Breweries, Distilleries & Wineries

Many award winning brews, spirits and wines await you on your next adventure...

Lake County has a little bit of everything, and that includes its own piece of wine country. It’s easy to get lost in a glass of Lynfred Winery’s award winning wines. Cozy up to a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon that is as warm and welcoming as the ambiance around you. But don’t get carried away just yet, there’s plenty more to enjoy!

Taste the expertise that goes into the small batched and fortified wines of the Vigneto del Bino Winery in Antioch. Try a new flavor for every season or the award-winning classics since they planted their first vine in 2009. The Antioch winery now has over 2,300 vines stretching over 10 acres of land. Valentino Vineyards in Long Grove is the place to be for stunning views of 20 leafy acres and a tasting of wines that would make Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, see green. Spend an afternoon sampling 20 wines and might I suggest the cheese plate? They’re available with advanced notice!

Something’s Brewing in Lake County! Mickey Finn’s set the standard for Lake County when they became our first brew pub in 1993 and have been raising the bar ever since. Try some samples, commit to a pint of one of their seasonal brews, and even take home a jug for later.

You don’t have to love sports to appreciate a good beer, but Half Day Brewery in Lincolnshire has plenty of both. When trying their hockey themed brews, start with the Red Line Ale, and then work your way through to the Bench Minor Blonde, and don’t forget my favorite…The Hattrick Hefeweizen.

Let the North Shore Distillery lift your spirits with their award winning Gin and Vodka, and even learn the trick to sampling their Sirène Absinthe, all made onsite. Ever try Aquavit? It’s a spirit blended from caraway, cumin and coriander, and the North Shore Distillery is the only place in Chicago that brews their own! Get a behind the scenes tour to see how it’s all done, and then sample the spirits that recently won them the title of Best Local Distiller by Chicago Magazine.

Go for a stroll through historic Downtown Waukegan, home of author Ray Bradbury and then enjoy a fine selection of brews and spirits at Zümbier, Nightshade and Dark's Pandemonium Brewery and Oppidan Spirits.

Cheers!

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