Beer and Work

Beer has been an economic engine for American communities for generations. Akin to the European and English breweries, in pre-prohibition America it was not uncommon for most towns to host its own brewhouse...or two.

Macro-brewers, such as 19^th-century Milwaukee's Pabst, thrived as thousands of lives were tied to the enterprise. An employer of brewers, maltiers, teamsters and waitstaff, they also supported labor of other artisan industries including coopers, farmers and lumbermen.

The modern-day brewery is an economic powerhouse as well. Metal workers, welders, electronic switch makers and pump manufacturers and engineers back up today's brewers.

Prohibition killed off a vast percentage of the breweries in America. Fifty-plus years later a boom in craftbrew emerged, only to taper off again. Many well-heeled IT boomers tried their hands at boutique brewing, with less than stunning results.

The past twenty years, however, has witnessed a steady growth of quality, artisanal micro-breweries across the nation. In fact, even in recent troubled economic times, the craft beer segment is growing, floating the financial fortunes of the flagging spirits industry.

In the Chicago area try some yummy brews at a brewhouse near you.

Emmett's Ale House (Downers Grove, Palatine)

Flatlander's (Lincolnshire)

Flossmoor Station Restaurant and Brewery (Flossmoor)

Goose Island Brewing (Chicago)

Gordon Biersch (Bolingbrook)

Half Acre Brewing

Harrison's Restaurant & Brewery (Orland Park)

Lunar Brewing Company (Villa Park)

Mickey Finn's Brewery (Libertyville)

Moonshine (Chicago)

Piece Pizzeria & Brewery (Chicago)

Prairie Rock Brewing (Elgin)

Ram Restaurant & Brewing ( Rosemont, Schaumburg, Wheeling)

Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery (Chicago, Lombard, Orland Park, Warrenville)

Revolution (Chicago)

Three Floyds Brewery (Muenster, IN)

Two Brothers Brewing Company (Warrenville)

Walter Payton's Roundhouse - America's Brewery (Aurora)

Currently, my favorite brews in Chicagoland are Two Brothers' Resistance India Pale Ale and Piece's Dark and Curvy Dunkelweizen, Try the IPA with some spicy Pad Thai. The Dunkelweizen might go well with a savory pizza, maybe mushrooms and onions with feta cheese.

For more information contact Kent Palmer at kentpalmerinmadison@hotmail.com or kentpalmer64@gmail.,com.