The answers are plain.  The Hawks are doing the best they can with the money they have under the cap to spend on players.  It really started with trading Nick Leddy, a cornerstone defense-man to come, now with the Islanders.  It continued with the trade of Saad.  A cornerstone winger who is young enough to play beyond the years of Toews and Kane.  And there is the rub.  Looking beyond.  You can't do it right now.  The salary cap doesn't allow you to look past your current team.  Future team be damned.

The Hawks have committed big money to the big four defense-men, who played most of the minutes from the Anaheim series onward.  The salary cap does not really allow you to pay good money to more than 4 defense-men, You have to have the Rundblad's and Van Reimsdyk's to fit in.  Like wise you can only pay so many forwards,

So if you want to vent on someone, vent on Toews and Kane, Seabrook and Keith, or love them for what they are and consider that they are the cornerstones that have to carry the team, with a few scrubs to help.  Because those dudes will be gone, retired at some point. And once they are declining, and only then can we think about replacing them, but not now.

I love Chicago, went to a free concert tonight in the neighborhood park, Winnemac.  The band was provided by the Chicago School of Rock.  Yes, it's a high school.  Didn't have these when I was growing up.  Anyway, very talented kids, played some Dire Straights, Beatles, AC/DC, and Santana.  Really good stuff, at the end they announced they would be playing at Fitzgeralds tomorrow, quite a classic rock venue, they will do fine if tonight was any normalcy.

It reminded me of a tenet from Utopia, by Thomas More, limited open concerts of an hour or so are best.

Robot's are now buying illegal product

I'm back, for the simple observation that robot's have now grown up and technically broken the law, witness this piece.

I find this interesting in that the law is vague, and who actually owns the products purchased - I say it's the robot, point at it and laugh!

Being There Part II

Well, I need to empty my brain for Part II. If this was in time and in sequence, then I'm a bit buzzed already, but with the excitement and adrenalin, I'm going strong.

Among the second half highlights were the Dogfish Head end cap, which had many offerings, and we all tried different ones and shared due to the long lines. None were memorable, but all good.

My brother and I took time to attend the You be the Judge area. There we had a ticket along with 25 or so others. The session was led by two experienced beer judges. They took us through their process of judging, with actual scorecards and samples of the beers within known styles.

The first was Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale, a standard for it's style. We agreed before it was revealed that it did fit the profile nicely. Some people found weird tastes, but all that proved was that their palates were off. The other tasting was an IPA, again solid if only on the boundaries of some of the factors (color, nose, taste, body, etc.).

We located one of my targets - Funkworks, a Saison-only brewer in Colorado, and they had Imperial version of their standard Saison (higher in both abv and flavor), both of which were excellent. We also hit Boulevard, Cigar City (which really has some unusual tries), and The Bruery, the latter had limited selections based on timed releases. One might check there first to see the timings from this excellent Belgian style brewer.

At the end I essayed the Store, with a mere 15 minutes til close. It was a massive wall of tee shirts, hats, and such. Each buyer had a dedicated rep, who was served by the wall people, I got my few items and zinged out.

We walked about 5 blocks after release in a moderately cool night to a ritual burrito joint, and managed to navigate the bus system home.

In all the GABF remains the quintessential beer tasting. With stamina and perseverance you can sample upwards of 60 one oz. samples in your 4 hours, all beer lovers should try it at least once.

It's most fun to share and compare with friends, and in my case family - I'm lucky to have such a caring brother. Thanks Dave!

Being There Part I

If getting there was a relative snap, being there is a challenge. With 465 brewers with booths serving up to 2,400 different beers, you have to have a plan. We did, and that was one reason my brother wanted me there.

Crucially, a map is provided online within 2 weeks of the start. I noted immediately that the entrance is very near the GABF store, and figured I could buy the swag I needed at the end so as not to carry it around (it was a close call, more on that later).

Right off the entrance we had targeted the California section, specifically 21-st Amendment and Alesmith at booths A2 and A4. 21-st Amendment cans their beers, and we got a taste of a few, none particularly memorable, but the crowds from entry were so immense, we slid past Alesmith and decided to head north, toward the Goose Island's in the Group C teens.

During this Friday session, all brewers had at least 4 offerings, many 6 or more, and one had their whole lineup (see ahead)! So you had to be selective. We tended to try a few (2-3) at each location, and started with some heavier brews (like Porters and Stouts, etc.), so it was a welcome relief when we hit our first biggie, New Glarus @ D18. They were pouring their Raspberry Tart (which won another gold in it's category) and that was very refreshing. They were also serving their Black Top, a black IPA that also won in it's category. Loved it, quite a distinctive roasty malt with a very fresh hop to it (I was able to buy it when I returned). Nearby, we spied the Allagash booth, always a favorite, and they were pouring a version of their coolship offering. This is a style invented in Belgium, where the natural yeast is allowed to ferment the beer, usually resulting in a sour tone. This was no exception, one my favorites at the show, perfect sourness with a modest malt backbone, very refreshing too. I can't remember it's name, but I don't think you will find it anywhere, a one time try :(.

I had specifically targeted in my mind if not the map the Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery at E14, famous for it's IPA, in this case a version on offer but with some fruit, quite good, but the star was a beer called LSD, an Herb and Spiced beer, with lavender prominent. It won a Silver, so glad we tried it. Intriguing! The other side of group E was southwest beers, so we tried a bunch from Austin, many unusual and outstanding. Had a soured Dubbel if you can believe it, not great but interesting.

The Brewery Guild pavilion in the middle of the floor was offering many unique beers from many different areas, my brother made a point of going there several times.

About 90 minutes in, we lost our two compatriots (temporarily), and Dave and I went into the panel discussion in the Brewers Studio Pavilion. There were three folks sitting around a raised dais with microphones, and an audience of 35 or so sitting. I'm not sure who the other two were, but I recognized Garrett Oliver on the right, from Brooklyn Brewery. He was flogging his new book and speaking about beer in olden times, like around the Revolution. We sat and were offered several tastings of something from Brooklyn quite good, I think it was called Confluence. The most beneficial part was the time taken to rest our legs for a few minutes, quite a relief.

From there we slid over to the mecca of Shorts Brewing, which had an end-cap position @ K on which they displayed some 25 taps, most all of their ongoing offerings. It should be noted these guys don't care about style, that is they make all styles and then some, and all are well made. They are located in the Upper regions of Michigan, and don't export their beer outside the state. I was able, however, to try some when they were here in 2010 for Chicago Beer Week, thus my targeting this place. Here we tried their Bloody Beer, very much like drinking a fizzy Bloody Mary. They make a beer called Key Lime Pie that is the bomb. I will quote their website on another of my favorites:

Nicie Spicie - A Northern Michigan spiced wheat ale made with a 50/50 blend of malted barley and malted white wheat. Packed with fresh citrus zest, then spiced with coriander and a three peppercorn blend, this light bodied ale is complex yet scrumptious. Exemplified by its gorgeous golden color, this beer is crisp and refreshing.

The combination of the peppers and coriander is very interesting, it's not so spicy you think it will burn your mouth, but it dances on your senses for a long time.

Sometime during this hour we found our other friends, and entreated them to join us at Shorts. All told we spent upwards of 45 minutes sampling every beer on offer from Shorts. They were our star of the show.

Next up Part 2

Getting There

I managed to get to the 2011 GABF due to good circumstances. I snagged a one week visit to Fort Worth for my current client, the week that the GABF was held! As a result, I flew to DFW on Sunday, worked 4 hard days, and a few hours on Friday, before getting on a mid-day flight to Denver.

Our session started at 5:30pm on Friday. As noted before, I told my brother (who did pay for my ticket, thanks!!) I would never go again on a Saturday session.

My brother and sister-in-law kindly picked me up at the airport and we proceeded directly to "the cousins" home (who for privacy reasons will go unnamed). They live in a nice section of Denver which is a converted Air Force base.

Their home is within walking distance to a bus line, which runs relatively quickly downtown. We caught the bus around 4pm, and on this short half hour ride I discovered that our tickets were not purchased until Monday - only 4 days ago!? On top of that the tickets were purchased via Craigslist from a guy on the East Coast!! (I had planned my visit some 3-4 weeks prior so I had thought the tickets were in hand shortly thereafter). I was a bit flummoxed at this news, however it was explained to me and proven at the site that tickets are relatively available, even though the show does sell out.

In any event, we had tickets and arrived in front of the site with maybe 25 minutes to spare. I had scoped out the food carts in advance, and we decided on an Argentinian sandwich prior to entry, a good solid choice. It would alleviate the need for food until we departed the session.

With the long line that snakes around the convention center, it took us some 20 minutes after opening to enter. On line I chatted with a guy from Houston about the micro-beer scene, and I saw a guy in front of me with a Finch's shirt (a relatively new Chicago brewer) but Finch's wasn't in attendance at this Fest. hmm. We also spoke with a volunteer who suggested we focus on one style of beer to taste. We did not heed this advice, and I'm glad we didn't.

After scanning our tickets, and turning these over to the glassware folks, we were in! All in all, a safe and secure entry to the world's biggest beer tasting, and we had a posse of four to enjoy the offerings.

(next time - We're in! What do we do now?!)

GABF Winners

Well, it's all over except for the shouting! We did get to taste some winners, but before a full review here are some random thoughts -

1. It might be worth sticking around the GABF for a couple of days, maybe even volunteer, because with some 2,000+ brews on hand it was impossible within a single 4 hour session to taste more than say 50 or so. By the way, 50 oz. with the high abv is like drinking a 6 pack. We did take a bus and walk a bit on the way home, no casualties.

2. It is an overwhelming experience, and it is the best way to try what you have not tried before from around the country, e.g. Cigar City, Minneapolis

Town Hall Brewery, etc..

3. Friday - a superior choice to Saturday. I've written about our Saturday experience before, and while solid, this Friday session was outstanding. Most noticeable, each vendor had 5-6 offerings, versus maybe 2-3 on a Saturday. Not to mention the End Caps, like Shorts who brought everything (some 15-20 beers). Much easier to be selective. Also, the booths were much better manned, faster and more knowledgeable service, I think many vendors go home after the Saturday afternoon session, and therefore skip Saturday eve.

4. Many one offs that we'll never see again, but well worth it. The highlights - a coolship offering from Allagash, the LSD from Minneapolis Town Hall ( which won a Silver award), and a soured Belgian dubbel from an Austin brewer I have forgotten.

5. This year there were a few scheduled side sessions. As you age, getting off your feet for a few moments, and listening to the likes of Garrett Oliver or a certified Cicerone, is crucial.

6. Fun, lots of happy slightly buzzed folks enjoying the moment. Chatted with more than a few, I remember the couple from Indiana, the guy who was as amazed as I at the sour tasting we stood at.

Plus we made another side trip to Avery - wow, more on all of this soon.

Anticipations for the GABF

Though I might be more like a Savor guy, that is older and wiser about beer and a need to avoid large rabid crowds, I will be attending my second Great American Beer Fest in Denver a mere two weeks from now.  My brother obtained the tickets, and the timing worked out for me.  While I attended my first in 2009 with him and cousin Daniel, they both went last year as well.  We had some learnings from both.

One learning that I will follow absolutely, including this one, is avoiding the Saturday evening (last) session at all costs.  In 2009 we attended the Saturday session (there is one on Saturday afternoon for industry participants, that one I would attend if I could).  Our session seemed to bring out all the frat boys who made it a bit crazy.  Not the worst part, however, the worst part was that most of the booths were down to the dregs, like a party where it's almost over and the host pulls out the Blatz (no longer Milwaukee's finest!) that has been in the back of the fridge since last Christmas.

Another learning is to make a side trip to Avery, in Boulder, as they pulled out some special brews not to be seen beyond their little brewery pub.  And tastings were emphasized, that is small pours for quite little ($2-$3 bucks a pop).

Finally, the session itself is long, 5:30 to 10pm I believe, far too long to be sampling constantly, and this year the organizers have added lots of side sessions (ala Savor) at the pavilions that seem interesting and worthy of attendance.  This will be a good break, and allow for better consumption patterns.

All in all, a beer lovers mecca with over 2,200 different beers served, and some swag to boot.

Musings on Fort Worth

I have spent at least one week per month since March in Fort Worth, Texas for work with a local company that is growing and needs much assistance, from me a Management Professional. I do enjoy teaching people how to do things right. Never had a complaint afterwards.

In any event among my travels I have found a few gems in the Fort Worth area.

The first that comes to mind is the local NPR station, KXT, a progressive Rock station, or that's my take on it. Lots of vintage tunes, not the anthem rock you here on most oldies, but solid tunes from the classics to Texas rock to plain progressive. It manages to hit the right notes that I find in Chicago-land from WXRT, without the commercials which is a great relief. Always worth popping on the car radio. With online availability, I may make this my go to....a quote on the home page says it all, "The Doors, The White Stripes, and Bob Marley all in one set, just another reason I love @kxtradio."

I can't think of one beer mecca here, but I do like the Flying Saucer. It has a nice bar food lineup, is easy to find in downtown Ft. Worth, has about 80 taps if memory serves. Usually a good local selection, Rahr and Sons, etc. and $3 pints for Texas brews on Sunday, worth a special trip that day. Ginger Man is very good as well, more contained, but try sitting outside at the Flying Saucer on a lazy Sunday afternoon and you can watch the day go by in heavenly bliss.

There is a great deal of good basic barbecue, the kind where you get a two meat platter with 2 veg and cornbread for $12, a pretty standard go-to for lunch or dinner. Though Tex-Mex abounds there is not a whole lot of real Mexican that I've found in a limited time here.

One place I don't miss on my trips is a Chinese place called Szechuan. Their menu has hundreds of items with many variations, from Mu Shu to black beans sauce dishes to hot and spicy. I good place to come if you crave seafood. Another is the Japanese restaurant Tokyo Cafe. Very inventive Sushi chef, recently went and tried a pork fat appetizer, like the fatty part of bacon, lightly grilled, delicious. Pigged out one evening by telling the chef to give me his choices up to $40, I was amazed and bloated afterwards. Just lovely, fresh, and different.

Finally, a parting shot. When I have enough time prior to an airline departure back home, there is a restaurant in the A terminal of the DFW airport that kicks. It is a small chain seafood spot called Pappadeaux's. They have nailed the sauces to go with really nice seafood that will kick your ass. Last time I had a crab cake with a buerre blanche and capers sauce that was sublime.

I hope the heat will be off soon and my remaining trips will be cooler. It is a delightful area.

San Diego here we come again

Since I haven't written anything since last October, I thought I would review a recent trip to San Diego, many thanks to my Brother Dave and Sister in law Dominique for rescuing me in many ways, thanks again.

I had worked in upper Washington State for a project which closed on a Tuesday. I flew to Long Beach Airport near LA for a new job, and found that I couldn't rent a car due to my credit situation. Dominique picked me up and lent me her car. I used it for a job in LA on Wed and Thursday. I made it back to SD around 2pm Thursday and spend some time with the parents before heading out for a few beers with Dave.

We started at Toronado but this may now be my least favorite location in San Diego. Overly crowded, full of beer snobs, and not as great a selection as I recall. We left after one brew and headed for a newer site called Small Bar (same name as a good bar in Chicago). Great selection, great vibe, and killer jukebox music. A place to settle in, we did for a few, then finished at the Blind Lady, which is a very nice place run by very nice folks. We missed the kitchen there which was sorely needed, but they had a good list. All three places showed more than 20 handpicked, mostly local taps that ranged from Stone, Russian River, Pizza Port, and many more. Thanks again to my hosts, I managed to fly out Friday am none the worse for wear.

A trip west for family and the Great American Beer Festival

Musings on a 6 day sojourn to Denver and San Diego

This trip originated as a visit to see my parents, was then augmented by an offer to attend the GABF in Denver. Along the way much food and drink consumed, so I thought I would review a few of the places we went to.

The Denver experience was great, time with my brother and sister-in-law and her cousin and wife. Mucho thanks for hosting. I really enjoyed Boulder, we made several trips there, including a wonderful Italian dinner, but the highlight had to be the Avery Brewery/tasting room. Since it was GABF week, they had special rotating kegs on all week. Many were versions of sour beers, infused with Bret, many were good, a few awesome, the bottled one Dave bought (Sue Generous) was a good example, well soured with plenty of flavor behind. Despite the industrial park setting, they have a nice outdoor cafe, lots of seating, well worth a stop when in Boulder. The other pubs we tried there were so, so, forgettable and now I have.

The GABF was wild, some 5,000+ folks each session on the floor of the Colorado Convention Center. We got there at the 5:30 opening time for the last session on Saturday and the line was at least a 1/2 mile long. In the end even though we got in 40 minutes after opening we still had plenty of time. Must have sampled 50+ one oz. tastings. Some decent pub type food. Huge floor area, lots of brewers were down to one offering, nowhere near the 2100 offerings at the beginning, never go again on Saturday. Highlights from Allagash, Dogfish Head, Southhampton, New Glarus, The Bruery, and many more. Tried to take notes, impossible. But the winners were announced by then, we tried to hit them to see what the judges were thinking. A must event once for beer lovers, as I've learned since the off site events make a big difference, we'll hit more next time.

We tried to stay in nominal shape, did a nice hike in Boulder, rode a $2K lovely bicycle in San Diego, and had a long walk in SD. Overall I gained weight but only a pound or two.

San Diego, recently named top beer city by Men's Journal, included The Blind Lady, Tornado, and the Linckery. All outstanding in their own way, Toronado a killer place. Some 30 beers on tap, and on Mondays all are $3.00. Amazing. Great local selection which I was seeking, decent Belgian offerings, great atmosphere, top notch.

Overall, I'm still liking the Chicago scene for food, and we did make 5th in that MJ poll, but I would swap our beer scene for SD. It's getting closer though with the recent additions of Metropolitan Brewing, Half Acre, and Publican.

Retailer Closeouts, Brewers that Care

I've had several experiences now with the end closeout bins at Binny's Skokie location, not the baskets, but the end cap areas or right in their normal spot on the self. They have a lot of American micros, and I suspect some aren't rotated or replaced when they are old. It seems these are usually bombers from brewers with a wide selection, discounted below $5, saving you at least a couple of bucks. Since many beers do not have package-dating on them it's hard to tell how old they are. I've had a few problems with these purchases, mostly from the beer going flat or becoming oxidized. I suppose it's buyer beware, but I took up this issue with a recent purchase right to the brewer and got a wonderful response.

Rogue to their credit, has wonderful people. From their website I sent an email about getting a flat beer that I had wanted to try. It was their Christmas beer. They replied within 24 hours notifying me they would replace my purchase, no questions asked. In fact a box came to me straight from the brewery, with 2 bombers to replace mine.!! A day later I got a package with a Dead Guy t-shirt! Very friendly followup and great service in my book, the new beers were fresh (no surprise as they were straight from the brewery), and the t-shirt is very nice!!

I don't know if you would get this type of service from all brewers, but it's worth contacting them directly if you have a problem bottle. A good brewer will want to know about customer and distributor problems, not bury them. Give props to Rogue for caring about their customers.

Smoke 'em if You Got 'em

For this months Session, the subject is smoked beers. Thanks go to prolific, well respected Philly-based writer Lew Bryson for hosting.

In the past I've had some great smoked beers, of course the great German Rauchbiers from Schlenkerla . or the fabulous Ham on Rye from Three Floyds which tasted just like a liqufied sandwich and didn't need food to go with it.

For this Session I'm tasting Goose Island's newly released Smoked Bock, only available at the Clybourn brewpub. This bock is brewed with 75% smoked malt from the American malter Breiss, backed by bock malt to give it a solid backbone. It's a nice chestnut brown with a cloudy look and small tan head. The nose is amazing with deep peat smokiness and hints of leather. The taste follows the smell with the bock hitting up front with a lingering smoke aftertaste. This beer ways in slightly over 7% abv but is not heavy or overpowering. Goes really well with the Pulled Pork sandwich on offer.

This is a man's beer, with a nod to the original intent and style of brewing beer. The intent and primary use of beer in the Middle Ages was for sustenance, and a bacteria free source of libation. "Don't forget to pick up a growler of supper tonight honey" - but it would likely be a 3%er or less. Beer was often brewed with open wood fires and flames lapping up the side of the brew kettle. An outdoor activity for sure. It's a style of beer to remind us of simpler times, maybe happier times?

Later at the monthly BA gathering I tried Stone's Stone Smoked Porter, a roasty porter not as chocolaty or deep tasting as most but a good support for the smoky flavor. It was more muted than the Goose beer, maybe just not as fresh. And from San Diego no less! A good beer, but we should probably stick with our locals when we can.

Urban Belly - A great strip mall find

Urban Belly is a new "Foody" restaurant opened by a veteran from Le Lan (named Zagat's top Asian Restaurant 2008) that focuses on a limited menu, knows what it does well, is BYOB, and has a stark yet friendly feel with long tables. These sharing tables encourage the sharing of at least your libations, if not your food. We did share our meals and enjoyed them with a couple of brought beers. This could be a new template for a whole new way of dining in these troubled times.

The big question you have on entering and settling is, should you be paying $11-$13 for a noodle dish, $7-$9 for rice dishes, and $7-$8 for dumplings in this strip-mall setting? The answers from our recent experience are yes, yes, and a qualified yes.

On a recent trip we entered for a late lunch and were greeted by the superb wait staff / cashier lady. From the front counter you can see right into the small kitchen, and heading the troops was the chef and co-owner Bill Kim.

The menu holds a mere handful of selections from each of the three primary areas (mentioned above) plus several side dishes. We had the pleasure of sharing #9 Phat Rice, which is a sampling of all three rices #6,7,and 8. The combination included a succulent short rib beef and scallion portion, smoky and soft pork belly and pineapple, and refreshing organic pea shoots and Thai basil. We also had #14 Asian egg noodles stir fried with spicy garlic chili, Tofu, and Chinese Eggplant, with just the right hotness level with subtly toothsome noodles. We had no room for a dumpling order, but trust they are as carefully prepared.

As other diners were enjoying their selections, we felt compelled to savor every last morsel of our lovelies. Lunch was uncrowded and unhuried. The spicy noodles paired well with a final beloved bottle of New Glarus Imperial Weizen from last summer.

Note that the neighboring store is a laundromat, and that parking is not allowed on that side of the lot. Not a big issue. Overall, an A rating for this surprisingly nice and relaxed high end noodle haven, an oasis in a strip mall!!

Comments from the host blogger and guest MrQuartetman.

Recent Evolution of Chicagoland Beer Retailing

Here is a 30 thousand foot view of the beer retailing market. Why the review now? It's important to know how far beer retailing has come, and where it's going. The continued growth and increasing share of micro-brewed beer depends on a healthy retail environment. And much of the retail improvement has come over the past 2-3 years.

Witness these observations:

- Most Whole Foods stores now have good multi-pack and single bottle beer lineups, including 6 drafts at the Grill at the new Sauganash location
- Lush Wine & Spirits, with two locations, Drinks over Dearborn, and In Fine Spirits are all new in the past 2 years, and are similarly small shops which stock primarily singles of hard to find micros, and some vintage ones too.
- The re-birth of Armanetti's on Lincoln (and the others still in the chain), now a much better location for micros.
- The growth and commitment of Binny's, which has hired some of the best beer experts in the city, capped by the giant selection and tasting bar at the new South Loop location.
- Archer Liquors has become a major internet retailer.
- Even local grocery stores have stepped up to the plate.

This commitment has incentivized brewers across the board to responded to and fill this growing demand. Now we have new bottles coming from Flossmoor Station, Metropolitan, Half Acre, and a renewed commitment to specialty bombers by Goose Island. We have many more varieties of high quality Belgian beers now. We have drawn distribution interest from major West Coast players like Lost Abbey/Port Brewing and even a Wisconsin brewer (Tyranena).

Bars have upped their lists as well, witness the growth in the bars qualifying as beer destinations for Chicago as defined by Beer Advocate.

These are good times indeed, and the perishable nature of beer will keep supply and demand in check. It's much easier now to get the style and precise beer you want. Much easier to find a single of that beer for tasting. Much easier to compare prices across the internet sites of the predominant retailers. And much easier to find it close to your home or office.

We have one of the best markets environments for the purchase of beer. It's all due to the changing demand of the Chicagoland beer drinker - keep those microbrews coming.

It's All Over Except for the Shouting

Our very own Great Lakes Brewing News, available in print at most beer bars and brewpubs, recently hosted the "National IPA Championship" at various venues around the Midwest and Northeast. I'm guessing New York City falls into the Great Lakes area definition, as that is where the final taste-off was held. The full bracket layout with results is here.

I note that both craft brewers and brewpubs were represented. As many of the brewpubs don't have bottle production, we'll never see them here. They probably had the advantage vs. the commercial production entries since they could produce a "one-off" version of their best try. Indeed, the winner was from a brewpub, Laurelwood Brewing Company, Portland, OR.

Laurelwood was the only brewpub in the "final four" - the others included Tyranena's Bitter Woman, a favorite of mine from Wisconsin, Big Sky's Big Sky IPA, and Rogue's Yellow Snow IPA. Happily all these are more or less available in the greater Chicagoland market. Find them if you can and if you love hoppy beer.

I find that IPA's are a good gateway beer for novices. There are few ball breakers in this style, rather just good spicy beers, with solid malt backbones, usually around 6% or less alcohol by volume. Other locals to seek out include the highly loved Two Hearted from Bells, Dark Horse IPA, and Arcadia's India Pale Ale. all from our neighbors in Michigan. And of course Goose Island makes a very good one, it just wasn't in this competition.

Note: the Title of this blog entry is a "shout out" to my late friend Steve Wlodarczyk whom I got the saying from (usually a reference to a disputed competition or tragedy) and was a great lover of beer. The next one's for you Steve.

Rare Beers Get Another Friend in the Market

Lust Wine and Spirits has of yet no website (a blog only), two locations (one in Roscoe Village and one near UIC in University Village), and a focus on wine, with a sophisticated owner (the Twisted Spoke guys) is a rare and good / great beer retail location in Chicagoland. MrQuartetman and I paid a visit to the University Village location in early March, and despite a mere one cooler of beer, they have an excellent beer lady (we met her) and some nice rare selections.

The shop holds tens of wines, lots of good ones, and a long wooden bar with wine selections and one beer tap (out when we were there), and a quite small footprint overall.

According to the beer lady this is the go to place for Goose Island's rare bottles. It may be the only place that has bombers of Extremely Naughty Goose, and it's no wonder it's only here, at $30 per bottle. Mr. Hall (Goose owner) apparently asked them to sell it as a rarity (to pay for the new website?). It is a great ale, but too pricy for us. Try this rarity at Goose Clybourn, currently on tap for no more than $7.

They also have Hitachino's Commemorative Ale, Poperings Hommel ale, Sam Adam's Double Bock, and several more rare singles, no sixpacks here, no macros. Most bottles were fairly priced considering the rarity.

This place joins West Lakeview Liquors as among the few retail locations in Chicagoland where you can find unique and even well "aged" beers.

We recently ran into Sam's Clybourn beer buyer recently and noted that they carry some rarities, like the 2002 Aventinus, a wheat dopplebock, which the maker ages in it's own mountain cellars. So in a pinch you can now find a few places around the city to pick up a well aged beer. Not all beers hold up well over time, they usually must be bottle conditioned (live yeast still in the bottle) and higher alcohol (usually above 8% by volume). Bottle conditioned Ales that are well aged can be spectacular.

I would site one I had recently as the beer of the year so far, a 2003 version of Bare Trees, a wheatwine (reviewed in detail at the link by dOb, the guy who brought it to the tasting, thank you man) made by Two Brothers. Sublime.

Good to see these stores know that some beers age as well as most wines. Great to have them around and I hope they keep up with more well aged beers.

A Nice Spot on a Golf Course?

Yes, the Wilmette Public Golf Club off Lake Ave. has a totally rebuilt clubhouse with a hoppin' dinner location. It serves as the 19th hole for golfers but it's much more than that.

We went on a Friday with neighbors who know one of the serving staff. That helps this review for sure, but the food was very well done. Seafood or Fish fry platters for all, and all were enjoyed. A nice starter salad, plus full plate (two options) with each entree make this a bagain meal around $12 per head. Now on top of that they have decent taps, including Sam Adams, Fat Tire, and Anchor Steam. A big full menu beyond the Friday fish specials, from sandwiches to steaks. For the food and atmosphere, a B+ and considering the value in a A's for sure. The beer list could use more micros, but not a bad selection considering.

Great for families or couples going out, the only complaint is that the crowd is older, no teens or 20's here. Well we weren't looking for a disco anyway. Much fun and good value food to be had.

Update on the Craft Beer Segment by the WSJ

From today's WSJ, paper of the American Dream, craft beer is doing well, even in tough times. Included are comments by the Metropolitan folks, our newest makers of craft beer (mostly lagers which is fine with me).

Lagers to Love, There are More Than a Few Out There

I don't submit for all of these monthly blogging Sessions built around a theme, but #25 is dear to my heart, entitled Love Lagers. As the host The Beer Nut describes it,

"It's the world's most popular style of beer and can be found in abundance in almost every corner of the globe. For millions of people the word "beer" denotes a cold, fizzy, yellow drink -- one which is rarely spoken of among those for whom beer is a hobby or, indeed, a way of life."

I was until quite recently a lager basher. After joining the ale revolution several years ago thanks to mrquartetman, I fell in love with these top fermenting beauties for their aromas, complexities, higher alcohol (gotten over that), and overall wonderful tastes. Ale, after all, was the original beer; weak ones were used in place of food, and were safer than water, by Middle Age folks, both adult and kids, of old Europe.

It was the German's in the 19th century who figured out how to brew with bottom feeding yeast, at colder temperatures, and lagered these brews, or stored them for aging and smoothness. Good beer, well made, then bastardized by the Americans who adopted the German style, if not the purity laws. Lagers were responsible for pushing ales out of America. With the bastardization of adjuncts (corn, rice, etc.) added, our beers became proverbial piss water. So what if people wanted clear beer, this is not champagne folks, although some are starting to push that way.

Well thankfully, home brewing came back in 1978 (thanks Mr. Carter) and ales returned. Many of the thriving micro-brewers who now produce tens of thousands of barrels annually started as homebrewers. American craft brewers, now to mention many homebrewers, have picked up the Lager mantle and are now producing some of the best in the world. In particular, one of my favorite brewers, New Glarus, seems to have the best handle on lager styles. Witness their recent unplugged release of Bohemian Lager. A Lager I can love. The smell and taste are best described by a fellow Chicagoan blogger I know:

The smell is crisp and clean but with a of a balance of aromatic hops and malts. Clean crackery/biscuity and light toffee/caramel malt sweetness intermingles with grassy/floral and semi-spicy noble hoppiness that add a good little bite. I even get some light lemony accents in the smell when I take deep whiffs. If this were a bit more pungent it would smell really amazing.

The taste is even better than the smell. Very bright, crisp, clean, and most importantly - balanced. Crackery/doughy, light toffee, and pale/pils malt sweetness does an intricate and delicate dance with great spicy/floral/grassy hop flavor and bitterness with a seemingly light-oak character. More lightly lemony notes come out as it open up. It has such a great clean profile but still lots of intricate flavors, which I find most pilsners/lagers lack for my tastes.

Yes, this is a lager anyone could love, take that AB and Miller!