Can It. Finch Beer Is Off And Running In Chicago

Chicago is experiencing a brewing renaissance. 100 years ago, there were dozens of breweries in the city, but after prohibition, that number dwindled to the point where they were almost extinct. Goose Island helped spur the rebirth in craft brewing within the city in 1988, and over the past few years, a number of other young companies have jumped into the business: 3 Floyds (Munster, IN) and Two Brothers (Warrenville, IL) have been the two best-known, but they operate far from the city center (it’s awfully expensive to get land and permits in Chicago). Yet there have been exceptions: Metropolitan, Half Acre and most recently, Finch Beer Co. The thing that sets Finch apart from the rest is that they are producing exclusively in cans, and while you can’t stop by their Albany Park headquarters for a drink, you can certainly find their big cans in respectable bars all over town now. I stopped by their HQ recently to talk with Founder Ben Finch and Brewmaster Richard Grant about their product line.