BRIDGEPORT — Many folks are pumped about the arrival of the Lagunitas brewery operation in Chicago.
The crew at Maria's Community Bar is taking it a step further with their "Welcome to Chicago" bash, scheduled for 7-10 p.m. Thursday.
"My overall impression is that we’re all pretty excited that there's a new brewery here and that it's a great one. It's just general excitement that Lagunitas is so close to us," said Eric Olson, a Maria's bartender and co-founder of the Bridgeport-based Marz Brewing "nanobrewery."
"I'm sure they’ll be a great member of craft beer society here in Chicago."
Lagunitas decided to bring a brewery to Chicago after exhausting its brewing capacity in its brewery in Petaluma, Calif., last year.
Earlier this month, employees hoisted glasses of their first Chicago-brewed IPAs at the massive Douglas Park brewery, located about three miles away from Maria's, 960 W. 31st St.
Lagunitas founder Tony Magee is expected to be on hand for the Bridgeport shindig.
He won't be dropping pearls of wisdom during a staged talk, though. Instead, the eclectic entrepreneur said via Twitter he's "probably just gonna hang."
The Bridgeport bar, which boasts a roster of some 475 beers, is offering $4 Lagunitas drafts for the occasion, including the popular Lil Sumpin' Sumpin' Ale, Dogtown Pale Ale, IPA, Undercover Investigation Shutdown Ale and Waldo's Special Ale, a double Imperial IPA.
Lagunitas, meanwhile, is busy planning a bash of its own. The Beer Circus fundraiser takes place May 17-18 at the new brewery, 1843 S. Washtenaw Ave.
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