Logan Square welcomes the neighborhood’s third brewery taproom when Maplewood Lounge opens on Friday. Maplewood Brewery and Distillery is an award-winning brewery that debuted in 2007, back then using “Mercenary Brewing” as its name. They changed names in 2015 and continued to brew award-winning beers and spirits at 2717 N. Maplewood Avenue, a quiet street intersected by the Kennedy Expressway.
While the beers and cocktails star — there’s a drink inspired by a mudslide and beer cocktails including a Piña Colada made with a strawberry margarita Gose — Maplewood will also serve food prepared next door where a neighboring catering kitchen resides. It’s swanky bar food including cheese curds made with Maplewood’s Pulaski Pils and a corn dog made with Publican Quality Meats “Freedom Sausage” (the Fulton Market butcher opted for a more American name rather than giving credit to the French; the encased meat tastes like smoked sausage from France’s Morteau region). Customers can also opt to eat the Freedom Sausage served Chicago style with caramelized onion, mustard, tomato, and kosher pickles.
Maplewood follows fellow neighborhood brewers Revolution and Hopewell in opening up Logan Square taprooms. Hopefully the “new taproom smell” won’t wear off too fast. Maplewood only gets to be Chicago’s newest taproom for a day. Spiteful Brewing opens its taproom on Saturday in Bowmanville.
Regardless, check out the menu below. Maplewood Lounge opens this afternoon.
Maplewood Lounge, 2717 N. Maplewood Avenue, open 4 p.m. to midnight on Tuesday through Friday; 2 p.m. to midnight on Sunday. They’ll start serving Sundays on January 14 when they’ll also adjust when they’ll be open from their opening/holiday hours.
Maplewood Lounge Menu
Poutine
Pork belly, red wine demi, cheese curds, truffle oil, pickled red onion, parmesan, hand-cut fries + fried egg
Cheese curds
Pulaski pils batter with chipotle aioli
Publican corn dog
Freedom sausage — cornmeal batter, served with beer cheese
Double cheeseburger
Toasted brioche, carmelized onion, american, pickle, dijon aioli
Beer mac + cheese with Buffalo chicken
Beer cheddar, fried chicken, Buffalo sauce + mild gorgonzola
Chi — Freedom Sausage
Caramelized onion, yellow mustard, grape tomato, kosher dills, toasted bun
Toulouse
Grain mustard, brie, caramelized onions, baby arugula & truffle oil