his year’s NCAA men’s basketball tournament has been filled with surprises. Many top seeds have been knocked out early, creating a Cinderella story for Loyola. Some of that madness has made its way into a liquid version of that tournament: the Chicago Brewery Bracket Challenge. This week, Open Outcry went head-to-head with Horse Thief Hollow and came out on top.
Neil Byers of Horse Thief poked fun at Open Outcry owner John Brand on FaceBook with this post: “Well done, John! You’re lucky my mom was on vacation and couldn’t vote. #realsouthside #awwwsnap”
Brand replied, “Ha ha ha! Mine wasn’t! And, she loves me a lot.” Open Outcry advanced to the third round. You can vote through Saturday morning, March 24, at The Hop Review’s website,
Both craft breweries enjoy strong neighborhood support and accolades outside of the Beverly area. Horse Thief Hollow has won multiple awards in the Great American Beer Festival and the World Beer Cup and also is celebrated for its creative menu, which includes barbecue, gumbo, and other Southern inspired dishes. Open Outcry, which opened last summer, was recently featured on ABC 7 News and has earned rave reviews for its neapolitan style pizza, among other items.
Since opening its doors in 2013, Horse Thief Hollow has maintained strong ties to the community, including local artists, musicians and nonprofit organizations. This Tuesday, March 27 at 7:00 pm, the restaurant will host an Art on Tap gallery opening, featuring the works of local artists from the Beverly Area Arts Alliance. And on Saturday March 31, Horse Thief will host Chicago blues musician Smiley Tillmon,