The 6th Annual Cider Summit Chicago

This year's 6th annual Chicago Cider Summit at Navy Pier boasted nearly 200 ciders from around the world, with 10 new cider producers, and approximately 70 offerings not previously served. Whether your taste buds crave sweet, dry, fruity, hoppy, bubbly – there was definitely something for everyone. An expansive setting in the AON Grand Ballroom offered plenty of space and few lines to wander around the main floor of cider, snacks and vendors. The balcony level was once again home to the Cider Cocktail Lounge featuring spirits, liqueurs, and mixed cocktails from a variety of vendors.

Cider Trend Observations:
- Rosé ciders were definitely on trend this year, with a range of interpretations on the wine style. Ciders that featured red/pink fleshed apples maintained the most crisp and authentic flavors. 
- We found many US ciders to still be a bit high on ABV, but that is starting to change with the addition of some canned session ciders. 
- "Ciders that drink like beers" (featuring adjunct flavors, spices, fruits, hops) continue to increase in mainstream popularity, while a decrease in funky, unfiltered, euro-inspired ciders seem to be happening on bottle shop shelves.

The Perfect Pairings:
Cypress Grove had a selection of 3 goat's milk cheeses that really rocked our world (especially with some of the funky European ciders). We highly recommend searching out Truffle Tremor, Midnight Moon and Humboldt Fog (Marianos, Whole Foods, Binny's, Pastoral). Smoking Goose Meatery out of Indianapolis also had an amazing plate, featuring 3 house made salames, including their South Cider Salame (goose & pork, persimmons, cider), Salame Cotto (course pork, red wine and fenugreek seeds, and Dodge City Salame (pork, fennel pollen and pink peppercorn). These guys aren't available in Chicago (yet) but you can order from their website. Their sausages worked really well with some of the dry and hopped ciders. 

Below is a recap of our "Best of" selections from the event. All of the ciders listed are available in Chicago, with the exception of Stormalong Cider (Massachusetts). Keep an eye out for Schilling Hard Cider (Seattle) who is new to the Chicago market.

Best Dry Cider

Stormalong Cider (MA)
Lengendary Dry (6.9%)
A unique blend of heirloom and bittersweet apples, traditionally fermented – resulting in an exceptionally crisp, effervecent and layered drinking experience.

Best Sessionable Cider

Vander Mill (MI)
Vandy* (4%)
Semi-sweet, crisp and super crushable for any occasion. 
*NEW!! On draft in select locations, watch for cans this Spring!

Best Semi-Sweet Cider

Angry Orchard (NY)

Rosé Cider (5.5%)

Definitely worth a taste! Fermented from French blush apples, with a hint of hibiscus flower. It is bright, floral and dry - just like your favorite glass of rosé wine.

Best Sparkling Cider

Worley's (UK)
Special Reserve Keeved (5.4%)
Naturally sweet, sparkling and rounded. Apple notes were more dessert like - caramel, spice, citrus, slight barnyard funk. A perfect cider for pairing with rich foods like cheeses and desserts.

Best European/Import Cider

Viuda de Angelon Sidra (Spain)
1947 (6%)
Light and funky/acetic, a perfect pairing with the cheese plate.

Best Barrel-Aged/Oaked Cider

Farmhaus Cider Co. (MI)
Oaked Sweater Weather Chai Cider
Light toasted oak character, earthy spice notes, with a nice balance of sharp and sweet apple flavors. 

Best Fruited Cider

Eris Brewery & Cider House (Chicago)
Van Van Mojo - Blueberry Mosaic Hopped (6.2%)

Bright, tart and balanced, with beautiful purple hues. Hop character was perfect – aromatic and citrusy without overpowering the fruit.

runner up:

Schilling – Passport: Pineapple Passionfruit Cider (6.7%)

This cider is an explosion of fruit flavors - like a vacation cocktail in a can. The combinations of fruit offer a nice balance of sweetness and acidity. 

Best Alternative Fruit – Pluot
Mission Trail Cider Co. (CA)
Hipster Hills Pluot & Malvasia (10%)
A blend of rare and aromatic Malvasia Bianca grapes fermented with tart and fruit forward pluots. Very aromatic layers of honey, flowers, stone fruit, must/tannins with a dry, wine-like finish.

Best Cider Spirit

Journeyman O.C.G. Old Country Goodness, Apple Cider Liqueur (10%)

A glass growler full of "fall in a glass" – delicious hot or cold. Michigan organic apple juice, Michigan organic cider, spices and W.R White Whiskey.

To find these ciders, check out beermenus.com and visit some of our favorite cider selling bottle shops in the city: Bottles & Cans, The Beer Temple, West Lakeview Liquors, and the suburbs: Standard Market, Binny's, Whole Foods.

The Best of Chicago Cider Summit 2017

The 5th annual Chicago Cider Summit at Navy Pier was another great success for cider makers and lovers alike. Once again blessed with a sunny, winter day – the view of Lake Michigan from the Grand Ballroom couldn't have been more beautiful for sipping cider.

In addition to 150 cider makers and the second floor cider cocktail lounge, there was a new feature this year – the "Northwest Cider Pavilion," which featured 8 cider makers from Washington and Oregon. Doughnut Vault was in attendance, sampling their Apple Cider Old Fashioned (yum!!), which paired perfectly with a tart cider, to balance the sweetness of the glazed doughnut. Once again this was one of our favorite festivals to attend, with very few lines for cider, food, or restrooms, and ample opportunity to talk with the cider makers themselves.

Below is a recap of our "Best of" selections from the event. All of the ciders listed are available in Chicago, with the exception of Mission Trail Cider Co., who is hoping to enter the market over the next year. Farmhaus has limited distribution to The Wine Goddess (Evanston, IL). Nashi Orchards is currently available at The Northman in bottles.

Best Dry Cider

Wandering Aengus (OR)
Wickson Crab Apple Cider (8.2%)
Dry, very tart, citrus notes.

Best Semi-Sweet Cider

Farmhaus Cider Co. (MI)
Brunch (Limited Release) (6.9%)
Semi-sweet cider with cinnamon and maple syrup, like apple pie in a glass.

Best Farmhouse/Wild Fermented Cider

Shacksbury (VT)
2015 Lost & Found (Limited Release) (6.7%)
A blend of foraged and cultivated apples from the Champlain Valley of Vermont. 
Very dry, unfiltered yeast character, tart green apple finish.

Best European/Import Cider

Craigie's (IRE)
Ballyhook Flyer Irish Cider (5.8%)
Dry and tart with light peat and brine character.

Best Barrel-Aged Cider

Nashi Orchards (WA)
Barrel Fermented Cider (6.9%)
Heirloom apples fermented in French oak barrels. Tart, clean and rounded.

runner up:

Starcut Cider, Erraticus 6 (6.4%)

Oak aged wild cider with Michigan apples and black currants. Dark fruit and rustic, wine-like character with a dry finish.

Best Fruited Cider

Stem Ciders Raspberry Apple Cider (6.7%)

Tart apple and raspberry flavor, with intense aroma and ruby hues.

runner up:

Cider Brothers, Pacific Coast Blueberry Zinfandel (6%)

Blueberries blended with California Zinfandel – tart, bright, dry and beautiful in color.

Best Alternative Fruit – Jerkum
Mission Trail Cider Co. (CA)
Plum Jerkum (6.5%)
A blend of 14 California Plum varietals, fermented with wine yeast.
An English-native beverage, Mission Trail is the only producer in the world currently making it. Tastes like eating a whole plum – incredibly juicy with light tannins and a dry finish. 


Best Perry
Vander Mill (MI)
Bon Chretein (6.8%)
Produced from Michigan Bartlett pears, semi-dry and juicy with a crisp finish.

Best Cider Cocktail

Woodford Reserve Spiced Cider Cocktail

Woodford Reserve Bourbon, apple cider, Seattle Cider Semi-Sweet.

To find these ciders, check out beermenus.com and visit some of our favorite cider selling bottle shops in the city: Bottles & Cans, The Beer Temple, West Lakeview Liquors, and the suburbs: Standard Market, Binnys.

The Best of Cider Summit Chicago 2016

This year's annual Cider Summit at Navy Pier was bigger and better than ever, expanding to the second floor balcony with a selection of cider cocktails from The Northman, Woodford Reserve and Uncle John's. This year boasted 140 ciders with approximately 10 new Producers since last year's event. We found this year to be supremely enjoyable with very few lines for cider, food or restrooms and ample opportunity to talk with the cider makers themselves. Below is a recap of our "Best of" winners of the event.

Best Dry Cider

Farnum Hill Extra Dry Cider (7.5%)

Best Semi-Dry Cider

EZ Orchards Semi Dry Cider (6.4%)

Best Farmhouse/Wild Fermented Cider

Shacksbury Arlo (6.2%)

Best European/Import Cider

Manoir de Grandouet Cambremer Cidre de Tradition AOP Pays d’Auge (4.5%)

Best Barrel-Aged Cider

Vander Mill Green Mill Barrel-Aged Cyser (6.8%)

Best Fruited Cider

Starcut Ciders Squishy (7.5%)

Seasonal Hard Cider made with Northern Michigan Cherries, tart and dry finish

runner up:

Cider Brothers, Pacific Coast Apple with Wild Cherry

Semi-dry, stone fruit and spice, tastes like cherry pie

Best Newcomer to Chicago

Starcut Ciders (by Shorts Brewing), Elk Rapids, MI

Now available throughout the Chicagoland market

Best Cider Cocktail

The Northman "Ginger Snap"

Few Bourbon Whiskey, Vander Mill Ginger Peach cider, ginger syrup, soda water

Cider Summit view from the balcony

Kim (Hail to the Ale), David (Shacksbury Cider), Craig aka "John Apple" (ABV Chicago)

left: Uncle John's Old Fashion cider cocktail. right: The traditional Spanish long pour.

For more on tasting cider, check out our latest podcast appearance on ABV Chicago, Episode 109 "Cider House Rulez" where we taste 6 ciders from across the US, talk about the cider making process, and share a whole lot of laughs in the process.

Curious about the cider making process or learning more about apple varieties? Take a look at our Amazon book list devoted to Apples & Cider.

Check out your local bottle shops, as the selections of cider continues to grow. Don't see what you're looking for? See if they can request it or email the cideries for availability. The more demand, the better!

Guest Podcast Appearance on ABV Chicago: Episode 109

In preparation for the upcoming Chicago Cider Summit at Navy Pier (February 27th), we join Craig and Ryan of ABV Chicago Podcast series to talk all things cider making and tasting, along with some crazy banter and a lot of laughs. We hope you enjoy it!

Episode 109 – Cider House Rulez

 abvchicagoFebruary 24, 2016Audio

We enter unfamiliar territory on this one by doing our first-ever cider show. Kim Leshinski of Hail to the Ale and MC Johnsen of Worth 1000 Beers join us to educate us on these fermented apple beverages. You’ll learn a lot about how ciders are made, apple varieties, local cider sources (including Broken Nose Cider), heirloom apples, and “the long pour.” We go from “cider stupid” to just plain stupid at times, as the diversions here are frequent and give Craig a good core workout. And Ryan is made to feel stupid by being the only one familiar with Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader. Listen and let us be the apple of your…ears?

Click to listen: ABV Chicago Episode 109 – Cider House Rulez

Ciders reviewed:

Farnum Hill Dooryard Cider
Shacksbury Farmhouse
Bantam The Americain
Uncle John’s Apple Hard Cider
Vander Mill Chapman’s Blend 2014
Wandering Aegnus Wanderlust

Cider Summit Chicago 2015 in Review

February 7th marked the 3rd Annual Cider Summit in Chicago, put on by SBS Import's Alan Shapiro in collaboration with Seattle Beer Collective. This year's event was upgraded to Navy Pier's beautiful Grand Ballroom, which hosted a sold out crowd of 4,000 cider fans over the 2 ticketed sessions.

With over 15 new cider vendors this year and cider makers from around the world on hand, we found this year's crowd as eager as ever to converse and learn. Even with the expanded space the crowd was thick and lines were palpable. Those in attendance were a vast range of ages and levels of knowledge, and with easily over half being women – much different (and less unruly) than your typical beer festival.

As the 3rd year attending, my strategy was to seek out as many new ciders to the market as possible. I was joined by Ken Getty – homebrewer, cider maker and President of CHAOS Brew Club and MC Johnsen – fellow designer, homebrewer, and blogger of Worth 1000 Beers.

Our friends at WBEZ's Strange Brews were recording a live podcast during the 1st session, interviewing Eric West, host of the Cider Guide Podcast. Eric created his own guide to Cider Summit, re-categorizing each entry by style, which we found extremely helpful throughout the event. You can download his list and check out his podcasts on his website.

MC (Worth 1000 Beers), Alison Cuddy (Strange Brews), Kim (Hail To The Ale).

As fests often do when you're having fun – the 3 hours flew by. Between the 3 of us we were able to sample a spectrum of styles, regions and creative flavors. While many follow traditional, century-old processes of blending regional apple varietals with yeast, there is an increasing number of cider makers taking the "craft beer approach," adding fruits, vegetables, spices, hops and even incorporating second use spirit barrel-aging.

The cider category which was once defined as dry, sweet or semi-sweet is becoming more complex and diverse. We learned that during this past week's CiderCon, the Cider Association was working to further define styles for cider, much like we see in craft beer. This will help makers, sellers and drinkers alike to better understand and communicate a proper vocabulary around cider. While it will take time to implement, it's very exciting progress!

Overall the expanded space was a huge improvement, and a thrill to see growth in the category happening before our eyes. We caught Alan Shapiro briefly and were assured that he'd be returning for the 4th Annual Cider Summit next year.

Below is a breakdown of our top cider picks of the day, all of which can be found in the Chicago market, with the exception of Troy Cider and Urban Farm Fermentory's cider, mead and kombucha, which we hope to see distributed out of Maine in the near future.

Kim's Favorites/Notes
Seattle Cider Co. (Seattle, WA) - Oaked Maple: fermented with raisins, oak chips and VT maple syrup. Full bodied and complex in flavor without losing it's cider identity. 6.9%

Worley's Cider (Somerset, UK) - Special Reserve Keeved: semi-sweet on the tongue with hints of sweet apples and caramel, sparkling effervescence lifts and dances the tannins lingering to the finish. Uses a traditional English keeving process of slow fermentation which retains natural apple sweetness. 6%

Finnriver Cidery (Chimacum, WA) - Black Currant Cider: heirloom, dessert apples and currants, semi-sweet sparkling, jammy finish. 6.5%

Urban Farm Fermentory (Portland, ME) - Amalgam: Hard Cidah & Kombucha blend. Crisp and dry with a tart, tannic finish. Currently available only in Maine and Massachusetts. 4.5%

Sheppy's Cider (Somerset, UK) - Sheppy's Somerset Draught: cider and dessert apple blend, medium body, slight sparkle. A perfect medium bodied, medium sweetness, round and drinkable cider. 5.5%

Ken's Favorites/Notes
Eden Ice Cider Co. (Newport, VT) - Eden Heirloom Blend: full-bodied sweetness balanced by acidity and tannins 10%

Troy Cider (San Francisco, CA) - Wild Fermented Cider 2012: funky and acidic with a cloudy/unfiltered appearance 7.7%

Sheppy's Cider (Somerset, UK) - Sheppy's Oak Matured Vintage: medium body, smooth lingering oak finish 4.8%

EZ Orchards (Salem, OR) - Poire: Sparkling pear cider. Smooth, juicy, fruit forward finish. 5.9%

Vander Mill (Spring Lake, MI) - Nunica Pine: Dry Hopped with Columbus hops. Light, resinous bitterness and dry, balanced finish 6.8%

MC's Favorites/Tasting Notes
Seattle Cider Co. (Seattle, WA) - Gin Botanical: This unique cider was fermented with spent gin botanicals from Batch 206 Distillery. It poured clean and clear pale yellow, with a complex fruity aroma dominated by apples and lime. Its fizzy and full-bodied flavor of orange, lemongrass, juniper, and pine finished clean and crisp, with a lingering citrus sweetness. (6.5%)

Troy Cider (San Francisco, CA) - Wild Fermented Cider 2012: This spontaneously fermented cider was a unique creation from the fruits found in old apple orchard in Sonoma County, CA. Unfiltered and barely carbonated, this cider was the color of a cloudy orange creamsicle, and smelled like a sweet and sour green apple. It tasted tart and tannic with notes of hay and slight vinegar. Delicious! (7.7%)

Finnriver Cidery (Chimacum, WA) - Saffron Cider: This clear, full bodied and savory cider was such an interesting approach to flavor. The saffron came through in both aroma and flavor amidst this sweet and juicy, apple-forward flavor. 6.5%)

Sea Cider (British Columbia, Canada) - Prohibition: Technically an apple wine, this caramel brown-colored beverage aged in Newfoundland Screech bourbon barrels had molasses added to it. Fruity-smelling, and tasting rich, sweet, and spicy, the bourbon really came though beautifully in both aroma and flavor. This warmed you from the inside with an herbal and spicy finish of candied toffee and sweet apple pie. 12%

Worley's Cider (Somerset, UK) - Special Reserve Medium: This mildly fizzy cider smelled like a funky old barnyard, was both tart and sweet with herbal qualities and had a fruity, tannic finish. 5.4%

International Cider Makers Return to Chicago for Cider Week 2015

Cider makers and purveyors from around the world will return to Chicago for the annual CiderCON and Cider Summit at Navy Pier. While the conference itself is industry-only there are a number of opportunities for the public to meet and taste some of the world's best hard cider, perry and mead.

All week, Featured cider drafts and bottles at The Publican. Featuring, on tap: Drouin Poire, DuPont Brute, Sanford Orchard Aston B. Bottles: DuPont Triple, Du Pont Pommeau, Tieton Reserve.

Feb 3rd, Luxbar Cider Mixer, 7:30pm: Mingle with the owners and cider makers of Wandering Aengus and Anthem Cider. Featuring many traditional favorites from Wandering Aengus and Anthem Cider and some new limited releases:

Anthem Cider Gin Barreled - Ransom barrels 2 months
Anthem Pinot Cider - Pinot grapes fermented within the cider fermentation.

Feb 3rd, Firkin Loves Vander Mill at Jake Melnicks, 7pm: Featuring firkins of Totally Roasted, Cyser and Single Varietal Gold Rush. Oaked Chapman's Blend, Ginger Peach, Hard Apple and Blue Gold will be on draft. Stop by for a chance to win a Vander Mill wearbles and cider cans.

Feb 4th, Karaoke + West Coast Cider at Emporium Arcade, 8pm: featuring a tap take from 2 Town Cider, Wandering Aengus Cider, Vander Mill Cider, Anthem Cider, Finnriver Cider, Sonoma Cider, Seattle Cider Company and Tieton Cider.

Feb 4th, Cider Maker Meet & Greet at Howells & Hood, 6-8pm: Join cider makers from Vander Mill, Ace, Wandering Aengus and Original Sin for a taste of featured ciders. Open to the public, no ticket required. Vander Mill will be raffling off a pair of tickets to Cider Summit at Navy Pier on 2/7.

Howells & Hood will feature a special cider flight for the week of Feb 2 - 8 in honor of CiderCON, featuring: Ace Cider Co. The Joker, Anthem Hops, Original Sin Elderberry, Vander Mill Totally Roasted 

Feb 4th, Bacon & Seattle Cider Party at Paddy Long's, 7pm. Featuring Seattle Cider Company's Semi-Sweet, Three Pepper and Oaked Maple ciders on tap. All 3 can be tried as a Bacon & Cider flight. Seattle Cider's Gin Botanical Cider will also be available in bottles.

Feb 4th, Meet the Cider Makers at Whole Foods Kingsbury 1550 Bar, 6:30pm: Sample ciders of Artisanal Imports, with Lanny Hoff from Aspall, Steve Wood of Farnum Hill and Kevin Zolinsky of E.Z. Orchards. Learn what foods pair well with various ciders. Raffling a pair of tickets to Cider Summit with purchase of any Farnum Hill, E.Z. Orchards or Aspall ciders.

Feb 4th, Twin Anchors Cider Event, 7pm: Almar Orchards (J.K. Scrumpy), Thistly Cross, and Sheppy’s Cider Bruce Wright (Scrumpy), Daniel Sherry (Thistly Cross), and David Sheppy will be in attendance. First availability of Sheppy’s in Chicago with the owner on hand to taste and share his cider. Casual food pairings and tastings!

Feb 5th, Jake Melnicks A Bushel & A Peck, Interactive Cider Dinner, 6pm: Cider and food pairing stations featuring Wandering Aengus, Original Sin, Vander Mill, Ace, Farnum Hill, Seattle Cider, Finn River, Virtue Cider, Uncle John's. Menu items will feature a wide array from BBQ shrimp and sashimi tuna to charcuterie, sausages and cheese. Tickets $35

Feb 5th, Monks Pub Cider Tasting, 7pm: Multiple cider producers on hand, featuring Ace Blackjack 21, Original Sin Northern Spy & Apricot, Aspall Imperial and Vander Mill Chapman's Blend.

Feb 5th, The Power of the Press at Fountainhead, 6pm: The Fountainhead and The Northman explore and celebrate ciders throughout the US, UK, Spain and France paired with inspired menu items from Chef Cleetus. Featured ciders on draft: Wandering Aengus Wickson Single Varietal, Farnum Hill Dooryard, Uncle John's Perry, Original Sin Northern Spy, Seattle Cider Company Gin Botanical, Aspall Imperial, Trabanco Cosecha Propia (Sidra Natural) Viuda de Angelon "Cidre Brut". Plus 35+ bottles available by the glass.

Feb 6th, Vander Mill Firkin Tapping at The Publican, 6pm: Firkin tapping of "Too Gold," a blend of Golden Russet, Grimes Golden and Gold Rush apples.

Feb 6th, Cider Sampling at Walgreens (151 N. State St.), 5-8pm: Louis Glunz will be pouring featured cider samples from their portfolio including Wyders Pear, Reposado Pear, Sam Smith Organic Cider, Uncle John's Apple and Tieton Apricot Cider.

Feb 7th, Cider Summit Chicago, 11am and 4pm sessions in the Grand Ballroom at Navy Pier: SBS Imports and Seattle Beer Collective return for a third year to produce Chicago's largest cider tasting event. Cider Summit will feature sampling of 162 ciders from around the world, with cider makers on hand. Advanced TICKETS recommended. Chicago Brew Bus will provide shuttle service starting at 10:30am between the Blue Line Grand stop, Red Line Grand-State stop, and Navy Pier throughout the day. CTA buses also run directly to Navy Pier. Onsite parking is available in the Navy Pier garages.

Feb 7th, Rare Vander Mill Ciders at Links Taproom, 11:30am: Sip on some very rare artisanal ciders from Vander Mill that will showcase the range of tasty possibilities in this emerging trend. Featuring Ancho Mama (crisp with a gentle heat imparted from dried poblano peppers), one of only 2 kegs in the entire city. Complete your evening with a Chicken Sausage Link served with an apple slaw with a jalapeño-cider mustard to create the perfect pairing for these crisp and refreshing ciders. These special ciders will be available until the kegs run out. Also on tap: Loving Cup (pink peppercorn & hibiscus), Chapman's Blend Oaked, and a firkin of Too Gold (Golden Russet, Grimes Golden & Gold Rush apple varietals, barrel-aged for 8 months).

Feb 7th, Right BEEday Party at Kaiser Tiger, 7:30pm: Join Right Bee Cider at Kaiser Tiger for cider and curling (weather permitted).

Feb 8th, Vander Mill Cider Brunch at Farmhouse, 10am-2pm: Featuring a three course paired brunch for $25. First Course: Bagel & Lox (paired with Ginger Peach). House Cured Salmon, Pickled Red Onion, Capers, Whipped Cream Cheese. Second Course: Sweet Potato Hash (paired with The Lovin' Cup). Braised Short Rib, Root Vegetable, Fried Farm Egg. Third Course: Bread Pudding French Toast (paired with Totally Roasted). Orange Curd, Spiced Pecans. Reservations recommended.

Feb 8th, Ciders of Spain at Binny's Lincoln Park, 2-4pm: Ciders of Spain founding importer James Asbel will be on hand to taste through a selection of his unique portfolio

The Return of Cider Summit Chicago to Navy Pier

SBS Imports and the Seattle Beer Collective are pleased to announce the return of their successful Cider Summit festival to Chicago, IL. This year’s event will take place on Saturday, February 7, 2015 in two sessions - 11am-3pm and 4pm-8pm in the Grand Ballroom at Navy Pier.
 
Cider Summit will feature over 120 ciders including regional favorites and international classics from countries such as England, Scotland, France, and Spain with owners and cidermakers will be on hand to inform and guide guests through the samplings.
 
Tickets are $30 and will be sold online only via CiderSummit.com. Admission includes a souvenir tasting glass, 8 tasting tickets and a $1 donation to Heartland Alliance. Additional tasting tickets will be available for sale onsite at $2 per ticket. Designated driver tickets are available for $5, and include a bottle of water. A separate ticket is required for each session.
THIS EVENT IS STRICTLY 21 & OVER
 
The Chicago Brew Bus will provide shuttle service starting at 10:30am between the Blue Line Grand stop, Red Line Grand-State stop, and Navy Pier throughout the day. CTA buses also run directly to Navy Pier. Onsite parking is available in the Navy Pier garages.