Chicago Brew Bus Offers Tour Groups Beer Samples, Fun Facts

On Aug. 18, 2010, Kevin Salvi had an idea.

On this particular Wednesday, he planned to meet his friend Chris Ivy at Revolution Brewing. Salvi got on the Milwaukee Avenue bus to head to the brewpub when the idea struck; he wanted to create a brewpub bus tour. He pitched the concept to Ivy, and they incorporated in October of that year.

Now a few times a week, groups of beer enthusiasts will climb aboard the Chicago Brew Bus — and it’s exactly what it sounds like. The bus takes participants to three different breweries in the city, where everyone can try four to six beer samples.

What to Expect on a Beer Tour

"We like to describe the trip as a tour of styles and flavors, and not so much production," said Salvi. Once you’ve seen how one brewery works, he said, you’ve seen how they all work; instead the tour gives people the chance to taste beer they can’t find anywhere else.

"The tour starts off informative, but by the end we’re encouraging the three H’s: hooting, hollering and high-fiving." - Kevin Salvi

The tours will stop at each brewery for 45 to 60 minutes, where everyone can taste the beer, hang out, and get to know each other. But the bus isn’t just used for tours — you can rent it out as a party bus, as well. The bus can be used for anything from pub crawls to bachelor parties to corporate events.

Locals sign up for the tours, but Salvi said people from all over the world have been on the brew bus. He remembers people from Iowa and California. He also remembers people from England, Japan, Finland, and Colombia. No matter where the participants are from, Salvi said the tour is special because you’re on a bus with people who all decided to enjoy quality beer.

"We have a very specific clientele," Salvi said, "and everyone generally hits it off well. The tour starts off informative, but by the end we’re encouraging the three H’s: hooting, hollering and high-fiving."

The informative aspect comes from the tour guides talking about both beer and the city. For example, while en route, the guides point out the site where Meister Brau Lite was made. What’s the significance? When the brewery was purchased, Meister Brau Lite became the recognizable Miller Lite®.

The Men Behind the Bus

Salvi’s appreciation of beer grew as he visited more and more breweries. He and Ivy have traveled to dozens of breweries together. At one point, they even took a 36-hour, 16 brewery tour in Michigan. Salvi has been to breweries around the U.S. and the world. Whether he was sipping a beer in Hawaii or a brew in Belgium, he took a lot from the experience.

"Beer is my favorite drink like sandwiches are my favorite food," he said. "There are so many different combinations that can be put together to make an amazing and unique thing. Sometimes I want PB&J, sometimes a Reuben. Do I put cucumber on it today? Maybe pepper jack cheese? Variety is the spice of life. Look at all the variations of the IPA [India Pale Ale]. Sure, they’re all IPAs, but they’re all different."

His favorite parts of giving tours are being able to share his beer knowledge and drinking with new friends.

"I like meeting the people on tours and hanging out with our associates after the tours end," he said. "Brewers and beer people are a great bunch to be a part of."

The tours cost $58 per person, which includes the samples. If you don’t like beer or you don’t plan to drink, you can join the fun for $25. To learn more, visit www.chicagobrewbus.com or call 773-430-2739.