"Known for hits like Zombie Dust, Dark Lord, and Alpha King and built on the “It’s not normal” ethos since debuting in 1996, this Munster brewery became a Chicago favorite. Founder Nick Floyd closed the Munster taproom and restaurant in 2020, cutting off direct brewer–customer feedback, but the return of Dark Lord Day signaled a reawakening for fans of the barrel-aged Russian Imperial Stout (released in a variety of rarer flavors). The taproom is being rebuilt and doubled to about 5,000 square feet with a 3,200-square-foot outdoor area featuring games, fire pits, a second outdoor bar, and an enclosed all-season beer garden; plans include Frank Lloyd Wright–inspired touches and more private-event capacity. Food service will be handled by Chicago’s Fifty/50 Restaurant Group, aiming for elevated yet working-class–friendly fare (think burgers, barbecue, popular wings, gourmet cheese sticks, beer-battered cheese curds and barbecue beef jerky), while the site will also serve WarPigs collaboration beers and showcase spirits from a distillery added in 2019. The operation—whose leadership has earned multiple James Beard semifinalist nods—targets a spring 2024 opening pending permits." - Ashok Selvam