5 Local Microbreweries and Craft Beer Makers to Explore Near Waukegan, IL

Aug 3, 2024

We love supporting our fellow small businesses and local community establishments. Today, we’re celebrating National Beer Day with a list of great independent breweries to support with your patronage. Did you know that many local breweries host more than just tastings? You can check out each website and their social media to check their calendars for live music, vendor events, paint and sip evenings, dog friendly days, and even family events like pizza day!

Just remember to always bring a designated driver with you if you’ll be participating in the beer tastings, and have a rideshare service ready to go if you need it; buzzed driving is drunk driving, and we’d like our customers to make it home safe and sound to enjoy another adventure!

Nightshade and Dark’s Pandemonium Brewing, Waukegan

This wonderful indie brewery offers both indoor air conditioned seating and an outdoor patio that’s dog friendly. Looking for a fun night out? Check out their themed food and drink pairing nights, live music from local artists, theme nights like 80s night and trivia night, and more. There are more than 20 traditional and experimental brews available, and food choices range from food trucks to pop-up kitchens. A fun fact about this unique brewery is that it’s located inside Ray Bradbury’s childhood home, and shares its space with Oppidan Spirits distillery, so you’ll have two different types of drinks to try!

Harbor Brewing Co. and Biergarden, Lake Villa & Winthrop Harbor

This unique craft beer brewery opened its doors in 2018 and has been hopping ever since. The Brewery and Taproom features an outdoor patio and indoor production facility with tasting room. The Winthrop Harbor facility is a lakefront Biergarten along North Point Marina, located on the shores of Lake Michigan and surrounded by the Spring Bluff Forest Preserve. You can catch live music on friday nights, a “beercade”, “The Barrel Room” Event space for parties and celebrations, game nights, and more.

Tangled Roots Craft Beer & Kitchen Brewpub, Vernon Hills

Celebrating the marriage between the culinary arts and hand-crafted cocktails and craft beers, this is a full service bar with restaurant! You’ll find a laid back atmosphere, wide variety of menu items from non-alcoholic drinks and mocktails to craft brews, top shelf cocktails, and more. Visitors will enjoy the scratch-kitchen entrees, light bites, and desserts to go with their local and regional brews and tasting flights. Choose from indoor or outdoor dining depending on your preference.

Tonality Brewing Company, Mundelein

Located in the heart of Mundelein, this popular brew pub makes for a great date night thanks to its creative community! Blending fine crafted cocktails with fine art is one of the best qualities about this local brewery. You’ll find plenty of delicious food options as well as a full service menu, but plan accordingly as weekends are busy here! Stop in for a tasting flight and enjoy the unique blend of yummy eats and the arts as you enjoy live music, performing arts, local art exhibitions, and culinary delights.

Tighthead Brewing Company, Mundelein

This microbrewery and Tap Room offers seasonal favorites as well as tasting flights, or you can ask the knowledgeable bartenders to help you select new options based on your taste preferences. Stop in with your friends for a get together and enjoy live music, trivia nights, special events, and your choice of indoor and outdoor seating. There’s no on-site kitchen, but the brewery is frequently partnered with local food trucks and allows you to bring take-out or deliver your meals to enjoy with your brews.