WRIGLEYVILLE — In 20 seconds, a good distributor can walk into a bar and know which beers it should sell, Wendy Adams claims.
"You know the Jell-O shots are going to flow at Sluggers," Adams said. "At Bernie's, you grab a burger or a dog. There's a lot of longtime fans. Sheffield's has more craft and import selections."
Adams, general sales manager for Louis Glunz Beer distributors, has worked with bars in Wrigleyville for 30 years, helping them pick from 800 brands of beer for eager Chicago Cubs fans and weekend revelers to guzzle. The neighborhood is gearing up for the 2016 season already, working with Adams to pin down what's hot (the latest Chicago craft beer) and what's not (cider) on this year's beer scene.
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Adams lived through the First Craft Beer Rush of the '90s. Louis Glunz was among the first to offer craft brews, she said, but smaller companies eventually pulled back as Chicago's demand outpaced their supply.
In the past five years, craft beer has surged again. The 4,000 American breweries today double the 1,800 that existed 10 years ago, and liquor stores like Binny's are quadrupling their selections, Adams said.
But there's not a lot of loyalty among the craft crowd, which is always after something new, Adams said. Chicago's up-and-comers are Ten Ninety, Temperance and Around the Bend.
Last year's Cubs season was a bountiful one for Wrigleyville bars, which got an extended boost during the successful postseason. [DNAinfo/Ariel Cheung]
Bars also snag some special selections from rival cities when their teams come to play at Wrigley Field. So when the Cubs play the Pirates May 13-15, they'll have Iron City Beer. When the Giants come to town, they stock up on Anchor Brewing.
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Meanwhile, cider — the fastest-growing alcoholic drink in 2014 — is "already starting to slow down," Adams said.
"Now there's more interest in the imports. We're coming full circle in the beer industry," she said.
One brand that continues to mystify as it captures the hearts of hipsters and bros alike? Pabst Blue Ribbon, Adams said.
"PBR has a cult following, and it happened organically," she said. "It's amazing how much we sell." Other inexpensive beers like Hamm's and Old Milwaukee also remain popular.
It's not surprising that Guinness is the top seller at Johnny O'Hagan's in Wrigleyville. The Irish pub also sells a lot of Magner's and Smithwick's. [Getty Images]
While Wrigleyville bleeds Cubbie blue, there's definitely a green tint at Johnny O'Hagan's.
For fans of the Irish pub, 3374 N. Clark St., it comes as no surprise that Guinness is its top seller.
"It's tough in this place for any lagers, really, because they're going up against Guinness, and Guinness is always going to win," said general manager Sean Seibert.
After Guinness, though? It's usually a tie between Smithwick's red ale and Magner's Irish cider.
"Because it's Wrigleyville," Seibert still stocks up on IPAs, Stella Artois, Blue Moon and 312 every year. "In Wrigleyville, you're always going to have your Goose Island, Budweiser, Bud Light."
That's something Seibert is hoping to change with the addition of a craft program at O'Hagan's. He wants to stock more, and now's the time to rethink the beer menu before the busy Cubs season gets underway.
On Friday, he's hosting a Revolution takeover in The Cellar basement level of the pub. From 7 to 10 p.m., there'll be $20 flights of eight Revolution brews and complimentary appetizers. The bar also stocks popular regional beers like Half Acre Daisy Cutter, Allagash White and Great Lakes Conway's Irish Ale.
"[Revolution] doesn't have a large market in Wrigleyville," Seibert said. "So I'm trying to get it going over here."
It's all about finding that rare Wrigleyville niche. At least until the next big thing comes along.
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