As the tidal wave of Chicago Craft Beer Week begins to recede from the shores of our livers, I can’t help but think, I could really go for some hard cider right about now! In fact, this is the perfect time to switch up my format a bit and share that my friends at 2 Towns Cider from Corvallis, Oregon have entered the Chicago market, … Continue reading The In-Cider Scoop: 2 Towns Cider Tasting
“Ladies and gentlemen, can I please have your attention. I’ve just been handed an urgent and horrifying news story. I need all of you to stop what you’re doing and listen … … ETSY STORE!” – Ron Burgundy OK, this isn’t a horrifying announcement at all (I hope). It’s great fun! Ron Burgundy and I couldn’t be happier to announce that I am officially selling prints of … Continue reading Etsy Store: It’s Live!
Yes, it’s true! In just a couple of weeks, I’ll be launching an Etsy store just in time for Chicago Craft Beer Week. I’ve been working for the last month to make my little dream of selling prints of my illustrations a reality and will have my online store up and running on Thursday, May 14th!* So now that we’re two weeks out from Chicago Craft Beer Week (May … Continue reading Coming Soon: Etsy Store!
Here in Chicagoland, Spring has sprung, (at least it tried to spring and then sprang back and will maybe re-spring next week) so I thought it was about time to switch to a lighter style more appropriate for the coming season. And why not start with the style whose name literally means “light” in German: Munich Helles. In German, “hell” describes something light in color, and “helles” … Continue reading Style Study: Munich Helles
Last week, my friend Kim Leshinski, fellow graphic designer and creator of local craft beverage blog Hail to the Ale, kicked off a monthly guest spot on Lakeshore Beverage’s beer blog. Kim has partnered with the Chicago distribution company to share the history, design, and purpose of beer glassware and has begun doing so with the creation of this amazing infographic: I encourage you to read Kim’s full article on the Lakeshore Beverage blog. It will … Continue reading Hail to the Ale’s Beer Glass Guide
Russian Imperial Stouts are currently classified as style 13F within the BJCP guidelines, and are described as being “brewed to high gravity and hopping level in England for export to the Baltic States and Russia.” The popular belief is that the likes of Catherine the Great loved this style, but after I went down an Internet rabbit hole in search of more information on this idea, … Continue reading Style Study: Russian Imperial Stout
What beer are you enjoying today? Cheers! Continue reading Happy Nat’l Beer Day!
Foreign extra stouts were hard to find, at least they were for me. I was able to secure a Guinness Extra Stout fairly easily around St. Patrick’s Day, but the others were more of a challenge. Since this style is currently subdivided into “tropical” and “export,” I’d hoped to get my hands on both varieties for comparison, but none of the stores in my area … Continue reading Style Study: Foreign Extra Stout
On Monday, March 25th, on an early Spring* Monday in Chicago, I attended the Barley’s Angels “Girl Scout Cookie and Beer Pairing” event at the Fountainhead in Chicago’s Lincoln Square neighborhood. Fountainhead’s Chef Cleetus Freidman introduced his chorus of five Girl Scout cookie-based bites, each paired with a beer that either complimented or contrasted with his cookie creation. When Chef Cleetus said, “I looked at the Trefoil … Continue reading When Cookie Met Beer, It Was Love at First Bite
In honor of my second-favorite holiday (Halloween is first), Matt and I brewed a traditional dry Irish stout that we named “Lucky Ewe.” (Haaaaahahah, see what we did there?!) In the past we’ve brewed a few iterations of an Irish red ale, but decided to switch it up this year to try something darker and roastier. Lucky Ewe came out with some really nice coffee and … Continue reading Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Worth A Thousand Beers 