Friday, January 23, 2009

Beer Advocate is the networking place now

Beer Advocate has grown swiftly with the internet boom and the craft beer boom to become the most influential online location for US beer lovers. They also have a magazine, but that's just a way to make money. The real action is online, as they how have changed their homepage to highlight their beer forums.

Until recently the only regional focused forum for Chicagoans was US - Midwest. Recently I discovered a new group under Chicago. What a find! Lots of local information, on new beers coming into the market, events, and reviews.

The formation of this group made possible for one of the most exciting recent beer tasting events in Chicago, the BA Chicago Gathering/Beer Swap. Fully 62 folks signed up for this, and the reviews on the forum were great.

Beer Advocate, for a modest cost, is the place to keep up with if you seek info on beer coming out, venues, events, and anything else beer Chicago. I certainly will be watching it.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Allagash

Great article about one of the most innovative beer makers in America, Allagash. It speaks to what they are doing in inventing new ales, lambics for one, something that our Chicago brewers could learn from. If you can do this stuff in Maine, you can certainly do it here.

In any event check it out this article and let me know your thoughts.

Monday, January 5, 2009

Wisconsin brewers benefiting from holiday brews

Nice third hand article from December sited by New Glarus from the Milwaukee paper relating to winter beer brews by Wisconsin brewers. I've had several of these and liked most of them, hard to get some in IL of course, but as it's the closest state to us we go there several times a year. Worth it for sure, I don't believe Indiana offers as much (other than Three Floyd's). Enjoy.

Friday, January 2, 2009

Session 23 - Old and New


This monthly session is simply about what I will miss from the beer world of 2008, and what I anticipate will excite me in 2009.

As for 2008, it's all in my previous post of Dec 31, see below.

Looking forward to 2009, I anticipate:

1) trying the new line-up of New Glarus beers,
2) finding more good beers at favorite Chicagoland restaurants as they continue to appeal to the growing number of better beer drinkers,
3) finding more fresh beer available in Chicagoland - either via growlers or mini-kegs (5 liter offerings - come on Bell's, I've seen 'em in Missouri, can't you get 'em here) from local micro-brewers. Wishing there were more Whole Foods serving fresh beer like the Bowery Beer Room.
4) hoping to see new out-of-state beers making it here (yeah for Lost Abbey/Port Brewing showing up in '08), like the canners Surly and Oscar Blues. As a connected wish, hoping to see more good beer make it into cans (special liners now so they don't taste tinny).
5) Finding more real ale, that is cask beer, in the area.

Should be another great year.