An American Craft Brew Paradise

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.

The Milwaukee Brewery Tour Trifecta Part 3 - Lakefront

The third leg of the brewery tour day was my favorite. I was interested in Lakefront beer when I tasted it in Milwaukee last summer when at Miller Park, where they served Riverwest Stein Beer on tap. The brewery is located just south of the appropriately named Riverwest section of Milwaukee, and occupies a factory building on the river with the brewery downstairs and the Palm Garden bar upstairs.

We entered the building from the street side and it led us directly into the bar with the gift shop and restaurant, which was bustling with the Fish Fry crowd and tour goers. Having waited so long for this brew I bought a pint of the Stein Beer while we waited in line for the tour tickets. They had tours starting downstairs periodically but having never toured there I did not realize they were taking groups of people right away without having people wait in line too much.

With the ticket we were given a plastic cup and 4 wooden chips and sent down right away. At the bottom of the stairs was a beer station with pourers offering 4 choices from their bar. Here I tasted a Big Easy Maibock (a seasonal lager) after finishing the RWSB, then I decided on the Monkey Wheat to take with me on the tour. This, I found, was a mistake, because I was not too thrilled with the fruity yet bitter taste (an odd combination).

The tour was informative but mostly entertaining, since the tour guide was a much tattooed local school teacher who emphasized the fun of it more than the education. But halfway through when we went around a corner near the mash tuns was Bernie's Brewhouse from County Stadium, and your choice of more beer to taste!

Here I sampled the Eastside Dark, a strong malty brew that was very satisfying for the rest of the tour. Back at the bar after the tour was over I sampled their IPA with my last remaining chip. It was a classic IPA and also a good choice. When the tour finished we were offered a choice: we could keep the plastic cup we sampled with or trade it in for a glass Lakefront pint. We took the glass pint.

The beer there is great and I had to bring some home, including the growler of Riverwest, the 2 sixpacks I bought at the Midget Store, and I couldn't resist buying the 8-bottle variety pack at the bar for $11. The beertender was even good enough to exchange the Monkey Wheat for an adiditional Eastside Dark for my variety pack.

I would strongly recommend going here, especially on a Friday. I did not sample the fish fry but enjoyed the polka band. For next visits I would like to try the Ale House and Water Street Brewery, two establishments I have not been to in many years. Milwaukee, what a great beer town.

The Milwaukee Brewery Tour Trifecta Part 2-Sprecher

The second leg of the tour of Milwaukee breweries really didn't happen at all. We were in the Miller valley where we enjoyed the first leg of the tour, then after consulting our GPS we saw that Sprecher, a beer that I have enjoyed in those familiar 16 oz bottles, housed their brewery a little to the north in Glendale. We were planning to meet our good friend around 4:30 at his house in Riverwest so we didn't have a lot of time. We arrived there at approximately ten minutes to three, and when walking into the brewery shop we were greeting by 2 gents drinking some fine Sprecher beer, so we knew we were in the right place.
We asked if we were in time for the tour, but they informed us that the first tour on a weekday was at 4 PM. We asked if we could enjoy a couple there, but we were told it was not allowed. Which is curious because they were certainly enjoying theirs.
We asked if they could give us a special tour, since we were probably the only ones expected, but they said they could not take care of us. We realized that we would not be able to take the 4 PM tour ( the first one scheduled) and meet our friend on time, so we had to take a pass. But, when we asked were we could enjoy one nearby the fine Sprecher brewery guy pulled out some coupons to the local watering hole where we could get a free one with the coupon.
It was off to the Silver Spring House where we enjoyed a couple Sprecher Ambers, on tap, which were cold and delicious. As it turns out, we probably should have done the tour and been a little late back to Riverwest, but we really wanted to hook up with our Milwaukee mate. Near his house is the ultimate goal of the trip, Lakefront Brewery.

The Milwaukee Brewery Tour Trifecta Part 1-Miller

Travelled up north on a Friday in February to visit with friends and sample that which made Milwaukee famous. Chose to visit the Miller Brewery first, since they offered the earliest tour, of our three choices. The 12:30 PM tour took us through the bottling and canning, the brew house and a walk through that portion of the Miller valley.

Kind of uneventful, and although our tour guide did a good job, I wish she didn't mention the fact that we were getting free beer at the end so many times. I think everyone understood that anyway. Not that many people were on the tour and all the Miller buildings seemed fairly empty of employees.

For a change since the last time I was there I thought the addition of Coors to the Miller mix would change things a little, but she mentioned that the only Coors product brewed in Milwaukee was Coors Light.

Now for some trivia: Q: What are the three most popular beers brewed in Milwaukee?

A: Lite, MGD, Milwaukee's Best.




At the end we went to the Miller Inn where we were able to sample three beers: Lite, MGD and the third of our choice. It was good having a fresh draft beer there and we sent free postcards out too. For my third choice I asked for the Pilsner Urquell, which was on tap there (MillerCoors now owns them , along with Fosters, Peroni and Molson to round out their international flavors). Unfortunately they were unable to pour me one from their tapper so I instead chose the Leinenkugels 1888 Bock instead. I was glad I did. I wished I could try a few more, but it was time to go on to the next leg of the tour, Sprecher.

Bring them over here! We're thirsty!

My Last 10 Beers

Here are the last 10 beers I've had. What are yours? Be honest!

We are all too lazy to reach all the way back and grabbed that dusty light instead.

1. GI Honkers Ale (12 oz bottle)

2. Mickey Finns Amber Ale (12 oz can)

3. SN Torpedo IPA (12 oz bottle)

4. Metolius Dolly Varden IPA (22 oz bomber)

5. Spaten Oktoberfest (12 oz bottle)

6. Leinekugel Red Lager (tap)

7. Smithwicks Ale (tap)

8. Guinness 250 (tap)

9. Ebel's Weiss (tap)

10. Abita Turbodog Brown Ale (bottle)

Good Beer in Western Virginia

On a recent business trip to the western part of Virginia I was looking forward to enjoying an old favorite, Yuengling's Traditional Lager, with its amber color and medium-bodied flavor. It is brewed with roasted caramel malt for a subtle sweetness and a combination of cluster and cascade hops. I was able to enjoy them, since they are widely available there (but nowhere west of Pennsylvania) but with dinner one night it was suggested I try their local beer, called Starr Hill.

Starr Hill opened its brewery in Charlottesville, home of the University of Virginia and only 25 miles from Staunton. The master brewer and founder trained in Oregon and moved back here to open this location. It grew so large that he had to move again to Crozet, a small town nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

I was able to samples three of its best: the Amber Ale, Jomo, and Northern Lights, a traditional IPA. I found all three of them refreshing and crisp, and I could not decide if this is what they would taste like back here in Chicagoland or if they were so fresh that they all taste this good.

My first drink of the night was the Amber Ale, and it is a traditional Red Irish Amber Ale, which is one of the beers I am most fond of. I can usually be seen drinking a Leinekugel's Red Lager or Sam Adams Irish Red Ale, but I have to say that this one is better than those two. The caramel sweetness dominates the flavor and there is very little bitterness, so therefore very little hop presence. I had time to savor this beer, but since dinner was about to be served, I wanted to try something lighter and less dominating to have with my meal, so I tried a Jomo.

Jomo is brewed with a Southern German Lager Yeast, giving it a crisp clean taste. Jomo is considered a light Amber Lager, but it is not as light and those that have made themselves famous. It was a perfect accompaniment to the barbecue brisket I had for dinner. It was a good selection, and I was happy with the choices.

There was a small bar in the hotel we were staying at, and although it was small I was surprised by its wide selection of Chinese beers, Starr Hill Northern Lights, plus a surprising number of Rogue Beer choices (brewed in Oregon). I was pleasantly surprised at the choices at the hotel since it wasn't even a bar, per se, but rather just an area at the end of the lobby in the stately Southern hotel.

The Northern Lights was an IPA, to be sure, but probably the least bitter of any of the IPAs I have tasted. I think this would appeal to some but probably not the most traditional of IPA drinkers. It also seems to agree with the opinion of many other East Coast hop fans (according to a recent article in Beer Advocate magazine) who always seem to look for subtleties in their IPAs, when the West Coasters want a knockout hop presence. I think this was the least favorite of the three Starr Hills I tried over there.

In the future I know I will again have a tough decision, to stay with the Yuenglings or go with the Starr Hill, but I think that since the Yuenglings Lager is the best one I have found around Virginia I will stick with it but go with the Starr Hills for a little variety. Also, a brewery tour and tasting will be a must on my next travels there.

A Fine Irish Bar

In my travels I seek out the comforting pub, which serves beers and whiskeys and good food and is always filled with many interesting people, whether local or visitor.

The question I have to ask is, Is it the beer that attracts everyone, or is it the other things that the places provide?

I think it is a combination of all. But there are many consistencies among the many pubs that exist there, and they all need these things to be complete.

As a people that have the reputation of being no strangers to drink, it really is amazing to me that the Irish pub, in general, does not have a great selection of beers, which leads me to think that Ireland does not have a really wide range of beers that it makes. The microbrewery is a rare place there, although it does exist, but I think people expect to drink the beer that Ireland makes and drink an import if something else is preferred.

Travelling to Ballina, Ireland, in County Mayo, such a comfortable pub exists, called Murphy Brothers. It is of a classic design accenting wood and brass, its a scene that can be seen all over Ireland and the United Kingdom, and is the inspiration of many pubs and taverns in America as well.

But the setups you see customarily in Ballina, for tap beer, are consistent throughout Ireland, and not offer much of a variety. Maybe it is because the Guinness tastes so good there, and is the preferred drink by pub goers. The brown stuff, poured into pints, are served everywhere and is recognizable by its look and exceptional flavor. But, like most beers I come into contact with that I really enjoy, the full beers don't remain full very long.

Typical setup:

Bulmer's is a cider, Carlsberg is good but Danish, and Guinness and Smithwicks are the classic stout and ale. Even Harp Lager is tough to find in Ireland. But they really rely on their imports, as Americans do, because German beer is not difficult to find. The rest of the refreshment is gained through the food, the fish that is very abundant in Ballina, as well as the entertainment that is enjoyed in the pub, such as watching the many different sports that are played in their country, and musical entertainment that is always provided by the locals.

But after all is said, there is nothing like a Guinness, served in Ireland fresh. The description that have been given about this stout are true only in Ireland, because even with the nitrogen kick that is included in the cans and bottles and drafts here, one can't get the true taste unless you go there. And before long, this:
Becomes this:

Weekly Review: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale Has a Range of Flavor

Throughout my discovery of American Pale Ales I have tasted many that compare themselves to the ones that are considered "classic" Americans, or the hallmark of American ales. The one I hear the most is Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. Since it was always getting good overall reviews among beer advocates, I knew I needed to try it.

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale was the first beer brewed by Ken Grossman in Chico, California, who named the company after his favorite hiking grounds. They have been brewing it since 1979 and although they make other award winning brews, such as hefe-weizen, porter, stout, IPA and fantastic seasonals, the Pale Ale remains the most popular. Plus it is easily recognizable in its familiar green packaging.

I have to admit it is the best of this category that I have tasted.

When first poured into a tulip glass from the 12 oz bottle, it has a darker amber color with a small amount of lacing and head that dissipates fairly quickly . I instantly catch a smell of fruit, but there's no mistaking the malt.

The bitterness comes out first, and is at the front but the sweetness come to meet it and it finishes well with a strong malty following.

This Pale Ale is what I was hoping for, in that the bitterness hits you first but it smoothed out towards the end and balanced out the sweetness. I feel a little dryness at the end too.

I don't know what could have been a better description of an American Pale Ale, than the Sierra Nevada. I have to admit that it was what everyone had said it was going to be.

Weekly Review: Bell's Flavor Rings True

I just rebuilt our bar and in an effort to christen it I felt I would need to return to a beer of the darker variety, such as Bell's Amber Ale. Digging in my fridge I came across my last one, and it had passed its "born on date", but I took the chance anyway because I knew I could be rewarded with something delicious. And I was. It still retained its familiar smoky, smooth taste that I have been unable to find in any other brew. Sam Adams and Fat Tire have amber varieties that have their own distinctive flavors, but they really don't come nearly as close to Bell's.

Bell's Brewery, formerly known as Kalamazoo Brewing Company, has been a successful brewer of quality in the Midwest since the late 80's and it went from a very small craft brewer to a bustling regional craft brewery. Although craft breweries began in the united States on the West Coast in the 1970's, Bell's prides itself as being the oldest craft brewer outside of Boulder, Colorado.

Bell's brewery remains in an unlikely district of the outer downtown area of Kalamazoo. It is uncharacteristically low profile and almost hard to find. It has an unheard of beer garden since Michigan law does not allow breweries to sell beer by the glass on the premises. It contains a barbecue grill and plenty of fenced in green space for the little ones including an outdoor stage, picnic tables, chaise lounges and a flagstone patio area. It is truly a great find and you need to taste and stay at this craft brewer.

As for the Amber, it is considered their flagship beer and it has a slightly sweet end that keeps you coming back for more, thanks to its Munich style caramel malts. The result is a deep copper color and rich flavor. Even though this particular bottle may have tasted better had it been fresher, it was still far too good to waste.

-submitted by contributor Bingo