Alarmist Brewing, located at 4055 W. Peterson Ave. in Sauganash, closed its doors after nearly a decade in business. The brewery, which opened its taproom in 2017 following its establishment in 2015 by owner Gary Gulley, held a final send-off party on Saturday before officially shutting down.
The closure follows a slow recovery from the pandemic and a general decline in alcohol consumption. Alarmist announced its impending closure on January 19.
“It’s heartbreaking,” said Gulley.
Saturday’s farewell event brought together hundreds of supporters to celebrate the brewery’s role as Sauganash’s only bar and as a community gathering place. “Let’s make it loud, full, and unforgettable,” the brewery stated on social media about the celebration.
Gulley reflected on what made Alarmist special: “It’s not about the beer, but about having something in common. I don’t think anyone goes into craft beer to be rich. You go in for the culture, and the connection with others.”
Before opening its taproom, Alarmist had to lift a longstanding liquor moratorium that had kept bars out of Sauganash for decades. The brewery gained national recognition when it won a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival in 2018 for Le Jus, their hazy IPA. Its flagship pale ale, Pantsless, received a bronze medal in 2020.
Over the years, Alarmist hosted fundraisers for organizations such as Planned Parenthood and the Alzheimer’s Association and supported local school councils and Girl Scout troops. The taproom also featured an art wall for local artists and welcomed live music acts and pop-up food vendors.
Gulley noted that financial challenges stemming from COVID-19 ultimately led to the decision to close: “We never got back to where we were before COVID, which is where we needed to be to stay open,” he said. “It just wasn’t enough.”
Saturday’s event included food from Smoke Staff BBQ and music by Irish rebel folk group The Chancers. Gulley’s wife, Bridget Dehl, described the atmosphere as reminiscent of an Irish wake: “There’s an undercurrent of sadness, but then you get to connect with people you haven’t seen in a long time,” she said. “There are people from the beer industry, people we met through homebrewing and in the taproom, and former staff members. We’re saying goodbye to something, but all these people are part of something bigger that we made, and I feel a lot of pride.”
Regulars like Keith Willert from Norwood Park expressed their appreciation for Alarmist: “Everyone treats you like family here,” he said. “They mean so much to the community around us, and it’s a bummer to see these local businesses shut down.”
Jenny Semaca from Lakeview recalled discovering Alarmist early on with her husband Nick through a podcast: “We love Gary [Gulley] and Bridget [Dehl],” she said. “They’re the heart and energy of this place, and have always been welcoming to everyone and anyone.
“And they make the best beer,” she added.
Gulley shared that efforts are underway to sell both the business itself and potentially some of its beer rights: “Our regulars have become part of our lives, like a second family,” he said. “There are so many people who have gotten married here or brought their kids. There have been a lot of tears, including my own.”
The last keg of Le Jus was finished shortly after 6 p.m., while patrons stocked up on remaining four-packs before closing time.
Reflecting on his experience running Alarmist Brewing during Saturday’s turnout—which he described as bringing together people from different chapters of his life—Gulley concluded: “None of this was on my life bingo card,” he said. “It’s going to be nice to have some closure.”
