Distributor Locations
Of course, like most college kids, my go-to beers have been domestic lagers…after I turned 21, of course. I often wouldn’t think twice about what beer to order at the bar and my college budget was an excuse for limiting my choices. Now that I’ve graduated and finished my internship here at Lakeshore Beverage, I’ve garnered a newfound knowledge about beer. Hint: they don’t all taste the same.
From recent grads like myself, to your uncle who’s been drinking the same domestic lager his whole life, there’s a craft beer out there for everyone. Listen, I’m not asking you to jump right into trying an intense hoppy IPA, but I am asking you to try a different beer than you’d typically reach for. There’s a huge world of beer out there and it’s time to widen your horizons, so here are 10 craft beers you can enjoy.
If you’ve ever gone down the Lakefront Trail on a weekday in the summer, it’s fairly evident how much Chicago loves its volleyball. So to cap off the summer, the AVP Gold Series Championships will return to North Avenue Beach on August 30 – September 2. This is pro volleyball like you’ve never seen.
Our friends at Kona Brewing will be there, serving up their Hawaiian suds to attendees throughout the weekend. Oh and did we mention they’re giving away a pair of VIP tickets to Saturday’s (sold out) matches. Say wha?! So fill out the form below and cross your fingers. Winner will be notified Monday, August 27 via email.
Surly First Avenue +1 is a beer made to enjoy wherever the music hits you. So to introduce this music-inspired beer to the Chicago area, we decided to have one of our Secret Beer Parties. What better venue to debut First Avenue +1 than Shuga Records in Wicker Park? We drank, we ate, we bought records, and even listened to an in-store performance from Flamingo Rodeo. DJ Tim Zawada was also there spinning Prince-inspired Minneapolis sound for everyone to enjoy while they shopped the store. Shuga Records was booming with beer and bass and three lucky winners walked away with free tickets to see a show at First Avenue in Minneapolis.
If you missed out on this Secret Beer Party, sign up for our email newsletter and keep an eye on your inbox. You can also use our Beer Finder to locate a 4-pack near you or ask your local liquor store to bring some in.
Check out the photos below thanks to the amazing and talented Brittany Purlee.
On Thursday, July 19th, the Green City Market Chef BBQ offered the most divine and delicious bites for attendees to enjoy. Beer tastings were available from a variety of Midwest beverage purveyors including Goose Island, Moody Tongue, Virtue Cider, Founders, Bell’s, Boulevard, 3 Sheeps, Urban Chestnut, Sun King, Jolly Pumpkin, and Burnt City. Lakeshore Beverage partnered up with the Green City Market Junior Board and Goose Island this year and brought Plinko to our lounge area. Guests could win a variety of Goose Island merchandise and one lucky winner even got to take home a Goose Island Bike!
There are literally hundreds of festivals in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs throughout the summer. Whether they’re showcasing a specific neighborhood, food, or beer, these festivals bring people together from all over the city. Our Special Events team is often the unsung heroes at many of these events, making sure the beverage operations run smoothly and that the beer continues to flow. We went behind-the-scenes to see what happens in order to make these festivals happen.
We know everyone wants to celebrate the Fourth of July the best way possible so we’re here to point you in the right direction beer-wise. Whether you’re throwing an epic Fourth of July party, or kicking it back for a casual night at the lake house, we’ve got a beer to pump up your patriotism.
This year we selected seven low-ABV beers because we all know that the Fourth is a marathon and not a sprint. There’s something for everyone and you can rest easy knowing your cooler is stocked for every taste preference at the party.