River North Brewery’s Year In Review: 2024

Before we get into the details of what happened at River North Brewery in 2024, here’s a quick review of some of the highlights:

48 different beers bottled
19 different beers canned
76 batches brewed
Brewed the strongest saison in the world, Double J. Marie
2nd year in a row to win at GABF, World Beer Cup, and European Beer Star
4th year in a row to win at the Brussels Beer Challenge
7 BRONZE medals won
12 SILVER medals won
13 GOLD medals won!!!

Now that we have that out of the way, let’s just say that 2024 was an amazing year for River North. We celebrated our 12th anniversary last February with a monstrous barrel aged blend, including single, double, triple, and quadruple barrel aged stouts. Stay tuned because we will be concocting another crazy blend for our 13th anniversary in two months!

In a repeat of 2023, we again earned medals in competitions across the globe, from Germany and Belgium to Australia and Japan. And most notably, for the second year in a row, we earned awards at both the Great American Beer Festival and the World Beer Cup, the two biggest competitions in the world.

*River North crew at the 2024 World Beer Cup in Las Vegas.*

Nightmare Fuel, our perennial coffee imperial stout, was the stand out of the year, earning medals at three of the four most prestigious competitions in the world: World Beer Cup, European Beer Star, and the Brussels Beer Challenge. (GABF, you are officially on notice for 2025. We are coming for you.)

In true River North fashion, we continued pushing the boundaries of the beer styles we love to brew. Last May we decided to brew an extreme version of J. Marie (one of the brewery’s first ever brews and long-time favorite of our regulars) that clocked in at 17.7% abv – a strength and intensity of flavor that demands to be sipped and savored like a fine artisanal cocktail. As far as we can tell, it is the strongest saison in the world. I suggest you try it immediately.

To finish out the year, Matt Malloy, our head brewer, and I were able to travel to Germany to accept our awards at the renowned European Beer Star in person. It was a privilege to drink some of the most famous lagers in the world (and don’t forget the weissbiers!) straight from the tap. We even traveled to Bamberg, one of the last bastions of small, independent breweries in Germany, most famous for its rauchbiers (smoked lagers). There is nothing quite like having a half-liter with some fellow brewers at a centuries-old brewery.

*Matt and Matt at Aecht Schlenkerla, Bamberg, Germany.*

So what’s in store for 2025? Our first priority in January will be tasting and perfecting the barrel-aged stout blend for our 13th Anniversary party on Saturday, February 22. It’s no secret that January is one of the slowest months for breweries, so we will have plenty of time to get the barrel selection just right. In the new year, many of us resolve to cut back on indulgences like beer. We support you. BUT… if you do have a “cheat day,” don’t forget about us!

Before we get to the big number thirteen in February, though, we have our annual Super Stout party the last weekend in January. What can I say, we are just too impatient to wait for stout month in February. We will have a curated list of AT LEAST twelve different stouts on tap at the Washington Street taproom and half-a-dozen at the RiNo location. If you love stouts, the party is not to be missed.

Stay tuned for even more events, beer releases, and awards in 2025. River North Brewery continues to thrive because of you. Thank you.

Just to whet your appetite a bit more for what’s in store for the first part of 2025, here’s a quick list: