One Of My Ultimate Favorites - Leinenkugel Summer Shandy

Now that the weather is getting warmer, it is the perfect time to relax outside with an ice cold Leinenkugel. Leine (Leinenkugel) is one of my all time favorite beers in any flavor. My favorite season that they brew up is the summer variety. The Summer Shandy, Berryweiss, Lemon-berry Shandy, and the newest one Canoe Paddler are all delicious and perfect on a summer day. I know that Leine is not brewed here in Illinois, but I wanted to change it up and give you my opinion on this amazing brewing company.

To give you some background information, Leinenkugel was founded in 1867 by Jacob Leinenkugel and his business partner, John Miller in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. In the beginning, Jacob and John were the only employees at the brewery. Jacob brewed the beer and John was the delivery man using a small cart and a horse they named Kate. Today, the fifth generation of the Leinenkugel family are still brewing in Chippewa Falls with the same family recipes including some new ones. The Leine Lodge, located in Chippewa Falls next to the brewery , is a "place where spirit heritage and flavor of Leinenkugel's lives." Here you can join to receive free brewery tours, a gift shop, freshly brewed samples. The Leine Lodge is a place where their rich family heritage comes together, as long as you are 21 you are welcome to join! Hopefully I get the chance to visit the loge and brewery and see how my favorite beer comes to life.

Today I am going to review Leine's Summer Shandy. This has been one of my all time favorite beers for quite some time. It is refreshing, has the right amount of sweetness, and the right amount of hops to make it a beer you will never tire of. Leine describes Summer Shandy as, "A Shandy is beer brewed with a little something extra. Leinenkugel's® Summer Shandy® is crisp wheat beer brewed with natural lemonade flavor which makes it a perfect summertime refresher for those sun-splashed summer days." In the shandy is made with pale and wheat malts, a cluster of hops and lemonade flavor. On a 1 to 10 scale, the shandy has a 2 for hoppiness and 3 for maltiness. The website also offers what to pair Summer Shandy with and they suggest BBQ themed foods such as italian sausage, brats, BBQ chicken, and hotdogs. 

I would strongly suggest trying any Leine brew any time of year. But I would suggest making yourself a little goal this summer and go out to get the Leine Summer Pack and enjoy!

Shamrock Shuffle 2013

As promised from last week, I said I would be writing about my Shamrock Shuffle involvement. When my mom asked me to run the race with her, she was able to persuade me to say yes when she told me there was free beer once you finish. Obviously, I couldn’t say no to this so she signed me up. This whole time (since November) my mom had told me this was a 5k run which is 3.1 miles. It was not till a couple of hours before the race that I found out it was actually an 8k run, 4.97 miles. Not only was this a surprise, it was also at 8:30 in the morning and 40 degrees, which is not shorts weather.

Anyway, the run itself was not that bad it’s just really hard to run with thousands of people surrounding you.  Once I finished though, I was not interested in having a beer in the least bit. The Shamrock Shuffle had two sponsors supplying the beer, Stout and Michelob Ultra. Personally, I am not a fan of Michelob Ultra it is too flavorless and bitter in my opinion. But I did share some of the Stout with my Dad which wasn’t that bad for a post-run beer.

If you get the chance, totally sign up for the Shamrock Shuffle or any race of that matter. It was a good time for a good cause and made you feel good about yourself! 

(Don't we look like such pros?) 

So another beer-related race in Chicago is the “Burgers & Beer 5k” that takes place on July 15. f3running.com describes the race, “Enjoy a chip timed 5k run/walk with a flat, fast course all along Chicago’s beautiful skyline! Imagine finishing with a beer garden style after-party featuring professionally catered Burgers & Goose Island 312 Urban Wheat Beer! All this just steps away from the Loop! The first & only 5k run & beer garden party on a Monday night!”

One thing that really appeals to me besides the beer, but that it is a FLAT course! It is also in the evening, starting at seven and costs $35. 

If you are looking for beer, exercise, and a good time I suggest researching the discussed races. Or if you find any other races in the Chicago land area that look interesting, let me know!

Bent River Brewing - Jalapeño Pepper Ale

Today I chose to review Bent River Brewing. Bent River's tasting and distribution center is located in Rock Island, IL, and the actual brew pub is located in Moline, IL. Outside the Rock Island station is something I have never heard of before, a drive thru station! Or as they like to call it, "The Uncommon Beverage Station." You can drive up and order your beer to go without getting out of the car.

Bent River was founded by Tim Koster who was also a part of Koski's Home Brew Fixens. Tim Koster had this vision of Bent River and recruited support to open Bent River Brewing Company in 1997. Two years later, Bent River brewed their first barrel of pale ale and now produces over 1500 barrels of their specialty beers annually. Bent River has received many aw
ards at brew competitions throughout the Midwest including second place at the Great American Brew Fest. 

In 2009 friend of Bent River, Joel Korgman, joined Bent River and helped create their restaurant and menu items. During an experience at Bent River you will not only find great food and beer, but also special events and live music by local and regional musicians to add to your experience. 

Bent River brews 8 different year-round beers:

1. Uncommon Stout
2. Oatmeal Stout
3. The Dry Hopped
4. Paddlewheel Pale Ale
5. Jalapeño Pepper Ale
6. Raspberry Wheat
7. American Wheat
8. Mississippi Blonde

Being a lover of spicy foods, I decided that Jalapeño Pepper Ale would be perfect for me. I have never had a spicy beer before and thought this could go one of two ways, delicious or too strange. Bent River describes Jalapeño Pepper as, "Light bodied and spicy! A perfect compliment of sweet fruit and bold peppers!"  

Another reviewer's opinion: "This beer has a wheat base, with a surprising kick. Slightly hazy, it appears otherwise like an American pale. The smell is nothing remarkable, but there is a subtle hint of the pepper inside. As it first hits your tongue, nothing special, like a standard wheat or very mildly hopped American pale. However, as it makes its way to the back of the tongue (and down your throat) the pepper surprise kicks in and is very present. This was really my first introduction to a pepper beer. I liked it, but I couldn't drink this all night, but its good for a pint or two. It did inspire me to brew a pepper beer of my own."

My experience: The beer poured as a slight golden but almost diluted color. Unlike the other reviewer, I had found the smell to be incredibly spicy, as if I was sniffing a jalapeño itself but also very earthy. The taste itself was very earthy/woody as well and when you take the first sip it is a tolerable spicy, but when it reaches your throat it is too much for me to handle in a drink. I thought I would enjoy this, but it is not refreshing and left me wanting to drink something else, something crisp and cooling. I'd say this is a beer to try just for fun but it is not very drinkable. More than one was too much for me. I still want to try Bent River's other brews to see what they are all about.

Next week I will be writing about Shamrock Shuffle experience in Chicago. Why you ask? Because at the end of the 5K you are rewarded with a beer! 

Stockholm's Brewpub - LoRazz Weiss

Located in the heart of Geneva, IL, Stockholm's handcrafted beers are brewed to full flavor with a smooth finish. Stockholm's has been voted Best Brewery in Kane County by the readers of Kane County Chronicle every year since 2004.

Stockholm's serves not only their specialty brews, but a full menu as well. They serve burgers, salads, sandwiches, fish, classic and Italian dishes all made to order. The reason I chose to review this brewery is not only because of the beer, but because the owners teach microbrewing classes! Stockholm's Beer Tasting for the Connoisseur teaches you every thing you need to know to make your own brews in three sessions. 

• Session one: overview of beer styles, ingredients, brewing styles, and techniques used in different countries.
• Session two: lighter pilsners, lagers, and wheat beers.
• Session three: darker lagers, ales, porters, and stouts. 

If you are interested or want to sign up you can visit the website here!

Stockholm's has nine different unique beers to choose from. All of their beers begin with a blend of barley and select hops. They do not filter their brews after the brewing process, which allows them to  create the smooth and full flavor in each sip. 

1. Blend of Silk: "Silky, light, sweet and refreshing, one third of our Downtown Honey Brown, two thirds of our LoRazz Weiss blended at the tap for your pleasure."
2.  LoRazz Weiss: "Raspberries are added to provide a refreshing tart flavor with the creaminess of a white wheat ale."
3. Mike's Blend: "Combines 1/3 of our Third Street Ale with 2/3 of our State Street Pilsner. This
   accentuates the inherent flavors in our ale with the crisp finish of our pilsner."
4. Aegir's Ale: "Carefully selected hops are blended to brew this full flavored English pale ale.
5. SWB: If you like a British bitter ale, try this blend of our Doc's Porter and Aegir's Ale."
6. State St. Pilsner: "A full-flavored beer in the German tradition, well rounded with a crisp finish. Enjoy the delicate flavors."
7. Doc's Porter: "Just what the doctor ordered. A multigrain brew of four barleys, wheat and oats that delivers a rich robust flavor."
8. Downtown Honey Brown: "Our brown ale with a touch of honey added for a slightly sweeter finish."
9. Third Street Ale: "A brown ale brewed in the Belgian style, a blend of malts imparts a balanced yet complex flavor with a light hop finish."

My Experience: Take a guess at which one I reviewed... Surprise it was LoRazz Weiss! This was right up my alley, a refreshing and fruity ale. The beer poured a pale orange color and had a very strong scent of raspberries and citrus. The beer itself was not as sweet as I would like, a little more tart. This could have been because I was expecting a very sweet beer based on the smell. LoRazz had a malty, raspberry, and hoppy flavor, yet they still worked together very nicely. This was a good beer that I would have again if given the chance, but not worth the price. Overall, berry refreshing. 

Another Customer's Experience: Had this one on tap in Geneva, Illinois. Pale orange, slightly translucent pour, with a thick white head. Raspberries in the nose briefly, along with some citrus. A bit sweeter than the other Weiss but this is pretty good.

Give Stockholm's Brewpub a try, they have a beer for every taste and let me know your opinion so I can add it to my customer reviews! 

Half Acre Beer Co. -- Daisy Cutter Pale Ale

Half Acre Beer Co. is located on Lincoln Ave. in Chicago. In April 2010, Half Acre became the first brewery in Chicago to can beer. They chose the 16 oz. can, "a pint of freedom" as they call it.

In 2006 Half Acre was created in a spare bedroom. They had no brewery and no intention to build one, the beer was created with assistance of a contract brewer in Wisconsin. The owners set out to find a brewery of their own and stumbled upon a building for lease in a lively neighborhood of Chicago. Over the next couple years Half Acre began to grow its existence. They built a store where they could brew and sell beers to go and learned what it meant to be brewery owners in a complex industry. Today they own their own brewery which houses their store, selling beer and merchandise to the public, and also added a tap room where they can host the people who want to cheers their beers. Half Acre claims to continue to enjoy themselves as much as possible and encourage the interesting experiences the ride has to offer.

Half Acre has four different categories of beer:

1. Perennials - "16 oz. tall boy, One pint of freedom."
• Daisy Cutter Pale Ale: "A west coast Pale Ale chock-full of dank, aromatic hops. This one's a screamer, hoard it. 5.2% ABV."
• Gossamer Golden Ale: "A drinker. This Golden Ale is a quality travel companion that aims to please with subtlety and aroma pop. 4.2% ABV."
• Over Ale: "This brown beer is a hybrid concoction brewed with malt heft and all around backbone. A style-less wonder. 6% ABV."
2. Seasonal Beers - "These beers come and go with the seasons, grab them while you see them."
3. Collaboration Beers - "Brewed with colleagues..."
4. One-Off Brews - "One and done, unless we brew it again."

The beer I chose to review today was one of the Perennials, Daisy Cutter Pale Ale. 

My experience: As it was described before, it is a Pale Ale with lots of hops. Daisy Cutter is a golden honey color which matches the smell perfectly. It has a ver aromatic and distinguished smell, very grassy, floral, and some pine and grapefruit. This was a good thing, though it made it more sweet rather than tart like most beers with this much hops. The taste matched the smell exactly, very refreshing and floral even drank from the can. 

Another reviewer's opinion: Appearance - Deep gold with a large fluffy white head. Smell - Fresh, juicy grapefruit hops. Grassy with pine resin and floral hops. Slight hint of caramel. Taste - A blast of citrus and pungent piney hops. A mild earthy hop bitterness builds up but is balanced by sweet caramel malt. Finishes with light citrus and bready malt that tends to linger. Smooth and crisp with a light-medium body. Dry finish, good carbonation.This is a phenomenal pale ale. Dangerously drinkable. Huge hop flavor, nice balance.

If you have been keeping up with my blog, you may have come to realize I really enjoy the light, summery beers. Let me know what your favorite kind of brew is!

St. Patrick's Day 2013

Today I wanted to do something a little different. This upcoming Sunday, March, 17, is St. Paddy's Day, one of the most infamous beer-drinking days of the year. Let me tell you a secret, the Irish do not celebrate St. Patrick's Day the way we Americans do. It is known as a holy day over in the old country and a way to rake in money from touristy Americans. But on to the blog post, today I will be, as you can guess, writing a post about the best drinking places on St. Patrick's Day in Chicago.


Cork and Kerry
This bar is in the south side of Chicago with a wide variety of brews for your choosing. Why wouldn't you want to celebrate St. Patrick's Day at a bar named after the two biggest counties in Ireland? They also serve Irish pub food with a twist such as Irish egg rolls, corn beef, cabbage, and Irish cheddar.
CorkandKerryChicago.com give a list of their beers to get you in the spirit!
Some famous Irish beers served:

• Guinness
• Smithwicks
• Harp

Other beers they offer on tap include, Blue Moon, Crispin, Bass, Leinenkugels (seasonal), Sam Adams (seasonal), Bud Light, and home to Chicago - Goose Island!

 The Curragh
The Curragh opened their doors originally in Schamburg of June 1999, and with great success moved to Edison Park of Chicago in 2006. The Curragh is widely known for their annual St. Patrick's Day festival, bringing customers in from all over the area. For St. Patrick's Day the Curragh holds live music featuring bands that have the traditional Irish sound starting at noon until 1:30 am! They also will be serving green beer all day for just $2!
The Curragh serves all traditional Irish foods such as shepherd's pie, Guinness fish and chips, corned beef and cabbage, and bangers and mash.
Now for the beer, the Curragh serves many different kinds of traditional Irish beers as well as famous domestic American beers such as Bud light, Miller light, and Coors light.
Irish beers that the Curragh serves on tap are:

• Guinness
• Harp
• Smithwicks
• Murphys

A classic Irish drink that the Curragh will serve you is a Guinness & Black (one of my favorites), it is Guinness on draft with black current flavoring mixed in. It satisfies your sweet tooth and beer tooth.
Stop by the Curragh for traditional food and drink and a memorable (or not) St. Patrick's Day.


Timothy O'Toole's Pub
 For over twenty years, Timothy O'Toole's has been known as one of the best places to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in Chicago. The celebration begins March 14 till the 17 with as much green beer and Irish food that you would like!

• March 14th kicks off the holiday, O'Toole's opens at 10 am and serves green beer all day and Irish specialties until 3 am. 
• March 15 enjoy more green beer but also, Joe the Leprechaun will be making appearances. 
• Saturday, March 16, enjoy $5 20oz Jumbo Green Beers, $6 Joe the Leprechaun, body paint, beads, and Chicago Bag Pipers on Saturday and Sunday. They are even open till 4 am! 
• Expect the best for Sunday, with all four days combined into one.

For the beer, O'Toole's has a menu full of Guinness specialty drinks called the Guinness Black List featuring, Fat Molly (Guinness and Fat Tire), Chicago Irish (Guinness and 312), and the classic Black and Tan (Guinness and Smithwicks).
O'Toole's serves Guinness, Harp, Smithwicks, tons of domestic beers on tap such as, Coors and Miller lite. They also serve Goose Island, Sam Adams, Two Brothers, and many many more.





Consider spending your St. Patrick's Day 2013 in Ireland with some green beer...and a little more classy beer. Be sure to see the river being dyed green if you get the chance! Let me know your plans for St. Patrick's Day how it went!

Argus Brewery - California Steam

"Brewed with a Chicago Attitude"

Argus is located in the historic 1900's Joseph E. Schultz distribution stables. This unique building is distinguished by two large terracotta horse heads on the side of the building which once housed the Schultz (owner's family) horse teams and carriages. Argus creates beers in this building to challenge the best beers in the world. 

Argus has become one of the most popular craft brews in the city of Chicago. Argus has developed a rugged attitude by rising from the South side of Chicago, an attitude they are proud of. Argus has three things that you'll taste in each brew: 

1. Flavor
2. Depth
3. Unusual and carefully brewed taste of premium craft beer

The owners, a father and son team, Bob and Patrick Jensen has developed an understanding that hard-working and can-do attitudes brings Argus from above average to exceptional. They prove this understanding in the taste of Argus brews.

Two interesting facts about Argus Brewing:

1. Reduce their carbon footprint: Argus looks for ways to reduce their energy and waste, which leads to minimizing their carbon footprint. Argus is currently experimenting with using solar collectors to heat water during the brewing process. Their strategy is to use less electricity to generate a reduced, long-term carbon footprint. Argus is also a customer of BlueStar's Renewable American Energy, which relies only on wind power. 
2. Help those farmers: Argus tries to recycle as much as they can and cares about the environment. A main by-product of the brewing process is malted barley and brewer's yeast. Pigs, chickens, cows, and sheep love this by-product. Argus wants to give back to the farmers and feed folks, they just ask you to bring a 55-gallon receptacle, and they can make arrangements for farmers/feed folks to pick it up from the brewery. 

Argus brews 3 different beers:

1. Argus California Stream: With an Alcohol By Volume (ABV) of 5.4%, this California Common Style beer pays homage to the historic beers produced in California from the mid 1800's to the mid 1900's. The key distinguishing feature of this beer is that it is fermented with a speical lager yeast that is fermented at a warmer ale temperature. The beer is copper colored and medium bodied, it has a strong malt flavor with a spicy, herbal hops created by a unique character from the fermentation that is unlike traditional Ales and Lagers. 
2. Argus Holsteiner Lager: An ABV of 6.0% makes up this Marzen style lager. Holsteiner Lager is copper colored with a strong malt accent. It is very smooth and hopped with some of the finest German Noble hop varieties. This lager is traditionally brewed in Spring and served in Fall at festivals, it compliments all Germanic styles of food. 
3. Argus Pegasus IPA: An India Pale Ale with a 6.5% ABV. The ale has an intense hop aroma with a citrusy, floral, and fruity flavor developed from American hops. The color ranges from a medium gold to a reddish copper. High hop bitterness with a malt backbone that supports the strong hops and provides great balance. An obviously hoppy and bitter, strong India Pale Ale. 

I chose to review California Stream, it appealed most to my interests out of the three beers. 

A customers experience: Pours a dark, slightly cloudy amber with almost no head. Aroma of caramel malt and a good bit of dank herbal hops. Taste is light bitter. Herbal and pine hops with a somewhat weak malt backbone. Medium bodied with a slick texture. Lively carbonation and a very long finish. Overall, pretty good. Probably one of the most flavorful steam beers I’ve had. 

My Experience: California Stream was much better than I expected. The beer poured as a clear reddish amber with a frothy head that created some lacing. I could smell some floral hops, noticeable caramel malts, citrus hops, and grains. The taste is malty and sweet at first before the hops kick in. It has a long dry finish, leading to me to want to drink more to taste the sweetness again. Overall, California Stream is a very enjoyable and tasty beer.  

I advise you to go out and try Argus Brewery. Argus is trying to improve Chicago's environment one carbon foot print at a time. You can find Argus' brews at most liquor and grocery stores, go ahead and test them out and let me know about your experience! Talk to you next week :)

4 Paws Brewing - Blueberry Lou

"1st Class beer for the Second City"

4 Paws Brewing is located in Chicago, has a unique philosophy most beer drinkers don't come across quite often. The owners, Meghan, Matt, and their dog Sadie (I'll explain later), are committed to making quality brews that appeal to all kinds of beer drinkers. The complexity and care put into each batch that 4 Paws is created for their customers. 4 Paws' philosophy is, "Beer should be inventive and fun." Meghan and Matt began their brewing career with the idea of creativity. They wanted to create something from scratch, talk to people about their pride of each bottle, and give something great for customers to enjoy. They want to create a beer that will bring good conversation, entertainment, and the spirit of loving life. 4 Paws' beers are inspired by Chicago's earlier breweries and their recipes, devoting their efforts to make Chicago a thriving beer town.

The owners of 4 Paws are very environmentally friendly. This green lifestyle effort is a part of who they are and as much a part of the brewery as the beer itself. Along with giving back to Mother Earth, 4 Paws wants to give back to the Chicago community. To go with their name, 4 Paws, a set portion of their profits is donated to local animal shelters. Their dog and co-owner, Sadie, has brought great joy to their lives and wants to ensure others can have the same experience. Click here to learn more about Sadie! Sadie has been at Meghan's and Matt's feet for each batch brewed. 4 Paws also uses a portion of the profits to fund an on-site animal shelter.

4PawsBrewing.com's mission statement - "We believe in our company, what we stand for, and most of all the beers we serve. We would never make anything we wouldn't drink just to turn a profit and we would never say anything or do anything to compromise our core beliefs. We hope that our supporters and friends join us in believing in 4 Paws too!"

4 Paws produces seven year-round brews each having their own inspiration:

• Pupkin Ale - Made with organic malt and pumpkin to create this autumn brew with spices and flavors that make you want to sit around a campfire with pumpkin pie. This brew is inspired by Gebhard Brewing Company in Morris, IL. Opened in 1866 until prohibition closed its doors.
• Kilted Pup - A Scottish ale loaded with 3 different malts and a deep, rich, red color. Kilted Pup is inspired by one of the most influential Scottish immigrants, John Kinzie. 
• Pioneer Red - This beer is inspired by the Great Chicago Fire in 1871. The first fire department in Chicago was called Pioneer. A smooth red ale with hints of spices including clover, cinnamon, and a variety of malts.

• Brindle Amber Ale - Inspired by the original Atlas Brewing of Chicago, this beer goes perfectly with any meal from BBQs to private dinner parties.
• Blueberry Lou - Honey, blueberries, hops, and golden malts are combined to create this perfect summer beer. Inspired by Huck's Brewery in Chicago, which specialized in lighter, more carbonated summer-perfect beers. 
• Brown Dog - This beer has great caramel and vanilla notes to start, and it finishes with a great chocolate taste. Brown Dog is inspired by Chicago’s Lill & Diversey Brewery’s offerings of porters, stouts and a cream ale. 
• Fawn Blonde Ale - A light, refreshing beer with three varieties of hops to add spice. Manhattan Brewing Company of Chicago produced a picnic beer, and Fawn Blonde Ale is envisioned to be a modern reincarnation. 

The beer from 4 Paws that I found most appealing was Blueberry Lou (probably the most girly one). 
4 Paws Brewing reviews the beer: "Brewed this with tons of blueberries, hops, and hops to create a perfect American IPA. It is inspired by John A. Huck's Chicago Brewery that opened in 1847. They specialized in lighter, more carbonated refreshing beers perfect for hot summer days." 

A customer's review: Blueberry Lou is a peachy-golden color. The nose is overwhelmed, smells more like punch rather than beer, very fruity. The flavor follows the nose but is not as sweet as I had anticipated. Overall, 4 Paws does a good job at delivering what they advertise. That being said it's not really my cup of tea but it definitely has its place.

My experience: This is truly a summer ale. It is delicious, light in color but full in flavor. You can immediately taste the hops, honey, lots of citrus, and blueberries all bringing memories of summertime. It has a sweet taste at first with a slight tart mid-palette taste. The finish is sweet and crisp. Blueberry Lou is very carbonated and perfect for a hot summer day. The ABV (Alcohol By Volume) is at 5.25% 

To find out where you can purchase 4 Paws, visit their website.

If you're looking to buy a beer that goes towards a good cause and have a variety of flavors, 4 Paws Brewing fits right in. They have a wide variety of beers offered, created to suit every beer drinker's preference. Let me know if you have any Illinois-based Breweries that you would like to be reviewed!

Revolution Brewing - Rosa Hibiscus Ale

Located in Chicago on Milwaukee Ave, in Logan Square, Revolution Brewing opened in February of 2010.
Revolution Brewing wanted to capture the changing tastes of beer drinkers that were demanding bigger and better varieties and flavors. Revolution Brewing has stood out in the crowd of a fast growing community of craft brewing. The brewpub creates almost 50 different beer styles each year. Revolution Brewing has fun with what they do and want you to come join their Revolution.

The managing partner of Revolution Brewing, Josh Deth, was first a home-brewer when he got his lucky shot. In 1995, he received a job cleaning and scrubbing kegs at a local brewery. A few years later, Josh landed another job as a cellar-man and brew pub brewer at Goose Island (the previous blog's topic) and thought up of the idea for Revolution. A few first tries left Josh unsuccessful, but in 2003 he opened Handlebar with his wife and a couple friends. Josh had also been working as the Executive Director of Logan Square Chamber of Commerce which lead him to the building on Milwaukee Ave where Revolution Brewing is located today. Revolution Brewing then opened in February 2010 after three years of construction, raising funds, and dealing with the zoning department. Josh then added a 2nd floor Brewers' Lounge in July 2011.

Revolution Brewing produces year-round, specialty, and a deep wood series.
Year-round:

• Anti-Hero IPA: "An American hop assault for all the ambivalent warriors who get the girl in the end." This ale features four different hops varieties, creating bitterness and crisp, floral aromas.
• Eugene Porter: A dark-colored, warm chocolate malt, named after Eugene V. Debs, an American union leader who led the Pullman Railroad strike of 1894. This malt is a mixture of Belgian malts made of a structure of toasted grain, infused with chocolate and caramel. 
• Bottom Up Wit: Brewed with organic pilsner and wheat malts from Canada, Bottom Up Wit is their version of classic and refreshing Belgian ale. "Freshly ground coriander and Curacao orange peel, along with a special Wit yeast strain, contribute wonderful orange and citrus aromas and a crisp, yet silky, mouthfeel."

Specialty:

• Coup D'Etat: French style ale with a citrus hop character and an earthy, spicy aroma. 
• Double Fist: A strong pale ale with massive hops flavor. 
• Cross of Gold: Crisp golden ale with a hop finish.
• Oktoberfest: Classic German-style Oktoberfest beer.
• Fistmas Ale: A holiday red ale with ginger root and orange peel. 
• Mad Cow: A smooth, charcol black milk stout.
• Rosa Hibiscus Ale: A highly drinkable ale, steeped with hibiscus.
• Rise: An American stout flavored with Amarillo, Chinook hops, and traces of chocolate and coffee.
• A Little Crazy: A Belgo-style pale ale with pilsner malts and citrus hops.

Deep Wood Series:

• Straight Jacket: A strong ale to warm your insides during the winter months.
• Very Mad Cow: Bourbon barrel aged milk stout.

Rosa Hibiscus Ale - 
 Revolution Brewing's Description: "A highly drinkable ale steeped with hibiscus flowers and a touch of orange peel for a natural tartness and slight pink hue."
Rosa Hibiscus has an Alcohol by volume (ABV) of 5.8%.


My Experience: This beer pours a slightly hazy reddish-amber color with a medium pinkish-white head that dissipates steadily. Rosa has short strings of lacing and the aroma is floral and fruity. The light body with flavors of caramel malt, floral hops and a bit of fruit really distinguish the beer. The finish is sweet with a short berry aftertaste leaving you with a lasting memory. This beer is very memorable for me, especially the rare pink color.

Leave comments about any Revolution Brewing brews you have tried, I'd love to hear your opinions!

Goose Island - Summertime

Goose Island first opened its doors in 1988, entering a world where craft brewing had just begun. Founder and beer-lover, John Hall had developed Goose Island with his beloved taste for European beer in mind. While traveling across Europe, Hall was determined to create a beer of his own that captured the memorable taste of each region's popular beers in Europe. Hall realized that living on the shore of Lake Michigan is a huge advantage, and in a city of evolving cultures and tastes, John had decided that his hometown, Chicago, would be the perfect place to create a one of a kind beer.

Hall had decided that allowing consumers to watch the brewing process would build interest in his craft beer. John had a motive to provide a memorable experience and cater to each customer's taste. Goose Island opened its first Brewpub on Friday, May 13, 1988. 





Hall's theory was proven to work, Chicago's interest in Goose Island grew rapidly and were welcoming towards the new idea of craft beer. The Goose Island brewpub was so successful by 1995 that Hall had decided to open a larger brewery and bottling plant to keep his customers satisfied. Becoming even more successful, John Hall had opened a second Goose Island Brewpub conveniently located near Wrigley Field.



Still today, Goose Island brews a selection of over 50 craft beers that are bottled at the Fulton Street Brewery. Goose Island Beers are consumed in all 50 states and also in Europe.

This past year I had the opportunity to visit the Goose Island Brewery in Chicago and what Hall said was true, when allowing consumers to watch the brewing process does build interest in his beers. I was able to taste their newest brews and also the long loved traditional brews like 312 that has been a favorite of mine. The Director of Operations that gave the tour is a graduate of University of St. Francis in Joliet (where I go to school.) It was awesome seeing how the beer was made and also seeing an alumni from my school hold such an important position at the brewery.

Anyway on to the beers..
Goose Island produces three categories of beer, Urban Ales, Classic Ales, and Vintage Ales. They also produce their very own bourbon, and have brews that are currently in production. Here is Goose Island's description of each beer...

Urban Ales:

• 312 - Inspired by the city of Chicago and flowing with flavor, 312 has a blend of Cascade hops and a crisp, fruity ale flavor delivered in a smooth, creamy body that's immensely refreshing.
•  Green Line Pale Ale - Green Line Pale Ale is a honey-colored American pale ale with a  bright hop aroma and citrus flavor.

Classic Ales:

• Honker's Ale - Inspired by visits to English country pubs, Honker’s Ale combines a fruity hop aroma with a rich malt middle to create a perfectly balanced beer.
• India Pale Ale - The result is a hop lover’s dream with a fruity aroma, set off by a dry malt middle, and long hop finish.
• Nut Brown Ale - Our Nut Brown Ale combines the finest domestic and imported malts to produce a chestnut-hued ale of unusual complexity. Enjoy subtle notes of chocolate, honey and fine tobacco.
• Summertime - A light fruity aroma and a hint of fruity acidity, Goose Island Summertime is the perfect summer session ale
• Harvest Ale - A fruity American hop aroma and a toasty malt character make Goose Island Harvest Ale an extra special beer worthy of your devotion.
• Mild Winter - Toffee brown, medium-bodied, with a creamy head and an aroma of raisins and freshly baked dark bread.
• Christmas Ale - Every year to celebrate the holiday season, we brew up our Christmas Ale, and with each year we change the recipe slightly so that you have something special to look forward to. (Something I always look forward to.)

To read about the seven vintage ales, five bourbons, and beers currently in production visit the Goose Island website. 

Goose Island Summertime:
Goose Island's full description of the Classic Ale - The color of sunshine, with a light fruity aroma and a hint of fruity acidity, Goose Island Summertime is the perfect summer session ale. A Kölsch beer brewed in the traditional German fashion, you’ll find yourself enjoying and savoring each sip of summertime as much as you do those hot summer days and cool summer nights.
 The Ale has a ABV (Alcohol Bottle Volume) of 4.9% and is sold seasonally from March to August. Summertime has won a variety of awards, most recently winning the silver medal in the World Beer Champions.

My experience: Summer is my favorite season and Goose Island perfectly places this season in a bottle. Goose Island nails it with the color, when poured from bottle or on tap, it is the color of sunshine. The beer is fruity with a traditional light beer taste and a hint of lemon. The beer is very refreshing and goes down very smooth with the perfect amount of hops. Summertime is the perfect summer beer, keeps you cool and calm through those relaxing, hot summer months.



This video explains how Summertime is made and what makes it so refreshing!

Let me know what your favorite Chicago brew is to review next week!

5 Rabbit Cerveceria - 5 Rabbit

 

5 Rabbit Cerveceria describes themselves as "Bringing the energy, passion and richness of Latin culture and cuisine to the delicious world of craft beer."
5 Rabbit is located in Lincolnwood, Illinois and opened in 2010.

The name 5 Rabbit was meant to capture the color, playfulness, and mystery of the Latin heritage. The beer produced by 5 Rabbit is inspired by Aztec mythology, capturing the true spirit of beer.

In 2007, two friends, Isaac (from Mexico) and Andres (from Costa Rica) had a dream to create their own microbrewery. Isaac and Andres worked for one of the biggest breweries in Latin America and fell in love with making beer. The two friends realized that popular Latin American beers were completely bland and tasteless compared to everything else from Latin America. In 2010, during Chicago Craft Beer Week, Isaac and Andres met Randy. Within five minutes, the three knew they had an instant connection and would work great together. Randy was a perfect addition to 5 Rabbit with his expertise and creativity.

5 Rabbit produces 6 different brews:

• 5 Rabbit - An elegant take on golden beer.
• 5 Grass - A bright hoppy ale with the fresh outdoorsy aroma of the desert.
• 5 Lizard - Winner of the Gold Medal, Fruit Wheat Beer, 2011 Great American Beer Festival.
• 5 Vulture - Deep amber-colored ale with complex caramel and sugar cane aromas with a long dry and spicy finish.
• Vida Y Muerte -Rich, caramelly, fall beer that celebrates the spirit of the harvest season/
• Huitzi - A winter Belgian Strong Golden Ale, brewed with hibiscus flowers, ginger, thai palm sugar and local Chicago honey.

The beer I chose to taste was 5 Rabbit, the company's original beer.

www.5rabbitbrewery.com Describes 5 Rabbit as follows:
"5 Rabbit is an elegant take on a classic golden beer. A base of high-quality malt contributes caramel and honeyed notes, and these are balanced by a brisk, clean bitterness. Its lively hop aroma blends the legendary hop of pilsners Czech Saaz with the vibrant fruitiness of New Zealand Motueka plus added fruitiness from an ale fermentation. 5 Rabbit is familiar, yet fresh; sophisticated, yet fun—just like its namesake. It’s a pale beer with surprising depth, a hearty and satisfying quaff.
In Aztec mythology, 5 Rabbit (Macuiltochtli) is one of the 5 Gods of Excess (Ahuiateteo) and symbolizes the excess of pride. The long ears of the rabbit invite us to learn and listen, not only to others, but also to our community and inner voices. 5 Rabbit also represents vitality, happiness and fertility."

My experience: When poured from the bottle, clear and bright bubbly hay color. Good head, foam, and lacing after each sip. The taste is some what dry, lightly toasted pilsner style malts with earthy hops, and the ale yeast add some fruity summer aromas as well. Fruity yeast adds another level to this crisp, toasty, milled grain, and earthy hopped golden ale. I was satisfied with this beer, can be drunk all year round with no complaints.

5 Rabbit recommends to pair the beer with fried fish, chicken or pork enchiladas, tamales, pizza, roasted chicken, and anything fried. The beer is sold in a 12 pack of 12 oz. bottles at $9.99, with 155 calories per bottle and 5.3% ABV.

 'An Interview with Radical Randy from 'Chitown on Tap' about 5 Rabbit Brewery


Have any of you tried 5 Rabbit Brewery's beers?

Two Brothers Brewing Co. - Domaine DuPage

Two Brothers Brewing Co. is located in Warrenville, IL. Two Brothers is a family owned brewery created in 1997, perfecting their own original artisan beers. Two Brothers was founded by Jim and Jason Ebel. They started the company with the Brewer's Co-Op, a beer and wine producing retail store in Naperville, IL. The brothers became very passionate about brewing and created their own brewing company. The company is still 100 percent family owned.

Two Brothers brews seasonal beers and year-round beers. Along with these all year brews, seasonal beers, and artisan beers. The six "All Year" beers are Domaine DuPage, The Bitter End, Ebel's Weiss, Prairie Path, Cane & Ebel, and J Series Beer.

• Their four seasonal are 
• Monarch White for Spring.
• Dog Days Lager for Summer 
• Heavy Handed IPA for Fall
• Northwind Stout for Winter.

Two Brothers Brewing Co. describes their artisan beers as follows, "These are beers we have been itching to brew but have a hard time getting to while brewing all our regular beers.  Most of them are unique in one way or another.  We may or may not brew them again at some point, but these limited run beers are all are fun and fantastic." The artisan beers they create are, Hop Juice IPA, and Heavier Handed. Two Brothers will also be releasing two more artisan brews, one in February 2013 and the other in August 2013. 

The brew that I chose to review is one of Two Brother's most popular All Year brews, Domaine DuPage. www.Twobrosbrew.com describes it as, "Inspired by the brothers time living in France, this food-friendly beer is deep amber in color, with a toasty and sweet caramel start. It finishes with just enough hops to clean off the palate. Bon Appetite!" 

My Experience: Domaine DuPage pours an amber color with a white head that does not last very long. The smell is very malty and the taste is very sweet, just like Two Brothers says. You can pick up the caramel straight away. The beer itself is very smooth with a bitter hops after-taste. The beer is something I like, very sweet and smooth. Domaine DuPage has an alcohol concentration of 5.9% and 177 calories per serving. Domaine DuPage is priced at $16.99 for a 12 pack.