Once the best brewery that didn't exist (Pipeworks)

Pipeworks, once the best brewery in Chicago that didn't really exist, finally takes that big step toward becoming a real brewery (as is the wish of every Pinocchio brewery). They've signed a lease! Even better, they're going to be the closest Chicago brewery to OMG Beer! Headquarters. That's extra sweet.

Beejay and Gerrit seem kind of crazy, with a mission statement dedicated to putting weird ingredients in their beer (I support that idea immensely). Beer in point, they once took all the ingredients used to make pastrami, minus the meat (I hope) and made a beer flavored with it (quite good too, I sampled some at the Half Acre Holiday party last December). Looking forward to seeing what they ferment for the public, hopefully by the end of 2011.

De Struise Brouwers and their American Collaborators

I honestly don't know much about De Struise. I've seen their name bouncing around the internet ever since I gave birth to OMG Beer! in January of 2008. They've collaborated with a lot of breweries already, and with brewpubs. They've pissed off the TTB (the people that approve beer labels) by basically depicting a drunk Jesus in a Santa hat. There's more here on their wikipedia entry. Now, they've done a small U.S. tour, including two Chicago area stops.

Three Floyds - with Three Floyds they're making a gigantic, citrus hop bombed Double Belgian IPA. 260IBUS!? I don't even know if that's something you can taste (I've heard rumors that are tastebuds can't recognize much past 130IBUs). 9% ABV, De Struise's beer yeast.

Half Acre/Pipeworks - Half Acre hosted the upcoming Chicago brewery Pipeworks, as well as De Struise, to make what one brewer called “a red sour ale at around 8.5 % ABV, for the occasion to be fermented with red currants and cherries.” This will be in 22 oz bombers soon, and available at Half Acre.