16 Chicago Suburban Craft Breweries to Support for the Holidays

16 Chicago Suburban Craft Breweries to Support for the Holidays

'Tis the season for extra special craft brews and other fun from our local craft breweries! The past few winters, my husband and I have had fun focusing on visiting our local microbreweries trying samples. What could be better than a beer flight on a cold Chicago day? This year looks a little different, so I thought I would highlight the holiday offerings of some of our favorite microbreweries in the Chicago suburbs. Pick up something special for the holidays or create your own flight! Please check each brewery for their pick up procedures. Some may have limited hours and special ordering/pick up procedures. Additionally, some do have outdoor igloos or tents. Others have nibbles available. Make this holiday season a little tasting adventure and check out these local microbreweries:

Ten Ninety Brewing Company in Glenview

For the holiday season, Ten Ninety will be featuring Saint Jaggery. Saint Jaggery will be available starting this week in 4 packs of 12 oz. bottles. In addition to this special beer, Ten Ninety has a range of beer available in growlers, four packs or cases. Need a snack? Order from Ten Ninety's kitchen or take advantage of the family meals available on select dates.

Love, love, love the beer flights at Ten Ninety! This season, create your own at home!

Skeleton Key Brewery in Woodridge

Skeleton Key Brewery will be introducing a barrel-aged "Hazelnut Praline" Imperial Stout featuring toasted hazelnuts, cacao nibs, vanilla and milk sugar in December. It is aged in a Journeyman Distillery rye whiskey barrels. In December, Skeleton Key will also introduce "Words That Stay," a Belgian Quad aged in Buffalo Trace Bourbon barrels for 14 months. Please watch Skeleton Key's Facebook Page for official release dates and check out their other brews.

Solemn Oath in Naperville

Recently, Solemn Oath released Royal Maize which is a Saison brewed with Oaxacan Green Corn. Royal Maize was brewed in conjunction with is/was brewing in Chicago. On 11/24, Solemn Oath will debut Misfits, an Xmas Brown Ale with holidays spices. Solemn Oath also has an outdoor dome biergarten with domes you can reserve.

Mikerphone in Elk Grove Village

Mikerphone certainly will be getting festive this holiday season! Ode to My Family -- a Berliner Weisse with orange peel, cranberry and cinnamon was just released this past week. Big Daddy Candy Cane which is a Berlin Weisse featuring candy canes will be released in a few weeks -- so be sure to watch Mikerphone's Facebook Page. Mikerphone always inventive brews to explore!

Ode to My Family festive holiday craft beer brewed by Mikerphone. Image credit Mikerphone.

Sketchbook Brewing Co. in Evanston and Skokie

Sketchbook Brewing Co. will be having a holiday sampler dropping on December 1 just in time to pick up for a holiday gift! Additionally, both Sketchbook locations will be open Thanksgiving Day should you need to pick up a special brew! 

Buffalo Creek Brewing in Long Grove

Buffalo Creek Brewing has quite a range of special beers coming out throughout the holiday season. This week, Cranberry Black Hoof and Dissident Small Batch were released. Kringle Stout -- a Mint Chocolate Cooke Stout -- will be released 11/27 (5:30PM). Winter Warmer True North will be released on 11/28 (11AM). Uncle Buddy's Bock will be released at noon on 12/4. Holiday Pils will be released at 11AM on 12/12. Krampus -- a Belgian Tripel -- will be released at 4PM on 12/19. Plus, also watch for their Alpine Biergarten starting November 27!

Ravinia Brewing Company in Highland Park

Ravinia Brewing Company features a Gingerbread Stout called John Dough. Ravinia is also a taco bar, so order ahead tacos, cans, crowlers, growlers and more! Nibbles and beer -- fantastic!

FIBS in Des Plaines

FIBS has crowlers available for pick up. As of this writing, FIBS does still have some Skittle Brau available for a fun option. 

Our sampling of FIBS craft beer from a cold winter afternoon.

Wild Onion Brewery & Banquets in Barrington

Wild Onion Brewery & Banquets tempts with Stay Puft which is a marshmallow infused Brown Ale. Fun for sipping while enjoying a holiday bonfire! Wild Onion also has a number of pub favorites that you can order for munching. Additionally, there may be a further holiday release so watch their Facebook Page!

Une Année in Niles

Une Année presents a number of brews that would be perfect for holiday festivities including a Tart Saison, Kriek which is an American Wild Ale finished on Morello cherries, Le Seul VI Elderberry which is a fermented wild ale with elderberries and more. Also, be on the look out for Festivus beers!

Pollyanna Brewing Company in Lemont, Roselle and St. Charles

Pollyanna currently features Cranberry Orange Allure which is a Cranberry Orange Berliner Weisse. Sounds like a great way to add cranberry to holiday festivities! Additionally, Pollyanna has a Toasted Marshmallow Fun Size Milk Stout featuring toasted marshmallow, cacao nibs, vanilla, peanut and sea salt. A great brew for by the fire!

A trio of brews from Pollyanna from a tasting last holiday season.

Tighthead in Mundelein

This week, Tighthead kicks off Thanksgiving with We Be Yammin' which is an American Amber Ale featuring sweet potatoes, Belgian dark brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg giving it a perfectly holiday flavor! Currently, pints, growlers and kegs are available. 4-packs are soon to come! 

Penrose Browing in Geneva and Riverlands Brewing Company in Saint Charles

Penrose and Riverlands have collaborated to create Celebrate the Moment which is an Imperial Stout featuring the beauty of hazelnuts rolled in the richness of cocoa finished off with vanilla from quality beans. Celebrate the Moment will be available in 4 packs of 16 ounce cans or draft for patio consumption at Penrose. Watch Riverlands' Facebook Page for their release as well. 

Celebrate the Moment is a holiday collaboration between Penrose and Riverlands. Image credit Penrose and Riverlands.

Noon Whistle Brewing in Lombard and Naperville

Noon Whistle is featuring Hipsters vs Lumberjacks which is a Vanilla Oatmeal Red Ale. What says holidays more than vanilla? Honestly, I really love the name Hipsters vs Lumberjacks. Such fun!

Church Street Brewery in Itasca

Church Street Brewery offers two very special brews perfect for Thanksgiving -- Cranberry Vanilla Sour with a warm spiciness and Praise be to the Gourd Pumpkin Pale Ale. Who doesn't love a little cranberry and pumpkin with Thanksgiving!

This holiday season, make sure your beer is local! Take a few adventures to check out what our local breweries are crafting for this season!

**Disclosure: No compensation was received for this post. All opinions are 100% my own.