Guinness Sets Second U.S. Brewery/Taproom

Irish beer brand Guinness (Dublin) has unveiled plans for an Open Gate Brewery (OGB) in Chicago. The locale in the city’s West Loop will be Guinness’ second brewing facility and taproom in the United States. (The first is in Baltimore.)

Located at 901 W. Kinzie St., the Guinness Open Gate Brewery Chicago will deliver “an American craft beer experience that is authentically Guinness and distinctly local,” participants say. The taproom will showcase local collaborations that highlight the rich history and flavors of Chicago, bringing the style of each of Chicago’s 77 unique neighborhoods to life within the taproom walls.

The brewery’s name is inspired by the Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Dublin – the brand’s original location. The latest brewery will feature solar panel arrays and will pursue Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification for the site. The brewery is also strengthening an existing relationship with Open Water, a Chicago-based bottled water company committed to reducing single-use plastic and carbon emissions.

The OGB Chicago also plans to work with Chicago-based coffee company Intelligentsia on developing and implementing its coffee program and will continue its partnership with Baltimore’s Cane Collective on the development of beer and non-alcoholic cocktails.

Additionally, Guinness will bring parent company Diageo’s Learning Skills for Life program to Chicago. The program provides unemployed and underemployed individuals with free hospitality and employability skills training.

Guinness was established in 1759. Its famed stout is brewed in 49 countries and sold in more than 150.