A Barrel-Aged Beer-Filled Week In Chicago

This weekend marks the Annual Festival of Barrel Aged Beers (FoBAB), here in Chicago, drawing breweries from around the nation to our fine city with kegs of delicious, wood-aged beer. If you did not get tickets to the sold out fest, have no fear, as Chicago's craft beer bars are filled with opportunities to get your lips on some of these award-winning beers throughout the week, and meet the brewers behind them.

Upland Brewing Co., Tour de Sour - Five events held over four nights, each featuring super rare (and surprise) sour and barrel aged beer that rarely make it to Chicago.

Nov. 12th - Bangers & Lace (1670 W. DIVISION ST), 6PM
Nov. 13th - Logan Arcade (2532 W. FULLERTON AVE), 7PM
Nov. 14th - Old Town Social (455 W. NORTH AVE)
Nov. 15th - Maria's Packaged Goods & Community Bar (960 W. 31ST ST), 7PM
Nov. 15th - Moxee Kitchen & Madmouse Brewery (724 W. MAXWELL ST.)

Goose Island Clybourn Brewpub - 

Nov. 10-16th – "3rd Base," Oak Aged Belgian Triple, aged in oak barrels with Brettanomyces (11.2%)
Nov. 14th (Friday only) – 2013 Bourbon County Brand Stout on draft all day and bottles of 2013 BCBS Backyard Rye (dine-in only).   

Nov. 14-15th – "Cran-Bruin," Flemish Style Sour Brown Ale with Cranberries, aged in oak barrels with Lactobacillus and Brettanomyces (5.2 %).

Surly Beer Dinner and Tap Takeover - Surly's return to Chicago: 1 Year Anniversary Dinner featuring 5 courses and 9 Super rare beers, 20 seats only. Tickets. Nov. 12th, 6pm

Local Option, Jonny Coffman's Bottle Rockets' Autumn Bottle Share - Epic bottle share, keg of Metropolitan Brewing Magnetron, as well as an ever-impressive tap list of stouts and barrel-aged beers. Nov. 12th, 7:30pm

Thanksgiving Dinner with Stephanie Izard and Revolution Brewing - Chef Stephanie Izard will be preparing recipes featuring products from her line of sauces and spices. Each course will be thoughtfully paired with a beer from Revolution Brewing, including their barrel-aged Scotch ale, Gravedigger Billy. Tickets and more info here. Goddess & Grocer Bucktown location. 

Nov. 12th, 6:30pm 

Hopleaf, Tri-Coastal Beer Dinner - Join the chefs of Hopleaf in collaboration with The Bruery's Jonas Nemura, Allagash, and Penrose for a 6-course beer pairing dinner. Tickets and more info here. Nov. 12th, 7pm 

4 Hands FoBAB Pre-Party, Maria's Packaged Goods & Community Bar - 

Featuring barrel-aged drafts including Cuvee Diable and Late Harvest Saison plus Ca$h Mony, Passion Fruit Prussia and 2013 Bana Fide. Food by Won Kim – Gochujang chorizo chili, fingerling potatoes, beer cheese, leeks and sweet onions that pairs nicely with the featured beers. Nov. 12th, 7pm

SmallBar Division, THE WRAP PARTY - After 10 years, SmallBar Division is set to close after one last night of the very best beer. Brewers on hand with tappings from Allagash, Avery, Firestone Walker, Goose Island, Half Acre, New Belgium, Three Floyds, Perennial and more! Nov. 13th, noon - close

The Village Tap, Second Annual “Couldn’t get a Ticket to FOBAB Barrel Aged Beer Event” - featuring 20+ barrel-aged beers from breweries such as Allagash, Central Waters, Deschutes, Firestone Walker, Goose Island, Revolution, Surly and more!

Nov. 13th, 5pm through Nov. 16th (while supplies last) 

Against The Grain Brewery/Takeshi Brew/Marz collaboration release, Maria's Packaged Goods & Community Bar - Tapping of "Umami," Barrel-aged Imperial Stout with 80's Youtube Karaoke!

Nov. 13th, 8pm 

Northdown, Baller Barrel-Aged Beer Bash - Meet the brewers and enjoy draft rarities from: Jolly Pumpkin Brewery, Perennial Artisan Ales, Off Color Brewing, Side Project Brewing. Nov. 13th, 6pm

Whole Foods Kingsbury, Red Star Bar - Stone's Arrogant Birthday - Join Stone Brewing Company's Steve Gonzales for some barrel-aged beers and Q&A to celebrate Stone's Arrogant Birthday.

Nov. 13th, 5pm 
 
The Beer Temple, Abraxas Day - Perennial has chosen The Beer Temple for their annual Abraxas Day release. Abraxas, an Imperial Stout brewed with Ancho chili peppers, cacao nibs, vanilla beans, and cinnamon sticks, is one of America's most delicious stouts and a highlight of Perennial's many offerings. Nov. 14th, 2-5pm

• Bottle sales begin at 3:00PM
• First 100 people will get a chance to win other Perennial beers, store discounts, glassware, clothing and more!
• A small bottle share will take place the hour before from 2:00 - 3:00 at the back entrance of the shop.
• Small Bar Logan will be serving Abraxas 2013, Abraxas 2014 and Coffee Abraxas in coordination with our event.

Upland Brewing Presents a Winter Warmer, Maria's Packaged Goods & Community Bar - Featuring their Bourbon Barrel-Aged Warmer, Dragonfly IPA and Dantalion Wild Dark Ale. To compliment these specialty brews, Chef Won Kim will be cooking in our outdoor patio grill a complimentary menu consisting of platters of barbecue chicken, potato salad, grilled vegetables and hot links.

Nov. 15th, 7pm 

Other exceptional spots to keep an eye to the taplist this week:

Jerry's (Wicker Park and Andersonville), Fountainhead, The Map Room, Half Acre Taproom, Revolution Taproom, Binny's South Loop and Lincoln Park Tasting Rooms.

Looking for something different...

Kaiser Tiger's Lagerfest - Drink your way through lager history with their "Evolution of the Pilsner flight" featuring 8 lagers on tap including Pilsner Urquell and Weihenstephaner.

Nov. 14th, 7pm

Paddy Long's Barrel-Aged Malort and Cheap Beer Festival -  featuring 12 Cheap Beers from around the country $3 each, Regular and Barrel-Aged Malort shots.

Nov. 15th, 8pm

Don't forget about the upcoming #GooseIslandBlackFriday release of the 2014 Bourbon County Brand Stout variants. Events hit Chicago on Wednesday, Nov. 26th. For more information visit the event website.

Celebrate The Return of Surly Brewing 11/18-19

We know you are most likely going to be thirsty after a couple of hard days of working for the man, so why not treat yourself and welcome Surly Brewing Company back to the Windy City with a giant bear hug! If you don’t know why Surly’s return to Chicago is such a big deal we suggest you catch-up by reading this Chicago Tribune article.

For those of you in the know can follow along real time on Twitter: @SurlyBrewing #surlyreturnschicago

Monday, November 18

Hopleaf (5148 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL 60640)

Founder Omar Ansari will be at Hopleaf shortly after 6pm serving up some rarities: Cacao Bender (Oatmeal Brown Ale with coffee, vanilla bean and cacao nibs), Dampfbier (German Steam-style beer) and also the ever-popular Furious (IPA).

Northdown Cafe & Taproom (3244 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, IL 60657)

The folks at Northdown see a “sick” day in your future....actually you should just take a half day today since they are tapping Surly's flagship beer, Furious (IPA) at 11am. 

Tribes Mokena & Tribes Tinley Park (11220 W. Lincoln Highway, Mokena, IL 60448 & 9501 West 171 Street, Tinley Park, IL 60477) will open at 11AM with $4 Furious (IPA) pints in honor of Surly's return to IL (while supplies last!)

Tuesday, November 19

Sheffield's Beer and Wine Garden, (3258 N Sheffield Ave., Chicago, IL 60657) 

Slinging drafts of Furious (IPA), Dumpster Fire (Smoked IPA with Puya Chilies) and El Hefe Negro (Imperial Dunkel with Mexican Cone Sugar)

Jake Melnick’s Corner Tap, (41 E. Superior St., Chicago, IL 60611)

Will furiously be pouring Furious (IPA), as well as Dumpster Fire (Smoked IPA with Puya Chilies) & Dampfbier (German Steam-style beer)! The first tapping starts at 6:30pm and rumor has it that Surly's Founder Omar Ansari will be around!

Riverview Tavern, (1958 W. Roscoe , Chicago, Illinois 60657)
Riverview will be tapping a keg of Furious (IPA) at 6pm. Also, to make things interesting, we are going to raffle off a bottle of this year's SURLY DARKNESS!

World of Beer, (1727 Freedom Dr., Naperville, IL 60563)

We know that WOB Naperville will be slinging some Surly Brewing Company starting this Tuesday per this Facebook event, but no draft list has yet to be posted.

Submitted by Ken Getty