware}. I heard lots of people speaking about this in a fortunately shocked method and hopefully everybody that got here away impressed pay a go to.

I feel I’m nonetheless tasting the El Gallo Chingon from Whiskey Hill — their BA stout with cocoa nibs, coconut, cinnamon and three forms of chiles. A sipper to make sure – that warmth would construct and construct quick if you happen to took it too fast, however endurance with it means that you can draw out the sweetness and spice in tandem for a beer that was additionally spectacular in an surprising approach.

Lastly, the “Gnome Launcher” watermelon bitter from Rabid Brewing was an end-of-evening suckerpunch to my palate that was only a pleasure to drink. Like sticking an immersion blender right into a watermelon and letting it rip, then sneaking in a 6.5% ABV bitter beer beneath it as a framework for that pink melon sweetness with a contact of tart beneath. This one’s in all probability fairly harmful in scorching climate. I may drink this quick; too quick, in all probability.

These are my takeaways from Beer Beneath Glass 2025 – much more good than dangerous and even mediocre, fortunately, and a testomony to how robust your entire Chicagoland brewing scene is. Enjoyable occasions, and due to the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild for taking a giant swing in bringing this pageant downtown. It was a success.

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