Midwest
Whiner Beer | Bleu Tub
August 31, 2020 | Christiana Torres
Seasonal beers are bittersweet. While they often use fresh, quality ingredients and are perfect for the time of year, it also means you only get to drink them for a limited time. Whiner Beer, a brewery on Chicago’s Southside, specializes in barrel-aged beer inspired by Belgium and French practices and has a few seasonal beers their patrons look forward to throughout the year.
Rifting off their permanent Saison LeTub, Bleu Tub is a barrel-aged Saison brewed with blueberries and is only available for half the year. With a dusty purple-ish hue and foamy head, the beer gives off scents of citrus, florals and it perks the nose up. With a smell that is clean, refreshing and inviting, Bleu Tub provides the perfect balance of comfort and excitement.
Ultimate 6er | What We Do in the Shadows And Beer
August 26, 2020 | Emma Wargolet
Recommending the television show What We Do in the Shadows has become a regular part of my conversations with people. Developed from the film of the same name, WWDITS is one of the best new comedy series to debut in recent years. Throwing the sophomore slump cliché out the window, the second and most recent season is absolutely hilarious, and earned an Outstanding Comedy Series Emmy nomination. They’ve somehow created a hilarious vampire television show that does not lean on shticks or gimmicks, and have developed characters who, despite killing humans, are sympathized with and cheered on.
Hop Butcher & Revolution Brewing | Collaboration Series
August 26, 2020 | Mike Zoller
Collaboration beers are nothing new to the industry and when Revolution Brewing and Hop Butcher for the World teamed up it wasn’t even their first time working together. The most recent collaboration series features three beers with three distinct styles. The series features Maintains and Shapes, a hopped Lager, Base, a West Coast Pale Ale, and Superstructure, a Hazy IPA.
Ultimate 6er | The Evil Villains Prefer Dark Beer
August 25, 2020 | Marc Beckley
In the comics and movies, evil villains spend both day and night obsessing with how to topple our lives and destroy the good guys. However, after a long day of plotting and scheming, these villains still need a beer to help unwind. As you would imagine, many of them prefer brooding Stouts in one form or another: The darker side draws them in and makes them feel warm.
Bell’s Brewery | Light Hearted Ale
August 25, 2020 | Jessica Spengler
For many years, being a craft beer drinker often meant maintaining happy ignorance about how many calories you’ve consumed after a few pints at the brewery or while at home, relaxing at the end of the day. The only truly low-calorie beers were slapped with the names of macro brands – Michelob Ultra, Miller 64, Bud Select 55 – and tasted just the way one would expect. Over the past year or so, demand for lower-calorie brews has increased and the craft beer industry is listening. Now, there are plenty of low-cal offerings from some of the biggest names in the business including Dogfish Head, Deschutes, Lakefront Brewery, New Belgium and Ballast Point. Even among these myriad options, Bell’s Brewery’s Light Hearted Ale (a Lo-Cal IPA) stands out.
Chicago Beer Bars Struggle, Adapt to COVID
August 17, 2020 | Mike Zoller 1
On the day that Chicago’s Beermiscuous found out it was approved for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan, the owners had a huge sigh of relief. The city had changed the rules again to not allow taverns and bars that don’t serve food to have indoor dining, and the craft beer bar was nervous for its survival. And, even with the PPP loan, they aren’t out of the woods.
Planning the Perfect Craft Beer Day Trip to the Chicago Suburbs
August 12, 2020 | Emma Wargolet
The sheer number of breweries within Chicago limits would lead you to believe you would never need to leave the city to get your craft beer fix. While this is technically true, there are many Chicagoland suburbs that have great breweries that, unless they distribute to the city, Chicagoans will miss out on. Read More
FoBAB Cancelled, ICBG to Continue with Virtual Competition
August 11, 2020 | Dan and Lizzie
On Thursday, the Illinois Craft Brewer’s Guild announced that their annual Festival of Barrel and Wood Aged Beer (FoBAB) will be among the many festivals to get cancelled because of the global pandemic. This news coincides with the cancellation of the 2021 Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines festival held in Breckenridge, Colorado. The ICBG mentioned in their official announcement that the annual competition and awards ceremony would still be taking place virtually. Participating breweries will be asked to send their competition beers to FoBAB where they will be judged by 50 industry leaders and certified craft beer judges.
Goose Island Announces 2020 Bourbon County Lineup
August 11, 2020 | Mike Zoller 1
We know that Goose Island’s 2020 Bourbon County Stout lineup will go on sale this Black Friday as has been the tradition over the past 10 years. What we don’t know is how the release will be different this year with the pandemic. While we wait on the brewery to release those details, we can tell you about the variants for this year’s lineup.
Brewery Showcase | Bad Dad Brewing Co.
August 6, 2020 | Jereme Zimmerman
Bad Dad Brewing Co. isn’t the sort of brewery you’re likely to stumble across accidentally. Barry Howard has no qualms saying that the brewery he and his sons founded in Fairmount, Indiana, isn’t in a location people generally think of as a destination. Instead, he’s proud of the fact that he made the brewery and its associated restaurant and brewpub into the destination.
Hop Butcher For The World | Blazed Orange Milkshake IPA
August 6, 2020 | Paul Lewis 2
Even in uncertain times, craft breweries and American ingenuity continue to create unique new ways to drink and enjoy craft beer. In Chicago, finding an establishment to sit outside and enjoy a cold one can still be hard to come by. Outdoor dining is limited, and people are lining up at the door to get a small dose of what feels like normalcy. However, with ample green space in and around the city, there is no shortage of places that provide some shade and plenty of space to spread out if relaxation and quiet are what you crave.
Just in time for the dog days of summer, Hop Butcher For The World released their highly sought after Blazed Orange Milkshake IPA, giving Chicagoland craft beer drinkers an IPA reminiscent of childhood summers and simpler times. Inspired by the classic frozen treat, Hop Butcher used their American ingenuity to bring you a Creamsicle in a glass.
Transient Artisan Ales | The Juice Is Loose
August 3, 2020 | Jack Raymond
Nobody wants to get labeled as a bandwagoner, pandering to whatever’s in vogue for the sake of staying trendy. When the New England IPA movement started gaining steam, brewers were quick to call out posers in a street cred battle that bordered on ridiculous. Well, the style is obviously here to stay, and with years of popularity under its belt, it’s fun to look back at some classics.
Riverlands Brewing Company | Acid Prism: Buried In Berries
July 29, 2020 | Emma Wargolet
Striking a balance between tart and sweet is a difficult task. Fortunately for beer lovers, Riverlands Brewing Company has done just that with their Acid Prism: Buried in Berries. A companion to their Acid Rainbow, the Buried in Berries is a bold Fruited Sour with raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, vanilla, and milk sugar.
Wolf’s Ridge Brewing | Heartlandia American Lager
July 28, 2020 | David Nilsen
Wolf’s Ridge Brewing in Columbus, OH has claimed many an Ohio beer drinker’s heart since opening in 2013 and their new core beer celebrates the agriculture of this state that calls itself “The Heart of It All.”
Ørkenoy Opening Soon in Chicago
July 20, 2020 | Rachel Morrison
A rocker, a chef and a doctor walk into a bar. Normally, this would be the lead-in for a below-average joke. Instead, it’s the unique team behind the new creative … Read More
1840 Brewing Co. | Shelter in Case (Wine Barrel Aged Saison)
July 16, 2020 | Marc Beckley
As Popeye the Sailor man would exclaim, “Well blow me down!” 1840 Brewing continues to make amazing beer in Milwaukee, and their Shelter in Case—a Belgian-inspired Saison fermented and aged in wine barrels—is no exception. Schlemiel! Schlimazel! Hasenpfeffer Incorporated.
Inbound BrewCo | Laser Loon Kolsch
July 15, 2020 | Max Sundermeyer
Summer is lake season in Minnesota. While pursuing one of the state’s 11,842 lakes, one might be lucky enough to catch a view of Minnesota’s state bird — the loon. Inspired by the loon, Laser Loon Kolsch from Minneapolis’ Inbound BrewCo represents an ideal beer to pair with a lakeshore visit, pontoon or any Minnesota summer experience.
5 Questions With Taxman Brewing Co-Owner Colin McCloy
July 14, 2020 | Scott Grossman
To mark this year’s pandemic-extended July 15 Tax Day, we talked with Bargersville, IN-based Taxman Brewing Company‘s co-owner and chief production officer, Colin McCloy. Normally the brewery hosts an annual Death & Taxes Day festival around April 15. However, much like the IRS, the brewery had to delay the festival. This year’s festival is planned for August 29, 2020.
Taxman’s Belgian-style Ales and farm-to-table restaurant menu reflect the owners’ love and passion for Belgian culture. Their enthusiasm for beer also extends into American Farmhouse Ales and Midwest Saisons, along with a strong barrel-aging program. The brewery operates a 20-barrel brewhouse plus several satellite restaurant/taprooms in central Indiana. Read More
ALULU Brewery and Pub | Aldona
July 14, 2020 | Christiana Torres
With a classic golden yellow tone, ALULU Brewery and Pub’s Aldona seems unassuming at first glance. A low head and the slightly transparent body leads a drinker to believe that … Read More
Crushed By Giants Opens July 17
July 13, 2020 | Mike Zoller
In 2013 when Greg Shuff was getting ready to open DryHop Brewers, he had a vision to open up a series of brewpubs in different locations throughout Chicago. Over the past seven years, he’s opened up two more spots and is about to launch the fourth location, Crushed By Giants, on Friday, July 17.
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