3 Floyds Brew Pub
9750 Indiana Parkway, Munster, IN

3 Floyds.

Anna and I decided to give you a special 52 Weeks in Chicago post that takes place just outside the city in Northwest Indiana.  We are both huge fans of 3 Floyds and love that their unique and tasty beers can be found on tap at most of our favorite bars throughout the city, so really it is only fitting we made the quick drive down to Munster to try out their brew pub before our trip to Los Angeles this past weekend.  3 Floyds Brew Pub doesn’t disappoint at all with its wide variety of beers on tap and guest beers that are available.  Anna had 3 Floyds Drunk Monk, which is a traditional Bavarian style Hefeweisse, that was very tasty.  I ended up trying 3 Floyds Topless Wych, a very full bodied and strong (9% ABV) Baltic Porter with hints of coffee and chocolate.  For dinner, Anna had an incredible grilled cheese sandwich with fries and I went with the duck sandwich that made the drive to Indiana very worth it.  We highly recommend taking a trip to 3 Floyds Brew Pub; it is the perfect place for friends to get together that have a strong appreciation for microbreweries and a menu that is constantly changing every day.  

-Rob

Anna’s Drunk Monk on the left and Rob’s Topless Wych on the right.

Rob’s duck sandwich.

Anna’s grilled cheese sandwich.

Metropolitan Brewing
5121 N Ravenswood Ave., Chicago, IL‎
Neighborhood: Ravenswood

Metropolitan Brewery.

Hello to our abundance of new followers!  This is the second of two posts this week since our laziness from last week resulted in no post.  Continuing in the apparent brewery theme of the week, Rob and I decided to go on our first brewery tour at Metropolitan Brewery in the Ravenswood neighborhood this weekend.  Having never been on a tour, we weren’t sure what to expect, but we instantly felt at home as we walked into the huge brewery space and were handed samples of Metropolitan’s Kölsch-style beer, Krankshaft, to start with.  The informative nearly hour-long tour was conducted by owners Doug and Tracy Hurst, who led the group of thirty or so around the space, explaining each component of the brewing process.

As the tour progressed, Tracy filled up our airline-sized cups with samples of each of Metropolitan’s beers, including the Flywheel Bright lager (my favorite of all their beers), the Dynamo Copper lager, and their special winter seasonal beer, which was over 8% in alcohol content and definitely left a smile on my face by the time I headed back out into the cold Chicago afternoon.  At $5 a person, Metropolitan’s brewery tour is inexpensive and highly entertaining.  Rob and I definitely recommend it to any fellow beer enthusiasts in the Chicagoland area, or elsewhere.

-Anna

Metropolitan’s three beers.

Doug Hurst explaining the grain process in front of the brew kettle.

Rob sipping on some Krankshaft.

Revolution Brewing
2323 N Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL‎
Neighborhood: Logan Square

Photo courtesy of Metromix/Barry Brecheisen.

For months, Anna and I have patiently waited for Revolution Brewing to open up their doors; and this week, they finally did.  As one would suspect, the place was packed when we arrived and we had to wait for about 45 minutes to be seated.  While waiting, we couldn’t help but notice the amazing construction that was put into the brewery.  I particularly liked the woodwork at the bar, the beautifully restored tin ceiling, and the large glass window that peers into the brewing room where Revolution crafts their beers.

We started off our meal with an appetizer, opting for the bacon fat popcorn, which was terrific.  You can’t beat popcorn that is topped with crispy bacon, sage, and shaved parmesan.  For dinner, Anna went with the Smoked Pulled Pork sandwich that was topped with South Carolina-style mustard and honey-jalapeno slaw, and she washed it down with a Cross of Gold, a very crisp golden ale.  I decided to try Revolution’s Anti-Hero IPA beer and the Smokehouse Burger, that is topped with a slice of pepper jack cheese and a small portion of the South Carolina style pulled pork.  Our entire meal was very satisfying and the beers were good as well.  I’m happy Revolution opened up shop in Logan Square, especially on a stretch of Milwaukee Ave. that is riddled with abandoned store fronts.

-Rob

Bacon + popcorn = the best bar snack we’ve had in a long time.

Anna’s pulled pork sandwich.

Rob’s smokehouse burger.