Chicago Guinness Brewery Shares Fish and Chips Recipe Ahead of St. Patrick's Day

The brewery is gearing up for a busy St. Patrick's Day weekend with a Cooking up a Storm segment.

Mar. 12, 2026 at 5:03pm

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Guinness Open Brewery in Chicago's West Loop is preparing for a busy St. Patrick's Day weekend by sharing a fish and chips recipe on the local ABC7 Chicago morning show "Cooking up a Storm." The brewery's head chef, Dave Blackburn, demonstrated the simple recipe of flour, baking powder, salt, beer, and fish. Father Tom McCarthy, the grand marshal for Saturday's downtown parade, also joined the segment.

Why it matters

As one of the most iconic Irish brands, Guinness is a staple of St. Patrick's Day celebrations. The Chicago brewery's appearance on a local morning show highlights the brewery's role in the city's festivities and its efforts to engage the community around the holiday.

The details

The Guinness Open Brewery in Chicago's West Loop neighborhood is expecting a surge of customers this St. Patrick's Day weekend. To help prepare, the brewery's head chef, Dave Blackburn, appeared on the local ABC7 Chicago morning show "Cooking up a Storm" to share the recipe for the brewery's popular fish and chips dish. Blackburn walked viewers through the simple ingredients needed - flour, baking powder, salt, beer, and fish.

  • The segment aired on Thursday, March 12, 2026, ahead of the St. Patrick's Day weekend.
  • The downtown Chicago St. Patrick's Day parade that Father Tom McCarthy is grand marshaling will take place on Saturday, March 14, 2026.

The players

Guinness Open Brewery

An Irish brewery located in Chicago's West Loop neighborhood that is gearing up for a busy St. Patrick's Day weekend.

Dave Blackburn

The head chef at the Guinness Open Brewery in Chicago.

Father Tom McCarthy

The grand marshal for the 2026 downtown Chicago St. Patrick's Day parade.

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What they’re saying

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

What’s next

ABC7 Chicago will broadcast the downtown Chicago St. Patrick's Day parade live on Saturday, March 14, 2026, with special coverage hosted by Rob Hughes, Stephanie Wade and Greg Dutra from noon to 2 p.m.

The takeaway

Guinness, as one of the most iconic Irish brands, is playing a central role in Chicago's St. Patrick's Day celebrations this year by sharing its popular fish and chips recipe on a local morning show and gearing up for a busy weekend at its West Loop brewery location.