Beer and the Internet
Pair Beer Drinking with WiFi
One thing that will keep a writer with a laptop at a café or pub is free WiFi. Better than bars snacks, the internet feeds people information they need as opposed to copiously salty carbs someone else decided you want. I know I will stay to drink and eat more as long as the charge in my battery holds out -- about two hours -- longer if an electrical outlet is available.
It seems that most cafes, brewpubs and beer houses understand that providing free WiFi makes dollars and sense. Younger people -- twenty- and thirty-somethings -- may be more inclined to use a laptop when out, a demographic highly cherished by bar and restaurant owners. Even though they are also Blackberry-bound, their computer is always nearby for when they want to type and not text, when they want see images on a screen with more than a 4-inch diagonal.
Often, locations become destinations because of the amenities they provide customers: super service, great bread with a meal, ample parking, games, live music or DJs, televised sports, trivia, or even internet access. Keeping customers captive is a recipe for success, a path to profits.
In the Chicago-area pair your beer drinking with internet access. Why not WiFi while working on a weissbeer?
The following beer havens have free WiFi (as of this writing):
Goose Island (Clybourn & Wrigleyville), Two Brothers (Warrenville), Walter Payton's Roundhouse (Aurora), Emmett's Ale House (Downers Grove), Fitzgerald's (Berwyn), Piece Brewery and Pizzeria (Wicker Park), Hopleaf (Uptown), Map Room (Bucktown), Avenue Ale House (Oak Park), Poor Phil's (Oak Park), Gordon-Biersch (Bolingbrook), Whole Foods (the Lincoln Park store has local beers on tap) and Flossmoor Station (Flossmoor).
Those that don't:
Harrison's (Orland Park), Lunar Brewing (Villa Park), and Flatlander's (Lincolnshire).
I'm also looking to update listings. Email me [kentpalmer64@gmail.com or kentpalmerinmadison@hotmail.com] your favorite Chicago-area beer places that offer free WiFi. I will try to include the information in a future post.
Published by Kent Palmer
Kent Palmer is a veteran beer-geek, having spent time on both sides of the rail in Chicago, Il and Madison, WI. He enjoys pairing beer with food and experiences. View profile
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