Founded by homebrewers Virg Mazzeo and John Wolf, Printer's Row Brewing got its start in the South Loop neighborhood for which its named, selling small batches of beer to local bars and restaurants. After a brief stint at Lake Effect Brewing, the pair found their own space in Jefferson Park—and they decided to keep the brewery's name intact, in spite of the fact that they're about 11 miles northwest of the business's namesake 'hood.
Located on a quiet corner in a wedge-shaped building that has previous hosted everything from a hot dog stand to a taqueria, Printer's Row Brewing is a fairly bare-bones taproom, with just enough room for a handful of tables, a bar, a couple of TVs and the four-barrel brewing system that creates nearly everything on tap.
While hop heads will enjoy the 81 West IPA (named for the CTA bus line that runs past the brewery), Printer's Row's stengths are on display in its less hop-forward options, including the Party Parrot wit with lime zest, the vanilla-infused Out of Sorts brown ale and the hearty Cannonball Porter, which also boasts a barrel-aged variant.
The only food offered on-premices is a selection of cheeses, olives, pickles and crackers from Logan Square's Beautiful Rind, but guests are welcome to bring their own snacks from nearby restaurants like Earl's BBQ or Hagen's Fish Market. Plans for a sidewalk patio and crowlers to-go are in the works, but even without those extra features, this tiny brewery is one of the best places to grab a beer on the Far Northwest Side.