"A five-hour drive to Southern Illinois in Ava, Scratch Brewing should be on the top of any Chicagoan beer lovers to-do list. Near Shawnee National Forest, the views are picturesque, but Scratch isn’t all flash without substance. In 2020, it earned a James Beard Award nomination — a rarity for breweries who compete against fine dining stereotypes and placed in the same category as wine and cocktail makers. That’s because the beer is produced with locally foraged and farmed ingredients. Find lovely farmhouse ales and lagers, the type of crisp offerings that city folks need in a sea of urban IPAs, sours, and stouts. Locally, the Beer Temple in Avondale taps the beer on a occasion if drinkers want a sample." - Ashok Selvam