Restaurant
Unclaimed profilePig Minds Brewing Co.
Machesney Park, IL · $$
Inebrious
Beverage Program Score
The editorial take
The beverage program at Pig Minds rests on its own handcrafted beer, with a draft list and a STRAY Barrel Project Collection that reaches retailers in Wisconsin/Chicago Land and Northern Illinois. Cocktail choice comes down to a monthly feature built by in-house bartenders, and nonalcoholic drinkers get Health Ade Kombucha or Untitled Art NA craft beers. A flight option lets you compare the draft range.
- What should I order?
- Start with a flight of the draft beers to compare what's pouring, or ask about the STRAY Barrel Project Collection. For a cocktail, the Cocktail of the Month is the in-house bartender's rotating pick. Nonalcoholic drinkers can choose Health Ade Kombucha or an Untitled Art NA beer.
- Who will enjoy this place?
- Beer drinkers who want to compare a range of house-brewed drafts, including a flight option, and anyone looking for a nonalcoholic kombucha or NA craft beer alongside a plant-based menu.
- When should I go?
- The venue hosts an Oktoberfest event with drink specials and stein holding, and weekly events are part of the calendar. A flight is a practical way to sample the draft list.
- What makes the beverage program distinctive?
- The brewery distributes its handcrafted beer to retailers in Wisconsin/Chicago Land and Northern Illinois, and the beer page includes a STRAY Barrel Project Collection. The restaurant pairs that house-brewed beer with a 100% plant-based menu.
Beverage categories
We only score what a venue sets out to do. Categories a venue doesn't attempt are left unscored rather than penalized.
Cocktails
Cocktail coverage is a single rotating feature: a Cocktail of the Month conceptualized and crafted by in-house bartenders, with details available from the server. That is a real in-house effort, but the program is narrow and changes monthly rather than offering a standing list.
Menu strengths
- — Monthly cocktail is conceptualized and crafted by in-house bartenders, not just poured from a spec.
- — Server can provide the current month's details, so the feature is easy to order.
Standout selections
- — Cocktail of the Month — the rotating in-house bartender selection; ask the server for the current build.
Beer
House-brewed beer is the core here, with a Draft Beer List and a STRAY Barrel Project Collection. Distribution to retailers in Wisconsin/Chicago Land and Northern Illinois shows production beyond the taproom, and an Oktoberfest event with drink specials and stein holding fits the brewery identity.
Menu strengths
- — Draft Beer List and STRAY Barrel Project Collection give two distinct ways to drink the house beer.
- — Reviewers describe a strong and varied selection, including a flight option and both alcoholic and nonalcoholic beers.
Standout selections
- — The beer page includes a Draft Beer List and a 'STRAY Barrel Project Collection' section.
- — STRAY Barrel Project Collection — the barrel-focused section of the beer program.
Nonalcoholic
That gives a kombucha and a beer-style NA choice rather than a full zero-proof list.
Menu strengths
- — Health Ade Kombucha is marked vegan and described as bubbly probiotic tea.
- — Untitled Art supplies a variety of NA craft beers, giving a beer-adjacent nonalcoholic option.
Standout selections
- — Health Ade Kombucha — bubbly probiotic tea, marked vegan.
- — Untitled Art NA Beer — a variety of NA craft beers from Untitled Art.
How it sits with the food
The kitchen is 100% plant-based cuisine, which is the supported context for pairing with the handcrafted beer and nonalcoholic options.
Inebrious does not score kitchens, food or the restaurant overall. We review the beverage program only.
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