Sketchbook Brewery celebrated Illinois Craft Brew Week all weekend. Every day featured a full slate of events.

On Sunday I started with a big bowl of creole gumbo from Bumbu Roux Chicago. With a Louisianan father and an Indonesian mother, chef Chris Reed creates Cajun and Indonesian delights.

I ordered an Orange Door and settled down to enjoy my gumbo. Hearty and full of layers of flavor, the creole gumbo was a meal in itself. Citrusy and piney, Orange Door was a refreshing, perfect complement to the gumbo.

Photo courtesy of Sketchbook

By now, The Long Farewells started filling the room with their music. Chicago-based, this folky Americana band mixes passionate vocals with lighter covers. Versatile singer Gabrielle Schafer and multi-instrumentalist Aaron Rester kept the vibe going for two hours.

After a while, I meandered through the Spring Arts & Crafts Market, picking up some locally made soaps and preserves. I also took a mini-tour of the brewery.

Without an in-house kitchen, Sketchbook Brewery is unique, but temporary kitchens and food trucks bring an ever-changing menu. Surprisingly, the lack of televisions doesn’t bother me, either, as I look forward to live entertainers or just the peace of a room filled with conversation.

— John Wroblewski, online writer