Eric S.
Yelp
ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK LAGER?
This beer-only establishment has scary good stouts and ales so pale, you'd swear they were ghosts.
As one of the major microbreweries in the area (the other being Miskatonic off of Cass Ave), this place is hidden pretty well. Unless you know to look on the west side of Lemont Rd about 1/2-mile south of 75th St, you're likely to drive right past Skeleton Key.
Meeting my buddy Jason K on 4/27/19, I quickly noticed that this doesn't look like anything special from the outside; it's a very plain, nondescript red brick building. No exploding neon marquee with showgirls out front, just a little sign for the small industrial complex.
Right away, you can tell that the space was intended for offices, not a brewery. Several large 300L stainless steel tanks loom in the back, and a friendly -- possibly mustachioed -- barkeep will pour your choice of frothy beverage. They rotate their taps seasonally, I'm told.
We enjoyed an American Pale Ale, English brown ale, and an imperial red Belgian IPA, all with amusing names like "Friends Don't Lie", "Fix the Sun", and "Mayor Wilson", which I'm assuming is a BTTF reference. Prices are a reasonable $6-7 depending on size/style of draft.
There's no kitchen to speak of, however they're more than happy to let you bring in food or have it delivered. Sometimes there's even a food truck parked outside, though on our visit inclement weather forced the pierogi guys to sell their wares indoors.
It's nice that they have a shelf of card games for customers to play. The table next to us got into a heated match of Risk; I could definitely see coming back here with a deck of Secret Hitler or a good old fashioned cheater's edition of Monopoly.
Kids are allowed in the front room during daylight hours, great for families or thirsty parents. Seeing toddlers running around took me out of the whole brewery experience, if I'm being honest. Dogs are strictly 'verboten', unlike Beer Shop's pet-friendly policy in Oak Park.
SK also features live music on alternating weekends. I was stunned to see that one of these acoustic performers is none other than Mr Denton, my (former) junior high school language arts teacher! I'm gonna have to stop by and say hello next time Billy D takes the stage.
* TL;DR *
You don't have to be a member of the Midnight Society to enjoy a cold brew here......although the creepy campfire stories might spice things up. The beer is great and service is dandy, plus the BYO snack policy means you're saving some $$.
The wide open, repurposed interior is all well and good, but the exterior is seriously bleak. Improving their curb appeal would do wonders to pull in more business, cuz right now Skeleton Key Brewery is relying pretty heavily on word-of-mouth.
Recommended!