Chicago's new Guinness brewery is officially open
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The Guinness Open Gate Brewery in West Loop. Photo: Monica Eng/Axios
Stout fans, rejoice. Guinness' new Open Gate Brewery opens Thursday in Fulton Market.
Why it matters: Guinness die-hards don't have to travel to Dublin to experience the perfect 119-second pour.
- The second U.S. location of Ireland's finest export (besides thousands of Irish-Chicagoans, of course) is likely to become a strong tourist attraction for the city.
The intrigue: Despite Guinness' beery reputation, the company's West Loop location puts a strong focus on food, including in-house treats made in the first-ever Guinness bakery.
On the menu: The beer selection includes classic Guinness draughts and ales, but also specialty brews like Kinzie Street Pale Ale and Mango Chile Ale ($8-$12).
- The in-house bakery makes caraway rye loaves ($12), OGB brown bread ($12) and cookies ($5), while also offering Intelligentsia Coffee and sweets from Aya Pastry in West Town.
What they're saying: "We'll have 12 to 16 different beers at any one time, from fruity sour ales and German lagers to beer using locally produced corn," Ryan Wagner, head of marketing for Open Gate Brewery, tells Axios.
Carrie's pick: The extra salty, house-made kettle chips paired with Chicago caviar, aka very spicy giardiniera ($10), and a Kinzie Pale Ale. Salt plus heat equals more beer.
Monica's picks: I loved the tender and fiery Nigerian chicken suya skewers ($17), bright shaved Brussels sprout salad, and crisp and silky beer-battered halibut sandwich ($16).
- Best pairing: Pineapple coconut stout with the rich, toffee-studded Guinness global cookie ($5).
- Next time I'm totally trying the Guinness "beef jibarito."