is/was brewing
Brewery · Ravenswood ·
Saison-focused brewery with 20 drafts, guest beers, NA options
Saison-focused brewery with 20 drafts, guest beers, NA options
"One of the newest breweries on Ravenswood’s Malt Row, Is/Was Brewing is a comfy taproom that focuses on saisons. There’s a smoked saison called Wisp, and the flagship is Will Be. There’s also a nice selection of guest taps to round out the menu. It’s bring your own food, so order from nearby restaurants or get it delivered." - Ashok Selvam, Naomi Waxman
"Opened in August at 5121 N. Ravenswood Ave., this taproom strictly showcases saisons, offering six different takes on the French/Belgian style—including the flagship Will Be, a smoked variant called Wisp, and Saison Effyrayant conditioned with fresh sage—most hovering around 5% ABV (ranging roughly from 3.2% to 6.5%). The space is simply decorated with an exposed-brick wall and a colorful draft board, curving booths with plentiful outlets that invite remote work, a bar with small tables, and an overflow room for about 50 more people where games or activities may be added. The founder, who contract-brewed while eyeing the Malt Row building, built the brewery out of a renewed love for delicate, yeast-driven saisons after years working in hoppy, high-ABV IPA environments; he emphasizes complexity and drinkability, pours rotating collaborations and guest drafts from trusted breweries rather than making uninspired versions of other styles, and supplements the lineup with cider, nitro coffee, and a housemade blackberry shrub. Community-oriented efforts include popup events, a 15% pickup discount with a nearby pizza shop, planned makers markets, and an overwhelmingly positive response at opening that drew several-hour lines." - Sam Nelson
"After five years of contract brewing saisons at Begyle Brewing, Pipeworks Brewing veteran Mike Schallau opened his own taproom in August. The low ABV makes it easy to taste a few of Is/Was Brewing’s signature yeast-driven style, though there’s also a selection of guest taps for those who favor lagers or IPAs. The space also serves nitro coffee and blackberry shrub soda to cater to those who just want to chill out and get some work done." - Sam Nelson
"Opened seven months ago in the Ravenswood space vacated by another brewery, this small operation moved into a 4,500-square-foot site and hopes to open a taproom by October at 5121 N. Ravenswood Avenue. Its name and a beer called the “Razed IPA” — which features an excavator on the label — sparked backlash after readers connected the term “urban renewal” to mid-20th-century, federally funded displacement of predominantly people of color and to ongoing gentrification concerns. Co-founder and head brewer James Moriarty says he was unaware of the phrase’s harmful connotations, that the name was meant to reference revitalizing the space, and that the business still lacks name recognition; his public defenses have been poorly received on social media. The episode is being discussed alongside broader critiques of insensitive beer names and the role restaurants and bars play in neighborhood change." - Ashok Selvam
Valerie F.
Kelly S.
Adam R.
Eric H.
David S.
Jason J.
Alex S.
Bob B.
Erika G.
Grant S.
Valerie F.
Pete S.