You know we love local: local fun, local food, and of course local brews! If you have forgotten that Father’s Day is this weekend, or maybe you just need to apologize for a really lame gift, we suggest getting dad a growler. Lake County is not only home to some great local breweries but we also have several shops that are stocked full of local brews from Lake County, the Midwest and beyond!
Give dad the gift of craft brew and send him on his own Pub Crawl. It’s not college anymore so no need to drag yourself from one local pub to the next. Plan a day for dad and his buddies to take a tour of the Lake County Breweries! With only seven this is a totally doable adventure:
{Click on the map and it will take you to an interactive map where you can plan your adventure, get directions, etc. }
{A} Mickey Finn’s
North Milwaukee Ave, Libertyville (847) 362-6688
The oldest brewpub in Lake County just got a face-lift at a new location (just down the street). I haven’t been in yet but from the outside it looks great! Large windows open up front and the side will open up onto a patio (still in progress). This is on our summer date list! Mickey Finn’s has anywhere 6 to 11 different Finn’s made beer on tap. Mickey Finn’s beer is all natural with no additives or preservatives. Head there this Sunday and Dad get’s a free Mickey Finn’s pint glass (Bonus! Mom doesn’t have to cook).
{B} Tighthead Brewing Company
161 N. Archer Ave., Mundelein (847) 970-9174
The Tap Room at Tighthead is not a restaurant, open Wednesdays – Sunday you can stop in to enjoy Tighthead on tap and try experimental and seasonal brews. You can bring in food from other locations or have it delivered while you are there.
{C} Lake Bluff Brewing Company
16 E. Scranton Ave, Lake Bluff (224) 544-5179
Lake Bluff Brewing Company is about more than just brewing locally, whenever possible they buy local and distribute local! They are open daily (closed Monday) and recently won a Gold Medal at the US Open Beer Championship. Dad a lover of tunes? Every Tuesday and Thursday is vinyl night at the tap room. Bring your own or enjoy others.
{D} The Onion Pub & Brewery
22221 N. Pepper Rd, Lake Barrington (847) 381-7308
Not just a pretty face, The Onion Pub & Brewery has a 17 barrel brewhouse and canning line in their basement. Their goal is to provide a quality dining and beer-drinking experience. From the freshest beer you can get (brewed in the basement!) to choosing quality local foods to give you the freshest meals. Tours of the brewery are available the first Saturday of the month at 2:00 p.m. Call to reserve your spot.
{E} Light the Lamp
10 N. Lake St., Grayslake (847) 752-8489
If Dad’s a Hockey Fan, the only thing that would make this tap room better is if the Hawks were in the Stanley Cup. With a Hockey theme this unassuming storefront in downtown Grayslake brews some tasty beers. Open daily (except Tuesday) it’s known to open early or stay late for games so be sure to follow them on Facebook for current hours. No food is served but the local Grayslake restaurants will deliver there.
{F} Small Town Brewery
Wauconda
Brewed in Wacuonda sold out everywhere. Their most famous is the Not Your Father’s Root Beer, Loralie and I are still bitter about missing them at the Grayslake Craft Beerfest. While as far as I can tell there is no tap room or tours in Wauconda we had to give them a shout out. Check their map to see where you can find them.
{E} RAM Restaurant & Brewery
700 N. Milwukee Ave, Wheeling (847) 520-1222
RAM is part of Big Horn Brewing Company and can be found in several locations around the country. While it’s a nationally recognized chain it’s all still locally brewed on site. RAM is a full-service restaurant making it a great stop for Father’s Day!
So what if Dad is the type that wants to stay home, chilling in the hammock on Father’s Day? We got you covered there too! {Click the pa above for interaction again}. These are the best shops in Lake county for picking up a wide variety of craft brews from local and regional breweries and a few restaurants where you can get more than one of them on tap:
Shops:
The Art of Beer, 316 Green Bay Rd, Highwood (847) 423-8638
Beer Bazaar, 17 W. Belvidere Rd,, Hainesville (847) 986-6473
* Special Grand opening this weekend Saturday June 14 2:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.. with Beer Tasting, food and more!
Wine Knows, 1130 E. Washington St., Grayslake (847) 223-8402
Bliss Wine, 201 S. Main St, Wauconda (847) 526-7133
Call ahead and pay with a credit card and they will bring it to your car – curb service!
Antioch Fine Wine & Liquors, 1180 Main St., Antioch (847) 395-33540
Restaurants:
These locales offer plenty of choices of local and craft brews on tap. Take Dad out and let him sample several all in one place.
{A} Greentown Tavern, 110 S. Genesse St., Waukegan (847) 244-1001
{G} Firkin, 515 N Milwaukee Ave, Libertyville (847) 367-6168
{H} Chill Martini & Wine Bar, 216 N. Milwaukee Ave, Lake Villa (224) 643-7659
{J} The Beer Market, 1270 S. Milwaukee Ave, Vernon Hills (847) 955-1900
{K} The Vine Martini & Wine Bar, 101 Center St., Grayslake (847) 543-0900
If you missed out on The Grayslake Craft Beer Fest and the Mundelein Craft Beer Festival you can still get tickets to the Highwood Craft Beer Festival. Saturday August 2, with 40 breweries including Lake Bluff Brewing Company, Mickey Finn’s, and Tighthead or the Barrington Brew Fest, Saturday July 12 in downtown Barrington with 46 breweries including Light the Lamp, Mickey Finn’s, Tighthead, Wild Onion and More.
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