Milwaukee's Lakefront Beer Coming to Chicago in a Bolder Way

Article about Lakefront and a mention of Chicago. I like their beer a lot, from Riverwest Stein to Fixed Gear to even their Klisch Pilsner. Unfortunately all I usually see, without going to Wisconsin, is their gluten free one and sometimes the IPA. This sounds like good news to increase their distributorship. Maybe into a lot more bars too. After reading this article I think I have to check out this new one, Bridge Burner?

Lakefront Brewery Expands its Orbit, but Keeps its Milwaukee Roots

 

by Parker Winship December 15, 2011

Lakefront Brewery has the distinction of being an intimate institution. It’s big enough to be one of the faces of Milwaukee beer, but unlike Miller or Schlitz, you can make out its wrinkles. Lakefront sold more than 15,000 barrels last year, which means it has officially graduated from microbrewery status. It’s now a regional brewery, and its beer is sold in 35 states. Still, that success is like your kids going off to college: You’re proud of them for going out on their own, but part of you hankers for the days when they were little tykes content to play in the front lawn.
Lakefront is 24 years old and still struggling as it comes into its own. “Hopefully they’re good pains,” Lakefront president Russ Klisch says. “But there are pains. Growing all of the sudden, you always have someone in your company who’s doing more work than they normally should be. There’s always some part of the brewery that’s being pushed to its limit.”
Racing to keep up with its own success is a long way from the brewery’s beginnings. Back in the 1980s, brothers Russ and Jim Klisch went into the business believing they could start a big-shot brewery—until it came time to actually finance it. “I didn’t understand the concept that you had to have money to borrow money,” says Klisch. “So all of the sudden, it became quite the realization that we weren’t going to get something really big.”
The brothers’ next plan was subtler: to sneak into the industry as an underdog. “What we were hoping would occur is that we’d win a bunch of awards with our beer, and then people would notice and invest in our brewery.” Unfortunately, that didn’t exactly happen. “We won a bunch of awards, but no one ever came up with money for us, and the few people that did make us an offer, it was like taking the whole brewery for basically next to nothing. We weren’t about to give that up.”
Lakefront couldn’t be a big brewery, and it couldn’t be the investor-loved underdog. Instead, it just had to be what it was. The Klisch’s built the company batch after batch, sale after sale, until one day they found themselves in that big brewery they dreamed of when they started over two decades ago.
As their empire of ale has grown beneath them, the brothers’ roles have changed. They used to brew the beer themselves in a converted bakery, but now Jim is the regional sales manager and Russ spends his time overseeing a corporation, entertaining potential clients, and traveling to visit accounts. “It’s becoming more like being a director in a movie,” says Russ. “That’s one of the things about growing any company—you have to get other people doing your job for you. If you’re really good, you aren’t doing anything.”
Lakefront’s success has even spilled over to Milwaukee’s neighbor to the south, Chicago. Tonight, the brewery will host a Chicago roll out party at the Long Room Bar (1612 W. Irving Park), where Fixed Gear, Bridge Burner, and Riverwest Stein will be on tap. So while it may look like the Klisch brothers are getting away from the kettle—and Lakefront away from Milwaukee—it’s clear that their orbits are simply expanding, while their centers remain the same.

Seasonal Craft Beer Review: Bell's Winter White Ale

This one is quite a change from the winter warmers I have tried so far, I must say. It is a Witbier, so it is unfiltered and very wheaty. Other Belgian witbiers I have tried are St. Bernardus, which is really good, but others examples are Shock Top and Blue Moon. Like them, there are spices and fruit flavors, but I think Bells does a better job by leaving you with a little sourness and very little spiciness. Also, there is quite a bolder hop presence than those others too.
It is brighter yellow with a straw colored head that disappears quickly but the flavor is rich and strong. The alcohol level is not so high but there is a small amount of alcohol residue left behind, which I think is a good thing.
This beer stands alone, and does not need the orange that typically accompanies it. Is this an American tradition, like by Blue Moon only? I don't know for sure.
CBC Rating: 4.
Poured into a shaker pint glass from the bottle, handed to me by Stevo. ABV: 5.0%.

Seasonal Craft Beer Review: Sam Adams Winter Collection

Being offered again this year is the Sam Adams Winter Classics 12 Pack, which has always been an interesting thing to sell, in my opinion. Most 12 pack collections go along the same lines: offer 3 each of your flagship plus 3 other seasonals, and make one or more obscure beer you want to launch or probably can't sell outside of a firkin and keg in local pubs. While this is true for Sam Adams in terms of their selection, they offer 2 of 6 different ones for their winter collection.
This year we are being offered a couple new ones in addition to the familiar ones we have had before. The older ones are Old Fezziwig Ale, Winter Lager,  Holiday Porter and Boston Lager. This year we are offered two new ones: Chocolate Bock and Black and Brew, a coffee stout. I tasted all of them and here are my reviews of the wintry ones, briefly this time.
I am more pleased with this year's choices, even if I don't find them all to my liking, because in past years their variety included a cranberry lambic and their Light, instead of the coffee and the chocolate.
Winter Lager: (ABV: 5.5%) Reliable, tasty, crisp and low on hops, this bock is more drinkable than Boston Lager (if that is possible), maybe due to the lower mix of hop varieties in this one. Not as good as Winter Skal (see review), if you ask me, but still a reliable one year after year. Rating: 4.
Old Fezziwig Ale: (ABV: 5.9%) Boasting of differing malt flavors and hitting you with spices later this winter warmer is also reliable and steady, not blowing you out on any one taste.I think it has a specialized taste that some might not go for, with all that going on. I think they could have simplified it but keep a higher alcohol content. Rating 3.
Holiday Porter (ABV: 5.8%): An American Porter, toasty, bready and very slightly chocolaty sweet. Looks good, black and smells rich and grainy. I think this is a better porter than their Honey Porter, which they call their year round beer. They could switch them around I think. Rating: 4.
Chocolate Bock (ABV: 5.8%): A much sweeter and chocolate version of the bock offerings, it has a strange cloying taste that mellows throughout the tasting but the bold sweetness that hits you is hard to get past. I think it would not be bad in small doses or fun tastings or maybe for the not so frequent beer drinker but it is too non-beer like to be beer, if that makes sense.Rating: 2.
Black & Brew (ABV: 5.8%): A strong coffee character and some fruit and smokiness, but unfortunately it was the coffee that overpowered the rest of the brew, without the maltiness I usually expect in a stout. They say they put in the Sumatra beans and maybe it it their boldness that takes control so much over the rest of the drink. I have had chocolate and coffee stouts and porters and this was my least favorite. Rating: 2.
All were drunk from the bottle in the collection given to me for Christmas by my Pittsburgh friends. Still have another of all of these here. Anyone want to join me?

Craft Beer Monday Review: Louie's Demise

Looks are very deceiving at times.
The Milwaukee Ale House is a converted warehouse on the Milwaukee River (not unlike Lakefront Brewery) that has a big area upstairs that hosts bands and a small pub downstairs. Both places serve beer made by the Milwaukee Brewing Company. They also bottle it and sell it locally but there is almost no advertising or marketing of it, which is too bad since they make a few pretty good beers.
This one, Louie's Demise, besides having a clever name (or foreboding, maybe) and a fun label, turns out to taste rather good after all. It is an Amber Ale, which seems to me very common, since there are many  micro-breweries whose flagship is an amber (see Ram's Buttface, GI's Honkers Ale, Lakefront's Riverwest Stein Beer).
The story behind the cryptic name goes something like this: a Sheboygan guy named Louie was hit over the head with a full glass of beer by a neighbor because Louie, was making advances on this neighbor's wife. It is said that the neighbor then took that glass of beer and took a drink and toasted Louie's demise.
I think they are accurate in their description: a brew that is somewhere between a West Coast Amber and a Scotch Ale.
Malty and clean, slightly sweet, and a crisp hop finish for this one. Pair that with the clever bottle and story behind it plus it is Midwest, I think it is a hit.
CBC Rating: 5.
Recommended to me by George N and purchased at Woodman's In Kenosha. Poured from the bottle into a shaker pint glass.
ABV: 5.1%.
Word is that you can get this and Pull Chain and other brews in the can too.

Seasonal Craft Beer Review: Shiner Holiday Cheer

I anticipated enjoying this brew because, as I said in a previous entry, I look forward to trying different styles of beer by brewers who I have liked in the past (as I think a lot of people do) and while I sometimes am a little disappointed in them (see this one) this is not the case for Shiner Holiday Cheer. I liked this one just fine.
It pours a dark amber almost brown color, good sized head, and smells fresh and sweet. The taste is also sweet, with a strong caramel and malt background. Plus there is a slight nutty flavor there too, but not too overpowering like I have seen in others (like the Leinenkugels Fireside Nut Brown Ale).
It finishes dry and very slightly hoppy. But it is more along the lines of a Christmas beer that I appreciate.
Thanks to the Spoetzel Brewery to come up with a winter warmer from a place that doesn't really know what winter is all about.
Poured from the bottle into a shaker pint glass.
Bottle given to me by CBC member Stevo.
ABV: 5.4%

Seasonal Craft Beer Review: Bell's Christmas Ale

Sometimes you drink a beer from a brewer you know and have enjoyed in the past, so it welcomes you to more of their offerings later. Make sense, I suppose. This attitude has been true for me concerning Bell's products, and I think that is good or I might not have tasted Oberon, Best Brown, Third Coast or now, this one.

Bell's describes it well: they tried to develop a good winter beer that is more drinkable (they use the description sessionable, which I disagree with, but that is discussion for another time) and is not the spicy aromatic blend that you see in many others. I agree that this beer does just as it says, but I think there is just a little something missing.
I prefer the sweetness and the malt presence it has. This is a must for me, and I can do without the spiciness and the many different things happening. But I think there could be a little more to it, more of a kick. I think there is a place for the lower alcohol offerings, but not in a Christmas ale.
It poured a cloudy orange with some head, was sweet and light, with very little bitter bite. It felt light and was easy to drink.
CBC Rating: 3. This is a lower number than I have given to most other Bells'.
Served in a pint glass poured from the tap at Morgan's in Libertyville.
ABV: 5.5%.

Seasonal Craft Beer Review: Anderson Valley Winter Solstice

Winter season review time is here, and like I have said before, the styles for the winter beers change from brew to brew, and this is certainly no exception. This is from California, and I have heard of a few others of their beers but they unfortunately are overshadowed by the other California craft brewers, like Sierra Nevada, Anchor, North Coast and Bear Republic.

This is a dark amber, but it has an unexpected sweetness that starts at the beginning and lasts throughout the tasting. There is a spiciness that is caused by the hops, which make it much more smooth than bitter. Creamy and tasty, I think this is a winner.
The extra alcohol makes it tastier too.
Plus it will look good in my beer can collection.

CBC Rating: 5.
Handed to me by CBC Member Stevo, poured from the can into a Shaker Pint Glass.
ABV: 6.9%. 

Seasonal Craft Beer Review: Goose Island Christmas Ale

As a special preview I will be reviewing some seasonals that I am releasing now. You don't have to wait until Monday for these.

I think of myself as someone who wants to try new things, or at least be known as the guy who tries out the latest things but I still keep an eye on the price. That is why I was hesitant to try this, since it sells for $12 a four pack.
But, since beer drinker George just handed me a 4 pack for Christmas this year I have no excuses. Thanks George.
This is the second review of winter/Christmas beers I am doing. I am discovering, and maybe this has always been true, that except for the fact that they are all mostly on the dark side there is no strict protocol for what to expect in one, or its style or flavorings.

This, for example, is described as an American Brown Ale. I am not sure why they chose this as the style for their Christmas beer, but they have a pretty good marketing angle: they change the recipe a little bit each year then ask that you save a bottle or two every year saying it will stay fresh for up to 5 years. Then you can sample a few years at once. I think this is fun but since there is practically a million different beers out there including micros I am content with drinking it all up during the season.

It is described as chocolate colored but I think it is more of a darker amber at best. It has a flavor I compare to Sam Smiths Winter Welcome, because you can pick up an occasional spice or fruit and some bite, along with some hop presence and a dry finish.I have to admit that it is quite good.

CBC Rating:4. Poured into a Half Liter Mug, from the bottle. ABV: 6.2%

Craft Beer Monday Review: Summit Honeymoon Saison

Morgan's in Libertyville has been an institution for many years serving mostly the macros, a good place to buy a bucket of 6 bottles for $15 especially during a hockey game. They seem to have an occasional Summit offering, even though this is a little late-the website says this is a past unchained series beer. (Look here for more information on that).
This is my first Saison, and I have to admit it is not really unpleasant. I have tasted their EPA and I wasn't too turned off by it either. I don't know why I am talking in the negative but maybe because I know Summit is more of a macro craft beer, being available a lot more in Illinois than other critically acclaimed Minnesota beers like Surly.

It poured orange and cloudy with a quickly disappearing head, and had a lot of qualities I enjoy from time to time in a different kind of beer like this: a little fruity, slightly malty and a dry finish. Not much hop presence but I think that is good because I personally don't prefer a lot of fruit competing with the hops in other beers.It was rather satisfying, not too heavy so I could enjoy it any time of the day.
CBC Rating: 4.5. This is the best Saison I have ever had (and the only).


Tasted this at Morgan's, Libertyville, on tap served in a shaker pint glass. 5.3% ABV.

Coco Key in Rockford Beer List (or lack thereof)

Usually I only post the places that has beers whose list impresses me, but I believe, just to be fair, I will include them all. Maybe they can use this and grow in the world of craft beer experience, or, as I would like to see, they can introduce local beers into their menu. For example, Granite City is a chain micro brewer who has a brewery/restaurant only a mile or so from this place. Why not bring them in?

Beers available:

Miller Lite (alum bottle)
Coors Light (bottle)
Heineken (can)
Modelo (can)
Fat Tire (can)
MGD (bottle)

As it turned out, the Wet Rooster did not provide for me what the rest of the hotel did: A Tilted Kilt. Will review when I go there.