Monthly Club Meeting
2025-01-21 18:30 - 21:00 (America/Chicago) | Bubblehouse Brewing, 2121 Ogden Ave, Unit A, Lisle, IL, 60532, United States
Monthly meeting to announce the latest club news, competition wins, upcoming events and happenings.
It’s also an opportunity to share some of your brews with the rest of the club and get feedback as well as taste other club members’ brews.
We welcome all visitors interested in the club. Bring homebrew if you have it and want to share.
This month’s meeting will be at Bubblehouse Brewing in Lisle. Their taproom doesn’t serve food, but you may bring your own. Bubblehouse is normally closed on Tuesdays, and they’re opening exclusively for us, so please help us make sure it’s worth their while.
We’ll start this meeting with a technical introduction to our latest Knighted Knave Cup challenge, Scottish Ales. Our judging of the KK Cup beers will be at the March meeting.

Midwinter Homebrew Competition
2025-01-31 - 2025-02-01 | IL
Midwinter Homebrew Competition, sponsored by the Beer Barons of Milwaukee homebrew club. Judging will be Jan 31 and 2 at Revere’s Wells St. Tavern in Delafield, WI, near Milwaukee, plus several other weekdays at nearby locations (BJCP judges only–no apprentice judges). Entries open 12/24/2024 and are capped at 500 entries. This will be the 15th and last Midwinter, and it’s expected to sell out quickly.

30th Annual Train Crawl 2025
2025-02-15 | IL
Please join us for the 30th UKG Train Crawl! This year’s crawl goes from Wrigleyville to Ravenswood in Chicago:

Start at the Metra BNSF (9:08am at Rt. 59, 9:13 at Naperville, etc., or later trains) to Union Station. Weekend parking is free. A Saturday-only pass is $7.
Walk south on Clinton St to the Clinton Blue Line CTA station.
Take the Blue Line toward O’Hare 2 stops to Jackson, then transfer to the Red Line toward Howard.
Take the Red Line 9 stops to Addison.
Walk west on Addison St to Clark St. Turn right and walk to the corner of Clark and Grace St, for Greenstar Brewery (about 1/2 mile total, 10 min).
Greenstar Brewery at Uncommon Ground, 3800 N Clark, a brewery taproom associated with a restaurant, 10+ taps. This is the lunch stop. Afterward, walk north on Clark to Irving Park Rd, turn left and walk to Ravenswood Ave. Begyle will be 1 block north (about 1 mile, 22 min).
Begyle Brewing, 1800 W Cuyler, a very popular brewery taproom with 16 taps. When you’re finished here, walk 1 block north on Ravenswood to Dovetail.
Dovetail Brewery, 1800 W Belle Plaine, a brewery taproom with 13 taps. They specialize in German lagers, but also in sour beers. Next, walk west on Belle Plaine to Lincoln Ave, turn right and walk 4 blocks to Hop Butcher (about 1/2 mile, 12 min).
Hop Butcher for the World, 4257 N Lincoln Ave, a brewery taproom. Mainly an IPA specialist, but they have a few other styles among their 20 taps. Afterward, walk right a short way then turn right on Cullom Ave, go 6 blocks and turn left on Wolcott Ave, then 3 blocks north to Wilson Ave. Turn right and O’Shaunessy’s is 2 blocks ahead, just beyond the railroad overpass.
O’Shaunessy’s Public House, 4557 N Ravenswood, has an Irish pub food menu and 28 taps. This is the dinner stop.
When you’re finished, walk 10 min south on Ravenswood and 1 block west to the Montrose Brown Line station, take the Brown Line south to Quincy, then walk west 3 blocks on Jackson St to Union Station, about 49 min total. BNSF trains depart at 5:33pm, 6:33pm, 7:33pm, 8:33pm, 9:33pm, 10:33pm, 11:33pm, and 12:33am.

Join up with the Crawl at any point, leave whenever you like, and pay as you go. No reservations necessary, just show up! Transportation cost: $7 for a Saturday-only Metra day pass and $2.25 for each CTA ride.
Download a copy of the map.

Monthly Club Meeting
2025-02-18 18:30 - 21:00 | Bubblehouse Brewing, 2121 Ogden Ave, Unit A, Lisle, IL, 60532, United States
Monthly meeting to announce the latest club news, competition wins, upcoming events and happenings.
It’s also an opportunity to share some of your brews with the rest of the club and get feedback as well as taste other club members’ brews.
We welcome all visitors interested in the club. Bring homebrew if you have it and want to share.
This month’s meeting will be at Bubblehouse Brewing in Lisle. Their taproom doesn’t serve food, but you may bring your own.
For the technical part of the meeting in the first half hour, Dan Acheson will talk about “Tips and tricks on how to finish beer: things I’ve learned to optimize your beer once it’s done fermenting”.

DMC Entry Deadline
2025-02-28 17:00 | IL
Deadline for arrival of shipped or dropped-off entries for the Drunk Monk Challenge. Entry registration will also end today if the entry cap has not been reached yet.

DMC Unpacking
2025-03-02 10:00 - 14:00 | Two Brothers Roundhouse, 205 N Broadway, Aurora, IL, 60505
Unpacking of entries for the Drunk Monk Challenge at Two Brothers Roundhouse.
Lots of volunteers needed! Bring 6-pack carriers if you have some. Homebrew welcome for sampling after we do our work.
At 205 N Broadway (Rt. 25) in Aurora, follow the signs.

DMC Judging
2025-03-04 18:00 - 21:00, 2025-03-06 18:00 - 21:00 | Church Street Brewing Company, 1480 Industrial Dr Unit C, Itasca, IL, 60143
Judging of a few tables for the Drunk Monk Challenge at Church Street Brewing. Schedule:
5:30pm: Organizers arrive.
6:00pm: Judges arrive. Dinner served.
6:30pm: Judging begins.
Please be on time! Everyone has to wait until the last judge arrives before we start.

DMC Judging
2025-03-05 18:00 - 21:00 | Two Brothers Roundhouse, 205 N Broadway, Aurora, IL, 60505
Judging of a few tables for the Drunk Monk Challenge at Two Brothers Roundhouse, in the Porter/Ale ballroom, clockwise all the way to the end from the main entrance. Schedule:
5:30pm: Organizers arrive.
6:00pm: Judges arrive. Dinner served.
6:30pm: Judging begins.
Please be on time! Everyone has to wait until the last judge arrives before we start.

DMC Judge/Steward Registration Ends
2025-03-07 12:00 | IL
Last day of online registration of judges and stewards for the Drunk Monk Challenge. But please don’t wait until the last minute.

DMC Judging
2025-03-07 13:00 - 21:00 | Two Brothers Roundhouse, 205 N Broadway, Aurora, IL, 60505
Three small sessions to judge a few tables for the Drunk Monk Challenge at Two Brothers Roundhouse, in the Porter/Ale ballroom, clockwise all the way to the end from the main entrance. Schedule:
1:00pm: Organizers arrive.
1:30pm: Judges for 1st session arrive.
2:00pm: 1st judging session begins.
3:30pm: Judges for 2nd session arrive.
4:00pm: 2nd judging session begins.
5:30pm – 6:00pm: Judges for 3rd session arrive. Pizza served.
6:30pm: 3rd judging session begins.
Please be on time! Everyone has to wait until the last judge arrives.

Drunk Monk Challenge
2025-03-08 08:00 - 20:00 | Two Brothers Roundhouse, 205 N Broadway, Aurora, IL, 60505
27th annual Drunk Monk Challenge, the UKG’s own homebrew competition, and a leg of the Midwest Homebrewer of the Year and Circuit of America. Judging is at Two Brothers Roundhouse, in the Porter/Ale ballroom, clockwise all the way to the end from the main entrance
8:00am: Organizers and stewards arrive. Breakfast is served.
8:30am: Judges arrive. Please be on time!
9:30am: Morning judging session.
11:00am: Lunch is served.
12:00pm: 2nd judging session.
2:30pm: Best of Show and Menace of the Monastery judging.
3:00pm: Raffle.
5:00pm: Awards ceremony.
6:00pm: Cleanup (organizers and stewards).

Monthly Club Meeting
2025-03-18 18:30 - 21:00 | Bubblehouse Brewing, 2121 Ogden Ave, Unit A, Lisle, IL, 60532, United States
Monthly meeting to announce the latest club news, competition wins, upcoming events and happenings.
It’s also an opportunity to share some of your brews with the rest of the club and get feedback as well as taste other club members’ brews.
We welcome all visitors interested in the club. Bring homebrew if you have it and want to share.
This month’s meeting will be at Bubblehouse Brewing in Lisle. Their taproom doesn’t serve food, but you may bring your own.
We’ll start this meeting with a discussion led by Ray Nonnie on techniques for transferring beer. We’ll also hold an informal judging of our latest Knighted Knave Cup challenge, Scottish Ales.

UKG Social Afternoon
2025-03-22 14:00 - 17:00 | Energy City Brewing, 917 1st St, Batavia, IL, 60510, United States
UKG Social Afternoon at Energy City Brewing, 917 1st St in Batavia. Founded by UKG member David Files, Energy City makes specialty IPAs and stouts, and other unique beers. No food is served at the taproom, but you may bring your own.

UKG Social Afternoon
2025-04-06 14:00 - 17:00 | Nik & Ivy Brewing, 1026 S State St, Lockport, IL, 60441, United States
UKG Social Afternoon at Nik & Ivy Brewing. Nik & Ivy is a brewery taproom with 11 drafts. No food is served, but you can bring your own.
The Lock & Mule by Tangled Roots brewpub is across the street.

AHA National Homebrew Competition 1st Round
2025-04-08 18:30 - 21:30 | Skeleton Key Brewing, 8102 Lemont Rd #300, Woodridge, IL, 60517, United States
Regional judging of the 1st Round of the AHA’s National Homebrew Competition. The judging this year is organized by UKG, BOSS, Brixie’s Brewers, CHAOS, Square Kegs, and other Chicago-area clubs. Judging will be at Skeleton Key Brewery, 8102 Lemont Rd #300 in Woodridge. This competition is always short of volunteers, so please consider judging or stewarding if you can.

AHA National Homebrew Competition 1st Round
2025-04-11 13:00 - 22:00 | Dovetail Brewery, 1800 W Belle Plaine, Chicago, IL, 60613, United States
Regional judging of the 1st Round of the AHA’s National Homebrew Competition, 3 sessions at 1pm, 4pm, and 7pm. The judging this year is organized by UKG, BOSS, Brixie’s Brewers, CHAOS, Square Kegs, and other Chicago-area clubs. Judging will be at Dovetail Brewery, 1800 W Belle Plaine Ave in Chicago. This competition is always short of volunteers, so please consider judging or stewarding if you can.

AHA National Homebrew Competition 1st Round
2025-04-12 09:00 - 17:00 | Dovetail Brewery, 1800 W Belle Plaine, Chicago, IL, 60613, United States
Regional judging of the 1st Round of the AHA’s National Homebrew Competition, 3 sessions at 9am, 11am, and 2pm. The judging this year is organized by UKG, BOSS, Brixie’s Brewers, CHAOS, Square Kegs, and other Chicago-area clubs. Judging will be at Dovetail Brewery, 1800 W Belle Plaine Ave in Chicago. This competition is always short of volunteers, so please consider judging or stewarding if you can.

Monthly Club Meeting
2025-04-15 18:30 - 21:00 | Bubblehouse Brewing, 2121 Ogden Ave, Unit A, Lisle, IL, 60532, United States
Monthly meeting to announce the latest club news, competition wins, upcoming events and happenings.
It’s also an opportunity to share some of your brews with the rest of the club and get feedback as well as taste other club members’ brews.
We welcome all visitors interested in the club. Bring homebrew if you have it and want to share.
This month’s meeting will be at Bubblehouse Brewing in Lisle. Their taproom doesn’t serve food, but you may bring your own.
Dave Fetty will kick off the technical part of the meeting at 6:30 with a discussion of Beer Pairings and Beer Dinners.

Webinar: Hopsteiner
2025-05-06 19:00 - 21:00 | IL
Free Webinar: Darren Stankey from Hopsteiner. Topic TBA.
Hopsteiner is a grower and supplier of hops, hop oils, and other hop products.
Registration is required! Reservation and login details will be provided on Slack.

Charlie Orr Memorial Chicago Cup Challenge
2025-05-10 08:30 - 17:00 | Soudgrowler Brewing, 8201 183rd St., Tinley Park, IL, 60487, United States
Judging of the 34th annual Charlie Orr Memorial Chicago Cup Challenge, sponsored by the Brewers of South Suburbia. Judging will be at Soundgrowler Brewing, 8201 183rd St., suit P, in Tinley Park. There will be additional judging sessions at Soundgrowler on the preceding Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 6:30pm.

Big Brew Day
2025-05-17 08:00 - 16:00 | Church Street Brewing Company, 1480 Industrial Dr Unit C, Itasca, IL, 60143
UKG Brew-In for the AHA’s Big Brew Day at Church Street Brewing, 1480 Industrial Dr unit C in Itasca; map here. (This event will be held after the AHA’s Big Brew Day due to a conflict at Church Street.)
Church Street will mash and lauter the wort for us in the brewery’s equipment. Participants will get 5 gallons to finish as they please. (No more than 5 gallons per person this year.) Bring your own burners, kettles, wort chillers, racking equipment, folding chairs, and anything else you’ll need (hoses and hose splitters recommended). Steep with specialty grains, add extract if you like, and add your own hops.
The wort will be similar to Itascafest Märzen/Oktoberfest (pils malt, Munich malt, Carahell, and Caramunich), at around 12 Plato (SG around 1.050). Remember the gravity will be higher after you boil off some water. There will be some Andechs lager yeast available; bring a sanitized jar if you want some.
IMPORTANT BREWERY SAFETY RULES:
This is a manufacturing environment. Closed-toe shoes and safety glasses are required. Bring your own safety glasses (and extras to share) if you have them. Wort and cooling water are supplied; we are responsible for other ingredients and supplies (burner/propane, hops, garden hoses and fittings, chillers, yeast, etc). You will be transferring your wort home when it is completed, so bring a PLASTIC fermenter or bucket for transport. NO GLASS.
Doors will open around 8:00am for those who want to see the mashing process. Wort will be available 10:00am or until it runs out. Everyone needs to be finished by 4:00pm.
If you plan to brew, please RSVP to Tim Devitt.

UKG Social Afternoon
2025-05-18 14:00 - 17:00 | Penrose Bewing, 509 Stevens St, Geneva, IL, 60134, United States
UKG Social Afternoon at Penrose Brewing, 509 Stevens St in Geneva. Penrose is a brewery taproom with 17 taps, including a couple of seltzers. No food is served, but you can bring your own.

Monthly Club Meeting
2025-05-20 18:30 - 21:00 | Bubblehouse Brewing, 2121 Ogden Ave, Unit A, Lisle, IL, 60532, United States
Monthly meeting to announce the latest club news, competition wins, upcoming events and happenings.
It’s also an opportunity to share some of your brews with the rest of the club and get feedback as well as taste other club members’ brews.
We welcome all visitors interested in the club. Bring homebrew if you have it and want to share.
This month’s meeting will be at Bubblehouse Brewing in Lisle. Their taproom doesn’t serve food, but you may bring your own.

Equipment Swap and Bottle Share
2025-05-31 14:00 - 18:00 | Dave Dayhoff’s, 5124 Wolf Rd., Western Springs, IL, 60558, United States
Equipment swap and bottle share, sponsored by Brixie’s Brewers but members of other homebrew clubs are welcome. Bring your own surplus equipment, or come empty-handed and see what you can find. Buy, sell, swap, barter, or just give stuff away. And bring homebrew to share, of course.
Location: Dave Dayhoff’s house, 5124 Wolf Rd in Western Springs. Parking is available in the church parking lot, just south at 5140 Wolf Rd.

Kane County Cougars Game
2025-06-14 18:30 - 21:30 | Kane County Cougars, 34W002 Cherry Lane, Geneva, IL, 60134, United States
POSTPONED! Reschedule date TBA.
The UKG is going to the Kane County Cougars game! The Cougars will play the Sioux City Explorers beginning at 6:30pm.
Buy tickets along the 3rd base line so we can sit somewhat together. Plus, the Beer Cave is along the 3rd base line and where we’ll be spending most of our time.
The Cougars’ stadium is of Kirk Rd. in Geneva, 5 miles north of the I-88/Farnsworth Ave exit. Parking is to the south of the stadium.

Monthly Club Meeting
2025-06-17 19:30 - 21:00, 2025-07-15 19:30 - 21:00 | Bubblehouse Brewing, 2121 Ogden Ave, Unit A, Lisle, IL, 60532, United States
Monthly meeting to announce the latest club news, competition wins, upcoming events and happenings.
It’s also an opportunity to share some of your brews with the rest of the club and get feedback as well as taste other club members’ brews.
We welcome all visitors interested in the club. Bring homebrew if you have it and want to share.
This month’s meeting will be at Bubblehouse Brewing in Lisle. Their taproom doesn’t serve food, but you may bring your own.
The June, July, and August meetings will start at 7:30 rather than 6:30 because we won’t have a tech session in the first hour. Tech sessions resume in September.

Wortapalooza
2025-06-21 09:00 - 18:00 | Phase Three Brewing, 932 Donata Ct, Lake Zurich, IL, 60047, United States
Judging of the 3rd annual Wortapalooza competition, sponsored by Club Wort. Entries open April 21. Judging will be at Phase Three Brewing, 932 Donata Ct in Lake Zurich. There will be additional judging sessions on Mon, Wed, and Fri; the Monday night session is at Church St. Brewing in Itasca.

UKG Social Afternoon
2025-06-22 14:00 - 17:00 | Penrose Bewing, 509 Stevens St, Geneva, IL, 60134, United States
UKG Social Afternoon at Brother Chimp Brewing, 1059 W Orchard Rd in North Aurora. Brother Chimp is a brewery taproom with 14 taps, plus guest ciders, seltzers, and wine. No food is served, but you can bring your own.
