Best Beers in Chicago to Try

The best beers in Chicago depend on what you want to buy: start with Dovetail Helles or Metropolitan Krankshaft for a crisp lager, Revolution Anti-Hero or Half Acre Daisy Cutter for a reliable IPA, and Off Color Apex Predator or Goose Island Bourbon County for more distinctive bottles.

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Best Chicago beers by style

Best Chicago lager: Dovetail Helles

Dovetail Helles is the strongest choice when you want a precise, refreshing lager rather than an aggressively flavored beer. It is pale, lightly bready and clean, with enough bitterness to keep the finish dry. The 4.4% ABV makes it easier to choose for a longer meal or several-hour gathering than a double IPA or barrel-aged stout.

Look for 16-ounce cans at independent bottle shops, larger beer retailers and Dovetail’s own taproom. Draft is often the better format because a fresh pour shows off the beer’s soft malt texture. Expect to pay roughly $12 to $17 for a four-pack, with draft pricing varying by neighborhood and venue.

Best easy-drinking beer: Metropolitan Krankshaft

Metropolitan Krankshaft occupies the space between a lager and a wheat-free pale ale. Its Kölsch-inspired profile is bright, lightly fruity and crisp, making it a useful refrigerator beer for shoppers who want something more characterful than a mass-market light lager without moving into heavy hop bitterness.

Choose the six-pack when serving a group: at roughly $10 to $15, it usually delivers a lower cost per serving than four-packs of 16-ounce cans. A 12-ounce can contains about 355 milliliters, so six cans provide approximately 2.13 liters of beer. That is enough for eight 8-ounce tasting pours or six standard servings, depending on how generously you pour.

Best IPA: Revolution Anti-Hero

Revolution Anti-Hero is the practical pick for a classic Chicago IPA. At 6.7% ABV, it has a noticeable hop punch, citrus and pine notes, and a firm bitter finish, but it is not as specialized as many modern hazy IPAs. That makes it easier to pair with burgers, pizza, wings and spicy food.

Anti-Hero is one of the easier Chicago craft beers to find in cans and on draft because Revolution distributes widely across the city and Illinois. Check the date code or packaging information before buying. Hoppy beers lose aroma over time, so a fresher six-pack is usually a better purchase than an older package stored warm.

Best pale ale: Half Acre Daisy Cutter

Half Acre Daisy Cutter is a good answer when an IPA sounds too bitter or too strong but a light lager seems uninteresting. Its 5.2% ABV and pale-ale structure give it a balance of toasted malt, citrusy hops and moderate bitterness. It is especially useful for a mixed gathering because experienced craft-beer drinkers can appreciate the hop profile while casual drinkers can still find it approachable.

It is commonly sold in six-packs of 12-ounce cans and poured at bars throughout Chicago. Prices generally fall between $12 and $17. Buy it for near-term drinking rather than long-term storage; pale ales are at their most expressive when the hop aroma is still vivid.

Best hazy IPA: Maplewood Son of Juice

Maplewood Son of Juice is the better choice for shoppers who prefer a soft, fruit-forward IPA. The hazy appearance and restrained bitterness emphasize tropical and citrus hop flavors. At 6.3% ABV, it is substantial without reaching the intensity of many double IPAs.

Most packages are four 16-ounce cans, which equals 64 ounces. At a typical $15 to $20 per four-pack, that works out to approximately $3.75 to $5 per 16-ounce serving. The higher price reflects the larger cans and hop-heavy brewing, but the beer is less economical if you are buying for a large party. Keep cans cold and drink them relatively soon after purchase to preserve the aroma.

Best saison: Off Color Apex Predator

Off Color Apex Predator is the pick for a dry, food-friendly beer with more fermentation character than a standard pale ale. Expect peppery, earthy and lightly citrus-like notes, with a crisp finish that works well beside roast chicken, seafood, salads and rich cheeses.

Its saison profile can be unfamiliar to drinkers who mainly buy lagers or IPAs, so it is a smart single-bottle or draft order before committing to a multipack. Look for it at specialty beer shops, Off Color locations and restaurants with serious local-beer lists. A four-pack or bottle may cost roughly $13 to $22 depending on format and release.

Best Chicago stout for a special occasion: Goose Island Bourbon County

Goose Island Bourbon County Stout is not the best value for casual refreshment, but it remains one of Chicago’s most recognizable special-release beers. It is rich, dark and bourbon-forward, with roasted malt, chocolate and oak flavors. The exact strength and recipe vary by annual release, so read the bottle label rather than assuming every version has the same ABV.

The usual 500 ml bottle is slightly more than 16 ounces. Because the beer is often around 12% to 14% ABV, pour it into small glasses rather than treating it like a standard six-pack beer. A 500 ml bottle provides roughly four 4-ounce tasting pours. At $15 to $30, the cost is about $3.75 to $7.50 per small pour. Refrigeration is sensible for maintaining flavor, while a cool, dark storage area is preferable if you plan to hold a bottle for later.

Where to buy cans, bottles and draft pours

• For cans: Start with the brewery’s taproom or online availability page, then check independent bottle shops, neighborhood liquor stores and larger grocery stores with refrigerated craft-beer sections.
• For bottles: Specialty beer retailers are the best option for Bourbon County, saisons, barrel-aged releases and limited packages. Ask how recently the beer arrived and whether it has been kept cold.
• For draft: Brewery taprooms give you the most direct access to current releases. Beer bars and restaurants may offer more styles at once, but a rotating tap list can change quickly.
• For a mixed Chicago selection: Buy one six-pack of a widely distributed beer such as Anti-Hero or Krankshaft, then add a single bottle or four-pack from a smaller producer.

Quick decision guide

Buying and storage mistakes to avoid

Do not buy a hop-forward beer solely because it is famous if the package is old or warm. IPAs and pale ales are usually best consumed sooner, while strong barrel-aged beers are more tolerant of extended storage. Keep cans and bottles away from heat and direct sunlight, and avoid repeatedly moving a heavily carbonated package between warm and cold conditions.

For a first Chicago beer purchase, choose one crisp beer, one hop-forward beer and one specialty bottle. That three-part approach gives you a practical comparison of the city’s lager, IPA and barrel-aged traditions without spending heavily on a style you may not enjoy.