A Sampling Of What's To Come At Chicago Craft Beer Week 2015

By Ben Kramer in Food on May 11, 2015 3:00PM

It's not the circus but it's sure to provide giggles, excitement and pink elephants if overdone. The 6th annual Chicago Craft Beer Week returns May 14 and will reign for 11 days ending on May 24. A bazillion breweries will be in on the festivities (some large, like Revolution, some smaller, like Off Color) and will host a bounty of events.

There will be several tap takeovers, including 5 Rabbit at Lake Street Kitchen + Bar, Pipeworks at Tuman's Tap & Grill and Lake Effect at JP Burke's Patio & Tap.

Brewer meet and greets abound, including the folks from Temperance Brewery at Side Street Saloon and Motor Row Brewing at Brass Tap.

Industry related events go on for miles during the week, but light fun and games are available too. You want dodgeball? Join Goose Island for their Sunday Funday and have a chance to compete in their dodgeball tournament. Not athletic but love video games? Geek Bar will be hosting a Mario Kart tourney with beer supplied by Arcade Brewery. What if you hate games and just wanna sing New Wave? Marz Community Brewing Co. has the answer, holding New Wave Karaoke Freak Out at Rock Island Public House.

Are there more events to mention? Yup. We haven't gone into depth about Beer Under Glass at the Garfield Park Conservatory or the Logan Square Petting Zoo. What we can do is provide the full CCBW schedule so you can roam through the highlights we missed here.

And if you can't contain yourself before the big week, fear not. On Wednesday May 13, DryHop will present its second beer collaboration with Lincoln Park Zoo "Take Me To Your Lemur," a cantaloupe and clementine wit. One dollar from each pint sold will go to Lincoln Park Zoo's Crowned Lemur Wish List Fund. It's the perfect primate-inspired beer to segue into the monkey business (that term is meant with absolute endearment) of Chicago Craft Beer Week 2015.