Revolution Brewing

Revolution Brewing
Industrybrewing industry Edit this on Wikidata
Founded2010
FounderJosh Deth Edit this on Wikidata
HeadquartersChicago, Illinois, United States
Key people
Josh Deth (founder/CEO)
Jim Cibak (brewmaster)
Doug Veliky (chief strategy officer)[1]
Websiterevbrew.com

Revolution Brewing is a brewery in Chicago, Illinois. It was founded as a brewpub in 2010 on Milwaukee Avenue in the Logan Square neighborhood; the brewpub closed in December 2024.[2][3][4] A separate production brewery, with canning and bottling lines and a tap room, opened in 2012 about a mile from the brewpub, on Kedzie Avenue in the Avondale neighborhood.[5][6][7][8][9][10]

Revolution has received local and national recognition, including awards from the Great American Beer Festival, the World Beer Cup, and Time Out Chicago. The 2013 film Drinking Buddies, starring Olivia Wilde and Jake Johnson, was partly filmed at the brewery.

History

Revolution Brewing was started as a brewpub in 2010 by owner Josh Deth. Deth attended the University of Michigan and became interested in brewing from his frequent visits to Bell's Brewery. Deth worked at Goose Island Brewery and connected with head brewmaster Jim Cibak during his time there. Cibak has worked at a number of breweries including Three Floyds Brewing.[11]

Revolution Brewing has received local and national recognition with awards from the Great American Beer Festival,[12] World Beer Cup,[13] and Time Out Chicago.[14]

The film Drinking Buddies is partly set in the Revolution Brewing brewery and taphouse. A romantic comedy-drama, written and directed by Joe Swanberg, it was shot in 2012 and released in 2013. It stars Olivia Wilde, Jake Johnson, Anna Kendrick, and Ron Livingston. In the movie, the fictional characters portrayed by Wilde and Johnson work at the brewery.[15][16]

In 2024, Revolution ranked 36th among the Brewers Association's Top 50 U.S. craft brewing companies by beer volume.[17] The original Milwaukee Avenue brewpub closed permanently on December 14, 2024, after nearly 15 years in operation, consolidating the company's operations at its Kedzie Avenue production facility and taproom in Avondale.[18][19]

Beers

Revolution Brewing produces more than 20 different beers. Some of them are available year-round, and others are seasonal.[20] There are also several dozen more beers that were brewed at different times in the past.[21] As of August 2026, the brewery organizes its current lineup into several families, including Hero IPA-branded India pale ales, the Cold Time line of lagers, City Series session beers, seasonal and small-batch releases, and the barrel-aged Deep Wood Series; several earlier flagship beers, including two of its award-winning releases, have since been discontinued.[22][23]

Revolution Brewing Beers
NameStyleABV %IBUNotes
Anti-Hero[22] India pale ale 6.7 65 Year-round
Hazy-Hero Hazy India pale ale 7.3 35 Year-round
Fist City[24] American Pale Ale 5.5 45 Year-round
Rev Pils German-style pilsner 5.5 45 Year-round
Cold Time Premium lager 4.8 15 Year-round
Bottom Up Wit Belgian-style white ale 5.0 Limited release
Coup D'État French-style saison 7.6 Limited release
TV Party Rye India pale ale 7.3 Limited release
Red Skull Imperial red ale 9.3 60 Limited release
Rosa Fruit ale 5.8 Limited release; hibiscus
A Little Crazy Belgo-style pale ale 6.8 35 Seasonal
Oktoberfest German-style Oktoberfest 5.7 25 Seasonal
Fistmas Holiday ale 6.5 31 Seasonal
Straight Jacket Barley wine 15 Barrel-aged; limited release
Deth's Tar[25] Imperial oatmeal stout 14.8 Barrel-aged; limited release
Eugene Porter Robust porter 6.8 28 Discontinued
Double Fist Double pale ale 8.9 90 Discontinued
Cross of Gold Golden ale 4.8 25 Discontinued
Mad Cow Milk stout 7.0 30 Discontinued
Mother of Exiles German-style pilsner 5.2 30 Discontinued
Galaxy Hero India pale ale 6.6 Discontinued; succeeded by the small-batch DDH Galaxy-Hero
Crystal Hero India pale ale 7.2 75 Discontinued
Local Hero India pale ale 7.5 65 Discontinued
Jukebox Hero Black India pale ale 7.4 75 Discontinued
4th Year Beer Belgian-style quadrupel 11.5 32 Discontinued
Rise Stout 7.6 55 Discontinued
Repo Man Rye stout 6.4 30 Discontinued
Very Mad Cow Milk stout 9.7 30 Discontinued; barrel-aged
Mean Gene Porter 8.5 Discontinued; barrel-aged
Bean Gene Porter with coffee 9 28 Discontinued; barrel-aged

Awards

Revolution Brewing awards and recognition
YearAwardCategoryBeerResult
2025 World Beer Cup Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout Deth's Tar Bronze[26]
2025 United States Beer Tasting Championship Imperial Hazy IPA (Midwest Regional) X-Hero Juicy Rush Regional Champion[26]
2024 Brewers Association Top 50 U.S. Craft Brewing Companies by beer volume — 36th place[26]
2024 United States Beer Tasting Championship Wood/Barrel-Aged Beer (Grand National) Straight Jacket Champion[26]
2024 United States Beer Tasting Championship IPA (Midwest Regional) Anti-Hero Regional Champion[26]
2024 World Beer Championships (Beverage Testing Institute) Beer of the Year Straight Jacket Won[26]
2023 United States Beer Tasting Championship Bourbon Barrel-Aged Stout/Porter (Grand National) Deth's Tar Champion[26]
2023 United States Beer Tasting Championship IPA (Grand National) Anti-Hero Champion[26]
2022 Chicago Tribune Readers' Choice Food Awards Best Bar Food — Won[26]
2022 United States Beer Tasting Championship Multigrain Beer (Grand National) V.S.O.R. Champion[26]
2022 European Beer Star Awards Wood and Barrel Aged Strong Beer Straight Jacket Silver[26]
2021 Chicago Reader Best of Chicago Best Local Beer — Won[26]
2021 Chicago Reader Best of Chicago Best Local Brewery — Won[26]
2021 European Beer Star Awards Strong Porter — Gold[26]
2020 Chicago Reader Best of Chicago Best Local Beer — Won[26]
2020 Chicago Reader Best of Chicago Best Local Brewery — Won[26]
2019 Chicago Reader Best of Chicago Best Brewery — Won[26]
2018 Great American Beer Festival Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer Straight Jacket Bronze[26]
2017 Brewers Association Top 50 Craft Brewery — 40th place[26]
2017 Brewers Association Top 50 Overall Brewery — 50th place[26]
2016 Chicago magazine Best Craft Brewery (Readers' Choice) — Won[26]
2016 Brewers Association Top 50 Craft Brewery Companies — 46th place[26]
2016 World Beer Cup Other Strong Beer Winter Woman Bronze[26]
2015 Brewers Association Top 50 Craft Brewery Companies — 50th place[26]
2015 Chicago magazine / Chicago Reader Best of Chicago Best Craft Brewery / Best Local Brewery (Readers' Choice) — Won[26]
2014 Chicago magazine Best of Chicago Best Craft Brewery (Readers' Choice) — Won[26]
2014 Chicago magazine Best of Chicago Best Beer (Readers' Choice) Anti-Hero Won[26]
2013 Chicagoist Beer of the Week A Little Crazy Won[27]
2013 Time Out Chicago 2013 Eat Out Awards Best Chicago Microbrewery — Won[14]
2013 Chicagoland Brewpub & Microbrewery Shootout Best Food/Beer Pairing — 1st place[28]
2013 Chicago Tribune Dining Awards Beverage Maker of the Year — Won[29]
2012 Great American Beer Festival English-Style Summer Ale Cross of Gold Gold[12]
2012 Great American Beer Festival American-Belgo-Style Ale A Little Crazy Bronze[12]
2012 Chicago Reader Best of Chicago (Readers' Poll) Best Brewpub — Won[30]
2012 Chicago Reader Best of Chicago (Readers' Poll) Best Pub Grub — Won[31]
2012 World Beer Cup American Style Stout Rise Gold[13]
2012 World Beer Cup English Style Summer Ale Cross of Gold Gold
2012 Chicago Beer Society's 35th Annual Fall Tasting Hoppy, American Stout Rise 1st place (tie)[32]
2012 RateBeer Best Brewpubs of 2012 — Listed[33]
2011 Chicago magazine 36 Best Local Craft Beers Bottom Up Wit Top 36
2011 Chicago magazine 36 Best Local Craft Beers Eugene Porter Top 36
2011 Chicago Reader Best of Chicago (Readers' Poll) Best Brewpub — Won
2011 RateBeer.com Top New Brewers in the World — Top 5
2011 Chicagoland Brewpub & Microbrewery Shootout Best Beer/Food Pairing — Won
2011 Festival of Barrel Aged Beers Classic Porter/Stout Black Power Oatmeal Stout Silver
2011 Festival of Barrel Aged Beers Classic Porter/Stout The General Molasses Porter Bronze
2010 Chicago Reader Best of Chicago (Readers' Poll) Best Brewpub — Won
2010 Eat Out Awards Best New Gastropub — Won
2010 Chicago magazine Best of Chicago Best Beer of 2010 Eugene Porter Won

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Why Revolution's Deth Appreciates the Blend of Strategy & Influence that CSO Veliky Brings". Brewer Magazine. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  2. ↑ Arnett, Lisa (January 15, 2010). "The Revolution is Near", Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 22, 2014.
  3. ↑ Kohl, Randy. "Revolution Brewing Co.", Chicago Bar Project. Retrieved February 22, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Revolution Brewing". Metromix. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
  5. ↑ Noel, Josh (March 30, 2011). "Revolution Will Bottle and Can Its Beers", Chicago Tribune. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
  6. ↑ Yue, Lorene (May 15, 2013). "Craft Beer's Conundrum", Crain's Chicago Business. Retrieved October 11, 2013.
  7. ↑ Gill, Andrew (June 4, 2013). "Craft Brewers Win Small Victory in Springfield, but the Real Winners Are Distributors". WBEZ. Archived from the original on February 21, 2014. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Revolution Brewing to Triple Production to 24k Barrels, Signs with New Distributors". BeerPulse.com. March 12, 2013. Archived from the original on March 17, 2013. Retrieved February 22, 2014.
  9. ↑ Frost, Peter (February 10, 2015). "Look Out, Lagunitas: Revolution Brewing to Triple Capacity". Crain's Chicago Business. Archived from the original on March 16, 2015. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  10. ↑ Frost, Peter (March 14, 2015). "Brewer Learns It Isn't Easy Getting Big". Crain's Chicago Business. Archived from the original on March 15, 2015. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
  11. ↑ Wehunt, Jennifer (November 30, 2009). "Ale Lives: The Making of a Beer—Revolution Brewing's Cross of Gold", Chicago magazine. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
  12. 1 2 3 "2012 Winners", Great American Beer Festival. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
  13. 1 2 "Winners", World Beer Cup. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
  14. 1 2 Shouse, Heather (April 17, 2013). "Eat Out Awards 2013: Best Chicago Microbrewery", Time Out Chicago. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
  15. ↑ Sullivan, Emmet (August 31, 2013). "Spot These 8 Chicago Details in Drinking Buddies", Chicago magazine. Retrieved February 20, 2013.
  16. ↑ Metz, Nina (August 22, 2013). "Improv + Beer = Drinking Buddies", Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 22, 2014.
  17. ↑ "2024 Top 50 U.S. Craft Brewing Companies" (PDF). Brewers Association. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  18. ↑ Thrush, Charles (November 3, 2024). "Revolution Brewing Closing Logan Square Brewpub After Nearly 15 Years". Block Club Chicago. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  19. ↑ "Revolution Brewing to shutter Logan Square brewpub". NBC Chicago. November 2, 2024. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  20. ↑ "View Beers". Revolution Brewing. Archived from the original on February 26, 2014. Retrieved February 18, 2014.
  21. ↑ "Revolution Brewing Company". RateBeer. Archived from the original on April 11, 2013. Retrieved February 18, 2014.
  22. 1 2 "Beer". Revolution Brewing. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  23. ↑ "Brew Archive". Revolution Brewing. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  24. ↑ Noel, Josh (May 6, 2015). "Revolution Brewing's Fist City Is an Ideal, Juicy Pale Ale", Chicago Tribune. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  25. ↑ Noel, Josh (December 9, 2016). "Revolution's Deth's Tar Release Party Proves Primacy of Barrel-Aged Stouts". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved December 11, 2016.
  26. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 "Recognition". Revolution Brewing. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  27. ↑ Baldacci, Jason (April 12, 2013). "Chicagoist's Beer Of The Week: Revolution Brewing's A Little Crazy", Chicagoist. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
  28. ↑ "13th Annual Chicagoland Brewpub & Microbrewery Shootout Results", Chicago Beer Society. Retrieved February 18, 2014.
  29. ↑ Noel, Josh. "Josh Deth—Beverage Maker of the Year", 2013 Chicago Tribune Dining Awards. Retrieved February 18, 2014.
  30. ↑ "Best Brewpub", Chicago Reader. Retrieved February 18, 2014.
  31. ↑ "Best Pub Grub", Chicago Reader. Retrieved February 18, 2014.
  32. ↑ "35th Annual Fall Tasting Recap", Chicago Beer Society. Retrieved February 18, 2014.
  33. ↑ "Best Brewpubs 2012". RateBeer. Archived from the original on February 27, 2014. Retrieved February 18, 2014.
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