Highest-rated breweries in Illinois
Cold beer, anyone? American beer drinkers have their fair share of options no matter where they might live.
Indeed, a market once dominated by a handful of major brands has become far more diverse since the craft beer scene expanded sixfold between 2008 and 2016. Independent production cooled off just a little in 2023 but still accounted for a whopping 23.4 million barrels of beer and craft beer's overall market share by volume rose to 13.3%, according to the Brewers Association. For context, in 2013, there were 3,108 craft breweries in the U.S.—and as of 2023, there are 9,761, representing a 214% increase in just a decade. Cheers to that!
Why the ongoing obsession? Putting aside the fact that people simply love their brew, beer has emerged as a wildly versatile beverage category. Craft breweries explore beer to its fullest potential and tend to rank highly as a result.
Another thing about beer is that every sip tells a story. It's first and foremost the journey of the beer's own production, namely one involving water, malted grains, botanical hops, and yeast. However, it's also a chronicling of the area in which the beer was produced since every state has its own respective history, climate, geography, and resources. Then there's the tale of the people who produced it, turning their love of carbonated alcohol into a passion project and hiring all kinds of local talent.
Combine America's love of beer with endless flavor possibilities, and you arrive at a sensational pastime and a thriving national industry. With nearly 10,000 craft breweries bubbling up across the nation, each one offers its own unique qualities, some complete with guided tours and tasting rooms (and maybe some hearty gastropub fare).
Many of the nation's highest-rated breweries are so small and independent that the only way to sample their suds is to visit them in person, while others distribute their products around the country—or even across the globe.
To find some top spots near you, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated breweries in Illinois using data from Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor ranks places using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, a business with a 5 out of 5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4 out of 5. Data is as of June 6, 2024.
Regardless of the brewery's size and scope, one thing is for sure: Now is a great time for a beer!
#30. Von Jakob Winery & Brewery
- Rating: 3.5/5 (90 reviews)
- Address: 230 Highway 127 Alto Pass, Illinois
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#29. Metal Monkey Brewing
- Rating: 4.5/5 (25 reviews)
- Address: 515 Anderson Drive Suite 900 Romeoville, Illinois
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#28. Triptych Brewing
- Rating: 4.5/5 (36 reviews)
- Address: 1703 Woodfield Drive Savoy, Illinois
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#27. Church Street Brewing Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (41 reviews)
- Address: 1480 Industrial Drive Unit C Itasca, Illinois
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#26. Penrose Brewing Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (44 reviews)
- Address: 509 Stevens St. Geneva, Illinois
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#25. Lil Beaver Brewery
- Rating: 4/5 (26 reviews)
- Address: 5 Finance Drive Bloomington, Illinois
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#24. Wishful Acres Farm & Brewery
- Rating: 5/5 (14 reviews)
- Address: 4679 North Flansburg Road Lena, Illinois
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#23. Pollyanna Brewing Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (51 reviews)
- Address: 431 Talcott Ave. Lemont, Illinois
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#22. Solemn Oath Brewery
- Rating: 4/5 (50 reviews)
- Address: 1661 Quincy Ave. Ste 179 Naperville, Illinois
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#21. Big Muddy Brewing
- Rating: 4.5/5 (30 reviews)
- Address: 1430 North 7th St. Murphysboro, Illinois
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#20. ZumBier
- Rating: 5/5 (18 reviews)
- Address: 3232 West Monroe St. Waukegan, Illinois
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#19. Riggs Beer Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (22 reviews)
- Address: 1901 South High Cross Road Urbana, Illinois
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#18. Lieferbräu Brewery
- Rating: 5/5 (14 reviews)
- Address: 118 East Market St. Red Bud, Illinois
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#17. Evil Horse Brewing Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (19 reviews)
- Address: 1338 Main St. Crete, Illinois
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#16. Begyle Brewing
- Rating: 4.5/5 (41 reviews)
- Address: 1800 West Cuyler Ave. Suite 1E Chicago, Illinois
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#15. Thornton Distilling Co.
- Rating: 5/5 (13 reviews)
- Address: 400 East Margaret St. Thornton, Illinois
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#14. Highway 20 Brewing Company
- Rating: 5/5 (24 reviews)
- Address: 113 South Main St. Elizabeth, Illinois
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#13. Half Acre Beer Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (59 reviews)
- Address: 4257 North Lincoln Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#12. Lena Brewing Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (54 reviews)
- Address: 9416 West Wagner Road Lena, Illinois
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#11. Stubborn German Brewing
- Rating: 4.5/5 (43 reviews)
- Address: 119 South Main St. Waterloo, Illinois
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#10. Hand of Fate Brewing Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (45 reviews)
- Address: 107 East Douglas Ave. Petersburg, Illinois
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#9. Excel Bottling Company
- Rating: 5/5 (17 reviews)
- Address: 488 South Broadway Breese, Illinois
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#8. Noon Whistle Brewing Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (45 reviews)
- Address: 800 East Roosevelt Road Lombard, Illinois
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#7. Hailstorm Brewing Co.
- Rating: 4.5/5 (51 reviews)
- Address: 8060 186th St. Tinley Park, Illinois
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#6. Quincy Brewing Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (18 reviews)
- Address: 110 North 6th St, Quincy, Il Quincy, Illinois
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#5. Revolution Brewing - Brewery & Taproom
- Rating: 4.5/5 (82 reviews)
- Address: 3340 North Kedzie Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#4. Alter Brewing Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (49 reviews)
- Address: 2300 Wisconsin Ave. Ste 213 Downers Grove, Illinois
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#3. Tighthead Brewing Company
- Rating: 5/5 (52 reviews)
- Address: 161 North Archer Ave. Mundelein, Illinois
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#2. Lagunitas Brewing Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (86 reviews)
- Address: 2607 West 17th St. Chicago, Illinois
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#1. Goose Island Beer Co.
- Rating: 4.5/5 (294 reviews)
- Address: 1800 West Fulton St. Chicago, Illinois
- Read more on Tripadvisor
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jacob Osborn, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states and Washington D.C.
