We wrapped up a trip to Gurnee Mills for a youth hockey tournament with a visit to this non-descript industrial park-based meadery. And while our visit was admittedly time-constrained (the place closes at 4 pm on Sundays), when it was all said and done, I had only the one ($8) 2-oz sample and walked away with only a single ($33) 375L bottle - the net of which was under 15 total ounces of mead for over $40. Sure the cost of supplies has gone up, especially I assume for the more exquisite fruits, and they clearly have a significant amount of square footage to pay for at this deceivingly swanky 'parlor' location, but at $2.67 an OZ, even a brief session, will be an expensive one. So why am I still OK with the 5-stars? In this case those were awarded based on the over and above service from the knowledgeable bartender, the quality of the huge venue, as well as the depth and breadth of the options they produce, including fruits you've never heard of (yumberry and quince?) or those you never would associate with mead, like date or fig mead. Oh ya, they also provide a nice cocktail program (incl 'mead cocktails'?!) and a few actual random beers as well - altho nothing hoppy if that's important. The quality of the product also confirmed everything I read on UnTapd.....but damn, for the money, it sure better! read more

Super friendly staff. We had a great time exploring the area. They offer a great selection of meads. They are small pours but they sure are potent. They taste great. The meadery itself is nicely decorated, well lit, and clean. They have great flavors involving banana, wallets, berries, etc. Give them a try. Meads are delicious! read more

Super cute spot located near Gurnee Mills and Great America. They offer meads, ciders, some beer, and some cocktails. Inside is super clean and decorated nicely. I was told their cocktails change for the season. Friendly staff behind the bar. They continously checked on us and refilled water. They also sell their bottles to take home. Give them a try. Check their website and let Facebook page for current hours an other events they host. read more

Perhaps it isn't typical to consider a sipping establishment located in an industrial park. A dive bar sure, but a classy, ambient, intimate drinking experience, certainly not. And you would be wrong. The Parlor at Pips Meadery is a lovely place to bring a date, to play table games with friends, and to enjoy truly excellent alcoholic concoctions. Pips does not serve food, but you are welcome to bring your own. My recommendation would be to bring charcuterie so you have a variety of pairings. This can easily be a place you spend hours while enjoying friends and live entertainment, a place to have a quiet pour and contemplate, or to bring a lovely date to cap off a wonderful evening. No matter what you choose, Pips is a lovely secret that shouldn't be missed. read more

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Their mead has won a bunch of awards and is excellent. Cocktails are fantastic - some made with mead and some not, great house made syrups and mixers. They have beer on tap, also. Some couches, some high tops, a bar, 90s music - plenty of room, steady stream on a the weekends but not too busy. Seems like they have some regulars who come through. Server was attentive and gave good recommendations. Would be fun to go back for one of their upcoming events?! read more

I was not familiar with Mead. Now I'm obsessed!!! Joy was a delight. Both knowledgeable, personable and skilled. Delicious drinks. The bar decor is a vibe! The actual bar top and structure is beautiful. I will be back! Such an unexpected find in Gurnee! read more

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Wow. Best tasting cocktails. Amazing pips meads and sips. This was our first time having pips meads. Love it. Great staff. 5/5. Hidden Gem. We had: Magic Dance- Gin, St. Germain, Rose Water Infused Simple Syrup, Lime Juice, Egg White Disturbia- Bourbon, Vanilla Chai Syrup, Fresh Lemon and Egg White. Cinnamon Spade Finish Fade- Raspberry mead with Ugandan Vanilla, aged in used barrels Peach Cobbler- Peach Smoothie Mead with Cinnamon read more

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Super knowledgeable bar staff. Thank you Joy. We tried Cellar #2 which is a maple bourbon casked variant. Spectacular finish for bourbon lovers. Buttery feel on the palate. We also had a more traditional Hawaiian honey based Mead and the Raspberry pancake (similar to a sour ale) For a cocktail try "waking up in Vegas" if you like chocolate or coffee martinis. Definitely going back. They said they will have Friday night food trucks this summer. read more

A surprisingly lovely space given the location within a commercial ial development. I had been to this space with it was Only Child Brewing. I was slightly disappointed it wasn't still only child as.i really enjoyed their beers. That feeling passed quickly when I saw the extensive cocktail list with a mead based focus. Went with a mad world as I switch to gin in the hotter mo the and was not disappointed. Stop in even if it looks generic from the outside and enjoy great service and delicious cocktails. read more

Incredible experience and atmosphere. Matt, Joy, and all of the staff are so helpful in exploring the world of mead. The ever evolving meads at Pips are what keeps us coming back for more. read more

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Great place! Poor Richard of the Town Planner of Gurnee. This place is truly amazing. The service and the quality of the product is wonderful. Welcome to Gurnee. The atmosphere is very nice. Matt and his team do a terrific job! Poor Richard read more

Love Pips! My sister and I discovered this place a few months ago. Delicious hand crafted cocktails. Everything is house made from their infused liquors, all syrups and meads. Joy is a cocktail master! Matt is very personable and knowledgeable, he's the mead master, just don't ask him about pizza. lol. Joy has the low down on pizza delivery. I highly recommend this amazing Gurnee find. Only recommendation, turn down the bright lights. read more

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This place is awesome! Great vibes, unique beverages and really great service. All around good spot. We came on a Sunday afternoon and had a great time. We will be back and will be bringing our friends. read more

tl;dr The best mead in the industry... If you can get your hands, er, mouth, on a bottle. Hah. Would you believe me if I told you the world's top-rated brewery according to over 20k Untappd users is located in a semirural community encompassing only 7.5 square miles on the Illinois/Wisconsin border and has a total staff count of just two? With bottles available only for members or the select few who win their lotteries, Pips mead is extremely difficult to get your hands on. They pride their production on quality, not quantity, and it shows. As a result, not many bottles make it to market. Sure, they technically have a tasting room but it is open by invitation only. What makes Pips Meadery so different? Consistency. This is not your typical watery thin mead, Pips' mead is viscous. Their mead is sweet, rich, and decadent but not cloying thanks to the perfect balance of acidity. ABV is always 12-14%. The flavors do widely vary per release, from caramel coffee, to black rasberry with orange blossom, to even bourbon barrel aged wildflower. Yet, all the core consistencies of Pips shines through, no matter the flavor. Simply put, every bottle of Pips is satisfying and 110% worth seeking. read more

Pips Meadery - Tasting at Pips, including 2oz pours of Raspberry Prestige, The Joker, and Coconut Maplefoam. - Meaderies Near Me - Gurnee, Illinois

New tasting room at a bigger location that is one of the best meadery's in the nation! Matt is not only a master at his mead making skills but also waited ion my group and I and was great service! Highly recommend this place to anyone! Can't wait to go back!!!!! read more

Highly recommend. Outstanding service and their meads are hands down the best there is.

1 of the top places for mead in 30 mins of where I live. Large selection of mead. Do not offer crowlers so can only choose from bottles on hand. Similar in quality to standard mead & manic mead which are much more affordable. In addition the Standard Mead location in Villa Park is more visually interesting than Pips. While I appreciate the staffs passion at Pips, it bordered on pompous, which u won't get at either of the other places I mentioned. It's a must experience, but average from an ambiance and staff perspective. Therefore, not my favorite. read more

The mead was very good the atmosphere isn't any different from only child brewing which they took over I was shocked to see one of the staff was drinking behind the bar read more

Pips is easily my favorite place to experience Mead, Cocktails, and good times. Their mead is amongst the best in the world but more importantly, the people of PIPs are simply amazing. Matt and Chris make amazing mead and are great hosts. Joy makes amazing cocktails (many with mead as a main ingredient. For beer lovers, they also usually have some great beers on tap. Definitely worth a try and many visits afterwards! read more

Pips makes the best mead in the world hands down. The cocktail menu is always amazing. The service by Matt, Chris, Joy and team is always top notch, you will not be disappointed for visiting and trying some world class mead and cocktails. read more

Wow! Mouth nirvana! If you are lucky enough to taste some you'll know what I mean. I was fortunate enough to be invited as a plus 1 for a tasting. The key lime pie is a top 5 drink of all time for me. This isn't a place that you can just walk up to, but they do have bigger plans. The sad thing was I couldn't take anything to drink home. I did get a nice shirt! Seriously delicious! read more

The number one Meadery in the world. It is an amazing event to be lucky enough to win a lottery to come here and enjoy the best mead in the world with knowledgeable and friendly hosts. read more