arcadebrewery: First submission to our Scotch Ale design challenge by the amazing @tpbiv! You have until March 15th to submit yours at arcadebrewery.com Not sure how anyone is going to top this design…but I certainly can’t wait to see more of them!

arcadebrewery:

First submission to our Scotch Ale design challenge by the amazing @tpbiv! You have until March 15th to submit yours at arcadebrewery.com

Not sure how anyone is going to top this design…but I certainly can’t wait to see more of them!

3 months ago
Still need ideas for Valentine’s Day, Chicago? Check out my Guide to Valentine’s Day Beers on IllinoisBeer.com.

Still need ideas for Valentine’s Day, Chicago? Check out my Guide to Valentine’s Day Beers on IllinoisBeer.com.

3 months ago

Wild Monk and Solemn Oath Brewery Welcome World’s End with 14th Baktun Beer Dinner

They say it’s the end of the world as we know it. December 21st barrels towards us, but Solemn Oath Brewery and the Wild Monk Gastropub in St. Charles aren’t going to sit around and wait for it.

Instead, on Tuesday, December 4th, they joined forces on the 14th Baktun Beer Dinner to usher in our impending doom. Five courses by Wild Monk executive chef Anthony Burgess paired with five of Solemn Oath’s finest beers made this an event worthy of the apocalypse.

I won’t play critic in my final hours here on Earth, but needless to say, each course was unique, tasty and perfectly paired. The only hitch in the whole evening was some cold fish during course two, but considering this is the restaurant’s first dinner event of this type, I think that’s quite understandable.

First course: Lamb Lettuce Salad with bleu cheese and caramelized pear w/ Oubliette (Golden Blonde Ale)

Second course: Halibut Two Ways with salsify, turnip, parsley puree & beer foam w/ Butterfly Flashmob (Belgian IPA)

Third course: Braised Pork Belly with cheddar grits and blackberry mustard w/ Pernicieux *INITIAL RELEASE* (Belgian Brown Rye)

Fourth course: Grilled Beef Tenderloin with a roasted tomatillo chimichurri, Okinawa potato and Double IPA reduction / Ravaged By Vikings (American Double IPA)

Fifth course: “Caramelized: The Dessert” / Unincorporated E-Ville (Bourbon Barrel Aged American Brown Ale)

After dessert, I took the opportunity to visit with the Solemn Oath crew, including owner John Barley, head brewmaster Tim Marshall and brewer Paul Schneider. They were kind enough to listen to me babble about my love of craft beer and recent foray into the world of homebrewing.

Of course, I had to ask about the origins of their unique beer names, and John told me about the “deliberate process” involved and how they feel that in this area, we’ve really just seen the beginning.

I guess they better hurry…

5 months ago
Had to try something new on Stout Day. Finally getting around to the Ska Brewing Mole Stout. Interesting, but not something I would drink all night.

Had to try something new on Stout Day. Finally getting around to the Ska Brewing Mole Stout. Interesting, but not something I would drink all night.

6 months ago
What will YOU be drinking on International Stout Day? I’ve got some ideas…but need to narrow things down A LOT. dansadler: http://www.stoutday.com

What will YOU be drinking on International Stout Day? I’ve got some ideas…but need to narrow things down A LOT.

dansadler:

http://www.stoutday.com

6 months ago

(Source: supermagicinternetblog, via happypint)

6 months ago
Hey guys…worts happening?

Hey guys…worts happening?

7 months ago
The true scent of the color green. Hallertau hops. #homebrew

The true scent of the color green. Hallertau hops. #homebrew

7 months ago
Making some Slow Elk Chili for football Sunday! (@BigSkyBrewing)

Making some Slow Elk Chili for football Sunday! (@BigSkyBrewing)

8 months ago
Something else to keep in mind during my upcoming first-batch brew day. #RDWHAHB #beerchat

Something else to keep in mind during my upcoming first-batch brew day. #RDWHAHB #beerchat

(Source: prsntsinmymnd, via happypint)

8 months ago
Last night I finally stepped off the cliff to let my homebrewing dreams take off. I purchased my first homebrew kit. Why has it taken me, a creative person at heart, so long to start creating the very nectar I hold so dear? Mainly, it’s been a space thing…a tiny second-floor town home with no utility space makes it a little tough. But now I have a brewing partner with a basement and the eagerness to learn along with me, so it’s definitely time to dig in. I may have gone a little overboard, ordering a kit with EVERYTHING, including a carboy for secondary fermentation,hoses, bottles, caps, lots of other stuff and even an ingredient kit. My first official brew will be an Autumn amber ale…fitting since the first craft beer I ever tasted was an amber. Of course I’m starting with an extract brew. Plenty of time to move on to all-grain in the years to come if all goes well.I also finally dug into THE manual for beginning homebrewers, Charles Papazian’s Complete Joy of Homebrewing. I intended to only read the introduction, but ended up plowing through 150 pages last night, sleep be damned! His book is so informational, answering many of the questions I have had rolling around in my head, but also humorous and calming. His mantra, repeated early and often, (Relax. Don’t Worry. Drink a Homebrew.) instantly spoke to me. I felt a lot of the anxiety I was feeling, some on the surface (what if I forget a step!), some more subconscious (what if my brew sucks!) just fade away while reading. Tomorrow, I head over to my partner’s place to check out the brew space, take note of any special needs we may have, such as extra shelves or table space, and drink a few amber ales for “research.” Then, hopefully this weekend if schedules work out, we’ll hold our first brew day. The excitement is nearly killing me, so I just keep repeating my new mantra…RDWHAHB.

Last night I finally stepped off the cliff to let my homebrewing dreams take off. I purchased my first homebrew kit. Why has it taken me, a creative person at heart, so long to start creating the very nectar I hold so dear?

Mainly, it’s been a space thing…a tiny second-floor town home with no utility space makes it a little tough. But now I have a brewing partner with a basement and the eagerness to learn along with me, so it’s definitely time to dig in.

I may have gone a little overboard, ordering a kit with EVERYTHING, including a carboy for secondary fermentation,hoses, bottles, caps, lots of other stuff and even an ingredient kit. My first official brew will be an Autumn amber ale…fitting since the first craft beer I ever tasted was an amber. Of course I’m starting with an extract brew. Plenty of time to move on to all-grain in the years to come if all goes well.

I also finally dug into THE manual for beginning homebrewers, Charles Papazian’s Complete Joy of Homebrewing. I intended to only read the introduction, but ended up plowing through 150 pages last night, sleep be damned! His book is so informational, answering many of the questions I have had rolling around in my head, but also humorous and calming. His mantra, repeated early and often, (Relax. Don’t Worry. Drink a Homebrew.) instantly spoke to me. I felt a lot of the anxiety I was feeling, some on the surface (what if I forget a step!), some more subconscious (what if my brew sucks!) just fade away while reading.

Tomorrow, I head over to my partner’s place to check out the brew space, take note of any special needs we may have, such as extra shelves or table space, and drink a few amber ales for “research.” Then, hopefully this weekend if schedules work out, we’ll hold our first brew day. The excitement is nearly killing me, so I just keep repeating my new mantra…RDWHAHB.

8 months ago
Always nice to find somewhere local that you haven’t had a chance to check out yet. Last night, we finally sat down for a meal and some brews at the Gammon Coach House in Batavia, Illinois. I had heard about it via word of mouth for a few months and simply hadn’t made the 15 minute trip down to try it out yet. The beer menu had a nice selection, with several hot-in-Illinois-right-now Oskar Blues Brewery beers on tap, as well as the Old Chub cans pictured above. About a dozen taps total sat behind the bar with a decent variety of styles. Plenty of bottles to choose from as well, including Stone’s Enjoy By in 22oz bombers for the price of $15. The food menu seemed a little sparse, but what they brought out to us stood well above typical “bar food,” and certainly out-shined some of the local brewpub competitors. Dry-rubbed pulled pork sandwiches, their last-minute special of pork-rib meat/veggie wraps and their signature sweet potato tots showed there’s a lot of talent in the back kitchen. The pub itself was rustic with old wood dating back through the building’s 1886 history, a small but suitable bar in the front room and a few more tables in the back. Cozy and homey. A patio outside, while unshaded, would be a great place for evening drinks when the sun hides behind the building’s west side. The Gammon Coach House impressed with its service, selection and small, but great tasting menu. We’ll gladly add it to our growing rotation of suburban craft beer pubs to visit on a regular basis.

Always nice to find somewhere local that you haven’t had a chance to check out yet. Last night, we finally sat down for a meal and some brews at the Gammon Coach House in Batavia, Illinois. I had heard about it via word of mouth for a few months and simply hadn’t made the 15 minute trip down to try it out yet.

The beer menu had a nice selection, with several hot-in-Illinois-right-now Oskar Blues Brewery beers on tap, as well as the Old Chub cans pictured above. About a dozen taps total sat behind the bar with a decent variety of styles. Plenty of bottles to choose from as well, including Stone’s Enjoy By in 22oz bombers for the price of $15.

The food menu seemed a little sparse, but what they brought out to us stood well above typical “bar food,” and certainly out-shined some of the local brewpub competitors. Dry-rubbed pulled pork sandwiches, their last-minute special of pork-rib meat/veggie wraps and their signature sweet potato tots showed there’s a lot of talent in the back kitchen.

The pub itself was rustic with old wood dating back through the building’s 1886 history, a small but suitable bar in the front room and a few more tables in the back. Cozy and homey. A patio outside, while unshaded, would be a great place for evening drinks when the sun hides behind the building’s west side.

The Gammon Coach House impressed with its service, selection and small, but great tasting menu. We’ll gladly add it to our growing rotation of suburban craft beer pubs to visit on a regular basis.

8 months ago
The first signal to me that this “ale house” deserves snarky quotation marks until proven otherwise was the fact that its homepage doesn’t mention beer anywhere other than the name of the joint. The second signal was the specials menu.

The first signal to me that this “ale house” deserves snarky quotation marks until proven otherwise was the fact that its homepage doesn’t mention beer anywhere other than the name of the joint. The second signal was the specials menu.

8 months ago
Grabbed a @TallgrassBeer variety pack while in Omaha. This can of 8-Bit Pale Ale was the first to grab my attention. The pale ale inside was smooth and a little sweet, but hopped enough to balance it out. Looking forward to trying out the other three beers in this pack from the Kansas brewery.

Grabbed a @TallgrassBeer variety pack while in Omaha. This can of 8-Bit Pale Ale was the first to grab my attention.

The pale ale inside was smooth and a little sweet, but hopped enough to balance it out. Looking forward to trying out the other three beers in this pack from the Kansas brewery.

8 months ago

Zoo Brew at the Brookfield Zoo

When you’re hunting for ways to keep craft beer flowing in the suburbs, you sometimes have to look at every event as a unique opportunity. That’s exactly what I did when asked if I would like to attend the first Chicago Zoological Society Zoo Brew held at the Brookfield Zoo in the Chicago area.

Around 15 breweries poured over 40 beers in the middle of a zoo….what could possibly go wrong?

Only one thing…

(…continues below image)

…the weather.

After one of the driest summers in history, mother nature decided it was time for a good 8-hour soak. But the zoo, breweries and attendees weren’t about to let a little sogginess stop the party. Sure, it made the two beer pavillions a little packed and an exercise in puddle-jumping, but the warm temperatures kept it from being unbearable.

The fine beers certainly helped in that regard as well. Some old standbys were on hand: Samuel Adams, Blue Moon, New Belgium, Sierra Nevada. Ironically, their lines were consistently the shortest. Firestone Walker, one of my favorite breweries right now, seemed to rule the day in terms of crowds at their table. Locals like Wild Onion held their own, with some great word-of-mouth in the lines about their pumpkin ale. Rumor has it they’ll pour you a Jack Lantern, a combination of their pumpkin ale and stout, at their brew house in Barrington.

Meanwhile, month-old newcomers Hopothesis Beer Company made a big splash with only one beer on tap, their fresh and inspired IPA. This beer quickly became by favorite of the day. Sure, I love FW’s Wookey Jack, but thats old news by now. It was refreshing to see four local guys at this event who were passionate about beer and loved to talk about it. At an event where every other beer I tried got a single ticket, I returned not twice but FIVE times to re-taste this brew.

(…concludes after image)

Brewmaster Ike and one of his three co-hopothesizers.

While the scattered showers-turned-downpour put a little damper on the day, Brookfield Zoo still provided an enjoyable event for brew lovers. With one year under their belt, I’m sure next year will run even more smoothly. Hopefully they can find a way to either cut the lines down or at least reorganize them for easier access. And a little more shelter in case of foul weather might be a good idea.

Regardless, it was an evening our little group won’t forget and I’m glad to have discovered a couple of new brews and a new, budding brewery to enjoy.

8 months ago