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.

Fest Review: The Second Annual What the Firk?

By guest contributor MC Johnsen

On Sunday, March 29th, I had the great pleasure of attending What the Firk? Firkin Fest held at Headquarters Beercade in River North. Everything about this fest was unique – the location, the beer offerings, and the ability to speak directly to brewers and reps. 

Headquarters Beercade has wall-to-wall arcade games that are free for unlimited play, from Pac Man to pinball, and even my husband Matt’s favorite Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade game. (He jumped up and down like a little boy when he saw it). The games made the whole atmosphere fun and laid back, and gave you a short reprieve from sampling if needed. On top of this, HQ also provided a free buffet of delicious food for all the fest-goers to enjoy. 

The 50 beer offerings were all one of a kind, many of which were dry-hopped or had spicy pepper additions. Two Brothers got super creative and even added blue raspberry warheads and habanero peppers to their popular extra pale ale Sidekick. Metropolitan served a beautiful, crisp lager Heliostat, dry-hopped with subtly spicy and herbal Sterling hops. Some breweries, such as Three Floyds and Off Color, chose to go old school and presented a popular beer of theirs (Zombie Dust and Scurry, respectively) served at room temp from the cask (although, Off Color did claim to have added magic to their cask of Scurry). Having tasted both of these beers on draft and in bottles before, it was interesting to try them in their pure form at room temperature, too. 

Probably my favorite aspect of this fest though, was that a brewer or very knowledgeable rep from each participating brewery stood right beside their cask and explained how the beer was made as you drank it. There were no lines (people opted to play arcade games rather than wait around), so you felt free to stand and chat with them for a few moments before moving on to the next offering. This fest afforded everyone the opportunity to have relaxed conversations with brewers and fellow beer fans alike, because there was absolutely no pressure to keep a line moving. 

My top three favorites were: 

3) Uncle John’s (St. John’s, MI) - Say Uncle: Almost 2 months after attending Cider Summit, I am still entranced by what hard cider has to offer. This one-of-a-kind blend was Uncle John’s first firkin, and first cloudy cider they’ve ever made!  Usually creators of crystal clear ciders, Say Uncle was unpasteurized, unfiltered, and a beautiful cloudy yellow-green color. It was crisp, a tad funky, and refreshing with a not too fruity finish. (6.5%)

2) 5 Rabbit (Bedford Park, IL) – French Oak-Aged Gran Missionario with Fig: Having recently tasted this year’s regular Gran Missionario, the complexity of flavor added by the woody oak added a nice subtle spice, and the extra fig additions rounded this creamy witbeer out with a chewy, juicy, figgy finish. (6.8%)

1) Desthil (Bloomington, IL) – Ta’Gose: Desthil added lime, peppers, and cilantro to this cask of their Wild Sour Series gose Here Gose Nothin.’ These additions cut the typically sour and salty beer with complex, savory qualities that added so much depth. This tasted of lightly sour lemon and lime, coriander, hints of pepper, and had a chewy, bready finish–phenomenal!

I had such a great time at this fest. It was incredibly refreshing to attend one without the frantic scramble to get into line before a keg kicked. I am already looking forward to next year.

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.

Two Brothers Rebranding and First Year-Round IPA

 

Two Brothers Brewing Company unveils two exciting pieces of news – a re-branding of their brewery's logo and label architecture that is featured on their newest artisan beer release, Wobble IPA.
 
Wobble will join the portfolio as Two Brother's first year-round IPA. Golden in color with a subtle malt character, the addition of Citra, Chinook, Cascade and Centennial hops add a big complex citrus flavor with piney hop notes throughout the beer.

“We are always pushing the envelope to deliver flavor-forward beers and hope to continue to innovate and introduce bold brews. After nearly 18 years in the industry, we are excited to introduce a beer that wobbles on the edge of really hoppy,” said Jason Ebel.  

Wobble will be available in the marketplace on September 29. To celebrate the beer’s release, Two Brothers Brewing Company will be hosting a month-long celebration at the Two Brothers Tap House in Warrenville beginning October 1 as well as a number of other launch events. (Details below)

In addition to the new beer release, Two Brothers also unveils a new look for their brand and label design, which has continued to evolve over the past 18 years. The new logo keeps the swirl icon from the previous logo, but strips out the gradients of color in a flatter, more modern interpretation. The color palette has shifted slightly more natural, reflecting the focus on quality ingredients and artisanal recipes that Two Brothers prides themselves on. The typography which previously had a more playful/quirky approach, feels more sophisticated while still revealing elements of unexpectedness in the nuances of the letters. 

The evolution of the Two Brothers brand.

The new label design, which will roll out to the other year-round offerings over time, has abandoned the hand-drawn, illustrative style we've grown to know from Two Brothers. The modern, banded architecture focuses on the specific ingredients, characteristics and food pairings of each beer, once again emphasizing Two Brothers' passion for the marriage of food and beer created from quality ingredients. The swirl icon is a design element we've been seeing on their recent can designs, such as Sidekick and Outlaw.

Chicago's Women of Craft Beer - 2013 Edition

When I first started homebrewing beer it was for the pure curiosity of the craft. The joy that came from creating something that had such a social and collaborative power to connect people is what turned my hobby into a passion.

After seeing the documentary “The Love of Beer” which follows the rise of women in the beer industry I was inspired to learn that historically in almost every culture, women were the brewers. Women love beer, they just haven't been spoken to by the beer industry really ever.

"The opportunity for all beer companies, no matter how large or small they are, to market authentically, accurately and appropriately to women... is explosive. It's clear that the passion is about the beer... it's about an intelligent beverage for great people." - Ginger Johnson, Women Enjoying Beer

Realizing that a female-focused event had never taken place during Chicago Craft Beer Week, I was eager to put together a night that celebrated Chicago’s own women in the craft beer industry. I started reaching out to see who might be interested in getting involved and was completely blown away by the response. As I began to get to know these women better the thing that really stood out to me, aside from the apparent passion and drive - was the unanimous response that their favorite part about working in the craft beer industry was the camaraderie. That no matter their gender, background, brewery they work for - everyone wants everyone to succeed. This event has been yet another affirmation of that spirit. 

The past two months have been an amazing opportunity to unite a group of women, most who had never met each other, to build a stronger network AND brew an all-women collaboration beer. “99 Problems”, a Saison with ginger and chamomile, brewed together at Rock Bottom Chicago will be tapped as part of Chicago Craft Beer Week at Riverview Tavern on Thursday, May 23rd. Event Info.

Below is an introduction to many of the women involved in the event, who are helping to make the Midwest Craft Beer scene what it is. We hope to see you at Riverview Tavern to say hi and share a pint!

Ashleigh Arnold, who grew up in St. Louis (home of AB) thought of beer as colorless and flavorless, until she tried her first sip of a stout and was hooked! The complex flavors immediately appealed to her and she became a 24/7 beer lover. She’s since relocated to join Two Brother’s as Production Brewer. Ashleigh loves to brew to Indie Rock like Wilco and The Lumineers, as it keeps her grounded and focused. She notes that “Nightly cleanup is when the dance party starts”. Ashleigh is proud to promote her latest beer "SideKick" and has found with hard work and perseverance, everything falls into place. She finds dating to be the real challenge however, saying “Not too many men want a woman who has a more physical job and more beer knowledge.” 

Claudia Jendron recently made the move to Head Brewer, helping Temperance Brewing in Evanston to start up shop. Her appreciation of beer started at a very young age, watching her Granddad homebrew. She even held the coveted role of throwing the hops in the kettle. He was a stout lover, as is Claudia. Her favorite thing about brewing is finishing a long day and feeling so good about what she’s accomplished, barely feeling tired, just happy that making beer is what she’s doing for a living. Her advice to women in the industry, “Women have always played a major part in the beer making process, and you deserve to be where you are right now. From our exceptional palates to our hard work ethic, there will always be a place for women in the future.”

Hayley Shine recently relocated from Miami, FL, in the middle of winter non-the-less, to become Regional Brewer at Rock Bottom Chicago. Her love for craft began by homebrewing in college and quickly grew from there. When not brewing at Rock Bottom, or attending some of her favorite events like the Craft Beer Conference, she’s likely enjoying a hoppy session beer or flanders red. She shared some of her favorite food and beer pairings which include IPA and Chicago mix popcorn or Oktoberfest with pretzels and mustard. 
Beer Geek Alert: She loves drinking beer in the shower.

Jill Sites is Owner of Greenbush Brewing and damn proud to be part of the Michigan craft beer scene (not to mention they’re rocking Chicago!). Jill’s been a craft beer lover since college. When the kids were drinking High Life, she was sipping a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, all the wiser. After a visit to Goose Island in Chicago, she was hooked. Her advice to women competing in a male-driven field, “Don’t let anything stand in your way. If this is what you want to do, be it brewing or anything else, do it. Make yourself indispensable. Don’t let them be able to do it without you. And when other men who haven’t figured out your worth but happen to be in the same field doubt you, just remember to dance circles around them.” Jill is also a firm believer that beer should be brewed to funk music, although almost all of their beer is brewed to metal. Either way, rock on Greenbush!

Carly Katz, Owner of Bottles & Cans in North Center was introduced to craft beer through her husband Joe, and the love continues to grow. Her go-to beer is Revolution’s Anti Hero IPA, however her biggest challenge right now has been being pregnant while opening and operating a beer store. Her favorite beer event is Durty Nellie’s Beer Fest, which she says is small but always a blast. Carly’s advice to women in beer, “Don’t ever feel like you don’t belong in that conversation. You are as knowledgeable and prettier!” 
Beer Geek Alert: Carly’s dream is to have two bulldogs and name them Porter and Stout. 





Did you know that 5 Rabbit's beer, "5 Lizard" is named after Chicago Tavern Historian Liz Garibay? Her website Tales, Taverns & Towns researches, reviews and documents history of Chicago taverns and beyond. She also provides historic consult in naming beer, which is how she met Randy Mosher. The biggest hurdle she's overcome is that the field of tavern history is pretty much non-existant. "I had to create the field on my own, in a way. Getting people to understand it's a true area of research and learning has been a bit difficult. You can lear a lot about history through bars and beer," says Liz. She's likely to be found drinking some of her local favorites like Half Acre Daisy Cutter, Lagunitas IPA, and of course 5 Lizard, which she says pairs wonderfully with steak or fish tacos.

Avid homebrewer and beer blogger for Girls Like Beer Too, Jessica Murphy first discovered craft beer through her husband Christopher and it continued to grow as she’s traveled. “That’s what’s great about beer,” Jess says, “there can be a brewery anywhere so it’s an awesome opportunity to get a taste of the local flavor.” Jessica’s favorite festival is Dark Lord Day. This year marked her 6th, in which she attended pregnant. What a sport! She misses having a beer at the end of a long day, but says she’s overcome it by really concentrating on aroma and appreciating how much it impacts the entire beer experience. “It does get a little awkward when I walk up and start smelling people’s beer, though.” We’ve got your back Jess, smell away!

Lorna Juett, fearless leader of the Chicago Barley’s Angels (a women only beer enthusiast club), regular contributor of the Chicagoist and Sales Rep for Windy City Distribution is fully immersed in the Chicago craft beer scene. As both a lover of beer and a natural educator she’s most comfortable behind the counter, pouring beer and turning people onto styles they are trying for the first time. Some of her favorites are IPAs and most recently sours and wild beers, especially with the weather warming up. Lorna says, “The wonderful thing about beer is that there is truly a style for every occasion, and there is no style I am adverse to and no beer I am not willing to try.” 
Beer Geek Alert: Lorna went to high school in Michigan with Larry Bell’s daugther. Ask her about the story!

It’s no secret that the President of Metropolitan Brewing’s, Tracy Hurst, is a fan of lagers. She finds them to exemplify the skill and expression of the brewer, sharing that “a well-made lager can stop me in my tracks.” Flywheel Bright Lager can always be found in her refrigerator, but has also been enjoying the new SideKick Pale Ale from Two Brothers. Her favorite festival is the Great Taste of the Midwest, put on by the Madison Homebrewers and Taster’s Guild. The event has become an annual retreat for the Midwest industry and is run and attended by people who truly love and appreciate craft beer, setting a standard in hospitality and honest celebration. Tracy’s words of wisdom to anyone in the beer industry, “Take good care of yourself. You’ll perform best at work – whether you’re brewing beer, out in the market selling beer, or involved in brewery operations – if you’re healthy and sharp.”

Two Brothers Brewer, Maryhelen Harper’s appreciation for craft beer grew while working at Oades Big Ten in Lansing, Michigan. Oades boasts a rotating selection of over 600 different beers available in single bottle, 4-pack, 6-pack or case. She graduated from Michigan State, but her Dad likes to joke that she attended Beer College. Right now she can’t get enough of Two Brothers new SideKick Extra Pale Ale and also shared that her favorite beer to cook with is Bell’s Two Hearted. Ask her about the fantastic asparagus recipe she uses it in! When not brewing and cooking, she loves attending beer festivals like Michigan Winter Beer Festival and Great Taste of the Midwest.

Ashley Hunsader, Control Lab Assistant at Two Brothers, graduated with a chemistry degree from Valparaiso University knowing that she wanted to work on something she personally enjoyed consuming. Having an appreciation for craft beer and the creativity that goes into recipe development led her to a career in the brewing industry. “Working at Two Brothers has given me the opportunity to experience a larger range of craft beer and continue working with a product I love,” says Ashley. She’s a big fan of sours and stouts, but always has Two Brothers beer in her fridge.

Shawna Carter, Sales Rep at Flossmoor Station love for beer crosses international borders, as she drank her first Guinness in Ireland and also attended Oktoberfest in Munich. She also enjoys Pale Ales and always has Three Floyd’s Gumball Head stocked in her fridge. She has found as a newcomer to the industry that hard work and persistence definitely pays off, sharing how much she enjoys meeting industry people. “ Any beer event you go to, someone always has a beer you’ve never tried and are always willing to pour you a taste of it.” Beer Geek Alert: Ask her about the chicken head mask she wears to Dark Lord Day.

Two Brothers Retail Manager Amanda Wells discovered a small brewery in Indiana, Back Road Brewery and upon drinking their Blueberry Amber was hooked on craft beer. Losing her job during the recession ended up being a blessing in disguise for Amanda because she started homebrewing, which led her to pursue a career in the craft beer industry. She’s a big fan of the Craft Brew Festival in Winter Park and always has something from Colorado stocking her refrigerator. Her favorite food and beer pairing are omelets with a blood orange Hefeweizen. 
Beer Geek Alert: She has a black Golden Doodle named Stout.

Celebrating Chicago's Women of Craft Beer

Join us during Chicago Craft Beer Week for an evening celebrating Chicago's Women of Craft Beer at Riverview Tavern in Roscoe Village.

1958 W Roscoe St. Chicago, IL
www.riverviewtavern.com

The ladies behind some of your favorite breweries will be in attendance including Goose Island, Two Brothers, Rock Bottom, Lagunitas, Metropolitan, 4 Paws Brewery and more!

We will be screening the documentary "The Love of Beer", which focuses on the rise of women in the beer industry.
www.theloveofbeermovie.com

There will be special tapping throughout the night - more announcements to come!

In addition $1 per pint will be donated to the Chicago Chapter of "Dress For Success" a charity that promotes economic independence by providing professional clothing and resources to disadvantaged women. www.dressforsuccess.org

This is event is open to the public, no tickets required. Come out and support the Midwest's best!

RSVP on Facebook -> https://www.facebook.com/events/468159669922343/

This event is brought to you by Hail To The Ale
@hail2theale
www.hail2theale.com

For further information or interviews please contact Kim Leshinski
kim.leshinski@gmail.com