This brewery has a great Chicago style cracker crust similar to Vito and Nick's. If you are in the area, I would highly recommend stopping to grab a pizza and if you love craft beer, they have a good selection and rotation of taps. The giant pretzel is a great value and good taste. read more

See all

Got some beers and something to eat at this small brewery in Rockford in downtown. It has a kind of limited selection, but there's still a good variety. Carlyle isn't as well known as the other breweries around here, but that's okay because there's not as much of a crowd. Has the more basic styles of beer and some more heavy ones. They also have pizzas and pretzels. Beers are mostly on the lighter side, but there's a few stronger ones of course. It's about $5 for the cheapest pints. That's a really great price for a craft brewery like this. Among these is the Blonde Ale. This is only at 4% ABV, but it's easy and smooth. Get one of the pizzas if sharing around. There's also pretzels. It's about $5 for a pretty big one. These are good for soaking up the alcohol, so you can try more things. For sure come here and get some cheap beers. It's among the best prices for a brewery around here. There's also good things to eat like pizzas and whatever. read more

Carlyle Brewing - Blonde Ale With A Pretzel - Breweries Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

Was referred here by a friend of mine, his nephew became the owner in 2023. Located in downtown Rockford the place was packed on a Friday late afternoon. It is located near the Rockford Icehogs stadium and there was a game later in the evening. There was one bartender for the bar and restaurant, but she handled it well and remianed calm , attentive and friendly . My daughter and I had the seasonal spritzes. There were four options, and we tried them all. The peach and apple cinnamon were our favorites and excellent. My husband and son tried a variety of beers and they liked the red ale , American stout and the Humulus Lupulus. We started with chips and salsa and ordered the elote pizza. The pizza was amazing . We had the elote pizza, it was a thin crust pizza, the dough is made in house from scratch. The pizza had cojita cheese , with mayo and sour cream. It was full of flavor and one of the best pizzas I have had in a long time. If in Rockford, stop in for great drinks and pizza. read more

See all

Fresh beer there is great. Good variety and welcoming atmosphere. Service was great. Highly recommend.

Carissa (spelling?) waited on us. I have probly been coming here for at least 10 yrs or more. (15?) Shes a sweetheart. Been here a long time. I can't make it here regularly, because I live near Joliet however, this year we got a partial season ticket package to the Ice Hogs. so we'll be here often. Meeting my brother-in-law here, and very happy with the service. The beer is always good , always get the vanilla cream however they have several others that are very tasty as well.. I enjoy the Vienna copper. Red ale. Carissa recommended trying the Italian beef pizza , which is really nice has mozzarella, Italian beef, green peppers, and red onions. With au jus on the side! Hopefully it stays as a regular pizza because it's phenomenal. Only comes in 14 inch and it's thin crust, but it kicks butt! The jalapeño pretzel was excellent too. I've always been happy coming here and even though it's been probably several years since I've been here, I'm still extremely happy with the food, and the service, and the quality of everything here! This is a place worth coming to. Do patronize them!! read more

Good pizza but nobody answered the phone and one of the numbers is disconnected. Servers are nice but had no idea about the phone issues. I hope they get their act together. read more

Foods great but bartenders made the experience uncomfortable talking about politics and who and who isn't a trump supporter.

Stopped here while in town. With their beer you can order so many different sizes which was nice. Service was friendly at the bar. read more

Stopped in after the market and was pleasantly surprised how many gluten free options there were! They had tasty pizza, fun spritzers, and good service. It's a fun set up and a nice ambiance. We ordered chips and salsa, the chips were stale, but that's the only negative I have. read more

Carlyle Brewing - a closeup of a drink with a flower on the rim - Breweries Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

Now that the brew master retired, the folks that bought the brewery learned well! Beer hasn't changed and downtown has a great pizza place now with great beer. Enjoy! read more

located in an old building from the early 1900's filled with colorful history much of the old stone work is still visible. They have 12 beers on tap plus can and bottle items The bar food hits the spot nothing fancy but it fills you up read more

I've been going here since they opened. This has to be the shining star of Rockford and most people don't even know about it. The quality of beer here is on par, if not better than most of the craft beers on the market now, it's just a shame that you can only get it in a growler as opposed to them actually selling in six packs. I was in last night and the bar tender remember and knew exactly what I liked and I hadn't been in there for many months. Service was good, I rarely get bad service. My only complaint is that for years I have been a huge fan of the Scottish Ale, I've transported growlers of it all over the state so that friends can try it. Last night when I went in, it seemed that they may have changed the recipe... it wasn't as good as it had been in the past. However, they had a Black Walnut Stout on tap that was absolutely phenominal. read more

Carlyle Brewing - Breweries Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

See all

I've been coming to Carlyle for years. Even though I don't live in the area anymore, I make sure to visit when I'm back in Rockford. Carlyle has brews for all palettes- and other drinks for those that don't drink beer. The vanilla cream ale is always a winner for a lighter drink. They also have a variety of hoppier and heavier concoctions. I stopped in last time to try the elote pizza. It met all my expectations and more. Light and crispy, with a southwestern flair. This place is known for their pizza and it hits the spot. They have shuffleboard and extended seating upstairs! My only beef is our waitress at my last visit was not engaged and we felt like a bother. I would also suggest listing the type of beer (IPA, ale, etc) that's being offered on the beer listing. Some beer names don't lend themselves to this info. Otherwise, go get a beer and pizza! read more

Carlyle Brewing - Elote pizza - Breweries Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

I've only been here a couple times because I am not a big beer person, but I just found out they serve food..and they have an elotes pizza so I HAD to try it and I'm so glad I did. If you are a little skeptical about it like I was I would go for it! It was delicious! They have a small menu with MYO pizza, a couple speciality pizzas, pretzels and some apps. We tried the garlic bread and the elotes pizza and both were tasty. Such a cute place and the service was great! read more

Carlyle Brewing - Elotes pizza - Breweries Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

Great place for a beer and pizza. Simple menu but great vibes all around. FlVery friendly staff

The reason I am giving this place two stars, is because of the staff. The beer is good, the food is decent, but the staff is rude and unfriendly. The two stars are for the beer alone as the food wasn't really anything to write home about. We ordered pizza and a hummus plate which tasted like something we could have ordered at any restaurant. The waitress (chubby with brown hair), was surly and treated us like she was doing us a favor. Both times we came in she served us and acted like we offended her by being there. You would think that a place that is about to go out of business would be super nice to go out on a good note. Evidently this isn't the case. Such a shame that a place with so much potential has ruined the experience with crappy customer service. read more

Was exploring Rockford with my boyfriend and happened upon this place. What a gem! A brewery with affordable beer, great service and a wonderful atmosphere. Their food looked really affordable but we weren't in the mood to eat much. I had a pint of their blonde ale and my boyfriend a pint of the humulus. The waitress said the humulus and their vanilla were their best sellers. A pint was ~$4. We paired our beers with a cupcake made with their vanilla ale. So good! The cupcake was a bit dense and the cream more marshmallow-y than meringue-y, but still damn delicious! Waitresses were super attentive. We came around 3pm on a Saturday. About half the place was filled. Our tab was $12. The cupcake was $3 and the tax was 2%. WHUT. Unheard of! Really! Idk if I'm calculating right. But I'm just gonna stick with it haha. read more

See all

After dining at Brio, I indulged in some dessert here... Vanilla Cream Ale. As they say, killing two fish with one spear. Did I get the phrase right? Anyway, great range of brews, but Vanilla Cream Ale is a must try . read more

Carlyle Brewing - Vanilla Cream Ale - Breweries Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

Very nice variety of excellent beer. The vanilla cream ale is the stand-out, but I also found the IPA was a fantastic option. Enjoyed the cheesy garlic bread appetizer that was good and served quickly. Too bad the bartender had zero personality and obviously did not want to be there. I get it .... you're a craft brewery ... but please, put a TV in the bar area! read more

Carlyle Brewing - Breweries Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

If your a local, you know they have a great vanilla beer. This brewery has good food as well. They just started making their own pizza again and it is fantastic. They also have that back room with a shuffle board which is awesome. I remember they do have the board games from last time such as checkers, connect 4, etc... Service did take a while this time around but it was rather busy especially during Stroll on State, so the service gets a pass. Overall, a great local brewery with good bar food and vibes. read more

The black walnut stout is my fav. Great beer prices. Gluten free pizza crust is available! I asked for no cheese to make it dairy free and they were very accommodating! read more

Thoroughly enjoyed my Irish red. Not too heavy, easy drinking beer. I also tried an aromatic pour of the vanilla brew. So interesting, but couldn't pass up the smoothness of the red. Service was slow and the place was pretty dead for a Saturday night. But we brought Uno and made our own ambiance. Gotta say their coasters were super cute and the chalice painted on the wall was awesome. The pizza smelled good but we were stuffed from dinner at Taco Betty's. (See Review for TB feedback.) read more

Well, let me start with I respect and love everything about Don Carlyle's beer and process. I've worked for him many years ago as a brewery apprentice and bartender. Loved every minute of it. In fact it helped me in my future beer endeavors. However, tonight 4/21/22 for the first time since they reopened I wanted to stop in and enjoy one of my favorite beers. Actually the one beer my fellow bartender at the time of working there named John and I coined "Stanilla".... Unfortunately, the bartender named Karissa who was on staff at this time (which was 10 minutes before closing) said we couldn't be served, she had done all the glass dishes, and couldn't serve us. Not to mention there was still half a dozen people in there. Jesus, if it's that much of a hassle, 10 minutes to closing mind you, I'll do the dishes to have one of Dons delicious beers. Don, please, for all mighty sake. You're a beer lover. You traveled and learned all you could to master your beer. You need to train your staff to serve til posting time 8p. Not one place I've ever been to has turned a serving opportunity down prior to a closing time. On top of that she was rude and called us names on the way out. What is that, what the hell. I don't deserve that. No one does. Poor service. Don, if you need better help call me , I'll come take better care of customers like I used to. 8153780048 Mike N. read more

Just so you know they are no longer closed! They are open. I saw people in the window and I called. Hooray!!

Great thin crust pizza with tomatoes and mushrooms. Very fresh and great taste with excellent consistency in the cheese and sauce. Red sauce in the pizza was sweet! Crust was thin and crunchy. Root beer float made with in house root beer was awesome and the ice cream was great too. read more

Carlyle Brewing - Breweries Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

When I lived in the Tri-Cities suburbs nearly 20 years ago, this was my favorite brewpub. That's because 1) I could get there in an hour by doing roughly 100mph on the country back roads; 2) even at more reasonable speeds, it was still easier to get to than most brewpubs in the city; and 3) there weren't that many worthwhile brewpubs in the city or suburbs back then anyway. (Obviously that has changed in the intervening decade-plus.) And let's be honest, this place is the only reason to make a detour to Rockford unless you have family who lives there or you want to take in an Ice Hogs game. But detour you should if, like me, you often pass by Rockford on your way to spend a splendid weekend in Wisconsin. This place is a great way to start said excursion. Great beer, great service, great patrons, great atmosphere, just one of the great brewpubs in the Midwest, period. I stopped by here a few weeks ago after a 5-year absence to see if my memory of this being a solid brewery was colored by my more limited local options when my initial opinion was formed, or if they're just that good at making beer. Folks, it's the latter. They haven't missed a step since they opened back when Rockford had only sucked for 20 years. Mix their vanilla cream ale with their stout for a special treat. read more

I tried several different beers, including Honey Ale, Festbier, Vanilla Cream Ale, Fuggles & a Belgian Tripel. All were very good! They definitely need to work on their website, though. read more

Ah, the only recently controversial Rockford microbrewery review... Lets see how long till this gets flagged. IF you are looking for the best microbrewed beer in Rockford you should come to Carlyle. Period. In the past six years that I have been going they have yet to disappoint with the quality or consistency of their beer. Maybe I'm a little bit biased since they are "the original" - but in terms of BEER (this is first and foremost a microbrewery) they are unmatched in the Rockford region. Vanilla cream, stout, the questionable bastardized Stanilla. I don't care what you choose, but pick and support a local business that is doing amazing at its craft. I have brought dozens of out-of-town friends here from as far as the PNW and they are all impressed that a town the size of Rockford has a brewery that creates such great beer. There's also something to be said when people who have long-ago emigrated from Rockford STILL meet here for pints when we're home for the holidays. I know Carlyle was much maligned for doing away with the pizza. As a fan of it myself, I get it. But I also respect a business wanting to focus on its true craft. And honestly, who knows what was going on behind the scenes that may have lead to them having to stop it for a while? Regardless, it's back and it tastes just as good as before. This is not a review criticizing other local breweries. They are all great in their own particular ways. But I think Carlyle has gotten a bad rap recently and some may be forgetting what an awesome locally made thing they can have sitting in a pint glass right in front of them in a matter of minutes. read more

Neat place, had great pizza and even better beer. The service was great everybody was friendly

I have to admit I was a bit skeptical when my mother in law talked about Carlyle brewing. Living in Colorado, I am admittedly bit of a beer snob, and I wasn't sure Rockford could deliver. I am here to tell you I was totally wrong. Carlyle is brewing some amazing stuff at an amazing price. We started with a taster, one of everything on tap. While it wasn't all my favorite (The Vanilla Cream seems to be a fav, but I couldn't get over how much it tasted like Cream Soda) their were some solid brews. I ended up getting a full pint of the IPA and later a full pint of the CBR. Both were super delicious, the IPA was hoppy with a smooth finish and the CBR was a great session beer. Overall an impressive place! read more

Carlyle gets a 5* review based on my numerous visits over the years. Perhaps I'm partial because I'm originally from Rockford and there is nothing that comes close to Carlyle in the area. If you like beer and you visit Rockford, you absolutely need to go to Carlyle. Their selection is diverse and there is always something for any beer palette, from the Vanilla Creme ale which is light and sweet to their delicious IPA, Humulus Lupulus. They have recently (past three months) revamped the beer menu. If you have a group, I recommend the sampler portion, where you get to sample everything on tap. Their food menu is average. I've only ever ordered pizza, which is pretty light and delicious on a paper thin crust. They have a variety of toppings. On our most recent trip we sampled a standard mushroom and sausage. The sausage was pleasantly spiced and the mushrooms were fresh. If you are hungry, you might want to order one for yourself because the thin crust doesn't necessarily provide much substance. So the 5* review might be a little biased, but if you are in Rockford, I strongly recommend a visit. It has to be one of the top 3 things in Rockford. read more

UPDATE: The Pizza is back!!!! Changing rating back to 4 stars. (Thanks Don!) ---- Oh this is a sad review indeed. Carlisle used to be one of my phrequent (weelkly plus) destinations has phallen to to "rarely visited" . Phor Carlisle s has drop the best food on their menu:their wafer thin pizza! The wyphe (not a microbrew phan like myselph) used to have a standing date once a week carlisles for a pizza and a brew. But now that carlisle havs dropped their their za, we have moved on. How sad! When they started, craft brews on tap were rare. Now they are plentiphul. Microbrews need to offer more. Was a great run, Carlisle. I hope you phind your way back read more

Last minute decision to stop in turned into a yummy little trip. I ventured into trying the vanilla cream ale and the stout. Both were terrific, but I especially loved the cream ale. It had a cream soda finish without the sweetness. Oh, just thinking about it makes me salivate. Service was so so. Waitress seemed hurried and didn't take the time to wait to see if anyone else at the table needed anything. If you can look past that, you will enjoy yourself. Cheers! read more

This place is a great local gem that offers reasonably priced craft beer and good eats. The pale ale is delicious, but remember to drink responsibly. With prices. This low it gets easy to have a few too many. Grab a pizza or burger and soak up the beer. The cooks here know what they're doing and you'll be happy with anything you get. read more

Carlyle is tucked into one of the store fronts down State street inside an old building with some pretty sweet decor. I have been here a few times for drinks (haven't tried the food yet) and enjoy having one of their yummy beers. The Vanilla Cream Ale is one of their top sellers... I think everyone I know who has had it really likes it. It's not the 'guys guy' of beers, it's smooth, little bitterness, with a hint of vanilla.. easy drinking and delicious. Tonight I had the Honey Ale, which was also a very smooth, easy drinking beer with a hint of honey, little hops and bitterness. They have a kick ass IPA that will put you on your ass after a few and some other really great choices. As someone who works in a brewery and love beer, I have a deep appreciation for these types of places and love trying all the different beers they have to offer. If you like to drink and relax, have a conversation in a friendly place and not scream over loud music.. you'd really like this place. Not to mention tonight, when we got there pretty late (after last call), the bartender was awesome and still let us have 1 beer before close. Great service, great beer.. how could you go wrong? read more

As far as breweries go it's pretty darn good, as far as Rockford, IL goes it's something EVERYONE that visits Rockford, IL should stop by and have a beer. This was on my list of places to go to on my tour of Rockford for my beautiful and wonderful girlfriend. She has quite the beer palate and enjoyed a few of their brews. I hope this place never closes, I wish with the expansion they made it more open instead of two rooms. If you're in the second room (the expansion) you can sometimes (depending on the server) get ignored. read more

If youre passing through, Carlyles is well worth the drive past the chain restaurants into town. The place has a great ambiance, fantastic thin crust pizza and a great beer selection. I recommend the Belgian wit. Skip the tortilla chips and salsa though, they're not homemade. read more

Carlyle Brewing - Breweries Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

I have been coming here off and on since they opened in the late 90's. I can't remember the last time I saw any employee here smile. The obese women behind the bar is always sweaty because it is always hot as hell there. The owner has no email and seems to care nothing about what anyone thinks (I am sure that any employee would be fired for voicing an opinion). Each time I visit, I am bored and wonder why I bothered. Bands used to play there but I guess the owner can't make that effort anymore. Beer is ok but has barely changed in 20 years. read more

Carlyle was the destination for a Friday night outing with a couple good friends and their folks while they hosted me in Rockford. I had been here once before, a few years ago, and I was quite sauced when I got there so I don't remember much. This time though, I made sure to take in the whole experience. When we got there, we ordered a beer and waited about 5 minutes before finding a booth. I ordered the Humulus Lupulus (IPA) based on the recommendation of a friend, but it wasn't right. It didn't have that citrusy-hoppy finish one would expect, it tasted like they topped off the beer with seltzer water. We went back to it later in the night and it was fantastic, nice and crisp, but not overly hoppy. I also tried the Irish red and was very pleased with that choice as well. We ordered a sausage & mushroom and a tomato, garlic, & onion pizza to share between the 5 of us. This is really good cracker-crust pizza and it was just the right amount for us. The garlic was fresh, but not overpowering and the sauce wasn't bitter or too tangy (which seems to be a common theme these days). The service was solid all night, especially considering how busy it was. Anytime I'm in the Rock, I'll be sure to stop in at Carlyle. read more

Great beer, good atmosphere, disappointing food. A wide variety of good beers for cheap (many under four dollars)! I started with the Scottish Ale, my boyfriend had the Humulus Lupulus (IPA) -- we were both very pleased. We were less than pleased with our second beers of the night -- Fuggles and a German imperial (can't remember the name). But you have to expect a missed pick now and then when you're trying new beers! The tasters are a great idea if you're not sure what to pick. The atmosphere was fun -- there was a table playing cards on the other side of the restaurant. Didn't see the game room until we were leaving, but it looked like a few good games. The service was pleasant. The food is unimpressive and overpriced. A ham and cheese sandwich or a brat (which we're pretty sure was just a hot dog), each with a bag of chips, were almost six dollars each. I'd suggest going elsewhere for dinner -- but a great place for a drink! read more