Bev Art Brewer & Winemaker Supply

tapman

Illinois

3.85/5  rDev -4.5%
quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3 | $$

There are few options left to the Chicago home-brewer. If you live downtown there are two options, Bev Art (which is about 20min. away from downtown), and the Brew and Grow (about half the distance). From reviews I had read on BA.com, Bev Art was the better option. I won't know the answer to that until I check out the Brew and Grow, as I haven't been there yet.

Shop is small, but had everything I needed for a beginning home brewer. Also bins of grains, a refrigerator of liquid yeast, and various pieces and doo-dads. It's hard to find anything, but if you ask the gentleman who runs the store will gladly help. The owner is really nice. He offered advice, said I could call him there with any questions, and gave out samples of homebrews both beer and mead.

The experience was enjoyable and for the city, its about as good as its gonna get. Still, there are places in the suburbs with twice the stuff...its all a matter of time and urgency (impatience).

01-21-2008 00:31:55 | More by tapman

Agold

Pennsylvania

4.51/5  rDev +11.9%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

I've been to this place a few times now, usually just picking stuff up for a recipe. When you walk in, the store is a little cramped. The space is full of a bunch of different odds and ends, seeming to have almost one of everything I could possibly need. The man who I have seen up front each time I have been there (I forget his name) is extremely knowledgeable and helpful, and has been great when they were missing a hop variety suggesting replacements. Great guy and a great store. I would much rather go here than the one up north. Love this place.

04-08-2011 00:13:24 | More by Agold

dcsoke

Arkansas

4.13/5  rDev +2.5%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 3 | $$

Great home brew shop and wine making supply store. This small shop has been in the southside Chicago's Beverly neighborhood for a few years now. They hold classes, sell equipment, ingredients, and offer plenty of free advice for the newbies and experienced brewers too. They have everything you could need to do extract, partial mash, or all-grain brewing with experts helping you along the way. Only downside is a limited selection of grains, but I always try to buy from here when I can to help support the local stores.

03-15-2011 03:21:49 | More by dcsoke

Sallerj

Illinois

4.35/5  rDev +7.9%
quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 3.5 | $$

The people at Bev Art are great. They're knowledgeable, helpful, and patient. When I was a new homebrewer, they walked me through equipment, counselled me over the phone when I had brewing problems, and helped me design recipes. As I got more advanced, I always found that they knew what they were talking about. If I've needed an ingredient that they don't have in stock, they've been willing to get it for me. If I'm in Chicago, I'll go to the store even though the internet is easier for me, just to make sure my dollars go to such a great organization

02-11-2010 01:33:48 | More by Sallerj

RockerD

Indiana

3.15/5  rDev -21.8%
quality: 3 | service: 4 | selection: 2.5 | $$

All the props to Bev Art they started me homebrewing. There class was great. Greg is a passionate mead maker and knowledgeable home brewer. I really enjoyed the lager I made in the class.

The service is good here yet it's always difficult to have great service when there is no solutions. I often find that they don't have what I want in stock. I'll stroll in for a keg part or a specialty grain and they won't have it. They're always friendly on the phone and genuinely want to help you. It's just lacking beer stock.

All in all Bev-Art is a cool place to stop in and visit in their antique-esque shop. Thanks for all the help. Cheers.

08-08-2009 03:30:27 | More by RockerD

mdwalsh

Iowa

4/5  rDev -0.7%
quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.5 | $$

This place is right around the corner from my Mom's house, and is where I got my first homebrew kit. It was a basic "vitner's" or something kit that they had suped up, which was nice. The staff was really helpful in what kit to use for the first time and offered tips. They also have a great selection of other general DIY stuff like cider, wine and all that good stuff. The selection wasn't terribly large, but I could see it sufficing for a neighborhood shop. I know they teach classes both on site and to larger groups off site, which are supposed to be great. One example of a great thing the customer service there...We stopped in to get ingredients for a recipe in How to Brew, but forgot to bring our copy. He just opened a new one in the store and made a copy of it to make notes on it for us for our first partial mash. A place I would visit frequently if I lived in Beverly.

08-06-2009 13:41:23 | More by mdwalsh

JamnesCameron

Illinois

4.65/5  rDev +15.4%
quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | $$$

One of the best homebrew shops around. I went there years ago when I lived in the southwest suburbs of Chicago. A very small shop, but the place is packed with supplies in every nook of the store. Selection is great as well. And the owner is a great guy, willing to talk to you and help you with any questions. They do classes on beer, wine and meads. My only complaint is the prices are a little high, compared to other shops. I paid about $50 for a sack of base malt that I usually get from another place for about $35. But they always have fresh yeast and hops and just about every grain to fit your bill. I still go occassionally when my usual shop is out of something, even though it's an hour drive each way.

06-22-2009 00:24:05 | More by JamnesCameron

Blueye80

Illinois

4.3/5  rDev +6.7%
quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 4 | $$

I recently got into the whole brewing thing so I definitely had to take a ride to bev art to see exactly what kind of stuff they had. When I arrived I was helped immediately and I was instantly given my first lesson in meade they then asked me if I cared to try some and when I agreed the man pulled out five bottles and began serving it up. It was pretty nice. The gentleman who helped me was very helpful and seemed to be very knowledgeable and passionate about his job. It was also not intimidating for the beginning brewer. He was happy to answer all my questions.

03-08-2008 23:28:29 | More by Blueye80

waldoiverson

Texas

3.65/5  rDev -9.4%
quality: 3.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3 | $$$

I went here to get my new home brew kit. I've spent a lot of time with the kits of friends and knew exactly what i wanted.

First, beverly isn't the easiest place to reach even from Hyde Park, especially considering the then ongoig highway construction (July 2007). This isn't the fault of the store but still played into the overall experience.

We got to the store and loved the crowded look. It meant business. We were in the store and two gentlemen were talking to a guy and a girl, giving them glasses of mead. They didn't pay much attention to us, but after 5 minutes, they said Hi and poured my friend and I some mead. We drank, commented, discussed and then, as an afterthought, they said "what can we do for you."

It would be easy to see this as bad service, but I loved that these guys were so laid back and open with their wares ;-) It took awhile for them to get what I need, and they were out of some basic equipment (stockpots) but I decided on upgrading to a larger pot and they could oblige. Their supply of ingredients wasn't great but it got me what I needed for my first recipies.

All in all, good memories and I got what was needed. Still, compared with the convenience of 7.99 shipping and now commute from Northern Brewer, I don't know how often I'd go back unless I had a brewer's emergency e.g. forgot to get caps...it happens.

02-17-2008 19:00:31 | More by waldoiverson

Windigstadt

Illinois

3.25/5  rDev -19.4%
quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 1.5 | $$

The employees at Bev-Art are quite knowledgeable, and I've heard great things about their classes for beginners. I've gone there for years, and have always enjoyed stopping in. That's why it's hard for me to give them a bad review. Unfortunately, their selection has become woefully undependable in the past year or so. They are often out of ingredients that I would consider fairly standard (recent examples include Hallertau hops and dry wheat malt extract), and special orders always seem to take a week or two longer than promised. I hope these are problems they address soon, because their staff is great. However, I can no longer depend on them to have what I need, and I would recommend you call ahead to make sure they have what you need before driving out there.

09-25-2006 21:05:34 | More by Windigstadt