CU4beer: June 2011

Friday, June 24, 2011

CU Beer Weekend; June 24

It's Blues, Brews and BBQ weekend.

There's going to be some good beer there this year. So it might be worth a visit.

Seven Saints

Whiskey Wednesday: Bourbon

June 29: Glenlivet Tasting; Core Range and Rarities

Taste through the Glenlivet portfolio with Andy Borbely and Winston Evans, Glenlivet international ambassador. Tickets are $20

Crane Alley

Ballast Point Sextant Nitro 6.8%
New Holland Rye Mad Hatter IPA
New Holland Mad Hatter IPA
Wittekerke Wit 5.0%
Grieskirchner Pilsner 4.8%
Lost Abbey Serpent Stout 11.0%
De Molen Storm & Averij IPA 9.2%
New Holland Oaked Hatter IPA
New Holland Imperial Mad Hatter IPA
New Holland Black Mad Hatter IPA
New Holland Farmhouse Mad Hatter IPA
Ballast Point Yellow Tail 4.6%
Erdinger Hefe Weizen 5.4%
Goose Island La Fleur 5.2%
Scotch de Silly 8.0%
Unibroue Ephemere Apple 5.5%
Dark Horse Double Crooked Tree IPA 13.6%
Stone Ruination IPA 7.7%
PBR 4.2%

Blues, Brews and BBQ Festival Specials:

Berkshire BLT – Locally raised grass fed Berkshire Hog porkbelly ontoasted Mirabelle wheat bread with herb mayo, heirloom tomatoes
and mesculin mixed field greens. Served with fries or your choice of side (additional charges apply) $9.95

R.L Burnside Burger – Named in honor of the chef’s favorite bluesman. Gruyere, roasted Anaheim chilies, chipotle aioli,
applewood smoked bacon and a fried onion ring on a toasted bun. Served with fries or your choice of side. (additional charges apply)
$10.95

Beef Ragout Nachos - Slow simmered hanger steak ragout over tri-color tortillas, covered in melted queso rico béchamel and roasted
jalapenos. $11.95

Blind Pig Brewery

Blind Pig Hefeweizen
Blind Pig Belgian Pale Ale
Blind Pig Extra Special Bitter
Two Brothers’ Dog Days Lager; Warrenville, IL, Helles, 4.9% abv
Bells Oberon; Kalamazoo, Michigan, Wheat Ale, 6% abv
Rogue Double Dead Guy; Newport, Oregon, American Strong Ale, 9.5% abv
Lost Coast Tangerine Wheat; Eureka, California, Fruit Beer, 5% abv
Hitachino Nest Real Ginger Ale; Japan, Spice Ale, 7% abv
Ommegang Gnomegang; Cooperstown, NY, Belgian Strong Ale, 9.5% abv
Duvel Green; Belgium, Belgian Ale, 6.8% abv
Dark Horse Sapient Trip; Marshall, Michigan, Abbey Tripel, 8.5%abv
Avery IPA; Boulder, Colorado, India Pale Ale, 6.5% abv
Guinness; Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv

Destihl

(6-6 list)
Champaign Blonde Ale
Bar Sinister Mild Ale
Belgian Pale Ale
Deadhead Double Red Ale
Black Angel Stout
Raspberry Wheat ale
120 Shilling Scotch Ale
Triton Barley Wine
Tripel
Quadrupel
Roadblock British Red ale
Baldock IPA
Biere Brune
Weissenheimer Hefeweizen
Strawberry Blonde Ale
Hoperation Overload Double IPA

Blind Pig

Cask: Southern Tier Phin & Matt's
Dark Horse Crooked Tree; Marshall, Michigan, India Pale Ale, 6% abv
Stone Cali-Belgique IPA; Escondido, California, India Pale Ale, 6.9% abv
Stone Double Dry Hopped IPA; Escondido, California, India Pale Ale, 6.9% abv
Lagunitas IPA; Petaluma, California, India Pale Ale, 5.7% abv
Strongbow; England, Cider, 5.3% abv
Lost Abbey Carnevale; San Marcos, California, Saison, 6.5% abv
Left Hand TNT; Longmont, Colorado, Weizen Bock, 7.9% abv
Rogue Imperial YSB; Newport, Oregon, American Strong Ale, 7.5%
Fuller’s London Pride; England, Premium Bitter, 4.7% abv
Delirium Tremens; Belgium, Belgian Strong Ale, 8.5% abv
Blue Moon; Golden, Colorado, Belgian White, 5.4% abv
Duchesse de Bourgogne; Belgium, Sour Ale, 6.2% abv
Stella Artois; Belgium, Pale Lager, 5.2% abv
Pabst Blue Ribbon; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Pale Lager, 5% abv
Tommyknocker Saison; Idaho Springs, Colorado, Saison, 5%
Celis Raspberry; Webberville, Michigan, Fruit Beer, 3.9% abv
Tucher Helles Hefe Weizen; Germany, German Hefeweizen, 5.3%
Lagunitas WTF; Petaluma, California, American Strong Ale, 7.83% abv
North Coast Scrimshaw; Fort Bragg, California, Pilsener, 4.4%
Goose Island La Fleur; Chicago, Illinois, Belgian Ale, 7% abv
Avery Ellie’s Brown; Boulder, Colorado, Brown Ale, 5.5% abv
Lindeman’s Peche; Belgium, Lambic, 2.5% abv
Young’s Double Chocolate Stout; England, Stout, 5.2%
Guinness; Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.2%

Black Dog Smoke and Ale House

New Holland Dragon's Milk
Dieu du Ciel Aphrodite
Founders Cerise
Left Hand Nitro Sawtooth
Left Hand Cask Stranger Pale
New Holland Mad Hatter
Avery Samael's Oak Aged Ale

Quality Beer

Left Hand Pranqster
Goose Island Fleur
Bells Oberon
Stone Levitation
Boulder hazed and Infused
Lagunitas WTF
Stone IPA
New Belgium Ranger
Two Brothers Dog Days
Two Brothers Domaine Du Page
Victory Prima Pils
Pyramid Apricot
Original Sin Cider
Arcadia Loch Down Scotch Ale
North Coast Old Rasputin

(Boulder Hoopla APA replaced something)

Friday, June 17, 2011

CU Beer Weekend; June 17 (fathers day)

What better way to celebrate Father's Day than by taking him out and getting him good and plastered on some great beers? (The answer is, there is no better way!)

Seven Saints

Whiskey Wednesday: Irish

June 29: Glenlivet Tasting; Core Range and Rarities

Taste through the Glenlivet portfolio with Andy Borbely and Winston Evans, Glenlivet international ambassador. Tickets are $20

Radio Maria

1. Rogue Mogul Madness
2. Breckenridge Chocolate Cream Imperial Stout
3. Two Brother's Long Haul Session Ale
4. Big Sky Double IPA
5. Lefthand Fade to Black Vol. 2
6. Big Sky Heavy Horse Scotch
7. Bells Expedition
8. Lefthand Week Sauce
9. Southern Tier Chokolat
10. Ballast Point Navigator
11. Dieu du Ciel Aphrodite
12. Smuttynose Quad
13. Arcadia Cereal Killer Barleywine
14. Struise Stillwater Outblack
15. Original Sin
16. Lefthand Nitro Sawtooth
17. North Coast Old Rasputin Nitro
18. Petrus Oud Bruin
19. Flossmoor Station Pullman Brown
20. Dark Horse Too Cream Stout
21. ??? (i still can't remember this one)
22. Founders Curmudgeon
23. North Coast Scrimshaw Pilsner
24. Wychwood Spring Ale
25. Nogne Sunturnbrew
26. Capital Island Wheat
27. PBR

Friday: Happy Hour with free appetizers 4:30 - 5:30,
Saturday: $6 John Daly's, Salsa Night at 10.
Sunday: $2 wells, $1.25 PBR; Bloody Mary Bar
Monday: 25% off bottles of wine; Random Beer Specials
Tuesday: 1/2 price wine by the glass
Wednesday: $1 off all beers on draft
Thursday: Chillax

Crane Alley

Ballast Point Sextant Nitro 6.8%
Founder's Red's Rye 6.6%
Avery IPA 6.5%
Wittekerke Wit 5.0%
Grieskirchner Pilsner 4.8%
Lost Abbey Serpent Stout 11.0%
De Molen Storm & Averij IPA 9.2%
Anderson Valley Summer Solstice 5.6%
Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour Ale
Dieu du Ciel Aphrodite 6.5%
Rogue Double Dead Guy Ale 9.5%
Ballast Point Yellow Tail 4.6%
Erdinger Hefe Weizen 5.4%
Goose Island La Fleur 5.2%
Scotch de Silly 8.0%
Unibroue Ephemere Apple 5.5%
Dark Horse Double Crooked Tree IPA 13.6%
Tommyknocker Hop Strike 7.0%
PBR 4.2%

Sunday: 3rd Annual Crawfish Bo

Join us for our 3rd annual all day, outdoor, Crawfish Boil! Once again we will fly live Louisiana Crawfish overnight for a fresh and authentic as we can get Crawfish Boil. Bell's is back to sponsor us with 5 tasty drafts on our outdoor beer truck. Jim O'Connor from Bells will be around to hand out some prizes and answer any questions about the brewery and beers. We'll have an outdoor bar with Hurricanes and other drink specials. We'll post more details soon.

Thursday: Hatter Day 2011

We will be tapping 6 different varieties of New Holland Mad Hatter IPA. The varieties are Regular, Imperial, Black, Rye, Oak and Farmhouse. Also we are having a craziest hat contest. Whomever shows up wearing the craziest hat will win a 2 Liter New Holland Glass Boot. The contest finalist will be chosen by Crane Alley staff and the winner will be selected by crowd applause.

Blind Pig Brewery

Blind Pig Hefeweizen
Blind Pig Belgian pale Ale
Blind Pig Extra Special Bitter
Blind Pig Irish Dry Stout
Two Brothers’ Dog Days Lager; Warrenville, IL, Helles, 4.9% abv
Bells Oberon; Kalamazoo, Michigan, Wheat Ale, 6% abv
Rogue Double Dead Guy; Newport, Oregon, American Strong Ale, 9.5% abv
Southern Tier Raspberry Wheat; Lakewood, New York, Fruit Beer, 4.6% abv
Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen; Germany, Smoked, 5.1% abv
Ommegang Gnomegang; Cooperstown, NY, Belgian Strong Ale, 9.5% abv
Duvel Green; Belgium, Belgian Ale, 6.8% abv
Dark Horse Sapient Trip; Marshall, Michigan, Abbey Tripel, 8.5%abv
Smutty Nose Finest Kind IPA; Portsmouth, NH, India Pale Ale, 6.6% abv
Guinness; Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv

Sunday: Trivia Night, 7pm, win gift cards
Mug Night: Tuesday and Wednesday

Destihl

(6-6 list)
Champaign Blonde Ale
Bar Sinister Mild Ale
Belgian Pale Ale
Deadhead Double Red Ale
Black Angel Stout
Raspberry Wheat ale
120 Shilling Scotch Ale
Triton Barley Wine
Tripel
Quadrupel
Roadblock British Red ale
Baldock IPA
Biere Brune
Weissenheimer Hefeweizen
Strawberry Blonde Ale
Hoperation Overload Double IPA

Blind Pig

Cask: Southern Tier 2xIPA
Dark Horse Crooked Tree; Marshall, Michigan, India Pale Ale, 6% abv
Stone Cali-Belgique IPA; Escondido, California, India Pale Ale, 6.9% abv
Stone IPA; Escondido, California, India Pale Ale, 6.9% abv
Lagunitas IPA; Petaluma, California, India Pale Ale, 5.7% abv
Strongbow; England, Cider, 5.3% abv
Lost Abbey Carnevale; San Marcos, California, Saison, 6.5% abv
Left Hand TNT; Longmont, Colorado, Weizen Bock, 7.9% abv
Rogue Imperial YSB; Newport, Oregon, American Strong Ale, 7.5%
Fuller’s London Pride; England, Premium Bitter, 4.7% abv
Delirium Tremens; Belgium, Belgian Strong Ale, 8.5% abv
Blue Moon; Golden, Colorado, Belgian White, 5.4% abv
Duchesse de Bourgogne; Belgium, Sour Ale, 6.2% abv
Stella Artois; Belgium, Pale Lager, 5.2% abv
Pabst Blue Ribbon; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Pale Lager, 5% abv
Sam Adams Rustic Saison; Boston, Massachusetts, Saison, 4.35%
Celis Raspberry; Webberville, Michigan, Fruit Beer, 3.9% abv
Tucher Helles Hefe Weizen; Germany, German Hefeweizen, 5.3%
Lagunitas WTF; Petaluma, California, American Strong Ale, 7.83% abv
North Coast Scrimshaw; Fort Bragg, California, Pilsener, 4.4%
Goose Island La Fleur; Chicago, Illinois, Belgian Ale, 7% abv
Avery Ellie’s Brown; Boulder, Colorado, Brown Ale, 5.5% abv
Lindeman’s Framboise; Belgium, Lambic, 2.5% abv
Young’s Double Chocolate Stout; England, Stout, 5.2%
Guinness; Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.2%

Black Dog Smoke and Ale House

Dieu du Ciel Corne du Diable IPA
Stone IPA
Dark Horse Sapient Trip ale
Summit Hefeweizen
Ballast Point Even Keel
Tommyknocker Black Powder Stout
Left Hand Coffee Porter
North Coast Blue Star Wheat
Rogue Double Dead Guy
(some are gone, replaced by)
Schlafly Kolsch
Ballast Point Sextant Oatmeal Coffee Stout
Boulder Hoopla Pale Ale

Thursday: Cask: New Holland Dragon's Milk

Quality Beer

(6-8 list)

Stone Levitation
Boulder Hazed and Infused
Lagunitas IPA
Stone IPA
New Belgium Ranger
Two Brothers Cand and Ebel
Two Brothers Domaine du Page
Victory Prima Pils
Ballast Point Navigator
Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar
Capital Island Wheat
New Holland's Dragon's Milk
Lost Coast Tangerine Wheat
Original Sin Cider
Arcadia Loch Down Scotch Ale
North Coast Old Rasputin Imperial Stout

(these have replaced a couple)

Two Brothers Dog Days Lager
Pyramid Apricot
Lagunitas WTF

Piccadilly

Weekend Wine Tasting;$3, Friday 4-7pm, Saturday 1-4pm

Goose Island Summertime
Dark Horse Sapient Trip Ale
Chatoe Rogue First Growth OREgasmic Ale (Made using 100% ingredients from Oregon )
Rogue Dad's Little Helper (Black IPA)

La Tordera Prosecco Alne , Italy
Hans Wirsching Silvaner , Germany
Cave de Tain, Queen of Syrah , France (Sam says this is an amazing wine for only $10.99!)
Stone Paddock Syrah , New Zealand

Friday, June 10, 2011

CU Beer Weekend; June 10

Seven Saints

Tuesday Brewsday: don't know
Whiskey Wednesday: Canadian and Micro American

June 29: Glenlivet Tasting; Core Range and Rarities

Taste through the Glenlivet portfolio with Andy Borbely and Winston Evans, Glenlivet international ambassador. Tickets are $20

Radio Maria

1. Rogue Mogul Madness
2. Breckenridge Chocolate Cream Imperial Stout
3. Two Brothers Double Crooked Tree
4. Smuttynose Summerweizen
5. Founders Centennial
6. Big Sky Heavy Horse Scotch
7. Bells Expedition
8. Lefthand Week Sauce
9. Smuttynose Big A (I think)
10. Ballast Point Navigator
11. Dieu du Ciel Aphrodite
12. Smuttynose Quad
13. Arcadia Cereal Killer Barleywine
14. Struise Stillwater Outblack
15. Duvel Green
16. Lefthand Nitro Sawtooth
17. North Coast Old Rasputin Nitro
18. Petrus Oud Bruin
19. Flossmoor Station Pullman Brown
20. Dark Horse Too Cream Stout
21. Flossmoor Station Rail Hopper IPA
22. Founders Curmudgeon
23. ???
24. Wychwood Spring Ale
25. La Trappe Dubbel
26. Ballast Point Tongue Buckler
27. PBR

Friday: Happy Hour with free appetizers 4:30 - 5:30,
Saturday: $6 John Daly's, Salsa Night at 10.
Sunday: $2 wells, $1.25 PBR; Bloody Mary Bar
Monday: 25% off bottles of wine; Random Beer Specials
Tuesday: 1/2 price wine by the glass
Wednesday: $1 off all beers on draft
Thursday: Chillax

Crane Alley

Boulder Mojo Nitro 7.2%
Southern Tier Raspberry Wheat
Flying Dog Snake Dog IPA 7.1%
Cherish Kriek Lambic 5.0%
Krusovice Pilsner 5.0%
Lost Abbey Serpent Stout 11.0%
De Molen Storm & Averij IPA 9.2%
Bell's Best Brown Ale 5.8%
Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour Ale
Dieu du Ciel Aphrodite 6.5%
Lagunitas Undercover Investigation Shut-Down Ale 9.8%
Ballast Point Yellow Tail 4.6%
Franziskaner Hefe Weizen 5.0%
Saint Somewhere Saison Athene 7.5%
Gulden Draak 10.5%
Original Sin Hard Cider 6.0%
Dark Horse Double Crooked Tree IPA 13.6%
Smuttynose Robust Porter
PBR 4.2%

June 19: 3rd Annual Crawfish Boil

Join us for our 3rd annual all day, outdoor, Crawfish Boil! Once again we will fly live Louisiana Crawfish overnight for a fresh and authentic as we can get Crawfish Boil. Bell's is back to sponsor us with 5 tasty drafts on our outdoor beer truck. Jim O'Connor from Bells will be around to hand out some prizes and answer any questions about the brewery and beers. We'll have an outdoor bar with Hurricanes and other drink specials. We'll post more details soon.

June 23: Hatter Day 2011

We will be tapping 6 different varieties of New Holland Mad Hatter IPA. The varieties are Regular, Imperial, Black, Rye, Oak and Farmhouse. Also we are having a craziest hat contest. Whomever shows up wearing the craziest hat will win a 2 Liter New Holland Glass Boot. The contest finalist will be chosen by Crane Alley staff and the winner will be selected by crowd applause.

Blind Pig Brewery

Blind Pig Summer Hefeweizen
Blind Pig Hard Cider
Blind Pig Irish Dry Stout
Two Brothers’ Dog Days Lager; Warrenville, IL, Helles, 4.9% abv
Bells Oberon; Kalamazoo, Michigan, Wheat Ale, 6% abv
Rogue Double Dead Guy; Newport, Oregon, American Strong Ale, 9.5% abv
Southern Tier Raspberry Wheat; Lakewood, New York, Fruit Beer, 4.6% abv
Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen; Germany, Smoked, 5.1% abv
Ommegang Gnomegang; Cooperstown, NY, Belgian Strong Ale, 9.5% abv
New Belgium Super Cru; Fort Collins, Colorado, Belgian Strong Ale, 10% abv
Lagunitas Undercover; Petaluma, California, American Strong Ale, 9.75%abv
Bells Hopslam; Kalamazoo, Michigan, Imperial IPA, 10% abv
Guinness; Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv

Destihl

Champaign Blonde Ale
Bar Sinister Mild Ale
Belgian Pale Ale
Deadhead Double Red Ale
Black Angel Stout
Raspberry Wheat ale
120 Shilling Scotch Ale
Triton Barley Wine
Tripel
Quadrupel
Roadblock British Red ale
Baldock IPA
Biere Brune
Weissenheimer Hefeweizen
Strawberry Blonde Ale
Hoperation Overload Double IPA

Blind Pig

Cask: New Holland Dragon's Milk
Stone Ruination IPA; Escondido, California, Imperial IPA, 7.7% abv
Stone Cali-Belgique IPA; Escondido, California, India Pale Ale, 6.9% abv
Stone IPA; Escondido, California, India Pale Ale, 6.9% abv
Stone Double Dry Hopped IPA; Escondido, California, India Pale Ale, 6.9% abv
Stone Sublimely Self Righteous IPA; Escondido, California, Black IPA, 8.7% abv
Southern Tier Jah-va; Lakewood, New York, Imperial Stout, 10.6% abv
Left Hand TNT; Longmont, Colorado, Weizen Bock, 7.9% abv
Rogue Imperial YSB; Newport, Oregon, American Strong Ale, 7.5%
Breckenridge ‘72 Imperial Choc. Cream; Denver, Colorado, Sweet Stout, 7.1% abv
Delirium Tremens; Belgium, Belgian Strong Ale, 8.5% abv
Blue Moon; Golden, Colorado, Belgian White, 5.4% abv
Duchesse de Bourgogne; Belgium, Sour Ale, 6.2% abv
Stella Artois; Belgium, Pale Lager, 5.2% abv
Pabst Blue Ribbon; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Pale Lager, 5% abv
Sam Adams Rustic Saison; Boston, Massachusetts, Saison, 4.35%
Celis Raspberry; Webberville, Michigan, Fruit Beer, 3.9% abv
Tucher Helles Hefe Weizen; Germany, German Hefeweizen, 5.3%
Boulder Planet Porter; Boulder, Colorado, Porter, 5.5% abv
North Coast Scrimshaw; Fort Bragg, California, Pilsener, 4.4%
Goose Island La Fleur; Chicago, Illinois, Belgian Ale, 7% abv
Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar; Newport, Oregon, Brown Ale, 6% abv
Lindeman’s Framboise; Belgium, Lambic, 2.5% abv
Belhaven Scottish; Scotland, Bitter, 3.9%
Guinness; Dublin, Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv

Black Dog Smoke & Ale House

Dieu du Ciel Corne du Diable IPA
Stone IPA
Dark Horse Sapient Trip ale
Summit Hefeweizen
Ballast Point Even Keel
Tommyknocker Black Powder Stout
Left Hand Coffee Porter
North Coast Blue Star Wheat
Rogue Double Dead Guy

Quality Beer

(old list)
Anchor Liberty
Boulder Hazed and Infused
Lagunitas ipa
Stone ipa
Stone sublimely self-righteous
Two brothers cane and ebel
Two brothers domaine du page
Victory prima pils
Flossmoor station stationmaster wheat
Smuttynose old brown dog
Avery white rascal
Goose island pepe Nero
Pyramid apricot
Original sin
Founders dirty bastard
North coast old rasputin

Piccadilly

Weekend Wine Tasting;$3, Friday 4-7pm, Saturday 1-4pm

La Vielle Ferme Red
La Vielle Ferme White
La Vielle Ferme Rose
Merryvale Beckstoffer Vineyards Las Amigas Vineyard Merlot 1999 1.5L

Buffalo Bill's Alimony Ale
Anchor Liberty Ale
Two Brothers Domaine DuPage
Mendocino Eye of the Hawk Select Ale

Friar Tuck

Saturday: 4:30 - 7:30, Erdinger Tasting.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

A couple of restaurants in the news

Bayern Stube

From WCIA 3 CBS/ Illinoishomepage.net

Robert on the Road: Bayern Stube

Can you say "bayern stube" three times fast with a German accent. The name is a little difficult to pronounce, but you will have no problem with the German menu. Most likely the first thing you will notice when you walk in the door is the decor. The next thing? The smells of authentic German cooking. The red cabbage has a nation-wide reputation, and a lot of people have asked for the recipe. If you are a newcomer to German food, that's no problem. Some of the furnishings come from an honest-to-goodness Bavarian castle!

Buttitta's

From the news-gazette

Buttitta's restaurant closes

CHAMPAIGN — A lack of business has forced the family-owned Italian restaurant Buttitta's to shutter its doors about a year and a half after it opened.

The last day for Buttitta's Famiglia Restaurante, 1201 S. Neil St., C, was Sunday.

"Our lease is over. We just couldn't keep up with the enormous overhead," said Vicky Buttitta, who owned the restaurant with her husband, John Buttitta.

...

"There was not enough business to stay open. I guess people would rather support the chain restaurants where their money goes out of town," Buttitta said. "I thought we had more of a relationship with people, but I guess we didn't," she said.

...

not sure what chain she's talking about, probably olive garden and biaggis.

"A lot of steady customers came back," she said.

They sought out investors, but that did not come about, she said.

The restaurant employed 52 people.

"There are 52 people scrambling for jobs now," she said. "Our employees are very loyal, great people."

Perhaps Champaign can come up with a new tax to keep Buttitta's open?

Alcohol in the news; Tuscan Hills Winery

From WCIA 3 CBS/ Illinoishomepage.net

Tuscan Hills Winery: 1

Tuscan Hills Winery is the first winery to hit the city of Effingham. It's expected to open the first weekend in July.

Alcohol in the news; Summer drink guide

from the Buzz

Summer drink guide

With the end of May steadily approaching, the burning hot summer (hopefully) will soon be on its way. Cooling off becomes boring when all that awaits at home is a glass of ice water. Mixing fruits, juices

and sometimes alcohol, is a great way to add flavor and fun to the summer heat.

Getting out of the chilly spring, Champaign has made it easier for students to get around the city for drinks with friends. Frequently going out for drinks can be costly, but making them at home is cheaper and great for entertaining. If you are a fan of alcoholic drinks, making them at home also saves you the trouble of stumbling home when you are drunk.

Follows recipes for "tropical wave", Peach Daiquiri, Cuban Mojito; and a couple NA drinks.

Liquor taxes for me and all my friends!!!

Champaign

From the news-gazette

Meeting on new liquor tax set in Champaign

CHAMPAIGN — Champaign officials are hoping a public meeting regarding the proposed 4 percent tax on package liquor this Monday will provide business owners with more information about the surcharge.

The city council has informally supported the new tax which, if approved this summer, is expected to generate $700,000 per year and save city services like those performed by the police department's front desk staffers.

...

At least a few business owners have begun expressing disapproval of the new tax, which Sun Singer Wines owner Mark Yarbrough said developed very quickly and without input from the local liquor industry.

The informational meeting is scheduled for Monday at 7 p.m. in the Champaign City Building, 102 N. Neil St.

Yarbrough feels like the tax is an attempt to "cherry-pick the liquor industry."

...

The new tax "is senseless and doesn't take into consideration what it does to me personally and the retail liquor industry in Champaign," Yarbrough said.

Council member Karen Foster was the first, at least publicly, to suggest the city council consider the package liquor tax as a new source of revenue to save jobs at the police department's front desk as a tight budget threatened their existence. She said she supported the tax, which would apply only to retail liquor sales, after learning about it "from some information we received" from city administrators.

"I wanted to find a revenue source that we could keep the front desk open 24/7 and bring back the front desk positions," Foster said. "So with that revenue source, I would be able to do that."

...

"I'm not happy to tax, and unfortunately we were put in a position where we had to find a revenue stream," Gerard said.

And since a lot of police issues are related to alcohol, he said, it seems like an appropriate place to leverage the charge.

...

The $700,000 expected to be created by the liquor tax is more than the $210,000 that would be needed to save three front desk jobs at the police department, but Foster suggested the rest could be used for, possibly, avoiding the shut-down of a fire engine at one of Champaign's six stations.

from Will am 580

Business Owners, Former Elected Officials, Oppose Champaign Liquor Tax

Owners of Champaign liquor stores say it’s unfair to target one type of business in order to save three positions at the city’s police department.

During last night’s informational meeting on the suggested 4-percent tax in package liquor sales, those who run stores like Colonial Pantry and Sun Singer say the tax will hurt business, and drive their customers elsewhere.

And Picadilly Beverage Shop owner Jack Troxell claims enacting the tax will force layoffs.

but cop jobs (desk jobs) are more important than other people jobs; additionally, they need to raise 210,000 to pay for the 3 jobs and they are thinking they'll get 700,000. If my math is right, to get the amount they NEED, they only need to raise the tax 1.2% instead of 4%. The rest is just greed. Oh, and how many people can liquor stores pay minimum wage to for 210k? Lets see, if minimum wage is $8.25 we divide 210,000 by that and get the total hours for a year at that rate, which is 25454.5; 40 hours times 52 weeks is 2080 hours for full time. Divide 25454.5 by 2080 and you get 12.23. So, for 210,000 you can get 3 people to work the desk at the police station, or hire 12+ people at minimum wage at the liquor stores. Granted, the 210,000 includes benefits for the cop jobs and other perks... you know, the things that minimum wage people don't get. Oh, and do you really think a liquor store is going to have full time employees that actually have benefits? No, they could instead hire 24 part time employees and not have the benefits. So, in theory, the money could either hire a lot of people, or keep 3 jobs. And that's just the 210,000 they "need". Not the 700,000 they think they'll get (which could be 3.5 times the amount). If you want to stimulate the economy to get more "revenue" give that money to kids in summer jobs; kids are great at spending money on stupid things.

“We’re not in a high-margin industry,” Troxell said. “We’re in a volume industry with low margins. And that’s the way it works. If your business drops off, you don’t need as many employees. And when that happens, they don’t have the same hours, and you can’t afford to pay them.”

Kam’s and Pia’s owner Eric Meyer said the liquor tax unfairly singles out an entire sector of business for just one cause. Meyer, who’s also the Vice President of the Illinois License Beverage Association, suggests a tax closer to one percent.

...

“As the agenda was lined up that night, it was both or neither (the liquor tax and police cuts),” Gerard said. “So we had no choice. Now we can table this until July if we want, and we’ll continue to discuss it, but as far as the hullabaloo from the former mayors about the manner in which I do things, well, I just do it a little diffferently, I guess.”

The tax is expected to bring in $700,000, well over the $200,000 necessary to restore the police positions. The funds could also go to restore overtime at fire station 4 on Champaign’s west side. The liquor tax is the focus of a study session next Tuesday, while business owners suggest different revenue streams, including a hike in the overall sales tax.

why not hire more firemen instead of paying overtime? I know everyone wants overtime, and most people depend on overtime money, but isn't it more efficient to hire a part time person than to pay another person time and a half (or more)?

From WAND 17 NBC

Champaign City Council Talks Liquor Tax

CHAMPAIGN, IL- In Champaign, more questions are being raised about the proposed 4-percent tax on package liquor.

Some local business owners say the tax will hurt sales.

The tax is expected to raise about $700,000 in revenue. Some of that money could help save jobs at the Champaign Police front desk.

Champaign city officials have not said where the rest of the money would go.

The City Council is planning to host another study session next week to consider the tax.

From WICD 15 ABC

Champaign Liquor Tax Proposal

A four percent liquor tax on packaged liquors would affect about 80 businesses in Champaign and bring in roughly $700,000.

The liquor tax would be on alcohol you buy and bring home not on drinks you consume in a bar or restaurant.

The four percent liquor tax would help keep three positions at the police department.

URBANA

from the news-gazette

Urbana could follow Champaign's lead on new liquor tax

URBANA — If the city of Champaign imposes a new 4 percent charge on package liquor this summer, Urbana could be quick to follow, Urbana Mayor Laurel Prussing said on Tuesday.

The proposal to generate new revenue as both cities deal with tight budgets is a joint venture, though Urbana city officials have yet to discuss it in public sessions. Urbana residents who want to avoid paying 4 percent more for their alcohol should keep a close eye on the outcome of the debate in Champaign, where the proposal is growing more contentious.

...

And if the tax is adopted in Champaign, it is likely Urbana residents would start paying more for their liquor, too.

"If they adopt it, I think that's something we would do as well," Prussing said.

City administrators in Urbana have already been discussing the tax with officials in Champaign, she said.

"We always try to work with Champaign because we don't want to put either city at a disadvantage," Prussing said.

...

Prussing said the new revenue that a 4 percent package liquor tax would generate in Urbana is estimated roughly to be $500,000, and she said there is no specific place in the budget where that might go.

"It's kind of a mistake to say you're going to pay for a certain thing with this because our overall problem is a gap between spending and revenue," Prussing said.

Savoy, here I come.

Coming soon to Savoy... new liquor taxes... (probably)

Alcohol in the news; Urbana reduces number of liquor licenses

from the news-gazette

Urbana reduces number of liquor licenses

URBANA — The Urbana City Council voted 7-0 Monday night to reduce the number of Class C liquor licenses from 27 to 15.

Chief of Staff Mike Monson said the city has issued 15 Class C licenses — which allow a business to sell packaged beer, wine and hard liquor to be consumed off the property — so businesses with existing licenses won't be affected.

However, Monday's decision means that no additional licenses are currently available for two convenience stores that have applied for Class C liquor licenses: Q-Mart, proposed for 2005 Philo Road, and The Short-Stop, proposed for 1720 S. Philo Road.

why not raise the price on the parking garage from 25 cents an hour to something reasonable... like to the same price that is charged at the meters in the rest of town? why not raise the price on the meters downtown to the same price around the rest of town?

The council discussed a change to the budget suggested by Mayor Laurel Prussing that includes cutting $71,000 in tourism promotion and raising parking rates in the city's university district from 75 cents to $1 per hour.

Nope, it's fuck the students. I'd guess the only reason they aren't discussing raising the rates by Carle, is because most of those meters have been removed due to constructions of Carle's new hole.