Brickstone McCormick Place Everyday Ale 6Pk

Brickstone McCormick Place Everyday Ale 6Pk is a 5.0% ABV session pale ale from Brickstone Brewery, sold as a six-pack of 12 oz cans. This beer holds the distinction of being the country's first branded ale brewed for a convention center using locally sourced ingredients, with hops grown in the rooftop garden atop McCormick Place's West Building in Chicago.

Quick Facts: ABV: 5.0%  |  Origin: Bourbonnais, Illinois  |  Style: Session Pale Ale  |  Brewery: Brickstone Brewery

Production & Heritage

Brickstone Brewery operates out of Bourbonnais, Illinois, producing a range of craft beers with a strong emphasis on local sourcing. The McCormick Place Everyday Ale is built on a light malt backbone and dry-hopped with a trio of American hops — Citra, Amarillo, and Cascade — selected for their citrus-forward aromatics. What truly separates this beer from other session pale ales is that a portion of the hops are harvested from the rooftop garden atop McCormick Place's West Building, making it a genuine farm-to-glass collaboration between brewery and venue. The can design itself earned a "Best Craft Beer Can" award in 2017 from the National Metal Decorators Association.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Bright citrus leads with orange peel and grapefruit zest, followed by a tropical wave of passion fruit. A faint cereal grain sweetness anchors the nose without competing with the hops.

Taste: The entry is clean and slightly sweet from the light malt backbone, quickly giving way to juicy orange and grapefruit at mid-palate. Passion fruit emerges toward the peak, with a moderate bitterness that keeps everything balanced rather than cloying. The overall impression is smooth and straightforward — a beer designed for easy repetition.

Finish: Medium-short with a crisp, lightly bitter close. Residual citrus lingers briefly before the palate resets cleanly, inviting the next sip.

How to Drink McCormick Place Everyday Ale

At 5.0% ABV, this session pale ale is built for relaxed, extended drinking straight from the can or poured into a shaker pint glass at a cool 40–45°F. Its moderate bitterness and citrus character also make it a versatile ingredient in beer-forward mixed drinks. A Shandy made with fresh lemonade plays off the existing grapefruit and orange notes. A Michelada benefits from the ale's citrus backbone, which pairs naturally with lime and hot sauce. A Beer-a-Rita — blending the ale with tequila and lime juice over ice — leverages the tropical passion fruit and Citra hop profile for a refreshing warm-weather drink.

Best For

• Long afternoon cookouts or tailgates where sessionability matters
• Introducing craft beer drinkers to hop-forward styles without overwhelming bitterness
• Bringing a conversation-starting local beer to a dinner party or gathering
• Pairing with casual pub fare like burgers, tacos, or grilled chicken

Frequently Asked Questions

What does McCormick Place Everyday Ale taste like? It delivers thirst-quenching orange, grapefruit, and passion fruit flavors over a light malt backbone, finishing with moderate bitterness and a clean, crisp close.

How does McCormick Place Everyday Ale compare to Founders All Day IPA? Both are session-strength ales designed for easy drinking, but the McCormick Place Everyday Ale leans more toward classic pale ale malt balance at 5.0% ABV, while Founders All Day IPA (4.7% ABV) tilts further into hop-forward IPA territory with a drier finish.

Is McCormick Place Everyday Ale good for beginners? Yes — at 5.0% ABV with a smooth, approachable malt character and moderate hop bitterness, it serves as an excellent entry point for drinkers exploring American craft ales beyond lagers.

Where is McCormick Place Everyday Ale made? It is brewed by Brickstone Brewery in Bourbonnais, Illinois, using hops partially sourced from the rooftop garden atop McCormick Place's West Building in Chicago.

What foods pair well with McCormick Place Everyday Ale? Grilled citrus-marinated chicken complements the ale's orange and grapefruit notes. Fish tacos with mango salsa echo the tropical passion fruit character. A classic cheeseburger matches the malt sweetness. Mild cheddar or gouda works as a snacking cheese, and lightly dressed arugula salad provides a peppery contrast to the hop bitterness.

What sizes does McCormick Place Everyday Ale come in? It is commonly available as a six-pack of 12 oz cans.

Is McCormick Place Everyday Ale worth the price? It positions as an accessible, everyday craft session ale — competitively placed within the standard six-pack tier — and delivers added interest through its rooftop hop sourcing and unique convention center collaboration that few beers at this level can claim.

Why McCormick Place Everyday Ale?

Very few beers can claim a direct agricultural link to one of the largest convention centers in North America. The rooftop hop garden at McCormick Place's West Building supplies a portion of the Citra, Amarillo, and Cascade hops used in each batch, making this a genuine locally sourced collaboration rather than a marketing exercise. At 5.0% ABV, the ale sits in a sweet spot between flavorful and sessionable — bitter enough to satisfy hop-curious drinkers, restrained enough for multiple pints. For anyone seeking a well-executed Illinois session pale ale with a genuinely unusual production story, this six-pack delivers substance behind the label.