Brewing with your besties: Take your next double date to a beer brewing class!
When winter just won’t go away, and spring seems just a distant dream, it can be hard to drag yourself and your significant other out of the doldrums. You may find yourself hibernating indoors, doing the same old things. But that’s no way to spend the prime years of your life!
Beer brewing class
If you’re looking to shake things up, we recommend taking your next double date to a beer brewing class. Learn something new, and a few weeks later, you can open up a bottle of home brew and toast to your friendship – and your new hobby.
There are several options for brewing classes in the Chicago area.
The Pursuit Supply Company
The Pursuit Supply Company at 4316 W. Irving Park Road stocks supplies for all your quirky food-related DIY hobbies, and they also offer classes. In addition to beer brewing, you can take classes in photography, wine-making and coffee roasting!
Brew & Grow
Brew & Grow (3625 N. Kedzie Avenue) offers both beginning home brewer classes and advanced classes, should you decide this is a pastime you’d like to get explore further.
Gnome Brew
At Gnome Brew, 2026 W. Montrose Avenue, you can learn to brew your own beer in just one hour. If you really want to geek out on home brewing, you can also keep your eye on the shop’s events calendar for free public lectures or other events, such as the home brew bottle share meet-ups they host on the second Thursday of every month.
Make It The Best
If you’re looking for a memorable and light-hearted Valentine’s Day double date, Make It The Best at 9030 S. Hermitage Avenue has you covered with an evening of winemaking, dinner and dancing on February 14. The shop also offers beer brewing and wine-making classes throughout the year.
Enjoy a great activity with friends and stock your fridge with drinks for the next get-together at the same time!
Fun, free, and frigid: Double date ideas for the upcoming brutal winter months
Double date ideas for the brutal winter
Grab another couple or two and head over to the ice skating rink at Millennium Park! Along with ice skating, you can sing-along to the holiday music and take in the view of the beautiful Chicago Christmas Tree. Don’t feel comfortable showing off your amateur ice skating skills? Worry not–they offer free skating lessons on Fridays at 11am and both weekend days at 9am! We bet there are others like you out there!
Chicago Christmas Tree
Holiday lighting decorations at a zoo
Who doesn’t like a great mix of animals and holiday lights?! Grab some friends and head over to see the Lincoln Park Zoolights Festival! You can take in a perfect array of lights dancing to holiday music while sipping on some delicious hot cocoa. (lpzoo.org)
Snowball fights
If we’ve got snow, and you’ve got kids (or not), grab some sleds (or trash can lids, we won’t judge) and head over to a hilly neighborhood park with another couple and their kids (or not) to have some fun in the snow! You never know when it can turn into a snowball fight, though, so make sure you’re bundled up!
Christkindle Markets
What’s better than an absolutely adorable little market filled with holiday spirit?! If you haven’t checked out the Christkindle Markets yet (yes, there are two!), it’s time to grab some friends and have yourself some hot spiced apple cider, booze, or hot cocoa in their very own branded cups! They make for great souvenirs as well as annual traditions. Here’s a photo of us enjoying the tradition this year!
Bulls game
If you’re not into the holiday spirit this year (or ever, really), we’re grateful to the Windy City’s never-ending love for its sports teams. Grab some friends and catch a holiday game to cheer on the Bulls or the Bears (depending on how cold you want to be!). They also make the perfect presents!
Heated Igloos
Missing those summer spots by the river?! Us too. Heated igloos are scattered across the city, and perfect for double dates (or even quadruple dates) as most seat 6-10 people! It’s the perfect way to feel like you’re outside but not be freezing! Reservations are required at most locations.
