chicagobeergirl

See, I told you I was serious

2012-02-16T20:44:00.001-08:00

Gettin' some studying in, after finishing up some e-mails. Tonight, I am reviewing the steps of the brewing process so I can explain them in a clear and concise way. Anyone who reads my blog knows that concise-ness is not my strong suit. Also, reviewing Cask Ales and Bottle Fermentation.

Had lunch at Publican Quality Meats today! Delicious. Resisted the temptation to have a Thornbridge Jaipur IPA with lunch.

I'm gonna get back to my studying. Maybe start re-reading "Tasting Beer" by Randy Mosher.

Here's a couple pictures from Austria! A street in Salzburg, looking up into the Alps; and the restaurant Wilder Mann, where we had lunch the first day. We do a lot of eating and drinking on these trips! This trip to Austria will always mean a lot to me, it was my very first time in Europe.

It's a new year of new beginnings

2012-02-15T20:50:00.001-08:00

It's been over a year. Who knew? 2011 was truly a year that was the best of times and the worst of times. Much of the year was spent helping care for my second mom, Bettye Ruth Segraves, who passed, sadly, in August. Some of the year was spent winning fantastic trips through work -- to San Francisco and Anchor Brewing; Fort Bragg and North Coast Brewing; Denver and Boulder, Colorado and the GABF; and, probably most exciting, to SALZBURG, AUSTRIA, the Stiegl Brewery. The year ranged from amazing to horrible to fraught to joyful, sometimes all in the same day.

Through it all, I thought, "I should blog about this" and didn't. Honestly, when I had any down time, all I wanted to do was cry and sleep.

But, now I need support and focus, and the best way I can think of to focus is to "go public" and be accountable. I registered to take the Certified Cicerone exam on March 8. Less than a month away! I'm usually a good student, and since I've been planning to take the exam for more than a year, I decided now's the time.

SO! Tonight I've started studying. I will study for at least an hour a night (or day on weekends) and check in here to verify that I've done it.

And, while I'm at it, I'll share some pictures I took last year. I appreciate anyone who might still be interested in this, and anyone new who wants to read a little about beer, and Chicago, and drinking beer in Chicago.

2010-12-01T20:05:00.001-08:00

L'Chaim! Tonight is the first night of Chanukah, and tonight Chicago has the pleasure of hosting Jeremy Cowan, head Jew and maestro of schtick at Shmaltz Brewing. Tonight, Hopleaf was one of 88 chosen bars across the country pouring all seven Jewbelation beers, as well as the Vertical Jewbelation, a blend of all seven recipes then barrel aged. The Jewbelation beers, from 8 to 14, are notable not only for being delicious, but also for each being brewed with their number value of malts, hops, adjuncts and ABV. So . . . yeah, this year's Jewbelation, 14, has 14 malts, 14 hops, 14 adjuncts and . . . aaaaaaaaaaah. 14% ABV. One of those beers that is PERFECT if you only want one, or maybe two if you're not driving.

My friend Jeremy also has a book recently published!! Craft Beer Bar Mitzvah. Pick it up on Amazon or on Shmaltz.com. Here's some words from Jeremy about Jewbe 14 . . .

HAPPY CHANUKAH!!!!!

2010-12-01T20:02:00.001-08:00

Here is the list of Chosen Bars that will be pouring all 8 Jewbelation beers this holiday.
Please check with the specific bars to find out when they are tapping each keg. L'Chaim!

NEW YORK

AMITY HALL: 80 W. 3rd St., New York, NY
BARCADE: 388 Union Ave., Brooklyn, NY
BLIND TIGER: 281 Bleecker St., New York, NY
GEORGE KEELEY'S: 485 Amsterdam Ave., New York, NY
GINGERMAN: 11 East 36th St., New York, NY
IDLE HANDS: 25 Ave. B, New York, NY
RATTLE N HUM: 14 E. 33rd St., New York, NY
WHOLE FOODS BOWERY: 95 E. Houston St., New York, NY

MR. BEERY'S: 4019 Hempstead Turnpike, Bethpage, NY
DECICCOS FOOD MARKET: 21 Center St., Ardsley, NY
TJ FINLEY'S: 42 E. Main St., Bay Shore, NY

CALIFORNIA (Northern)

BARCLAY'S: 5940 College Avenue, Oakland, CA
BEER REVOLUTION: 464 3rd St., Oakland, CA
CHURCH KEY: 1402 Grant Ave., San Francisco, CA
THE DAVIS GRADUATE: 805 Russell Blvd., Davis, CA
EUREKA BURGER: 7775 N. Palm Ave., Fresno, CA
PARISH PUBLICK HOUSE: 841 Almar Ave., Santa Cruz, CA
TORONADO: 547 Haight St., San Francisco, CA

CALIFORNIA (Southern)

BLUE PALMS BREWHOUSE: 6126 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA
HAMILTON'S TAVERN: 521 30th St., San Diego, CA
HAVEN GASTROPUB: 190 S. Glassell St., Orange, CA
STUFFED SANDWICH: 1145 E. Las Tunas Dr., San Gabriel, CA
VERDUGO BAR: 3408 Verdugo Rd., Los Angeles, CA

ALABAMA

J CLYDE: 1312 Cobb Lane South, Birmingham, AL

ARIZONA

1702 TUCSON: 1702 E. Speedway Blvd., Tucson, AZ
PAPAGO BREWING CO.: 7107 E. McDowell Rd., Scottsdale, AZ

COLORADO

FALLING ROCK: 1919 Blake St., Denver, CO
OSKAR BLUES: 303 Main St., Lyons, Colorado
TRINITY BREWING CO: 1466 Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, CO

FLORIDA

BRASS TAP: 2000 Piazza Ave., Wesley Chapel, FL
BROKEN BARREL: 4700 Babcock St. NE, Palm Bay, FL
DUNDERBAK'S: 14929 Bruce B Downs Blvd., Tampa, FL
DUNEDIN HOUSE OF BEER: 927 Broadway #A, Dunedin, FL
FERMENTATION LOUNGE: 113 All Saints St., Tallahassee, FL
KICKBACKS: 910 King St., Jacksonville, FL
REDLIGHT, REDLIGHT: 745 Bennett Rd., Orlando, FL
WORLD OF BEER - MELBOURNE: 2290 Town Center Ave., Melbourne, FL
WORLD OF BEER - UCF: 3402 Technological Ave., Orlando, FL

GEORGIA

BRICK STORE: 125 E. Court Sq., Decatur, GA
LEON'S FULL SERVICE: 131 E. Ponce De Leon Ave., Decatur, GA
MIDWAY PUB: 552 Flat Shoals Ave. Southeast, Atlanta, GA
ORMSBY'S: 1170 Howell Mill Rd. Northwest, Atlanta, GA
THE PORTER: 1156 Euclid Ave., Atlanta, GA
TACO MAC - CRABAPPLE: 685 Crossville Rd., Roswell, GA
TACO MAC - KENNESAW: 600 Chastain Rd. NW, Kennesaw, GA
TACO MAC - MALL OF GA: 3250 Woodward Crossing Blvd., Buford, GA
TACO MAC - NEWNAN: 301 Newnan Crossing Byp, Newnan, GA
TRAPPEZE PUB: 269 W Washington St., Athens, GA
WILD WING CAFE: 2145 Roswell Rd., Marietta, GA
YOUNG AUGUSTINE'S: 327 Memorial Dr., Atlanta, GA/
STEINBECKS: 659 East Lake Dr., Decatur, GA

ILLINOIS

HOP LEAF: 5148 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL
RADIO MARIA: 119 N. Walnut St., Champaign, IL
SMALL BAR: 1415 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago, IL
SMALL BAR: 2049 W. Division St., Chicago, IL

INDIANA

NEW ALBANIAN PUBLIC HOUSE: 3312 Plaza Dr., New Albany, IN

LOUISIANA

AVENUE PUB: 1732 St. Charles Ave., New Orleans, LA
BARLEY OAK: 2101 Lakeshore Drive, Mandeville, LA

MARYLAND

MAX'S: 737 S. Broadway, Baltimore, MD
VICTORIA GASTRO PUB: 8201 Snowden River Parkway, Columbia, MD

MASSACHUSETTS

THE AMESBURY ALEHOUSE: 33 Main St., Amesbury, MA
CAMBRIDGE COMMONS: 1667 Mass Ave., Cambridge, MA

MICHIGAN

HOP CAT: 25 Ionia Ave. SW, Grand Rapids, MI

MISSOURI

BROADWAY BREWERY: 816 E. Broadway, Columbia, MO

MONTANA

THE RHINO: 158 Ryman St., Missoula, MT

NEBRASKA

CRESCENT MOON: 3578 Farnam St., Omaha, NE

NORTH CAROLINA

FLYING SAUCER CHARLOTTE: 9605 N. Tryon St., Charlotte, NC
FLYING SAUCER RALIEGH: 328 W. Morgan St., Raleigh, NC
THIRSTY MONK SOUTH: 20 Gala Drive #101, Asheville, NC

OREGON

THE BIER STEIN: 345 E 11th Ave., Eugene, OR
GREEN DRAGON: 928 SE 9th Ave., Portland, OR

PENNSYLVANIA

BOCKTOWN BAR & GRILL: 690 Chauvet Dr., Robinson Township, PA
FAT HEADS SALOON: 1805 E. Carson St., Pittsburgh, PA
P.O.P.E.: 1501 E. Passyunk Ave., Philadelphia, PA

SOUTH CAROLINA

BARLEYS GREENVILLE: 25 W. Washington St., Greenville, SC
CLOSED FOR BUSINESS: 453 King St., Charleston, SC
FLYING SAUCER COLUMBIA: 931 Senate St., Columbia, SC

TENNESSEE

FLYING SAUCER NASHVILLE: 111 10th Ave., Nashville, TN

VIRGINIA

BEER RUN: 156 Carlton Rd., Charlottesville, VA
CHURCH KEY: 1337 14th St. NW, Washington, DC
FIREWORKS PIZZA: 2350 Clardndon Blvd., Arlington, VA
MEKONG: 6004 W. Broad St., Richmond, VA
WHOLE FOODS SHORT PUMP: 11173 W. Broad St., Glen Allen, VA

WASHINGTON

THE RED HOT: 2914 6th Ave., Tacoma, WA
BROUWER'S CAFE: 400 N 35th St., Seattle, WA

WISCONSIN

MADURO: 117 East Main St., Madison, WI
SUGAR MAPLE: 441 E. Lincoln Ave., Milwaukee, WI

Thank goodness, they are remaking FOOTLOOSE

2010-11-26T23:53:00.000-08:00

I mean, really. So many unanswered questions from the Kevin Bacon version. Mmmmm. Bacon. AAAAAAAAaaaaaaaannnyway . . . I have a new friend named Nina (Hi Nina!). I was having a drink at Emerald Loop with some old friends, and met Nina, who reads this little bloggy rant that I do. So excited was I that someone other than, oh, ME, reads this thing, I thought I should offer up some updates on what has been quite a big week in beer!

Last Sunday was the premiere of BREWMASTERS, the new reality show which follows my friend Sam Calagione, founder and main man of Dogfish Head Brewing. It's on the Discovery Channel. The first show featured the story behind BITCHES' BREW, a beer brewed to celebrate the anniversary of the release of Miles Davis' album of the same name. It is a really delicious stout, and we just got some more cases in! If you saw the show and want the beer, ask your better beer store. If they don't have it, they can get it.

Today is BLACK FRIDAY. Black Friday is the unofficial kickoff day of the (White) Christmas season. No more racial profiling in our holiday season! But I digress. Today also marked the release of BOURBON COUNTY STOUT RARE, or RARE BOURBON COUNTY STOUT, from Goose Island, not just Bourbon Barrel aged, but also aged for two years in 23-year-old Pappy Van Winkle casks. What's the diff? Generally, the older the casks, the smoother, less biting, more candy-and-vanilla notes come out in the bourbon. Pappy Van Winkle is known for being exceptionally smooth. So, today at Binny's on Marcey Street, they sold through 120 cases of Rare Bourbon County Stout, 20 cases of Vanilla BCS and 20 cases of Coffee BCS. The Rare costs $40-something a bottle, but that won't stop me from buying one. For tonight, though, I'm content with ending the night with just a plain ol' bottle of 2010 Bourbon County. Thank you again to friends old and new. Happy day after Thanksgiving; I am still totally thankful.

LAST WEEK WAS MY BIRTHDAY!

2010-09-03T21:34:00.000-07:00

What the heck! It just took me about a half hour to re-set my password to get onto this site, so I could compose this important message for those that read this. OOoooh, I'm sleepy. Big deal, right? We're all sleepy, we are none of us getting as much sleep as we'd like. And before we know it, it'll be time for the last season of OPRAH.

I was in Mexico for my birthday. The only beer at the resort was Dos Equis. So, the Saturday we got back, we went to Hopleaf for my annual birthday sandwich. Cashew butter and fig jam. Yeah!

Tonight -- Drank some Dogfish Head beers out of the crisper. Fall seasonal beers are starting to become available. Great Lakes Oktoberfest, Three Floyds Munsterfest and Moloko Milk Stout, and Dogfish Punkin should all be at your local liquor mart. Go get some fresh beer! Let us know what's your favorite!

2010-06-19T20:48:00.000-07:00

New beers from Three Floyds! Always a reason to celebrate. Available RIGHT NOW from Galleria Liquors and most of your better beer emporiums: BLACKHEART -- their English-style IPA, brewed with English malts, hops and yeast. Piney, citrusy, very astringrent. A strong sweet malt bill balanced by loads of English hops. AND -- very limited availability but MAY be available at LUSH WINE AND SPIRITS -- ARCTIC PANZER WOLF. According to Three Floyds: “A dry and stupendously hopped medium bodied Imperial IPA brewed with Canadian two-row malt, dextrose sugar and lots of American hops. Arctic Panzer Wolf has superior aromas of marmalade, white wine, pine and apricot all mixed with an intense American hop bitterness.” Supposedly, the Arctic Panzer Wolf will be available in 22 ounce bottles from time to time throughout the year, much as my personal favorite, DREADNAUGHT, is available. Run to the store and buy these now! Oh, and I think BLACKHEART is on draught now at The Paramount Room at 415 North Milwaukee!

Pictures from World Beer Cup Dinner -- A.K.A. Beer Prom

2010-04-19T19:26:00.000-07:00

I was privileged to attend the World Beer Cup dinner at the Sheraton Hotel, the closing event of the Craft Brewers' Conference and, by all reports, the largest beer dinner EVER. It was SO awesome, it was so awesome it was stupid! Here's some pictures.

Happy EASTER and Craft Brewers' Conference

2010-04-19T19:14:00.000-07:00

By now, I imagine most people who read my blog know my mom passed on March 13. I've just been a little unmotivated to do anything over the minimum since that day. Can't explain it. Then came Easter on April 5th and the week after that was the CRAFT BREWERS' CONFERENCE in Chicago! I have to say, that was a pretty amazing week. So much to do! I got to meet one of my idols, Fritz Maytag of Anchor Brewing; I was able to spend some time with Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head and my pal Doug Moody of North Coast Brewing. I had a fantastic dinner at N9NE Restaurant, paired with North Coast beers. We drank New Holland Envious at the Green Mill. At least two events every night! Totally distracting for me, and really fun. I will collect pictures and post here!

The night before Easter, we decorated eggs at John and Tom's house. And, of course, I brought along some of my favorite bottles, such as Dogfish Head Red and White, Three Floyds Rabid Rabbit, Coney Island Human Blockhead, and many others.

Thanks to all for your patience and love during my Mom's illness and passage. Of course I thought I would be just fine, but it has been harder than I imagined. Good friends and good beer always help.

Mom's been in the hospital again, that's why no blogging

2010-03-09T19:02:00.001-08:00

Yeah. That's why. It's not just laziness. My mom's in the hospital, so I've barely been on line, let alone blogging. She is currently on dialysis to try to clear an infection in her blood, and she has been on a respirator since last Thursday.

So, right now, I am having a nice New Holland Full Circle Kolsch. I've been wanting a German-style beer since watching the "drink a boot of beer" portion of last week's AMAZING RACE.

Thoughts and prayers, please, dear readers. By the way, my mother's favorite beer is Seadog Blueberry Wheat. Have a nice toast to Sandy Piechota! Cheers, Mom!

Here's Pictures!! BRANCH 27 CHIMAY DINNER!

2010-02-28T09:19:00.001-08:00

Yes, indeedy, it was quite a dinner. Last Wednesday, the 24th, we enjoyed a four-course dinner at Branch 27, courses lovingly prepared by Chef John Manion with Chimay beer pairings. We all know about Chimay, right? Chimay beers are brewed under the auspices of the monastery at the Abbey D'Scourmont in Chimay, Belgium. They have been brewing beer there since 1850, and it has been available for sale outside the abbey since 1863. Chimay beers have been available here in the United States for the past 20-ish years. There are three available -- the Premier or "red label", which is their Belgian Double style, the Cinq Cent or "white label", which is their triple style, and the super-rich and delicious Grand Reserve, or "blue", which was originally brewed as a special Christmas beer.

We stopped eating long enough to take pictures of Chef Manion's Parmesan Gnocchi with pork meatballs (think sausage meatballs, ridiculously good!) and braised kale. This was the second course, and it was so good and we ate so much of it that we forgot to take pictures of the third course, the Gunthorp Farms Porchetta with polenta.

Dessert was a Chocolate and Walnut Tart with CHOCOLATE BACON, served with a Jereboam of the Chimay Grand Reserve from 2008. A Jereboam is a large-format bottle, and beer ages differently in large bottles. This beer had a smooth, almost-port-like quality.

The Branch 27 dinner for March will be paired with DOGFISH HEAD BEERS! We are starting to put that together now, so call Branch 27 for reservations. It will sell out fast! www.branch27.com

Chimay Dinner at Branch 27

2010-02-24T21:48:00.000-08:00

ooof. too full. Can't post now. I love Chef John Manion. We took some pictures of the Gnocchi and pork sausage and the chocolate tart with the chocolate bacon. I'll get it together for tomorrow.

BUT IN THE MEANTIME -- get reservations NOW for the Dogfish Head Beer Dinner coming up at the end of March.

Look out Chicago, Stone's a-comin'

2010-02-23T17:15:00.000-08:00

That's right, Chicago Beerios!! Stone is coming!! We don't know with which distributor they'll be, but one way or another, STONE BREWING WILL AT LONG LAST BE IN CHICAGO!! Yeah, you can tell, I'm a little excited.

In the past, I've picked up bottles of delicious Stone beer on visits to Indiana and New York, or anywhere I happened to find it. What I can honestly say about their beers are, they are consistently, dependably excellent. I had the chance to chat with Aaron, the Midwest Stone rep, today at Twisted Spoke. We talked about how Stone Brewing is one of those breweries where you can pick up ANY of their beers and be confident you're going to have a fantastic drinking experience. Three Floyds, Dogfish, Lost Abbey . . . there's a few breweries where, even if a certain style isn't your favorite, or if a particular beer is a little "out there" for your palate . . . you still KNOW you're gonna have an awesome fermented beverage.

SO . . . rumor has it, Stone Brewing products will be available in Chicago by the beginning of April. When I know where you can buy them, I'll let you know.

By the way, I got my ticket today for the Chicago Beer Society's Day of the Living Ales! Did you?

What did you do at work today? I saw a big celebrity!

2010-02-18T20:35:00.000-08:00

I love my job. I share some of the best beers in the world with some of the best bars, restaurants, and yes, retail stores in the country. It is pretty cool. Every Monday and Thursday, I have the privilege of visiting The Publican and working with Michael McAveena on their weekly beer selections. Today, when I drove up, I saw a huge black limo outside the restaurant. Naturally, I assumed Oprah was there. But no! Jamie Oliver!

I didn't know Jamie was there until he finished his lunch, as his back was to where I was. Looks like he -- or his people -- called Chef Paul Kahan and set something up, because The Publican doesn't serve lunch on weekdays, dontcha know.

Anyway, they finished lunch, and Jamie walked through the restaurant, shook hands with his server, thanked her, and then headed back to the kitchen to talk to the kitchen staff. I am such a dork, of course, I had to resist the urge to run over to him and say something along the lines of--"Hi! I'm Sally! I sell beer and I have a beer blog and I am part of a Chicago foodie blog called Social Bite!! Do you like beer? Do you want to hang out sometime? Can we interview you? Can you get Food Network to give us a show?" Yeah. That's what I did in my head. But in actual physical reality, I just looked over, smiled and waved at him (again, total dork). He actually smiled and waved back. Seems like a nice guy. And yes, very cute.

Then I went back to sampling some awesome beers with Michael and Chef Paul and Donnie Madia and Wes from Windy City.

Yeah. Not a bad day's work at all.

New Holland Embossed Bottles -- get 'em while you can!

2010-02-17T17:11:00.001-08:00

Who's excited about the Tim Burton ALICE IN WONDERLAND movie? I am!! It is my all-time favorite story, can't even tell you how many times I've read the original stories. And Tim Burton is one of my favorite directors. So tonight, I am enjoying a bottle of New Holland Imperial Mad Hatter I saved from last summer. I know, I know, you're not supposed to save IPA's, you want to drink them fresh, the hop character changes, the bitterness mellows, the citrusy piney character starts to smooth out and sweeten . . . I know!! And yes, the Imperial Hatter has mellowed. But it's still delicious, and it went great with my italian-style turkey sausages, green beans and baked potato.

IN MORE INTERESTING BEER NEWS . . . another reason for breaking out the Imperial Hatter was, I want to rinse out the bottle and save it. This year, New Holland will not be using the embossed art directly on the bottles for their High-Gravity series. So, if you are a borderline-hoarder beer-collector like I am, go out and get a Dragon's Milk, a Pilgrim's Dole, some stores still have the absolutely delicious Charkoota Rye -- get the bottles and save them! The new labels are beautiful and I am excited to try the new styles they're releasing -- and I promise to let you all know as soon as they are available. The Imperial Hatter will be available from time to time throughout the year in both bomber and four-pack formats. Dragon's Milk will be in both bombers and four-packs, too. Extra, extra, extra awesome.

Meantime, I hear the new Showplace ICON theaters on Roosevelt Road will be featuring Mad Hatter IPA on special when the movie is released! I'll be there. Can't wait!!!

FLOSSMOOR STATION SING THIS SONG, DOO DAH, DOO DAH

2010-02-13T18:14:00.000-08:00

I have a new bunch of friends!! Our team went out to FLOSSMOOR STATION BREWERY, in historic Flossmoor, Illinois, natch, and oh man, did I have a good time! We met and hung out and drank beers with Brian and Richard, the brewers; Sandy the Marketing/PR/overall go-to gal sampled us out on ALL the beers (that's right -- ALL), and we had some nibblies and drank more and just had a blast. In hindsight, I wish I would have EATEN more, but we had an Olympic Opening Ceremonies party to go to, so I didn't want to be too full. Anyway.

We just started selling their beers last week, and I gotta tell ya, it's a lot more fun to sell beer when you've BEEN to the brewery, you've MET the people . . . it is just a joy. And I must say, I honestly think the liquids are just delicious. In bomber bottles, we have the Stationmaster Wheat beer, a light, very easy to drink American wheat ale; the Pullman Brown, a dark, rich, slightly chocolatey and somewhat smoky brown ale -- might be my new favorite American brown ale, and TWO of their many IPA's. The "Hoppy Hoppy Joy Joy" is a fantastic, INTENSELY hoppy and complex classic American IPA -- floral and citrusy and piney -- there's a lot going on, not like some IPA's lately that just taste like they boiled some Cascade hops in some light malt and called it a beer. The other IPA is called "Chaos" (I think), which is a Belgian style IPA using an authentic Belgian yeast strain. Really good. SO!!!

SUPPORT MY NEW PALS! Go buy a bomber bottle. I know my Binny's, on Grand Ave., has it.

Mystery Beer, are you ready for your mystery beer . . . (to the tune of Mystery Date)

2010-02-11T20:21:00.000-08:00

The NEW, TOP SECRET, MYSTERY beer from Founder's Brewing, out of Grand Rapids, Michigan, is called NEMESIS. Why? Of what or who is it the nemesis? With what does this beer have an adversarial relationship? Boring, everyday beer? Maybe.

Nemesis is the name that the Founder's folks have given to their annual four-pack that, I believe, will change every year. The 2009 release is a 12% ABV maple-bourbon-barrel-aged barley wine. The bourbon barrels used to age this beer were once used for aging maple syrup from Northern Michigan. The beer is a delicious, malty, sweet, vanilla, bourbon wheat ale. AND only 60 cases and NO barrels came into Chicagoland. So, what I'm saying is, if you see it, buy it because it won't be on the shelves for long!!

Tomorrow, FIELD TRIP!!! Sort of. We're all taking the Metra to Flossmoor Station Brewing in the south suburbs!

A new day, a new beer to look forward to, and a fond farewell

2010-02-09T19:24:00.000-08:00

Just got word today of the new collaboration beer from two of my favorite local breweries, THREE FLOYDS and HALF ACRE. Looks like it will be called INVASION, looks like it's a Helles Bock. Mmmmmmmm. Helles Bock. Artwork looks amazing! We know nothing more!! But, we are quivering with anticipation! More info to come from Lincoln at Three Floyds and Gabriel at Half Acre -- you will know as soon as we know, dear reader. Watch this space!

On a more personal note, last week I said goodbye to an old friend--one I hadn't seen for a long time. Victoria Miller, "the Vic" to all who knew and loved her, made her transition to the non-physical about a week ago, at the age of 90. She lived a full and fantastic life. Vic was in community theater in our town, and my mom did costumes and make-up for them, back when my parents were still married. Vic opened a gift shop, and my mother went to work for her. Around this same time -- I was seven, almost eight -- my mother and I ran away from home. We left my father at the beginning of the summer (I remember it was the last day of second grade) and when we came home around the end of June, my dad had moved out -- I later learned Mom had served him with divorce papers while we were away. We stayed at many different friends and families' homes during our time away, including on the couch in the office of Vic's gift shop. Not long after that, my mother began dating one of Vic's sons.

Thus began a more than ten-year period in which the Miller family was my second family, and "the Vic" was my second grandmother. She was a true bon vivant, she loved good food, good wine, good scotch, and most of all, her good friends and family. She really loved life for all of her 90 years. She had the wonderful gift of being truly interested and invested in whomever she might encounter, and looking back, I have become acutely aware of what she and her family meant to me. So Au Revoir, Victoria. Clink a glass of good wine for me on that deck in heaven. I'll put a picture of Vic on the side of the blog. Long may she wave!

And let us not forget the one and only original Goose Island Clybourn

2010-02-04T21:44:00.000-08:00

I am so excited about REVOLUTION BREWING. I mean, who isn't, in the beer community here in Chicago? But in all the excitement, leave us not forget our old dear friend GOOSE ISLAND CLYBOURN. I stopped by there today in hopes of seeing some old friends and maybe getting an audience with Nate, who is in charge of choosing guest draughts. And since I was there anyway, what the heck, I figured I should sample a couple of Wil's fresh brews.

I love having brewpubs nearby with super-talented, awesome brewers producing some of the best beer made anywhere. In the course of this past week, I was reminded at both REVOLUTION and GOOSE that there really is nothing more delicious than fresh, fresh beer. I had a little sample (really, just a little) of Lincoln Park Lager -- brand new today, as fresh as can be, 5.6% Vienna-style lager. And a small taste of Cheffe Berry Stout, from the Chef Collaboration Series. This one is a stout brewed with Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee and blended with berries for a lovely, smooth, coffee-licious but surprisingly bright and not heavy 7% stout.

So, I know the lines at REVOLUTION will be long and punishing this weekend, but go on! Take the time, you know you want to! And after you've had a pint or two and a bit of food, go on over to GOOSE ISLAND . . . try one of their new beers. Or try an old favorite. Drink local.

2010-02-03T18:14:00.001-08:00

Hmmmmm, I wonder if my Beer Advocate subscription has expired?

I SAY I WANT A REVOLUTION! I WANT IT NOW!

2010-02-02T20:40:00.000-08:00

Yeah, I'm cool. Want to know how cool I am? I got invited to a pre-opening party for Revolution Brewing!! I know. Super cool.

Jim Cibak, the brewmaster, and I met several years ago at the Goose Island Beer Academy at the Clybourn pub. We bonded over our shared love of I.P.A.'s. He was working for Three Floyds at the time, and just the nicest guy. And an awesome brewer!! After a stint in Cali brewing at Firestone-Walker, among others, he was lured back here to work his beery magic at his own pub! And all of Chicago is the better for it.

ooo, the bar is beautiful!! Can't wait to spend many hours there! The hope is, the Rev will get their actual liquor license tomorrow, Wednesday the 3rd, and I am hoping to be enjoying a beer with some bacon popcorn by Thursday. Tonight I enjoyed a Workingman Mild, which is described as a lunchtime beer (hello???? FANTASTIC IDEA!!!) at only 3.5 % ABV but full of flavor. Dark malts, caramel and toffee notes with just enough hop backbone, yeah, this is a real beer but I could still sit and drink three or four and not be slurry.

Visit their website at www.revbrew.com, and get down there as soon as you can.

Also, if you happen to see Randy Jackson, could you please tell him there IS NO MILLION PERCENT? As in "a million percent yes"? That the very definition of PERCENT is PART OF A HUNDRED? Drives me crazy. Thanks for letting me vent.

The DAY IS NIGH

2010-02-01T18:47:00.000-08:00

Okay, it's a little early, but can I please be excited about DARK LORD DAY??? I am, already. It's sad.

DARK LORD DAY IS APRIL 24th!! SATURDAY!! Clear your calendar, book your room at the local Marriott (there's one right there by the hospital), or get your buddies together and book a limo. It's worth it!! Give yourself up to the Dark Lord. Have no responsibilities to hold you back. But remember, it's a marathon, not a sprint. Stay hydrated. Eat a good breakfast. Maybe bring some snacks in case the lines are too long. But seriously, don't drive if you can help it. You'll thank me after you've been drinking 10% beers for five or six hours straight.

If you have homebrew -- well, I should qualify that by saying, homebrew that you are willing to share -- bring plenty! If you have beer from your part of the world that is not available in the Chicago area -- bring as much as you can carry! There will be beers to trade! There will be other people with beers you want to try!

You all know of what I speak, yes? Of course you do. DARK LORD DAY is Three Floyds' annual release party of their multiple-award-winning Russian Imperial Stout. To beer geeks such as myself, it is nothing less than an annual pilgrimage. A sort of Woodstock celebration of some of the best beers in the world. By the by, THREE FLOYDS was just chosen by Ratebeer.com as the world's best brewery. We'll be celebrating that, too!

Watch this space for more details as they come to light, and more survival tips for the Day. To learn more, visit www.darklordday.com.

DRAGON'S MILK

2010-01-31T09:48:00.000-08:00

I love, LOVE New Holland Dragon's Milk. Had a lovely evening with friends last night, played some board games and some Wii, watched Saturday Night Live, and drank a Dragon's Milk. It's the perfect beer for a relaxing winter night. It's dark, complex, somewhat sweet and slightly boozy, all qualities I look for in my beer and my friends.

Today I am going to work on my preparations for my upcoming Belgian beer class. Got the Michael Jackson Great Beers of Belgium 6th edition, got my Randy Mosher Tasting Beer, got my Global Beer DVD, had a hearty breakfast . . . Happy Sunday to one and all!!

Oh my God, I am the world's crappiest blogger

2009-11-19T19:38:00.000-08:00

Does it mean I'm drunk when it takes me three tries to type "crappiest" in the title line? I went to IN FINE SPIRITS tonight. I love to go to HOPLEAF and IN FINE SPIRITS. Why? I can park my car and stagger home and have not a worry in the world. I hung out tonight with Doug and Tracy -- mostly with Doug, Tracy was working the room, but Doug was pouring samples and loves to talk about beer, so I bellied up to the bar and had plenty of their delicious GENERATOR DOPPLEBOCK. Sorry, we have no label art for this product yet, because it is currently draught only!! And it is delish. So often, you get a dopplebock, it is delicious but pretty heavy, malty, probably a drink-one-at-home beer. This dopplebock is malty but REALLY well balanced, not too heavy, easy to drink, but at 8 point something percent ABV . . . well, it sneaks up on you.

Oh, yeah, I am the world's crappiest blogger because I only blog when I feel like it. Sometimes that's only once a month. I am done feeling bad about it. So it is written. So it will be done.

Those aren't real innards on GREY'S ANATOMY.

Anyway, left IN FINE SPIRITS, went home, got some CALO fresh tomato and fresh garlic pizza, and am now enjoying some other fine beers. Yeah. OH!! my mother sounds much better!! I am trying not to be overly optimistic, but overly optimistic is where I live. She sounds good. Go Sandy.

I love Lost Abbey

2009-10-22T21:25:00.000-07:00

I don't always wax poetic about a beer I don't sell, but I LOVE LOST ABBEY BEERS. Went to Hopleaf tonight, always a good idea, and discovered they have Lost Abbey Angel's Share on draft. Angel's Share is a strong ale aged in oak barrels which previously contained whiskey or brandy. The Angel's Share refers to the evaporation of spirits from those barrels -- each time a barrel is filled, some liquid seeps into the oak and is forever lost. Meanwhile, the oak imparts caramel, brandy and vanilla flavors to the beer. The beer rests quietly for a year in the oak barrels before it is ready for release. It is 12.5 % ABV of deliciousness. I am telling you, have a little snifter of Angel's Share. You don't need much. Sniff it. Spend some time with it. I enjoyed an 8-ounce snifter over a period of about 2 hours. I sipped, I sniffed, I sipped again. Get some while you can. Angel's Share is a warm, snug blanket from the heavens for you to enjoy.

GREEN GROCER TASTING, TUESDAY OCTOBER 20

2009-10-19T20:44:00.000-07:00

Got a tasting going on tomorrow, Tuesday, October 20 at Green Grocer Chicago, 1402 West Grand Ave. at Noble. We're gonna taste out some New Holland brews. Have you been there? You should go. Tons of organic, local, sustainable food and plenty of excellent local beers. You can get sandwiches, cheese, produce, cereal, cleaning stuff . . . and it is independently owned and operated by Cassie Green, voted Chicago Magazine's top Green (no pun intended) Entrepreneur of 2008. And a really nice lady.

What good is sitting alone in your room?

2009-10-13T20:20:00.001-07:00

When you could come to BRASSERIE JO tomorrow night, Wednesday, October 14th. METROMIX is hosting a Beer Gala from 6 - 8 pm!! LOADS of great breweries are bringing some of their best brews! Come out to Brasserie Jo, come hear the music play. Life is NOT a cabaret, and stop calling me chum.

Movin' and Shakin', mostly Shakin'

2009-10-09T20:37:00.000-07:00

Good things are happening in Chicago Beer Land!! Just set up the Chicago Beer Girl fan page on Facebook, and already have 38 "fans" (sure, it doesn't sound like much to you, but come on, in just eight hours???? Not bad!!). Also, went down the street to In Fine Spirits and had some Three Floyds Broo Doo on cask. This is how time flies. I remember blogging about this beer last year when it came out. This is their harvest, wet-hopped ale. Since we had hop vines growing outside our offices this year, I got to smell and squish some wet hops myself. Yummy!!! Also, if you can, get out and get a bottle of New Holland Charkoota Rye before it's gone! It is an utterly delicious smoked rye dopplebock, so go buy some and get some bacon and maybe some smoked gouda and some dark chocolate. It's all you need!!

BIRTHDAY PRESENTS!!!

2009-08-31T18:01:00.001-07:00

Goodness, I certainly did have a wonderful birthday!! I got lovely beers from friends AND the awesome Wrigley Field original silkscreens pictured below from Spels. They are created by a process of collaging original designs onto canvas and are hand-created for each customer by Stephen Fowler. He has lots of Chicago images, animals, all really cool stuff. Check out more handmade art from geministudioart.com.

As usual, I stretched my birthday celebration out for the whole week, beginning with the New Holland dinner at The Publican, continuing with dinner at The Hopleaf on my actual birthday. And, sometime in the next week or so, we will go to dinner in Indiana with my parents.

I know. I'm 44. I shouldn't insist on such a birthday fuss. But I love it!!

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT PART 2

2009-08-25T19:44:00.000-07:00

Thursday is my birthday. Thank you for my present, Brad Fuller.

Malty lager, white lager, hoppy lager. . .

2009-08-25T19:33:00.000-07:00

Do you know what I love about my job? Well, plenty, but right now, I am thinking specifically of how much I am learning every day about tastes and smells. For example, the Coney Island line of lagers . . . Today, I was at Twisted Spoke, talking to Shawn about Carny Friday, the Friday promotion in which they are offering the Coney Island beers on special. He asked me what kind of lager the Albino Python was. I explained that that one is a white lager, very unusual, spicy and somewhat yeasty, which is weird for a lager, with lots of coriander and orange peel -- much more complex than, oh, say, the "great American lager". Then I described the Sword Swallower -- which I have talked about in this blog before. I love it! It is a full-bodied lager with an intense hoppiness in the finish. And, not least, the Coney Island Lager, which is a nice malty, caramelly example of the style, balanced nicely with just enough hop. Smooth, definitely malt-forward. And I was proud and happy, because I knew that all three of these beers were lagers, all three were different, and I knew exactly why they were different.

I know. It's the little things.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

2009-08-24T19:56:00.000-07:00

Thursday is my birthday.

I Heart The Publican

2009-08-24T19:12:00.000-07:00

Last night was the New Holland Brewer's Dinner at The Publican. I mean, really. Is it strange to be in love with a restaurant? I mean, of course my family and my beloved cats take precedence over my relatively new love affair, but if you have the opportunity to visit The Publican, you'll get what I mean. The dinner was just lovely. Four courses perfectly paired with New Holland beers. There was even one beer that was handcrafted a couple of months ago at the New Holland brewery that was a collaboration between the fine brewers at NH (John and Jeff and company) and Chef Paul Kahan and Director of Beer, Michael McAvena. Courses ranged from heirloom tomatoes with charred burrata (which is a delicious cheese, who knew!) This was paired with Golden Cap Saison style ale, about which I have waxed poetic many times in this blogosphere. Second course was sand dabs with sweetbreads, artichokes, and corn. We were a little iffy about the sweetbreads, as my family and myself are basically Indiana folk who tend to shy away from intestines and such, but they were absolutely delicious. We all had sweetbread seconds. This was paired with the biere de garde collaboration brew -- so good. I might have to go have another one tomorrow evening! Next, prosciutto, the best I have ever tasted, paired with Charkoota Rye, the NH brew made partially with smoked malt and rye. I am developing a taste for smoked malt beers, I must confess. And for my money, there's nothing better with ham, bacon, or other piggy deliciousness. Next beer was Blue Sunday. All I will say about this beer is I want a bottle for my birthday. It is a fantastic oak-aged sour ale. We lapped this up with the main course, confit suckling pig. We finished up with Pilgrim's Dole wheatwine and ricotta ice cream served with almond financier, which is not a banking professional but is in fact sort of a dense pound cake type of thing.

OHHH it was so good! We had such a good time! Such good food and beer! And my new dear love not only has amazing food and beer, which certainly is enough, but there is lovely hand soap at the big handwashing station located OUTSIDE the water closets! Unbelievable, but true. I am so happy to have The Publican as an account. I can't move in, but you can bet I will be there as OFTEN as I can.

New Glarus Spotted Cow

2009-08-19T17:58:00.000-07:00

I had New Glarus Spotted Cow on Sunday. Also Crack'd Wheat. Jealous?

Just a quiet night with a Golden Cap and a Bad Cat

2009-08-11T20:19:00.000-07:00

That's right, I'm drinking a New Holland Golden Cap Saison.

It's only available for a couple more months now, and it is light and refreshing and delicious and complex all at the same time. My artsy photo of it was not especially successful. The artsy photo of the cat in the sunshine came out better. And the ad for CartoonTown? I was just having a little nostalgia moment.

Today, I could use some shelter . . . so I'm having a Shelter Pale Ale

2009-08-10T20:59:00.000-07:00

Tonight, we went to Indiana for my stepdad Bill's retirement party. He is retiring from BP (formerly Amoco) oil refinery after 25-ish years of work. BP stands for British Petroleum, and coincidentally it also stands for my stepdad, whose name is Bill Piechota. And now BP and BP are parting ways. Bill is retiring a bit early due to some convoluted money thing where he will get more money now than if he retired two years from now, and also to take care of my mother. My mother has congestive heart failure and is retaining fluid like nobody's business. And she seems to have a bunch of other issues, mostly heart related. She went into cardiac arrest five or six years ago, and then four years ago she was diagnosed with and battled breast cancer. It's a bad combination -- turns out chemotherapy is extremely cardiotoxic. She got through the cancer, but she has had a rough road ever since.

My mother's and my relationship has always had its ups and downs, probably like most women's relationships with their (opinionated, controlling, stubborn) mother. I have to say, though, that it is really hard to see her this way -- frail, barely able to walk, confused -- she can't even remember recipes! Not at all the big strong German woman who used to insist that we rearrange furniture in the middle of the night. It's really, really weird and harder than I thought, and probably harder than I think, as I am busy even now tamping down the feelings with alcohol.

I chose a Shelter Pale Ale from Dogfish Head, because I couldn't wait to get back tonight to the SHELTER of my home and hearth. Well, we don't really have a hearth. But we will someday. Shelter Pale Ale has not been available in Illinois for a few years -- it is their pretty-straightforward-but-delicious-and-well-executed American Pale, brewed with Delaware barley and hopped with Willamette and Columbus. These hops have a much less astringent, much milder quality than the familiar citrusy Cascade hop. This is a fairly malty pale ale, nicely balanced with just a touch of hop bitterness.

I should have gone out and gotten my mom some Scotch tonight. After the day she had today, she really wanted a drink. So I am thinking of her tonight as I drink my beer, and hope she can get some sleep.

Julie & Julia, and a Saturday without plans

2009-08-08T21:49:00.000-07:00

Last night, we went to Brasserie Jo, a local French bistro which is part of the considerable Lettuce Entertain You group of restaurants, after which we went to see JULIE AND JULIA, the film based on the book and blog of the same name, and Julia Child's autobiography. Of course, I forgot to take pictures of the food and beer. But it was a lovely evening, and the movie was really good! Meryl Streep!! I love her!! Go see it. It is a great movie for those of us who like food-related semi-nonfiction films. At Brasserie Jo, I had some kind of chicken dish off the special Julia Child menu called Poulet a le Diable, or something like that. It was a boneless butterflied chicken breast with lemon and herbs and breadcrumbs and was delicious! And we had some onion tart and beer croquettes, which were like light little beer cheese fried balls. They were great, like French bar food, I wanted a bucket of them to bring home.

The movie was really entertaining. Meryl Streep seems to be having such a good time. Amy Adams is not really like what I think the woman who wrote the blog and book is probably like, but she is cute and perky and you can't help but like her. I am almost finished with the book. After which I am going to read Ellen Burstyn's memoir (which I got at the sidewalk sale last week, if you will recall) and then I think I will read the Julia Child autobiography. Julia Child is a new heroine of mine, as I did not realize she did not discover her talent and passion for food and cooking until she was about the age I am now, and she was one of those people who saw the good in everybody and the best in any situation. I try to do that, but am not always successful. Oh -- BEER! I almost forgot to blog about beer! Last night, I drank a Domaine Du Page French Country Ale, brewed by the Two Brothers brewery out of local Noblesville, Illinois. I probably would have opted for a Belgian beer that I sell, except for the fact that it always seems silly to pay $12.00 for a Chimay Cinq Cents at a restaurant when I have one in my fridge. And the Domaine Du Page is a nice malty food beer. It went well with the chicken, but it went REALLY well with the fancy French fried cheese balls.

Tonight, I am enjoying the afterglow of a Saturday with nothing in particular to do. Had breakfast, tried unsuccessfully to buy Cubs tickets for next week, got Dairy Queen, watched a little of FINDING NEMO, watched the Cubs win (yeah!), and now am watching Mel Brooks' HISTORY OF THE WORLD PART 1. There is not a lot better than a Saturday with nothing to do. Now, I am drinking a GREAT LAKES GLOCKENSPIEL, which is a dunkel weizenbock style. What does this mean? It is a German-style dark wheat beer (so, a wheat beer brewed with dark roasty malts which produces a light in body, somewhat sweet and caramelly but has the banana and clove notes of a great German wheat beer) The most popular beer I know if this style is the Schneider AVENTINUS. It is a great strong (8%) dark but light in body and flavor, beer for the summertime. When I was a little child, one of my favorite books was entitled GORDON AND HIS GLOCKENSPIEL, so I was familiar with the term. The word is the German for "bells ringing". Gordon's Glockenspiel was one of those xylophone-looking things that marching band percussion sections have. This beer was named for a big cuckoo-clock type chimes and figurines thing in Munich.

What the hell? Why does AMC have so many male-enhancement drug commericals?

Really, go see the movie. And read the book. And eat the food.

A beautiful beer with which to end the week, and a shout-out to my buddies

2009-08-06T20:44:00.000-07:00

Tonight, many of my beer colleagues are on their way to the lovely burg of Madison, Wisconsin for the Great Taste of the Midwest. I wish I could be there, but 'twas not to be, not this year. While I am holding down the Chicago fort, I send much love, luck and much fantastic tasting to my friends at Three Floyds, Great Lakes, Founders, Arcadia, New Holland, and all the other breweries taking part. Since my favorite local beers are on my mind, I decided to celebrate the weekend with one of them -- DRAGON'S MILK, from New Holland. It's a barrel-aged stout, aged in Buffalo Trace Bourbon barrels. It is lovely from smell to swallow, with lots of vanilla in the nose, oaky and caramelly with a creamy ivory head. At 10% ABV and softly sweet, it is the sort of beer you want to enjoy in your favorite leather chair with your feet up, maybe some interesting creamy cheeses or a dark chocolate chewy brownie, and some reality television such as TOP CHEF. Thanks and congratulations to John, Fred, Phil, Isaac and all my friends at New Holland. I'm hoping to get there for Pork-a-palooza!

Tomorrow, I am having dinner with my friends at Brasserie Jo, the Lettuce Entertain You French brasserie, after which we are seeing JULIE & JULIA. I am newly inspired by Julia Child -- I am reading the book upon which the film is based , and I had no idea she was such a joyful free spirit, and did not start learning to cook until almost my age! So, since I am in a congratulatory mood, congrats to Meryl Streep and Amy Adams -- loved them in DOUBT, looking forward to seeing them in this film. Will blog tomorrow about French food and beer! Au Revoir!

IF you live in Chicago -- GET TICKETS TO SPRING AWAKENINGS!

2009-08-05T22:50:00.000-07:00

Tonight, we went to see Spring Awakenings, which is a Broadway musical here on tour. For those who have not heard of it, it won a Tony award, I forget which one. It is a play from the late 1800's which has been adapted and added songs by Duncan Sheik, of "Barely Breathing" fame. The play was banned in the 1800's because it deals with topics like teen sex, S&M, homosexuality -- stuff that is no big deal nowadays when you see it on cable, and even network TV, sometimes, but just wasn't talked about back then. The music is great -- Sheik uses modern-day language in most of the songs, although some of them sound like the lyrics may have been adapted from the original script. The most popular song from the show is the production number, "Totally Fucked". Very catchy. Anyway, I really liked it -- very simple set, not much in the way of costumes, very intelligent staging, and I think the music is original and smart and could listen to it over and over in the car, which is my measure of how good something is. If you can get tickets, get them, go see it.

After we saw the show, we went to popular Chicago theater restaurant Petterino's. I had a Delirium Tremens, a Belgian golden ale which, as all their PR stuff says, has been rated the best beer in the world. And it is good. It is not my FAVORITE Belgian golden or Triple style by any means -- it is pretty sticky sweet, not too much hops -- but it is super popular, in my opinion because of the pink elephant on the label and the painted white bottle. And, it is 8.5% ABV so it is a time-saving beverage!

It was great to sit around after a show talking theater with theater people, little bit of beer talk, spent some nice casual time with people I love but don't see that often. Made me feel like I was in college again, only I did not have to use a fake ID to get a beer.

I'm in the mood for something old and fruity!

2009-08-04T21:44:00.000-07:00

I'm having an ECHT KRIEKENBIER from the lovely small family brewery of Verhaeghe. For the most part, this little brewery supplies oud bruin and pilsners to the locals in Vichte, Belgium. They do a variety of oud bruins and flemish sour ales. Echt Kriekenbier is a West-Flemish red-brown ale matured in oak casks, with 150g of cherries added. Cherries add some sweetness to the beer--oud bruins are traditionally pretty sour. I love them, but this is a beer for a palate that has been around the block, beer-wise, a few times. I wouldn't give this to someone you were trying to convert to better beer from, say, Coors Light. It is light in body, mildly effervescent, tart and sour like a dark-cherry extremely complex jolly rancher, and a beautiful dark cherry red color. I actually have cherries in my fridge right now that are the same color. Served cold, it's really refreshing, and now that warm summer weather is finally here, why not ditch the lemony American wheat beers for a day or two and go sour?

Every once in a GREAT while . . . I drink beer that I don't sell.

2009-08-02T19:08:00.000-07:00

It's a lazy Sunday. I am so excited to finally have had a lazy Sunday!! Seems like it's been weeks since we had a day with nothing we had to do. So, we had a little breakfast at SVEA -- I had a Swedish Tease, which is two eggs, bacon, and a Swedish pancake. I have to have toast with my over-easy eggs and bacon, so I get toast, too. They don't have a liquor license so no breakfast stout with this meal. ANYWAY . . . then Andersonville had a sidewalk sale!! We got a whole bag of books INCLUDING two books I was planning to buy anyway for only $14.00! Among the treasures: Don't Know Much About the Bible and Ellen Burstyn's memoir. Then, we rummaged through the $1.00 bin of organic bamboo clothing at Skinstinct and got a few things.

And now it's Sunday night . . . and I am having two beers. Both of these I obtained through the magic of the beer-sales trade, as in I traded samples with a couple of salespeople from other companies. It's the most cost-effective way to try stuff! First beer: HARPOON SUMMER BEER. Harpoon has been around since the late 80's, out of Boston and Vermont. And I say of all their beers I have tried: Not bad. I'll drink 'em. They have an year-round IPA and some seasonal offerings. I've had their holiday beer, and I'll drink their IPA if I'm somewhere where they don't sell beer that I sell. And I think they are all -- oooh, I hate to use this word -- very drinkable!! They are not super-complex, the summer beer tastes like light wheat and lemon zest, I sucked it down pretty quickly -- it was good! As I remember, the holiday beer tastes like cinnamon sugar, but I'll taste it again this year and let you know. Second Beer: LUCKY KAT by Magic Hat Brewery. Okay. I like this too. Yes, I have regrettably disparaged the Magic Hat beers on my blog before, but the Cheshire Cat is on the label and the liquid is not half bad. So if you are at a gathering and there is a brightly colored 12-pack of Magic Hat beer -- this is the one I'd reach for.

So proud of my SUESSICAL THE MUSICAL friends

2009-08-01T21:08:00.000-07:00

It's a veritable art gallery! Today, I saw two performances of SUESSICAL JR. at the Towle Theater in Hammond. It is a broadway musical condensed and simpified so that younger perfomers can learn it and put it up in a relatively short time. As in, this group had 45 hours. Three weeks, three hours a weekday, to put up an hour and ten minute musical. And, my apologies to all involved with other shows I've seen this year, this was my favorite. The kids ranged in age from seven to 15 years old, and the talent was really remarkable. And, yeah, I am a longtime Dr. Suess aficionado. Just a lovely, sweet show. Entertaining, touching and only seventy minutes? Everything you could want in a Broadway-type musical. Seriously.

I have recently agreed to direct the non-musical show KISSING at the Towle in the Spring of 2010. (2010. Huh.) It will be my goal to keep KISSING under an hour and 20, but we'll have intermission.

So, after a Dr. Suess musical, I reached for a whimsical animal-themed label in my fridge. Three Floyds again -- what can I say? APOCALYPSE COW is a double IPA with an intense citrus character and a malty sweetness augmented with a creaminess provided by the addition of lactose malt sugar. So good! So hoppy, yet so smooth! But it's gone for the season now, so I am afraid you are out of luck if you haven't gotten your hands on one yet. As the immortal Theodore Geisel said, From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere!

Welcome to the Beer Summit. What would you like?

2009-07-30T21:06:00.001-07:00

I know. I am constantly blogging about New Holland, Great Lakes, and Three Floyds. What can I say? They are my big three breweries -- my no-fail, go-to beers that are always in my crisper (that's where the beer lives in our refrigerator). Three Floyds current seasonal release, Gorsh Fock, is a Helles Lager. Very well balanced, nice malt sweetness with just the slightest bitterness in the finish -- this is far and away the most traditional beer these guys make. This is really classic American Craft Beer stuff -- taking a very classic German style and recreating it. Lovely.

Tonight I enjoyed a Trappist beer, Rochefort 6. The Abbaye Notre-Dame de Saint-Remy monks make three different beers; the 6, the 8, and the 10. The monks spend most of their time in meditation, reflection, and prayer -- brewing beer is not their priority. But, all Trappist orders believe strongly in work as a sacrament. And ALL the Rochefort beer is made within the walls of the Abbey, by the company of 14 monks ranging in age from 35 to 82 years. The beer is brown and malty, with a thick effervescent head and some acidity. I got some licorice and plum out of it, maybe even a little prune. All their beers are worth trying! 6 is the lowest in alcohol of the three beers they make, this one is about 7.5%.

Must go now! Watching Top Chef Masters.

SYTYCD

2009-07-29T19:31:00.000-07:00

It's Melissa and Evan!! I love Evan. Although Brandon will probably beat him.

2009-07-29T19:28:00.000-07:00

Hmmmm. Where's my photos? There.

Did you know? I love beer

2009-07-29T19:01:00.000-07:00

What am I drinking tonight? Great Lakes Grassroots Saison. It tastes like an asparagus lambic, if that makes sense to you. Strangely enough, I do NOT like asparagus. As in, I won't order food if it comes with asparagus. But I like this beer. Also, for your viewing pleasure, my artsy photo gallery/love letter to Imperial Mad Hatter from New Holland! Yes! I love it! As a beergirl who an honestly say her all-time favorite beer is DREADNAUGHT from Three Floyds, which is a super-hoppy Imperial IPA -- The Imperial Hatter is equally hoppy and delicious, with more port-like qualities like the Dogfish 120. I know hops aren't in vogue as much as they once were, but I LOVE THEM!!

In reality TV:

Melissa is all about the pointe, isn't she? Oh, by the way, aren't we all happy for Jillian and Ed??? I am so happy for them. He's a Cubs fan, dontcha know. Yeah!! Go Cubs!! 12-0 today!!

I did a staff tasting/training with the super deluxe team at the ELYSIAN HOTEL today. Andreas and his team love beer. Even the ones who thought beer was fizzy yellow water -- I showed them the light. This hotel is AMAZING -- can't wait for it to open. If you need me on any given Thursday after 5 pm, I'll be in their lounge.

Where've I been?

2009-06-17T19:26:00.000-07:00

Well, I have been singularly unambitious in figuring out how to upload my Dark Lord Day videos to YouTube and then to here. Part laziness, part exhaustion, part reality-TV. But, you see, the videos have to be uploaded to the PC, not the MAC, which will take forever unless I get the PC hard drive cleaned out first. All these obstacles, when I should just be blogging happily about beer. I have been laying low. Lately, as you know, I have been loving New Holland Brewery. This week, we received their IMPERIAL Mad Hatter (not the one pictured here, but I love the regular Hatter and I had some in the house). The Imperial is dry hopped with Cascade, if I'm not mistaken. I had the great pleasure of riding with Fred Bueltmann from the brewery a couple of weeks ago, and I quizzed him endlessly about this beer. I'll be at LUSH at 2232 WEST ROSCOE tomorrow night. I'll buy a bottle, then we'll talk. Also, Twisted Spoke will have Oak-Aged Hatter on tap. Edgewater Lounge, here in my hood, will have BOTH the Oak-Aged and the Imperial on tap. So I'll be eating a meal there sometime in the next few days.

And yes, I am watching The Bachelorette. I hate Wes. I am rooting for Jake, but she doesn't love him, you can tell. What this summer needs is a classic reality show like BATTLE OF THE NETWORK STARS.

This week is all about PENNY SERENADE . . . oh, and Juliet

2009-05-16T00:37:00.000-07:00

This week and last week are all about PENNY SERENADE. It is a lovely musical comedy/melodrama adaptation of a movie featuring Cary Grant and Irene Dunn, performing this week and last week at the Towle Theater on Hohman Avenue in Hammond, Indiana. I'm doing lights for the production, which means I've been out there almost every night the past two weeks. I haven't had lots of computer time. Tonight, though, I cracked open my bottle of JULIET, the belgian style ale fermented with blackberries from Goose Island Brewing right here in Chicago. I bought my bottle the day it came out, which is good because now it's not available.

It's very tasty. Sour and slightly fruity. Very much like a good American adaptation of a Ichtegem or a Liefman's Flemish ale, with blackberries. The fruit is so understated, it's almost gueze-like. NICE. So I drank that and watched the very satisfying season finale of GREY'S ANATOMY.

Yes, I'm still going to upload my Dark Lord Day videos. Stop nagging me. I've been very busy.

I would say you should all come see PENNY SERENADE this weekend, but the remaining performances are sold out! NEXT WEEK, MONDAY, JILLIAN IS THE BACHELORETTE!!!!! YEAH!!

an excellent week indeed

2009-05-01T21:09:00.000-07:00

The Cubs won today!! YEAH!!!! Finally.
Soon there will be video of DARK LORD DAY on this page!! But I'm too tired to do it tonight. Since I posted last: Tasting at Puerto Rico Food and Liquor on Thursday 4/23, DARK LORD DAY on Saturday the 25th, Tasting at DiCarlo Armanetti on Grand and Western on Sunday the 26th, The LOUIS GLUNZ BEER GLOBAL BEER EXPO on Monday, April 27, Tasting at Green Grocer on Grand Ave. on Tuesday the 28th, followed by the GREAT LAKES GRASSROOTS kickoff party at UnderBar (I'll blog about Grassroots soon, mmmmmm, spicy and herby), on Wednesday the 29th, the Harry Potter -- the exhibition preview party at the Museum of Science and Industry. AWESOME!!! Yeah! They had Froot Loop rice krispie treats!!! Oh, and then my mother went in the hospital. She is better. BUT that's where I was on Thursday night the 30th, at the hospital with my mother. My mother is the queen of hyperbole. Examples: "these wristbands are as sharp as razors" and "these sheets are so scratchy, I might as well be lying on a brillo pad". . . yeah. that's how Thursday night was. I guess she's doing better. The right side of her heart is not good. Anyway, tonight, Friday, I had a tasting at Tabb's convenience store on Chicago Ave. Now, sorry, I'm going to fall asleep on the couch watching the stuff on the DVR (Grey's, Private Practice, Survivor, maybe the Oprah with Hugh Jackman) because tomorrow I am going to be pouring beer at my friend Brian Mayer's event at Durty Nellie's in Palatine. And you know what? I love it. I love every minute of it. I am the luckiest girl in the world, I really am. G'night.

Old Heathen? Who's an Old Heathen?

2009-04-21T20:36:00.001-07:00

I'm not so old!! But I drank one a couple of days ago! It's a lovely stout from the Weyerbacher Brewery in Easton, Pennsylvania. Brewed with seven malts and two hops, it is a nicely carbonated, chocolate-and-espresso on the palate, 8% ABV but easy to drink stout that isn't sold in Chicago!

What else is going on? I taught a really nice Beer 101 class last Thursday at Perman Wines on Washington Street at Halsted. Craig Perman provided some excellent cheeses to pair with the beers and even opened up a Three Floyds 2008 DARK LORD to top off the class. Speaking of Dark Lord -- DARK LORD DAY IS THIS SATURDAY, the 25th! I hope to see all my buddies there! It's a busy weekend. This Thursday, I'm doing a little tasting at Puerto Rico Food and Liquor on Augusta, then Dark Lord Day on Saturday, then a semi-Grand tasting at the DiCarlo Armanetti store on Grand and Western on Sunday beginning at 6:30, then the GLUNZ BEER EXPO on Monday! If I'm still standing, I'm doing a tasting on TUESDAY the 28th at Green Grocer on Grand Ave. So, yeah, I'll get on here and tell everybody how things went. I will also be trying out UPLOADING VIDEO to this blog after Dark Lord Day, because Johnny and I will be working there all day and I'm gonna take some home movies. By the way -- GO CUBS!!

Summon the flying monkeys!!

2009-04-10T19:45:00.000-07:00

Some of you know I went to NEW HOLLAND BREWERY, in Holland, Michigan, on a work field trip last Friday. In fact, just last week at this time, I was singing, unfortunately loudly, on a bus with my co-workers along with two banjos, everything from "Over the Rainbow" to my semi-famous rendition of "Gilligan's Island" to the tune of "Stairway to Heaven". It is not so good, but it is very loud. Oh, I tell you, we had a wonderful time. Fred Bueltmann really took care of us. He is a real quality guy and I love his brewery and brewpub. In fact, on my top five list of favorite beers of the year so far is the New Holland Golden Cap Saison. I drank a lot of it last Friday. I mean, A LOT. You can get the original, slightly spicier formula at LUSH WINE AND SPIRITS at 1257 South Halsted in 22 ounce bottles or you can get the new, slightly smoother formula in six packs in most of your better liquor stores. It promises to be the new HOT beer for the hot months! Here's some photos of my most excellent trip to Michigan and my favorite beer of this week.

Beer and Whiskey go together like pork and barbecue

2009-04-08T18:23:00.000-07:00

The lovely beverages pictured above are Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout -- in the small goblet, and Sprecher's Triple X Root Beer, in the tasting glass. On Tuesday, March 31st, we attended the Whiskeyfest kick-off party at Twisted Spoke on Grand and Ogden, home of the motorcycle-riding skeleton. It was a celebration of all beers aged in whiskey barrels, including New Holland Dragon's Milk (ultra-delicious), Founders Kentucky Breakfast stout (their breakfast stout aged in Kentucky Bourbon barrels, but don't tell the state of Kentucky because legally they have to call the beer KBS because they can't use the name Kentucky), AND the not-usually-available Sprecher's Triple X root beer. This fantastic brew is Sprecher's original root beer that they aged in bourbon barrels. Just the aging imparts a 4-5% ABV. So good! There also was one of the few Pop Skull BBL's on tap. Twisted Spoke has TONS of delicious beers, and BBQ pork nachos.

Holy crap, a week passes quickly these days

2009-03-30T19:19:00.000-07:00

Wow! It has been over a week since I blogged! No excuses this time. There's been plenty of exciting things going on in my beery life. For anyone curious, the brunch went very nicely. I made tasty beer-inis with cherry and/or pear lambic and prosecco that was on sale at Whole Foods, Auntie Suzie's egg bake did not disappoint, everyone had a lovely time, at least as far as I could tell. Last Wednesday, I had a Sally-cleaned-the-beer-out-from-under-her-car-seats beer tasting at Lush on Roscoe, and last Thursday I co-hosted a lovely beer dinner at Flo restaurant on Chicago Ave. And FRIDAY night -- I had the distinct pleasure of meeting author Lucy Saunders and Julie Johnson, editor-in-chief of All About Beer magazine. Delilah's hosted a book release party for BEER HUNTER, WHISKEY CHASER, a compilation of essays about the late great Michael Jackson. I also, FINALLY, was able to taste Pop Skull. Darn good.

Then on Saturday, we attended a lovely birthday party. We were able to sample this year's RABID RABBIT -- the spring saison beer from Three Floyds. You know, the palate is a strange organ. Just about a year ago, I probably wouldn't really have cared for this beer -- but now, oh, now I LOVE IT!! It is spicy and effervescent with chamomile and hints of coriander and caraway seed. It came out last week, you should go buy a bottle or two before it's gone. Also, don't forget about DARK LORD DAY, coming up on April 25th. Even if you didn't get a golden ticket online to buy the beer, you can still come to the brewery, listen to music, drink vanilla-bean aged Dark Lord and TONS of other fantastic guest beers from all over the country! Johnny and I will be there, we'll be helping sell beer.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, March 31st, I will be at the Whiskey Fest Pre-game kick-off party at Twisted Spoke. We'll be tapping the keg of Founder's Kentucky Breakfast Stout, we'll have a sixtel of Pop Skull, and many other beers you can't taste anywhere else in the city.

Farewell Old Friend, My Seigneuriale, my old friend

2009-03-21T22:47:00.000-07:00

It's sad when a brewery decides they will no longer brew a delicious beer. I love Unibroue, it is by far one of my favorite breweries and they make awesome beers. It is situated just outside Montreal in a city called Chambly. They were the first brewery in North American to brew beer with Belgian yeast, using traditions developed by the Trappist monks. They continue to brew flavorful, bottle-conditioned beers which change and develop over time. Anyway, most of their portfolio will continue on -- the lovely La Fin Du Monde, the mighty Maudite, the delicious Don de Dieu, the list goes on and on -- but we have recently received word that production will cease on the sensational Seigneuriale, one of my personal favorites. Seigneuriale is a strong amber ale, it has more hop presence than their other beers, but still not too hoppy. It is 7.5% ABV, and is lovely, yeasty, floral, spicy and hoppy all at once. It is a beautiful beer and I will miss it. It's only available in 750 ml bottles, and here I am drinking one of my stash . . . I'll have to pick a couple more up while they are still available. I am enjoying my Seigneuriale as a reward of sorts for getting the house clean and getting some other stuff done of my list of stuff to get done on the weekend. Tomorrow morning, we are having a brunch for our friend Kelly Ryan who is moving to South Carolina - God knows why. Not why are we having a brunch, why she's moving to South Carolina. For the brunch, I'll be making some beerinis -- drinks made with Champagne and Lambic beer. We'll be serving the family favorite Auntie Suzie's Egg Bake. Fancy people call it a Strata or a Frittata, but it's Auntie Suzie's Egg Bake as far as we're concerned. Au revoir Seigneuriale, Au revoir Kelly!!

Why no blogging, little Sally?

2009-03-18T20:20:00.000-07:00

I've got a nose for BEER NEWS, people! It's been a couple of days since I've done any blogging. I am a blogging slacker. But really, it's due to my not drinking quite so often due to the Wii fit demanding that I lose weight. And, unfortunately, much of the fun of blogging about beer is drinking beer while blogging. But, what's new? Founder's Kentucky Breakfast Stout was released last Monday. It is EXTREMELY limited -- we only got 120 cases for the entire Chicagoland area. We salesfolk didn't make any decisions about where it went. We offered suggestions and our managers made the designations. So, I can tell you you can buy it at LUSH WINE AND SPIRITS, at either 1257 South Halsted or 2232 West Roscoe. You can get a pint of it at TWISTED SPOKE at 515 North Ogden or at JERRY'S SANDWICHES at 1938 West Division. I don't have any samples of it so don't look at me. TWISTED SPOKE is also getting an EVEN MORE LIMITED if you can believe it beer called POP SKULL. This is the collaboration brew between 3 Floyds and Dogfish Head. Yes, the one I wanted to taste on cask last Friday at In Fine Spirits, but it was out.

I didn't take a picture of it, but I did a side-by-side taste test of the new Oak-Aged Unearthly IPA from Southern Tier Brewing and Oak-Aged Arrogant Bastard from Stone Brewing. I am not sure exactly why ALL BEER, it seems, must be aged in oak barrels these days -- I personally am a fan of the dark, rich beers getting some oak-aging, but am not sure about this aged IPA thing. For one thing, aging really changes the hop character, and in my small and insignificant opinion, not in a good way. I will say, though, that the Oak-Aged Arrogant Bastard managed to have both a charred, burnt marshmallow oakiness and a clean hop finish. Not bad at all.

I AM SO EXCITED --- TOMORROW at LUSH WINE AND SPIRITS ON ROSCOE - WEIRD BEER CLASS! AT 7:00!! STARRING MR. UNITED HIMSELF, DAVID FROST!! (not Frost/Nixon David Frost, that's a different David Frost, this one's hair is completely different) AND ME!! AND ALL MY PALS AT LUSH!! You should go! Call them now!

No Dogfish/Three Floyds collaboration beer for you, sister, at least not today!

2009-03-13T23:15:00.000-07:00

So yeah, I had a really good beery day. I had lunch with my good friend Karl Braun from Unibroue, then I had most of a Merchant Du Vin training meeting at the warehouse with Brian Van Zanderpants, but I had to leave early because I had to do a tasting at Galleria Liquors at Wells Street just south of North Avenue. The tasting went great, we tasted out Unibroue's La Fin Du Monde and Ephemere White ale with apple. I love both these beers! I think Ephemere is such a great beer with food. It is a white ale, it actually is their Blanche De Chambly ale with grannysmith apple added. So it is light, but not too light, and very refreshing. All Unibroue beers are made with Belgian yeasts. Back in the early 1990's, Andre Dion decided he wanted to brew Belgian style beers at the brewery he had just purchased in Chambly, a city of about 20,000 just outside Montreal. He went to Belgium and brought back not only the techniques used by Belgian brewers, but also several strains of Belgian yeast, and a real Belgian brewer, Paul Arnott, who had brewed for Chimay. Unibroue beers are frequent go-to beers for me.

After the tasting, Shelley and Johnny and I were hungry so we all went to Charlie's Ale House down the street. We wanted some protein. AND -- they were having a Sam Adams promotion! $3.00 pints! And with every pint you get a chance to win a TV! And you can shoot baskets and win prizes! So I won a Sam Adams T-shirt, which I gave to Johnny.

We then walked down to In Fine Spirits, which is a place we love to go. The beer list is excellent, they have real ale from firkins (usually Three Floyds), the drinks are good and strong and the food is excellent. Earlier tonight, they had had a kick off party there for the Dogfish Head/Three Floyds collaboration beer, POP SKULL. Anyway, long story short (too late), the celebration started at about 4:00 pm, and the staff said, they ran out of beer by about 5:30. Ah well. We had some Brian Boru on cask, absolutely delicious, I have never enjoyed Brian Boru (which is Three Floyds Irish Red ale) as much, it was great.

It was a lovely day. I shared some beers with some of my favorite people, I had a tasting where I introduced many people to some of the best beer in the world which they may not have had a chance to taste otherwise, and I had lots of really satisfying food. My favorite kind of day!!

It's late -- I better go to bed before I start buying stuff off infomercials. Good night everybody!

The first Bock of spring

2009-03-09T20:37:00.001-07:00

Ah, the first Bock of spring!!!! Spring is not quite here yet, but it is on its way. Even though the March winds doth blow and we shall have snow, and lots of rain, it is time to begin enjoying the hearty, strong beers brewed to celebrate the arrival of spring. Bock, or Mai Bock (May Bock), or Heller Bock (heller means pale) is a style that originated in Einbeck, Germany. Some say that the name Bock came from a drunken malapropism of Ein-BECK. Others say that the word bock comes from a German word for goat. Still others say that it's simply bock, like buck, as in male goat. The male goat is a symbol of fertility and sexuality (you can go to Walgreen's and buy Horny Goat Weed! It supposedly helps with erections). So, the goat is all part of the rites of spring, which also include such symbols of new life and fertility as bunnies, eggs and baby chicks. There are also dopplebocks, but I'll blog about that when I'm drinking one sometime soon.

Anchor Bock was first available two years ago. Like most beers of this style, it is rich, malty, dark brown (bocks range from light coppery to dark), and it is lighter on the palate than you would expect from looking at it. Some dark bitter chocolate, some coffee grounds, not a lot of hop. As clean and style-appropriate as one would expect from the most classic and arguably the classiest microbrewery in the USA.

Now I must watch Dancing with the Stars. Oh, if anybody has TIVO'ed The Bonnie Hunt Show today, it is worth watching. Bonnie asks Jason and Molly the tough questions.

Beware the strong beer on the busy day

2009-03-08T21:29:00.000-07:00

So, we had kind of a busy Sunday. We had homework to do, I was puttering around my library (Did I blog about my library? I have one! And it rocks! I need a smoking jacket!), and we made slow cooker food. Slow cookers are amazing. You just put stuff in it with some water and it comes out delicious. And, I was trying to do a food pairing type thing with the pot roast and vegetables we were having, and I thought Dogfish Head Raison D'Extra would be good! It is an intense brown ale made with raisins. Well, I drank about three quarters of it with dinner and was feeling a little loopy, so I had to stop drinking it! I had stuff to do.

HOWEVER -- like most strong Dogfish Head beers such as 120 minute, Fort, Red and White, and other delicious Dogfish offerings that are over 12% ABV -- they are great for when you have time to drink them, enjoy them and deal comfortably, happily and safely with the effects! There's a reason for those bright green "danger" caps on those bottles!

Hmmmm . . . I think there's some schmutz on the label. oops.

Not so classy, Jason

2009-03-02T20:32:00.000-08:00

Wow. Seriously? Seriously. As a friend of mine just stated, not the best idea to break up with someone on national television WITH THE INTENTION of starting a new relationship with somebody else that night. Not nice. Not a lot of emotional maturity. Not really a nice guy. Got some growing up to do. But, it is reality television.

I am eschewing beer tonight in favor of chick-solidarity food -- diet coke, pretzel sticks and Dean's half the fat slow churned Moose Tracks ice cream.

A productive weekend deserves a delicious beer

2009-03-01T20:11:00.000-08:00

Had a good weekend! Did some grocery shopping, ran some errands, cleaned the house, paid some bills, and perhaps MOST importantly -- I am now about 99% finished with my library! It has been a dream of mine for many years to have a library in my home -- a place to keep all my books and magazines and printed stuff!! I have long had boxes of books in storage - I love my books, I know it's 2009 and there's kindle and all kinds of things where you don't need actual books -- BUT I LOVE THEM!! For about a year, we have had the extra bedroom designated as what-would-be-the-library -- and at last, I was able to spend most of Saturday night playing in my books, arranging them, deciding what shelf they should go on -- loads of fun for me. Yet further proof that I am a huge, middle-aged, geek. Oh well.

Tonight I am enjoying a Kasteel Rouge. I love this beer, I know some people have mixed feelings about it. Kasteel Rouge is brewed by the Brewery Van Hounsebrouck. It is dark red (hence the name), it smells like a dark, dangerous and delicious cherry NyQuil, and it tastes like a chocolate covered cherry brandy. As well it should! What the brewers of this tasty beer do is, they have a delicious, dark beer called Kasteel Donker (hee hee). Have you ever had a chocolate covered Montcheri cherry? Sure you have. Maybe you had one as a child and remembered it tasted weird (because it tastes like brandy) and haven't had one lately. Before the Montcheri cherries are covered in chocolate, they are soaked in a brandy-alcohol solution. The brewery buys this liquid after the cherries are removed and add this to their Kasteel Donker. The result is a dark, fruity, 9-ish percent ABV, fairly heavy in body, perfect nightcap kind of beer. Don't get me wrong. You can't drink five of these and then go party. I probably wouldn't even drink two at a sitting. But, like a good brandy or port, after a particularly satisfying meal or after a particularly productive weekend, it certainly is a good finish. You can't tell, but I took the picture of the Kasteel Rouge in my library.

That staff at Branch 27 sure is smart!

2009-02-26T21:03:00.000-08:00

I just got home from a staff training at Branch 27, a new place opening up on West Chicago Avenue. Years ago, a really good friend of mine and her future husband lived in a big-but-not-so-nice apartment just east of the corner of Chicago and Ashland. There were no cell phones back then, and they didn't have a buzzer on their outside door where you could ring the bell and they would come down and let you in. There was a phone booth right on the corner where the North Community Bank is now. So when we would go over and visit them, what we would do is we would go to the phone booth and call the operator (there were human operator people back then, too). We would place a collect call to them from "Bozo". That way we didn't have to pay the quarter for the phone call. Our friends would pick up the phone and the operator would say, "you have a collect call from Bozo". Our friends would say, "Bozo? I don't wanna talk to that clown!" and hang up. Then they would know somebody was downstairs and come down and let us in.

I think about that every time I am in that neighborhood, which is pretty much every day. That area has changed SO MUCH in the last ten years, I can't even tell you. I guess it is like Andersonville, and Wicker Park. Nicer shops, better restaurants, better beer. So, at 1371 West Chicago, there used to be a Branch of the Chicago Public Library. The 27th branch. Get it? Branch 27! They are going to have a rocking beer list featuring North Coast's Pranqster, Red Seal, Malheur 10, Chimay, Southern Tier Porter, Anchor Steam, Dogfish Head 90 minute, and lots of other excellent beers. From the sound of the menu and the overall look of the place, I really believe it is going to be the hottest bar/restaurant in the neighborhood. AND all the staff is very intelligent and good-looking. Looks to me like they'll be open in a week or so. So go! P.S. I think Ryan Seacrest should be given the title of President of Wasting Time in an Irritating Way.

Magic Hat -- it's still craft beer, right?

2009-02-24T20:19:00.000-08:00

I have a confession to make. I forgot I am restricting beer intake to weekends. I really did! I forgot. We went across the street to T's, the bar I used to manage, for turkey burgers -- they have awesome turkey burgers, regular burgers, good pasta dishes, good chicken tenders, their nachos are a little weird but not bad . . . . anyway, I forgot I'm not supposed to be drinking daily and I saw they recently brought in Magic Hat #9, so I ordered one. I know, I know, I don't sell it. I should have had a Stella or a Delirium. But I was happy to see what I think of as a craft beer, so I wanted to support that -- because the beer selection at T's is not super imaginative these days.

So: Magic Hat. Even though Magic Hat beers are widely distributed now, and by Chicago Beverage Systems here in the Chicago area, are they still considered craft beer? I need to further peruse their web site. I know they recently merged with another craft brewery, I believe it was Pyramid. Which is strange, because we distribute Pyramid and not Magic Hat.

Magic Hat #9 is what they call a "not quite pale ale". They use my favorite hop -- cascade, but they use it pretty sparingly, to my taste. #9 is lightly apricot flavored -- not sure if they use real apricot or not. They don't play up the apricot in the marketing, probably afraid of the "fruit beer" stigma. This is what I have said, each and every time I have tasted a beer from Magic Hat--I wish I liked this beer better. I think I blogged some months ago about their winter seasonal -- Roxy Rolles. I found it almost undrinkable. #9, while not bad, is certainly not my favorite, and if I want to drink a beer that is the same idea but done much, much better, I will reach for a Dogfish Head Aprilhop -- which just came out a week or so ago! When I can get my hands on one of those, I will blog about that!

So I apologize to myself and to my Wii Fit for having a beer. The Wii Fit was kind tonight, though. I lost almost 3/4 of a pound. Only 25 and 1/4 to go!!

Thanks a lot, Wii Fit

2009-02-23T20:00:00.000-08:00

So, yeah, the Wii Fit says I need to lose about 26 pounds. Which is not really a surprise, I suppose. I've been gaining and losing the same five to seven pounds for about a year now. This is what happens when your favorite foods are beer, bread, and cheese! Yesterday and today, I got on the Wii Fit and did some stuff. It is very helpful. It waves at you and reminds you to weigh yourself when you get on, it tells you where your center of balance is and when your legs are shaky. It also tells you helpful facts like as you get older, your legs tend to get weaker and your sense of balance becomes more compromised. Okay, helpful and EXTREMELY ANNOYING. Oh well. AND it makes a little "ooh!" noise when you get on. Seriously?

I will blog about beer, don't worry. Another tasty, tasty beer I sampled at the Beverage Testing Institute on Friday was the ROGUE ALES BRUTAL BITTER (and I don't have a picture because I don't have a camera phone right now, remember?) I really liked it, though, I gave it a high score in the blind taste testing. It has a soft cornflower orange gold color, and a nose of candied orange slices and grapefruit. Lots of alpha essence hoppy flavor, pretty citrusy, more orange on the palate with some burnt butter and clover honey. Fairly light hop finish. Well balanced and very drinkable. I would say I wish I had one now, but the Wii Fit would probably tell me that having a beer every night will not help me reach my fitness goals. I'll do what I usually do when trying to lose a few pounds -- try to limit the delicious beer intake and restrict it to weekends.

And the picture? We just got this Rodney White print framed. It looks fantastic in the living room. You can't really read it in the picture, but print reads THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS SMALL CHANGE. That's for sure. We'll see you tomorrow, Wii Fit.

Oscar, Oscar . . . what goes with Oscar? De Glazen Toren!

2009-02-22T18:13:00.000-08:00

Oh, I love the Oscars. We were supposed to go to a fancy Oscar party, but for various reasons that I won't go into here, we aren't. So RIGHT NOW I am in my usual at-home outfit of a comfy t-shirt and sweat pants, the Oscars are on my not-big-enough-for-my-taste-but-still-pretty-big screen TV, I have had a little dinner but will soon break out some really delicious cheese, and I am enjoying a ONDINEKE TRIPLE, from what is becoming one of my new favorite breweries, De Glazen Toren. Brewery De Glazen Toren is a fairly new brewery. Jef Van Den Steen and Dirk De Pauw met in 1988 in a town called Erpe-Mere. They became buddies, started home-brewing together, eventually went to brewing school together, and finally started their brewery on November 11th, 2004. This, the Ondineke, just happened to be in our sample area. It is their triple style, I've had their saison before, both spicy and fruity and highly carbonated and stinking delicious. On the shelf, their beers, in 25 ounce bottles, are wrapped in paper, but don't let that scare you away from trying them. Creamy, golden, and 8.5 %, a lovely elegant beer for a lovely elegant evening, even in sweatpants. I love the Oscars. I never miss them, and frankly, my favorite place to watch them has always been my living room. Congratulations Hugh Jackman -- if the broadcast thus far is any indication, you are going to kick some serious booty as host of tonight's festivities! Bravo!

Beverage Testing Institute - beers I would not normally try. AND -- CASK ALPHA KING!!

2009-02-21T16:41:00.000-08:00

Friday was a lovely day. In the afternoon, the kind and generous Chadd Wolff of the Beverage Testing Institute invited me to participate on the tasting panel for British, Irish ales and I.P.A.'s -- which, coincidentally, are some of my favorite beer styles!! It is an interesting process. Each panelist receives flights of beer which are labeled by number. You look, smell and taste each beer, and do a little description and commentary. Gerald, the moderator, then takes comments on each beer from each of us, and summarizes them. This information is then used for the buyer's guide in ALL ABOUT BEER magazine -- to which everyone should subscribe.

I tasted several beers which I would never, ever buy and some which are not even available in Chicago, so I would not have had a chance to taste them. Here's a couple of commentaries from that day.

Michelob Brewing Co. Michelob Craft Brewed Pale Ale. I couldn't believe when I found out what this was!! But it was really good--like I would drink this willingly! It was a lovely copper color, good head retention, nice carbonation. A sweet orange/grapefruit rind with some alcohol nose was followed up by tropical fruit and burnt toast on the palate. The dry, bitter finish lingered, not much sweetness. Not bad at all! No one was more surprised than I, but this happens to me when I do blind tastings.

Another beer I really liked -- Samuel Adams Irish Red!! Deep garnet reddish-brown color, a metallic, aluminum-foil nose. Bright, effervescent citrusy mouthfeel, some citrus, roasted nuts, toasted marshmallow and cocoa on the palate (see? I need practice but I am getting better at the whole describing-flavor thing!!) Well-balanced, short finish.

Of course, I don't have a camera on my phone right now -- I have to get my new phone with the camera in it up and running. So I don't have pictures of the labels of the BTI beers. Go to the grocery store, they probably have them there.

Then, Friday night, we went to In Fine Spirits, in my neighborhood on Clark Street. They had Alpha King on cask!! Wahoo! And really delicious cheese, bread and white bean dip. I was extremely happy. As far as creature comforts, for me, beer, cheese and bread is about as good as it gets. If you are in Andersonville and you can't get into Hopleaf because it's too busy and too loud and you don't want to wait, go for the lovely walk a few blocks north and go to In Fine Spirits. Fantastic food, a decent beer selection, and tons and tons of wines and cocktails.

Here's to Pa Conway

2009-02-18T19:24:00.000-08:00

Late every winter, Great Lakes Brewing Co. makes a smooth, malty, toasty, easy-drinking Irish-style red ale called Conway's Irish Ale. It is named after Patrick "Pa" Conway, a Cleveland police officer for twenty-five years and, it so happens, the grandfather of Pat and Dan Conway, the proprietors of Great Lakes Brewing. If he was half as much of a charmer as Pat Conway (the grandson), I bet he would have been an awesome character to have a beer or four with. Like all Great Lakes seasonal and/or special release beers, it is in LIMITED SUPPLY and is DELICIOUS. So, whenever I see some around our warehouse, I snap some up for samples and squirrel a few away to bring home to (professionally) sample for myself (I can't sell something that I haven't tasted and can't properly describe, n'est ce pas?). I also was lucky enough to get my hands on a Conway's Irish Ale T-shirt a couple of years ago, a reward for doing something at work, I've forgotten what. I love the picture of Grandpa Conway, same as on the label, but it's a beige T-shirt and I rarely wear beige. It washes me out. AAAAAAAANYWAY -- the beer is really good, as I said, it is very easy to drink. It is the sort of beer that you drink one, and then you want another one, and then another one, and maybe one more. 6.5% ABV, you can have a few, it won't kill you. Also, it pairs well with everything from corned beef (or turkey pastrami, a personal favorite) to potato soup (which we had for dinner tonight). I just sent some to Lush on Roscoe -- 2232 West. You can get it there. Go now, it goes fast! I am hoping we will have enough Conway's Irish Ale to last through St. Pat's!

ALPHA KING! enough said.

2009-02-17T19:47:00.000-08:00

Some days, you just need a no-bullshit, hoppy but well balanced, super fresh 'cause it's brewed 45 minutes away, FREAKING DELICIOUS beer. That's what I needed tonight.

I am resisting the urge to blog about American Idol, lest anyone who reads my blog think that all I do is drink beer and watch reality TV. Although that pretty much is all I do, when I am not spreading the beer joy in greater Chicagoland during the day. I will say this: Simon is usually right. He certainly is more cruel than he needs to be, but he's usually right.

Alpha King is one of my absolute favorite beers. It is, of course everyone knows, brewed by the great people at Three Floyds brewery -- their flagship beer. Alpha King is named for the Alpha essences in the hop plant -- the stuff that provides all the delicious bitterness. How awesome is it that, no matter what the economy is doing, for the bargain price of about $10.00 a six-pack, you can get one of the best beers in the world. Go, go now to your local beer emporium, get some Alpha King. Do it!

Jason! You're stupid! You made a terrible mistake and I WILL NOT FEEL SORRY FOR YOU WHEN YOU ARE STUCK WITH A STUPID GIRL when this is all over!

2009-02-16T20:01:00.000-08:00

Oh, Jason, Jason, Jason. Really? Sending Jillian home and leaving Molly and Melissa? REALLY? All right. I will not feel sorry for you. You could have had a smart, effervescent girl with a good head on her shoulders and some imagination and sensibility, but instead, you want one of the girls who, after six weeks, gush all over you like a four-year-old girl would over a Christmas pony. All right. Looks like Deanna comes back in two weeks, then you'll have a mess on your hands. I long suspected you are a nice guy, but you lack confidence and you like stupid girls.

So, in mourning, I am drinking a PETRUS OUD BRUIN, or Old Brown. Old because it ages in oak casks for 24 months. Petrus is named after Sint Petrus -- Saint Peter. I have high hopes that the good saint is handing out goblets of this at the gates of heaven. Like other Belgian "Ouds", it has a somewhat spicy and acidy nose, and a nice balance of sweet and sourness. Greg Hall says "Sour is the new hoppy" -- meaning the sour qualities commonly found in some Belgian beers could be the new hot trend among American craft brewers, much like excessive hop bitterness became all the rage a few years ago. I hope so. These beers are complex and delicious, thirst-quenching and thought-provoking. So if you are alternately disgusted, disappointed and ambivalent about your evening's reality TV choices, try a thoughtful, fancy beer.

Amazing Race, Three Philosophers and some sausage

2009-02-15T18:13:00.000-08:00

Tonight was the season premiere of my favorite reality show, The Amazing Race. They were in the Alps! It was beautiful! Except the hillbilly couple husband is already verbally abusing his wife. There's always somebody in every season who is really unpleasant to his or her partner. I am always amazed at the lack of respect shown sometimes in these relationships. And they're on TV!! Do they not know they're on TV, and everyone in America can see them not being nice to each other? I don't get it. Anyway, his wife does move mighty slow, which begs the question we ask whenever we watch ANY reality show: DON'T PEOPLE WATCH THESE SHOWS BEFORE THEY GO ON THEM????? Anyway, Phil (the host) learned a little sign language, it was very sweet, I won't tell you who won and lost the first leg of the race in case you watch it. Which you should. It's a good show.

I had a fancy beer tonight, happily paired with some awesome food. We watched Top Chef, from last week (yes, we do watch a lot of reality TV in our home, so what?) and afterward I wanted some sort of interesting dinner. And as luck would have it, we had some turkey sausage in the freezer, which we grilled up with some mushrooms and vidalia onions! My favorite!! And some olive oil pasta-roni and vegetables. It was fantastic! But enough about the food. I paired all this with THREE PHILOSOPHERS, from Brewery Ommegang. Really good. Brewery Ommegang is in Cooperstown, New York, but is known for brewing excellent, authentic, Belgian-style ales. Three Philosophers is a quadrupel, a blend of a malty Belgian-style ale with a Kriek -- Cherry Lambic style. It was rich, and good, and a little sweet but balanced with some great acidity; it went really well with the sausage and mushrooms and onions.

I had a really lovely Valentine's day weekend. I love to be home, cook some food, have a couple of great beers, maybe go to Target . . . It's a great life. Happy Valentine's Day, and President's Day too, everybody!

I have a Tiger in my tank

2009-02-13T23:20:00.000-08:00

I do. I had a Tiger beer tonight at House of Kobe in Schererville, Indiana. Now you may well be wondering, where the hell is Schererville? And why would I want to go there when there are so many fantastic restaurants close to my happy home in Andersonville, Chicago, Illinois? Well, Schererville is out on south 41, just about to where, when driving out that way, I start thinking, jeez, this is really far. If you drive that way about two more hours, you would be in Terre Haute. But we went there tonight because my mother turned 70 years old today, and this is where she wanted to go. They do the cook-at-the-grill-in-the-table thing with the juggling of the knives and flipping of the eggs and mushrooms and forks and so on. I felt a little ripped-off, as I thought, when I went to Benihana as a youngster, that the table chef guy was tossing around a pretty serious cleaver-type knife. The guy tonight was juggling a fork and spatula. Seriously? A spatula?? Entertaining, but lacking that little extra edge of drama that one pays for in these kinds of places. Anyway, as you can see, the Tiger beer was a pretty basic Asian lager. I haven't read up on it, so I actually am not sure if it is brewed in Asia at all. It had really no head retention to speak of, which was exacerbated by the beer sitting right next to the hot grill all night. On the positive side, it wasn't too adjunct-y, it didn't taste like corn, and it didn't taste like wet cardboard. And I got the 18-ouncer and they gave me a little, tiny, 8-ounce (I think) glass to drink it from, so it seemed like I had two and a half small beers instead of just one big one. The food was pretty good. I didn't ask the spatula-juggling table chef how much MSG he sprinkled on everything, so we'll have to wait and see how much water I retain in my sleep tonight. And, they had peppermint ice cream for dessert! That was a highlight. Tomorrow (really today, as it is 1:42 a.m.) is St. Valentime's Day. I hope everyone who reads this, and their loved ones, have a very happy day. Have a classic Valentine's combination, like a chocolate stout and a raspberry lambic! With some chocolate cake! Crap. Now I want chocolate cake.

I had a Sam Adams White Ale at the T-Rex bar

2009-02-05T20:38:00.000-08:00

We also had some frozen Mojitos which were delicious but caused brain freeze. Also, every twenty minutes, there was a meteor shower. It was a very dependable universe.

A Raglan Road Gallery

2009-02-05T20:30:00.000-08:00

In the immortal words of Whitney Houston, I don't know why I like it, I just do.

The First, First Thursday

2009-02-05T20:12:00.000-08:00

So excited!! We did the first of a new series of tasting events tonight at LUSH Wine and Spirits, 1257 South Halsted -- the ONLY place I buy beer, wine and liquor (really!)

Since it's the first Thursday of the month -- we're gonna call it FIRST THURSDAY, and, yes, every first Thursday of the month, we're gonna taste out some fantastic beers. Maybe sometimes we'll also have some cheese, or some music, or something in addition to lots of excellent beer, but we'll always have beer. Just like we'll always have Paris.

Tonight we tasted beers with big flavors -- Unibroue La Fin Du Monde and Quatre Centiem, Duchesse De Bourgogne, Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron, Three Floyds Alpha Klaus, Great Lakes Imperial Dortmunder and Blackout Stout! Lots o' flavor and plenty of ABV for a cold winter's night!!

So, if anyone has anything they'd like to sample on a Thursday, let the good people of LUSH know, they will tell me, and then we'll all have some beer.

Dinner and Beers at Jiko Restaurant at Animal Kingdom!

2009-02-05T20:05:00.000-08:00

I know, you are all waiting in eager anticipation for pictures of Raglan Road . . . and they are coming! These are pictures from Jiko, the fancy-schmancy restaurant at Animal Kingdom Lodge. We had many awesome beers, and really delicious food. The ostrich was outstanding! And there ARE pictures from the T-Rex restaurant, we just have to get those loaded onto the computer as well. Patience!!!!

Raglan Road! The Irish Pub in Downtown Disney!

2009-01-19T18:07:00.000-08:00

TOMORROW!!!! We're going!! Yes, I know, there are plenty of Irish pubs in Chicago. I don't even know why I love Raglan Road, but I do! It is similar to FADO -- those bars which are shipped to the U.S. from Ireland piece by piece. The food is great, the beer -- it's typical, you know? I usually end up drinking Stella because they have pretty conventional stuff. But for some reason, everything just tastes great there. I guess there's something about a place that one only visits when one is on vacation, you're really relaxed, no worries about driving home . . . AND sometime we are going to the T-Rex restaurant nearby where there are Audio-Animatronic dinosaurs.

I know. I'm pathetic. I'll take some pictures of the pub and post them later this week. First thing tomorrow though -- I am planting myself in front of the TV to watch our new President take the oath of office. I'm so proud. So very, very proud.

Krampus = Reward

2009-01-18T21:33:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I cleaned and took Christmas decorations down pretty much all day. Yes, I am feeling a bit healthier. I still feel like an undertaker, because I keep a'coughin' (HA HA HAAAAA!!!) but I am feeling better. So I decided to reward myself and break out one of the beers I have been saving for when I could actually taste them.

Southern Tier Krampus is an Imperial Helles Lager, which means it's bottom fermented with Lager yeast, in the Helles style (which is a traditional German beer style) but the Imperial means it's high in alcohol. 9% ABV. It's darker than your typical lager, also, because they use some debittered black malt. It is pretty darn good! Despite being dry-hopped with Willamette hops, it is quite a malty brew. Besides the black malt, they also use 2-row pale, caramel and munich malts. Very well balanced, malty and hoppy both, and a lovely capper to the evening.

I actually had never heard of the legend of Krampus, who is a little goat horned creature with fangs. He is supposedly Santa Claus' evil sidekick who beats naughty children with sticks. Now, I consider myself pretty much a Christmas trivia geek and I have never heard this story. I have heard of Befana, who is an Italian witch who brings presents, and Black Peter, who is kind of like Krampus but is not a monster . . . Hmmmmm. Must do more research before next year. By the Bye, this beer sold out in like three days. No fooling.

I'm treating myself in just a few minutes to a Shmaltz Brewing Sword Swallower. I blogged about that beer already, but I LOVE IT. And I am starting my vacation. So next time you hear from me -- I WILL HAVE BEEN TO RAGLAN ROAD!!!! And I deserve it.

I still can't really taste anything

2009-01-12T22:37:00.000-08:00

First of all, the above pictures have nothing to do with this post. Yeah, I am feeling much better but I still can't really taste anything. It is sad. And the cold has now turned into an annoying cough -- annoying for me, annoying for those who have to talk to me, because I could start coughing at any moment, without warning. Today I bought some high-octane Robutussin. Do you know what I did with it? That's right. LEFT IT IN THE CAR. And I am certainly not putting clothes and a coat and shoes on again to go get it. So Halls sugar-free honey lemon drops are my friends again tonight.

Found out today that my friend Lance from Lush Halsted is moving back to his beloved Texas. I'll miss him, and wish him every happiness and best of luck. Sometimes you just know you're going to end up somewhere -- it was always Chicago for me. I moved to D.C., I spent some time in NY, I moved to Portland, but I always got so homesick for Chicago. So I am happy for Lance -- I know he loves Texas, and you should be where you love. Muchos congratulations and best wishes and hip hooray for ERIN, one of the much-lauded Women of Lush who will be taking over managerial duties in University Village. Looking forward to sharing many excellent beers with you, and at some point learning about wine and whiskey and such. I am woefully underinformed in these areas.

In recent beer events in my life, I had some OAT GOOP from 3 Floyds over the weekend, though. It is an oat wine (as opposed to a barleywine) and is a collaboration brew between the boys at Floyds and Mikkeller brewing. Now, you would think an oat wine, especially one called OAT GOOP, would be pretty heavy in body, thick mouthfeel, you know, goopy. But no, it is not super-heavy, not really light either, medium bodied and well balanced. Surprisingly hoppy for a strong (ten percent ABV, I think) beer.

I didn't take a picture. I'll take a picture at the warehouse tomorrow. Now I'm gonna watch THE BACHELOR and play on Facebook for awhile. Nighty-night.

Sorry, sickie, no drinkie

2009-01-08T17:19:00.000-08:00

Yes, your Beer Girl has been a little under the weather since a couple of days before New Year's. Started out achy, moved through chest congestion and now it's mostly in my snoot. As a result of that, I had two beers and two glasses of wine over the course of the New Year celebration - and a little champagne at midnight -- but have been pretty much dry ever since. It's a good thing, though, since I think I put on about 50 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year's. So I have been on a sort of diet, also inspired by the many, many publications featuring diet tips and the biggest contestants ever to appear on THE BIGGEST LOSER. For example, today I ate the following:
Breakfast 8:00 am -- two forkfuls of peanut butter
Morning snack 11:00 am -- 1 package Buddig turkey meat
Lunch 1:00 pm -- one Slim-Fast protein bar
Dinner 3:30 ish -- hot dog with mustard and a few Wavy Lay's
(dinner was unusually early because we had to go to Indiana, which is where I am now, which is why this post won't have a lovely picture)
Little snack 6:00 -- four pack Chicken McNuggets
And countless sugar-free Halls cough drops throughout the day, which are 15 calories each AND help make me not hungry AND have a mild laxative effect, to put it politely. So they are the perfect diet food.
The dry spell will end soon, though, because Kate Robertson just gave me a bottle of her husband's Christmas beer, Jingle Brew! Yay!

HAPPY NEW BEER, FRIENDS!

2009-01-02T21:26:00.000-08:00

Wahoo! It's 2009! I didn't throw back many beers on NYE. I've been a little under the weather, and for some reason, beer doesn't go well with a sore throat. But, last week I went with my family to Goose Island Brew Pub on North Clybourn Street. For much of this year, the word on the street was that the Pub would be closing at the end of 2008. Apparently, the landlords on the property were trying to jack up the rent something like 200%. Happily, at the eleventh hour, the landlords called John Hall, founder of Goose Island, and offered a deal. So now, not closing!! I was very happy to hear the news, because I worked at this pub for a while. I had the opportunity to work with Wil Turner, the brewer. I was in charge of taking the inventory of the beer brewed at the Pub, changing the medallions on the tap handles and re-doing the blackboards (seriously) and I waited tables. You know, it is a Chicago classic and I just would have missed the place, even though I don't go there often enough anymore. This beer was actually intended to be the last beer brewed at North Clybourn. It is called DEMOLITION 1800. It is brewed with pale malt and hopped with Saaz and Styrian Golding. Cloudy, hoppy, very nice! I think I will add to my many resolutions to GO TO THE GOOSE ISLAND BREW PUB once every couple of weeks, say hi to Wil, and taste what's new. Remember, you never know when something or someone you love might be gone forever. All the best to anyone who is reading this for the New Year. I am excited, fired up, and ready for it. Look what President-elect Obama was able to do last year. I wonder what I can do.

Beer Girl has been taking the holidays off!

2008-12-30T21:18:00.000-08:00

It's true, I'm a lazy slob. But kids, really, we have had very little down time in the last week and a half. We had Sing-Along White Christmas on Sunday (after which we went to my new favorite local place, O'SHAUGHNESSY'S. It's an Irish pub where the old Zephyr ice cream parlor used to be, on Wilson and Ravenswood. I had some Boddington's, and a couple of Sam Adams Winter Ales -- both very nice indeed. Then Monday, we had Susan and Ken's party -- I didn't have any beer there; Ken had some Coronas. I just can't hang with the Coronas. Too sweet. Then Tuesday we had to go finish shopping, we needed LOTS (seriously, lots) of candy and such for stocking stuffers, and then we went to Uncle Julio's Hacienda on North and Clybourn. The food is good, but what you really go to Uncle Julio's for is the SWIRLS!!! It is a surprisingly alcoholic swirl of frozen sangria and margarita. I had two and a half. Deeee-licious. Then Wednesday was Christmas Eve. It's been Band on the Run all week and weekend. Now, tomorrow is New Year's Eve. I am ready for 2009. Lots more beers to come in 2009. 2008 -- it was all right, but I'm ready for more.

IT'S BACK!!! IT"S BACK!!! MY INTERNET CONNECTION IS BACK!!!

2008-12-17T18:46:00.000-08:00

Wow, I am really a sad slave to technology. Last night, our cable went out about 6 pm-ish. AND the DVR box died, so we couldn't watch saved stuff either. The Comcast people were no help but arranged for a technician to come out today. According to the Comcast guy (to whom we gave some beer after he fixed our cable and internet) somebody was up on the pole fixing something and forgot to re-connect the Comcast when he was done. Now all our stuff is back on again and I am on line AND watching TV BOTH AT ONCE!!!! AND I went on YouTube and found all these great old clips of A CHRISTMAS CAROL, cartoon versions and others that haven't been on TV since I was little. So I'll be watching those until Christmas. I spend so much time around the holidays trying to feel some of the excitement I felt around this time, oh, 35 years or so ago. Not sure why. I love Christmas but it goes so fast. It is just not the same when you don't get toys under the tree. Anyway, since we had no TV and no internet, we cleaned the house, rearranged all the furniture, and put the tree up.

That was Tuesday. Now, Monday (December 15 for those who are keeping track) I wiped out in front of Black Beetle. Sunday night was the night that the rain turned to sleet and freezing rain; everything was covered with a thin sheet of ice on Monday morning. I forgot to walk carefully coming out of Black Beetle and down I went. I didn't really hurt myself, not right away, but I think I pulled a little muscle around my ribs. Falling down kind of messes with your psyche, though. I don't know. So, Monday night I wanted a 22 ounce beer with a bit of strength. I had a 3 Floyds BLACKHEART in my fridge, and thought that would be just the thing. I was right. It is really a great beer. The guys at Three Floyds use English malts, English hops and English yeast, then age the beer in oak just a bit. So, it isn't the classic English IPA -- like Sam Smith's, but a 3 Floyds, "not normal", really excellent but exaggerated example of the style. It pours beautifully with a cascading head settling into golden reddish-brown. It is malty, but definitely has a more pronounced citrus hop character than you usually find in English IPAs. Really good, really satisfying. And I have to say, the next day, after the work on the house on Tuesday night, I really started to feel better. The house looks great, we got some new furniture, the tree is beautiful. The shopping is pretty much done. We are staying in Chicago for both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Things are good. So, I am pretty happy. The long dark night of Autumn 2008 seems to be clearing. My cat is on her Christmas pillow. I'm gonna enjoy these last few days of Christmas.

Okay, am I the only person TOTALLY looking forward to that new TRUE BEAUTY reality show????

In my head, I'm at Agua Azul drinking Imperial

2008-12-10T22:18:00.000-08:00

Some days you just need a vacation, even if just for a few minutes. So now, in my head, I am in Costa Rica, at our favorite restaurant (Agua Azul, at the top of the hill), overlooking the ocean, drinking too much Imperial lager. It's nothing really special, but it's a good vacation beer. It made me a little bloated, but I think that had more to do with the quantity I consumed, not the quality of the beer. Go to Costa Rica. It's awesome. And drink lots of Imperial.

Birra Italiana

2008-12-09T20:14:00.000-08:00

I had some Italian beer today. It's new to Chicago. It's not bad. It is G.Menabrea e Figli Birra Ambrata -- I don't know what most of that means, but the last two words mean AMBER BEER.

It's okay. I didn't love it. It's the sort of beer you could suddenly have drunken four of and not really notice. It's super malty. I would describe the flavor as Moretti La Rossa Light. Malty, light caramel color, thin mouthfeel, not a lot going on. But, not terrible.

So, if you're looking for an expensive import without very much flavor, this might be the way to go for you. No, really, I do know people who don't like too much flavor! It's brewed by Birra Menabrea. If I had a choice between this beer and any Miller product, I would choose this, hands down.

DELICIOUS DELICiOUS HOMEMADE BEER THAT YOU CAN"T HAVE!!

2008-12-08T20:54:00.000-08:00

Oh man, I am one lucky beergirl -- my new Facebook friend Kate Robertson gave me a bottle of her husband's homebrewed Pumpkin Beer!! It is slightly embarassing, because I do not know her husband's name. So he will be known in this post as MR. ROBERTSON WHO MAKES EXCELLENT BEER!! How embarassing. Anyway, she is in SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY and FABULOUS 50's CHRISTMAS at the Towle Theater in Hammond, Indiana -- Just one more weekend, folks!! www.towletheater.org -- go if you can. And she mentioned that her husband loves beer and in fact brews his own. Long story short -- too late -- I gave her some beers that I happened to have in the car for her family, and Sunday she brought the last bottle of her husband's pumpkin beer for me!! Hooray!!! Whoopee!!!

It is a beautiful beer! It is unfiltered so there are traces of delicious yeasty sediment, which is so good for you and helps stave off hangovers. The nose is full of ginger and fresh cinnamon! The mouthfeel is light and effervescent, much lighter than many major label pumpkin beers. It's spicy but not at all heavy. Really easy to drink. And so fresh! I gotta tell you, there really is nothing like fresh beer. Another argument to always drink what's local if you can.

Oh, it's so good. Sadly for most of you, you don't get to taste this beer. Oh well, please vicariously enjoy it with me. She says his Christmas beer will be ready soon. I can't wait! I have to prepare a six pack or two to swap.

Mon Dieu!! Val Dieu!

2008-12-03T19:09:00.000-08:00

oooooogh. Private Practice is just so heavy. It's almost as bad as watching the news.

Anyway. Every so often, there's a beer in the sample area at work that I haven't tasted. I found a bottle of VAL-DIEU Brown on Monday. It is a Belgian Brown, Abbey-style ale brewed according to the recipe of the Abbey Du Val-Dieu. Let's review the difference between Trappist beer and Abbey beer, shall we? There are only seven Trappist beers. Trappist beers are strong, usually fruity beers made under the auspices of monks. There are six monasteries in Belgium and one in the Netherlands where they are produced. Chimay, Westmalle, Rochefort and Orval are examples. We'll chat about all of them eventually. Abbey beers are, basically, beers made in the style of Trappist beers, but not actually made by monks. So, Val-Dieu beers are Abbey beers. Overall, the Brown ale is pretty drinkable. Ovaltine - sweet chocolate powder - nose, creamy mouthfeel, light hop presence.

I also tried a sort of strange beer called FRULI, which is a Belgian Wit Beer brewed with strawberries. It's not a lambic, it tastes like strawberry soda with a little alcohol finish. Not bad. I should have checked the ABV content -- you could very easily drink two or three or four and have a nasty headache the next day.

Speaking of headache . . . yeah, if Private Practice doesn't get a little happier, I may have to take it off the list. I'll do it, too. I already had to let Desperate Housewives go.

Yeah, okay, you all were right . . . .

2008-11-30T23:04:00.000-08:00

. . . I can't blog every day. I gave it a good try. I will try to keep up on a beer for every day, though. Last night, we went to a less-than-bueno Mexican restaurant in Northwest Indiana. They had Miller Lite drafts for $1.00. NO, Silly, I didn't order one!!!! The waiter went down the list of bottled beers . . . Miller Lite (for those who don't enjoy the $1.00 drafts, I guess), MGD, Coors Light, Bud Light, Michelob Light, Corona, Corona Light, Modelo, Negra Modelo . . . I'm not even kidding. I stopped him there. I ended up with a Negra Modelo -- which in my humble opinion, doesn't really taste like anything but at least doesn't taste like corn and formaldehyde.

My dear friend Rachel from Lush Wine and Spirits brought me a New Glarus Brewing Bohemian Lager. New Glarus makes delicious beers, I used to sell Spotted Cow when I was a GM. Their Bohemian Lager smells just like a German lager should. It's nice to smell a domestic lager and not smell corn and adjuncts. According to the label, the recipe is that of an Old World Czech Pilsner, using 100% Czech Moravian Malt, Saaz hops, and three month cold lagering. All in all, a very serviceable, drinkable lager. I wish New Glarus would come back to Chicago, and I wish we sold their beers. Ah well. If wishes were horses, every beggar would ride, as they say. I'll blog more tomorrow. I wanna talk about Surly. Now I need to watch Amazing Race and fall asleep on the couch.

I know, I know, it's been five days . . .

2008-11-28T20:27:00.000-08:00

I missed my blogging Monday through Thursday this week. I am ashamed. But Thanksgiving preparations and the birthday of one of my very dearest friends had to take precedence. We didn't get home til 1:30 in the morning on Monday and Tuesday, and WEDNESDAY was our annual pre-Thankgiving night of cooking and cleaning. Yeah. It's a big night.

I did do some drinking these days, though. To make up the four days I did not blog, I will talk about at least two beers for the next four days. You'd think I was Catholic, I have such guilt.

Tuesday night, we celebrated Johnny's birthday with a trip to Three Floyd's brew pub!!!!! WHEEEEEEE!! Oooooh, I had delicious beer! I started with the DREADNAUGHT, the Floyds' imperial IPA, which is citrusy and grapefruity and flowery, and is absolutely one of my all time favorite beers. I followed that up with an APOCALYPSE COW, pictured, available only in the brew pub. It is a double IPA, 10% ABV, and just absolutely stinking delicious. It is remarkable to me how well balanced the strong IPA's from Three Floyds can be. Also -- What beer has a better name than Apocalypse Cow? I mean really.

Tonight I am drinking another of Jeremy Cowan of Shmaltz Brewing's fine beers, REJEWVENATOR. I had a busy week, I am finally in my sweats on my couch enjoying my Thanksgiving bloat, and I wanted a full-flavored, satisfying beer. The REEJEWVENATOR is brewed to celebrate the Jewish New Year. It is a dark, moderately strong (7.8 % ABV), slightly sweet but not at all cloying ale brewed with figs. The label notes reference some of the many mentions of the humble fig in the Bible and offers other historical information about the fig. For example, I had always wondered why sometimes you see reproductions of the statue of Michaelangelo's DAVID with a fig leaf covering his naughty bits, and sometimes his stuff is right there, uncovered, flapping in the wind for all to see. Turns out Queen Victoria, who may not have been the original prude but certainly perfected the art of prudishness, had an 18-inch fig leaf sculpted to cover the offending bits. Buddha gained enlightenment by meditating under a fig tree. And legend has it that figs have aphrodisiac qualities. So, bring us some figgy pudding -- Christmas is coming!

A clerk was trampled to death today at Wal-Mart! Holy crap.

So now, I'm going to watch HOOSIERS on the Retro channel and enjoy my beer.

oh kids, my stomach's a mess

2008-11-23T20:50:00.000-08:00

Not sure why. We ordered from Chicago Pizza last night and had chicken tenders, fried mushrooms and mozzarella sticks. Then today, we took Bettye Ruth to Long John Silver's for her birthday lunch. I think the mass quantities of fried food got to me. So this one's gonna be quick.

I almost hate to blog about another Great Lakes beer, but I looked in my crisper (that's where the beer is in my fridge), and found Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold.

I knew I needed something smooth and well-balanced. GL Dortmunder Gold, as it says on the label, is not as dry as a pilsner nor as malty as a Munich-style lager. I love hoppy beers but I can't drink 'em on a bad stomach day. I am happy to say, I am really able to enjoy this beer, even in my temporary fragile state. It is easy to drink, a great "session" beer as the kids say, and brewed in keeping with the Reinheitsgebot, the Bavarian purity law of 1516. So it is just pure barley malt, water, hops and yeast. No funny stuff. Just a good, clean, simple, delicious beer. This beer would go great with turkey and football too, for those of you who are shopping for Thanksgiving food. I'll try to choose some other turkey-friendly beers this week.

If you are in Chicago -- Check out THIS MUCH IS TRUE and Drink this beer!

2008-11-22T22:18:00.000-08:00

Tonight, we went to see my friend Nadine and her group, THIS MUCH IS TRUE. They do autobiographical monologues that they have written about situations that have actually happened in their lives. It is so awesome, touching and beautiful.

While we were there, I had an experience that really brought home why I love beer so much. We bought a bottle of ALPHA KLAUS, the Christmas Porter from Three Floyds brewing in Munster, Indiana. If you are reading this, you know I love this brewery. ALPHA KLAUS is a roasty American version of a classic London ale. Porters were originally a working-class man's beer, named for the porters of London's railway. A strong chocolate nose is complemented by a sweet maltiness, courtesy of English malts and Mexican sugars. American hops provide a nice, balanced finish.

More important than the components of the beer to me, though, are how a beer can bring people together. I bought this 22 ouncer to share with a friend who enjoys Three Floyds beers, but had not tasted a Porter before. He loved it, had not tasted a beer like this before, had no idea that beer could have roasty chocolate flavors and a smooth finish. Before long, I was explaining the difference between porters and stouts, where porters come from, and what makes a porter different from lighter, crisper beers. We let our friends taste the Alpha Klaus and they wanted a bottle too. Then we bought another bottle. There we all were, drinking beer and sharing stories. It really was a lovely evening.

Now we are eating pizza and chicken fingers and watching Akeelah and the Bee. Thanks, Three Floyds. Gotta go to sleep soon.

Crap! I'm gonna be late!

2008-11-21T21:56:00.001-08:00

Okay, you guys, I am still blogging every day! It is now four minutes before midnight on Friday night, November 21st. If I blog after midnight (when we're gonna let it all hang out), I wonder, will it post as Saturday? Well, it's still Friday until I go to sleep, as far as I am concerned. Anyway . . .

First of all, deluxe thanks to the WOMEN OF LUSH for hosting me tonight at a tasting at Lush Wine and Spirits at 2232 West Roscoe. We shared lots of excellent beers with the local folks. It is always a pleasure to do anything there, it is such a beautiful space and all the "Lushes" who work there really know their stuff -- AND are remarkably good looking and smart as hell.

Today, I tried TWO BROTHERS BONFIRE. I wish I sold Two Brothers beer! Two Brothers is a fantastic family-owned brewery out there in the 'burbs in Warrenville, Illinois. It is owned and operated by Jim and Jason Ebel (two brothers, get it), and they make delicious beer. BONFIRE is their version of a Dunkel Weizen. It is dark and cloudy with really nice carbonation, a fizzy head, and a strong fruity nose. It has some sourness to it, almost has some qualities of a Belgian double or a Flemish sour. Fairly creamy mouthfeel, spicy sour finish. My favorite Two Brothers beer is HOP JUICE, an imperial IPA, which I hear should be out in a few weeks. But all their brews are good, solid examples of their styles and worth sitting down for a beer or four.

I had this on draught at Twisted Spoke, but you can get a 22 ounce bottle at Lush on Roscoe.

Ladies and Gentlemen . . . DRINK THIS BEER!

2008-11-20T22:19:00.000-08:00

ooooh, Jeremy Cowan. His beers are so good. My friend Jeremy is the proprietor of SHMALTZ brewing, quickly moving way up in the ranks of my favorite breweries. I have yet to taste any of their beers that I do not love -- and by love, I mean I want to take them to all my beer-lovin' friends and say, "DRINK THIS!!" Tonight, I am enjoying a BITTERSWEET LENNY'S R.I.P.A. -- a double IPA brewed with rye malts. It's got kind of a sweet hoppy nose, with a spicy rye middle and a powerful hop finish. It comes in 22 ounce bottles, which as we all learned yesterday, I believe is the perfect portion size. And I share with Jeremy not only a love of fantastic original delicious beer, but also a passion for the English language and all the magic it can impart. PLEASE go buy this beer -- it's at all the Binny's, Lush on South Halsted and West Roscoe, and most of your better beer emporiums. And then -- and this can be said of ANY Shmaltz beer -- READ THE LABEL! The labels are chock-full of history, inspiration and fun facts about the liquid inside. Oh -- I should talk a bit about the inspiration for this beer, the great Lenny Bruce. Long before this world in which being irreverent, un-PC, and having a general fuck-you attitude became the epitome of cool, Lenny was doing it all. And he really did not give a damn what anyone said or thought. Get this beer, look for some Lenny Bruce on YouTube or rent a boxed set -- and toast the men whose names are on the label. Lenny and Jeremy, brothers from different times.

22 ounces of deliciousness is just enough for a Wednesday -- so drink this beer!

2008-11-19T19:11:00.001-08:00

Yeah, when you only want one beer, I believe a bomber -- a 22 or 25 ouncer -- is just the right amount. It's not too much, and yet you aren't left wanting just a little more . . . Tonight I enjoyed BROO DOO, the Harvest Ale from one of my all-time favorite breweries, Three Floyds. I mentioned this beer when I talked about the Founder's Harvest Ale. These beers are created using wet hops - fresh hops right off the vine, not dried or pellets. In fact, Broo Doo's hops go from fresh on the vine to the brew kettle in just one day! The nose is classic Three Floyds - citrusy, grapefruity, maybe a little astringent in a good way. Broo Doo has a fuller body and mouthfeel than some of the Floyds' beers -- almost bready. The surprise comes at the finish -- the wet hopping seems to result in a softer aftertaste than, say, an IPA.

Also -- must mention how visually stunning this beer is! It is so pretty, I had to photograph it with my phone from a variety of angles. Wish you could see the pour -- the crimson amber beer cascading up into golden-white foam -- just gorgeous.

BROO DOO boasts one of the coolest labels I have seen from a brewery known for their cool labels. It features a classic "troll" with hops for hair, backed up by a Barbie Princess-looking character and a unicorn. The entire label evokes an eleven-year-old girl's bedroom on 'shrooms. Much props goes out to Randy Mosher for this label design. I gotta e-mail him! I told him back in May that I was going to start a blog or a web site or something . . . He is a true beer celebrity, and rightfully so; an amazing fine artist and author of a number of beer classics as well.

We'll talk about more big bottles this winter. I can't wait for the first big snowfall -- I will have a big bottle of something, my chair, and maybe some trashy reality fare on Bravo . . .

I had a long day so I drank this beer!

2008-11-18T22:52:00.000-08:00

Whew -- Even when one sells beer, which is not really like work, I mean, it's not like I am digging ditches or writing computer code or balancing budgets or anything . . . Sometimes it is still a long day. So, when I have a long day, I like a beer that is refreshing but also just a LITTLE higher in alcohol . . . like an IPA!

Everybody (well, most everybody) has heard why India Pale Ales are so called. When India was part of the British Isles, and barrels of beer were transported by ship from Britain to India, some smart person discovered that adding extra hops to the beer acted as a preservative, so the beer stayed fresh for the long voyage. I just read the other day that the good Czech folks who had been adding hops to their lagers and pilsners taught the Brits this trick. So, an India Pale Ale is typically higher in hops than a regular Pale Ale. Also, even though this style was originally English, an English IPA tends to have a softer, milder, peppery hop character, where an American IPA usually is more citrusy and floral. American IPA's tend to be much, much more bitter. It's the American Way! If some bitterness is good, it is even better if it rips a bitter hole in your gut!

Anyway, I LOVE IPA's. For a long time, it was my favorite style, and sometimes it still is. For better or worse, there will be a lot of them on this blog. An absolutely delicious example of the style is GREAT LAKES COMMODORE PERRY IPA, named after the hero of the war of 1812. At 7.5 percent, it is a perfect beer to close out a hard day. It is citrusy, not as spicy as some American IPA's, but a nice gentle-but-pronounced hop finish. I had this beer in my car, and looked forward to it all day.

And now, I am going to watch some reality television.

This is very important news -- also it's cold and snowing, so drink this beer

2008-11-17T22:12:00.000-08:00

IMPORTANT NEWS FLASH!! So, I did a little Christmas shopping and then had some time to kill, so I went for a little wander around Borders books and music. There's this book that has been featured on Oprah and Ellen and all those shows called "Don't Eat That, Eat This" or "Don't eat this, eat that" or something. What it basically is saying is, here's two nutritionally empty junk foods, both these foods are bad for you, one of them is less bad for you, so eat that. So -- come to find out, THE ARBY'S BEEF AND CHEDDAR SANDWICH IS BETTER FOR YOU THAN THE ARBY'S TURKEY SANDWICH!!! The Arby's Beef and Cheddar has only about 360 calories!! Can you believe it? I had to walk away from the book, I got a little obsessed with it and almost purchased copies for all my friends and family and started planning my next month of fast food meals based on the recommendations. There is also a home edition (Spaghetti-O's are better for you than Kraft Macaroni and Cheese!). I also learned at Borders that pretty much everybody has their own magazine nowadays. Ty Pennington has a magazine, Rachael Ray has a couple of magazines, Paula Deen has one . . . there is even a Hooters magazine, not sure what the content of that would be -- barbecued shrimp recipes, maybe? I bet I could have a magazine before too long if I play my cards right.

So ANYWAY -- I should start doing a "don't drink that, drink this" thing. Maybe next time . . . For now, let's talk about ANCHOR BREWING-OUR SPECIAL ALE -- more commonly known as Anchor Christmas Beer. Where to begin with this one -- This beer grew out of what is now Anchor Liberty in the mid-1970's -- in fact, this 2008 version is the thirty-fourth special ale. The nose is full of Christmas spices -- when you first open a cold one, it smells just like walking into a Christmas store. And everyone who tastes it seems to detect different spices. I can taste cloves and allspice, some can taste cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom in the brew. The brewers aren't saying what's in it, but this year, like every year, the beer is offered to celebrate rebirth, renewal and the newness of life. In this spirit, the label depicts a different sort of tree every year. The evergreen tree was a symbol of rebirth in Medieval Europe due to its survival and continued growth throughout the cold winter months. For me, ever since I discovered holiday beers in 1988, one of the first traditions of my holiday season every year has been to bring home Anchor Christmas. Next week is Thanksgiving. Go to the store, buy some Anchor Christmas and let's get this holiday started!

All you lads and lasses should drink this beer

2008-11-16T20:25:00.000-08:00

Robert the Bruce is a supermalty Scottish style ale from the good people at Three Floyds Brewing in Munster, Indiana. This beer smells almost chocolate-malty, but is much drier to the taste. It's a perfect blend of sweet and roasty malts and mellow hops. Really well balanced, and not too strong at 6.5%. Three Floyds Brewing is known for its well-hopped beers -- Robert the Bruce is the maltiest of their offerings that I have tried. I recommend letting it open up after opening, like a good wine. It is so much tastier after warming up a bit. I've never actually seen the Mel Gibson movie BRAVEHEART in its entirety, but I believe Robert the Bruce figures in the plot somewhere. The man, not the beer.

By the way, Terrence on the Amazing Race is a complete baby. How do women end up with guys like that?

Baby it's cold outside this weekend, so drink this . . .

2008-11-16T00:08:00.000-08:00

Gouden Carolus Noel! It's warm and perfumy and 10% ABV, so it's great for this weekend in Chicago. I love Chicago because it was 70 degrees about a week ago and today it was in the 30's pretty much all day. But I digress. Gouden Carolus is brewed by the Het Anker Brewery in Mechelen. I have another of their beers in the fridge so I'll talk about that one in the next couple of weeks. What I like about these beers is the complexity -- the rich, dark copper color, the port-wine-esque fruity nose, the warm black cherry fruit finishing with just a touch of cough-syrupy alcohol. Also, I like the label! I am asking Santa for beer this year. I will leave some Gouden Carolus Noel by my new tabletop fireplace with some cookies -- a great pairing, by the way.

Drink this while watching HBO's TRUE BLOOD

2008-11-14T22:00:00.000-08:00

It's not too late to enjoy NOSFERATU from Great Lakes Brewing Company out of Cleveland, Ohio. Absolutely one of my favorite breweries. Nosferatu is a freaking delicious stock ale, strong and deep amber, chock full of rich maltiness with some soft hops on the finish. When I tried it last year, I thought of it as sort of a big vampire brother to Great Lakes Eliot Ness, their amber lager. This year, I found it a bit more complex, a little darker and warmer.

NOSFERATU is the Great Lakes Halloween seasonal. The vampire on the label is Count Orlock. NOSFERATU was the original filmed version of Dracula, back in, I think, 1926. The Bram Stoker estate refused to give up the rights to the story (I forget which production company made the film), so the filmmakers changed the name of the vampire, changed a few plot points (a VERY few) and made the movie anyway. The actor who played the vampire was named Max Schreck. Schreck is the German word for fear or fright, which contributed to all sorts of legends springing up around the making of the movie -- it was said Schreck insisted on staying in costume and character the whole time, it was even rumored he actually was a vampire! Who knows. At any rate, if you can find the original movie on cable or somewhere, it is absolutely worth a look -- it is a cool and creepy silent film. Whether he was a vampire or not, Schreck was a scary looking dude. The film was remade in the early '80's with Klaus Kinski as the vampire -- I didn't see it -- and there was a movie made recently about the making of the original NOSFERATU featuring John Malkovich as the film's director. Do I remember the title? Nope. But it's a good movie too. So -- anyway, that's all I know about NOSFERATU. You can still buy the beer at Whole Foods at 30 West Huron and other stores in Chicago. Go get some and drink it.

Old Man Winter from Southern Tier Brewing

2008-11-13T17:17:00.000-08:00

Everybody loves Phin and Matt's Southern Tier beers from Lakewood, New York. They gave us a couple of holiday seasonals this year. Their OLD MAN WINTER is one of the lightest-in-body winter beers I've ever tasted. It is deep amber, almost Coca-Cola color and pours with a lovely thick burnt-marshmallow head. Compared with many winter/Christmas beers, this one has a fairly light mouthfeel. The taste profile is almost a mix of roasty porter and American pale ale, with dark toffee malt notes and a light but definitely there hop presence.

What I think I like best about this beer is its drinkability. Unlike a heavier, stronger, sweeter holiday offering, Old Man Winter invites you to enjoy one, and then enjoy another one, and maybe another one after that. A true "session" beer for the cold wintry months. This Old Man wants to spend the evening with you. Let him.

Thanks, Bernie

2008-11-12T21:51:00.000-08:00

Bernie re-sized my picture. At least I know someone is looking at this thing besides myself.

Founder's Harvest Ale

2008-11-12T21:29:00.000-08:00

Today's beer is Founder's Harvest Ale from Founder's Brewing in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I always thought Grand Rapids was sort of Bible-belty, but those guys know their beer . . . well, there is a theory that Jesus changed the water into beer, not wine, because the word in the bible translates as "fermented beverage" . . . but that's another story for another day. Here in Chicago, we got about 200 cases of Founder's Harvest to sell, for the entire city and surrounding area. Needless to say, we sold it quickly. The Founder's stuff is always eagerly anticipated. I poured this beer into my favorite glass and was knocked out by the beauty and full body of the head! A glowing cascade of bright shining white bubbles which lingered on the glass, forming a lovely lace. Just the pour was exciting! The nose was nail-polish-remover hoppy. Harvest Ales are traditionally made from "wet" hops, meaning freshly harvested, not dried, hops, which is supposed to impart a fresh, bright hoppy flavor to the beer. I was surprised at how understated the hops were to the taste. While the malt flavors were very subtle and the hop presence was there throughout, it finished very softly, like hoppy rose petals. Not at all the astringent bite I was hoping for. So . . . as Randy Jackson will be saying from his American Idol judging seat in about two months . . . it was just okay for me, dawg. I love the Founder's dry-hopped pale ale, much more traditionally hoppy than this. But this is coming from a girl who lists Three Floyds Dreadnaught in her top five favorite beers. If anybody reads this, can you tell me if Harvest Ales are traditionally not aggressively hoppy? I did notice Three Floyds BrooDoo -- their Harvest Ale -- was not crazy hoppy either. Stop saying "hoppy", Salls.

Watch this spot tomorrow. I will drink another beer and tell you about it.