Revolution Brewing
Chicago brewery known for award-winning beers and film appearance.
Revolution Brewing is a Chicago brewery that started as a brewpub on Milwaukee Avenue in the Logan Square neighborhood in 2010. That original location closed in December 2024. A separate production facility, complete with canning and bottling lines plus a taproom, opened about a mile away on Kedzie Avenue in the Avondale neighborhood in 2012. The brewery has earned both local and national acclaim, picking up awards from the Great American Beer Festival, the World Beer Cup, and Time Out Chicago. The 2013 film *Drinking Buddies*, featuring Olivia Wilde and Jake Johnson, was partially shot at the brewery.
Owner Josh Deth founded the brewpub after studying at the University of Michigan, where frequent trips to Bell's Brewery sparked his interest in brewing. He later worked at Goose Island Brewery and there connected with head brewmaster Jim Cibak, who had previously worked at breweries including Three Floyds Brewing. In 2024, Revolution ranked 36th on the Brewers Association's list of the top 50 U.S. craft brewing companies by beer volume. The original Milwaukee Avenue brewpub shut down on December 14, 2024, after nearly 15 years, consolidating all operations at the Kedzie Avenue production facility and taproom in Avondale.
Revolution Brewing makes more than 20 different beers, some available year-round and others seasonal. Dozens more have been brewed over time. As of August 2026, the brewery groups its current lineup into families: Hero IPA-branded India pale ales, the Cold Time line of lagers, City Series session beers, seasonal and small-batch releases, and the barrel-aged Deep Wood Series. Several earlier flagship beers, including two award-winning releases, have been discontinued.
Quick Facts
- Hq Location
- Chicago, Illinois, United States
- Founded
- 2010
- Key People
- Josh Deth (founder/CEO) / Jim Cibak (brewmaster) / Doug Veliky (chief strategy officer)
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Revolution Brewing was started as a brewpub in 2010 by owner Josh Deth. Deth attended the University of Michigan and became interested in brewing from his frequent visits to Bell's Brewery. He worked at Goose Island Brewery and connected with head brewmaster Jim Cibak during his time there. Cibak has worked at a number of breweries including Three Floyds Brewing. A separate production brewery, with canning and bottling lines and a tap room, opened in 2012 about a mile from the brewpub, on Kedzie Avenue in the Avondale neighborhood. The original Milwaukee Avenue brewpub closed permanently on December 14, 2024, after nearly 15 years in operation, consolidating the company's operations at its Kedzie Avenue production facility and taproom in Avondale.
Reader's Guide
Revolution Brewing has been recognized with awards from the Great American Beer Festival, the World Beer Cup, and Time Out Chicago. The brewery produces more than 20 different beers, some available year-round and others seasonal, with several dozen more brewed at different times in the past. As of August 2026, the brewery organizes its current lineup into several families, including Hero IPA-branded India pale ales, the Cold Time line of lagers, City Series session beers, seasonal and small-batch releases, and the barrel-aged Deep Wood Series. Several earlier flagship beers, including two of its award-winning releases, have since been discontinued. In 2024, Revolution ranked 36th among the Brewers Association's Top 50 U.S. craft brewing companies by beer volume. The film *Drinking Buddies*, a romantic comedy-drama written and directed by Joe Swanberg, was partly set in the Revolution Brewing brewery and taphouse; it was shot in 2012 and released in 2013, starring Olivia Wilde, Jake Johnson, Anna Kendrick, and Ron Livingston, with the fictional characters portrayed by Wilde and Johnson working at the brewery.
Did You Know?
- Revolution Brewing was founded as a brewpub in 2010 on Milwaukee Avenue in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood.
- The 2013 film *Drinking Buddies*, starring Olivia Wilde and Jake Johnson, was partly filmed at the brewery.
- Head brewmaster Jim Cibak previously worked at Goose Island Brewery and Three Floyds Brewing.
- The original brewpub closed on December 14, 2024, consolidating operations at the Kedzie Avenue production facility.
More in Beer Brands, Part 3 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced