The Beeronaut

Category: Beer Business

What goes on behind the taps? The beer business, planned new place, sudden closings in the Chicago market.

Dozens of Area Brewers Collaborate on "Black Is Beautiful"

Starting in July, we will see the first releases from one of the largest brewers’ collaborations in the country. The Black is Beautiful initiative was started by Weathered Souls Brewing of San Antonio, TX. The idea was hatched shortly after the George Floyd murder as a way to make positive contributions to each brewer’s local... Read more »

By Mark McDermott,
June 29, 2020 at 10:34 pm

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Luna Bay Hard Kombucha: Talking with Co-Founder Bridget Connelly

Preface: I'll probably remove this paragraph later. If it seems odd for me to be posting about new products, sold at stores that are probably closed during the current pandemic and the civic unrest; well, I agree. But catching up to articles I've been writing is just my own kind of therapy. My attempt to manage some order here in the Upside-Down. I can only keep doing what I do here. Reserve my bigger rants for my personal social media. And prepare for better days to come.

Another player in specialty brewing is expanding into the Chicago market and elsewhere. Luna Bay Booch is notable in that they are producing "hard" kombucha, and because they are headed by women. Bridget Connelly is co-founder and CEO of the company. She worked with brewer Claire Ridge to formulate recipes in the Chicago, where they were scaled up to commercial batches at Pilot Project Brewing on Milwaukee Avenue...

By Mark McDermott,
June 2, 2020 at 11:31 pm

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Brewery & Bar Activity During COVID-19 Closings: Chicago

April 28: I am working to keep up with the changing situations with brewers, brewpubs and stores during the “Shelter In Place” order, now in effect through May. The new class of “essential services” includes retail food establishments and brewers, so many of these places are trying to conduct business, at least on a carry-out... Read more »

By Mark McDermott,
April 4, 2020 at 3:02 pm

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Brewery & Bar Activity During COVID-19 Closings: West Cook/DuPage/Far West Suburbs

April 22: I am working to keep up with the changing situations with brewers, brewpubs and stores during the “Shelter In Place” order, now in effect through May. The new class of “essential services” includes retail food establishments and brewers, so many of these places are trying to conduct business, at least on a carry-out... Read more »

By Mark McDermott,
April 4, 2020 at 2:08 pm

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Brewery & Bar Activity During COVID-19 Closings: North Cook/Lake Counties

By Mark McDermott,
April 4, 2020 at 2:08 pm

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Brewery & Bar Activity During the COVID-19 Closings: South Cook/Will County/Indiana

Update, May 14: I’m updating this section as I come across news of individual locations that are tentatively opening in Indiana on May 18. Arrowhead Ales Brewing Co., 2101 Calistoga Dr., New Lenox, IL 815-717-6068 Here are current deals we are offing for pick-up/curbside pick up. Call us to pick up an order. Tuesday ~ Thursday:... Read more »

By Mark McDermott,
April 4, 2020 at 12:08 pm

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Surprise: Kings & Convicts buys Ballast Point from Constellation

It’s a reversal of the familiar scenario in which a big-name craft brewer is bought out by a multinational “big beer” consortium. This time, the brewer has been bought back from an international consortium. On Tuesday, Kings & Convicts Brewing Co. announced they had purchased Ballast Point Brewing Co. from Constellation Brands. Constellation is a... Read more »

By Mark McDermott,
December 3, 2019 at 11:28 pm

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Burnt City, 2 Other Brewers Open District Brew Yards

I’ve gotten some news releases that I need to just pump out here, so here’s one: In February, Burnt City brewing closed its Lincoln Ave, brewpub and bowling alley space, and its packaging brewery in the former Jay’s Potato Chip plant on the South Side, after announcing they needed to refocus their strategy in the... Read more »

By Mark McDermott,
April 9, 2019 at 10:12 pm

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Pink Boots Society "Hold My Crown" Hits Taps

You may have seen events in this space, hosted by organizations for women in the beer brewing business, or who simply enjoy beer. One of the business-oriented groups, the Pink Boots Society, has launched a multi-brewer collaboration release this weekend. Hold My Crown is a collaboration among ten Chicago area breweries. It’s also practically a new style of... Read more »

By Mark McDermott,
April 4, 2019 at 5:50 pm

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Arcade Brewery Closes, Ale Syndicate on the Bubble

Another shakeup in Chicago’s brewing scene unfolded Monday morning. Chris Tourre of Arcade Brewery sent the following email to their retail accounts: Good Morning Retailers, We wanted to inform you that Arcade Brewery will be closing effective immediately. Given the circumstances in our facility that halted our production and the inability to come to terms... Read more »

By Mark McDermott,
December 20, 2016 at 12:14 am

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