Back in 2019 the Chicago White Sox hosted their inaugural “ChiSox Craft Beer Fest” at Rate Field. It was “the first-ever craft beer festival held within the ballpark on a non-game day, highlighting more than 35 breweries from around the Chicagoland area”. FromThe108 was one of the non-brewery booths, and it was a great time! It was going to be an annual event, but then 2020 happened and FUCKED EVERYTHING UP. We are back to “normal” these days, but would a craft beer festival do the same numbers NOW as it did in 2019? Let’s take a look.

Friend of the 108, Matt Ramsey sent me a text lamenting that Whiner Beer Co had closed up shop. It got my brain thinking, how many breweries have closed their doors since that fest happened? There were 35+ local breweries involved, wonder how many are still open. Let’s find out!

350 Brewing – Closed in 2022.
3 Floyds – OPEN!
5 Rabbit Brewing – Closed.
18th Street Brew – OPEN!
Aleman – Closed in 2022.
Alulu Brewing – OPEN!
Ballast Point – Closed in Chicago, but still open.
Banging Gavel – OPEN!
Blue Nose Brewing – Closed early 2021.
Collective Arts Brewing – OPEN (in Canada).
Goose Island – OPEN!
Gun Craft Beer – Closed.
Half Acre Beer – OPEN!
Horse Thief Hollow – OPEN!
Illuminated Brew Works – Closing June ’26.
Imperial Oak – OPEN!
Kinslahger Brewing – OPEN!
Lagunitas – Closed in Chicago.
Lo Rez – Closed.
Maplewood – OPEN!
Marz Brewing – OPEN!
Metal Monkey Brewing – Closed in 2023.
Moody Tongue – OPEN!
Motor Row – Closed in 2020.
Noon Whistle – OPEN!
Pipeworks – OPEN!
Pollyanna – OPEN!
Rabid Brewing – OPEN!
Ravinia – Closed.
Revolution Brewing – OPEN!
ShortFuse Brewing – Closed in 2026.
Surly Brewing – OPEN!
Ten-Ninety Brewing – Closed in 2024.
Tribes – Closed in 2023.
Twisted Hippo – Closed, but still brews.
Two Brothers Brewing – OPEN!
Whiner Beer Co. – Closed in 2026.

Final results? 20 are open, 17 are closed. I think that is pretty good, considering the pandemic affected so many of these breweries. Add in people drinking less and legal weed, it was a death sentence for the high octane beers that were so fucking tasty. But snuck up on you like a crazy killer clown in a slasher flick.

Final thoughts? If you like craft beer, get your ass out there and support your local brewer. Times are tough and money is tight, so be smart with your extra money. That one visit a month might make all the difference in the world. Cheers!

-MSS