is/was brewing

What a great place to have in the neighborhood! The space is beautiful and has a good amount of seating. The beers are terrific; we really loved the Saison Effrayant which had a very balanced sage flavor- perfect for the season. The bartenders went above and beyond to make sure people were comfortable. They often have food trucks, so you can make a night out of it. Looking forward to coming back!

Is/Was Brewing took over the former space of Urban Brew Labs. I was happily surprised by how they enhanced the atmosphere. I’m a big fan of saisons and was excited by the tasty options I found. Go check it out!

Great beer selection, very nice indoor decor/set-up, and good pop-up food - what more could you ask for. Staff was very friendly and respectful even though we had a couple of kids with us.

Really great if you’re a fan of saisons as it is the majority of their menu. A really chill vibe with delicious drinks. Had the “Will Be” and I really enjoyed it!

Back in 2020, I first tried their beer from a foxtrot and emailed their customer service to tell them how blown away I was at the quality. Their founder, Mike, responded and hand delivered some more beer with a little Is/Was glass to drink from. Totally unexpected and emblematic of how awesome this brewery is. Easily some of the best beer in Chicago and run by truly great people.

I love is/was. Their saisons are world class. Their commitment to interesting grains and ingredients makes their beer an extra level of unique. Even if you don’t normally like saisons, I think you would like theirs. Their tap room is also very fun. You can try a variety of their beers at a very reasonable price. They also have their own non-season beers as well as guest beers and cider. The staff and managers are very friendly and they have room for groups to have meetups. Great place to have in the neighborhood.

Lots of unique and delicious beer here. Much of it might taste very different from any beer you’ve had, but there’s also a good selection of guest drafts from other local breweries and some nice N/A options as well. It’s a pretty large space with lots of seating

Such a great brewery, and such great options! While the taps are great, don't be afraid of the bottle list. The amazing staff will help you find what you like, and splitting a bottle of something truly unique with a friend is hands down the best way to have beer.

Rising from the ashes of my beloved Urban Brew Labs, we have Is/Was! And the verdict is . . . love it! An appealing array of delicious beers, same neighborhood feel. Same dog friendly room! It's a bit out of the way, which I love, since it's full of neighbors and regulars, however - especially in winter - there is not a lot of foot traffic. Hoping this place survives, as it's another great addition to Malt Row in this area! And I'll be back again and again.

While on a walk in our neighborhood, we stumbled upon the soft launch of is/was brewing. In the former location of Urban Brewlabs, this micro brewery specializes in saisons. We had to stop our walk and go in for a drink. We were sure glad we did! From the moment we entered, we were greeted with a warm welcome and friendly smile from the bartender. He was pleased to see us and gave us the rundown on the soft launch. There were so many great looking drinks on the menu. I debated between the "Joiners" saison with local honey or "The Finer Points of Bad Behavior" with cucumber. I tried both and loved them! However, I went with the "Joiners" because it was more balanced. My husband got the "Will be" flagship saison and it was also scrumptious. I can see why it is the flagship...a solidly delicious classic saison! The vibe of the place is open, clean, and full of character. There is plenty of space to come with a large group, on a date, or just by yourself to do some reading. It also has clean bathrooms and is dog friendly. They are currently open Thursdays through Sundays, 2-8pm during the soft launch. But that is subject to change, so reaching on their contact page to double check might be a good idea. We loved the vibe and definitely plan to intentionally come back to relax and enjoy some other beers! So so excited to see this fabulous new brewery in our neighborhood...revitalizing "Malt Row!" See you again soon, is/was brewing!

What a great place to have in the neighborhood! The space is beautiful and has a good amount of seating. The beers are terrific; we really loved the Saison Effrayant which had a very balanced sage flavor-perfect for the season. The bartenders went above and beyond to make sure people were comfortable. They often have food trucks, so you can make a night out of it. Looking forward to coming back!

Great, cozy local spot specializing in Saisons. Great place to explore a unique style of Belgian brewing.