Guinness Brewery Chicago: Marketing Gimmick or Legit Microbrewery?

Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Chicago is a small microbrewery. It has four types of Guinness stout brewed in Ireland and many more brewed in Chicago. The beers brewed in Chicago are not all stouts—in fact, they look like most beers you would find at any microbrewery in the US. These included items like Hazy IPAs, Rose Hip Lager, and an Amber Czech.

The Beers

While I did say they make more than just stout, the Galaxy IPA was my second favorite beer. My top favorite was a stout: Nitro Ritual Wake, a coffee stout that was incredibly creamy and tasted like a smooth cold brew with hints of chocolate and cream. All the beers, even those not on nitro, had soft, clean mouthfeels. Ritual Wake was by far the most complex beer we tried.

Food Pairing: Smoked Salmon Mousse & Pretzels

I paired my flight with a smoked salmon mousse with pretzel bites. The salmon flavor was present, but the mousse was very smooth with only fine salmon and spice bits. It was also a little spicy and warming, which was a pleasant surprise. While I really enjoyed it, I wished it had some crumbled smoked salmon on top with the onions to give it even more of a salmon kick.

The pretzels were firm and warm. The everything bagel seasoning had sesame and spices like garlic and oregano. It really added a level of complexity to the pretzel, pairing very well with the mousse.

The Verdict

The service was very good and exceeded our expectations. We were planning to pop in just for a small flight and thought it would be more like a Guinness marketing gimmick. Instead, we found a legitimate microbrewery with good food. I’d like to go back and try some more of the food another time, along with any new brews they have on tap.