April Craft Beer Events

Ommegang Game of Thrones Release Party - The Beer Bistro 1061 W. Madison, Chicago, Illinois
Join Ommegang to celebrate the release of Iron Throne Blonde Ale. They're also tapping Gnomegang (collaboration with Brewery A Chouffe) and Duvel Rustica (collaboration with Duvel).
Tuesday, April 2nd 5:00pm
www.thebeerbistro.com


Ommegang Game of Thrones Tapping - Fountainhead Chicago 1970 W Montrose Ave, Chicago, IL
Tapping limited released Ommegang Iron Throne, Art of Darkness and Gnomegang
Tuesday, April 2nd 6:00pm
www.fountainheadchicago.com

Local Beer Showcase - Atlas Brewing Company 2747 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL
Featuring the beers of Lake Effect, 18th Street, Spiteful, DryHop, Begyle, and Flesk Brewing. Sample fresh local beers and talk to the people who made them! Tickets
Thursday, April 4th 7:00pm
www.atlasbeer.com

"Visit Us at the Rabbit Hutch!" - 5 Rabbit Cerveca 6398 W 74th Street Bedford Park, IL
Join 5 Rabbit Brewery for a tour of their brand new brewery for tasting, snacking, music and mingling. They want your help to find the perfect cheese pairing for HUITZI, their Midwinter Ale, and have a go at some hands-on experiments to find the perfect combination of fruits and spices for the new summer series, PALETAS. They're also giving a sneak preview of their spring seasonal MISSIONARIO, a strong wheat beer brewed with Muscat grape juice and a hint of almonds.
Saturday, April 6th 2:00pm - 6:00pm
www.5rabbitbrewery.com

Beer Academy - Experimental Styles Goose Island Clybourn 1800 N Clybourn Chicago, IL
On the last Wednesday of each month Goose Island  offers a Beer Academy class to learn about a different beer theme. Enjoy a sample of different beers from various craft breweries. Tickets $20. To RSVP call (312) 915-0071
Wednesday, April 24th 6:30pm
www.gooseisland.com

Dark Lord Day - Three Floyds Brewpub 9750 Indiana Pkwy, Munster, IN
FFF infamous festival celebrating the one day release of Dark Lord Day Russian Imperial Stout is set for it's 9th year. This ticketed event is SOLD OUT - all of the "day of" details can be found at www.darklordday.com
Saturday, April 27th 10am

The Beer Geek's Christmas List

Upcycled Notebooks - This is my favorite thing I've found this year! The Roaming Pint sells 3 packs of notebooks made from used 6-pack beer carriers. You can choose from an assortment of Regional breweries or send in your own cartons for a custom design order. Perfect for taking beer notes and making lists at home or on the go - it's the perfect size. theroamingpint.com/store/notebooks ($10-12) 

The Pop Chart Lab Beer Poster - Signed and numbered by the artist this comprehensive collection of over 89 varieties of beer including glassware is a beer geek’s dream. ($32)

http://popchartlab.com/collections/prints/products/the-very-very-many-varieties-of-beer

Custom Bottle Caps - For the serious homebrewer, packaging is an important aspect. Bottlemark sells a large variety of bottle cap designs or allows you to upload your OWN designs. They sell Gift Certificates as well - $10 gets you 55 caps (5 gallon batch). www.bottlemark.com

Build A 6-Pack - at Bottles & Cans. Chicago’s newest craft beer, wine and spirits store, located right in the heart of North Center has an unbelievable selection. The build your own aspect makes for a fun gift for any beer enthusiast ($12-20) www.bottlesandcanschicago.com

Brew Classes at Brew Camp - Offering classes spanning from the basics to the more intermediate you will leave feeling enlightened and full of beer knowledge. ($10-20)

www.brewcamp.com

BeerSmith 2.0. - This inexpensive homebrewing software is a helpful tool for those looking to branch out and start building and tracking recipes. ($27)

www.beersmith.com

Beer Geek T-shirts - from www.Brewershirts.com. Ladies, Men, font collectors, lobster lovers - there are plenty of geek-shirts to go around! ($15-20) 

Bottle Opener iPhone Case - This durable phone case has a built-in stainless steel bottle opener. Nerdy - yes. Practical - pretty much! Made by Be A Headcase, but best price is on amazon.com ($13)

BeerAdvocate Magazine - Always well written and designed - my favorite of the beer magazines because of the in depth culture and hometown style features. ($14.99)

www.beeradvocate.com

Beer Knowledge - Staple reference guides for tasters and brewers alike. (www.amazon.com)

Tasting Beer (Randy Mosher), $12

Yeast: The Practical Guide to Beer Fermentation (Jamil Zainasheff), $12

Hop Variety Handbook (Dan Woodske), $10

Brewing Classic Styles (Jamil Zainasheff/John Palmer), $12