2022 Goose Island Bourbon County Stout Lineup

Picture it! It's a crisp fall evening in Chicago in 2022, and I was invited to my first in-person Goose Island's Bourbon County Stout lineup tasting at their barrel house. I attended it once before virtually in 2020, and the experience was pretty damn dope. Black Friday season is rapidly approaching, which means its time to start gearing up for this year’s offerings. Let's get right into it, shall we? As always, Goose Island's BCS lineup has seven offerings, and each variant offers something different in taste. Here is my breakdown of each beer, ranked from highest to lowest based on my preference.

Two-Year Barleywine Reserve: I am labeling this one as my personal favorite. You'll feel every bit of this barleywine because it's 17% ABV. Aged in 14-year, 16-year, and 17-year Old Fitzgerald barrels, you'll taste all of its characteristics. Cherry, vanilla, and toffee offer a smooth mouthfeel and a well-balanced taste. I appreciate the complexity and the fact it is not overwhelmingly sweet or boozy. It is an easy sipper that will hit you later. 

No doubt this will be a fan favorite

30th Anniversary Reserve Stout:  This beer is coming in 2nd place in my ranking. This beer is aged from a blend of 4 Jim Beam's barrels, including Knob Creek, Baker's, Booker's, and Basil Hayden. At 14.3% ABV, you will get the chocolate and vanilla notes because of the base; this one also has a hint of almond. 

30th Anniversary aged from a blend of 4 different barrels

Bourbon County Stout: The OG of this lineup, I found this one to be more enjoyable than the previous years because it was more roasty and not as sweet as its predecessors, with intense dark chocolate, dried fruit, and vanilla nuances. Aged in 4 barrels from Heaven Hill, Four Roses, Wild Turkey, and Buffalo Trace, it will hit you hard as it comes in 14.3% ABV.

Coffee Stout: GI decided to bring this one back for the first time since 2017 and partnered with Intelligentsia Coffee, using their Turihamwe from the Burundi region in Africa. It has rich dark chocolate, caramel, and a heavy roast flavor profile. Of the entire lineup, coffee stout has the lowest ABV at 13.2%. True coffee drinkers will enjoy the layer of flavor in this one.

Bourbon County Stout, the OG of barrel aged beers

Proprietor's Stout: Being a cocktail connoisseur myself, I am digging the vibe with this one. A cocktail-inspired stout is right up my alley. It was created by the duo that gave us the cola variant last year, brewers Paul Cade and Jason Krasowki. This one is their version of the Jungle Bird cocktail that fuses lime, pineapple, and coconut. There was a debate on if you tasted banana or the pineapple flavor on the first sip. The consensus was split; I voted for pineapple. I also did not get the lime, while others appeared to have picked it up. 13.4% ABV, this is an exciting variant; it's a fun beer.

Creators of this year’s prop Jason Krasowski and Paul Cade

Biscotti Stout: Created by the People Manager at GI, Jill Cerone, who wanted to reflect on her Italian roots and wanted us to experience a freshly baked biscotti dipped in chocolate. I admit I've never once tried biscotti, but now my interest has peaked. I enjoy the flavor profile because it has chocolate anise and roasted almonds nuances. 14.3% ABV, 7k lbs of almonds, 3100 lbs of cocoa nibs, and 450 lbs of Aniseed, this beer is bursting with flavor. The one downside for me is the sweetness. If the sweetness were dialed back, this would hit harder.

Sir Isaac's Stout: This variant is last on my list because it wasn't my jam. It has a heavy dried fruit and molasses profile. 10k lbs of fig went into this beer. Melissa Alleguez and Ryan Hubona of the GI E-commerce team crafted this recipe to give us a taste of what a fig cookie would taste like in a beer. I didn't get as many layers of flavor in this beer as I did with the others. 

As the night winded down, we enjoyed being in the presence of each other since the world went to hell in a handbasket two years ago. The nightcaps for the evening were cracking open the bottle of 14-year Old Fitzgerald and tasting the OG BCS from the barrel at one week, four-month, and eight months. Being able to taste it at various stages puts into perspective the old saying, “It gets better with age.” I’m pretty the hunt will be on, however, unlike previous years it looks as if many locations are opting to do pre-sales rather than having people stand in long lines for hours and run the risk of going home sad and broken because they missed out. I am all in for the pre-sales, screw those lines.

Cheers from the Goose Island team

Always fun linking up with the squad

Pictured left to right: Mike Zoller of Porch Drinking; Paul Cade, Goose Island; Matt Powers, Craftbeer.com; Nkosi White, Chicago Beer Pass & Chicago Beer Geeks; Jason Krasowski, Goose Island, Brad Chmielewski, Chicago Beer Pass

Discover Kalamazoo

For generations, Southwest Michigan has always been a getaway destination for Chicagoans. We’re all familiar with Grand Rapids as a beer city, but we invite you to take a closer look at the City of Kalamazoo. This town has been home to breweries since 1836 and has more to offer than you would think. Special thanks to Discover Kalamazoo for inviting me to experience the greatness of their city.

Located about 2.5 hrs from Chicago, Kalamazoo is a most excellent excursion for those looking to eat, drink, play and discover a charming small town with big city vibes.

We’d suggest staying at the Radisson Plaza Hotel. Its central location ensures that everything Kalamazoo has to offer is at your fingertips. Be sure to request the Whirlpool King Suite (whirlpool, kitchenette, private bathroom).

Whirlpool King Suite at the Radisson Plaza Hotel at Kalamazoo Center.

Western Michigan Beer Tours

SW Michigan offers 50 breweries, 40 wineries and 10 distilleries.

The walking tour packages offer a mix of all spirit producers. The guides are knowledgeable and make great suggestions on how to get the most out of your visit. Our tour guide was from suburban Chicago and arranged a peek at the upcoming Saugatuck Brewing location downtown in the Historic Peninsula Building.

Random art while on the walking beer tour

_____________________________________________________________________

Brewery Outre - 567 E. Ransom St.

This outpost is only 5 months old. The crew is settled nicely at the ground floor of one of the newest residential buildings in town. They proudly source all ingredients from local Michigan producers.  Possibly our favorite beer stop on the tour, Outre’s approach features their signature saisons and beer-wine hybrids. Founder and BrewmasterTed Linabury shared on our tour that up to 30% of his saisons and IPAs may include the juice from wine grapes. The result is both approach and complex.  We sampled the next batch of his wildly popular honey kolsch and learned about his affinity for his neighbors - Green Door Distilling. Ted and the crew have a handful of barrels on site for aging, one of those casks was an apple whiskey barrel from Green Door.

Afro.Beer.Chick is thoroughly enjoying the Blanc Slate from Brewery Outré

Brewery Outré specializes in beer/wine hybrids

__________________________________________________________________

Green Door - 429 E. North St

Green Door Distilling just a short walk from Brewery Outré

Green Door Distilling offers a chill vibe and smooth cocktails

Final Gravity Brewing - 246 N. Burdick St.

Final Gravity is the first stop on the Western Michigan Brewery tour. Super cool Mug Club.

________________________________________________________________________

Bell’s Eccentric Cafe - 355 East Kalamazoo Ave

We all know Bells and their legendary Two Hearted IPA.  That beer so stardom knows no limits. It’s been ranked the top craft beer in the U.S and its distribution footprint reaches all the way to Europe and beyond. The Bells General Store is a gift shop tucked inside of a homebrew supply store. In the last years, the Eccentric Cafe has expanded into a glorious outdoor space for concerts and chill vibes. The Bells Back Room holds up to 370 guests and offers in-house catering.

Bells has a beautiful massive space, brew pub, homebrew store, beer garden and concert hall.

600 Kitchen Bar - 600 E. Michigan Ave.

600 Kitchen & Bar is a solid breakfast option

Cheesecake Crepes from 600 Kitchen and Bar is absolutely delish.

____________________________________________________________________________

Brick and Brine - 100 W. Michigan Ave

The jewel of the Kalamazoo scene might be this restaurant serving New American fare at the 1st floor of the Radisson. The cocktails and atmosphere rival any establishment we’ve visited in recent memory. This was our first dinner in town and it was a 500 ft home run. They recently took home top cocktail honors at Kalamazoo Restaurant Week for their indulgent gin concoction, Hail Mary. It's really the combination of decor, service, and incredible dishes that make this a highly recommended stop.

Afro.Beer.Chick is appreciative of her signed menu from Brick & Brine

Water Street Coffee Joint - 315 E Water Street

There are no less than 5 locations around town. A Coffee + A Shot is our style but level up with a shake, smoothie, or a loose leaf tea at this full-service espresso bar that serves breakfast, lunch, and more.

Water Street Coffee was so good, had to double back

Goose Island Bourbon County Stout 2020

Let’s get right to the beer, I’m excited that I was invited to Goose Island’s Bourbon County Stout Media night. The full 7 bottle variants and taster glasses made for an epic night. This year’s line up was bolder and more aromatic and took a few of us in attendance by surprise.

An unexpected joy of the Bourbon County experience is following how these beers change over a three day period.

The seven beer lineup came equipped with a resealable top option. The result is that your favorites change over time. During the virtual preview tasting, Goose President Todd Ashmann talks about how they feel there’s a giant audience and a lot of runway to convert drinkers as palates are constantly changing.

I can relate as my palate has changed in the last 36 hours regarding these beers. Let’s talk about a few of my faves.

The Bourbon County Carmella Ale’s Wheatwine’s base is naturally a pretty fruity beer.  Brewers have been working on an apple variant of Bourbon County Stout for years now. They tried apple chips, apple juice, and purees. What they landed on was apple juice concentrate for the final product. Larceny Barrels from Heaven Hill are the vehicle to deliver these Fall vibrations. This smells just like an apple cinnamon liqueur. We never see these flavors as the focus of a BCS release and that’s part of the joy.

My all-time favorite Proprietor’s Blend was the 2017 (bananas foster). This Spumoni inspired version deserves a nod, it’s good. About 100 cans of candied cherries were added to the whirlpool along with pistachios and cocoa nibs. The Chicago only variant is from a brewer that submits annually but wasn’t chosen for a few years. The story goes that she was in a panic about what liter of beer to provide for competition this year. She had a dream that she was eating spumoni ice cream on Tapdeck (employee only bar overlooking the brewery), the epiphany led to her recalling the childhood treat for trials.

2020 Bourbon County Stout lineup

You don’t just get to throw the Weller label on your beer. Sipping on Anniversary Bourbon County Stout. The fact that distilleries respect these expressions enough to partner with Chicago’s oldest brewery says a lot. One of the most rewarding experiences of this entire calendar year was sipping Weller 12 next Anniversary. It's honestly a bourbon that we didn’t fully appreciate until we had side by side with this beer. Maybe we were caught in the full life cycle of this beer and bourbon that we’ll never see again. Maybe it was a moment to reflect on how Goose Island has always been in our lives to provide classic moments. This doesn’t fit in the ‘BCS Rare’ category,  but the full power of their network is on full display with the 2020 offerings.

I'm guessing if the annual Whiskeyfest held in Chicago Master Distillers from Kentucky would arrive and enjoy all our city has to offer. During the visit, they would taste some of these beers and could probably pinpoint which barrels are theirs. It’s a testament to how Goose brewers are crafting the original recipe to highlight the connection between their classic stout and some of the world’s greatest bourbons.

All this talk makes you wonder if there has ever been an experiment with tequila or rum barrels for BCS. The fact is that proximity plays a role in how these beers make it to the public. Submitting beers that have curb appeal is just one part of the equation. Barrels from outside the US have challenges. 50% of those might be great or could be a disaster. Import barrels are often dry and don’t hold beer well.

 It was a privilege to party and learn so much with the Goose Island Beer Company and experience what felt like an early Christmas enjoying this preview of the 10th Anniversary of Black Friday.

Anniversary aged in Weller 12 Barrels & Birthday aged in Old Foresters Birthday Bourbon Barrel

Black Bourbon Society Celebrates Double Gold at Virtue Restaurant

The Black Bourbon Society mantra the last three years has been  ‘dream big, make an impact’.  What embodies that ethos more than releasing your own bourbon?

 Samara Rivers founded Black Bourbon Society back in 2016. Three short years later they are the only crew in Maker’s Mark history to select a bourbon blend that scored Double Gold the at annual San Francisco World’s Spirits Competition. 

 Ms. Rivers is from the west coast and currently lives in Atlanta. When her crew scheduled this weeknight excursion to Hyde Park’s, Virtue Restaurant, it was all smiles down Lake Shore Drive to party with them.  Virtue is on nearly every heatmap for Chicago restaurants. The New American Soul Food destination was recently named one of Esquire Magazine’s Best New Restaurants of 2019.

During our only trip to Kentucky’s Bourbon Trail, it was the Maker’s Mark stop that emerged as the favorite. The Welcome Center to the distillery is reminiscent of a romantic hillside chateau.  The most recent evolution at Maker’s is their Barrel Select Program.

(Left) Samara Rivers founder of Black Bourbon Society

This private select of Maker’s Mark Black Bourbon Society can be found at Kimbark Liquors 1214 East 53rd Street (53rd & Woodlawn) Chicago, IL 60615

What better way to end a fabulous dinner with deserts and shots

Artwork at Virtue Restaurant

 There are 1001 available stave combinations, but this is the only blend to receive a Double Gold distinction.  The source whisky is Maker 46 aged six years. BBS private select blend is the cask strength and finished 9 weeks on the following selected barrel staves.  Baked American Pure (2) French Cuvée, (3) Maker’s 46 (3) and Toasted French Spice (2) .

Virtue Restaurant focuses on training and hiring young men of color…. after all, service is a virtue. Being from an underserved community himself, and not seeing many people in positions of authority in the industry, Chef Erik makes this a priority.  He was born and raised on the westside in Lawndale. Artworks displaying the Austin, Lawndale and Englewood neighborhoods in the shape of Iraq are visible above communal tables in the restaurant.  These images serve as a reminder that showing kids from these areas that they have potential is his mission.

There really is no other venue in Chicago that was a better fit for this celebration than Virtue in Hyde Park. President Barack Obama’s family home is just less than a mile away.  Kimbark Beverage Shoppe, owner Jonathon Swain was in attendance. You can find this award winning bourbon at his store. This batch checks in at 110 proof.

Custom labels made at the venue for the Private Select Bottles

Maker’s Mark glasses dipped on site

Maker’s Mark glasses dipped in their signature red wax

The break down of Black Bourbon Society

For a full breakdown of their collaboration experience check out the Bonded in Bourbon Podcast hosted by Samara Rivers and Armond Davis of the Black Bourbon Society.-Chalonda

 Other Notes:

 - Alexis Brown, Director Causing A Stir, curated Pre dinner cocktails

 Black Bourbon Society 75 + Black Manhattan were the drinks.

 - A local calligraphy artist recreated customized versions of the legendary Makers Mark labels for attendees.

This is a collaboration with Nkosi White, this is part 2 of the Black Bourbon Society dining experience at Virtue Restaurant. Please check out part 1 at www.nkosiwhite.com

#IAMCRAFTBEER

It’s been almost 2 months now since the infamous hate spewed email was sent and the #IAmCraftBeer movement by the lovely Dr. J.Jackson-Beckham was started in support of what I encountered. I finally wanted to take the time to sit down and tell my own story and what this movement really means to me. Do not get me wrong the stories that has been posted has done a great job of capturing the incident but I felt that I needed to share my own feelings and the emotions it stirred up. 

On the morning of September 9th, 2019, I received a hateful email, that called me out of my name and told me I had no place in an industry that is highly represented by bearded white men. While people thank me for taking the higher road, I have to admit that my initial feeling was not that classy. I in fact started off my email with Fuck you and fuck your mother for birthing you, (yeah I was totally going there), I then opted to switch from my phone to my computer so that I could really rip into his ass. I sat there staring at the words on my computer not really shocked, because it happens more than you think to people of color. I was so pissed off that I wanted to find this person and turn his whole life upside down. How dare he call me a nigger and a bitch? How dare he say that I do not belong? How dare he make me waste my damn time and get upset over his ignorance?  I stared at the computer for 10 minutes and finally a sense of peace came over me. This is probably the reaction he wanted so I opted for a more calmer response. I did not want him to have the satisfaction of winning.

So I came up with the genuine response, I wanted to know why this Brad (if that is his name) was so upset. Who pissed in his cheerios or gave him an old ass flat IPA, because it surely was not me. I really want to sit down with this guy and have a discussion over beer.  I wanted to know why he felt so entitled and why did he not think that people of color should not have a place in this industry. I wanted to school him on who first brewed beer. However, Brad decided to hide who he was because he was nothing more than a spineless keyboard gangster and I decided to make the tweet public. I am tired of being devalued because of the color of my skin and my gender, I know that I am not the only one and I will not to be the last one.

The diversity conversation in beer started long before I created my platform, but I need to do my part to help it push through. It is a conversation that needs to be had. No one wants to talk about why we now have 50 black owned breweries but they are under represented in large fest. Which is the reason by Freshfest was created so that these breweries could be showcased. Founders Brewing tried to sweep the racism that Tracy Evans experienced under the rug and now only wants to have a brief discussion about it because it is hurting their bottom line.

When Stupidity meets Reality… Fuck Fake Brad

You see it’s ignorance like that  breeds segregation and racism. Racism is nothing new and I’m pretty sure it will never fully go away. However, it’s 2019 and no one should have to stand for it. I refuse to allow anyone  tell me that I do not belong because I am black woman. Just because I do not fit in the spectrum of one’s self created reality. This is why I am forever thankful to Dr. J. Jackson-Beckham for not only her words of encouragement in a private conversation but what she did next. She created #IAmCraftBeer in support of that situation and anyone else what is faced with challenges of being told they do not belong. It is a movement that is continually growing not just here in the US, but internationally as well. It is a movement of love and respect of like minded people. Beer should not be defined by who drinks it, only but the quality of the beer itself.

The tweet that sparked the movement from Dr. J. Jackson-Beckham

In the past two months, so far 2 #IAmCraftBeer events were held in Chicago with the help of Liz Garibay of the Chicago Brewseum and Mickey Bryant of Black and Brew Chicago.  The first event was held at Metropolitan Brewing and the second at Off Color Brewing - Mouse Trap. These two events brought groups of people from different walks of because of their love in beer. They were diverse in race, gender, religion, culture and you know what? Nobody gave a damn because the conversations held were about the beer as it should be. 

I was often asked, what would I like to see happen next, well I want to see change. I want to hear conversation, I want to see progress in this movement. I want to see this industry grow even more with more people of color and women owning breweries. I want to see more love and support among everyone. I want to see more #IAmCraftBeer events occurring in different cities. I want new friendships being created over beer. I want REAL CHANGE TO HAPPEN OUTSIDE OF A TWITTER DISCUSSION.

First #IAmCraftBeer Meetup at Metropolitan Brewing

Left to right : Tracy Hurst of Metropolitan Brewing, Liz Garibay of Chicago Brewseum, you all already know lil ole me, Doug Hurst of Metropolitan Brewing and Andres Araya of 5 Rabbit Cerveceria.

Fresh Fest 2019: The Ultimate Family Reunion

Now that I have fully recovered from the weekend, I am staring at my computer trying to find the words to describe the Fresh Fest Beer Fest weekend. No amount of words in this post can truly describe the dopeness of this weekend, there are just too many aspects to hit upon so I shall try my hardest. When I first heard about Fresh Fest earlier this year, I was determined I was going to attend and vend. I had no idea what I was doing but I took that chance. I jumped on IG and Twitter and put it out there and linked up with some fellow IGers that discussed renting a house and decided that these were my roommates for the weekend. 7 strangers renting a house, most of us did not know each other outside of IG before Fresh Fest but we left with love for each other as family by the end of the weekend. So I’m sending my love to The Syndicate household, @brewingchangemn @blackandbrewchicago @passthehops @themicrobrewologist @phillanomatry @uncapeverything. 

The Syndicate started here at 413 Jacksonia St. at Fresh Fest

With all that said let's get to it. 

Fresh Fest is the nation’s first black beer fest ever, which first kicked off in 2018 at Nova Place in Pittsburgh and was founded by Mike Potter of Black Brew Culture, Ed Bailey and Day Bracey of Drinking Partners Podcast. Collectively the idea was to bring together black brewers from across the country and to create an atmosphere of great beer, music and local food. This year it returned bigger than ever this year, by selling out 3,000 tickets, with a hard core  23 black owned brewery lineup and collaborations with breweries, entrepreneurs and artists. Admissions included an unlimited 5 oz samples with a keepsake Fresh Fest tasting glass. For those who were VIP, were treated with a chat with the beer industry’s very own legend Garrett Oliver of Brooklyn Brewery. 

When the legendary Garrett Oliver comes to Fresh Fest and have a ball.

Photo Credit: IG bierwax

 The fest took place on Saturday, August 10th, with events leading up to the fest. Thursday evening’s meet up was at Carmi’s a local black owned soul food restaurant located in the Strip District, where Piano Keys, a collab with Ale Sharpton and New Belgium debuted.  Piano Keys an imperial stout made with Ugandan Vanilla Beans and Nicaraguan cacao nibs, wowed everyone in attendance. 

Piano Keys a collab with Ale Sharpton and New Belgium

Photo Credit: IG blackandbrewchicago

A Friday afternoon Symposium took place. The State of the Culture in which the two part panel focused on diversity in the beer industry and the business side of the industry.  (At this time I want to shout out to my fellow Syndicate housemates Elle Rhodes and Nasreen Sajady for doing an excellent job on the panel). Also it was Meet the Brewer VIP Podcast with special guest Garrett Oliver.

Symposium: The panel discussing Diversity in Beer

Friday night was the official Fresh Fest bottle share, which I must admit, I did not attend due to the fact that my housemates decided to host an impromptu bottle share at our AirBnB, that took on a life of its own (as you can tell from the pics below). 

The Unofficial Syndicate Bottle Share

Photo Credit: IG beeredblackman

This was only a fraction of what was at The Syndicate bottle share

Photo Credit: IG beeredblackman

Saturday before the fest, the industry’s very own legend Garrett Oliver recorded a live podcast with Drinking Partners at Nova Place.  Sunday, everyone said their goodbyes at the Brewer’s Bunch (which I was unable to attend because a sista had to leave for a long drive back to Chicago).

The music lineup at Fresh Fest was pretty solid. The artists all keeping up with the energy of the crowd.

Photo Credit: IG bierwax

Fresh Fest was a day of love and celebration. I have to admit I was stuck at my table ALL DAMN DAY, but I was so appreciative to those that stopped by to say hello, chat it up and bring me a beer or 2. All around you had vendors and breweries appealing to the masses, with the music of local artists blaring in the background. People of different ethnic backgrounds all smiles while encountering strangers. To be honest, it felt like a big ass family reunion, as if long lost cousins are connecting for the first time. This is the platform that is well needed to push the Diversity in Beer conversation. This platform is an eye opening event to show that people of color are just as heavy in this industry and we can be successful in it as well. There is more than enough room and love to share this space. 

Good beer has the ability to join the masses. It may have been a fest to showcase black breweries, but crowd was extremely diverse.

Photo Credit: IG Phillanomatry

The first beer I tried at Fresh Fest and the only one I knew by name, afterwards I lost track. Rhytm Brewing was pretty damn good.

Photo Credit: IG blackandbrewchicago

Photo Credit: IG beeredblackman

Days later, Fresh Fest is being discussed as one of the most epic beer fest of the summer across various social media platforms. By the end of the fest, connections were made and plans to attend next year’s fest were pretty much solidified. Garrett Oliver’s tweet gave the perfect summary of what Fresh Fest was really about and with that said, that is the best way to end this post. (Mic Drop)

Garrett Oliver said it best… No other words needed

I am so sad that I actually missed out on this one. Next time Cajun Fire… Next time.

Photo Credit: IG blackandbrewchicago

Malt Row's Begyle Brewing

The Artist Formerly Known as Argyle Brewing and their Community Supported Brewery model have been an anchor of the Malt Row scene since 2012.  It was four short years ago when Whole Foods purchased several Dominick’s Finer Foods locations that were going out of business. The expansion was announced with the excitement that each Red Star Bar would get a their own Begyle house beer.

Back when Chef Kevin Hickey was tasked with refreshing the restaurant concept at Four Season Chicago, Allium was born.  He almost immediately tapped the upstart Begyle Brewery for collaboration ale to celebrate autumn that year. A Belgian Ale with local Midwest ingredients, Beta Beer was a farm driven beverage meant to only last as long as the season.  Brewed with bangladesh bay leaves, saigon cinnamon, + sugar beets from Michigan, Chef saw the creation as an extension of the food menu. 

Begyle’s dog friendly taproom famously sits just a block south of Dovetail Brewing.  Annually these two crews join forces to host Mayfestiversary.  The 2-day Spring  Ravenswood Corridor birthday celebration is a whole block party loaded with special releases from an outdoor beer trailer. This year’s edition saw no less than 13 musical acts and just as many food trucks.

Chicagoans are drawn to their beers because of their no frills, straightforward approach of making classic crushable styles. Free Bird is the most popular offering these days. (Golden Ale + honey) Of the 14 beers currently on tap, 7 of those sit at 5.4% ABV or less. 

Don’t get it twisted; they also know how to properly turn up the volume . Marshmallow Barrel Aged Flannel Pajamas is the most recent example we enjoyed their higher gravity releases. We’ve heard guys from Goose Island crew profess that they enjoy Begyle’s Batch 500 Barleywine over their own version of the style.  It’s possible because, as with all their beers, Begyle seems to always get a well balance product every time.

Community Supported Brewing is all about a membership program that allows customers to purchase beer in advance at a discount. Begyle offers 6 and 12 months subscriptions.  Be sure to make Malt Row a destination this summer. Stops include Dovetail, Koval Distillery, Half Acre, Empirical, Begyle +  Band of Bohemia (America’s 1st Michelin Starred Brewpub) . Try them all….tell  them Afro Beer Chick sent you.

Road Trippin: Brew City –Milwaukee, Wisconsin

From Rogers Park, Chicago up to Milwaukee is just over an hour trip.  Our last visit back in 2012 there were only 5 or so breweries on the scene. This time around there were no less that 40 on their official beer map. It’s only one third the size of our city so we kid that this town is Chicago’s nicest suburb.

It’s always been tradition to day drink and brunch across the cheddar curtain then return with some treats from New Glarus. Every year the baseball’s regular season ends with the Cubbies playing the Brewers to end the year in that drop top stadium up there. Once there was a double bonus when you went to get another round from the bar only to see the Bears v Packers on every screen.  Did we mention this town’s baseball team is literally the Brewers!

Will not get into Milwaukee’s history but notable connections include MillerCoors world headquarters is now based in downtown Chicago (across the street from Sears Tower) Joseph Schlitz came down from the north after the Great Chicago Fire and by the time he was done was the second largest property owner in Chicago after the Catholic Church.

You need a full weekend to take in all that Milwaukee offers these days. We only partied on a Saturday.. these are the spots we hit up.

 Comet Café Milwaukee

 Vegan friendly, lunch, brunch dinner options from scratch. House Mimosa is New Glarus Spotted Cow, OJ + Wine. The draft 15 taplist is displayed in the nicest baseball trading card format.  It was ground zero for how to attack all that Brew Town had to offer.

Comet Cafe 1947 N. Farwell, Milwaukee WI

 Eagle Park Brewing

This crew landed on our radar as 1 of 2 Wisconsin brewers invited to at Mikerphone’s Smells Like A Beer Fest in Elk Grove Village, IL this year. We are still wondering how these cats even know each other. Their beer garden comes complete with patio seating and outdoor camper with drafts and a big screen TV in it.

Eagle Park Brewing 823 E. Hamilton, Milwaukee, WI

 We arrived just in time for the latest entry in The Demo Track Series, a collection of 16oz bottle releases that give a peek at new recipe ideas still in the dev phase. The companion to that Vanilla Imperial Stout release was Shake Weight, a massive milkshake IPA we saw flying out by the case during our visit.  If Fruit Smoothie IPA were a thing, this would be it.  Copious amounts of tangerine, vanilla, coconut, strawberry, tangerine and lactose sugar in this 8% collaboration with The Brass Tap Greenfield.  The winner in this joint was that Jam Sesh PB &J Ale. It’s a fruit forward ale that somehow captures a thin layer of roasted peanut butter essence on your mid palate.

 Jam Sesh, pb+j ale 7.5%

Shake Weight, milkshake ipa 8%

Imperial Vanilla Stout 11%

Citra On the Dock, neipa 8%

First brewery stop was Eagle Park Brewing. Got more what I was expecting with these beers.

 Third Space Brewing

The brewmaster is a California transplant that followed up his 2017 Gold Medal GABF win for Scottish Rye Ale with a pair of bronze medals in 2018.  Unbridled Enthusiasm is the first IPA in any category to medal in Wisconsin history. We left with a 6 banger of the Upward Spiral.  Their outpost is a no frills production space and beer garden tucked away down by the Menomonee River. The locals  all suggested we check out City Lights brewing just a mile down the road.

 A pair of pale ales later (Thor + Happy Place) it was time to hit the lakefront for a little summer breeze.

 -Happy Space, midwest pale ale 5.3%

-Thor, norwegian pale ale 4.7%

-Upward Spiral ipa, 6.5%

Thor & Happy Space are definitely my top two pics at Third Space Brewing.

Milwaukee Lakefront Yacht Club

The yacht club downtown has been active since 1871. This was home to the Milwaukee Beer Fest during our last visit. Chicago’s downtown lakefront almost never sees a beer fest of any kind. Just south of the Yacht Club is the Milwaukee Art Museum whose pavilion design is reminiscent of a massive yacht inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright. Word is the wings are retractable creating a unique open-air experience on the shore not to be missed. It was the perfect excursion between stops to do ….absolutely nothing but chill.

The vibe at MKE’s lakefront is so chill. You find yourself enjoying the break with Third Space’s Upward Spiral and Eagle Park’s Shake Weight.

1840 Brewing

Urban farmhouse ales and barrel aged stouts in what was easily the most scenic of the stop on the day. Of course 1840 is the year the first commercial brewery started in Milwaukee We learned about the no-boil technique used in IPAs here. Apparently the mash tun begins to boil near 170 degrees, but if you heat it just below that, the flavors extracted from the grain take on a bolder, spicier characteristic in the finished product. Where most hazy IPAs focus on soft, ripe fruit notes, the No Boil is the return of a nice, rustic bitter balance to those flavors (preach!)  

1840 Brewing Company - 342 W. Ward St., Milwaukee, WI

Koselig and Ephonium both big on the flavor profile.

 If you enjoy a BA stout that expresses barrel character and keeps the syrupy dessert antics in check this place is for you.

 -Ephonium B3, ddh brett saison aged 12 months white wine barrels, simcoe + mosaic. 6.7%

-Koselig, raw ipa,  kviek yeast, citra, nelson sauvin  7.5%

-SIX, ba stout six months in heaven hill barrels 11%

-Sprubury’s Finest, ba stout aged in ex maple syrup bourbon barrels 12.7%

I almost walked out of the door without tasting this one, but something pulled me back. Well balanced the way I love my stouts. Thanks guys for digging this bottle out of the back for me.

  Black Husky Brewing

The original brewery was a log cabin about 200 miles from here in Pembine, Wisconsin It’s dog friendly establishment even if you’re one of those folks who like to lick your dog in the mouth. The bar is the original hand carved wooden bar from the original location. When the question was posed on where to go in Milwaukee this brewery may have been the most popular response.

Black Husky Brewing - 909 E. Locust, Milwaukee, WI

 -Deck Dog, german pilsner, 5.8%

-Dogfather, mosaic hop pale ale, 6.8%

Black Husky Taproom is a pretty dope space. The bar is the original bar from the first brewing space.

Other Notes:

-Cubs @ Brewers September 5-8th in Milwaukee

-Hacienda’s Milwaukee outpost wasn’t online yet but will be in part II

-Pabst Milwaukee Brewery Mansion and the state-of-the-art Fiserv Forum both offer daily tours

-There are 8 beer gardens in Milwaukee

The lady of mystery hangs in Comet Cafe. No one seems to know who she is.

Tap handles at Eagle Park Brewing. Their patio action is a very solid option.

We figured someone wanted to make this abandoned building look more interesting. Sits just next to Third Space Brewing’s Patio.

Evil Horse: The Historic Dixie Highway Beer Trail’s Final Stop

The brewery named after the horse that would buck anybody trying to ride it celebrated 3 years in business recently. It’s also the last stop on the Historic Dixie Highway Beer Trail.

Vice District, Evil Horse, Flossmoor Station, Rabid Brewing, One Trick Pony, Blue Island, Open Outcry, Horse Thief Hollow make up the route trail leads straight to an event at the Balmoral Race Track in Crete Township.  With synergy around Chicago Brewing District and Malt Row, the idea of brewery hopping has never been more popular in Chicagoland. Those who complete the Dixie Highway Trail eight brewery route will be entered into a raffle for 4 VIP beer fest tickets at Balmoral. Word is it’s Evil Horse’s first major event and it may be an Ocktoberfest bash.

Knightmare Scottish Ale & Lupulor El Dorado

Evil Horse’s top selling beers

Downtown Hottie (American Pale Wheat Ale

Sgt Reckless ( American Pale Ale)

Trot Hopple ( American IPA)

KnDixiightmare (Scotch Ale)

Leapin Bull (Hefeweizen)

The Evil Horse line up.

Take the Trail and drink along the way.

Evil Horse is one of the most gorgeous breweries in the entire state.  It’s a repurposed twelve-lane bowling alley. When Founder / Brewmaster Steve Kamp and crew moved in there were four lanes still installed from a previous bar tenant.  The long seating tables near the bar are actually wood converted from those old bowling lanes.  The space is reminiscent of a upscale lodge. It’s a comfortable and warm space where it’s easy to lose track of time with friends.  Many of the beers are named after horses in part because Crete was home to a major horse-racing facility for 90 years.

The manager of Churchill Downs racetrack in Kentucky brokered a deal to purchase the 1000 + acres of land where Balmoral Park would eventually reside back in 1926. The retired Will County racetrack nowadays is run by HITS, an event company focused on shows featuring equestrian jumping.  For the festival this fall Evil Horse will produce the event while HITS manages venue and cuisine options.

Tennessee Tornado is their stellar 2nd anniversary Belgian Quad aged in Tennessee whisky barrels.  Cant wait to see what they release this year. 

Evil Horse Brewing is located 1338 Main St, Crete, IL

The spot is kid friendly till 9pm and dog friendly as long as they don’t bother other customers.

One of the dopest brewery spaces in the South Chicagoland area.

German Pilsner named after the building they occupy, which originally housed a grain, flour and feed business.

A.B.C & Chicago Beer Geeks saying cheers to Evil Horse

Evil Horse Brewing, 1338 Main Street, Crete, IL 60417

Rogers Park Spring Beer + Whiskey Tasting

Greenleaf Avenue, just steps away from the Rogers Park Metra was the scene.   A collection of four neighboring businesses held an open house Spring celebration that included copious amounts of beer and whisky. Electric Jungle was ground zero for the beer. Handsome Bastard Barber Shoppe took care of whisky. Across the street at State Farm was a wine station including a bottle of 1985 Bordeaux. and a pair of Austrian Rosès. 

Handsome Bastard Barber Shoppe 1766 W. Greenleaf, Chicago, IL 60626

Illuminated Beer Works can be a bit intimidating on the store shelf with titles Jr. Astronaut Juice and Lucifer’s Offerings. We last saw this frequent Electric Jungle collaborator at the November beard competition / bottle share. This time around for a little balance Evanston’s Temperance had their mainline offerings (Smittytown, Gatecrasher, Escapist) in the lounge. Gatecrasher of course is their classic English style IPA that has landed the Evanston brewery two Great American Beer Fest medals in the last five years.

What is a party without beer?

 Peachy O, the white stout with peaches and cinnamon was the highlight of Illuninated’s eclectic bottle collection. Its also the base for Café Peachy. A not to be missed variant using a pair of blends from Chicago based Abacus coffee. Vietnamese Casia + Washed Kochere Ethiopian Coffee.  

This can is trippy right?

 Rogers Park Provisions curated the Handsome Bastard’s booze selection.

The only one we remember is Infuse Spirit’s Cask Condition Broken Barrel Whiskey. The bold, decadent single barrel whiskey is 166 proof aged  and aged using broken oak staves.

The sleeper surprise offering from the 3 locations was Babitos Bites. The catering service blessed each venue with a righteous cheesy mac w pulled turkey confit.

Shouts out to Babito’s for the solid catering options.

We all talked about the strange non –descript bar next-door Electric Jungle. At 6pm on a Saturday it was closed, in fact we thought it was vacant. Maybe it was just wishful thinking because we all really want in on the synergy happening on The Greenleaf. Neighbors making it a point to celebrate on what is quickly becoming one of the coolest blocks west of Clark in Rogers Park.

Skipped across the street for the wine tasting

Electric Jungle (1768 W. Greenleaf)
Handsome Bastard Barber Shoppe (1766 W. Greenleaf)
Nick Koseik State Farm (1771 W. Greenleaf)

Black Beer is Beautiful: The Guinness + Chef Jeff Mauro Live Demo

No other beer in the world has the rich history of mentions going back 180 years like this crew.  The most famous recorded instance of Guinness and food was November 21st, 1837..British Prime Minister, Benjamin Disraerli wrote to his wife that he can now die happy having found the perfect pairing of Guinness + Oysters. It was the best day of his whole, entire life!!!! The roasted bitterness, the hop bite, the chocolate and toffee notes, all it was missing is that briny saltiness from the seafood.

 It was in this spirit that Celebrity Chef Jeff Mauro presented 5 dishes highlighting his love for both Italian  + Irish cultures.

 Guinness created the Stout category with their Guinness Extra Stout (a stronger/ stouter porter) back in 1759.

Pairings

Guinness Draught
Guinness Blonde
Guiness Extra Stout
Guinness Foreign Extra Stout
Guinness Barrel Aged Stout (brewed in Dublin. Aged in Baltimore)

Not your typical stew. This Guinness Short Rib Stew is simmered in Guinness stout for a tender and savory texture and taste.

At 4.2% and 126 calories per twelve ounces, Guinness one the lightest beers you can drink. The barley is roasted the way you would roast coffee.  So don’t be afraid of dark beer. Black Is Beautiful!

This Guinness Draught was paired with the Irish Mashed Potato Croquettes and served with a beer cheese dipping sauce.

Guinness Draught, the one that everyone considers to be the original, actually wasn’t created until the 1959 Guinness Bicentennial. Up until that point, it was Guinness Extra Stout that was either pulled from the cask engine or poured into bottles by the publican. Guinness didn’t sell its beer in bottles until the 1960s.

A Bucket of Beer always makes a good party

Chef Jeff was born and raised in Chicago… still lives here.  A BLT from the Sandwich King on homemade Irish Soda Bread may have been the highlight of his collection.

An unleavened bread (baking soda + baking powder). Great density and chew from thee beautiful little slices of white neutral bread. The buttery, brittle crust was expertly done with a golden brown hue. Smoked turkey, crispy Irish fat bacon, stout mustard sauce, shaved iceberg lettuce, aged Irish cheddar infused with sage completed the stack (holy fuck!)

Guinness Extra Stout paired with Irish Soda Bread Club Sandwhich

Guinness Extra Stout made them the biggest beer in Ireland, but since 1801 it’s Foreign Extra that tops their sales worldwide.  80% of all beer sold in Africa is Foreign Extra Stout. Red wine flavors, higher hop count, more roasted barley. Instead of coffee notes you get espresso, dark chocolate, plum, cherry + raisin flavors that are not present in the Guinness Drought.

A variety of Foreign Extra Stouts are brewed globally to accommodate local preference.  Antwerp Stout (Belgium + France) is 7.5% with a higher alcohol content. The bitterness is dialed back, anise, leather, and black licorice undertones are present.A variety of Foreign Extra Stouts are brewed globally to accommodate local preference.  Antwerp Stout (Belgium + France) is 7.5% with a higher alcohol content. The bitterness is dialed back, anise, leather, and black licorice undertones are present.

This is the base beer for their 1st ever whiskey barrel aged offering brewed in Dublin, aged in Baltimore.

We were one of the lucky ones, only 300 cases of Stout Aged in Bulleit Bourbon Barrels made it to the United States

8 months is a quick turn around time.  One of the world’s most sessionable beers is transformed to 10%. The wood smoked butterscotch sweetness present in Antwerp made it the choice for aging in Bulleit bourbon barrels. The American crew is based at the Open Gate Brewery in Halethorpe, Maryland. 

Guinness wall art

-Other Notes

-Guinness Draft  + Guinness Extra Stout are the same except for the gas, Draft has, nitro bubbles. Both are 4.2% in Ireland but brewed to hit 5.6% for the U.S. Market.. With every sip, the beer runs over tiny micro ridges. This friction draws the nitrogen out of the beer.

-Chef Jeff joked that the only ones who can propose a toast better than the Italians are probably the Irish.

 -He grew up in a predominately Irish neighborhood. Early Guinness memories include playing darts with 2$ pints in school. A handful of M&Ms and a sip of Guinness Draft was the protocol.

-The proper way to drink this beer is to look out to the horizon with your chest out and bring the beer to your bottom lip.

- Only 300 cases of Barrel Aged Guinness were released nationwide. 

Maplewood & RevKedzie Chicago’s Preeminent One, Two Step

We don’t know if there are two brewers in the city this good and this close to each other, 1.3 miles is the distance.  A requisite stop at Honey Butter Fried Chicken along the route is a must.  Neighboring Avondale and Logan Square are home to 7 breweries. When discussing proximity, Pipeworks famously shares a wall with Off Color, but neither of those offer pours on drafts. Half Acre Balmoral is next door to Spiteful. As fun as that dance is, we usually just hit one `the other.  The two taprooms we enjoy more consistently than most are Maplewood & Rev.

M Lounge is the type of spot that serves their imperial stout in a coffee mug.  The space is also a distillery and the spot you’re likely to see local brewers chillin in the cut, enjoying the scene. On past trips we ran into Brewmasters Frank Lassandrello (Motor Row) at the bar with a Pulaski Pils, and Drew Fox ( 18th St) chopping it up with friends visiting from Russia.  The addition of Haze God/ Head Brewer, Roger Cuzelis, (Cooridor, Forbidden Root) rounds out a lineup that has already seen 3 wins at Great American Beer Festival.

Revolution is the largest independently owned brewery in Illinois. RevKedzie is the production facility. It’s impressive that they’ve created a cult following around IPAs with the Hero Series and an equally strong (maybe stronger) one with the Deep Wood Series. With 10 releases rolling out over 5 months it’s the most ambitious schedule in the city.  RevKedzie is much larger and more versatile that the original brewpub on Milwaukee Ave. Back in 2012 the grand opening served as the closing ceremony for Chicago Craft Beer Week that year.  Recently it was selected as the venue for the inaugural Italian Beef Fest and has served as the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild FOBAB pre party celebration. For years it was the flagship evening stop for the old Chicago Brew Bus route.  

Split Personality: Une Année/ Hubbard’s Cave in Niles, IL

 The conversation started with “that Hubbard’s Cave Banana Foster is giving Prop 2017 a run for its money and it’s not even barrel aged.”  Last time we visited Golf Glen Mart Plaza was opening weekend. Jerry Nelson (Founder + Head Brewer) was nice enough to share gems like Casey’s Montmorency Cherry Fruit Stand. Back then we hadn’t experience the full power of his Hubbard’s Cave lineup.

Line up of Une Année wild ales.

Very few breweries have multiple personalities like this Une Année/ Hubbard’s Cave project in Niles, IL. The latter’s name probably is related to the original brewhouse, a 15bbl system in Kinzie Industrial Corridor of Chicago near Hubbard St.  Where Une Année focuses on Belgian styles mixed culture ales. Hubbard’s Cave was created in part because accounts we’re slow to come around to world class IPA’s and stouts from a crew who gained much of its notoriety from their wild ales.  The closest example to what they’re able to accomplish under two monikers would be The Bruery’s Offshoot Brewing in Orange County, CA

Flight of 3, hard choices had to be made when picking the top 3.

 Nowadays for $390 you can join the Le Grand De Monde Membership receiving 24 bottles over 12 releases throughout the year from their illustrious barrel aged sour ale program. Rumor has it they are closing on a space near the Leaning Tower of Niles.  The stemware for samples here is longer than most breweries. There’s elegance at play in the silhouette when four are set up on the bar.

Hubbard’s Cave Triple IPA

This is actually batch 2 of the aforementioned Banana Foster. The first version was a keg created for Crafted 1979’s Small Batch / Experimental Fest in Mokena last September. The team used all extracts for that batch, where this latest version goes the extra step to add only fresh ingredients.  That batch was the first to kick at the fest and sparked a demand that Hubbard’s Cave tried to say no to..but ultimately decided it made sense to reproduce.

While all were good. Bananas Foster was my fav.

Chocolate Raspberry Pot De Crème and the Vanilla Stout were the 2 that started us down this rabbit hole earlier this year.  When summer arrived we’d take their freshie IIPA 4 packs to the beach weekly. Their juicy offering was always a version with reliable beer integrity, wasn’t just hazy for the sake of it. Rather these actually tasted like an 8% contemporary American Double IPA . With Winter staring us in the face we see a Peanut Butter Stout and a their Buffalo Trace Barrel Aged Airing Of Grievances, here just in time to greet us on tap. Hubbard’s Cave / Une Année are perfecting the multiple persona’s thing in Chicagoland beer. We are here for everything they release.

My first stout from Hubbard’s Cave that put them on the map for me.  

-Other Notes:

Raise your hand if you knew Une Année distributes to 8 states.

Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Philly, Wisconsin

Une Année / Hubbard’s Cave is located in Golf Glen Mart Plaza at9082 W Golf Rd,

Afro Beer Chick + The Handsome Bastard Join Forces at Electric Jungle

When you have a record shop (Electric Jungle) next door to a barbershop  (Handsome Bastard) apparently the thing you do is host a bottleshare /beard competition the day after FOBAB.  Strangely it’s the perfect antidote to end Chicago’s most revered festival week.  

Electric Jungle 1768 W. Greenleaf, Chicago, IL

Electric Jungle’s décor is true to its name, lush greenery over most corners of the main floor and a fuzzy stage complete with a vintage Palmetto Rockola 450  jukebox.  The vinyl collection is effortlessly displayed in a collection of repurposed rolling garment carts typically found at laundry mats.  It’s a brilliant move that makes inventory more accessible…and of course carts can shift to make space to host events like this one.

Moveable carts to move inventory around.

Illuminated Brew Works heard about the hang and sent a pair of mixed culture ales and more to share.  Pareidolia, was a buckwheat farmhouse aged on Asian pears with Amchur used to accentuate the fruit. It was aged for a year in third use Virtue Cider barrels that previously held whiskey. The Fulton Market brewers known for their notorious invite only bonfires mentioned they might be looking to move up to Norwood Park of the northwest side of the city. 

Illuminated Brew Works tasty donations to the party

A local comedian hosted handsome Bastard’s Beard Competition. All contestants received a balm and oil from their Whiskey & Wax grooming collection.

Whiskey and Wax can be be found at 1766 W. Greenleaf, Chicago, IL

Judges were granted permission to touch beards in most cases.  The local chapter of the Bearded Villains, Chalonda White (Afro Beer Chick)  and 49th Ward Aldermanic Candidate Maria Haddon.  Open since June, Electric Jungle is the newest concept from the crew that ran Logan Hardware Records.  Conveniently located across the street from Rogers Park Metra, the urban vinyl garden located on Greenleaf Avenue is the type of concept we wish we had come up with. A listening station sits in front of the wall with boxes full of Chicago House and Stax Records.

And the Beard Competition kicks off

Rogers Park, tucked away on the deep north side has a resident base made up of every walk of life. It’s one of those city neighborhoods that really feels like its own small town.  Most of us live a mile from the lake and enjoy connecting with people who cant wait to share where their favorite spaces are in this corner of the earth.  The bottle share yielded everything from coffee liqueur to treats from New Glarus.

Electric Jungle has such a dope space and it is very inviting.

Goose Island's 312 Block Party

American Wild Ale

Picture it! Chicago 2018, the weather was crisp as we roll out of summer and into a gentle fall and you are at one of Chicago’s most epic block parties to hit the city every year. Well, if you wasn’t there, I was so let me tell you about it.  This past weekend was the perfect way to close out summer with Goose Island’s 7th annual 312 Block Party. A $10 suggested donation, gave you access to over 20 different beers for $3.00 including their exclusive and rare beers.

3.00 exclusive beers

This was my first time attending this party and I have to admit, I had a damn good time. The beers were flowing in abundance and the mood was chill as everyone was vibing to music on one of 2 stages. One stage was dedicated to local acts only, which is where I have discovered my new found love for Glitter Moneyy a female rap duo that describes themselves as, “Sexy, partying, equality demanding, champagne guzzling, politically pissed rap duo. Destroying the patriarchy one second at a time” and Ric Wilson a soulful and energetic performer that really knows how to engage his audience.   

For me, there isn’t much more than I can really say, but this is a party that one has to experience for themselves. The fun of it all for me was the constant rotation of the secret stash beers, which really hit me hard by the end of the night. The best way I can really close this out is by saying that Damn! Goose Island really knows how to party and I look forward to next year’s.

The Eighth Annual Beer Hoptacular

The 2018 version of Chicago’s greatest traveling beer festival saw a celebration of local beer in a motherfucking helicopter hangar adjacent to Little Italy. Two years ago, Lou Dog Events took over this party that was created by Jam Productions back in 2011.

Josh Seago and crew push the envelope by hosting in spaces around town we’ve never been to or even heard of.  Vertiport Chicago is the largest helicopter landing facility in North America. The Homebrew Competition has been a constant over the years. 11 local clubs were given Munich Malt from Country Malt Group in South Holland, IL...after that you could produce any style you wanted.  Consensus was that the three finalists offerings all were salable beers that the judges would order again in a retail setting. 

1st Place  -  Double IPA- C.H.A.O.S (Chicago Homebrew Alchemists of Sud

2nd Place -   International Dark Lager, Chicago Homebrew Group

3rd Place -   Saison, Spent Grain Society (Plainfield,IL)

1339 S. Wood St., Chicago

largest heliport in North America

150 options in celebration of Chicagoland beer

You can add the awe inspiring, open-air backdrop of a world-class heliport to the list of venues that includes Lacuna Artist Lofts, Aragon Ballroom, Cinespace Film Studios and Riverfront Theater  (a 20,000 sq. ft. temp controlled big top along Chicago River)

Alarmist Brewing Hazy IPA Gold Medalist, Le Jus

home brew competition trophy

The VIP experience included a commemorative artist t-shirt, upper level treats Founders KBS, Pipeworks Port BA Abduction, Prairie Artisan Ales Consider Yourself Hugged, Imperian Stout w peanut butter + roasted coffee and more. 

Downstairs offered 140 options and the chance to sip Le Jus from Alarmist Brewing.  Just hours before BeerHop doors opened, this beer won a Gold in GABF competition. The Juicy Hazy IPA category of the country’s oldest beer event debuted this year with a record 391 entries.           

This is a tremendous event, we’re lucky to live in a town where Lou Dog is committed to a quality festival experience every month in Chicagoland.

Ran into the Fest Yeti and one of my IG friends blackandbrewchicago

Other Notes

-  A portion of the proceeds from today’s fest will benefit the Chicago Brewseum 

-The other homebrew competition contestants were

 IBRU: Iliana Beer Rackers Union (Crown Point, IN)

Evanston Homebrew Group

Urban Knaves of Grain (Dupage County, IL)

Aurora Brew Crew

PALE (Plainfield Ale & Lager Enthusiasts)

Chicago Beer Society

Joliet Brewers Club

Silverado Homebrew Club (St. Charles, IL) 

-Word is that Brewseum’s Liz Garibay and Metropolitan Brewing Tracy Hurst took a 5 min helicopter ride.. they got so close the Sears Tower you could see people waving.

Long Grove Craft Beer Day

This past Saturday, I took a short trip out to Long Grove, IL for the 2nd Annual Long Grove Craft Beer Day, set up in the parking lot of Buffalo Creek Brewing. I have to tell you, those folks out in Long Grove, surely know how to throw a beer fest. The weather was a perfect crisp day to sample beers from 21 breweries, a few of them are a staple in Chicago, but there were a couple I did not learn about until the day of the fest.  

 I heard the idea behind Long Grove Craft Beer Day, was started with Mike Marr, the owner of Buffalo Creek Brewing a couple of years ago, he personally reached out to the breweries for participation instead of going through distributors, which will explain why many of the owners were pouring their own beers (a concept that I love by the way).

This fest had some really good options, it really shows you that the City of Chicago is not the only major player in the Chicago craft beer scene. I had a couple of favorites that I leaned on pretty heavy on during the fest. Buffalo Creek’s The Hallows, a Russian Imperial Stout with whiskey barrel notes and hints of chocolate, really impressed me, I honestly lost count as to how many times I refilled on this beer. Another favorite of mines for the day was Twisted Hippo’s Ol’ Saint Auggie’s a Hoppy Farmhouse Ale, a healthy dose of hops, with some sweetness on the backend.

My overall assessment, it was a pretty good fest with a good beer list, that gave you more insight into the suburban breweries. I appreciated that the organizers kept it sweet and simple and were really thankful it was not overcrowded. I would not mind venturing out to Long Grove, IL next year to see what they are up to for the next Long Grove Craft Beer Day.

Craft Beer Clash

Sunday afternoon, I had the pleasure of being a guest judge for a new web series called Craft Beer Clash at Empirical Brewing. The brainchild of Michael Nash will involve a panel of three judges that will visit various breweries around the Chicagoland area to be judged on not only the tasting of the beers themselves but, also the vibe of the taproom and name creativity of the beers. In a brief discussion with Michael, I wanted to learn about the direction of his new series and what he was looking to accomplish with it.

A.B.C:

How did you come up with the concept of the web series?

Michael:

The concept of my web series was formed from my love of craft beer and my visits to dozens of brewery taprooms. I wanted to do something different to show that the world of craft is more diverse and inclusive than most people think.  I also wanted to show how collaborative the craft community is.

A.B.C:

What is your overall goal of this web series?

Michael: 

The goal of this series is to showcase the local craft scene here in Chicago.  It also reaches a larger demographic that isn't really sure what craft beer is or what the experience at a taproom is like.  I guess you could say to broaden the horizons of the craft beer world.  I think there are so many varieties of craft beer that at least one will literally appeal to everyone.

A.B.C:

Do you see Chicago craft beer as a community or in competition with one another? Do you think there will be some resistance with a show that is judging them?

Michael:

 I 100% see the Chicago craft beer scene as a community and not a competition.  The ''competition'' on this series is extremely friendly and a secondary part of the show.  Most of the brewers know and help each other.  I think it's great and I can't think of too many businesses with that type of environment.

Host of Craft Beer Clash Melanie Winston as she interviews Jacob Hutson from Empirical Brewing. 

As the craft community grows it is always fun when new outlets are created to gain new perspectives, especially when  individuals do not actually work in the industry but those who are giving personal insight so they connect with newcomers that have no idea just what they are getting themselves into. I look forward to seeing this web series take off and will keep you guys posted when Michael shares it with the world. Right now he is still in the filming stages with other breweries and hopes to have the project wrapped up soon. 

Making My Rounds

It's been pretty slow in the beer events scene in Chicago since everyone is still in holiday recovery mode. For 2018 I have some new ideas to keep this site fresh, fun and full of information.  Until then, check me out on a couple of really cool podcasts. I ended 2017 on BeerDownload and kicked off 2018 on Chicago Beer Pass, It's pretty cool they let little ole me in on the fun to talk about BEER.  

Photos Courtesy of Beerdownload.com

BeerDownload - Episode 324 - A Pilsner and an APA

Photo courtesy of  Chicagobeerpass.com

Chicago Beer Pass - AfroBeerChick

Happy Brew Year

Happy Brew Year, I hope you all were safe and partied hard at the same time. 2017 is now just a thing of the past that has left us with memories of great parties and new beers that hit the market. It was also the Year of the Haze so I am intrigued to see what 2018 has in store for us.

I attended some kick-ass parties last year so it was only right that I ended the year at Brew Years Eve, a Lou Dog Event, that was held at Architectural Artifacts an 80,000 square feet antique shop that also doubles as an event space in Ravenswood. 2 floors of beautiful vintage furniture and decor  that you get to browse while drinking one of the 5 crafted cocktails, 10 breweries and 25 beers in the line up. Out of all of the beer listed, Half Acre Lead Feather was my beer of choice for the entire night, a black ale that hit you with chocolate and note of roasted coffee beans. Very well balanced in body and in taste.

Photo courtesy of Chicago Beer Pass

The energy was high on the lower level, not just because of the drinks but also because of Run Forrest Run a 90’s cover band that paid tribute to the hottest songs of that decade, ranging from R&B to Pop.  I was quite impressed with their song selection and the ability to fully engage the crowd.

I have attended this party a couple of times before,  I had become used to the champagne toast at midnight, but unfortunately, that was not the case this year. At the stroke of midnight, you toasted with whatever you had in your keepsake Brew Years Eve glass, as hugs, kisses, and cheers filled the air. I was a pleasant night to end 2017 and to begin 2018.

Photo courtesy of Chicago Beer Pass

For more info on upcoming  Lou Dog Events, go to www.loudogevents. The Chicago Ale Fest - Winter Edition will feature more than 150 American Craft Beers with a strong focus on beers only available in the winter on Saturday, January 20th. Use promo code BYE to save $10.00  per ticket. For more ticket information on Chicago Ale Fest, go to www.chicagoalefest.com