Two years in the making, Guinness' Open Gate Brewery has an opening date in Chicago's West Loop neighborhood.
"It’s finally happening, Chicago!" the Guinness brewery wrote on Facebook. "Our taps start pouring Thursday, Sept. 28. Mark your calendars. We’ll see you soon (finally!). Sláinte!"
Diageo Beer Company announced in September 2021 its decision to pick Chicago for the location of the Dublin-based brewery's second taproom and brewing facility in the United States.
The 15,000-square-foot Guinness Chicago Taproom was constructed at 901 W. Kinzie St. in "a revitalized historic railroad depot" to include a brewery, taproom, bakery and restaurant. The Open Gate Brewery was initially on tap to open in the summer.
“As a native Chicagoan, I already know there are so many reasons to love Chicago - its people, culture, diverse and distinctive network of neighborhoods, and of course its food and beer scene," said Jay Sethi, chief marketing officer at Diageo Beer Company, in a statement in 2021. "The city was a natural choice to bring our first neighborhood hub to life."
The taproom is expected to offer "exciting new brews," some of which will only be available in Chicago, and stouts imported from St James’s Gate in Dublin, according to the company.
"We are building this taproom for the people of Chicago and, as with everything that Guinness does, it’s not just about the beer," Sethi said. "We aim to celebrate Chicago and make a positive impact on the local community from the day our doors open.”
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The taproom will feature artwork from local artists and "offer rotating beers, cuisine, and events, all bringing to life the spirit of Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods and unique cultural elements." It also will create 75 jobs, the company said in its original announcement.
“No one does St. Patrick’s Day like Chicago, so naturally, Guinness already has a special place in our city’s history,” said Ald. Walter Burnett Jr. in a statement. "Now we get to make it a little more official with the Guinness Chicago Taproom, which will help further enliven our already vibrant West Loop neighborhood and bring new jobs to the area."
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The first Guinness brewing facility and taproom in the U.S., the Guinness Open Gate Brewery, opened in 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland, and has since hosted more than 900,000 visitors and produced 250 experimental brews, the company said.
