I recently found myself back in the City of the Big Shoulders, that glorious town of beef sandwiches, eternal football heartbreak, and Midwestern hospitality .......and as any self-respecting gourmand-slash-beer-hound would,
I made my pilgrimage to Maplewood Brewery & Distillery.......And let me tell you, this wasn't just a visit. It was an affair. The kind of deeply satisfying, borderline-romantic experience that makes you sigh wistfully on the flight home and whisper to your beer fridge, "It's not you. It's Maplewood."
Forget the watery pretenders and wannabe lagers I sampled around town .....Maplewood's Festbier was the '85 Bears defense of this trip: bold, balanced, and utterly dominant. One fragrant whiff of the hop aroma and I was ready to sing the "Super Bowl Shuffle."
It poured a deep golden hue, the kind of color that makes you instinctively hum polka tunes and crave pretzels. The creamy, softly rounded mouthfeel was a show of brewing perfection in the process-- or maybe....more like a perfectly executed play-action pass from Ditka's playbook? Doughy, crisp, and just the right touch of sweetness on the finish, this beer was built for Maplewood's Central European-inspired kitchen.
Paired with a German or potentially Polish cheese dip -- a luxurious swirl of fresh white cheese, onion, dill, and warm bread slices so inviting I nearly proposed to them -- the Festbier reached its peak. And yet, there was room for the headliner: a smash burger so good I briefly blacked out in joy. Brioche bun (buttery richness incarnate), molten American cheese (the only acceptable choice here), caramelized onions sweet enough to almost make this a dessert, and a cheeky little kick from what I suspect was jalapeño. Every bite was a touchdown.
Of course, even the finest beer and food would lose some of their luster without the right people bringing them to life -- and Maplewood's staff is nothing short of extraordinary. This isn't your run-of-the-mill "take your order, drop your plate" team. These are professionals, craft custodians, who wear their knowledge like a badge of honor and their passion like a warm hug.
They speak about hops and malt the way poets speak about love -- and when they recommend a pairing, it's not a sales pitch; it's a story.
You get the sense they enjoy being here, that there's genuine pride in every pour, every plate, every detail of the experience. And that joy is infectious. It shows up in the attentive, thoughtful service, in the way they are proud of what they make and they want to talk about it.......in how they seem as excited about your first sip as you are. It's that rare hospitality that makes you feel not like a customer, but like a welcomed guest at a friend's house.... Albeit one with a first class brewing and distilling set up.
Before heading home, I did what any rational beer romantic would: I bought a mix case of maplewood beer to bring home with me......it contained one of the only IPA's I truly enjoy....son of juice. This hazy IPA is the kind of beer that doesn't just "pair" with an evening -- it elevates it.
It opens with tropical fruit aromas, think mango, papaya, and a hint of orange peel ....then rolls into a lush wave of juicy hop character that's more refreshing than a lake breeze off Michigan Avenue. The texture is velvety, the bitterness gentle but present, and the finish? Clean, bright, and as satisfying as a last-minute Bears field goal that actually goes in. It's the sort of beer you hand to a friend who "doesn't like IPAs," and by the third sip, they suddenly like IPA's
Just when you think Maplewood couldn't possibly flex harder, you notice their distillery game. The breadth of their lineup -- from whiskey to gin to spirits that could make Hemingway weep -- is as impressive as their recent accolades from the San Francisco Spirits Competition. I'll save a deep dive for another trip (preferably one without a 2 hour drive back to our summer home), but rest assured: there's a whole other chapter of this love story waiting to be written.
Maplewood isn't just one of Chicago's best breweries -- it's a temple of taste, a love letter to beer, food, and good company. It's where Old World brewing tradition meets Midwestern soul. It's where Bears fans argue over quarterbacks while sipping world-class IPAs. It's where the cheese dip matters, the Festbier lingers, and the smash burger haunts your dreams.
And it's all delivered by a team whose passion turns a simple visit into something memorable. The beer is brilliant, the food is fantastic -- but it's the people who make Maplewood a place you'll always want to return to.
I'll be back. And next time, I'm bringing more friends. read more