Making A Beer Run 6K & Beer Fest

New Beer-Fueled Fun Run Along The Lakeshore To End In A Party

Chicago, IL – A new fun run with a beer-fueled twist is making its debut in Chicago on Saturday, October 15th 2016. Runners will make their way alongside Lake Michigan for a 6k course with spectacular views of Chicago’s skyline. At the finish line there will be a beer fest where runners and guests can enjoy samples from fifteen craft breweries with family and friends.

**Just Announced**

Toppling Goliath Brewing Company, considered by many to be among the best breweries in the country, will pop up in Chicago for the first time at the upcoming Making A Beer Run 6k Fun Run and Beer Fest. Among others, they'll be pouring their flagship beer PseudoSue (98 BeerAdvocate Score), their Double IPA King Sue (100 BeerAdvocate score), and a surprise mystery beer!

Other breweries featured will be 3 Sheeps, Bell's, Boulevard, Burnt City, Founders, Goose Island, Moody Tongue, Summit, Upland, Urban Chestnut and Virtue Cider.

What
In addition to the 6k and beer fest, there will be a variety of tasty foods as well as three enormous 9’x13’ elevated TV systems for guests to cheer on their favorite college football team. For $60, runners can partake in the 6k, snag a sporty fleece complete with the logo, a chill puck frozen coaster and relax at the three-hour beer fest. Friends, family and fellow beer-fans can skip the run and join the party with beer fest tickets at $25.

When
Saturday, October 15, 2016
Run: 12pm
Beer Fest: 12:00pm to 3:00pm

Where
The Northwest Terrace Of The Field Museum
1400 S Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605

Tickets & More Info

www.makingabeerrun.com

The Best of Goose Island Stout Fest 2016

If you're a stout lover, you will happily pass up green, watered down beer on St. Patrick's Day weekend and hold out for Goose Island's Annual Stout Fest. With a list of over 100 dark, flavorful and high octane stouts to choose from, strategy is always essential. We were on the lookout for some of the new breweries in attendance, as well as rare beers by some of our favorites such as Goose Island Clybourn, Perennial, and 18th Street. New this year: Alter Brewing, 2nd Shift, Maplewood Brewing, Cruz Blanca, Motor Row, Sketchbook Brewing, Horse Thief Hollow, Urban Legend, Aquanaut, Noon Whistle, Vice District and CHAOS Homebrew Club.

This year's sold out event took over the entire brewpub space, with well designated sections, much better traffic flow and shorter lines than years past. Food was available to order from the bar off of the regular menu, which was much needed half way through. 

Right: Brewers John & Steve of Goose Island Clybourn being presented with an ABV Chicago "Crotchee" award.

In years past the Goose Island Clybourn brewers had dominated the show for us, but we found so many creamy, balanced and flavorful stouts from neighboring tables, that it was extremely difficult to narrow down our top choices. Overall a fantastic experience that we hope continues at the Brewpub.

David and Andy from Horse Thief Hollow

OUR TOP 10 BEERS OF STOUT FEST

MIND FK, Maplewood Brewery & Distillery
Black Tea Infused Russian Imperial Stout with hints of chocolate and coconut  |  11%

BARREL AGED HUNTER (COGNAC), 18th Street 
Double Milk Stout aged in Cognac Barrels  | 11%

COCOVORE CUVEE, Horse Thief Hollow Brewing

A blend of 60% Cocovore, 35% Cheval Deux (2014 World Beer Cup Silver Medal), 5% Pat Mac's Irish Red  |  9.8%

CLOSE ENCOUNTER, Pipeworks
Hopped-Up Stout |  7%

CERISE STOUT IMPERIALE, Destihl Brewery
Wood-Aged Belgian-Style Imperial Stout with Sour Cherries  | 11%

BITCHES BANK, 18th Street 
Russian Imperial Stout brewed with cinnamon, vanilla and cacao nibs  | 10%

PROPRIETARY, Goose Island Clybourn
Barrel Aged Imperial Stout with Toasted Coconut  |  11.5%

COFFEE LIQUID SPIRITUAL DELIGHT, 2nd Shift Brewing
Chewy, chocolately stout with Blueprint Chiri Coffee  |  11.5%

2015 BCBS COFFEE, Goose Island Brewing
Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout with Intelligentsia Los Delirios Coffee | 13%

CASK OF MALEVOLENCE CHOCOLATE CALIENTE, Spiteful Brewing
Mexican Hot Chocolate Stout brewed with vanilla beans, peppers, cacao nibs & cinnamon |  10.5%

Spiteful Brewing took home the "Brewer's Choice Award." 

The People's Choice Awards went to Revolution Café Deth (3rd place), Spiteful Malevolence Chocolate Caliente (2nd place), and Goose Island Clybourn Propriety (1st place).

Cider Talk with Broken Nose Cider Maker Paul Cade

A few weeks back we stopped in to visit the Begyle Brewing taproom and were excited to find Chicago's newest cidery, Broken Nose, not only on draft, but sharing the location for cider production. We had the pleasure of talking with owner and cider maker, Paul Cade. We loved his story – homebrewer, turned cider apprentice, turned professional cider maker, on a mission to bring European-style ciders to urban Chicago. But beyond that, the cider we tasted was beautiful, complex and dry. Attributes we aren't yet seeing a whole lot of in US made cider. 

This Thursday, December 17th he will be at the Begyle Taproom for a meet and great, as well as a sampling of his three current ciders. All will be available on draft to purchase or take home in a growler. These European-style ciders are perfect for holiday meal pairing, so we hope you'll stop by and taste for yourself.

Can you tell us about your background and what let to the passion for cider making?

Well I guess it started when I was a home brewer, back in 2010. I was lucky enough to try a bottle of tasty English cider – to this day I can't remember what kind of cider – but I do remember loving the sourness, the dryness and the flavor. It was like nothing I had ever had before. From there I kept trying ciders, but was incredibly disappointed in most of the U.S. ciders that I tried. As a home brewer I thought to myself "If I can't find any ciders that I want to buy, I'll make my own." The first ciders that I made were, quite frankly, terrible, but that idea started me on this 5 year journey.


How would you describe the objectives you see for Broken Nose as an urban cidery?

Well, being an urban cidery is pretty unique. Historically cider was made by farmers as way to store their apples and to maybe add value. Even today I think that for the most part cider making is a rural endeavor and that the best cider is being made where the apples are grown. However I strongly believe that even though most of the best ciders are made by orchardists, being an orchardist it is not a prerequisite to making great cider. I think that with some care when it comes to sourcing raw materials and a good understanding of fermentation we can make world class cider right here is Chicago.


What was your experience like making cider in France and England and what has the biggest takeaway you're applying to your cider making now?
It was an incredible experience. I met incredible people, worked hard and had some of the best cider I have ever tried. I think that the biggest single takeaway was the palette that I developed. Just being exposed to those ciders and drinking them at least once, if not three times a day, every day for months really gave me an understanding of what I liked and didn't like in ciders. That has really brought me to where I am today. If going to Europe did nothing else, it gave me the ability to know when cider isn't up to snuff. Now this can be a bad thing too, because it's been about three years since I got back from Europe and Im just now making ciders that really impress me.


What influence has your experience as Cellarman for Begyle Brewing contributed to starting a business yourself?

It's been really incredible watching Brendan, Kevin and Matt run Begyle. The biggest thing that I have taken away from watching them is that making a great product is only part of the equation, you also have to be able to get it to people, and that is harder than it sounds. Luckily Begyle is helping me get my cider to people and that is amazingly helpful!


What projects or experiments are you most excited about in the upcoming year?

Mixed culture fermentations. This is really the future, and the past, of cider making. All the ciderys that I worked on in Europe had amazing microbiological cultures built up from years, if not centuries, of cider making. These cultures are the reason for the incredible complexity of good European ciders. And that is something that we are really trying to master.


If there was one cider or cider style that was a turning point for you as a drinker, do you recall what it was?
Well there was that first one I tried that I can't remember, and I think that I was very lucky to have a great cider as my first, because so many people write off ciders because the first one they tried wasn't good. I could have been one of those people who dismissed all ciders, but like I say I was lucky. The next time I had a great cider was at Owen and Engine over on Western. This was important because it made me realize that the first cider wasn't a fluke or a dream, there really was good cider out there! That one was a French cider and if I remember correctly it was Cidre Bouché from Domaine Dupont. That cider really made me realize that Europe was the place to go to if I wanted to learn to make great cider.

Broken Nose Cider is currently producing three ciders – Old Hat, their flagship cider with crab apples, Bright Lights hopped cider and Bog City cranberry cider. They are on tap at Begyle Brewing which is located at 1800 W Cuyler Ave in Chicago's North Center neighborhood, just steps off the CTA's Irving Park Brown Line stop.

Meet Paul and sample Broken Nose ciders tomorrow, December 17th and their "Meet the Cider Maker" event. 7pm, Begyle Brewing Taproom, 1800 W Cuyler Ave, Chicago. No charge to get in, all ciders will be on tap to purchase, including growlers to go.

Halloween Candy and Craft Beer Pairings

Trick-or-treating may be reserved for the kids, but the kid in all of us can't resist indulging in those bite-sized Halloween treats. We know you're going to steal a few from the company candy bowl or your kids' loot when they're not looking, so why not fully indulge by pairing those candies with some craft beer?

SideDoor Chicago’s Beverage Director, Jeff Van Der Tuuk channels his own child-like side with pairings of his favorite Halloween candy and a range of the restaurant’s large format beers offerings.

“Malty beers tend to have chocolate tasting notes, they pair with a variety of candy bars. Additionally, fruit-forward candies mellow out the tartness in sour beers, which will create a balanced flavor profile on your palate,” says Van Der Tuuk.

Photography: SideDoor Chicago

For the chocolate lovers -

Kit Kats 
paired with Evil Twin Biscotti Break Imperial Stout, Denmark (22oz, 11.5% ABV)
Beer tasting notes: coffee, chocolate 



M&M’s paired with Uinta Oak Jacked Imperial Pumpkin Ale, UT (750ml, 10.3% ABV) 

Beer tasting notes: oak-aged, pumpkin, spice 



Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups 
paired with 3 Floyds Moloko Milk Stout, IN (22oz, 8% ABV) 
Beer tasting: milk sugar, vanilla, roasted sweet malt 



Photography: SideDoor Chicago

For those with a sugary sweet tooth -

Nerds 
paired with Rodenbach Caractere Rouge, Belgium (750ml, 7% ABV) 

Beer tasting notes: cranberry, raspberry, tart cherry, oak 



Starburst paired with The Bruery Oude Tart, CA (750ml, 7.5% ABV) 

Beer tasting notes: tart cherry, black currant, toasted oak 



SweetTarts 
paired with Duchesse de Bourgogne, Belgium (750ml, 6% ABV) 
Beer tasting notes: black cherry, oak, dry finish


About Jeff Van Der Tuuk, Beverage Director of SideDoor: Jeff was pairing craft beers with a variety of dishes long before “craft beers” became a trend. He credits this long-time interest in beers, spirits and wines—and how they subtly interact with the food we eat—as being the driving force of his career. Jeff brings this hands-on approach to SideDoor’s beverage program with carefully selected beers, wines and spirits perfectly matched to the gastropub’s menu, which utilizes sustainable, artisanal ingredients. Most notably, he initiated a large format beer program and created a roster of original craft cocktails certain to please his guests. Following the inauguration of SideDoor’s monthly craft beer ‘Tap Takeover,’ Van Der Tuuk looks forward to launching like-minded brew programs, including a series of upcoming beer dinners.

Drink Like A Belgian With The Boozy Beggar

On Wednesday, October 29th join The Boozy Beggar's Seth Feldman for a special beer and cocktail event, "Drink Like A Belgian," featuring unique Belgian spirits and liquors from Distillerie Biercée. Rockwell's Neighborhood Grill, 4632 N Rockwell St. 6-10pm 

Featured spirit:
Peket de Houyeu Genever - Belgian Gin distilled with juniper berries, hops and grains.

Featured beer:
Kwak - available on draft 
Tripel Karmeliet - available in 11.2 oz bottles

Featured liqueurs:
eau de villee (lemon)
orangine (orange and cocoa bean)
griotte (cherry)
noir d'Ivoirie (belgian chocolate)

SPECIAL Distillerie de Biercee's spirits & Belgian beer pairings:
Tripel Karmeliet with the Peket de Houyeu Genever
Kwak with Biercee Eau de Ville

Featured cocktails:
Three unique Peket de Houyeu cocktails will be featured - 
The Belgian Dude: Orangine cocoa Belgian liqueur, Kahlua topped with cream and garnished with a candied orange peel
The Sloe Press: Plymouth Sloe Gin, Biercee Griotte, fresh lemon and Original Sin Cider.  
The Work Horse: Peket Genever, Biercée Eau de Ville, fresh grapefruit, chai-tea simple syrup and Imbue Bittersweet vermouth.

Featured food pairing:
Chicken and Kwaffles - Kwak laced waffles topped with Kwak honey butter, fried chicken and a Chipotle-maple syrup.

About Distillerie Biercée

Fountainhead's Harvest Dinner with Metropolitan and Angel's Envy

By guest contributor Eric Zeigler

Recently I had the opportunity to attend a dinner to celebrate the onset of Fall and all of the delicious foods and libations that accompany the season. Fountainhead is a Ravenswood neighborhood gastropub that perfectly exemplifies this feeling in both décor and ambiance. I was a guest for the Harvest Dinner on the Roof Deck: A Night with Angel’s Envy and Metropolitan, and it was a splendid way to enter "comfort food" season.

Chris Kafcas (Front of House Manager) and Cleetus Friedman (Executive Chef) at Fountainhead gave a warm welcome and relayed their reasons for having such a dinner. Everyone has a fondness for Fall, but one of the special attributes the season imparts is a warmth and fellowship in gathering people together around comforting foods and perfectly-paired libations.

With that in mind, and the plates of food beginning to arrive from the kitchen, Chris first introduced Doug Hurst from Metropolitan Brewing. Doug gave a quick synopsis of Metropolitan and its German lager-style brewing philosophy. In fact, Metropolitan has been instrumental in guiding many of the new Chicago craft breweries as they have been starting out.


As Doug was speaking the plates were arriving and set before us. Piles of bone marrow with Herbes de Provence, pickled vegetables and fruit mostarda. This was paired with Metropolitan’s Dynamo Copper Lager. Its copper hue comes from a wonderful balance of 2 kinds of hops and Vienna malts.

The next two family-style dishes were superb! Hearty strips of kale, butter-roasted sunchoke, toasted sunflower seeds and onion frizzles coated in an apple sunflower vinaigrette. Also, a brussel sprout and delicata squash hash in a warm drizzle of nutmeg brown butter. These two sides were perfect examples of what Fall vegetables provide in terms of freshness and flavors.

For this particular dinner, three of our beer pairings would be served at cask temperature. Normally I am not partial to this, but suffice it to say, I would be a complete convert by the end of the dinner. A Metropolitan dry-hopped cask with beautiful notes of grapefruit and a collaboration American IPA cask with Lake Effect Brewing called 27 Blocks. Last but not least, a black pepper cask version of Dynamo that was, in my humble opinion, one of the best session beers I have ever tasted. It was a sublime pairing with the herbed roast beef and horseradish cream, which was the main entrée.

It was at this point, nearing the dessert phase of the dinner, when the representative from Angel’s Envy, Joe Nelson, was introduced. He gave an impassioned story of the founder of Angel’s Envy—Lincoln Henderson—who recently passed away and was the guiding passion behind this exemplary whiskey. We tasted their cornerstone bourbon, Angel’s Envy Port Finished Bourbon, which is aged in port casks – along with a Fonseca tawny port to compare and contrast subtleties of flavors imparted in each. Paired with the delicate caramel apple bread pudding as the last course of the dinner could not have been a wiser choice.

As the plates were being cleared from the tables, Joe invited all of us to sample some rarefied examples of their cask strength bourbon flagship which won the Best Spirit in the World in 2013 by the Spirit Journal. Also, a particular highlight for me was their Rye finished in Plantation XO barrels. To a rye and rum aficionado such as myself, this was a perfect ending to a spectacular evening.

All in all, the attendees of this dinner were left with not only the warmth of the spectacular food and libations, but also the embracing atmosphere created by Fountainhead, Angel’s Envy and Metropolitan. Rest assured if they collaborate again, it will surely be an event not to be missed.

Fight Breast Cancer with Green Flash Brewing

On Monday, October 27th join Jerry's-Andersonville for a night of amazing beer, great food & good company while supporting a great cause with Green Flash Brewing, Jerry's and Pintley. Event starts at 7pm. 5419 N Clark.
 
This event is showcasing Treasure Chest, a Barrel-aged Belgian-Style Saison with Plum. This beer was fermented in red wine barrels with house Brettanomyces, then conditioned with plums for six months.It is extremely rare; you will not be able to get outside of the Treasure Chest Events. 

Also for each Treasure Chest pour, Green Flash will donate $1 to charities fighting against Breast Cancer.
 
Also featured:
8.8% Double Stout, a brew that's a twist on19th Century British Stout recipes, it has delicious hints of bittersweet chocolate & coffee.
 
8.1% West Coast IPA, a beer with a myriad of hops: Simcoa, Columbus, Centennial, Citra, and Cascade.
 
Hang out with Mario from Green Flash & take home a Green Flash pint glass (free with purchase while supplies last)! And make sure to pair your beer with delicious food –

10% of all dinner sales will be donated to the Susan G. Koman foundation!
 
This is THE LAST keg of Treasure Chest in Chicago! Free event, please RSVP HERE.

Goose Island Clybourn Releases A Seasonal Brett Bruin

Goose Island Clybourn Brewpub Brewmaster, Nick Barron and team have continued to impress us with a wide range of flavorful and experimental small batch beers over the past few years. Their latest brewpub-only release, Cran Bruin – a seasonal interpretation of an Oud Bruin, is no exception.

Large amounts of Munich malt provide a full body, complimented with caramel malts for color and residual sweetness. The Belgian Abbey yeast strain provides nice spice and candy characteristics. Aged in oak wine barrels for a year with Lactobacillus and Brettanomyces, Cran Bruin shows off mild tart flavors, true to the Flanders Brown/Oud Bruin style. After being removed from the barrel, the beer was blended with 200lbs of cranberries and clarified for a beautiful end result.

Tasting Notes:
Appearance - Vibrant ruby red color, brilliant clarity
Aroma - Rich malt aroma, earthy spices, sweet sugar/cotton candy, slight tart fruit aroma
Flavor/Mouthfeel - Medium bodied, sweet caramel malt upfront. A fruity tartness quickly introduces itself, rounding out to a smooth, dry finish. Prominent cranberry and jammy notes linger.
Overall Impression - Well balanced and layered with enjoyable flavors from beginning to end. For the beginner sour enthusiasts and non-pumpkin beer fans alike, this is a very approachable, seasonal beer that would pair exceptionally well with the rich meats and starches of holiday meals.
4.5/5

Cran Bruin releases today, October 16th at the Goose Island Clybourn Brewpub and will be a draft only offering, available throughout the holiday season.

New Glarus Pumpkin Pie Lust Review

This past week New Glarus Brewing quietly launched a brand new offering to their seasonal portfolio, a Pumpkin Weiss beer, "Pumpkin Pie Lust". We were able to get a hold of a few bottles to see how the fanboy favorite brewery would line up against the abundance of pumpkin beers on shelf.

From the label:

"It is a fact that Dan, our New Glarus Brewmaster, loves pumpkin pie. So it was inevitable that one day beer and pie would collide. No holiday is complete at our home without home baked pumpkin pie. Just as Dan once baked this pie for Deb, he now creates this brew for you.

First, Wisconsin grown wheat simmers with German Munich Malt. Then he thoroughly stirs in Idaho grown Celeia Hops. Fresh Bavarian Weizen yeast is then ladled into the open top fermentors and a final bottle conditioning makes this beer 100% naturally carbonated. This rich brown Weiss beer pours an elegant spicy nose with a thick creamy head. This Pumpkin Weiss is sure to satisfy your soul’s Pie Lust. "

Our review:
Appearance - hazy, burnt amber color, thick tan-colored head, tight bubbles, lacing
Aroma - earthy spice aroma: allspice, nutmeg. Sweet malt, cream/creme brulée
Flavor - creamy wheat malt, fruit forward, tangy/citrus/orange rind bitterness, pie spices, dry finish. It is unclear whether pumpkin was used in the brewing process. No pumpkin/vegetal notes present, spices are prominent.
Mouthfeel - slightly thin body, high carbonation - almost sparkling
Overall - Smells like pumpkin pie but the bright, citrusy flavor throws of the balance of what we'd expect to be a smooth, wheat-forward, pie spice finish. Not a bad beer, but not the best pumpkin seasonal we've had.
3.5/5

Available at select stores in Wisconsin for $9-10/12oz 6 pack.

Chicago's Authentic German Food and Beer Scene

By guest contributor Eric Zeigler

My name is Eric Zeigler, and if you can’t surmise from my last name, I am of German descent. Even though my family has been in America for many, many generations, I’ve always been fascinated – enthralled if you will, with all things Teutonic. Whether you are talking of cars, the people, or medieval castles, my fascination with Germanic culture has no bounds.

This is especially true when it comes to German food and libations. As a self-proclaimed foodie and hospitality student at Kendall College, I take great pride in seeking out many of the excellent choices that Chicago has to offer in terms of ethnic German restaurants and bars.

One of my favorites is Laschet’s Inn. Far and away, this low-key tudor-style restaurant serves out amazing examples of common German dishes such as Rouladen, Schnitzels and Sauerbraten. Their sausages – Thüringer, Bratwurst and Weisswurst among them are phenomenal examples of basic, hearty fare. If one chooses to eat “lighter”, a perfect meal at Laschet’s would be one of their flown-in-from-Bavaria pretzels and a rare dish called Hackepeter, essentially steak tartar spread over rye bread with chopped onions and capers. All of this can be washed down with what is certainly one of the best selections of imported, on draught German beers in the city. In fact, they recently added one of the rarest – Kloster Andechs, a beer that wasn’t available in America for the past 15 years and is, in my humble opinion, sublimely wonderful.

Lachet's Inn. Photos courtesy of lachetsinn.com

Those seeking a more “elevated” experience should give The Radler a try. Two established partners in the Chicago scene, Chef Partner Nathan Sears and Managing Partner Adam Hebert, decided to try their hand at elevating German cuisine to a new level, and they have succeeded admirably. Their pickling of vegetables, curing of meats and hand-baked pretzels are all done in-house. They are great supporters of local food purveyors and farmers, and utilize a local suburban brewery to make their house beers. Try the German Onion Pie, a twist on an English shepherd’s pie that is out-of-this-world. One should never pass up house-made charcuterie, and The Radler never disappoints. Venison, pork and boar are transformed into savory delights and are always accompanied by perfectly balanced accoutrement.

Photos by Baskin-White Photography. Courtesy of dasradler.com

There are many more too numerous to mention, but all worth (multiple) visits. Resi’s Bierstube, Mirabell, Huettenbar and the historic Brauhaus round out more of Chicago’s offerings. In the suburbs, the illustrious Hofbrauhaus in Rosemont is astounding, The Bavarian Lodge in Lisle, Schniztelplatz in Glendale Heights. The list goes on and on. 

All in all, the Germanic food and beer scene is well-covered in Chicago, and one would be remiss to pass on an opportunity to experience some authentic Gemütlichkeit.

Courtesy of huettenbar.com

Oktoberfest Beer Pairings With Wicker Park's The Boundary

We were recently invited to The Boundary in Wicker Park to check out their Oktoberfest-themed food and beer specials. Available at Bottleneck Management restaurants* September 20th – October 5th, the recipes and curation are a creative collaboration between the Executive Management team and skilled chefs. ​

"The process around seasonal development is a fun one," says ​Beverage Director and VP of Operations Ken Henricks​."Not only do we have great beer being made here in Chicago, but we also get the best of both coasts. This offers the marketplace an incredible volume of 'unique to market' and 'seasonal' selections from breweries across the country."

With Oktoberfest and pumpkin beers being hugely popular Henricks and team "take advantage of the traditional seasonal model to pair food items that go well with the flavor profiles of the beers." Once menus are developed the front of house staff works with servers weekly on beer style and food pairing education.

We were excited to take part and make recommendations. For each of the seasonal food dishes we chose a beer pairing from their extensive list of offerings that we felt complimented the flavors of each dish.

Apple Onion Potato Pancakes: 

Fuji apple and Vidalia onions, cinnamon spiced crème fraiche.

paired with

Anderson Valley Fall Hornin' Pumpkin Ale:  

English-style ale, malt and spice aroma. This beer finishes dry with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg throughout. Balances well with the sweetness of the potato pancakes.
  -----------------------------------------------

Beer Mustard Braised Bratwurst: 

Housemade bratwurst, caramelized onions, house-made sauerkraut, 

Dusseldorf mustard, warm German potato salad, brioche bun.

paired with

Erdinger Oktoberfest Weissbier:

A traditional German wheat beer, slightly hazy with notes of citrus fruit, bananas, clove, grainy malt, toasted bread. This beer finishes malty, and slightly sweet, which works well with richer foods like meat, potatoes and kraut.
 -----------------------------------------------

Pork Schnitzel Sandwich: 

Breaded pork loin, housemade sauerkraut, Dusseldorf mustard, bib lettuce, beefsteak tomato, olive oil parsley fries, Pumpernickel pretzel kaiser roll.

 paired with

Crispin Original Hard Cider: 

 Apples are a natural compliment to anything pork-related. For a beer alternative we chose this crisp, hard apple cider. It is smooth and light with champagne-like carbonation and a moderately sweet finish. No spice characteristics, just apples, apples, apples.

alternate pairing

Great Lakes Oktoberfest: 

A deliciously malty, amber-colored beer with notes of caramel, toffee, toasted bread, biscuit. This beer has little to no hop bitterness, with complex malt characteristics making it a very strong American-style Oktoberfest offering. 

Photos courtesy of www.bottleneckmgmt.com

* Bottleneck locations featuring the Oktoberfest food specials (beer availability varies per location) are The Boundary, Sweetwater Tavern & Grille, Howells & Hood, Old Town Pour House, South Branch Tavern & Grille, The Crown at Tribune Tower. For more information visit Bottleneck Management.

Food and beer provided courtesy of Wagstaff Worldwide. Pairing recommendations and opinions are our own.

October Beer Events We're Excited About

Women Working in Mixed Media: She's Crafty
October 22nd, 6pm
Chop Shop, 2033 W North Ave, Chicago IL
tickets $30, 2/$50

WWIMM is back in action with a new networking event in honor of Oktoberfest devoted to women working in the craft beer industry. Come meet the top women working in the field with our interactive panel, while tasting some of our favorite craft brews.
Panelist include:
Claudia Jendron - Brewer, Temperance Beer Company
Kate Bernot - Nightlife Reporter, RedEye
Kim Leshinski - Design Consultant and Event Curator, Hail To The Ale
Monica Mooney - Field Sales Representative, Bell's Brewery, Inc. (Official)




The Hirter Überbrew Homebrew Contest
Submissions due October 3rd
Judging and Awards Ceremony, October 11th, 7pm
Dank Haus, 4740 N Western Ave, Chicago IL

Only a few days remain to enter your best German-style homebrew into this unique competition hosted by Austrian Euro Craft brewery, Hirter Bier in collaboration with Square Kegs Homebrew Club and Louis Glunz Beer.  

Register your homebrew here!

Come by the DANK Haus following the Uberbrew Homebrew Competition judging for the official awards ceremony, with special guests Klaus Möller and Nikolaus Riegler – 5th and 6th generation Owners of Brauerei Hirt, makers of Hirter Bier.
 
Winners of each category will be announced as well as the grand prize winner, who will receive a $1500 scholarship to Siebel Institute. Beer and food will be available to purchase. Live music. No cover. More info here.




C.H.A.O.S. Brew Club Harvest Fest
October 18th, 6pm
2417 W Hubbard St, Chicago IL 
$30 Trial Membership

Join the C.H.A.O.S. Home Brew Club for their annual Harvest Fest, boasting over 30 beers on tap, a Thanksgiving-style buffet, raffle prizes. Oh, and a 30-day trial membership to check out their unique, brew-on-premise facility. More info.




DryHop Brewer's Evening of Pumpkin Beers
October 30th, 6pm
3155 N Broadway Ave, Chicago IL

For the second year DryHop will tap their delicious pumpkin stout "Starry Night In A Sleepy Hollow" in celebration of Halloween. They'll be sharing the taps with an extensive lineup of craft brewed pumpkin ales, including local offerings. Full list to come. 5oz pumpkin flights and food specials will be available.

The Best of Belgian Fest 2014

Goose Island's Belgian Fest is always a happy and hearty way to ring in the fall season. Coinciding with Riot Fest, Great Lakes Brew Fest, and many other events that weekend made this perhaps one of the most under-attended Goose Island events we've experienced. But with copious amounts of Belgian-style beer flowing, a manageable crowd, and zero lines, we certainly weren't complaining. 

The Goose Island Clybourn brewers were indeed the shining star as expected, showcasing experimental, small batch recipes aged in various barrels and bursting with complex flavors. With quite a few of the expected players absent (Half Acre, Pipeworks, Solemn Oath, Three Floyds, Une Annee) left opportunity to spend time with newcomers such as 4 Hands, Aquanaut, Middle Brow, Rude Hippo, Scorched Earth, Bucket List and Moody Tongue.

The common theme of the menu – experimentation. Each brewery had their own spin on the traditional concept of Belgian recipes, pushing the boundaries of beer styles. Collaboration with local coffee roasters is as prevalent as ever, with local, farm-fresh fruit additions in a close second place. A number of breweries including 4 Hands and Transient Artisan Ales showcased beers on the wild side, marrying the Belgian spice characteristics with the tropical fruit and citrus esters from Brett and Lacto fermentation.

Below is a wrap-up of our stand out beers for the day.

Vainglorious, Goose Island Clybourn Brewpub
Full-bodied Belgian stout, split batched and aged in red wine and bourbon barrels respectively. Blended back together with Intelligentsia coffee and black raspberries from Mick Klug Farms. Jammy fruit throughout, sweetness balanced with the roast of the coffee.
(10%)

Robyn Dark Matter Coffee Remix, Middle Brow Beer Co.
Blonde, abbey-inspired farmhouse ale blended with Dark Matter coffee, aged in Goose Island Lolita barrels. Coffee flavor was earthy and well balanced with the ale body. Subtle spice and fruit notes throughout. (6.9%)

Super Flare, 4 Hands/Wicked Weed
100% Brettanomyces fermented IPA with tangerine zest, guava and mango. Dry-hopped with Galaxy and Mosaic. Tropical fruit forward, harmonious, zesty, minimal Brett funkiness. (7%)

Jaggery Tripel, Ten Ninety Brewing 
For the traditionalist, looking to be impressed – a Belgian-style Tripel brewed with jaggery sugar. Complex notes from beginning to end. Residual sweetness lingers with flavors of caramelized sugar, molasses, spice and vanilla. This would be an amazing pairing for rich cheeses or dessert. (11%)

Stella, Aquanaut Brewing
Our first experience with this brewery was a very pleasant one. Full bodied, aromatic Belgian Tripel with notes of creme brulé, clove, cinnamon, floral hops. Smooth caramel, vanilla, malty sweet finish with just a bit of heat that makes it a smooth sipper. (10.8%)

Two Weeks Less, Goose Island Clybourn Brewpub
A cask conditioned wild ale aged 4 months in oak barrels. Citrus fruit aroma, juicy, tart wild peach flavor with a lingering toasted wheat finish. Sweet upfront with a light, tart finish. (5.6%)

(L) The beautiful ruby-colored Vainglorious. (R) Enjoying American-style Belgian beer & football in the Karl Strauss room.

6 Design Observations from the Craft Beer Aisle

We were recently approached by the folks at Top Hat IMC, a Marketing and PR firm in Philadelphia, to write a guest blog post on craft beer label design. We happily obliged and welcomed the opportunity to explore, from a Nationwide perspective, the current design trends and best practices taking place in the craft beer industry.

For the full story click here.