Moody Tongue

Founded in 2014 in Chicago by cousins Jared Rouben and Jeremy Cohn, Moody Tongue Brewing Company is built on the philosophy of culinary brewing and focuses on chef-driven beers and beer-centric dining experiences. The brewery produces seven perennial beers and a rotating selection of limited releases and wine- or whiskey-barrel-aged beers, with distribution focused on culinary cities in the United States and select international markets. Moody Tongue expanded from a 2016 Pilsen tasting room to a 28,600 sq. ft. South Loop facility in 2019 that houses both a casual tasting room (The Bar) and an intimate fine-dining restaurant (The Dining Room). The tasting room earned the 2019 Jean Banchet award for Best Bar in Chicago and the operation is cited by the MICHELIN Guide as earning Two Stars from 2021 through 2025. Its culinary-brewing principles—sourcing the highest-quality ingredients, careful handling to showcase aromatics, and precise timing of ingredient additions—define beer conceived and executed with a chef’s techniques and paired intentionally with food. The space blends mid-century modern and refined industrial design; leather booths, blackened oak tabletops and a black marble bar furnish the rooms. A fireplace lounge and a library of brewing books sit beneath original skylights and exposed brick. The overall vibe is intimate and stylish, ranging from a lively tasting-room bar to a luxe dining room and a large brewery floor with dramatic architectural details. Moody Tongue practices culinary brewing by creating chef-driven beers intended to be enjoyed on their own or paired with food, and operates both a fine-dining tasting menu program and a bar with a la carte dishes that emphasize balanced flavors and layered aromatics. The Dining Room presents multi-course tasting menus with curated beer pairings that reflect a philosophy rooted in balance, seasonality and a chef’s approach to ingredient use. Jared Rouben serves as brewmaster; he is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and the Siebel Institute of Technology and worked in several Michelin-starred kitchens before turning to brewing, applying a chef’s mindset to recipe building and to highlighting layers of flavors and aromatics. Specialties include a 10+ course tasting menu with curated beer pairings, Golden Osetra Caviar and sablefish as tasting-menu items, Stone Axe Australian Wagyu offered on the tasting menu and at the Bar, and signature beers such as Caramelized Chocolate Churro Porter and the perennial Juiced Lychee IPA.