It takes a lot to stand out among Chicago’s beer makers. But if there is one brewery that best represents drinkers’ tastes in the 2020s, Hop Butcher for the World might be it, thanks to its embrace of new hops and its eagerness to explore weird (but great!) flavors.

Jude La Rose and Jeremiah Zimmer launched South Loop Brewing Co. a decade ago, rebranding it in 2016 as Hop Butcher for the World (a play on poet Carl Sandburg’s famous description of Chicago), which fit their emphasis on the then-new phenomenon of juicy, hazy IPAs. They make an annual trip to Washington’s Yakima Valley, one of the world’s largest hop-growing regions, to seek out the latest offerings. “Companies provide early access to anyone who’s willing to experiment,” La Rose says. That aptly describes Hop Butcher. At its North Center taproom (4257 N. Lincoln Ave.), you can try barrel-aged stouts made with the likes of Frango mint oil and pineapple soft serve.

The two acquired the taproom and accompanying brewery from Half Acre in 2022. That and a second production facility allowed them to expand distribution to 35 states and extend offerings into less bitter areas, like with the lager Butcher Gold. Still, beers with names like Neon Green Relish, Giardiniera, and Urbs in Horto continue to nod to edgier flavors, and the taproom serves as a de facto focus group for further experimenting. Says Zimmer: “We can put something in a keg and see what people think.”