I was looking for a nice place in the Wrigleyville area of Chicago with a decent selection of beer, for before and after a Cubs game, and I found the perfect place. I heard about this place last year and have been on the e-mailing list before stepping in, but I am glad to have found it.
Located at Sheffield and School Street just a block north of Belmont, Sheffields looks like a smallish corner bar, and the interior reflects that of other bars in many ways. But catching my eye almost immediately is the multiple beer taps, none of which were labelled with BMC products at all. A walk to the back of the bar displays a neon sign saying "Beer School Bar", and a walk down that passageway opens into another bar area with tables, and stools at the bar, and more taps of many different domestic craft varieties. Lining the walls and ceiling in the Beer School Bar are old beer cans and bottles and beer taps.
A short walk to the left brings you into a third bar, much the same as the first two, but less populated (at least on a Sunday afternoon). And I can't forget to mention the beer garden outside, with the layered decking and access into the first bar, the back bar and the sidewalk out front.
The food was barbecue style and was excellent. Served to us by the lovely Nicki, we started with barbecue bites which were pulled barbecue pork spread into egg roll halves, which can be dipped into the spicy southwestern sauce that accompanied it. We followed with the pulled pork platter, which was equally delicious. Along side was the house sweet barbecue and a little dish of a Carolina sauce which had more of a vinegar consistency. Suggested to us were a variety of beer choices, and they were so vast they met every possible taste or preference.
My first was a pint of Half Acre Daisy Cutter, which is an American Pale Ale with a smoothness and piny aroma that leads you right up to the bitter punch. Half Acre is a Chicago brewery, located just up Lincoln Avenue, which has tours and a minipub inside. I have not been there yet, but it is on my list. I followed with another Midwest favorite, Bell's Two Hearted Ale, which is an American India Pale Ale with a more pronounced bitterness yet with less piny and spice than the IPA I tasted previously. Bell's is located out of Kalamazoo Michigan, and brews one of my all time favorites, the summer offering Oberon.
This would provide me with a good base to take me into the cold for the afternoon of baseball.
After the game, we walked right back to Sheffield's, and although we were not served by Nicki, we were instead served by a very knowledgeable and pleasant beer tender. Tasting a few different varieties allowed me to choose something interesting off the menu, something lighter and bubblier, Summerfest from Sierra Nevada. Most famous for its Pale Ale and heavier butt kickers SN came up with a lighter although slightly bitter, Czech Pilsner presentation for its summer beer. It was actually quite refreshing. But I knew along I needed to follow it up with a brewery that I have wanted to revisit for a long time, Great Lakes out of Cleveland. Having tried some other ones, which I really enjoyed, I tried the Conway's Irish Ale. It was the Irish red treat I hoped it would be, but since it was a seasonal I knew I wouldn't see it again, which is unfortunate. I would like to have some again.
Overall I really like this place, and will come again. I think I will try to avoid the Saturday night party time, and stick to Sundays or weeknights, because like a lot of other local establishments, this place has to be very popular. The beauty is that the selctions, especially on tap, will keep changing, and I look forward to seeing what will be up next time.
