Beerentine Cards Are Back!

Our original Beerentine (Beer Valentine) cards are back in our Etsy shop! We've got a number of new, pun-filled designs this year. Express your love in a fun and unique way, while supporting local artists. Visit our Etsy shop here to see the full array of designs. Have a custom request? Shoot us a note. We're happy to accommodate.

Cider Art Available On Etsy

Fall is here – a season filled with warm colors, spicy aromas and full-bodied beverages. With that, we were inspired to create some NEW cider-themed artwork for purchase in our Etsy shop, to indulge the cider enthusiasts.

Our "cider lovers" print will be featured in the December issue of CiderCraft Magazine. Click here for subscription information.

Celebrating Oktoberfest in the Chicago Suburbs

BuckleDown Brewing's 2nd Annual Oktoberfest takes place this Saturday in Lyons, IL. Photo credit: @clever_gents

The traditional German Oktoberfest season is upon us! We're highlighting some of the excellent celebrations taking place right in the suburbs of Chicago, perfect for a quick getaway from the city or a destination for family activities. Highlighted festivals feature local craft beer.

September 16-18th

Palatine Oktoberfest - Downtown Palatine, IL
Celebrate in a big heated tent full of good food, beer, live music, and family-friendly festival activities. Put on by the Rotary Club of Palatine. Friday 5-12pm, Saturday 12-12am, Sunday 12-6pm. More info.

Peoria Oktoberfest - Riverfront, Peoria, IL
The German American Central Society & Peoria Park District. Featuring German Heritage tent, puppet theatre, live music, German vendors, family activities and rides. Featuring Spaten Oktoberfest, German wines and spirits. Friday 5-11:30pm, Saturday 12-5pm, Sunday 11am-5pm. $10 admission. More info.

September 16-17th

Oak Park Oaktoberfest - Downtown Oak Park, IL
Live music, craft beer, local food, kids activities. Friday 5-10pm, Saturday 12-10pm. More info.

September 17th

BuckleDown Brewing Oktoberfest (12pm-11pm) - BuckleDown Taproom, Lyons, IL
Traditional Oktoberfest beer, Bavarian fare, live Oompah music.

German American Heritage Center's Oktoberfest (2pm) - Frankfort, IL
Entertainment including raffles, music, vendors, German food & beer. $10 admission adults/kids free. 


September 18th

Two Brothers Oktoberfest (12pm-9pm) - Two Brothers Roundhouse, Aurora, IL
Live authentic German Oompah music from The Happy Wanderers and Jimmy's Bavarians. Enjoy a beer stein full of Atom Smasher: Oak Aged Oktoberfest Style Lager, while eating authentic German food and playing classic Oktoberfest games!


September 23-24th

German Society of Rockford Oktoberfest - Loves Park City Hall, Loves Park, IL
52nd annual festival with German food and beer. Bier barrel race, running of the wieners, yodeling contest and barmaid stein race. Menu options include potato pancakes, bratwurst, schnitzel, sauerkraut and more. Advance two-day entry tickets are $14. Gate tickets are $10 per day. VIP party tickets available. Friday 5pm-12am, Saturday 12pm-12am. More info.

September 24th

Noon Whistle Oktoberfest (12pm-11pm) - Lombard, IL
Rauchbier & other special beer releases, outdoor biergarten, food trucks throughout the day, live music and more.

Imperial Oak Oak-toberfest (12pm-1am) - Willow Springs, IL
Biergarten serving "Das Boot" Oaktoberfest Bier, "Kaiser Kolsch" & many more favorites. 
Rum barrel aged "Sinister Minister" Belgian quadruple, bottle release and tapping at 12pm
Live Oktoberfest music by Super Oberkrainer (sets at 3pm, 4:30pm, 6:45pm and 8pm)
Food by Burger Antics, Chicago Pizza Boss, Toasty Cheese Mobile Eatery, The Roaming Hog

Lisle Ale Fest (12pm-11pm) - Prairiewalk Pond, Lisle, IL
Featuring 80 unique craft beers, including one of the largest selections of Oktoberfest beers in the area. Live music, local food. Tickets $45-55. More info.


September 30th - October 1st

Naperville Oktoberfest - 523 S Webster St. Naperville, IL
Live music, German beer & food, family activities. Friday 5-10pm, Saturday 12-10pm. Tickets $12 adults/$8 children. More info.


October 1st

Galena Oktoberfest (12-10pm) - Depot Park, Galena, IL
Ceremonial keg tapping, live music, polka lessons, beer stein contest, kids entertainment. Tickets $5 adults. More info.


October 7-8th

Batavia Oktoberfest - Downtown Batavia, IL
Featuring authentic German food, music, entertainment and of course beer! Family activities all day Saturday and official Sam Adams stein hoisting contest Friday and Saturday nights. Friday 5-10pm, Saturday 11am-10pm. More info.

Live Local, Drink Local

We're excited to introduce our new line of Drink Local art for the beer lovers in your lives. Choose your hometown or your favorite states to drink in to create a local love collage. Check out our Etsy page to purchase these prints and other beer and wine-themed gifts.

Abita's New Orleans Inspired Packaging Refresh

In celebration of their 30 year Anniversary, Louisiana-based craft brewery Abita unveils a packaging refresh of their flagship, seasonal and harvest series beers. 

The brewery, which has a deep connection to the Louisiana and New Orleans culture and lifestyle was looking for graphics to reflect its heritage.

"Our new look is inspired by the art, culture, history and colors of New Orleans. The personality of the city is showcased through eccentric new characters and quintessential New Orleans scenes depicted on the packaging." - David Blossman, President

The flagship Amber, Strawberry Lager and Purple haze designs are expect to hit shelves this month, with others releasing throughout 2016.

Guide to Glassware Series: The Stein

In continuation with our "Guide to Glassware" guest blog series with Lakeshore Beverage, we focus this month on the icon stein. Click on the link to read the full article, which highlight's the steins 5 century history, as well as the sensorial benefits of its various designs.

The full beer glass guide infographic:

New Blog Series: Beer Glass Guide with Lakeshore Beverage

I've recently embarked upon a new guest blog series with the passionate folks at Lakeshore Beverage, featuring an often overlooked aspect of beer – glassware.

Much like beer itself, the vessels have been around for centuries and have evolved over time to accommodate beer drinker's needs, as well as trends in the structural materials.

Many books have touched on glassware, but my mission is to dive deeper into some of the world's most popular styles, sharing their historic and aesthetic significance.

Part of this exploration was creating a visual reference guide in the form of a designed infographic. To read the full story and view the graphic, check out our first post on Lakeshore Beverage's blog.

Penguin Hops Release Party at Shedd Aquarium

By guest contributor MC Johnsen

On Thursday, October 30th, the Shedd Aquarium and Revolution Brewing hosted a release party at the aquarium for their annual collaboration beer, "Penguin Hops." For the last three years, the Shedd Aquarium has partnered with Revolution to brew this beer with the organically grown hops from the grounds of the aquarium itself. This beer is not to be missed because for each pint sold, $1 will be donated back to the aquarium to support their conservation efforts.

The event kicked off at 5pm with a keg-tapping of "Penguin Hops". The beer, an American Pale Ale, was remarkably clear with juicy grapefruit notes and a creamy, smooth finish. A sessionable beer, this nicely hoppy, but not-at-all-bitter, beverage clocked in at 5.5% ABV and 30 IBUs. Most notably though, it was a beautiful amber-orange color with reddish highlights – both delicious and pleasing to look at. 

Each year, the beer recipe has actually included a combination of the unknown variety of the whole hops gathered from the Shedd, some others harvested from Wil Turner’s home-grown hop garden (the vines of which are rumored to cover his entire house), and some commercially-produced hop pellets. Hops were added mainly for flavor and aroma, and the known varieties included Warrior, Crystal, and Centennial. This year, because of its past success, Revolution actually brewed a double batch (about 60 kegs) of Penguin Hops, which is great news for beer lovers and supporters of the Shedd Aquarium alike. 

After some mingling and tasting, the crowd filed into the aquarium’s 4D-Experience theater for a presentation dubbed “Science Pub.” Revolution Head Brewer, Wil Turner, gave a thorough description of how the brewing collaboration came to be. He recounted how the Shedd had been renovating a portion of their building and had decided that they needed to cover the unsightly construction with a fast-growing vine. Shedd Horticulturist, Christine Nye, choose to plant hops – known for their voracious ability to climb quickly. When the hop cones eventually matured and began sprouting a few years later, it became apparent that the they needed to be harvested. As the Shedd is always focused on sustainability, they looked for a local solution to this (what I would call convenient) problem and decided to reach out to Revolution. A partnership was immediately born, as was a delicious pale ale that highlighted the Shedd’s accidental crop.

Science Pub continued with a slideshow presentation by Lana Vanagasem, the Shedd’s resident penguin expert, highlighting her time spent at the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB). Lana worked there with a team of other penguin specialists to rehabilitate injured birds and worked toward releasing them back into the wild. The star of the slideshow was the rockhopper penguin, the type of penguin after which Penguin Hops was named. Rockhopper penguins are diminutive in size only; they have a spiky mohawk of black and yellow feathers which matches their spunky attitudes. Their blood-red eyes and orange beak were a perfect compliment to the color of the beer we were all imbibing in honor of her species.

Photos of Christine Nye and the Rockhopper Penguin courtesy of The Shedd Aquarium.

Following Science Pub, the visitors returned to the Penguin Hops tap or dispersed to visit the other bars that were placed throughout the aquarium. Wil Turner had brought along a couple of small containers of some whole Centennial hop cones for show, giving visitors the opportunity to smell and touch actual hops. I asked Wil what his best guess was as to the kind of hops the Shedd had planted, and he told me that because of their aroma and resulting flavor profile he initially thought they were Centennial, however this year’s hop cones were so huge that he’s no longer sure what they really are.
 
The party came to a close with a spirited performance from American Idol winner Caleb Johnson, to whom attending Shedd members had been given the chance to say hello during a VIP meet-and-greet session earlier in the evening. 

All in all, the Penguin Hops Release Party was a lively, family-friendly celebration that I would happily attend again. It not only provided a unique opportunity to explore the aquarium after hours and to learn about their specific penguin-related conservation efforts, but also gave party-goers a chance to learn about brewing by talking to the actual brewer regarding the creation of a truly one-of-a-kind beer.

The Penguin Hops official tap list will be released sometime during this first week of November, so keep your eyes peeled for your chance to sip on a very drinkable, pleasantly hoppy beverage brewed in the name of sustainability. In the meantime, you can find the beer on tap at Revolution’s Logan Square brewpub (2323 N. Milwaukee Ave.), at their Avondale taproom (3340 N. Kedzie Ave.), or you can enjoy a taste of this beer this coming Wednesday, November 5th at Whole Foods Market Chicago in Lincoln Park (1550 N. Kingsbury St.) starting at 5:30pm. 


MC Johnsen is a professional graphic designer and illustrator based in Chicago, IL. She is also the artist and author behind beer blog Worth a Thousand Beers. In her spare time MC enjoys homebrewing, taking on DIY projects, CrossFit, and binge-watching TV shows on Netflix. Her favorite coffee beverage is an Americano, and she shares a home with her husband Matt and their dog Dallas in Lombard, IL. You can find her on Twitter @worth1000beers.

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.

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.

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.

Harvest Ales Deconstructed

What are hops?

Hops are the seed cones of the plant species Humulus lupulus. They grow vertically on hop “bines” that can span anywhere from 10-20 ft high, and thrive in climates similar to wine grapes that have at least 120 frost-free days. Hops have lupulin glands that contain oils essential to brewing that contribute bittering and aroma to beer. 

How are hops harvested?

When hops reach their maturity (usually mid August) the harvest season begins. Hop farmers work around the clock to cut down the bines and send them through machines that separate the cones from the vines and leaves. Hops are extremely delicate and start decaying very quickly, which is why most are immediately dried to preserve the flavors and aromas.

What are fresh hop beers?

Fresh hop, wet hop, or harvest beers refer to a seasonal style of beer in which hops, within 24-48 hours of being picked, are quickly transported and used to brew a beer that highlights the fresh “green” aroma and local origin.

When did harvest ales originate?

Sierra Nevada was the first brewery to take advantage of the fresh-hop process in creating their Harvest Ale in 1996 (now called Northern Hemisphere Harvest Ale) and has made it every year since. The close proximity to hop farms in Oregon and Washington was a huge benefit to breweries in the Pacific Northwest, who quickly jumped on the seasonal trend.

With the growing number of hop farms in Michigan and Wisconsin, Midwest breweries are now able to more easily create harvest ales. Many pay special visits to their local hop farm leading up to harvest season to walk the fields and choose their own hops. Harvest Ales have become as much of a fall tradition in American craft beer as the Oktoberfest style is in Europe.

How are fresh hops used in beer?

Fresh hops are typically used in beers such as IPAs and Pale Ales. Since the moisture level is much higher than in the dried pellet versions, they are less bitter and best utilized as an aroma addition, towards the end of the boil. Some brewers use fresh hops to “wet hop” a beer during fermentation, similar to dry hopping with pellet hops.

The ratio of fresh to dried is approximately 6:1 and depends on the Alpha Acid of each hop variety. There are tools available online and in programs such as BeerSmith to help with the conversion. 

What are some examples of harvest ales I should try? 

Harvest ales typically hit shelves mid-September through early October and are best consumed fresh!

Locally brewed in the Midwest

Three Floyds - Broo Doo, IPA

Half Acre - Sticky Fat, American Dark Ale

Two Brothers - Heavy Handed, IPA

Two Brothers - Heavier Handed, DIPA

Founders - Harvest Ale, IPA

Greenbush - Demeter, American Pale Ale

Shorts Brewing - Kind Ale, American Pale Ale
New Holland - Hopivore, Pale Ale

Upland Brewing - Harvest Ale, American Pale Ale

Three Sheeps - Nimble Lips, Noble Tongue Vol. 4
Lake Effect/Fountainhead Collab - 27 Blocks, IPA

National distribution

Great Divide - Fresh Hop, Pale Ale

Left Hand Brewing - Warrior, IPA

Port Brewing - High Tide Fresh Hop, IPA

Deschutes Hop Trip, Pale Ale

Deschutes Chasin Freshies, American IPA

New Belgium - Fresh Hop, IPA
Sixpoint - Sensi Harvest, Pale Ale – check out this great harvest video they made.

Sierra Nevada celebrates the seasonal release of their 5 beer “Harvest Series”, showcasing a range of hop techniques and origins, with a “Single, Fresh, Wet and Wild Harvest Fest” at their estate hop fields in October.

Where can I read more about hops?

For the Love of Hops, Stan Hieronymus

Tasting Beer, Randy Mosher

The Complete Beer Course, Joshua M. Bernstein

Hop Variety Handbook, Dan Woodske

For information on growing your own hops, check out this resource from Midwest Supplies.

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.

Grand Opening of Craft Beer Café Beermiscuous

Today Lakeview welcomes a unique craft beer café concept, Beermiscuous. With both a cozy bar/café and retail space with an underground Euro aesthetic, Beermiscuous offers the perfect atmosphere for exploring a wide array of breweries and beer styles. A curated selection of 12 rotating drafts and more than 300 bottles and cans will be served by beeristas in the café, or are available for purchase for off-premises consumption. There’s a heavy focus on local beers, with 50 percent of inventory from Chicago and Midwest breweries. Sodas and water also available. The mission of the highly trained staff is to understand your tastes and guide you through further exploration of craft beer.

A selection of packaged snacks available for purchase. An extensive list of menus are available from local restaurants that deliver to Beermiscuous. Regularly scheduled events with food trucks will also take place.

Location: 2812 N Lincoln Ave (north of Diversey Ave intersection)

Hours: Tuesday-Thursday: 12pm - 10pm

             Friday-Saturday: 12pm - 11pm

             Sunday: 12pm - 7pm

             Monday: closed

Email: chicagolakeview@beermiscuous.com

Website/digital presences:

Website: www.beermiscuous.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/beermiscuous

Twitter: www.twitter.com/beermiscuous

Wi-fi: Yes. Ample power outlets available.

Parking: Yes. Six spots available for Beermiscuous customers in adjacent lot. Plentiful street parking, both metered and unmetered options.

Public Transit: CTA Brown line to Diversey. Diversey #76 Bus. Divvy station on Racine south of Diversey.

Private Parties: The main level cafe area has a capacity of 79 people, available for group events. The lower level also offers a private party space with a 20 person capacity. 

Photo credit: Timothy Musho

Smylie Brothers Brew Pub Brings Craft Beer & BBQ to Evanston

Evanston, IL: Smylie Brothers Brewing Company (www.smyliebros.com) is excited to announce a scheduled opening for June 24, 2014. The Brewpub, located at 1615 Oak Avenue in Evanston (phone: 224-999-7320), will open with dinner service Tuesday through Sunday with brunch and lunch services added later in the year. The restaurant brings craft beer, Texas-style barbecue, wood-fired pizza, and Midwestern comfort food to downtown Evanston.

On why he decided to open the brewpub, owner Mike Smylie explains, “I grew up with a large family – there are five Smylie Brothers and over forty cousins on the North Shore – and I have been cooking for as long as I can remember and home brewing since college. My dad is from Texas, and so we grew up on Texas barbecue. Family and friends always asked when we would open a restaurant, and now we can’t wait to share our beer and food with Evanston.”

Evanston’s Fourth Ward Alderman, Don Wilson, adds “I have been waiting with great interest since I first heard about the idea and concept. I am excited to see what Smylie Brothers has in store for us!”

Beer lovers can expect head brewer Brad Pulver to deliver a fresh take on old-world styles at Smylie Brothers. The brewpub will have twenty-four taps with eight featuring a rotation of Smylie Brothers beers and the remaining taps offering local, Midwestern brews from the Great Lakes area. The beer list will switch but visitors can expect to find Smylie’s signature beer, a California Common or ‘Steam beer’ (the only true American beer), and a Belgian brew always on tap.  For those who want to enjoy Smylie Brothers beer at home, growlers will be available.

Executive Chef Grant Carey promises an eclectic mix of regional American cuisine. From Midwestern comfort food to the Smylie family’s secret Texas style barbecue recipes, the Smylie Brothers menu will compliment the brewpub’s beers and even use ingredients straight from the brewery.

Omega Yeast Labs Bring The Concept of Hybrid Yeast To Chicago

Like many of us in the craft beer industry our passions have led us down paths we never would have expected. Meet Lance Shaner; Microbiology Ph.D. turned Bio-tech Patent Lawyer turned Professional Yeast Propagator and Owner of the Midwest’s only local source for brewer’s yeast - Omega Yeast Labs. He first became interested in craft beer during college, venturing into homebrewing with his then roommate. Working in labs while in college and having the ability to propagate his own yeast definitely had it’s perks as a homebrewer. 

Back in 2012, while talking to friend and law colleague Andy Smith about his plans to open Ten Ninety Brewing, Smith expressed the challenges and cost involved in obtaining brewers yeast. Until recently breweries have only had three sources for buying liquid yeast - White Labs (based in California), Wyeast (Oregon) and Brewing Science Institute (Colorado). Only two of these providers (White Labs and Wyeast) are available at the retail level for homebrewers. Yeast being a sensitive and perishable product requires overnight delivery on ice, the shipping costs alone on large volumes can be astronomical.

It was clear to Shaner that an opportunity to provide a better solution for local brewers was in demand. Feeling disenchanted with his current career, he immediately started researching what it would take to get started. He knew if he could propagate the yeast himself and deliver a fresher, more affordable option, everyone would win. The details came together very quickly and now less than a year later Omega Yeast Labs is providing yeast to over 20 local breweries with a retail launch for homebrewers just weeks away.

With over 70 breweries and a dozen homebrew shops within a 50 mile radius, the need for yeast is plentiful. Shaner doesn’t have his eyes set on anything bigger right now, expressing how much room there is for growth locally before looking at expanding beyond the Chicago market. One of his most recent collaborations was with Ale Syndicate on their righteously named “Omega Midnight” Foreign-Style Stout. Shaner met Ale Syndicate last year during LivingSocial’s Beer Fest at Lincoln Park Zoo. They later came to him with an idea for a stout with a blended yeast strain. 

“We had a lot of fun with this beer. Omega's lab is one of the better things to happen to brewers in Chicago. We love what a big grain bill can do to a stout, but to be able to propagate the exact blend of yeast from a lab in your own backyard is awesome. We took our idea to the guys at Omega and worked with them to develop this custom blend. Our beer "Omega Midnight" is a foreign extra stout, which is a rarely-brewed style of beer. This beer's a little bit of everything. It's sweet and strangely dry at the same time, roasty, and smokey with a little cherrywood smoked malt. This is one of those beers that will mature nicely in the bottle. There were a lot of dudes involved in making this beer from Jesse Evans, Lance Shaner, Mark Schwarz, Steven Winter, John J. Hall, Raul Heredia, to our friends Jacob Huston and Jackie Boyer who helped us wax dip bottles for 8 hours straight. We love Omega Yeast Labs so much, we had to put their name on the label.” 

- Sam Evans, Co-Owner and Brewer at Ale Syndicate

Much like the collaboration with Ale Syndicate, Omega Yeast Labs' point of differentiation, in addition to cost and location, is Omega's passion for creating new yeast strains. According to Shaner, the current yeast providers are essentially acquiring and recreating yeast strains that exist in the world and many of these strains come with their share of challenges for brewers. For example Wyeast French Saison strain has a high attenuation rate, finishing very dry and peppery. Another favorite, Wyeast Belgian Saison has very desirable bubble gum, fruit and spice aromatics but is notorious for stalling out mid-fermentation, causing the brewer to have to make a number of adjustments in temperature and schedule in order to fully ferment. With his lab technology Shaner has been able to create a hybrid Saison yeast strain (“Saisonstein’s Monster” OYL-500) that has both the desired flavor profile and robust fermentation, combining the strengths of both Wyeast strains. Solving challenges like this are what truly excites Shaner, and the rest of the brewing world. Omega Yeast Labs will produce a number of popular yeast strains, however Shaner plans to continue to explore the possibilities of combining more diverse flavor profiles.

Shaner further explains that "the new technology has great significance to the brewing industry. For example, a brewer might like a particular flavor profile of a yeast strain, but would not use it in a production environment because it takes too long to drop out of the beer. That strain could be crossed with another strain known to be highly flocculant (i.e. easily clumps). Screening through enough hybrids can reveal a strain with the desired flavor characteristics and better flocculation."

In addition to the professional breweries, there has been a huge amount of interest from the local homebrewing community. Shaner has spent time in the last few months with Square Kegs Homebrew Club, CHAOS Brew Club and Chicago Brew Werks sharing yeast education and offering the opportunity to brew with the hybrid Saison yeast at the small batch level.

For more information on the over 60 yeast strains currently available through Omega Yeast Labs, please check out their catalog. Omega offers free delivery for within a 20 mile radius for orders over $150. Packaged yeast will be available at your local homebrew stores by early May. For further questions or requests, please contact them at info@OmegaYeast.com.

You can also track their latest yeast developments by following them on Facebook and Twitter.

Owner Lance Shaner, pictured with their 40 gallon brewing system.