Maplewood Brewery & Distillery sits on North Maplewood Avenue in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood, operating as one of the city’s newer craft beverage producers since opening in 2014. Founded by Adam Cieslak and Ari Megalis, two friends who left corporate careers to chase their brewing and distilling ambitions, the operation started as a brewery before expanding into spirits production. The 8,000-square-foot facility houses both brewing and distilling equipment in a converted industrial space that maintains its warehouse feel with concrete floors and exposed beams. Cieslak, who handles much of the brewing operations, and Megalis, who focuses on the business side, built their reputation first with creative beers before adding distillation to the mix. They’ve developed a small but focused spirits program that includes whiskey and gin, produced on a 500-liter copper still. The duo’s approach centers on experimentation and local sourcing when possible, treating their distillery work with the same creative energy that made their barrel-aged beers popular in Chicago’s craft scene. Visitors find themselves in a working production facility that doesn’t hide its industrial roots. The tasting room feels more like hanging out in a friend’s well-appointed garage than a polished tourist destination, which suits the neighborhood’s laid-back vibe. You can watch brewing and distilling operations depending on when you visit, and the staff genuinely seems to enjoy talking about their processes. It’s the kind of place where conversations happen naturally, whether you’re there for a quick tasting or settling in for a longer visit.