Best Chicago liquor stores

Discussion in 'Great Lakes' started by MNPikey, Apr 20, 2013.

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  1. MNPikey

    MNPikey Pooh-Bah (1,681) Feb 27, 2011 Minnesota
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Coming next weekend for DLD and want to bring back some local stuff. Half Acre, Revolution, Spiteful, Pipeworks....last year we only got to a random Binny's in the city and the selection was horrible.

    We are staying in Naperville and we were planning on driving to Half Acre Friday sometime.

    Beer Temple, Capones, and West Lakeview Liquors are on the list of maybes to stop at. Just depends on what we get closest to during our travels to/from the city for dinner and such.

    Other than Half Acre, we're going to Oak Park Saturday AM also for brunch. Everything else is still being planned.

    Is there a Binnys that better than others?
     
  2. SaulTBauls

    SaulTBauls Initiate (0) Mar 22, 2013 Iowa

    The Binnys in Naperville has an ok selection. Downers Grove is much better but its a little drive from Naperville
     
  3. jrman1386

    jrman1386 Devotee (392) Oct 22, 2011 Illinois
    Trader

    Go to Bavarian lodge in lisle....awesome!!!
     
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  4. hopswap1

    hopswap1 Initiate (0) Apr 27, 2012 Illinois

    Avoid capones, go to bottles and cans which is right next to half acre. They'll let you buy singles out of six and four packs if you want to try a variety of things.
     
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  5. crossovert

    crossovert Initiate (0) Mar 29, 2009 Illinois

    Binny's Lincoln Park has like 3000 skus. There's also BeerTemple, Bottles and Cans, and West Lakeview for non-warehouse shops.
     
    aasher likes this.
  6. PDZ

    PDZ Initiate (0) Jun 26, 2012 Illinois

    Gonna want to head west on 88 toward dekalb

    edit: plz disregard this overplayed joke
     
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  7. PDZ

    PDZ Initiate (0) Jun 26, 2012 Illinois

    I think the suburban binnys (esp naperville) may in fact have a better pipeworks selection than the city stores right now. Slightly less nerds out here. Also westmont liquors and united liquors in downers grove sometimes have some gems hiding.
     
  8. kodt

    kodt Pooh-Bah (2,262) Mar 6, 2013 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    The South Loop and Lincoln Park Binny's are better than others, the downside being that rare stuff sells out since they tweet when it comes in and all the beer nerds clear em out.
     
  9. Mjmoser

    Mjmoser Initiate (0) May 6, 2012 Illinois

    Try to get to Half Acre early afternoon on Friday, they tap firkin each week. Might be a tasty one when you are there!
     
  10. rmalinowski4

    rmalinowski4 Initiate (0) Oct 22, 2010 Illinois

    Go to Bad Apple across the street from Half Acre. Great burgers. For stores, WLV Liquors, Beer Temple, Binny's LP (Castle Vav) are great and near to Half Acre. In the burbs, I'm not to familiar with Binny's in Naperville, but Downers Grove and Glen Ellyn are about 5 minutes apart and typically have a different selection available. As others have said, Pipeworks moves fast in the city, so look for their stuff in the burbs also.
     
  11. Drucifer

    Drucifer Initiate (0) Apr 16, 2012 Illinois

    Binny's
    Puerto Rico Food and Liquor

    nuff' said

    (Beer Temple and WLV are solid choices though as well)
     
  12. incubuscience

    incubuscience Initiate (0) Jul 26, 2012 Illinois

    I second the "skip Capone's" comment. That dude is shady, and the prices are always high.
     
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  13. MNPikey

    MNPikey Pooh-Bah (1,681) Feb 27, 2011 Minnesota
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Thanks for the info from locals, any chance of finding Spiteful Malevolence next weekend or was that gone right away?
     
  14. Drucifer

    Drucifer Initiate (0) Apr 16, 2012 Illinois

    Still a bunch around I think. The new Pipeworks stuff is the only thing that is hard to find; hell most locals can't even get it unless you are a fwb or unemployed.
     
  15. incubuscience

    incubuscience Initiate (0) Jul 26, 2012 Illinois

    Vas Foremost st Milwaukee and California is a solid stop, too. They've always got some nice stuff.
     
  16. stevegoz

    stevegoz Savant (1,110) May 5, 2008 Illinois
    Trader

    More specifically, anything with "Ninja" or "Truffle" in its name is insta-gone. Other stouts, pales, saisons and reds are much easier to find.
     
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  17. Walden97

    Walden97 Initiate (0) Mar 31, 2011 Texas


    I'm coming in from Houston and this is on my list for Friday around lunch. I was thinking of hitting up Bad Apple for lunch and then getting into that firkin.

    If Pipeworks is hard to find at stores, are there bars that serve it on a regular basis that I should seek out? I'm staying downtown but will be all over the place Thurs-Sun.
     
  18. Dad_of_Rad

    Dad_of_Rad Zealot (562) Jan 24, 2013 Illinois
    Trader

    Both Binny's in Plainfield and Bolingbrook have very good Pipeworks selections. Plainfield has both Coffee Break Abduction and Ninja v. Unicorn right now. They get their shipments Thursday I think. Plainfield location might be close depending on where you're staying in Naperville.

    You might be close to Solemn Oath in Naperville too. Their selections are solid, especially Kidnapped by Vikings, if it's on now. Can't argue w/ Beer Temple.
     
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  19. forrestbetts

    forrestbetts Initiate (0) Nov 29, 2007 Illinois

    Bad Apple homemade ketchup. End thread/
     
  20. danimalarkey

    danimalarkey Initiate (0) Mar 3, 2008 Illinois

    I don't think there are any bars that serve Pipeworks on tap on a regular basis. Map Room and Owen & Engine might get a keg from time to time but I wouldn't count on it. As others have said, Pipeworks, broadly speaking, is easy to find -- except for their DIPA's and stouts.
     
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