Drinks Over Dearborn, Kyle McHugh's hidden gem of a wine shop in River North, announced today that they'll permanently close the doors on December 31 after a roller coaster ride of over two years that saw McHugh come up with some of the most creative ways we've ever witnessed to keep the store open. more ›

Belfast Bay Brewing Company in Belfast, ME, seems an unlikely place to find a good oatmeal stout. But that's just what we found with their McGovern's Aatmeal Stout. Drinks Over Dearborn had this and McGovern's Lobster (Red) Ale in stock while visiting a few weeks back. While the brightly hopped Lobster Ale would have been a better pick with the weather, the Oatmeal Stout has its merits for a long holiday weekend. more ›

For a city that raises its bartenders to the level of some chefs, Chicago put on a decidedly weak display last year for World Cocktail Week. The anemic list of events was not lost on Drinks Over Dearborn's Kyle McHugh, whose "Speakeasy Over Dearborn" was, by default, the best of last year's events. more ›

Two weeks ago Drinks Over Dearborn owner Kyle McHugh, facing the closure of his River North liquor store, unable to pay his vendors and receive a small business loan to float him until his books were in the black, announced an ambitious plan to raise funds to keep the store open long enough for his projected profits to start to show. The "500 Benjamins or Bust" campaign was created to raise the necessary funds for McHugh to pay off his creditors, but only if DoD was able to find 500 customers to open $100 accounts with the store. If McHugh couldn't reach that goal, DoD would close its doors March 5. more ›

We stopped by Drinks Over Dearborn Sunday to walk the talk and sign up for the "500 Benjamins or Bust" campaign. Owner Kyle McHugh was out of town on business but we were informed that DoD was a little over halfway toward their goal in the four days since the campaign received press. While there, we had to browse the shelves and found that sweet brew pictured. more ›

Drinks Over Dearborn was transformed into a modern speakeasy last night, in honor of World Cocktail Week. All guests at the event had different passwords to gain entry to the boutique liquor shop. Owner Kyle McHugh set up a blackjack table, an absinthe room, a blues band in the main room and had bartenders mixing some very potent cocktails. Guests were given a gambling chip to use at the blackjack table. The top three winners won his or her choice of the liquors used to make the cocktails. Meanwhile, the backing band for Shirley King (B.B.'s daughter) played in McHugh's main room. more ›

When it comes to liquor stores we tend to be equal opportunity. We'll search high and low, near and far, for the best deals at stores large and small. While the boxy superstores like Sam's, Binny's and Armanetti's have their merits, the smaller stores are noted for their more personal touch. The LUSH Wine & Spirits locations in University and Roscoe Villages are wonderful for customers because they can sample practically everything LUSH has to offer and will work with customers to acquire hard-to-find wine, beer and spirits. more ›

Goose Island brewmaster Greg Hall has been telling anyone who will listen that "sour is the new hoppy." It's unsurprising to find Goose Island at the vanguard of what's becoming a shift in American craft brewing. Breweries like Goose Island, Dogfish Head and Jolly Pumpkin are shifting from boldly hopped ales to experimental fermentation, brewing with fruit, and aging for long periods of time in whisky or wine casks. The template now is not how thick a beer can be, but how tart can you make it. India Pale ales and Extra Strong Bitters are taking a back seat to lambics, saisons, krieks and brett yeasts. more ›