It's time to gaze into the future with our four resident soothsayers, Nostradouglas Veliky, The Three-Eyed Take Jake Guidry, Dr. Strange Mike, and Obichris Quinnobi. What is in store for craft beer? What are the newest styles to look out for? The sages have seen the future and are spilling the beans. Email Eletters to: [email protected] …

The state has made about $500 million in marijuana tax revenue since the state legalized recreational use. Social programs have benefited from those funds, but experts say it won’t last forever.

What does it take to get a wrongful conviction overturned? Quite a lot, according to investigative reporter Alison Flowers, who says proving innocence is much more difficult than proving guilt. She has investigated the cases of many wrongfully convicted individuals, including that of Chicagoan Robert Johnson. In our last episode, Invisible Institut…

We follow the case of Robert Johnson. Now, three decades after his arrest, a judge will decide whether to release him later this month.

Chicago is a city of food as much as it is a city of neighborhoods and cultural communities. Last episode, we talked about how Chicago may not have a concentrated Filipino enclave, in the way neighborhoods like Chinatown and Humboldt Park are cultural hubs. But the community comes together and supports each other nonetheless. And Filipino food in C…

While a concentrated community area might not be as easy to spot as a neighborhood like Chinatown or Little Village, the Filipino community has a long history in Chicago that stretches back to the early 1900s.

It’s no secret that last year was the worst year in Chicago sports. Last episode we got into what that means for future fans. But 2024 wasn’t the absolute worst for every individual Chicago team. Sometimes a bad season isn’t defined by a long losing streak or a record number of losses. Sometimes it’s the internal turmoil and drama on the team. Toda…

Collectively, 2024 was the worst year for Chicago sports teams. Chicago fans are used to remaining faithful to some loveable losers. But the younger generation of sports fans aren’t as forgiving.

Travel times and transit delays are part of the daily commute. There's a lot of chaos and information to sift through to bring you those traffic reports.

Roadside attractions aren’t always the kitschy photo op we imagine them to be. Some have a complicated history that you can’t see from the side of the road. Last episode, we took a road trip to Southern Illinois to look into a metal, firebreathing dragon. Today, we’re looking at a different landmark in nearby Alton: the Piasa. Unlike the Kaskaskia …

Senor Beefsteak himself joins Chris & Mike for their annual year in review show. Email Eletters to: [email protected] Mailing address: The Beer Temple 3173 N. Elston Ave. Chicago, IL 60618 Intro/Outro Music: Gorilla Meat by Jogger UYD4L!By The Beer Temple

As many as 40,000 people have come to see this downstate roadside attraction: a metal dragon, as big as a school bus, with a flamethrower in its mouth. Curious City takes a road trip out of Chicago to get the story behind this dragon.

When it comes to picking the most consequential year in Chicago’s history, 1919 rises to the top for many historians because of how the race riots that year had a big impact on how the city segregates itself. But our experts agree that picking one pivotal year in the city’s history is impossible. Of course, years like 1871 or 1893 stand out for the…

Historians say it’s an impossible question to answer. Major events have shaped Chicago from its very start in 1837, but one year stands out.

From mail carriers to photographers, we asked people who spend a lot of time in the cold how they stay warm.

Friend of the show Tom Beckman of Goldfinger joins us! Still behind on getting these out - one more to go by end of year! Email Eletters to: [email protected] Mailing address: The Beer Temple 3173 N. Elston Ave. Chicago, IL 60618 Intro/Outro Music: Gorilla Meat by Jogger UYD4L!By The Beer Temple

Pop-up tree lots sprout up on every Chicago corner during the holiday season, only to disappear. Who are the people who make these happen and what's the business like? As one operator says, "It’s fast, it’s furious and it’s over in about three and a half weeks."

The CTA Holiday Train started from humble beginnings. Then a holiday celebrity and his helpers turned it into a Chicago tradition.

Chicago is a city of pubs and taverns with a robust drinking culture. During the holiday season, that might mean sipping on some warm Swedish glögg, or, as we heard in our last episode, grabbing a Tom and Jerry at Miller’s Pub. But what about a Chicago-specific cocktail?“People really want us to have a cocktail,” said Liz Garibay, executive directo…

The Tom & Jerry cocktail didn’t originate in Chicago, but this cakey drink feels very Midwestern. We get into the drunken history of this classic drink, and why it’s become a holiday tradition.

Fun round table with Hopewell Brewing Founder Samantha Lee and Adam Vavrick of Beer On The Wall. Plus some fun electronic letters. Sorry for taking so long to get this one out! Email Eletters to: [email protected] Mailing address: The Beer Temple 3173 N. Elston Ave. Chicago, IL 60618 Intro/Outro Music: Gorilla Meat by Jogger UYD4L!…

If you’ve ever shown up to a bar on a Sunday afternoon or listened to a concert at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, you’ve experienced firsthand the lasting impact of German culture in the city. Last episode, we went to Christkindlmarket, one of the most prominent examples of German culture in Chicago. There are key organizations like the Goethe Ins…

Kamiar, Stephen, and Trevor discuss some of the signing day class, portal needs vs wants, hiring Ben Arbuckle among other candidates, and the current College Football Playoff. Join our discord: https://discord.gg/234HZHK9

A Curious City listener collects Christkindlmarket mugs. But there’s one mug in her collection without a year on it. We go in search of that lost year.

A curious listener asked why he saw an aviary at O'Hare Airport. It turns out, it isn't an aviary at all — it’s a trap for an invasive species of bird.

Airplanes aren’t the only ones flying around at the airport. Birds often get stuck inside the terminal, and they can be a challenge to get out.

We're visited by a beer podcasting heavy hitter as Breandán Kearney of the Belgian Smaak podcast joins us to discuss his quest to find the hidden beers of Belgium. Check Out Breandán's new book: https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Beers-Belgium-Breand%C3%A1n-Kearney/dp/9460583709 Email Eletters to: [email protected] Mailing address: The Beer T…

November is National Native American Heritage Month, a time to celebrate and recognize the history, culture and contributions of Indigenous people in our country. If you look around Chicago, you see echoes of Native American history in names like Washtenaw, Skokie and Wabash. But Indigenous history is often presented from a settler or non-Native pe…

Chicago histories usually start in 1830, but Native Americans were already settled in the region long before that. Curious City fills you in on what some history books are missing.

Fun show as long time guest Pat Berger stops in along with the crew from Art History Brewing. Email Eletters to: [email protected] Mailing address: The Beer Temple 3173 N. Elston Ave. Chicago, IL 60618 Intro/Outro Music: Gorilla Meat by Jogger UYD4L!By The Beer Temple

When you think of a family business, one of two images probably comes to mind: either the mom and pop shop around the corner or the dysfunctional family from “Succession.” But actually, “it could be anything,” says Jennifer M. Pendergast, family enterprise consultant and professor at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. Last epis…

Tracking down the oldest family business in the city is not as easy as it seems. The city’s business records only go back to 2002. Time for a fishing expedition.

A Curious City listener wanted to know about the decline of frogs in our area. We looked into what’s been happening with these species over the last couple decades in Chicago. It turns out, frogs are some of the animals we call “indicator species.” How well or poorly they’re doing in their habitat can tell us about the health of our own. And they’r…

Frogs have been on the decline in the Chicago area. The health of the frog population tells us a lot about the health of our environment.

It's a very special episode as we welcome in Conner Cain - the winner of the Insider For A Day auction benefitting Lurie Children's Hospital. Conner helped pick the topis as well as the guest. In store for today we have Tom Beckman of Goldfinger Brewing and Jude La Rose of Hop Butcher. Doug Veliky also makes an appearance too for good measure. Spec…

It’s spooky season, a time when we often visit haunted houses and think about the paranormal. And if you live in the Chicago area, you’ve probably seen billboards and ads for the Old Joliet Haunted Prison. But at one point, it was an actual prison. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, questions about the paranormal can serve as an entry into the h…

The Old Joliet Prison has been around since the 1800s. Some visitors swear they’ve experienced the paranormal there. But do ghost stories detract from the specter of a truly dark history?

The origins of "Chicagoland" can be traced back to nearly 100 years ago. Back then, it encompassed an area that went beyond the suburbs.

Kamiar and Trevor are joined by Gerald Goodridge of the Longhorn Republic Podcast to procure a familiar outsider’s view of the program and investigate the succession of Longhorn coaches in comparison to Oklahoma. They then dive into the world of NIL and how it has shaped not just teams, but movement of coaching staffs of those teams. They all ackno…

Chris continues to talk about his epic, and quite eventful, trip to Germany and Austria. Email Eletters to: [email protected] Mailing address: The Beer Temple 3173 N. Elston Ave. Chicago, IL 60618 Intro/Outro Music: Gorilla Meat by Jogger UYD4L!By The Beer Temple

Chicago collects thousands of tons of garbage each year. We answer some questions about garbage, and follow an all-women collection crew on the job.

Kamiar, Stephen, & Trevor choose varying things to do if they were Littrell and Venables. They then discuss the Sooners' matchup with the Gamecocks this week for homecoming in Norman. Discord: https://discord.gg/UrYnpftp

Mike and Chris talk about Chris' recent trip to Germany and Austria and quickly get sidetracked with what is surely the most embarrassing story Chris has ever told on air. This one went so long we needed to break it up into two parts. Stay tuned! Email Eletters to: [email protected] Mailing address: The Beer Temple 3173 N. Elston Ave. Ch…

With Chris in Germany, Mike sits down for a one-on-one with his good friend Kevin Carey, who talks about how to way forward for craft breweries is to understand their community, and their neighbors. Email Eletters to: [email protected] Mailing address: The Beer Temple 3173 N. Elston Ave. Chicago, IL 60618 Intro/Outro Music: Gorilla Meat …

Kamiar and Stephen discuss the topics leading up to the RRR. They try to be strategic in paths to victory for OU, given the context in which the team is playing. They also discuss Michael Hawkins, in particular, in addition to recruiting using the JUCO/Portal route this cycle. discord link: https://discord.gg/ud6Ysntj…

Kamiar and Stephen discuss several aspects of the Auburn game, including Michael Hawkins' composure and Brent's emphasis on turnovers. They also talk about the Oklahoma Sooners' possible future and then suggest what Venables, Littrell, and Alley can do with these two weeks of prep before Texas week. Discord Link: https://discord.gg/hYWug2ep…

Margaret Burroughs is well known as the founder of the DuSable Museum. Perhaps lesser known is her decades long work teaching art to incarcerated men. In collaboration with the Burroughs Legacy Project at the Invisible Institute, we hear reflections from Burroughs' former students.

Kamiar, Stephen, and Trevor comment on all of the things that have happened from kickoff of OU-Tennessee to now. Join Discord: https://discord.gg/sA23Z8Ns

A Classic Roundtable Episode! We invite Andrew Burman of Other Half Brewing and long time friend of the pod Kevin Carey of Begyle to talk about what it means to own, operate and expand in a market where others are shutting their doors.By The Beer Temple

Polish immigrants came to Chicago to make a living, and for a time, they got to hang out every weekend with some of Poland’s biggest stars at a small club in the city.