Award-winning wineries and breweries in Illinois Valley, suburbs

Escape the hustle and bustle of the city and explore the thriving craft beverage scene of the Illinois Valley and Kane, Kendall, McHenry and DeKalb counties.

The area’s wineries and breweries offer authentic tastes and a chance to connect with the people who make the beverages in a unique atmosphere.

We asked audiences in Kane, Kendall, McHenry and DeKalb counties, along with the Illinois Valley, to weigh in on the best breweries and wineries.

Here are the winners of the 2024 Shaw Local Best of the Fox, Best of the Illinois Valley and DeKalb County’s Finest contests.

BEST OF THE FOX

KANE COUNTY

BEST MICROBREWERY: Penrose Brewing Co., 509 Stevens St., Geneva

Stop by Penrose’s Geneva taproom and taste a variety of beer on tap, which are always changing. Some of Penrose’s brews include Taproom IPA, Penrose Light, Lil Boots, as well as seasonal and small batch releases. If you’re not a beer fan, Penrose also makes hard seltzers, with varieties like Cherry Temple, Cranberry Orange and Super Seltz-Up. Penrose does not serve food, but guests can bring in their own food or order in.

ONE OF THE BEST: Brother Chimp Brewing, 1059 W. Orchard Road, North Aurora

ONE OF THE BEST: Sturdy Shelter Brewing, 10 Shumway Ave., Batavia

KENDALL COUNTY

BEST BREWERY/WINERY: Fox Republic Brewing Co., 101 Hydraulic Ave., Yorkville

A relative newcomer to the local brewing scene, Fox Republic opened in July 2023 and offers craft beer, wine, liquors, as well as pizza, pretzels and more. Some of the beer available on tap include American Pale Ales, IPAs, wheat ale, Scotch ale, as well as mead and a tequila seltzer. The brewery also hosts trivia nights and live music.

ONE OF THE BEST: Foxes Den Meadery, 101 S. Bridge St., Yorkville

ONE OF THE BEST: Fox Valley Winery, 59 Main St., Oswego

McHENRY COUNTY

BEST LOCAL CRAFT BREWERY: Crystal Lake Brewing, 150 N. Main St., Crystal Lake

Stop by the taproom to enjoy a rotating selection of Crystal Lake Brewing’s beers on tap. Some of the beers on tap (at any given time) could include Cherry Pi, a cherry chocolate ale; Frozen Over, and English brown ale; Sip Sip Hooray, a Mexican style lager; and several IPAs. Brewery tours are available on Fridays and Saturdays. The taproom also hosts trivia nights, yoga and the Crystal Lake Dart League. The brewery doesn’t have a kitchen, but food trucks are available in the parking lot.

ONE OF THE BEST: Kishwaukee Brewing Co., 1900 Dillard Court, Woodstock

ONE OF THE BEST: Sew Hop’d Brewery and Taproom, 1 Union Special Plaza, Suite 113, Huntley

Voting for Shaw Local’s 2025 Best of the Fox contest for Kane County is now open through April 6. Voting for Kendall County is now open through April 13. Visit shawlocal.com/best-of-the-fox to vote for your favorites. The contest will open for McHenry County in July.

DeKALB COUNTY’S FINEST

BEST DISTILLERY/BREW PUB: Whiskey Acres Distilling Co., 11504 Keslinger Road, DeKalb

Whiskey Acres uses home-grown grains to make their spirits, which include several bourbons, rye whiskeys and vodka. The tasting room is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and tours are available. The distillery hosts food trucks and live music when open to the public.

ONE OF THE BEST: MVP Sports Bar, 124 S. California St., Sycamore

ONE OF THE BEST: Pizza Beer Whiskey, 327 W. State St., Sycamore

BEST OF THE ILLINOIS VALLEY

BEST WINERY: August Hill Winery, 106 Mill St., Utica

August Hill’s tasting room offers a chance to relax in the indoor lounge or outdoor patio while sipping their delicious wines. Guests can enjoy six tastings for $10 or a signature flight of three pours for $15. August Hill produces a variety of white, red, rose, fruit and sparkling wines. The winery also offers seasonal cave tours at the wine production location in Peru.

BEST BREWERY: Tangled Roots Brewing Company, 110 W. Jefferson St., Ottawa

ONE OF THE BEST: Ginger Road Brewing Company, 166 Mill St., Unit G, Utica

Nominations for the 2025 Best of the Illinois Valley open are now open through March 28 and voting begins May 12. Click here for more information and to nominate your favorite businesses!