CU4beer

CU Beer Weekend, Oct. 21

2011-10-21T14:07:00.001-07:00

Where are you drinking this weekend?

If you are going to the game, check out my Road Trips, Part 3, Purdue post from last fall. http://cu4beer.blogspot.com/2010/06/big-ten-road-trips-part-3-purdue.html

Seven Saints

Tuesday: Brewsday Tuesday
Wednesday: Whiskey Wednesday, Scotch

Radio Maria

Monday: Beer Class, Halloween Theme; Dead, Dark, and Devil! 10pm, $10

1. Arrogant Bastard
2. New Belgium Clutch
3. Hebrew Bittersweet Lenny's RIPA
4. Founders Breakfast Stout
5. Lefthand TNT Weizenbock
6. Two Brothers Hop Juice
7. Goose Island Pere Jacques
8. Smuttynose Big A
9. Moylan's Orange and Black
10. New Holland Farmhouse Hatter
11. Two Brothers Atom Smasher
12. Founders Double Trouble
13. Sierra Nevada Ovila Saison
14. Fort Collins Black and Mild
15. Tucher
16. Boulder Mojo
17. Ballast Point Sextant Oatmeal Stout
18. Sinebrychoff Porter
19. Rogue Dad's Little Helper Black IPA
20 EKU Pils
21. Stone Belgo Anise IRS
22. Haand Bryggeriet Royk Uten Ild
23. Lost Abbey the Angel's Share
24. Smuttynose Barleywine
25. Ichtegem's Grand Cru
26. Lost Abbey Serpent's Stout
27. PBR

Crane Alley
Left Hand Milk Stout Nitro 6.0%

Stone Smoked Porter 5.9%

Flying Dog Snake Dog IPA 7.1%

Celis White 3.9%

Spaten Oktoberfest 5.8%

Mikkeller Beer Geek Brunch Weasel 10.9%

Dieu Du Ciel Derniere Volonte 6.5%

Two Brothers Prairie Path Golden Ale 5.1%

Troubadour Blonde 6.5%

Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale 8.7%

Dark Horse Octoberfest 8.0%

Avery "The Kaiser" Octoberfest 9.3%

Founders Harvest Ale 6.5%

Smuttynose Homunculus 9.0%

Gulden Draak 10.5%

Original Sin Hard Cider 6.0%

Lost Coast Double Trouble IPA 8.0%

Ommegang Belgian Pale Ale 6.2%

PBR 4.2%

November 10: Who's Your Bastard Night, 8pm
December 8: Barrel Aged Black Party, 8pm

Blind Pig Brewery

Blind Pig Pumpkin Ale

Blind Pig American Pale Ale
Two Brothers' The Bitter End; Warrenville, IL, American Pale Ale, 5.2% abv

New Holland Charkoota Rye; Holland, Michigan, Smoked, 7.79% abv

Rogue Double Chocolate Stout; Newport, Oregon, Imperial Stout, 8.7% abv

Boulevard Nommo Dubbel; Kansas City, Missouri, Abbey Dubbel, 8.1% abv

Capital Autumnal Fire; Middleton, Wisconsin, Doppelbock, 8.5% abv

Brugse Zot; Belguim, Belgian Ale, 6% abv

Schlafly Pumpkin; Maplewood, Missouri, Spice Ale, 8% abv

Franziskaner Hefe-Weissbier; Germany, Weizen, 5% abv

Flying Dog Snake Dog; Frederick, Maryland, India Pale Ale, 7.1% abv

Guinness; Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv

Destihl

Saison De Ruisseau
Belgian Pale Ale
Black Angel Stout
Triton Barleywine
Oengus Irish Stout
Jacob's Ladder
Champaign Blonde Ale
Small Beer
Weissenheimer Hefeweizen

Black Dog Smoke and Ale House

Avery Maharaja IPA

Porterhouse Brainblasta

Porterhouse Plain Porter

Flossmoor Station Wheat Wine.

southern tier pumpking

la gunitas doppleweizen

beira realle xtra IPA

Blind Pig

Firkin Friday: Green Flash West Coast IPA

Unibroue Trois Pistoles; Canada, Belgian Strong Ale, 9%

Flossmoor Station Intercontinental Pale Lager;Flossmoor, IL,Premium Lager,6.7%

Flying Dog Double Dog; Frederick, Maryland, American Strong Ale, 11.5% abv

Hofbrau Dunkel; Germany, Dunkel, 5.5% abv

Two Brothers' Heavy Handed; Warrenville, Illinois, India Pale Ale, 6.7% abv

Capital Autumnal Fire; Middleton, Wisconsin, Doppelbock, 8.5% abv

Hirter Morchl; Austria, Dunkel, 5% abv

Dark Horse Scotty Karate; Marshall, Michigan, Scotch Ale, 9.75% abv

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

Left Hand Stranger Pale Ale; Longmont, Colorado, American Pale Ale, 5% abv

Stella Artois; Belgium, Pale Lager, 5.2% abv

Pabst Blue Ribbon; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Pale Lager, 5% abv

Duchesse De Bourgogne; Belgium, Sour Ale, 6.2%

Boulevard Nommo Dubbel; Kansas City, Missouri, Abbey Dubbel, 8.1% abv

Tucher Helles Hefe Weizen; Germany, German Hefeweizen, 5.3%

Flossmoor Station Dunkelweiss; Flossmoor, Illinois, Dunkelweizen, 6.3%

Lagunitas IPA; Petaluma, California, India Pale Ale, 6.2%

Leute Bokbier; Belgium, Belgian Strong Ale, 7.5% abv

Breckenridge '72 Chocolate Cream Stout; Denver, CO, Sweet Stout, 7.1% abv

Lindeman's Framboise; Belgium, Lambic, 2.5% abv

Belhaven Scottish; Scotland, Bitter, 3.9%

Guinness; Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.2%

Look for reviews of the two new bars downtown, coming soon, the Mongolian place, and the Irish place.

October 7 tap lists (at Indiana)

2011-10-07T14:37:00.001-07:00

Where are you drinking this weekend?

If you are going to the game, check out my Road Trips, Part 2, Indiana post from last fall. http://cu4beer.blogspot.com/2010/06/big-ten-road-trips-part-2-indiana.html

Seven Saints

Tuesday: Brewsday Tuesday
Wednesday: Whiskey Wednesday, Irish

Radio Maria

Monday: Beer Class, American Microbreweries, taught by Eric Puffer from Marketplace, 10pm, $10

1. Arrogant Bastard
2. New Belgium Clutch
3. Hebrew Bittersweet Lenny's RIPA
4. Breckenridge 72 Stout
5. Lefthand TNT Weizenbock
6. Two Brothers Hop Juice
7. (will be changed when I get to radio this afternoon)
8. Smuttynose Big A
9. Sierra Nevada Estate
10. New Holland Farmhouse Hatter
11. Two Brothers Atom Smasher
12. Founders Double Trouble
13. Sierra Nevada Ovila Saison
14. Breckenridge Christmas
15. Tucher
16. Boulder Mojo
17. Lefthand Milk Stout
18. Monk's Cafe (although I think this is out, and will be replaced)
19. Rogue Dad's Little Helper Black IPA
20 EKU Pils
21. Stone Belgo Anise IRS
22. Haand Bryggeriet Royk Uten Ild
23. Avery the Kaiser
24. Smuttynose Barleywine
25. Ichtegem's Grand Cru
26. Lost Abbey Serpent's Stout
27. PBR

Crane Alley

Left Hand Sawtooth Nitro 5.3%
Stone Smoked Porter 5.9%
Flossmoor Station Rail Hopper IPA 7.5%
Celis White 3.9%
Hofbrau Oktoberfest 6.2%
Dieu Du Ciel Peche Mortel 9.5%
Ommegang Belgian Independence 7.2%
Two Brothers Prairie Path Golden Ale
Wittekerke Framboise 4.3%
Stone 15th Anniversary Black IPA 10.5%
Rogue Maierfest 5.4%
Southern Tier Harvest Ale 6.4%
Schlafly Pumpkin Ale 8.0%
Smuttynose Homunculus 9.0%
Gulden Draak 10.5%
Original Sin Hard Cider 6.0%
Rogue XS Imperial IPA 9.5%
Ommegang Belgian Pale Ale 6.2%
PBR 4.2%

November 10: Who's Your Bastard Night, 8pm
December 8: Barrel Aged Black Party, 8pm

Blind Pig Brewery

Blind Pig Hard Cider
Blind Pig Oatmeal Stout
Blind Pig American Pale Ale
Blind Pig Imperial IPA
Dark Horse Crooked Tree; Marshall, Michigan, India Pale Ale, 6% abv
Avery The Kaiser Imperial Oktoberfest; Boulder, CO,Dunkler Bock, 10.01% abv
Dark Horse Octoberfest; Marshall, Michigan, Marzen, 8% abv
Schlafly Pilsner; Maplewood, Missouri, Pilsener, 4.9% abv
Two Brothers' Atom Smasher; Warrenville, Illinois, Marzen, 7.7% abv
Dieu du Ciel Rescousse; Canada, Altbier, 5% abv
Schlafly Pumpkin; Maplewood, Missouri, Spice Ale, 8% abv
Franziskaner Hefe-Weissbier; Germany, Weizen, 5% abv
Left Hand 400lb Monkey; Longmont, Colorado, India Pale Ale, 7% abv
Guinness; Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv

Destihl

Saison De Ruisseau
Belgian Pale Ale
Black Angel Stout
Triton Barleywine
Oengus Irish Stout
Jacob's Ladder
Champaign Blonde Ale
Small Beer
Weissenheimer Hefeweizen

Black Dog Smoke and Ale House

Avery Kaiser Oktoberfest
Dark Horse Kamita Kolsch
Dark Horse Crooked Tree
Schafly Pumpkin Ale
Summitt Hoppy Anniversary
Porterhouse Oyster Stout
Porterhouse Brainblasta
Cask: New Holland Poet Oatmeal Stout

Blind Pig

Firkin Friday: Smuttynose Gravitation

Stone Bourbon Barrel Smoked Porter;Escondido,CA,Porter, 5.9%
Coney Island Sword Swallower; San Francisco, California, Imperial Pilsener, 6.8%
Stone IPA; Escondido, California, India Pale Ale, 6.9% abv
Stone Sublimely Self Righteous; Escondio, California, Black IPA, 8.7% abv
Stone Arrogant Bastard; Escondido, California, American Strong Ale, 7.2% abv
Two Brothers' Dog Days Lager; Warrenville, Illinois, Dortmunder, 4.9% abv
Hirter Morchl; Austria, Dunkel, 5% abv
Dark Horse Scotty Karate; Marshall, Michigan, Scotch Ale, 9.75% abv
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
Schlafly Pumpkin; Maplewood, Missouri, Spice Ale, 8% abv
Stella Artois; Belgium, Pale Lager, 5.2% abv
Pabst Blue Ribbon; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Pale Lager, 5% abv
Duchesse De Bourgogne; Belgium, Sour Ale, 6.2%
Hofbrau Original; Germany, Helles, 5.1% abv
Tucher Helles Hefe Weizen; Germany, German Hefeweizen, 5.3%
Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest; Germany, Oktoberfest, 5.8%
Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen; Germany, Smoked, 5.1%
Gouden Carolus Tripel; Belgium, Abbey Tripel, 9% abv
New Holland Dragon's Milk; Holland, Michigan, American Strong Ale, 10% abv
Lindeman's Framboise; Belgium, Lambic, 2.5% abv
Young's Double Chocolate Stout; England, Stout, 5.2%
Guinness; Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.2%

Look for reviews of the two new bars downtown, coming soon, the Mongolian place, and the Irish place.

September 30 Tap List (Homecoming)

2011-09-30T13:08:00.001-07:00

Seven Saints

Tuesday: Brewsday Tuesday

Wednesday: Whiskey Wednesday, Canadian and Micro-American

Radio Maria

Monday: Beer Class, Trappists, 10pm, $15, ten (maybe another or two) trappist beers

1) Arrogant Bastard

2) O'fallon Wheach

3) He'Brew Bittersweet Lenny's R.I.P.A

4) Breckenridge 72 Imperial Chocolate Cream Stout

5) Left Hand TNT Weizenbock

6) Two Brothers Hop Juice

7) Lagunitas Dogtown Pale Ale

8) Smuttynose Big A

9) New Holland Beerhive Tripel

10) Southern Tier Cuvee 3

11) (will be changed when I get there this afternoon, not sure what it'll be though)

12) Founders Double Trouble IPA

13) Sierra Nevada Ovila Saison

14) Breckenridge Christmas Ale

15) Crown Valley Worktruck Wheat

16) Boulder Mojo (Nitro)

17) Left Hand Milk Stout

18) Monk's Café Flemish Red Ale

19) Rogue Dad's Little Helper Black IPA

20) EKU Pils

21) Stone Belgo Anise Imperial Russian Stout

22) Haand Bryggeriet Royk Uten Ild

23) Dogfish Head/Sierra Nevada Life & Limb

24) Smuttynose Barleywine

25) Ichtegem's Grand Cru

26) Brugse Zot

27) PBR

Crane Alley

Left Hand Sawtooth Nitro 5.3%

Southern Tier Porter 5.6%

Flossmoor Station Rail Hopper IPA 7.5%

Celis White 3.9%

Hofbrau Oktoberfest 6.2%

Dieu Du Ciel Peche Mortel 9.5%

Ommegang Belgian Independence 7.2%

Two Brothers Atom Smasher Octoberfest 7.7%

Wittekerke Framboise 4.3%

Stone 15th Anniversary Black IPA 10.5%

Rogue Maierfest 5.4%

Southern Tier Harvest Ale 6.4%

Kulmbacher Kapuziner Weiss Bier 5.0%

Smuttynose Homunculus 9.0%

Gulden Draak 10.5%

Original Sin Hard Cider 6.0%

Rogue XS Imperial IPA 9.5%

Ommegang Belgian Pale Ale 6.2%

PBR 4.2%

November 10: Who's Your Bastard Night, 8pm

December 8: Barrel Aged Black Party, 8pm

Blind Pig Brewery

Blind Pig Belgian Grand Cru

Blind Pig Oatmeal Stout

Blind Pig Imperial IPA

Blind Pig American Pale Ale

Capital Oktoberfestl Middleton, Wisconsin, Oktoberfest, 5.5% abv

Avery The Kaiser Imperial Oktoberfest; Boulder, CO,Dunkler Bock, 10.01% abv

New Holland Ichabod; Holland, Michigan, Spice Ale, 4.8% abv

Schlafly Pumpkin; Maplewood, Missouri, Spice Ale, 5% abv

Two Brothers' Atom Smasher; Warrenville, Illinois, Marzen, 7.7% abv

Dieu du Ciel Rescousse; Canada, Altbier, 5% abv

Spaten Oktoberfestbier; Germany, 5.9% abv

Franziskaner Hefe-Weissbier; Germany, Weizen, 5% abv

Left Hand 400lb Monkey; Longmont, Colorado, India Pale Ale, 7% abv

Guinness; Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv

Destihl

(list from 9-10)

Saison de Ruisseau

Belgian Pale Ale

Oktoberfest

Triton Barley Wine

Black Angel Stout

Frankengluten Belgian Sorghum Ale

Hoperation Overload Double IPA

Altercation

Jacob's Ladder

Champaign Blonde Ale

Biere Brune

Weissenheimer Hefeweizen

Roadblock British Red Ale

Small Beer

Black Dog Smoke and Ale House

Hofbrau Oktoberfest

Dark Horse Kamita Kolsch

both replaced something on this tap list (which is as of 9/17/2011)

Southern Tier Cuvee 3

Ballast Point Big Eye IPA

Lost Coast Great White

Lost Abbey Serpents Stout

Capital Oktoberfest

Porter House Oyster Stout

Flossmoor Station Rail HopperIPA

Blind Pig

Firkin Friday: Two Brothers' Heavy handed IPA-centennial

Southern Tier Pumking; Lakewood, New York, Spice Ale, 9%

Sand Creek Groovy Brew; Black River Falls, Wisconsin, Kolsch, 4.5%

Smuttynose Pumpkin; Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Spice Ale, 5% abv

Lagunitas IPA; Petaluma, California, India Pale Ale, 6.2% abv

Stone Sublimely Self Righteous; Escondido, California, Black IPA, 8.7% abv

Avery The Kaiser Imperial Oktoberfest; Boulder, Colorado, Dunkler Bock, 10.1% abv

Hirter Morchl; Austria, Dunkel, 5% abv

Sam Adam's Octoberfest; Boston, Massachusetts, Marzen, 5.3% abv

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

Schlafly Pumpkin; Maplewood, Missouri, Spice Ale, 8% abv

Stella Artois; Belgium, Pale Lager, 5.2% abv

Pabst Blue Ribbon; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Pale Lager, 5% abv

Duchesse De Bourgogne; Belgium, Sour Ale, 6.2%

Hofbrau Original; Germany, Helles, 5.1% abv

Tucher Helles Hefe Weizen; Germany, German Hefeweizen, 5.3%

Capital Oktoberfest; Middleton, Wisconsin, Marzen, 5.5%

Weihenstephaner Festbier; Germany, Marzen, 5.8%

St. Bernardus Abt 12; Belgium, Quadrupel, 10.5% abv

Kostritzer Schwarzbier; Germany, Schwarzbier, 4.8% abv

Lindeman's Framboise; Belgium, Lambic, 2.5% abv

Moylan's Nitro Special Bitter; Novato, California, English Pale Ale, 5.2%

Guinness; Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.2%

Wednesday: Most Bitter Bar, Victory Night; including a case of Stone Japanese Green Tea IPA (only case in Illinois), bourbon barrel Smoked Porter, 2011 Russian Imperial Stout, IPA, Sublimely Self Righteous, and Arrogant Bastard

CU Beer Club

Tuesday: Happy Hour, Mike n' Molly's

CU Beer Weekend: Sept 23 (Illini vs W. Michigan)

2011-09-23T14:44:00.001-07:00

Seven Saints

Southern Tier Pumpking

Tuesday Brewsday: Pyramid Juggernaut $2

Whiskey Wednesday: Scotch

Radio Maria

1) Clown Shoes Eagle Claw Fist

2) O’fallon Wheach

3) He’Brew Bittersweet Lenny’s R.I.P.A

4) Breckenridge 72 Imperial Chocolate Cream Stout

5) Left Hand TNT Weizenbock

6) Two Brothers Hop Juice

7) Lagunitas Dogtown Pale Ale

8) Smuttynose Big A

9) New Holland Beerhive Tripel

10) Southern Tier Cuvee 3

11) Dark Horse Plead the 5th

12) Founders Double Trouble

13) Sierra nevada Ovila Saison

14) Breckenridge Christmas Ale

15) Crown Valley Worktruck Wheat

16) Wexford Irish Cream Ale

17) Left Hand Milk Stout

18) Monk’s Café Flemish Red Ale

19) Rogue Dad’s Little Helper Black IPA

20) EKU Pils

21) Stone Belgo Anise Imperial Russian Stout

22) Haand Bryggeriet Royk Uten Ild

23) Hofbrau Maibock

24) Smuttynose Barleywine

25) De Proef K-O

26) Brugse Zot

27) PBR

Monday: Beer Class, Adjuncts (beers with stuff other than Malt, Hops, Water, and Yeast)

Crane Alley

Left Hand Sawtooth Nitro 5.3%

Southern Tier Porter 5.6%

Founder's Centennial IPA 7.2%

Ertvelds Wit 5.5%

Weihenstephaner Fest Bier 5.8%

Dieu Du Ciel Peche Mortel 9.5%

Ommegang Belgian Independence 7.2%

Avery Karma 5.2%

Saison De Silly

Stone 15th Anniversary Black IPA 10.5%

Lagunitas New Dogtown Pale Ale 6.2%

Southern Tier Pumking 9.0%

Kulmbacher Kapuziner Weiss Bier 5.0%

Avery 18th Anniversary Dry-Hopped Saison 8.1%

Gulden Draak 10.5%

Original Sin Hard Cider 6.0%

Rogue XS Imperial IPA 9.5%

Ommegang Belgian Pale Ale 6.2%

November 10: Who's Your Bastard Night, 8pm

December 8: Barrel aged Black Party, 8pm

Blind Pig Brewery

Blind Pig Belgian Grand Cru

Blind Pig oatmeal Stout

Blind Pig American Pale Ale

Blind Pig Imperial IPA

Capital Oktoberfest; Middleton, Wisconsin, Oktoberfest, 5.5% abv

Avery The Kaiser Imperial Oktoberfest; Boulder, CO,Dunkler Bock, 10.01% abv

Rogue Love and Hoppiness; Newport, Oregon, Pilsner, 5.8% abv

Schlafly Pumpkin; Maplewood, Missouri, Spice Ale, 5% abv

Southern Tier Harvest; Lakewood, New York, Premium Bitter, 6.4% abv

Ayinger Oktober Fest-Marzen; Germany, Marzen, 5.8% abv

Hofbrau Oktoberfestbier; Marzen, Germany, 6.3% abv

Franziskaner Hefe-Weissbier; Germany, Weizen, 5% abv

Avery IPA; Boulder, Colorado, India Pale Ale, 6.5% abv

Guinness; Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv

Destihl

Saison de Ruisseau

Belgian Pale Ale

Oktoberfest

Triton Barley Wine

Black Angel Stout

Frankengluten Belgian Sorghum Ale

Hoperation Overload Double IPA

Altercation

Jacob’s Ladder

Champaign Blonde Ale

Biere Brune

Weissenheimer Hefeweizen

Roadblock British Red Ale

Small Beer

Blind Pig

Firkin Friday: New Holland the Poet Stout

Southern Tier Pumking; Lakewood, New York, Spice Ale, 9%

Sand Creek Groovy Brew; Black River Falls, Wisconsin, Kolsch, 4.5%

Southern Tier Iniquity; Lakewood, New York, Black IPA, 9% abv

Lagunitas IPA; Petaluma, California, India Pale Ale, 6.2% abv

Pyramid Apricot; Seattle, Washington, Fruit Beer, 5.1% abv

Avery The Kaiser Imperial Oktoberfest; Boulder, Colorado, Dunkler Bock, 10.1% abv

Left Hand Milk Stout; Longmont, Colorado, Sweet Stout, 5.3% abv

Sam Adam’s Octoberfest; Boston, Massachusetts, Marzen, 5.3% abv

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

Schlafly Pumpkin; Maplewood, Missouri, Spice Ale, 8% abv

Stella Artois; Belgium, Pale Lager, 5.2% abv

Pabst Blue Ribbon; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Pale Lager, 5% abv

Duchesse De Bourgogne; Belgium, Sour Ale, 6.2%

Hofbrau Original; Germany, Helles, 5.1% abv

Tucher Helles Hefe Weizen; Germany, German Hefeweizen, 5.3%

Capital Oktoberfest; Middleton, Wisconsin, Marzen, 5.5%

Weihenstephaner Festbier; Germany, Marzen, 5.8%

Affligem Abbey Blonde; Belgium, Belgian Ale, 7% abv

Kostritzer Schwarzbier; Germany, Schwarzbier, 4.8% abv

Lindeman’s Framboise; Belgium, Lambic, 2.5% abv

Ballast Point Sextant Nitro Stout; San Diego, California, Dry Stout, 6.8%

Guinness; Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.2%

The Cause Behind the Reinheitsgebot

2011-09-20T12:38:00.001-07:00

The Reinheitsgebot, or “Bavarian Purity Law” was a regulation about the production of beer in Germany. It became law on April 23, 1516. Most people believe it’s about regulating what can go into beer. That’s partly true, but, I believe the law was mostly put forward to protect prices of other grains and to help the bread makers (this is not a new concept).

I’ve heard before that the law was enacted because brewers didn’t know what caused fermentation to happen. That they would use whatever they thought worked to get the process started, from shoes, to bones, to whatever was lying around.

This isn’t exactly true. Even though YEAST hadn’t been microscopically observed by Anton van Leeuwenhoek, it had been around, and known, for thousands of years. (van Leeuwenhoek first saw it in 1680), the term had been around as gist, or gyst in Old English, for years, meaning “boil, foam, or bubble”. In Beer in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance (by Richard W. Unger) it mentions that in Munich in 1551, airborne yeast was defined as a cause of infection. This is still 131 years before van Leeuwenhoek first discovered it was a single celled organism. So to say that they didn’t know what yeast was, is absurd.

It is mostly common assumption to believe that the yeast was transferred from one batch to the next, by scraping off the foam from the old fermentation vessel, and placing it into the new. Another method would be stirring the old, then transferring the paddle to the new. A google seach for brewers magic paddle will provide 2 million results. To claim that the brewing process wasn’t understood by ordinary people, is counterintuitive to all the stories you hear about the origins of styles. Farmhouse ales required every farmer to have his own brewing operation. In Egypt, days wages included beer. The common man, may not have known exactly what it took, but they made bread, which also required yeast, and they made beer, so to say yeast didn’t exist, or that people didn’t understand the role of yeast, prior to 1680, is nonsense.

Why would it be left off the Reinheitsgebot then? Why limit the process to three ingredients? Water, barley, and hops? What else could these people use to make beer? The process requires a liquid, other things than water (in theory) could be used. Could milk be added to the process? Yes, think milk stouts. Can other liquids be added? Obviously; yes, syrup, honey, grape or any fruit juice, could be added. You can also use any sugar source either from malted grain, sugar, or honey in your beer, so barley (if you are going to limit it to barley) has to be there. It is true that people were using various things as bittering agents, the wiki article mentions stinging nettle and henbane. Henbane is a psychoactive drug. It can be toxic or fatal. Stinging nettle injects histamines, which causes an allergic reaction. Yeast (or foam) is obviously the only thing you can’t replace with something else. Also, if you only used your three ingredients in your previous batch, and you are only using the three ingredients in this batch, then moving your paddle from one batch to the next and taking the foam with it, can not be against the rule.

So, what caused the law? It wasn’t because people were doing stupid things making their beer. It wasn’t because people were making bad beer. Other people have said, and I agree, that it was a law to protect bread makers. Bread can be made with all the grains that are used in making beer. But, the most common grain used in bread is wheat, although pumpernickel is a rye bread. It’s commonly stated that barley doesn’t make good bread. It tends to clump more than the other grains. The common grains used for beer, prior to the Reinheitsgebot were: barley, wheat, and rye. Wheat and rye make a good grain from brewing too, and make some excellent beers. Wheat beers (under the Reinheitsgebot) were limited to being made only by specific breweries and for the king’s consumption (Konig).

So what would cause Germany (Bavaria) to create a law to limit the ingredients used in beer? The answer is crop failure.

If you look at a timeline of famine, and crop failures, you’ll notice that in Germany in 1515 there was severe flooding. There was prolonged rainfall that caused July to September flooding of the Danube (in Bavaria). In fact, most of central Europe during 1515 suffered from 6 weeks of rain. Couple that with a diminished work force that was fighting with Charles V against Francis I, and you’ve got less people available to work the fields, along with bad fields. The law was first proffered in 1487. Looking back at the timeline, in 1482, you see that Germany had cold/poor growout, which affected vintages from 1482 to 1493. If the law was first put out in a time when there was bad growth, but not approved, and you have people who are tired of food shortages, and prices rising for bread because of bad harvests; the next time there is significant crop failure, (1515) it’s going to lead to a reaction causing you to pass a law to protect the people.

So, the Reinheitsgebot was not set out to protect brewers, it wasn’t to protect consumers from bad beer, it wasn’t because the brewing process wasn’t understood, it was because crop failures had driven up prices of bread (which is more important for survival than beer… although that’s debatable).

So, to sum up, the Reinheitsgebot wasn’t put into place to protect people from bad beer, it was a government reaction to historic rains that caused the failure of crops throughout much of Bavaria.

CU Beer Weekend: Sept 16 (Illini vs Arizona State)

2011-09-16T14:31:00.001-07:00

Where are you drinking before and after the game this weekend? You aren’t limited to just the parking lots.

CU Beer Club

Wednesday: September Beer Club, Crane Alley upper mezz. Beer and Cheese (bring beer, bring cheese)

Seven Saints

Southern Tier Pumpking

Tuesday: Brewsday Tuesday: Coney Island Lager and Mermaid Pilsner $2

Wednesday: Whiskey Wednesday: Bourbon and Rye

Radio Maria

1) Clown Shoes Eagle Claw Fist

2) O’fallon Wheach

3) He’Brew Bittersweet Lenny’s R.I.P.A

4) Capital Fest Beer

5) Left Hand TNT Weizenbock

6) Two Brothers Hop Juice

7) Lagunitas Dogtown Pale Ale

8) Smuttynose Big A

9) New Holland Beerhive Tripel

10) Southern Tier Cuvee 3

11) Dark Horse Plead the 5th

12) Smuttynose Gravitation Quad

13) Avery Maharaja

14) Samichlaus

15) Crown Valley Worktruck Wheat

16) Wexford Irish Cream Ale

17) Left Hand Milk Stout

18) Monk’s Café Flemish Red Ale

19) Rogue Dad’s Little Helper Black IPA

20) EKU Pils

21) Anderson Valley Winter Solstice

22) Haand Bryggeriet Royk Uten Ild

23) Hofbrau Maibock

24) Smuttynose Barleywine

25) De Proef K-O

26) Brugse Zot

27) PBR

Crane Alley

Boulder Mojo Nitro IPA 7.2%
Smuttynose Robust Porter 5.7%
Founder's Centennial IPA 7.2%
Ertvelds Wit 5.5%
Krusovice Czech Pils 5.0%
Stone Imperial Russian Stout 10.5%
Ommegang Aphrodite 8.9%
Avery Karma 5.2%
Saison De Silly
Stone 15th Anniversary Black IPA 10.5%
Lagunitas New Dogtown Pale Ale 6.2%
Southern Tier Pumking 9.0%
Erdinger Hefe Weizen 5.4%
Avery 18th Anniversary Dry-Hopped Saison 8.1%
Gulden Draak 10.5%
Original Sin Hard Cider 6.0%
Founders Devil Dancer 12.0%
Ommegang Belgian Pale Ale 6.2%
PBR 4.2%

Blind Pig Brewery

Blind Pig Belgian Grand Cru

Blind Pig Oatmeal Stout

Blind Pig American Pale Ale

Blind Pig English Mild Ale

Two Brothers’ Domaine DuPage; Warrenville, IL, Amber Ale, 5.9% abv

Schlafly Pilsner; Maplewood, Missouri, Pilsener, 4.9% abv

Rogue Love and Hoppiness; Newport, Oregon, Pilsner, 5.8% abv

Lost Coast Tangerine Wheat; Eureka, California, Fruit Beer, 5% abv

Southern Tier Harvest; Lakewood, New York, Premium Bitter, 6.4% abv

Rodenbach Grand Cru; Belgium, Sour Ale, 6% abv

Stone 15th Anniversary; Escondido, California, Black IPA, 10.5% abv

Capital Island Wheat; Middleton, Wisconsin, Wheat Ale

Avery IPA; Boulder, Colorado, India Pale Ale, 6.5% abv

Guinness; Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv

Destihl

Saison de Ruisseau

Belgian Pale Ale

Oktoberfest

Triton Barley Wine

Black Angel Stout

Frankengluten Belgian Sorghum Ale

Hoperation Overload Double IPA

Altercation

Jacob’s Ladder

Champaign Blonde Ale

Biere Brune

Weissenheimer Hefeweizen

Roadblock British Red Ale

Small Beer

Blind Pig

Unibroue Trois Pistoles; Canada, Belgian Strong Ale, 9%

Sand Creek Groovy Brew; Black River Falls, Wisconsin, Kolsch, 4.5%

Southern Tier Iniquity; Lakewood, New York, Black IPA, 9% abv

Lagunitas IPA; Petaluma, California, India Pale Ale, 6.2% abv

Pyramid Apricot; Seattle, Washington, Fruit Beer, 5.1% abv

Two Brothers’ Dog Days Lager; Warrenville, Illinois, Dortmunder, 4.9% abv

Left Hand Milk Stout; Longmont, Colorado, Sweet Stout, 5.3% abv

Flossmoor Station Pullman Brown; Flossmoor, IL, Porter, 6% abv

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

Schlafly Pumpkin; Maplewood, Missouri, Spice Ale, 8% abv

Stella Artois; Belgium, Pale Lager, 5.2% abv

Pabst Blue Ribbon; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Pale Lager, 5% abv

Duchesse De Bourgogne; Belgium, Sour Ale, 6.2%

Hofbrau Original; Germany, Helles, 5.1% abv

Tucher Helles Hefe Weizen; Germany, German Hefeweizen, 5.3%

Schlafly Hefe Weizen; Maplewood, Missouri, Wheat Ale, 3.9%

Krusovice Imperial 12; Czech Republic, Bohemian Pilsener, 5%

Affligem Abbey Blonde; Belgium, Belgian Ale, 7% abv

Kostritzer Schwarzbier; Germany, Schwarzbier, 4.8% abv

Lindeman’s Framboise; Belgium, Lambic, 2.5% abv

Ballast Point Sextant Nitro Stout; San Diego, California, Dry Stout, 6.8%

Guinness; Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.2%

CU Beer Weekend; September 2 (Labor Day)

2011-09-02T12:13:00.000-07:00

Where are you drinking this extended weekend?

Seven Saints

Brewsday Tuesday
Whiskey Wednesday: Canadian and Micro American

Radio Maria

Clown Shoes Eagle Claw Fist
O'fallon Wheach
Founders Red's Rye
Capital Fest Beer
Left Hand TNT Weizenbock
Founders Dirty Bastard
Bell's Hopslam
Smuttynose Big A
Southern Tier Creme Brulee
Southern Tier Cuvee 3
Dark Horse Plead the 5th
Smuttynose Gravitation Quad
Avery Maharaja
Samichlaus
Crown Valley Worktruck Wheat
Wexford Irish Cream Ale (nitro)
North Coast Old Rasputin (nitro)
Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour Red Ale
Rogue Dad's Little Helper Black IPA
North Coast Scrimshaw Pilsner
Flying Dog In Heat Wheat
Goose Island Matilda
Hofbrau Maibock
Smuttynose Barleywine
De Proef K-O
Brugse Zot
PBR

Friday: Happy Hour with free appetizers 4:30 - 5:30,
Saturday: Salsa, 10 pm, no cover before 11
Sunday: $2 wells, $1.25 PBR; Bloody Mary Bar
Monday: Labor Day, no Beer Class
Tuesday: 1/2 price wine by the glass
Wednesday: $1 off all beers on draft; Open Decks
Thursday: Chillax

Crane Alley

Boulder Mojo Nitro IPA 7.2%
Smuttynose Robust Porter 5.7%
Left Hand 400lb Monkey IPA 7.0%
Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour Ale 5.5%
Krusovice Czech Pils 5.0%
Lost Abbey Serpent's Stout 10.5%
Ommegang Aphrodite 8.9%
Avery Karma 5.2%
Saison De Silly
O'Fallon Wheach 5.1%
Stone Levitation Ale 4.4%
Ommegang Witte 5.1%
Erdinger Hefe Weizen 5.4%
Avery 18th Anniversary Dry-Hopped Saison 8.1%
Gulden Draak 10.5%
Original Sin Hard Cider 6.0%
Mikkeller 1000 IBU 9.6%
Ommegang Belgian Pale Ale 6.2%
PBR 4.2%

Blind Pig Brewery

Blind Pig Hard Cider
Blind Pig English Summer Ale
Blind Pig Replicale 2011-BPA
Two Brothers’ Domaine DuPage; Warrenville, IL, Amber Ale, 5.9% abv
Schlafly Pilsner; Maplewood, Missouri, Pilsener, 4.9% abv
Southern Tier Crème Brulee; Lakewood, New York, Imperial Stout, 9.2% abv
O’Fallon Peach Wheach; O’Fallon, Missouri, Fruit Beer, 4.75% abv
Ommegang Aphrodite; Cooperstown, New York, Fruit Beer, 8.9% abv
Dieu du Ciel Rosee dHibiscus; Canada, Spice Ale, 5.9% abv
Stone Levitation; Escondido, California, Amber Ale, 4.4% abv
Hofbrau Weisse; Germany, German Hefeweizen, 5.1% abv
Stone IPA; Escondido, California, India Pale Ale, 6.9% abv
Guinness; Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv

Destihl

Saison de Ruisseau
Belgian Pale Ale
Oktoberfest
Triton Barleywine
Black Angel Stout
Frankengluten Belgian Sorghum Ale
Hoperation Overload Double IPA
Altercation
Champaign Blonde Ale
Biere Brune
Weisenheimer Hefeweizen
Roadblock British Red Ale
Jacob's Ladder
Tripel

Blind Pig

Unibroue La Terrible; Canada, Belgian Strong Ale, 10.5%
Breckenridge Amber; Denver, Colorado, Amber, 5.4%
Victory Hop Wallop; Downington, Pennsylvania, Imperial IPA, 8.5% abv
Lagunitas IPA; Petaluma, California, India Pale Ale, 6.2% abv
O’Fallon Peach Wheach; O’Fallon, Missouri, Fruit Beer, 4.75% abv
Two Brothers’ Dog Days Lager; Warrenville, Illinois, Dortmunder, 4.9% abv
Stone Arrogant Bastard; Escondido, California, American Strong Ale, 7.2% abv
Avery Ellie’s Brown; Boulder, Colorado, Brown Ale, 5.5% abv
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
Rogue John John Hazelnut; Newport, Oregon, Brown Ale, 5.6% abv
Stella Artois; Belgium, Pale Lager, 5.2% abv
Pabst Blue Ribbon; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Pale Lager, 5% abv
Duchesse De Bourgogne; Belgium, Sour Ale, 6.2%
Moylan’s Hefe Weiss; Novato, California, Wiezen, 7% abv
Tucher Helles Hefe Weizen; Germany, German Hefeweizen, 5.3%
Lost Coast Tangerine Wheat; Eureka, California, Fruit Beer, 5%
Krusovice Imperial 12; Czech Republic, Bohemian Pilsener, 5%
Duvel Green; Belgium, Belgian Ale, 6.8% abv
Southern Tier Porter; Lakewood, New York, Porter, 5.6% abv
Lindeman’s Framboise; Belgium, Lambic, 2.5% abv
Ballast Point Sextant Nitro Stout; San Diego, California, Dry Stout, 6.8%
Guinness; Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.2%

Friday: Cask tapping at 5, Stone Sublimely Self Righteous

No updates from Quality or Black Dog

CU Beer Weekend, Aug 26

2011-08-26T13:37:00.001-07:00

Seven Saints

Brewsday Tuesday: Cellar Sale, All Brewsday beers $2 (Left Hand Stranger, Smuttynose Pale, Abita Jockamo, Left Hand Sawtooth)

Whiskey Wednesday: Scotch

Radio Maria

Clown Shoes Eagle Claw Fist

Founders Cerise

Founders Red's Rye

Capital Fest Beer

Left Hand Fade to Black Vol. 2

Founders Dirty Bastard

Bell's Hopslam

Left Hand Week Sauce

Southern Tier Creme Brulee

Southern Tier Cuvee 3

Dark Horse Plead the 5th

Smuttynose Gravitation Quad

Moylan's Hopsickle Imperial IPA

Samichlaus

Crown Valley Worktruck Wheat

Wexford Irish Cream Ale (nitro)

North Coast Old Rasputin (nitro)

Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour Red Ale

Dark Horse Boffo Brown

North Coast Scrimshaw Pilsner

Stone Levitation

Goose Island Matilda

Hofbrau maibock

Smuttynose Barleywine

De Proef K-O

Blanche de Bruxelles

PBR

Friday: Happy Hour with free appetizers 4:30 - 5:30,

Saturday: Salsa, 10 pm, no cover before 11

Sunday: $2 wells, $1.25 PBR; Bloody Mary Bar

Monday: Beer Class, $10, 10pm; 6% or less ABV beer

Tuesday: 1/2 price wine by the glass

Wednesday: $1 off all beers on draft; Open Decks

Thursday: Chillax

Crane Alley

Victory Donnybrook Stout 3.7%

Moylan's Orange & Black Congrats Ale 6.0%

Lagunitas IPA 6.2%

Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour Ale 5.5%

Krusovice Czech Pils 5.0%

Lost Abbey Serpent's Stout 10.5%

Founders Blushing Monk 9.2%

Left Hand Sawtooth Ale 5.3%

Bier du Boucanier 7.0%

O'Fallon Wheach 5.1%

Stone Levitation Ale 4.4%

Ommegang Witte 5.1%

Erdinger Hefe Weizen 5.4%

Avery 18th Anniversary Dry-Hopped Saison 8.1%

Scotch de Silly 8.0%

Original Sin Hard Cider 6.0%

Avery Samael's 14.5%

Two Brothers Hop Juice 9.9%

PBR 4.2%

Blind Pig Brewery

Blind Pig Hard Cider

Blind Pig English Summer Ale

Blind Pig Replicale 2011-BPA

Two Brothers’ Dog Days Lager; Warrenville, IL, Helles, 4.9% abv

Schlafly Pilsner; Maplewood, Missouri, Pilsener, 4.9% abv

Southern Tier Crème Brulee; Lakewood, New York, Imperial Stout, 9.2% abv

O’Fallon Peach Wheach; O’Fallon, Missouri, Fruit Beer, 4.75% abv

Ommegang Aphrodite; Cooperstown, New York, Fruit Beer, 8.9% abv

Dieu du Ciel Rosee dHibiscus; Canada, Spice Ale, 5.9% abv

Stone Levitation; Escondido, California, Amber Ale, 4.4% abv

Franziskaner Hefe-Weissbier; Germany, German Hefeweizen, 5%abv

Founder’s Centennial IPA; Grand Rapids, Michigan, India Pale Ale, 7.2% abv

Guinness; Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv

Destihl

Saison de Ruisseau

Belgian Pale Ale

Raspberry Wheat

Triton Barleywine

Black Angel Stout

Frankengluten Belgian Sorghum Ale

Hoperation Overload Double IPA

Hawaii Five Ale

Altercation

Baldock IPA

Champaign Blonde Ale

Biere Brune

Weisenheimer Hefeweizen

Roadblock British Red Ale

Jacob's Ladder

Tripel

Blind Pig

Rogue American Amber; Newport, Oregon, Amber Ale, 5.1%

Breckenridge Amber; Denver, Colorado, Amber, 5.4%

Victory Hop Wallop; Downington, Pennsylvania, Imperial IPA, 8.5% abv

Lagunitas IPA; Petaluma, California, India Pale Ale, 6.2% abv

O’Fallon Peach Wheach; O’Fallon, Missouri, Fruit Beer, 4.75% abv

Two Brothers’ Dog Days Lager; Warrenville, Illinois, Dortmunder, 4.9% abv

Founder’s Porter; Grand Rapids, Michigan, Porter, 6.5% abv

Avery Ellie’s Brown; Boulder, Colorado, Brown Ale, 5.5% abv

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

Unibrou Trois Pistoles; Canada, Belgian Strong Ale, 9% abv

Stella Artois; Belgium, Pale Lager, 5.2% abv

Pabst Blue Ribbon; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Pale Lager, 5% abv

Rogue Morimoto Soba Ale; Newport, Oregon, Specialty Grain, 4.8%

Moylan’s Hefe Weiss; Novato, California, Wiezen, 7% abv

Tucher Helles Hefe Weizen; Germany, German Hefeweizen, 5.3%

Lost Coast Tangerine Wheat; Eureka, California, Fruit Beer, 5%

Krusovice Imperial 12; Czech Republic, Bohemian Pilsener, 5%

Ommegang Cup O Kyndness; Cooperstown, New York, Scotch Ale, 6.6% abv

Southern Tier Porter; Lakewood, New York, Porter, 5.6% abv

Lindeman’s Framboise; Belgium, Lambic, 2.5% abv

Moylan’s Nitro Special Bitte;r Novato, California, English Pale Ale, 5.2%

Guinness; Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.2%

Black Dog Smoke and Ale House

Two Brothers Resistance IPA

Dark Horse Crooked Tree

Smuttynose Shoals Pale Ale

Port Brewing Anniversary Ale

Quality Beer

Green Flash Imperial IPA

Goose Island Sofie

Lagunitas A Little Sumpin Wild

Sand Creek Hard Lemonade

Scrimshaw Pilsner

CU Beer Weekend; August 12

2011-08-12T10:58:00.001-07:00

Where are you drinking this weekend? I'm going up to the Great Taste of the Midwest.

Seven Saints

Brewsday Tuesday: Abita Jockamo IPA $2
Whiskey Wednesday: Irish

Radio Maria

clown shoes eagle claw fist
founders cerise
New Holland Imperial Hatter
southern tier hopsun
left hand fade to black
founders dirty bastard
Founders Devil Dance
left hand week sauce
souther tier chokolat
southern tier cuvee 3
Dark Horse Plead the Fifth
Smuttynose Gravition
moylans hopsickle
Samichlaus
Crown Valley Worktruck Wheat

North Coast Old Rasputin
Petrus Oud Bruin
Dark Horse boffo brown
Atwater Voodoo Vator
stone levitation
Founders Curmudgeon
Bitburger Premium Pils
oaked arrogant bastard
poperings hommel bier
Blanche de Bruxelles
PBR

Friday: Happy Hour with free appetizers 4:30 - 5:30,
Saturday: Salsa, 10 pm, no cover before 11
Sunday: $2 wells, $1.25 PBR; Bloody Mary Bar
Monday: Beer Class, $10, 10pm; Midwest Beers
Tuesday: 1/2 price wine by the glass
Wednesday: $1 off all beers on draft
Thursday: Chillax

Crane Alley

Victory Donnybrook Stout 3.7%
Boulder Hazed & Infused 4.8%
Smuttynose Finest Kind IPA 7.0%
Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour Ale 5.5%
Bells Lager of the Lakes 5.0%
Djaevlebryg Gudelos 8.9%
Founders Cerise 6.5%
Left Hand Sawtooth Ale 5.3%
Bier du Boucanier 7.0%
O'Fallon Wheach 5.1%
Flossmoor Station Impromptu Pale Ale 5.3%
Lost Coast Great White Ale 4.8%
Erdinger Hefe Weizen 5.4%
Ommegang Rare Vos 6.5%
Scotch de Silly 8.0%
Weston's Premium Cider 4.5%
Avery Samael's 14.5%
Two Brothers Hop Juice 9.9%
PBR 4.2%

Blind Pig Brewery

Blind Pig American Dark Ale
Blind Pig American Pale Ale
Blind Pig Imperial Stout
Blind Pig Replicale 2011-BPA
Two Brothers’ Dog Days Lager; Warrenville, IL, Helles, 4.9% abv
Left Hand Polestar Pilsner; Longmont, Colorado, Pilsener, 5.5% abv
Mikkeller Rauch Geek Breakfast; Denmark, Smoked, 7.5% abv
O’Fallon Peach Wheach; O’Fallon, Missouri, Fruit Beer, 4.75% abv
Silly Saison; Belgium, Saison, 5.2% abv
Goose Island Matilda; Chicago, Illinois, Belgian Ale, 7% abv
Flossmoor Station Rail Hopper; Flossmoor, Illinois, India Pale Ale, 7.5% abv
Flossmoor Station Half Day; Hefeweizen Flossmoor, IL, Hefeweizen, 5.6%abv
Boulevard Collaboration #2; Kansas City, Missouri, India Pale Ale, 7.4% abv
Guinness; Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv

Destihl

Saison de Ruisseau
Small Beer
Tripel
Triton Barley Wine
Black Angel Stout
Frankengluten Belgian Sorghum Ale
Altercation
Quadrupel
Baldock IPA
Champaign Blonde Ale
Biere Brune
Weissenheimer Hefeweizen
Roadblock British Red Ale
Hawaii Five Ale

Blind Pig

Rogue American Amber; Newport, Oregon, Amber Ale, 5.1%
Rogue Chatoe OREgasmic; Newport, Oregon, American Pale Ale, 7%
Avery Karma Ale; Boulder, Colorado, Belgian Ale, 5.2% abv
Lagunitas IPA; Petaluma, California, India Pale Ale, 6.2% abv
O’Fallon Peach Wheach; O’Fallon, Missouri, Fruit Beer, 4.75% abv
Rogue Dad’s Little Helper; Newport, Oregon, Black IPA, 6.8% abv
Stone Imperial Russian Stout; Escondido, CA, Imperial Stout, 10.5% abv
Avery Ellie’s Brown; Boulder, Colorado, Brown Ale, 5.5% abv
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
Unibrou Trois Pistoles; Canada, Belgian Strong Ale, 9% abv
Stella Artois; Belgium, Pale Lager, 5.2% abv
Pabst Blue Ribbon; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Pale Lager, 5% abv
Rogue Morimoto Soba Ale; Newport, Oregon, Specialty Grain, 4.8%
Celis White; Webberville, Michigan, Belgian White, 3.9% abv
Tucher Helles Hefe Weizen; Germany, German Hefeweizen, 5.3%
Boulder Sweaty Betty; Boulder, Colorado, Wheat Ale, 5.9%
Krusovice Imperial 12; Czech Republic, Bohemian Pilsener, 5%
Ommegang Cup O Kyndness; Cooperstown, New York, Scotch Ale, 6.6% abv
Flying Dog Gonzo Porter; Frederick, Maryland, Imperial Porter, 9.2% 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

Flossmoor Station Le Chien Blanc Wit
Chimay Blanche
Ballast Point Sculpin IPA
Smuttynose Imperial Stout
Moylan's NorCal IPA
Porterhouse Irish Red
North Coast Red Seal

CU Beer Weekend; August 5

2011-08-05T14:31:00.001-07:00

Where are you drinking this weekend?

Seven Saints

Brewsday Tuesday
Whiskey Wednesday: Micro American and Canadian

Radio Maria

clown shoes eagle claw fist
founders cerise
New Holland Imperial Hatter
southern tier hopsun
left hand fade to black
founders dirty bastard
Bells Expedition
left hand week sauce
souther tier chokolat
southern tier cuvee 3
dieu du ciel aphrodite
Smuttynose Gravition
moylans hopsickle
Samichlaus
original sin
moylans nitro english bitter
North Coast Old Rasputin
Petrus Oud Bruin
Dark Horse boffo brown
Dos XX amber
stone levitation
Founders Curmudgeon
kostriker
oaked arrogant bastard
poperings hommel bier
north coast scrimshaw pilsner
PBR

Friday: Happy Hour with free appetizers 4:30 - 5:30,
Saturday: Salsa, 10 pm, no cover before 11
Sunday: $2 wells, $1.25 PBR; Bloody Mary Bar
Monday: Beer Class, $10, 10pm; Belgians
Tuesday: 1/2 price wine by the glass
Wednesday: $1 off all beers on draft
Thursday: Chillax

Crane Alley

Victory Donnybrook Stout 3.7%
Boulder Hazed & Infused
Smuttynose Finest Kind IPA 7.0%
Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour Ale 5.5%
Bells Lager of the Lakes 5.0%
Djaevlebryg Gudelos
Founders Cerise
Left Hand Sawtooth Ale
Bier du Boucanier 7.0%
Bell's Oberon 6.0%
Flossmoor Station Impromptu Pale Ale 5.3%
Lost Coast Great White Ale 4.8%
Erdinger Hefe Weizen 5.4%
Ommegang Rare Vos 6.5%
Scotch de Silly 8.0%
Weston's Premium Cider 4.5%
Stone Oaked Arrogant Bastard 7.2%
Two Brothers Hop Juice 9.9%
PBR 4.2%

Blind Pig Brewery

Blind Pig Samburro Chili Beer
Blind Pig Imperial Stout
Two Brothers’ Dog Days Lager; Warrenville, IL, Helles, 4.9% abv
Schlafly Pilsner; Maplewood, Missouri, Pilsener, 4.9% abv
Schlenkerla Eiche Doppelbock; Germany, Smoked, 8% abv
O’Fallon Peach Wheach; O’Fallon, Missouri, Fruit Beer, 4.75% abv
Glazen Toren Jan De Lichte; Belgium, Belgian White, 7.5% abv
Moylan’s Orange and Black; Novato, California, Fruit Beer, 6% abv
Port Brewing Anniversary; San Marcos, California, Imperial IPA, 10% abv
Spaten Optimator; Germany, Doppelbock, 7.6%abv
Boulevard Collaboration #2; Kansas City, Missouri, India Pale Ale, 7.4% abv
Guinness; Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv

Destihl

Saison de Ruisseau
Small Beer
Tripel
Triton Barley Wine
Black Angel Stout
Frankengluten Belgian Sorghum Ale
Altercation
Quadrupel
Baldock IPA
Champaign Blonde Ale
Biere Brune
Weissenheimer Hefeweizen
Roadblock British Red Ale
Hawaii Five Ale

Blind Pig

Sierra Nevada Estate; Chico, California, India Pale Ale, 6.7%
Rogue Chatoe OREgasmic; Newport, Oregon, American Pale Ale, 7%
Flying Dog Doggie Style; Frederick, Maryland, American Pale Ale, 5.5% abv
Lagunitas IPA; Petaluma, California, India Pale Ale, 6.2% abv
O’Fallon Peach Wheach; O’Fallon, Missouri, Fruit Beer, 4.75% abv
Rogue Dad’s Little Helper; Newport, Oregon, Black IPA, 6.8% abv
Stone Imperial Russian Stout; Escondido, CA, Imperial Stout, 10.5% abv
Avery Ellie’s Brown; Boulder, Colorado, Brown Ale, 5.5% abv
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
Flossmoor Station .357 Pils; Flossmoor, Illinois, Imperial Pilsener, 12%
Celis White; Webberville, Michigan, Belgian White, 3.9% abv
Tucher Helles Hefe Weizen; Germany, German Hefeweizen, 5.3%
Avery White Rascal; Boulder, Colorado, Belgian White, 5.6%
Krusovice Imperial 12; Czech Republic, Bohemian Pilsener, 5%
Dieu du Ciel Route des Epices; Canada, Spice Ale, 5% abv
Flying Dog Gonzo Porter; Frederick, Maryland, Imperial Porter, 9.2% 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

Southern Tier Farmers Tan
Duvel
Ska Modus Hoperandi
Smuttynose Imperial Stout
Moylans NorCal IPA
Porterhouse Nitro Irish Red Ale
North Coast Cask-conditioned Red Seal Ale

Art Mart

Saturday tasting has artisinal cheeses, pickles, olive oils, and Steiglmeire sausages; Along with wine.

CU Beer Weekend; July 29

2011-07-29T13:24:00.000-07:00

CU Beer Weekend; July 15

Seven Saints

Brewsday Tuesday
Whiskey Wednesday: Scotch

Radio Maria

1 Clown Shoes Eagle Claw Fist
2 founders cerise
3
4 Southern Tier Hopsun
5 left hand fade to black
6 founders dirty bastard
7 Bells Expedition
8 left hand week sauce
9 souther tier chokolat
10 Southern Tier Cuvee 3
11 dieu du ciel aphrodite
12 Smuttynose Gravition
13
14 Struise Stillwater Outblack
15 original sin
16 Moylan's English Style Bitter
17 North Coast Old Rasputin
18 Petrus Oud Bruin
19 Dark Horse boffo brown
20 Dos XX amber
21 Stone Levitation
22 Founders Curmudgeon
23 kostriker
24 oaked arrogant bastard
25 poperings hommel bier
26 north coast scrimshaw pilsner
27 PBR

(I can't remember what's on 3, 13, and 16, sorry)

Friday: Happy Hour with free appetizers 4:30 - 5:30,
Saturday: Open for brunch and afternoon; closed evening and night for private function
Sunday: $2 wells, $1.25 PBR; Bloody Mary Bar
Monday: Beer Class, $10, 10pm; Lagers
Tuesday: 1/2 price wine by the glass
Wednesday: $1 off all beers on draft
Thursday: Chillax

Crane Alley

Victory Donnybrook 3.7%
Founders Cerise 6.5%
Boulder Hazed and Infused 4.9%
Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour Ale 5.5%
Two Brothers Dog Days Lager 5.1%
Struise/Stillwater Outblack 10.0%
Hitachino Nest Real Ginger Brew 7.0%
Tommyknocker Maple Nut Brown Ale 4.5%
Bier du Boucanier 7.0%
Bell's Oarsman Ale 4.0%
Flossmoor Station Impromptu Pale Ale 5.3%
Left Hand T N T Weizenbock 7.9%
Erdinger Hefe Weizen 5.4%
Bell's Oberon 5. 8%
Scotch de Silly 8.0%
Weston's Premium Cider 4.5%
Founders Curmudgeon Old Ale 9.8%
Victory Hop Wallop 8.5%
PBR 4.2%

Blind Pig Brewery

Blind Pig Samburro Chili Beer
Blind Pig American Pale Ale
Two Brothers’ Dog Days Lager; Warrenville, IL, Helles, 4.9% abv
Schlafly Pilsner; Maplewood, Missouri, Pilsener, 4.9% abv
Schlenkerla Rauchbier; Marzen Germany, Smoked, 5.1% abv
Pyramid Apricot; Seattle, Washington, Fruit Beer, 5.1% abv
Popperings Hommel; Belgium, Belgian Strong Ale, 7.5% abv
Moylan’s Orange and Black; Novato, California, Fruit Beer, 6% abv
Smutty Nose Old Brown Dog; Portsmouth, NH, Brown Ale, 5.7% abv
Schlafly Kolsch; Maplewood, Missouri, Kolsch, 4.8%abv
Two Brothers’ Hop Juice; Warrenville, Illinois, Imperial IPA, 9.9% abv
Guinness; Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv

Destihl

Saison de Ruisseau
Small Beer
Lawnmower Ale
Triton Barley Wine
Black Angel Stout
Frankengluten Belgian Sorghum Ale
Baldock IPA
Hawaii Five-Ale
Quadrupel
Champaign Blonde Ale
Hoperation Overload Double IPA
Biere Brune
Weissenheimer Hefeweizen
Tripel

Blind Pig

Sierra Nevada Estate; Chico, California, India Pale Ale, 6.7%
Rogue Chatoe OREgasmic; Newport, Oregon, American Pale Ale, 7%
Flying Dog Doggie Style; Frederick, Maryland, American Pale Ale, 5.5% abv
Lagunitas IPA; Petaluma, California, India Pale Ale, 6.2% abv
Southern Tier Farmer’s Tan; Lakewood, New York, Imperial Pils, 9% abv
Rogue Dad’s Little Helper; Newport, Oregon, Black IPA, 6.8% abv
Stone Imperial Russian Stout; Escondido, CA, Imperial Stout, 10.5% abv
Smutty Nose Imperial Stout; Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Imperial Stout, 10.1% abv
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
Flossmoor Station .357 Pils; Flossmoor, Illinois, Imperial Pilsener, 12%
Celis White; Webberville, Michigan, Belgian White, 3.9% abv
Tucher Helles Hefe Weizen; Germany, German Hefeweizen, 5.3%
Anchor Liberty Ale; San Francisco, California, American Pale Ale, 5.9%
Krusovice Imperial 12; Czech Republic, Bohemian Pilsener, 5%
Dieu du Ciel Route des Epices; Canada, Spice Ale, 5% abv
Tommyknocker Imperial Nut Brown; Idaho Springs, CO, Amer. Strng Ale, 9% 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

New Holland Farmhouse Hatter
Green Flash Hop Head Red
Left Hand Polestar Pils
Ommegang Witte
Smuttynose Maibock
Boulder Nitro Mojo IPA
North Coast Cask Conditioned Red Seal Ale

Quality Beer

(needs to update their list and online presence)

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

Sunsinger

August 1-6 #IPADAY but they are doing it for a week.

The Lucky ‘13’

Abita Jockamo IPA 4.00
Capital Platinum Blonde Doppelbock 5.25
Founders Devil Dancer Triple IPA 8.00
Left Hand JuJu Ginger 4.50 Special 4.00
Mikkeller 10 8.75
Mikkeller Brew Dog 9.75
New Belgium Somersault 4.25
O’Fallon Wheach 4.25 Special 3.75
Pyramid Curve Ball Blonde 4.25
Stone Oaked Arrogant Bastard 5.75
Two Brothers Dog Days Dortmunder 4.50
Victory Whirlwind Wit 4.50 Special 4.00
Wittekerke Wit cans 4.50

Big Bottles

Stone Arrogant Bastard 8.25
Stone Cali-Belgique IPA 10.00
Stone Sublimely S-R 10.00
Telegraph White Ale 12.75

Also new this week: Fort Collins Rocky Mountain IPA 4.25

Art Mart

Saturday: Wine sampling, 9 am to Noon, $3; New wines from Italy, paired with cheese.

CU Beer Weekend; July 15

2011-07-15T11:20:00.000-07:00

Seven Saints

Brewsday Tuesday
Whiskey Wednesday: irish

Radio Maria

Radio Maria is starting a beer class on Monday nights at 10 pm.

1 two brothers dog days
2 founders cerise
3 ommegang belgian pale ale
4 Southern Tier Hopsun
5 left hand fade to black
6 founders dirty bastard
7 Bells Expedition
8 left hand week sauce
9 souther tier chokolat
10 Ballast point navigator
11 dieu du ciel aphrodite
12 Smuttynose Gravition
13 Ballast Point Sculpin
14 Struise Stillwater Outblack
15 original sin
16 lefthand sawtooth nitro
17 North Coast Old Rasputin
18 Petrus Oud Bruin
19 Dark Horse boffo brown
20 Dos XX amber
21 Stone Levitation
22 Founders Curmudgeon
23 kostriker
24 oaked arrogant bastard
25 poperings hommel bier
26 north coast scrimshaw pilsner
27 PBR

Friday: Happy Hour with free appetizers 4:30 - 5:30,
Saturday: Open for brunch and afternoon; closed evening and night for private function
Sunday: $2 wells, $1.25 PBR; Bloody Mary Bar
Monday: Beer Class, $10, 10pm; Intro to Beer
Tuesday: 1/2 price wine by the glass
Wednesday: $1 off all beers on draft
Thursday: Chillax

Crane Alley

Tommknocker Black Powder Stout 6.3%
Founder's Red's Rye 6.6%
Avery IPA 6.5%
Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour Ale 5.5%
Two Brothers Dog Days Lager 5.1%
Avery Mephistopheles 15.1%
Houblon Chouffe Dobbelen IPA Tripel 9.0%
Flying Dog Old Scratch Amber Lager 5.5%
Bier du Boucanier 7.0%
Bell's Oarsman Ale 4.0%
Bell's Two Hearted Ale 7.0%
Boulder Hoopla Pale Ale 5.7%
Erdinger Hefe Weizen 5.4%
Dark Horse Sapient Trip Ale 8.5%
Scotch de Silly 8.0%
Weston's Premium Cider 4.5%
Stone Oaked Arrogant Bastard 7.2%
Bell's Hopslam 10.0%
PBR 4.2%

Blind Pig Brewery

Blind Pig American Pale Ale
Blind Pig Uber Weizen
Two Brothers’ Dog Days Lager; Warrenville, IL, Helles, 4.9% abv
Schlafly Bavarian-Style Weissbier; Maplewood, Missouri, German Hefe% abv
Southern Tier Mokah; Lakewood, New York, Imperial Stout, 10.9% abv
Pyramid Apricot; Seattle, Washington, Fruit Beer, 5.1% abv
Popperings Hommel; Belgium, Belgian Strong Ale, 7.5% abv
Green Flash Barleywine; San Diego, California, Barley Wine, 10.9% abv
Moylan’s Chelsea Porter; Novato, California, Porter, 5% abv
Schlafly Kolsch; Maplewood, Missouri, Kolsch, 4.8%abv
Rogue Brutal Bitter; Newport, Oregon, India Pale Ale, 6% abv
Guinness; Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv

Destihl

Saison de Ruisseau
Small Beer
Lawnmower Ale
Triton Barley Wine
Black Angel Stout
Frankengluten Belgian Sorghum Ale
Baldock IPA
Hawaii Five-Ale
Quadrupel
Champaign Blonde Ale
Hoperation Overload Double IPA
biere Brune
Weissenheimer Hefeweizen
Tripel

Blind Pig

New Holland Mad Hatter; Holland, Michigan, India Pale Ale, 5.8%
New Holland Imperial Hatter; Holland, Michigan, Imperial IPA, 9.4%
New Holland Farmhouse Hatter; Holland, Michigan, Belgian Ale, 6.5% abv
New Holland Rye Hatter; Holland, Michigan, Specialty Grain, 6.5% abv
New Holland Oaked Hatter; Holland, Michigan, India Pale Ale, 5.1% abv
New Holland Black Hatter; Holland, Michigan, Black IPA, 5.5% abv
Stone Belgo Anise Russian Imp. Stout; Escondido, CA, Imperial Stout, 10.5% abv
Smutty Nose Imperial Stout; Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Imperial Stout, 10.1% abv
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
Schlafly Summer Lager; Maplewood, Missouri, Helles, 4.5%
Celis White; Webberville, Michigan, Belgian White, 3.9% abv
Tucher Helles Hefe Weizen; Germany, German Hefeweizen, 5.3%
Anchor Liberty Ale; San Francisco, California, American Pale Ale, 5.9%
Krusovice Imperial 12; Czech Republic, Bohemian Pilsener, 5%
Dieu du Ciel Route des Epices; Canada, Spice Ale, 5% abv
Tommyknocker Imperial Nut Brown; Idaho Springs, CO, Amer. Strng Ale, 9% 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

Two Brothers Hop Juice
Flossmoor Station Le Chien Blanc Wit
Stone Imperial Russian Stout
Smuttynose Finest Kind IPA
Dieu du Ciel Aphrodite
Avery 18th Anniversary Ale
New Holland the Poet
Left Hand Nitro Sawtooth

Quality Beer

(needs to update their list and online presence)

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

CU Beer Weekend; July 4

2011-07-01T13:58:00.000-07:00

Happy Fourth of July

Seven Saints

Whiskey Wednesday: Scotch

Radio Maria

Monday: closed

1. Two Brothers Dog Days
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. Founders Dirty Bastard
7. Bells Expedition
8. Lefthand Week Sauce
9. Southern Tier Chokolat
10. Ballast Point Navigator
11. Dieu du Ciel Aphrodite
12. Smuttynose Gravitation Quad
13. Avery Maharaja
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. Capital Island Wheat
22. Founders Curmudgeon
23. Kostriker
24. Oaked Arrogant Bastard
25. Nogne Sunturnbrew
26. North Coast Scrimshaw Pilsner
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: closed for 4th
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%
New Holland Mad Hatter IPA
Wittekerke Wit 5.0%
Grieskirchner Pilsner 4.8%
Avery Mephistopheles 15.1%
Houblon Chouffe Dobbelen IPA Tripel 9.0%
Flying Dog Old Scratch Amber Lager 5.5%
New Holland Imperial Mad Hatter IPA
Dieu Du Ciel Aphrodite 6.5%
New Holland Farmhouse Mad Hatter IPA
Boulder Hoopla Pale Ale
Erdinger Hefe Weizen 5.4%
Dark Horse Sapient Trip Ale 8.5%
Scotch de Silly 8.0%
Unibroue Ephemere Apple 5.5%
Stone Belgo Old Guardian Barleywine 12.0%
Stone Ruination IPA 7.7%
PBR 4.2%

Blind Pig Brewery

Blind Pig Replicale Pale Ale
Blind Pig Extra Special Bitter
Two Brothers’ Dog Days Lager; Warrenville, IL, Helles, 4.9% abv
Franziskaner Hefe-Weissbier; Germany, German Hefeweizen, 5% abv
Southern Tier Mokah; Lakewood, New York, Imperial Stout, 10.9% abv
Pyramid Apricot; Seattle, Washington, Fruit Beer, 5.1% abv
Boulevard Two Jokers; Kansas City, Missouri, Belgian White, 8% abv
Ommegang BPA; Cooperstown, New York, Belgian Ale, 6.2% abv
Duvel Green; Belgium, Belgian Ale, 6.8% abv
Avery Anniversary 18; Boulder, Colorado, Saison, 8.2%abv
Rogue Brutal Bitter; Newport, Oregon, India Pale Ale, 6% abv
Guinness; Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv

Destihl

(still the 6-6 list; or is it DESTILL the 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 IPA

SKA Modus Hoperandi; Durango, California, India Pale Ale, 6.8%
Wychwood Hobgoblin; England, Premium Bitter, 5.2%
Rodenbach Grand Cru; Belgium, Sour Ale, 6% 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%
Flying Dog Old Scratch Amber; Frederick, Maryland, California Common, 5.5%
North Coast Scrimshaw; Fort Bragg, California, Pilsener, 4.4%
Dieu du Ciel Route des Epices; Canada, Spice Ale, 5% 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

monday: closed

Stone Imperial Russian Stout
Stone IPA
Avery 18
New Holland the Poet
Left Hand Nitro Sawtooth
Deiu du Ciel Aphrodite
Southern Tier Cask Unearthly IPA

Quality Beer

(old list, there's some changes, not sure what's gone)
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

The replacements: Boulder Hoopla APA; Founders Dirty Bastard

Piccadilly

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

The wines:

Segura Viudas Brut Reserva
Il Cantico Pinot Grigio
Raisins Gaulois by Lapierre
Apaltagua Pinot Noir Reserva

And the Beers:

Abita Amber
Magic Hat Wacko
Moretti La Rossa
Two Brothers Hop Juice

CU Beer Weekend; June 24

2011-06-24T14:23:00.000-07:00

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

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 Gravitation 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. Capital Island Wheat
22. Founders Curmudgeon
23. Kostriker
24. Oaked Arrogant Bastard
25. Nogne Sunturnbrew
26. North Coast Scrimshaw Pilsner
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%
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)

CU Beer Weekend; June 17 (fathers day)

2011-06-17T11:54:00.000-07:00

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

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

CU Beer Weekend; June 10

2011-06-10T12:43:00.000-07:00

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.

A couple of restaurants in the news

2011-06-08T09:26:00.000-07:00

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

2011-06-08T09:25:00.002-07:00

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

2011-06-08T09:25:00.001-07:00

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!!!

2011-06-08T09:20:00.000-07:00

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

2011-06-08T09:18:00.000-07:00

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.

Cu Beer Weekend; May 27 Memorial Day Weekend

2011-05-27T14:17:00.000-07:00

Seven Saints

Tuesday Brewsday: O'Fallon Wheach cans $2
Whiskey Wednesday: Bourbon

Radio Maria

(I need to update this, yes I know, I'm the one who does it)

Rogue Mogul Madness
Breckenridge Chocolate Cream Imperial Stout
Two Brothers Double Crooked Tree
Stone Cali-Belgique
Founders Centennial
Big Sky Heavy Horse Scotch
Bells Expedition
Lefthand Week Sauce
Ballast Point Navigator
Tucher
Ommegang BPA
Founders Double Trouble
Arcadia Cereal Killer Barleywine
Struise Stillwater Outblack
Duvel Green
Lefthand Nitro Sawtooth
North Coast Old Rasputin Nitro
Petrus Oud Bruin
Flossmoor Station Pullman Brown
Dark Horse Too Cream Stout
Flossmoor Station Rail Hopper IPA
Goose Island Fleur

Wychwood Spring Ale
La Trappe Dubbel
Ballast Point Tongue Buckler
PBR

Saturday: Beer Brunch featuring beers from Smuttynose $30, 11am

1. Welcome; guava mimosa with Summerweizen
2. vunderbar pilsner; beer poached egg, bacon-onion potato hash, aged cheddar, beer bernaise
3. Big A ipa; chorizo and gorgonzola omelet, hickory smoked pink peppercorns, buttermilk biscuit
4. Cask Maple Sugar Old brown dog;chicken fried braised beef shoulder, blue corn cakes, brown dog maple syrup
5. gravitation quad; raisin brioche french toast, roasted plantain mascarpone

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%
De Proef K-O 10.0%
Dark Horse Crooked Tree IPA
Cherish Kriek Lambic 5.0%
Victory Prima Pils 5.3%
Founder's Breakfast Stout 8.3%
Nogne 0 #500 Imperial IPA 10.0%
Ballast Point Calico Amber Ale 5.0%
Troubadour Magma 9.0%
Dieu du Ciel Corne du Diable 6.5%
Stone Arrogant Bastard 7.2%
Southern Tier Hop Sun 4.8%
Schlafly Hefe Weizen 3.9%
Saint Somewhere Lectio Divina 8.0%
Gulden Draak 10.5%
Original Sin Hard Cider 6.0%
Stone Belgo Old Guardian Barleywine 12.0%
Smuttynose Robust Porter 5.8%
PBR 4.2%

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 Brewery

Blind Pig Summer Session Ale
Schlafly Pilsner; Maplewood, Missouri, Pilsener, 4.9% abv
Port Brewing Hot Rocks Lager; San Marcos, California, Dunkel, 6.5% abv
Founders Curmudgeon; Grand Rapids, Michigan, Old Ale, 9.8% abv
Franziskaner Hefe-Weissbier; Germany, German Hefeweizen, 5% abv
Bells Java Stout; Kalamazoo, Michigan, Stout, 7.5% abv
Lost Abbey Serpent’s Stout; San Marcos, California, Imperial Stout, 11% abv
Ballast Point Navigator; San Diego, California, Doppelbock, 8%abv
Lagunitas Undercover; Petaluma, California, American Strong Ale, 9.75%abv
Dark Horse Double Crooked Tree; Marshall, MI, Imperial IPA, 13.6% abv
Guinness Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv

Blind Pig

Cask: Left Hand Sawtooth
Rogue XS Imperial Red; Newport, Oregon, American Strong Ale, 9% abv
Left Hand Week Sauce; Longmont, Colorado, Porter, 6% abv
Pangaea Lilja’s Hop Nest Monster; Wisconsin Rapids, WI, India Pale Ale, 7% abv
Big Sky Double IPA; Missoula, Montana, Imperial IPA, 7.8% abv
Strongbow Cider; England, Cider, 5.3% abv
Southern Tier Jah-va; Lakewood, New York, Imperial Stout, 10.6% abv
Founder’s Porter; Grand Rapids, Michigan, Porter, 6.5% abv
Ballast Point Sculpin IPA; San Diego, California, India Pale Ale, 7%
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
Dark Horse Raspberry Black Ice; Marshall, Michigan, Fruit Beer, 9.4% 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 IPA; Petaluma, California, India Pale Ale, 5.7% abv
North Coast Scrimshaw; Fort Bragg, California, Pilsener, 4.4%
Boulder Mojo Risin’; Boulder, Colorado, Imperial IPA, 10% abv
Bells Best Brown; Kalamazoo, Michigan, Brown Ale, 5.8% 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

Ballast Point Even Keel
Ballast Point Navigator Doppelbock
Lost Abbey Barrel-Aged Angel's Share
Victory Hop Devil
Mikkeller Breakfast Stout
Southern Tier Raspberry Wheat
Lagunita's Sonoma Farmhouse Saison
Port Hot Rocks Lager
Lefthand Nitro Wake Up Dead

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

Sean Minor “Four Bears Vin Gris 2010” (100% Pinot Noir): Carneros , California
Sean Minor “Four Bears Cabernet Sauvignon 2008”: Napa Valley , California
(82% Cab Sauv, 13% Merlot, 3% Cab Franc, 2% Petite Verdot)
Radio Boca Tempranillo 2009: Valencia , Spain
Los Molles Viognier Reserva 2010: Valle del Limari , Chile

San Miguel Lager
San Miguel Dark Lager
Left Hand Stranger Pale Ale
Lagunitas Undercover Investigation Shutdown Ale

Alcohol in the news; foods to drink with beer

2011-05-24T06:41:00.000-07:00

From the Buzz

The best foods to drink with a brewski

Beer is a drink that could, and should, be used on many different occasions. Varieties of beer differ on a number of levels such as bitterness, alcohol by volume and ingredients included. With flavors that vary on such wide ranges, beers and food should be paired in ways that complement each other.

Starts out nice.

One way to do this is by matching beer and food by their country of origin.

Also good...

Try pairing a Corona or a Dos Equis with some chips and salsa, or a Pacifico with some tacos. The slightly watery taste of the Corona and Dos Equis won’t overpower the spiciness of your choice of Mexican food, and the Pacifico’s smooth taste makes it easy to enjoy many in a single sitting. A lime wedge is popular with all three of these beers.

uh...

For the distinct flavor and aroma of a Guinness, the famous Irish beer, some sausages would go perfectly.

um...

Beck’s, perhaps the most popular German beer in the U.S., is a dark beer with a strong flavor. Try a bratwurst with sauerkraut to go with the dry and slightly skunky taste of a Beck’s beer. Also meshing well with German beer is a giant pretzel; salty foods work well with almost all beers.

well...

Of course, there is always the sports bar food that goes fantastically with some good American beers. A Sam Adams, Coors or bottle of Busch pair well with a juicy cheeseburger, buffalo wings or heaping plate of nachos. A Chicago style hotdog seems appropriate to be paired with a Miller Lite or Old Style, the sponsored beers of the Chicago White Sox and the Chicago Cubs, respectively.

It's basically an article pairing food with crappy beer. The only beer mentioned in the article that is even interesting is Sam Adams.

But, it's the buzz; so what do you expect, a quality article?

Alcohol in the news; craft brewers can still distrubute under ill. bill

2011-05-24T06:40:00.000-07:00

From WAND NBC

Craft brewers can still distribute under Ill. bill

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) -- An Illinois bill would allow craft beer brewers to distribute their own beer, reversing a court ruling to stop that practice.

Only craft breweries could self-distribute through a special license. Larger companies from in-state and out-of-state, such as Illinois-based Pabst Blue Ribbon and St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch InBev, no longer have those rights.

Anheuser-Busch InBev filed a lawsuit last year saying out-of-state and in-state brewers face different standards for self-distribution in Illinois. A federal judge agreed and stripped all brewers of that right. But the judge delayed implementing that ruling to give the Legislature time to make adjustments to self-distribution rights.

The legislation passed both houses with little opposition. It now heads to Gov. Pat Quinn for review.

---

The bill is SB754.

Alcohol in the news; Urbana discusses liquor licenses

2011-05-24T06:39:00.000-07:00

From WAND NBC

Urbana City Council Discusses Liquor Licenses

URBANA, IL- It may soon get tougher for businesses in Urbana to sell packaged liquor.

Urbana City Council members discussed limiting the number of class "c" liquor licenses at a meeting Monday night.

The number of licenses may be cut back from 27 down to 16.

Any additional businesses that would want to sell packaged alcohol would have to go through a public hearing and the regular council process.

Mayor Laurel Prussing changed the ordinance after a backlash against two businesses on Philo Road seeking licenses.

CU Beer Weekend; May 20

2011-05-20T13:32:00.000-07:00

(Sorry I missed last weekend, I took the week off due to my birthday)

It's the end of American Craft Beer Week. Don't forget this Sunday.

Chambana Craft Beer Pub Crawl

4 pm Crane Alley; Founders Black Biscuit
5 pm Black Dog Smoke and Ale House; Dark Horse Soin Oats
6 pm Mike n' Molly's; Two Brother's Askew
6:45 pm Seven Saints; Ballast Point Sculpin
7:30 pm Quality Beer; Two Brother's Pahoiehoie
8:15 pm Blind Pig; Dark Horse Raspberry Ice Black
9 pm Radio Maria; Founders CBS (Canadian Breakfast Stout)

Sign up at any of the bars listed to reserve your glass, you don't need to sign up to go.

Seven Saints

Tuesday Brewsday: Two Brothers Monarch Wit $2
Whiskey Wednesday: Irish

Radio Maria

Rogue Mogul Madness
Breckenridge Chocolate Cream Imperial Stout
Lefthand 400# Monkey
Stone Cali-belgique
Founders Centennial
Big Sky Heavy Horse Scotch
Bells Expedition
Lefthand Week Sauce
Two Brothers Monarch Wit
Hofbrau Original Lager
Lefthand Twin Sisters
Founders Double Trouble
Arcadia Cereal Killer Barleywine
Struise Stillwater Outblack
Blanche de Bruxelles
Lefthand Nitro Sawtooth
North Coast Old Rasputin Nitro
Petrus Oud Bruin
Flossmoor Station Pullman Brown
Dark Horse Too Cream Stout
Flossmoor Station Rail Hopper IPA
Goose Island Fleur
Bitburger
Wychwood Spring Ale
La Trappe Dubbel
Ballast Point Tongue Buckler
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

May 28: Memorial Weekend Beer Brunch, 11am -2pm. Brunch items paired with Smuttynose beer. Including a cask of Maple Sugar Old Brown Dog.

Crane Alley

Morland's Old Speckled Hen 5.2%
St Feuillen/Green Flash Bier de L'imite 9.5%
Bell's Two Hearted Ale 7.0%
Wittekerke Wit 5.0%
Victory Prima Pils 5.3%
Founder's Imperial Stout 10.5%
Avery Maharaja IPA 10.5%
Flossmoor Station Panama Red 6.5%
Troubadour Magma 9.0%
Dieu du Ciel Route des Epices 6.5%
Stone Double Dry-Hopped Sublimely Self Righteous 8.7%
Southern Tier Hop Sun 4.8%
Smuttynose Summer Weizen
Stone Sublimely Self Righteous Ale 8.7%
Gulden Draak 10.5%
Crispin Cider 5.8%
Stone Belgo Old Guardian Barleywine 12.0%
Port Brewing Midnight Expressions 5.0%
PBR 4.2%

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
Tripel
Quadrupel
Roadblock British Red ale
Baldock IPA
Frankengluten Belgian Sorghum Ale
Weissenheimer Hefeweizen
Strawberry Blonde Ale

Blind Pig Brewery

Blind Pig India Pale Ale
Blind Pig Irish Dry Stout
Schlafly Pilsner; Maplewood, Missouri, Pilsener, 4.9% abv
Bells Oberon; Kalamazoo, Michigan, Wheat Ale, 6% abv
Big Muddy Saluki Dunkeldog; Murphysboro, Illinois, Dunkel, 5.4% abv
Lakefront Black IPA; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Black IPA, 6.5% abv
Avery Out of Bounds Stout; Boulder, Colorado, Dry Stout, 6.3% abv
Duvel Green; Belgium, Belgian Ale, 6.8% abv
New Holland Golden Cap; Holland, Michigan, Saison, 7%abv
Lagunitas Undercover; Petaluma, California, American Strong Ale, 9.75%abv
Avery DuganA; Boulder, Colorado, Imperial IPA, 8.5% abv
Guinness; Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv

Blind Pig

Cask: Smuttynose Maibock
Tommyknocker Hop Strike; Idaho Springs, Colorado, Black IPA, 7% abv
Big Sky IPA; Missoula, Montana, India Pale Ale, 6.2% abv
Schlafly Summer Lager; Maplewood, Missouri, Helles, 4.5% abv
Avery The Maharaja; Boulder, Colorado, Imperial IPA, 10.54% abv
Strongbow Cider; England, Cider, 5.3% abv
Southern Tier Jah-va; Lakewood, New York, Imperial Stout, 10.6% abv
Founder’s Porter; Grand Rapids, Michigan, Porter, 6.5% abv
Ballast Point Sculpin IPA; San Diego, California, India Pale Ale, 7%
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 IPA; Petaluma, California, India Pale Ale, 5.7% abv
North Coast Scrimshaw; Fort Bragg, California, Pilsener, 4.4%
Boulder Mojo Risin’; Boulder, Colorado, Imperial IPA, 10% abv
Stone Old Guardian Belgo; Escondido, California, Barleywine, 12% 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

Lost Abbey Barrel-Aged Angel's Share
Victory Hop Devil
Mikkeller Breakfast Stout
Southern Tier Raspberry Wheat
Lagunita's Sonoma Farmhouse Saison
Port Hot Rocks Lager
Lefthand Nitro Wake Up Dead

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

Wopart Brut Rose Cava: Spain
Escarpment Over the Edge Pinot Noir: Martinborough , New Zealand
Cade Sauvignon Blanc: Napa Valley
Vilosell Red (Tempranillo, Merlot, Cab Sauv, Shiraz ): Spain

Pyramid Curve Ball
New Belgium Somersault
Abita Strawberry Lager
Boulevard Amber

Alcohol in the news; Champaign will probably have a new package liquor tax

2011-05-18T06:41:00.000-07:00

3 stories from around town on a proposed package liquor tax

From the News-Gazette

Champaign backs 4% liquor tax to keep police department jobs

CHAMPAIGN — The city council on Tuesday night took steps to reverse a plan to cut three civilian positions in the police department, a proposal which opponents had argued would be a significant blow to police officers' safety.

The caveat: Residents, or at least those who buy alcohol, will have to pay for it.

...

That is where a new package liquor tax would come in. In a separate 6-3 vote, council members on Tuesday night tentatively supported the establishment of a 4 percent tax on retail liquor sales. If the new tax receives formal approval this summer, it could bring in roughly $700,000 per year to pay for city services, Finance Director Richard Schnuer estimates.

From WCIA 3/Illinois Homepage.net

It could get more expensive to buy booze in Champaign

It needs to figure out a way to bring in more money, or else people at the police department could get booted from their jobs.

"I think it's a good way to collect more money and get money in community, because people here drink," said Kathleen Crombez from Champaign.

...

"I think if Champaign puts a 4% tax on alcohol, people will go to Urbana to buy liquor," said Eric Wildhagen from Champaign.

...

Here's how the tax breaks down:
If you drink a glass of wine each night, that adds up to about 73 bottles of wine over a year.
If each bottle costs roughly $10 that adds up to a total of $730 spent on wine through out the year. The proposed liquor tax would add about $30 dollars to that tab.
If you drink a can of beer each day, it would add up to about $9 extra each year.

From the Daily Illini

Champaign city council votes on police desk cuts, packed liquor tax

The straw poll called by Mayor Gerard also included a vote on a four percent tax on packed liquor. Such a tax has been passed in the cities of Normal and Bloomington, and the city of Champaign could take in around $700,000 if the tax is passed.

The council voted 6-3 in favor of the tax.

The new liquor tax, if formally passed, would essentially pay the $212,000 needed to retain the three staff positions which would allow the police lobby to remain open 24 hours a day. Richard Schnuer, finance director, said the new tax, if formally passed, would not be adopted until July, and that August 1 would be the first effective date of the tax.

So, Friar Tuck is in Savoy...

American Craft Beer Week

2011-05-16T09:29:00.000-07:00

Things going on this week:

Wed: CU Beer Club, May gathering. American Craft Beer (East vs. West)

At Crane Alley, 6:30.

Bring 22+ ounces of American Craft Beer

Sunday: Chambana Craft Beer Pub Crawl

Sign up at any of the hosting bars.

Starts at Crane Alley at 4 pm, finishes at Radio Maria at 9 pm.

4 pm Crane Alley; Founders Black Biscuit
5 pm Black Dog Smoke and Ale House; Dark Horse Soin Oats
6 pm Mike n' Molly's; Two Brother's Askew
6:45 pm Seven Saints; Ballast Point Sculpin
7:30 pm Quality Beer; Two Brother's Pahoiehoie
8:15 pm Blind Pig; Dark Horse Raspberry Ice Black
9 pm Radio Maria; Founders CBS (Canadian Breakfast Stout)

Alcohol in the news; Extra on Tap Episode #31

2011-05-16T09:28:00.000-07:00

From Extra 92.1

EOT Episode #31

Weltenburger Pils

They first try to guess what the beer will taste like, before tasting it.

Alcohol in the news; Destihl drops in

2011-05-16T09:27:00.000-07:00

from the Buzz

DESTIHL drops in

In September 2009, I interviewed Matt Potts, CEO and brewmaster of DESTIHL Restaurant and Brew Works, as part of my very first article ever for buzz. DESTIHL had opened two years before in Normal, Ill., and it was about to start construction on a new Champaign location.

“We hope to start construction within the next 60 days,” Potts told me a year and a half ago.

...

So first, the beer. Fourteen kinds are currently on tap in Champaign. Don’t expect to see a list of domestic and imported beers, because every kind was brewed about 20 feet away in the big steel machinery at the front of the restaurant. DESTIHL makes about 50 different varieties at its two locations at any given time, which it rotates throughout the year.

Second, the food. DESTIHL’s menu is the kind that lists about six ingredients for each item — you know, the kind that makes you certain it’s going to be a taste bud-intensive meal before you even order. Executive chef Manny Martinez said that 90 percent of the items are made in-house, even the butter — the butter — which, Potts said, is made from local milk and cream. DESTIHL has relationships with about 40 farms to bring in local ingredients like honey, pork, cheese and produce.

Alcohol in the news; whet your whistle 5.11

2011-05-16T09:26:00.000-07:00

From WCIA 3 Illinois Homepage.net

7 Saints 5.11

7 Saints is here to help us Whet our Whistle.

A 10+ minute segment with Andy Borbely. Andy makes Cubs and Cardinals inspired drinks.

Cubs: Ramos Gin Fizz. Egg white, lemon and lime juice, sugar, orange flour water, heavy cream, (looks like North Shore Gin, cointreau) (shake for a day and a half); Blue cuarcao, peach bitters; and then he did something with frosting.

Cardinals: Manhattan variation; Buffalo Trace Bourbon, cherry bitters, sugar (simple syrup), and an Andy stove mixture.

Alcohol in the news; Quality Beer

2011-05-16T09:25:00.000-07:00

From the News Gazette

It's Your Business: New bar opens in downtown Champaign

Downtown Champaign recently welcomed a new watering hole to its lineup of bars.

The long-vacant Lox Stock & Bagel space at Neil and Chester streets is now home to Quality, a place where people can choose from more than 100 different beers, including many microbrews from around the U.S. It opened April 30.

...

Their focus is on American craft beers. On tap they feature 16 of these beers, usually a few pale ales, a wheat beer, stout and others. The beers on tap, such as from Two Brothers Brewing Company and Flossmoor Station of Illinois and Founders Brewing of Michigan, will rotate.

...

Quality is open at 3 p.m. daily and can be reached at 359-3425.

Name Change

Downtown Champaign cupcake bar Cakes on Walnut has changed its name to Cream & Flutter to reflect an expansion in its sweet offerings.

...

Cream & Flutter was considered as a name early on.

A retail element has been added to the shop, including chocolate, cocoa and butter — ingredients they use in their recipes.

Along with an updated logo and look to the menu and packaging (done with the help of University of Illinois graphic designer Samantha Snyder), the shop's interior has been modified.

...

Hours are the same: 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The shop can be reached at 355-5400 and http://www.creamandflutter.com.

Alcohol in the news; Cinco de mayo margarita showdown

2011-05-06T12:46:00.000-07:00

From the Buzz

cinco de mayo margarita showdown

In order to get ready for the holiday itself, buzz took to some local restaurants and bars to find the best margaritas around.

They visit several places and drink Margaritas.

Cocina Real, Fiesta Ranchero, and Esquire Lounge. They also tried some mixes and the Frutista Freeze from Taco Bell (add your own tequila).

Alcohol in the news; Cinco de Mayo Spirits

2011-05-06T12:45:00.001-07:00

From Illinoishomepage.net/WCIA 3

Cinco de Mayo Spirits

sam samet piccadilly and brian mckay from art mart.

We sample wine from Argentina and beer for Cinco de Mayo.

a 12 + minute segment with sam.

CU Beer Weekend, May 6

2011-05-06T12:42:00.000-07:00

Seven Saints

Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous
Arrogant Bastard

Brewsday Tuesday: Lagunitas IPA $2
Whiskey Wednesday: Scotch

Radio Maria

Rogue Mogul Madness
Bells Hopslam
(I can't remember)
Stone Ruination
Lefthand 400# Monkey
Stone Smoked Porter
Bells Expedition
Stone Cali-Belgique
New Holland Dragons Milk
Port Older Viscosity
Ommegang Abbey Double
Founders Double Trouble
Arcadia Cereal Killer Barleywine
Original Sin Cider
Blanche de Bruxelles
Wexford Irish Cream Ale
Moylans' Dragoons Dry Irish Stout
Liefmans Cuvee Brut
Flossmoor Station Pullman Brown
Wychwood Spring Ale
New Holland Imperial Hatter
Southern Tier Chokolat
North Coast Scrimshaw Pilsner
Dark Horse Too Cream Stout
La Trappe Dubbel
Ballast Point Tongue Buckler
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

May 28: Memorial Weekend Beer Brunch, 11am -2pm. Brunch items paired with Smuttynose beer. Including a cask of Maple Sugar Old Brown Dog.

Crane Alley

Morland's Old Speckled Hen 5.2%
St Feuillen/Green Flash Bier de L'imite 9.5%
Bell's Two Hearted Ale 7.0%
Wittekerke Wit 5.0%
Victory Prima Pils 5.3%
Founder's Imperial Stout 10.5%
Avery Maharaja IPA 10.5%
Flossmoor Station Panama Red 6.5%
Troubadour Magma 9.0%
Stone/Green Flash/Pizza Port Highway 78 Scotch Ale 8.8%
Stone Double Dry-Hopped Sublimely Self Righteous 8.7%
Southern Tier Hop Sun 4.8%
Smuttynose Summer Weizen
Stone Sublimely Self Righteous Ale 8.7%
Gulden Draak 10.5%
Crispin Cider 5.8%
Stone Belgo Old Guardian Barleywine 12.0%
Port Brewing Midnight Expressions 5.0%
PBR 4.2%

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
Tripel
Quadrupel
Roadblock British Red ale
Baldock IPA
Frankengluten Belgian Sorghum Ale
Weissenheimer Hefeweizen
Strawberry Blonde Ale

Blind Pig Brewery

Blind Pig Summer Session Ale
Blind Pig American Pale Ale
Blind Pig American Dark Ale
Schlafly Pilsner; Maplewood, Missouri, Pilsener, 4.9% abv
Smutty Nose Summer Weizen; Portsmouth, NH, Wheat Ale, 5.2% abv
Hofbrau Maibock; Munich, Germany, Heller Bock, 7.2% abv
Konig Pilsener; Germany, Classic German Pilsener, 4.9% abv
Dieu du Ciel Aphrodite; Canada, Stout, 6.5% abv
Wychwood Wolf Rider; England, Bitter, 5.7%% abv
Tommyknocker Butt Head Bock; Idaho Springs, CO, Doppelbock, 8.2%
Boulder Mojo Risin; Boulder, Colorado, Imperial IPA, 10% abv
Guinness; Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv

Blind Pig

Flying Dog Gonzo Imperial Porter; Frederick, Maryland, Imperial Porter, 9.2% abv
Avery Karma; Boulder, Colorado, Belgian Ale, 5.2% abv
Bells Oberon; Kalamazoo, Michigan, Wheat Ale, 6% abv
New Holland Imperial Hatter; Holland, Michigan, Imperial IPA, 9.4% abv
Ommegang Hennepin; Cooperstown, New York, Saison, 7.7% abv
Dark Horse One Oatmeal; Stout Marshall, Michigan, Sweet Stout, 8% abv
Founder’s Imperial Stout; Grand Rapids, Michigan, Imperial Stout, 10% abv
Left Hand Fade To Black; Longmont, Colorado, Smoked, 7.8%
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
Dieu du Ciel Rosée d’Hibiscus; Canada, Wheat Ale, 5.9%
Celis Raspberry; Webberville, Michigan, Fruit Beer, 3.9% abv
Tucher Helles Hefe Weizen; Germany, German Hefeweizen, 5.3%
Lagunitas IPA; Petaluma, California, India Pale Ale, 5.7% abv
North Coast Scrimshaw; Fort Bragg, California, Pilsener, 4.4%
Rogue XS Imperial Red; Newport, Oregon, American Strong Ale, 9% abv
Stone 2007 Old Guardian; Escondido, California, Barleywine, 11.26% 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 and Ale House

Hofbrau Maibock
Troubadour Magma Triple IPA
Boulder Nitro Mojo IPA
Smuttynose Summer Weizen
New Holland Mad Hatter IPA
Dark Horse Plead the 5th Imperial Stout

Quality Beer

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: friday 4-7, Saturday 1-4 $5. Wine from Three Wine company, with Matt Cline (owner/winemaker). 4 beers, Steenbrugge dubbel Bruin, Avery New World Porter, Mikkeller Single Hop Chinook, Founder's Double Trouble.

Mark your calendar!

May 22: Chambana Craft Beer Pub Crawl , Sunday, May 22, starting at Crane Alley at 4, then heading around Urbana and Champaign until at least 9pm.

Alcohol in the news; Urbana Liquor Licenses

2011-05-03T08:27:00.000-07:00

From WCIA 3

Urbana Liquor Licenses

URBANA - More places to buy alcohol could be on the way to Urbana. Two new convenience stores have applied for liquor licenses. They're under construction on Philo Road.

One business owner in the area is concerned. Jerommie Smith of Truly Fit is now looking for other locations. His lease is up in about two years and the pending liquor licenses could play a role in his decision.

Alcohol in the news; Yorkville Savion Blanc

2011-05-03T08:25:00.001-07:00

From wcia 3/ illinoishomepage.net

Yorkville Savion Blanc

Todd Fusco, Manager of Corkscrew in Urbana, is here with a Yorkville Savion Blanc, for today's Whet Your Whistle.

It's a short, 3:30 piece. They talk about an organic wine, no pesticides, herbicides, and have sheep do the mowing.

Alcohol in the news; Liquor-license applications irk Urbana residents

2011-05-03T08:21:00.000-07:00

from the news-gazette

Liquor-license applications irk Urbana residents

URBANA — Two new convenient stores proposed for the Philo Road business district are seeking liquor licenses, and nearby residents and business owners are less than thrilled.

...

Urbana's liquor ordinance does limit the amount of licenses that can be issued based on the city's population. But in January the council, on Mayor Laurel Prussing's recommendation, approved a change to the population limit for Class C liquor licenses. The move allowed for more Class C liquor licenses to be permitted in the city, increasing it from 11 to 27. A Class C license allows a business to sell packaged beer, wine and hard liquor to be consumed off the property.

...

The two convenient stores that have applied for Class C liquor licenses are Q-Mart, proposed for 2005 Philo Road, and The Short-Stop, proposed for 1720 S. Philo Road. Both applications are pending, said Prussing, who is also the city's liquor commissioner.

...

"If you're concerned about crime in that area, I don't think it's coming from the liquor stores, but the apartments. We're working with an apartment owner to get him to have a plan for dealing with some of his tenants," Prussing said.

It's not the liquor, it's the people who drink it.

Michelson and other members of the neighborhood safety task force will take up the topic of crime and liquor stores at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in the second floor conference room at city hall, 400 S. Vine St. It is open to the public.

CU Beer Weekend; April 29

2011-04-29T13:25:00.000-07:00

Seven Saints

Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous
Arrogant Bastard

Brewsday Tuesday: TBA
Whiskey Wednesday: Bourbon and Rye

Radio Maria

Rogue Mogul Madness
Stone IPA
Stone Pale
Stone Ruination
Lefthand 400# Monkey
Stone Smoked Porter
Stone Sublimely Self Righteous
Stone Cali-Belgique
New Holland Dragons Milk
Port Older Viscosity
Ommegang Abbey Double
Founders Double Trouble
Arcadia Cereal Killer Barleywine
Original Sin Cider
Blanche de Bruxelles
Wexford Irish Cream Ale
Moylans' Dragoons Dry Irish Stout
Liefmans Cuvee Brut
Flossmoor Station Pullman Brown
Wychwood Spring Ale
New Holland Imperial Hatter
Southern Tier Chokolat
North Coast Scrimshaw Pilsner
Dark Horse Too Cream Stout
La Trappe Dubbel
Ballast Point Tongue Buckler
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

Destihl

Champaign Blonde Ale
Bar Sinister Mild Ale
Belgian Pale Ale
Deadhead Double Red Ale
Black Angel Stout
Raspberry Wheat ale
Antiquity Rye Wine
Tripel
Quadrupel
Roadblock British Red ale
Baldock IPA
Frankengluten Belgian Sorghum Ale
Weissenheimer Hefeweizen

Crane Alley

Left Hand Sawtooth E.S.B. Nitro 5.3%
Jenlain St Druon de Seabourg 6.1%
Flying Dog Snake Dog IPA 7.1%
Luete Bokbier 7.5%
Victory Prima Pils 5.3%
Bells Batch 10,000 9.2%
Ballast Point Sculpin IPA 7.0%
Bell's Best Brown Ale 5.8%
Troubadour Magma 9.0%
Stone/Green Flash/Pizza Port Highway 78 Scotch Ale 8.8%
Stone Cali-Belgique IPA 6.9%
Lost Coast Tangerine Wheat 5.0%
Ommegang Belgian Pale Ale 6.2%
Stone Sublimely Self Righteous Ale 8.7%
Gulden Draak 10.5%
Weston's Stowfford Press Cider 6.0%
Mikkeller Big Worst Barleywine 18.5%
Ballast Point Bourbon Barrel Black Marlin Porter
PBR 4.2%

Blind Pig Brewery

Blind Pig Summer Ale
Blind Pig American Pale Ale
Blind Pig American Dark Ale
Blind Pig Apricot Wheat
Schlafly Pilsner; Maplewood, Missouri, Pilsener, 4.9% abv
Victory Golden Monkey; Downington, Pennsylvania, Abbey Tripel, 9.5% abv
Hofbrau Maibock; Munich, Germany, Heller Bock, 7.2% abv
Hofbrau Hefweizen; Munich, Germany, Germany Hefeweizen, 5.1% abv
Brasserie De La Senne Equinox; Belgium, Belgian Strong Ale, 8% abv
Petrus Old Bruin; Belgium, Sour Ale, 5.5% abv
Wychwood Wolf Rider; England, Bitter, 5.7%% abv
Tommyknocker Butt Head Bock; Idaho Springs, CO, Doppelbock, 8.2%
Stone IPA; Escondido, California, India Pale Ale, 7.9% abv
Guinness; Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv

Blind Pig

Rogue Juniper Pale Ale; Newport, Oregon, American Pale Ale, 5.2% abv
Left Hand Stranger Pale Ale; Longmont, Colorado, American Pale Ale, 5% abv
Avery White Rascal; Boulder, Colorado, Belgian White, 5.6% abv
Two Brothers’ Cane & Ebel; Warrenville, Illinois, American Strong Ale, 7% abv
Ommegang Hennepin; Cooperstown, New York, Saison, 7.7% abv
Flossmoor Station Black Magic; Flossmoor, Illinois, Black IPA, 7.5% abv
Founder’s Imperial Stout; Grand Rapids, Michigan, Imperial Stout, 10% abv
Left Hand Fade To Black; Longmont, Colorado, Smoked, 7.8%
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
Karmeliet Tripel; Belgium, Abbey Tripel, 8%
Celis Raspberry; Webberville, Michigan, Fruit Beer, 3.9% abv
Tucher Helles Hefe Weizen; Germany, German Hefeweizen, 5.3%
Lagunitas IPA; Petaluma, California, India Pale Ale, 5.7% abv
North Coast Scrimshaw; Fort Bragg, California, Pilsener, 4.4%
Rogue XS Imperial Red; Newport, Oregon, American Strong Ale, 9% abv
Stone 2007 Old Guardian; Escondido, California, Barleywine, 11.26% 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 and Ale House

Left Hand Good Juju Pale-ish Ale-ish
Scotch de Silly Scotch Ale
Dark Horse Double Crooked Tree
Rogue Cask-Conditioned Chocolate Stout
Two Brothers Bare Tree Weiss Wine
Ommegang Rare Vos Amber Ale
New Holland Dragon's Milk
Left Hand Nitro Sawtooth Ale
Harviestour Bitter & Twisted

Opening Saturday...

Quality Beer

Anchor Liberty
Boulder Gazed 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: friday 4-7, Saturday 1-4 $3. 5 wines and 4 summer beers

CU Beer Club

Tuesday: May Happy Hour, Mike n' Molly's 6pm

Mark your calendar!

Chambana Craft Beer Pub Crawl , Sunday, May 22, starting at Crane Alley at 4, then heading around Urbana and Champaign until at least 9pm.

Alcohol in the news; Illini Inn changes hands

2011-04-25T11:17:00.001-07:00

From the News Gazette

Illini Inn Changes Hands

The Illini Inn on campus has new owners.

John Rinkenberger Jr., who owns the Village Inn Pizza Parlor in west Champaign, purchased the tavern at 901 S. Fourth St., C, with friend Sean Ackerson. The two have owned the upstairs pizza joint, Stone Baked Pizza, for the last three years, and Rinkenberger said it made sense to buy the bar too.

"The main draw for us is, we like things with tradition and things that have had a good name in the past," said Rinkenberger, who grew up in Urbana and attended Illinois State University. "We're very excited to own it."

The Illini Inn, one of the older bars on campus, is known for its "Mug Club," in which members traditionally chug their first mug of beer while other patrons in the bar cheer them on.

Right now, no food is served at the bar. That will change.

"We are planning on putting a full-scale menu in the bar," he said. Items like pizza, calzones and sandwiches will be made available, probably when students return to campus in late August, he said.

The Illini Inn is a small bar; the capacity is 75. No major renovations are planned, however; in the future, the new owners plan to update the bathrooms.

"We're a place to hang out and talk. ... to talk to your buddy about what went on during the day," Rinkenberger said.

The pizza business, located on the second floor, is known mostly for its pizza sold by the slice during the late hours.

Rinkenberger said he plans to continue operating Village Inn Pizza.

also in the same article

Now Open

Destihl Restaurant & Brew Works is now open in downtown Champaign.

The long-awaited restaurant on the south side of M2, at 301 N. Neil St., opened to the public Wednesday after a soft opening a few days earlier.

The 9,000-square-foot "gastrobrewery," as owner Matt Potts has called it, is the second location for Destihl, which started in Normal.

The menu features steaks, seafood, pizzas, sandwiches, salads and more. Beer is brewed on-site, and diners can view the operation from the dining area. The brewery is releasing 17 beers for the opening.

Construction began in the fall after several delays, including repair work needed on M2 following the fire that burned down the Metropolitan Building across the street.

The Champaign restaurant is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. Brunches are offered on the weekend. Destihl can be reached at 356-0301 or http://www.destihl.com.

Two other restaurants, an Irish pub and a Mongolian-style stir-fry, are planned for the north side of M2. Those building permits were issued last week by the city of Champaign.

CU Beer Weekend; April 22, Easter

2011-04-22T13:32:00.000-07:00

Do you have reservations for your Easter Brunch yet? Brunches in town include Radio Maria, and Emerald City. Call them now if you don't have reservations yet.

Seven Saints

Arrogant Bastard
Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous

Brewsday Tuesday: Stone Oaked Arrogant Bastard $3
Whiskey Wednesday: Irish

Radio Maria

Rogue Mogul Madness
Stone IPA
Stone Pale
Stone Ruination
Stone 14th Anniversary Emperial Ale
Stone Smoked Porter
Stone Sublimely Self Righteous
Stone Cali-Belgique
New Holland Dragons Milk
Port Older Viscosity
Ommegang Abbey Double
Ofallon Hemp Hop Rye
Arcadia Cereal Killer Barleywine
Original Sin Cider
Blanche de Bruxelles
Wexford Irish Cream Ale
Moylans' Dragoons Dry Irish Stout
Liefmans Cuvee Brut
Flossmoor Station Pullman Brown
Two Brothers Northwind Stout
New Holland Imperial Hatter
Southern Tier Chokolat
North Coast Scrimshaw Pilsner
(I'm not sure what I'm putting on here)
Flossmoor Station Station Master Wheat
Ballast Point Tongue Buckler
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

Destihl

Champaign Blonde Ale
Bar Sinister Mild Ale
Belgian Pale Ale
Deadhead Double Red Ale
Black Angel Stout
Raspberry Wheat ale
von Linne Apricot Wheat Ale
Antiquity Rye Wine
Tripel
Quadrupel
Roadblock British Red ale
Baldock IPA
Frankengluten Belgian Sorghum Ale
Jacob's Ladder American Brown Ale
All-the-Wiser Imperial Hefeweizen
Downstate Pale Ale

Blind Pig Brewery

Blind Pig American Pale Ale
Blinid Pig American Dark Ale
Blind Pig Hard cider
Blind Pig Apricot Wheat
Schlafly Pilsener
Avery IPA
Hofbrau Maibock
Hofbrau Hefeweizen
Brasserie De La Senne Equinox
Petrus Old Bruin
Wychwood Wolf Rider
Dark Horse Reserve Special Black Bier
Boulevard Tank 7
Guinness

Sunday: Trivia Night, 7pm
Tuesday/Wednesday: Mug Club $2 off craft with purchase of mug

Crane Alley

Left Hand Sawtooth E.S.B. Nitro 5.3%
Jenlain St Druon de Seabourg 6.1%
Flying Dog Snake Dog IPA 7.1%
Luete Bokbier 7.5%
Victory Prima Pils 5.3%
Bells Batch 10,000 9.2%
Ballast Point Sculpin IPA 7.0%
Bell's Best Brown Ale 5.8%
Troubadour Magma 9.0%
Stone/Green Flash/Pizza Port Highway 78 Scotch Ale 8.8%
Stone Cali-Belgique IPA 6.9%
Lost Coast Tangerine Wheat 5.0%
Ommegang Belgian Pale Ale 6.2%
Stone Sublimely Self Righteous Ale 8.7%
Gulden Draak 10.5%
Weston's Stowfford Press Cider 6.0%
Mikkeller Big Worst Barleywine 18.5%
Ballast Point Bourbon Barrel Black Marlin Porter
PBR 4.2%

Specials for the weekend of April 22nd

Beef Ragout Nachos – Slow simmered ragout of hanger steak over tri-color tortilla chips with white cheddar béchamel and roasted jalapenos. $11.95

Salmon Cakes – Pan seared citrus-roasted salmon cakes over jasmine rice with mesculin mixed field greens, apple-horseradish coleslaw and roast jalapeno cream sauce. $13.95

Pork Gribiche – Grilled bone-in pork chop with gribiche over herb-roasted new potatoes. Served with capers, cornichons and mesculin mixed field greens. $18.95

Black Dog Smoke and Ale House

Left Hand Sawtooth Ale
Rare Vos Amber Ale
Two Brothers Monarch Wit
Schlafly Pilsner
Southern Tier Hop Sun
Avery Maharaja
Harviestoun Bitter and Twisted

Blind Pig

Rogue Juniper Pale Ale; Newport, Oregon, American Pale Ale, 5.2% abv
Left Hand Stranger Pale Ale; Longmont, Colorado, American Pale Ale, 5% abv
Gouden Carolus Hopsinjoor; Mechelen, Belgium, Belgian Strong Ale, 8% abv
BluCreek Blueberry; Madison, Wisconsin, Fruit Beer, 4% abv
Ommegang Hennepin; Cooperstown, New York, Saison, 7.7% abv
Flossmoor Station Black Magic; Flossmoor, Illinois, Black IPA, 7.5% abv
Flying Dog Double Dog; Frederick, Maryland, American Pale Ale, 11.5% abv
Left Hand Good Juju Ginger; Longmont, Colorado, Spice Ale, 4%
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
Sierra Nevada Ovila Dubbel; Chico, California, Abbey Dubbel, 7.5%
Two Brothers’ Ebel’s Weiss; Warrenville, Illinois, German Hefeweizen, 4.9% abv
Tucher Helles Hefe Weizen; Germany, German Hefeweizen, 5.3%
Lagunitas IPA; Petaluma, California, India Pale Ale, 5.7% abv
Bitburger Premium Pils; Germany, Classic German Pilsener, 4.8%
Founder’s Centennial IPA; Grand Rapids, Michigan, India Pale Ale, 7.2% abv
Stone 2010 Old Guardian; Escondido, California, Barleywine, 11.26% abv
Lindeman’s Framboise; Belgium, Lambic, 2.5% abv
Belhaven Scottish; Scotland, Bitter, 3.9%
Guinness; Dublin, Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv

Next weekend is Dark Lord Day. Also the Peoria Jaycees International Beer Festival. There are some good offerings () but if you are going, you'll want to do the VIP package... sadly, sold out.

Destihl, the new brewery in town

2011-04-22T10:25:00.001-07:00

Kridz, Matt, and I went to Destihl in Champaign last night.

First, lets clear up some rumors. I've heard several people claim they don't want to go there because it's a "chain". This is only the second restaurant/brewery opened by Destihl. If you are concerned that you are supporting a "chain" restaurant, then you should also boycott any Nieto bars (7 Saints, Guidos, Jupiters, Billy Barooz, Jupiters at the Crossing, Highdive, and Cowboy Monkey). If ownership of more than one bar makes it a chain, then you should also avoid going to the Blind Pig and the Blind Pig Brewery. Heck, you can also skip going to Esquire Lounge and Black Dog Smoke and Ale House.

This place isn't a chain, there are things that are common at both restaurants, but it is far from a chain. There are several "chain" brewery restaurants out there: Rock Bottom, Ram, Gordon Biersch, Hops, Granite City... some are good, some aren't. Granite City is one of my least favorites, but even if one opened up in town, it would do well. Regardless of the chain status, each Rock Bottom brewery produces their own beer, and several of them win awards each year at the Great American Beer Fest, and at other places.

Again, Destihl isn't a chain.

Now, down to our experience.

When we arrived (without reservations, at about 6 pm) we were immediately able to find a place for the three of us to sit at the bar. As a tall table in the bar area became available, we moved to that. You can sit in either the very large dining area, or sit in the bar, I'm more of a sit in the bar kind of guy.

The dining area looks huge. It looks like it will have one of the largest seating areas in downtown. Only Jim Goulds might have a larger seating area, but I'm not sure. There is also a private room that can accomodate parties of up to about 16. They can probably accomodate larger parties in either the bar area, or in the dining area (I'd recommend calling for reservations).

The place seemed very clean. It was bright and inviting. The brewhouse itself was right near the front door, by the bar area, just reinforcing that they make their own beer.

When we sat at the bar, we each ordered three 4-oz sizes of beer, Matt got the Tripel, Quadrupel, and Deadhead Double Red Ale; Kridz got the Black Angel Stout, Roadblock British Red Ale, and the Von Linne Apricot Wheat Ale; I got the Antiquity Rye Wine, Jacob's Ladder American Brown Ale, and the All-the-Wiser Imperial Hefeweizen. All the beers in sample size range from $1.25 to $2, which isn't a horrible deal. They also have one ounce glasses and can give you a taste of each of the beers. Their menu currently lists 16 beers.

When we moved to the table, we ordered some appetizers. Everyone so far had raved to me about the beer battered bacon. So, I ordered that. Kridz got the deviled eggs, and Matt got the pretzels. The bacon was really good, it wasn't like sex in my mouth (like I figured it would be, but I probably had too high of expectations) but it was really good. The bacon was kind of peppery and felt a bit greasy, but I guess deep fried bacon will do that. The deviled eggs were outstanding, there was bacon in it, and that made it great. The pretzels are stadium style, and there are two of them; they came with a delicious mustard and a nacho sauce that tasted really good (I'm assuming it's not from a can). I saved the rest of the mustard, which was sweet and tangy, for my fries later. The pretzels came across, to me, as slightly doughy, but still good.

To eat, I got the Wagyu burger. It's a half pound, and it's only like $12 (or something close) that's a good value. I ordered it medium rare. I think it came with a form of bleu cheese on it. There was also tomato, lettuce and onion (I removed the tomato and lettuce), and a side of fries. It also came with barbecue sauce, if you want to "western" your burger. I used that sauce for my fries. There was a similar tangy note between the bbq and mustard. They were both good on the fries. I shared part of my burger with Kridz, Matt, and the Rick, and they all seemed to enjoy it. It was very good... but, the bun seemed a little dry to me. Also, one side of the burger appeared to be well done when I bit into it, and the other side seemed a little less than medium rare. It was good meat, as if I just squeezed the bun a bit, grease with some redness would come dripping out.

Matt got a chorizo and mushroom pizza. Wait, Matt DESTROYED a chorizo and mushroom pizza. The crust is very thin. You definitely aren't going to be filled up on crust. He was either hungry, or the thing was great. I'd guess a combination. I had a bit of the chorizo, which seemed to be like a spicy sloppy joe. The mushrooms were good too, although Kridz thought they looked burned.

Kridz got a cheese pizza. She had filled up on the appetizers, and was able to only eat a slice or two of the pizza. Again, very thin crust. She liked it, but was full from part of a pretzel, beer battered bacon, two deviled eggs, and about 12 ounces of beer (not counting the beer we had before at Radio Maria).

There are several televisions in the bar area, and the staff was very accomodating in finding the Bulls game for us.

As we were watching the end of the game, the booth nearest us got what looked to be carrot cake. There were three guys at the booth, and this piece of cake was the biggest I've ever seen. Seriously, it was a huge friggin piece of cake. It was three layers, and it looked like each guy there could eat a layer, and not want any more than that.

After I finished my three beer samplers, I ordered the Bar Sinister Mild Ale. If you aren't a very well seasoned beer drinker, this will probably be the beer you'll want to drink. If you like Bass, or Newcastle, or just aren't that willing to expiriment, this will be a good one for you. If you are a light beer drinker, you'll probably want to drink the Champaign Blonde Ale. Matt later ordered the Frankengluten Belgian Sorghum Ale. (If you have celiac's this is the beer for you). We didn't really like this beer too much. It had a weird flavor to it, that reminded me of... lipstick.

The cost for me and Kridz, including 6 samples of beer, a pint of the Mild, two appetizers, a pizza, and a Wagyu burger was around $50. That's not horrible for what all we got. When we left, I was uncomfortably full. So that's a good sign.

Sadly, the bartenders need some training on what they are pouring, why they are pouring it that what, and how to pour. In each tap area, they have the really cool glass rinsing station. So each glass is presented after being freshly rinsed. I heard one of the bartenders tell a patron that it was done "to chill the glass". Not once did any of them mention that it was for helping head retention. I corrected our server and told him it was to fill any pits in the glass, which are areas that can trap air and cause the beer to excessively foam.

The next issue I had with the bartenders is that they continually stuck the nozzel of the tap into the beer as it was filling. Sure, the inside of the tap is where the beer flows through, but the outside is where dust, lint, dirt, and other crap goes after you get it wet and sticky.

I discussed with someone else, that it was odd that we didn't know any of the bartenders. Downtown Champaign has several bars, and most of the bartenders have worked at other bars before (or concurrently) and we didn't recognize any of them.

So, don't avoid Destihl because you think it might be a chain, it's not. The food is good, and plentiful. The beer is good. The staff needs a little more training. But it's a good place to go for around $50 for an evening.

Alcohol in the news; New Bill could help Microbreweries in illinois

2011-04-22T06:43:00.000-07:00

From Wicd/fox

New Bill Could Help Microbreweries in Illinois

with... me

Doesnt' seem to be a transcript.

Alcohol in the news; Whet your whistle, 4.20

2011-04-22T06:41:00.000-07:00

From WCIA 3, Illinoishomepage.net

Whet your whistle 4.20

Whet Your Whistle Wednesday welcomes Brian Bowman from Sunsinger Wine and Spirits.

The wines were from California and Crete. One was Alexakis Malvasia Aromatica, the other was (possibly) vangrieve de rose.

Sunsinger is closed on easter so if you want some wine from them for Sunday, you must go by Saturday

Alcohol in the news; Eagle Rare at Seven Saints

2011-04-22T06:39:00.000-07:00

from the Buzz

Eagle Rare at Seven Saints

Seven Saints does whiskey so, so damn good. One of the things that makes them way up there for whiskey in CU is their reserve barrels. They had a hand-selected barrel of Buffalo Trace that then became their own Seven Saints reserve, and next on the list is Eagle Rare. So I could have a basis for comparison, I gave their regular 10 year a taste.

Eagle Rare is a bourbon owned by the Buffalo Trace Company, which also makes a whole slew of other whiskeys. It doesn't have a whole lot of rye in it, so it has a lot of sweetness and toasty, warm flavors instead of the spice and bite of high-rye bourbons.

The color in the glass is a warm, golden amber color. The nose has a toasted caramel scent with some burnt leafy, oak qualities and some citrus. The drink starts sweet and woody and kinda spikes into this grain and charcoal flavor that's done incredibly well. Then the drink blossoms into a sugary, vanilla sweetness that coats the whole mouth at the end of the drink. It develops lightly but lingers with a very sweet finish.

Overall, it was a little sugary sweet for me in the finish, but with a few drops of water, some of that was subdued, and it became a fantastic whiskey. It's very sippable and offers some great flavors.

Good review, and it's a good whiskey. Eagle Rare is one of my favorites, probably because of the sugary sweet finish.

Alcohol in the news; Two India Pale Ales

2011-04-22T06:35:00.000-07:00

From the buzz

Two India Pale Ales

This week I plan on focusing on two IPAs that I happened upon at our local watering hole: Seven Saints.

The first goes by the name 2X IPA by Southern Tier Brewing Company. This brew is a prime example of an IPA done right; it runs at a solid 8.2% ABV and is very smooth with subtle tones of bitterness. This beer has a clean finish and doesn't leave any filmy residue like most ultra bitter beers do. The 2X IPA is two times the fun of most beers coupled with a high alcohol content and flavor; it's a brew to be revered.
The second brew, Stone IPA, is another wonderful beer that stands at 6.9% ABV and is much better suited for the seasoned IPA drinker and favors the bitter-lover in all of us. This is a very bitter beer that leaves a dry, filmy residue that helps the overall flavors of the brew to linger on your palate and allow you to enjoy this IPA a while after your last sip.

By all means, I was satisfied by both beers quite reasonably, but I must give my final accolades to the 2X IPA by Southern Tier for finding a way to cram both high alcohol by volume and tons of flavor into one bottle. So cheers to good beer and amazing sliders (gotta love Seven Saints!)

Odd statement in the third graph, "much better suited for the seasoned IPA drinker and favors the bitter-lover in all of us". That really doesn't make much sense, is it for the seasoned IPA drinker, or all of us?

I find it hard to compare a double IPA to a single IPA. Doubles have more malt and usually are more balanced, singles have a tendency to have more hops forward profile. (Pales sometimes can be the most bitter, as there is much less malt used).

Alcohol in the news; Extra on tap episodes #29 and #30

2011-04-14T06:39:00.000-07:00

from Extra 92.1

Extra on tap episodes #29 and #30

Episode #29

AY give a little history on Belgium Beers and then shares one of his favorites.

(he's talking about yeast strains, pretty much taking my theory of beer and food)

Episode #30

What Harry Eyeball? You have to hear about this beer! listen now...

Alcohol in the news; Taste the Skittles rainbow

2011-04-14T06:36:00.000-07:00

from the buzz

Taste the skittles rainbow

Jello shots, martinis and more: Vodka is a versatile liquor that blends well with almost any mixer. But it’s Friday night and nothing seems to match the thirst you have built up after a long week. The solution? Infuse your vodka with skittles.

Skittles, a rainbow of goodness in a bag, have been found to add a little extra something missing from just plain old vodka. Those fruity little morsels are comprised mostly of sugar and dissolve with little effort, passing on their flavors into your drink of choice.

For special occasions, you can separate into special color combos: Illini orange for game day, green for Unofficial, red for Valentine’s Day, etc. You should also apply to the team that has to fulfill the rider for Ozzy Osbourne (see: Wayne’s World II).

Alcohol in the news; Whet your Whistle, 4.13

2011-04-14T06:24:00.000-07:00

From WCIA, Illinois Homepage.net

Whet Your Whistle 4.13

Andy Borbely, of Seven Saints, is here for today's Whet Your Whistle.

Andy talks about whiskey, the distilling process, the aging process, and the barrelling process.

The first is Buffalo Trace White Dog (white whiskey). Next is Montana Whiskey. Next is Rogue Chatoe.

Alcohol in the news; 38 tickets issued in bar checks

2011-04-14T06:22:00.001-07:00

From the news-gazette

38 tickets issued in bar checks

CHAMPAIGN -- State and Champaign police issued 38 citations earlier this month as part of the Operation Campus Tap program.

According to a police report, officers visited five bar locations and one street location in Champaign on April 9-10.

Officers issued 32 citations for possession and purchase of alcohol by minors, five citations for possession of alcohol on pubic property and one citation for the presence of a minor in a liquor establishment.

Here's the rundown:

It's Brother's, 11

Red Lion, 10

streets on campus, 8

Firehaus, 7

Fire Station, 1

Chester Street Bar, 1

CU Beer Weekend; April 8, Mom's Weekend

2011-04-08T11:04:00.000-07:00

Where are you drinking this weekend?

Happy Mom's weekend.

Seven Saints

Stone Cali-Belgique
Arrogant Bastard
Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous

Tuesday: Brewsday Tuesday, Stone Levitation
Wednesday: Whiskey Wednesday, Scotch

Radio Maria

Rogue Mogul Madness
Stone IPA
Stone Pale
Stone Ruination
Stone 14th Anniversary Emperial Ale
Stone Smoked Porter
Stone Sublimely Self Righteous
Stone Cali-Belgique
Southern Tier Cuvee 3
Port Older Viscosity
Ommegang Abbey Double
Ofallon Hemp Hop Rye
Arcadia Barrel Aged Shipwreck Porter
Original Sin cider
Blanche de Bruxelles
Wexford Irish Cream Ale
Moylans' Dragoons Dry Irish Stout
Liefmans Cuvee Brut
Flossmoor Station Pullman Brown
Two Brothers Northwind Stout
New Holland Imperial Hatter
Founders KBS
North Coast Scrimshaw Pilsner
Weihenstephaner Korbinian Doppel Bock
Flossmoor Station Station Master Wheat
Ballast Point Tongue Buckler
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

Blind Pig

1. Stone IPA
2. Stone Pale Ale
3. Stone Double Dry Hop Sublimely Self Righteous Ale
4. Stone Sublimely Self Righteous Ale
5. Stone Cali-Belgique IPA
6. Stone Levitation Ale
7. Arrogant Bastard Ale
8. Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale
9. Stone Double Dry Hop Ruination IPA
10. Stone Ruination IPA
11. Stone Smoked Porter
12. Stone Smoked Porter w/Chipolte
13. Stone Smoked Porter w/Vanilla Beans
14. 2010 Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine Style Ale
15. 2007 Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine Style Ale
16. 2011 Stone Old Guardian Belgo Barley Wine Style Ale
17. 2010 Stone Imperial Russian Stout
18. Highway 78 Collaboration
19. Stone Smoked Porter Aged in Bourbon Barrels
20. 2010 14th Anniversary Emperial IPA
21. 2010 Double Bastard Ale
22. 2010 Double Bastard Ale Aged w/Chipolte Peppers
23. Arrogant Bastard aged in a Bourbon Barrels
24. Cask: Stone IPA

(no word on when the taps are changing out)

Blind Pig Brewery

Blind Pig American Pale Ale
Blind Pig Raspberry Wheat
Schlafly Pilsner; Maplewood, Missouri, Pilsener, 4.9% abv
Schlafly Hefeweizen; Maplewood, Missouri, Wheat Ale, 3.9% abv
Smutty Nose Old Brown Dog; Portsmouth, NH, Brown Ale, 5.7% abv
Flossmoor Station Zephyr Golden; Flossmooor, Illinois, Golden Ale, 5% abv
Dieu Du Ciel Route Des Epices; Canada, Spice Ale, 5% abv
Bells Third Coast; Kalamazoo, Michigan, Barley Wine, 10.2% abv
Two Brothers’ Monarch Wit; Warrenville, Illinois, Belgian White, 4.5% abv
Avery New World Porter; Boulder, Colorado, Porter, 6.7%
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale; Chico, California, American Pale Ale, 5% abv
Guinness; Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv

Sunday: Trivia Night, 7pm
Tuesday/Wednesday: Mug Club $2 off craft with purchase of mug

Crane Alley

STONE PALE ALE
STONE IPA
STONE SMOKED PORTER
STONE RUINATION IPA
STONE OAKED ARROGANT BASTARD
STONE ARROGANT BASTARD
STONE/GREEN FLASH/PIZZA PORT SCOTCH ALE
STONE CALI-BELGIQUE IPA
STONE SUBLIMELY SELF RIGHTEOUS ALE
STONE BOURBON BARREL IMPERIAL STOUT
STONE BELGO OLD GUARDIAN
STONE LEVITATION ALE
STONE DOUBLE BASTARD
PBR
Left Hand Sawtooth E.S.B. Nitro 5.3%

Black Dog Smoke and Ale House

Stone Cali-Belgique
Two Brothers Monarch Wit
Stone Oaked Arrogant Bastard
Stone Sublimely Self Righteous
Stone Smoked Porter w/Chipotle
Left Hand Nitro Milk Stout

Cask: Stone Smoked Porter

Sun Singer

Featured:

Avery new World Porter
Avery Redpoint Amber
Bell's Expedition
Buffalo Bill's Orange Blossom
Capital Tett Doppelbock
He'brew Genesis Ale
Hofbrau maibock
Moretti La Rossa Doppelbock
O'fallon 'Sticke it to the Man' alt
Stone Levitation
Stone Pale
Stone IPA
Stone Ruination
Oaked Arrogant Bastard
Arrogant Bastard
Stone Smoked Porter
Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous

Piccadilly

Weekend wine/beer tasting: Friday 4-7, Saturday 1-4, $3, NQN Picada 15 White Blend, Little Stone Petite Sirah, Ch.Puech-Haut "Prestige" 2009, DeBortoli Emeri Pink Moscato.Stone Levitation, Stone Ruination, Arrogant Bastard, Stone Smoked Porter

Apparently the Piccadilly at the Crossing is closing on April 16. Through then, wine over $20 will be 20% off.

Days of the Beer, April 8

2011-04-08T07:40:00.001-07:00

The beer for today is Dieu du Ciel Aphrodite.

On April 8, 1820; a peasant named Yorgos Kentrotas discovered the Aphrodite of Milos (Venus de Milo). The statue was found in two main pieces, the upper torso, and the covered legs. He also found pieces of the upper left arm and a hand holding an apple.

Venus was the Roman goddess of love, Aphrodite is the Greek version of her.

The statue is of marble and stands 6 foot, 8 inches tall. It is believed to be the work of Alexandros of Antioch. It is on display at the Louvre in Paris.

Yes, it's the naked girl with no arms.

As to the beer:

Dieu du Ciel is located in Montreal, Canada.

Black ale with aromas and flavours of vanilla, dark chocolate, bourbon and roasted malt. The vanilla and cocoa marry nicely, without out-competing each other, to produce a surprisingly well balanced beer. This beer is mildly hoppy, but the cocoa introduces a touch of bitterness. Its colour may be intimidating, but it is a very smooth beer within reach of most beer drinkers. This highly appreciated dessert beer is brewed with organic fair-trade cocoa and first rate vanilla beans.

The beer is 6.5% abv. It has a 100 score on ratebeer. In Canada, the beer is called Aphrodisiaque, but due to American labeling laws, it can't be called that, because there's a chance that some idiot would think that a beer named Aphrodisiaque would actually let them make a girl horny.

So, for the discovery of Aphrodite of Milos, have an Aphrodite.

(It's one of my favorite beers)

(It's available in bottles at Radio Maria and other places throughout CU)

Days of the Beer, April 6

2011-04-06T08:44:00.002-07:00

The beer for today is Lightning Brewery Old Tempest Ale.

On April 6, 1861, the first performance of The Tempest (incidental music, Op. 1) by Arthur Sullivan, debuted at the Leipzig Gewandhaus. The music was to accompany Shakespeare's play The Tempest.

As to the beer:

Lightning Brewery is located in Poway California.

The Old Tempest Ale is our award-winning UK strong ale. A bold aroma of sherry, dried fruit, and hearty maltiness exudes from a thin, off-white head. A warm fermentatino produces a rich, smooth, and slightly spicy flavor that masks the high alcohol content, perceived as gentle warming. Unfiltered by definition, subtle complexities enhance this bold and flavorful beer which only gets better with age.

The beer is 9.5% ABV.

So, for the first performance of The Tempest incendental music by Arthur Sullivan, have a Lightning Brewery Old Tempest Ale.

Alcohol in the news; Whet your Whistle, 4.6

2011-04-06T08:44:00.001-07:00

From WCIA 3 Illinoishomepage.net

Whet Your Whistle 4.6

Sam Samet, of Piccadilly at the Crossing, is here for today's Whet Your Whistle.

Also Brian McKay from Artmart is there.

Little Stone Petite Sirah paired with a french cows milk cheese. Also they pair it with an Italian Salami.

Next is Four Vines Petite Sirah. That is paired with an aged Dutch Gouda. Finally they pair it with chocolates from Black and White Confections in Gibson City.

Days of the Beer, April 5

2011-04-05T09:11:00.001-07:00

The beer for today is Emerald City Beer Company Dottie's Seattle Lager.

On April 5, 1994; Kurt Cobain died. On April 5, 2002; Layne Staley died.

Kurt Cobain was the lead singer of the Seattle based band, Nirvana. He died of a gunshot wound, listed as Suicide by shotgun.

Layne Staley was the lead singer of the Seattle based band, Alice In Chains. Staley died of a probable overdose.

Cobain's body was discovered several days after his death, it took more than two weeks before Staley's body was discovered.

As to the beer:

Emerald City Beer Company is located in the old Rainier Brewery.

A copper colored session lager made almost exclusively from ingredients grown right here in Washington.

The beer is 4.9% ABV. I don't know why they called it Dottie's.

So, for two of the singers who made the Seattle sound of grunge, if you can find it, have a Dottie's Seattle Lager. The beer is pretty much only available around the Seattle area.

Days of the Beer, April 4

2011-04-04T09:53:00.000-07:00

The beer for today is Dixie Blackened Voodoo Lager.

On April 4, 1859; Bryant's Minstrels debuted "Dixie" in New York City in the finale of a blackface minstrel show.

The song is also known as "I Wish I was in Dixie" and "Dixie's Land". It is one of the most distinctively American musical products of the 19th century, and is possibly the best-known song to have come out of blackface minstrelsy. The song is likely the reason the word "Dixie" is a synonym for the southern United States.

According to some stories about the term, "Dixieland" was originally located on a farm in Long Island New York, owned by John Dixie. He befriend slaves prior to the civil war, and his place "Dixie's Land" became a sort of paradise to them. Later, the term was given to the south.

As to the beer:

Blackened Voodoo is a Schwarzbier. Dixie Brewing Company is located in New Orleans, Louisiana. It began production in 1907. The brewery was damaged during Hurricane Katrina. After it was dewatered, the complex was looted and much of the equipment was stolen.

Brewed for Dixie Brewing by Joseph Huber during the breweries renovation. Brewed in the EU as well.

Not much of a description.

Schwarzbier is a black lager style.

So, for the advent of the song "Dixie" done in blackface, have a Dixie Blackened Voodoo Lager, and think of the racist undertones in both the name and the origination of it.

Alcohol in the news; Mickey's hand grenades

2011-04-04T06:57:00.000-07:00

From the buzz

Mickey's hand grenades
A drink that makes you think

The beer of choice for me this week is not technically a beer but one to be noted. Mickey’s is a malt liquor that you can find at most stores in the most common form of a 40 ounce green bottle. However, a smaller, less widely known, form of this beer can be found at about every other liquor store you go to; they are called hand grenades.

...

They come in six-packs and twenty-four packs and literally look and feel like little, glass hand grenades (hence the name). Now, aside from this delicious and highly alcoholic drink,

There's no real description of flavor, smell, or color, just about the things under the cap.

CU Beer Weekend; April 1

2011-04-01T12:48:00.000-07:00

Where are you drinking this week, it's gonna be a busy one. This list will only be accurate for an even shorter period of time than normal.

Seven Saints

Lagunitas Brown Shugga
Smuttynose Big A IPA

Tuesday: Brewsday Tuesday, Stone IPA
Wednesday: Stone Kickoff event 5-8 pm; Whiskey Wednesday, Bourbon and Rye

Radio Maria

Rogue Mogul Madness
Port High Tide
Affligem Noel
New Holland Dragons Milk
Ommegang Abbey Double
Smuttynose Gravitation
Two Brothers Northwind Stout
North coast Pranqster
Southern Tier Cuvee 3
Goose Island Pepe Nero
Founders Backwoods Bastard
Ofallon Hemp Hop Rye
Southern Tier Gemini
Unibroue Ephemere
Blanche de Bruxelles
Wexford Irish Cream Ale
Moylans' Dragoons Dry Irish Stout
Liefmans Cuvee Brut
Avery Ellies Brown
Avery Mephistopheles
New Holland Imperial Hatter
Founders KBS
victory Prima Pils
Weihenstephaner Korbinian Doppel Bock
Flossmoor Station Station Master Wheat
Ballast Point Tongue Buckler
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:Stone Taps and Tapas, 5-8pm

Blind Pig

Bells Two Hearted; Kalamazoo, Michigan, India Pale Ale, 7% abv
Boulder Hazed and Infused; Boulder, Colorado, American Pale Ale, 4.85% abv
Smutty Nose Robust Porter; Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Porter, 5.7% abv
Dark Horse Raspberry; Marshall, Michigan, Fruit Beer, 4.5% abv
Capital Maibock; Middleton, Wisconsin, Heller Bock, 6.2% abv
Capital Blonde Doppelbock; Middleton, Wisconsin, Doppelbock, 8% abv
Moylan’s Kilt Lifter; Novato, California, Scotch Ale, 8% abv
Flossmoor Station Pullman Brown; Flossmoor, Illinois, Porter, 6%
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
Karmeliet Tripel; Belgium, Abbey Tripel, 8%
Rogue Chocolate Stout; Newport, Oregon, Sweet Stout, 6.3% abv
Tucher Helles Hefe Weizen; Germany, German Hefeweizen, 5.3%
Lagunitas IPA; Petaluma, California, India Pale Ale, 5.7% abv
Bitburger Premium Pils; Germany, Classic German Pilsener, 4.8%
Flying Dog Snake Dog; Frederick, Maryland, India Pale Ale, 7.1% abv
Dark Horse One Oatmeal Stout; Marshall, Michigan, Sweet Stout, 8% abv
Lindeman’s Framboise; Belgium, Lambic, 2.5% abv
Left Hand Nitro Milk Stout; Longmont, Colorado, Sweet Stout, 5.3%
Guinness; Dublin, Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv

Thursday: Stone Brewing 24 tap takeover (see list in previous post)

Blind Pig Brewery

Blind Pig American Pale Ale
Blind Pig Dark Mild Ale
Blind Pig Raspberry Wheat
Schlafly Pilsner; Maplewood, Missouri, Pilsener, 4.9% abv
Franziskaner Hefe-Weissbier; Germany, German Hefeweizen, 5% abv
Smutty Nose Old Brown Dog; Portsmouth, NH, Brown Ale, 5.7% abv
Flossmoor Station Zephyr Golden; Flossmooor, Illinois, Golden Ale, 5% abv
Dieu Du Ciel Route Des Epices; Canada, Spice Ale, 5% abv
Bells Third Coast; Kalamazoo, Michigan, Barley Wine, 10.2% abv
Two Brothers’ Monarch Wit; Warrenville, Illinois, Belgian White, 4.5% abv
Breckenridge Vanilla Porter; Denver, Colorado, Porter, 4.7%
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale; Chico, California, American Pale Ale, 5% abv
Guinness; Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv

Sunday: Trivia Night, 7pm
Tuesday/Wednesday: Mug Club $2 off craft with purchase of mug

Crane Alley

North Coast Old Rasputin Imperial Stout 9.0%
Bells Hopslam Imperial IPA 10.0%
Flying Dog Snake Dog IPA 7.1%
Luete Bokbier 7.5%
Hofbrau Original Lager 5.4%
Bell's Batch 10,000 9.2%
Goose Island Dominique 8.5%
Smuttynose Old Brown Dog Ale 5.7%
Troubadour Magma 9.0%
Ballast Point Tongue Buckler 10.0%
Franziskaner Hefe Weizen 5.3%
Founder's Backwoods Bastard 10.2%
Ommegang Hennepin Saison 7.7%
Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence 7.0%
Silly Double Enghien 7.5%
Left Hand Stranger Pale Ale 5.0%
Mikkeller Big Worst Barleywine 18.5%
Avery New World Porter 6.7%
PBR 4.2%

Wednesday: Stone Brewing 14 tap takeover (see list in post below)

Black Dog Smoke and Ale House

Schlafly Hefeweizen
Southern Tier Hop Sun
Flossmoor Station IPA
St. Bernardus ABT 12
Rogue John John Dead Guy Ale
Port Brewing Midnight Sessions Lager
Arcadia Cereal Killer
Left Hand Nitro Milk Stout
Brasserie de Silly Double Enghien Blonde

(the first two replaced two of the others, but I'm not sure which)

CU Beer Club

Tuesday: April Happy Hour, Mike n' Molly's 6pm

Piccadilly

Weekend wine tasting: friday 4-7, Saturday 1-4 $3. 6 wines from Yalumba, and 4 spring beers

Sun Singer

Special this weekend:

Avery Redpoint Amber
Boulevard Irish Ale
Dixie lager
Great Divide Fresh Hop Pale
Sam Smith Winter Welcome

Featured:

Bell's Expedition
big Muddy Saluki Dunkeldog
Buffalo Bill's Orange Blossom
Capital Tett Doppelbock
Dixie Blackened Voodoo
He'brew Genesis Ale
Hofbrau Maibock
Laughing Dog CSB-ESB
Moretti La Rossa Doppelbock
O'Fallon 'Sticke It to the Man' Alt

Retail specials TODAY (friday) only

New Holland Imperial Hatter 22oz $6.99
Belle Glos Clarke & Telephone Pinot Noir 2008 $36.99

Stone coming to CU

2011-04-01T10:45:00.001-07:00

Stone Week

There are four major kickoff events for Stone Brewing coming into CU. Here's the timeline and events.(Aaron Tyrell, the Stone Brewing Rep for Illinois will be at these events, along with the Texas rep; and Eric Puffer from Marketplace, the company distributing Stone downstate.)

The first event is at Seven Saints on Wednesday from 5 until 8.

Directly following, the fun switches to Crane Alley in Urbana from 8 until 11 for a 14 tap takeover.

Thursday kicks off at Radio Maria for Taps and Tapas, from 5 until 8. Taps and Tapas will feature 5 Stone beers paired with 5 tapas. The cost should be $20 for the pairing.

At 8 the fun moves across Walnut to the Blind Pig for their 24 tap takeover.

Seven Saints

still waiting on information on the Seven Saints event

Crane Alley

Stone Levitation
Stone Pale Ale
Stone Smoked Porter
Stone IPA
Stone Cali-Belgique IPA
Stone Ruination IPA
Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale
Arrogant Bastard Ale
Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale
Highway 78 Scotch Ale (collaboration between Green Flash, Port, and Stone)
Stone Double Dry-Hopped Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale
Stone Imperial Stout Ages in Bourbon Barrels
2011 Old Guardian Belgo Barley Wine
2010 Double Bastard Ale

Radio Maria

Stone Pale Ale
Stone Smoked Porter
Stone IPA
Stone Cali-Belgique IPA
Stone Ruination IPA
Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous
Stone 14th Anniversary Emperial IPA

Blind Pig

Stone IPA
Stone Pale Ale
Stone Double Dry Hop Sublimely Self Righteous Ale
Stone Sublimely Self Righteous Ale
Stone Cali-Belgique IPA
Stone Levitation Ale
Arrogant Bastard Ale
Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale
Stone Double Dry Hop Ruination IPA
Stone Ruination IPA
Stone Smoked Porter
Stone Smoked Porter w/Chipolte
Stone Smoked Porter w/Vanilla Beans
2010 Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine Style Ale
2007 Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine Style Ale
2011 Stone Old Guardian Belgo Barley Wine Style Ale
* 2010 Stone Imperial Russian Stout
Highway 78 Collaboration
* Stone Smoked Porter Aged in Bourbon Barrels
* 2010 14th Anniversary Emperial IPA
* 2010 Double Bastard Ale
* 2010 Double Bastard Ale Aged w/Chipolte Peppers
* Arrogant Bastard aged in a Bourbon Barrels
Cask: Stone IPA

* not available until 8 pm, the rest will be available at 3 pm *

Stone beers will be available for purchase at Sun Singer, Friar Tucks, Corkscrew, and Piccadilly.

Days of the Beer, April 1

2011-04-01T08:36:00.000-07:00

The beer for today is Wallace Brewing Jack Leg Stout.

On April 1, 1885, Wallace Fitzgerald Beery was born. Beery was an actor, best known for his role of Sweedie, in The Champ, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor.

He appeared in more than 250 movies over a 36-year time. He died on April 15, 1949 at age 64.

His brother Noah Nicohlas Beery was also an actor. He was born on January 17, 1882. He died on April 1, 1946, also at age 64. Noah appeared in nearly 200 films and was probably best known for his role as Sergeant Gonzales in The Mark of Zorro.

The brothers appeared in 1923's Stormswept, with poster taglines claiming "Wallace and Noah Beery, The Two Greatest Character Actors on the American Screen".

As to the beer:

Wallace Brewing Company is located in Wallace Idaho. The brewery celebrates the town's mining past.

Cream Stout evolved from Irish Porters. Jackleg is smooth and as dark as the underground. The roasted coffee flavor and aroma come from chocolate and debittered black malts.

(I picked Jack Leg, as one of Wallace's last roles was in Big Jack).

So, for the Beery brothers, one who was born on April 1, and one who died on April 1, have a beer Jack Leg Stout from Wallace Brewing.

Alcohol in the news; The 12-year old Balvenie Doublewood

2011-03-31T09:05:00.000-07:00

From the Buzz

The 12-year old Balvenie DoubleWood

The color is a medium/dark amber and the nose is sweet, with some grain but a warmth that reminds me of fruit. It starts sweetly with some honey and vanilla, and then a medium peat flavor develops in the middle of the drink. The finish brings out some earthy, sherry flavors and leaves a lingering sweetness and spice.

...

Double barreling creates this diverse and vibrant experience. The bourbon oak cask gives it some boldness and smoke flavors while the sherry adds spice and earthy flavors that carry throughout, almost grounding the drink, but are most distinct at the finish.

...

Yet another good whiskey review by Jeanine Russell.

Days of the Beer, March 31

2011-03-31T09:04:00.000-07:00

The beer for today is New Glarus Wisconsin Belgian Red.

On March 31, 2005; Terri Schiavo died. Schiavo was born on Dec. 3, 1963. On February 25, 1990, she collapsed in her home in full cardiac arrest. She suffered massive brain damage due to lack of oxygen and after two and a half months in a coma, she was diagnosed as being in a vegetative state. Her feeding tube was disconnected on March 18 and she died on March 31.

As to the beer:

Wisconsin Belgian Red is the top rated fruit/vegetable beer according to Beer Advocate.

You hold the marriage of wine and beer. Belgian Red is a tapestry of flavor. This beer is brewed with whole Montmorency Cherries, Wisconsin Farmed Wheat and Belgian Roasted Barleys, lagered in oak tanks and balanced by Hallertau hops we aged in our brewery one full year.

Over a pound of Door county Cherries in every bottle makes this beer uniquely "Wisconsin". So unique, in fact, that we applied for a patent. Expect this beer to be ruby red, with a medium body that is highly carbonated and intense with cherry flavor and bouquet. Serve your friends Belgian Red in a brandy snifter or champagne flute and toast life with beer from the land of Wisconsin.

The beer is 4% abv.

So, for the most famous vegetable in recent memory, have the best rated fruit/vegetable beer.

Alcohol in the news; Emerald City

2011-03-30T08:01:00.001-07:00

From WCIA Morning Show/Illinois homepage.net

Emerald City

Billy Bell, lead bartender/mixologist from Emerald City in Champaign, is here for today's Whet Your Whistle.

He makes "Good Witch" and the "Yellow Brick Road".

Rumchata, vanilla vodka, frangellico are in the "Good Witch". Topped with cinnamon.

Ruby red vodka, St. Germain, mango juice, a little lemon, sink Grenadine, and that's the "Yellow Brick Road".

Days of the Beer, March 30

2011-03-30T06:40:00.001-07:00

The beer for today is Midnight Sun Brewing, Oosik Amber Ale.

On March 30, 1867; Alaska was purchased from Russia for $7.2 million, about 2 cents an acre, by United States Secretary of State, William H. Seward. At the time, it was called Seward's Folly.

Alaska is the largest state in the US. Alaska has about 698,000 residents, most living in the greater Anchorage area.

It became an organized territory on May 11, 1912, and the 49th state on January 3, 1959.

The name came from the Aleut alaxsxaq, meaning "the mainland" or "the object towards which the action of the sea is directed". It is also known as Alyeska, the "great land".

As to the beer:

An Oosik is a term to describe the baculum of walruses, seals, sea lions, and polar bears. A baculum is the penis bone found in most mammals (absent in humans). In Alaska, it is often polished and used as a handle for knives and other tools. They can be as long as two feet. A 4.5-foot fossilized from an extinct species of walrus was once sold for $8000.

Oosik Amber Ale is a true German-style altbier, brewed with pale, Munich and crystal malts. Deep amber with copper highlights, Oosik sports a toasted and caramel malt profile, balanced by traditional noble hops. A special yeast strain ferments this ale at cooler lager temperatures, giving it a smooth malt character and a clean finish.

Want to hang-so to speak- for a while? Oosik Amber Ale gives you hang time. Great flavor, big mouthfeel, satisfying finish... all in a session-worthy beer. Compare it to other ambers-Oosik rules. Look for our 20-inch Oosik tap in better beer bars throughout AK.

You can't just have a little Oosik.

So, for Seward's Folly, have a beer named for a penis bone.

Alcohol in the news; Salsa: not just for chips!

2011-03-30T06:39:00.001-07:00

From the Buzz

Salsa: Not just for Chips!

Maybe you’re shy, or maybe you’re the last person in the world who would go out on a Wednesday night, but you can still lead a partner you’ve never met before to the dance floor and put your hand on his or her waist and start shaking and spinning to salsa music.

“On the dance floor, you can be whoever you want to be,” Juan Atkinson said.

Juan is the DJ for Salsa Night at Radio Maria on the dinner side.

Atkinson spends his days as, he admitted, a shy, stressed-out PhD student in physics. But on the dance floor, he’s someone different.

“When I dance — poof — everything goes away,” said Atkinson, a DJ at Cowboy Monkey’s salsa night. “When you’re dancing, it’s you, your partner and the music, and that’s it. Nothing else.”

...

Along with its close cousins, meringue and bachata, salsa dancing can be found almost anywhere in the world, and people from all over the world are dancing it in CU. Atkinson, who moved to Champaign from Mexico for school, DJs or teaches salsa three nights a week: Wednesday at Cowboy Monkey, Friday at Highdive, and Saturday at Radio Maria.

...

Atkinson said this makes joining the scene easy and to check out some salsa nights — they’re listed on the Facebook group Champaign Salsa — come without biases and “feel the music.”

“Here, the spirit is always welcoming,” he said.

The Salsa Champaign Facebook group

Days of the beer, March 29

2011-03-29T08:18:00.000-07:00

The beer for today is Billy Beer.

On March 29, 1937, William Alton "Billy" Carter III was born. Billy Carter was the younger brother of United States President Jimmy Carter.

In 1977, he endorsed Billy Beer, based on his reputation as a beer-drinking Southern Good Ol' Boy.

Billy died in 1987 at age 51 after unsuccessful treatments for pancreatic cancer.

As to the Beer:

Billy Beer isn't made anymore.

Originally, the beer was produced by Cold Spring Brewing, then West End Brewing, and finally Pearl Brewing Company.

Brewed expressly for and with the personal approval of one of America's all-time great beer drinkers - Billy Carter.

I had this beer brewed just for me. I think it's the best I've ever tasted. And I've tasted a lot. I think you'll like it, too.

After production ended, people started hoarding the cans, assuming they would be worth a lot of money. But, since the cans were produced in the millions, the value is about $1.

Discovery Channel's series Auction Kings, had a case sell for $100.

So, for Billy Carter's birthday; see if you can find a 34 year old can of beer. If you drink it, you should probably get a tetanus shot as the can probably rusted.

Alcohol in the news; Laphroaig

2011-03-29T06:36:00.000-07:00

From the Buzz

Laphroaig

Scotch is separated by regions. This week's whiskey, Laphroaig, is an Islay scotch. This means it comes from an island, Islay, off the coast of Scotland. The ocean air the whiskey ages in gives these scotches a flavor some have described as seaweed-like and can often be responsible for strong iodine notes in the scotch. The strong use of peat is also a distinct characteristic of Islay scotches.

Iodine, can also be called medicinal, or phenolic (bandaid).

The drink has a light, golden color in the glass. The nose is smokey and sweet, almost mesquite in the sweetness. I would describe the drink as thin, and the development short. The scotch is aged ten years, but it still had a youngness to it. The heat of the drink hits early, and it has a lot of salt. There was a sweetness to the smoke that was detected in the nose that made it really pleasant in the finish, which seemed to stick around for a while.

Alcohol in the news: Prichard's Double Barrel

2011-03-29T06:35:00.000-07:00

From the Buzz

Prichard's Double Barrel

Another good whiskey article by Jeanine Russell.

Prichard’s Double Barrel is one of the more interesting whiskeys I’ve encountered. It’s interesting because of the flavor, the aging process, and its classification and what it says about how we classify whiskeys.
The bottle says it’s a bourbon, and I think that the formal laws on the matter allow it. At Seven Saints, I tried it on American/micro-brew night because it’s on that part of the drink menu. It’s distilled in Kelso, Tenn., but it has a lot of bourbon flavors, and it is barreled like a bourbon. I’ll let you decide what to call it, but American seems like a safe bet depending on how strictly you feel about bourbons being from Kentucky rather than about the process of making it.

...

I love drinking this whiskey. It does not do cinnamon flavor, rye flavor or oak barreling flavor best of all, but I still like it all put together. It does not stand out, but it somehow creates a drink I enjoy immensely.

Days of the Beer, March 28

2011-03-28T08:17:00.000-07:00

The beer for today is Pabst Blue Ribbon Light.

On March 28, 1836, Johann Gottlieb Friedrich Pabst was born in the village of Nikolausrieth, Prussia. In 1948, he emigrated to the US, first settling in Milwaukee, and then Chicago. Pabst became a pilot of a Lake Michigan steamer by the time he turned 21. As this, he met the German Phillip Best, who owned a brewery in Milwaukee. Pabst married Best's daughter, Maria, on March 25, 1862.

He became a partner in the brewery in 1864. He became president in 1873. Later, the brewery's name was changed to Pabst Brewing Company.

As to the beer:

Pabst Blue Ribbon Light Beer is a smooth and refreshing lighter beer, with a full-bodied taste. Only the finest ingredients are used in our brewing process to assure absolute quality. We hope you enjoy the taste and drinkability of this fine light beer.

The beer comes in at 4.3%.

So, for Frederick Pabst's birthday, have a PBR Light.

(PBR Light was picked, as PBR was already used for Dec. 1)

Days of the Beer, March 27

2011-03-27T00:38:00.000-07:00

The beer for today is Avery Salvation.

On March 27, 1881, in Basingstoke, England, the people rioted against the promotion of Temperance by the Salvation Army.

The Salvation Army came into town in 1880. When they did, they promoted extreme Temperance (no alcohol).

In 1881, the town had at least 50 pubs and three breweries, with a population of about 7,000. When the Salvation Army arrived in town, they marched up and down the streets singing hymns and telling the townsfolk not to drink. This caused the beer drinkers (called Massagainians)to also march up and down the streets, playing instruments and banging on cans and pans (and whatever else they could find). People who didn't have instruments, sang obscene songs.

It culminated on Sunday, March 27, 1881 with troops being called upon to break up the conflict after the mayor had read the Riot Act (which allowed force in breaking up a riot).

As to the beer:

Avery Salvation is a Belgian Strong Golden Ale.

The success of Hog Heaven and The Reverend clearly demonstrates that beer drinkers are willing to embrace "BIGGER" beers. In the fall of 2001, we decided that a lighter BIG BEER would complement its darker colored predecessors. Salvation has luscious apricot and peach aromas delicately interwoven with spicy suggestions of nutmeg and cinnamon. This heavenly soft, champagne-like elixer is cellarable for 3 years.

The beer is roughly 9% ABV.

So, for the Salvation Army getting beat up by drunks in Basingstoke in 1881, have an Avery Salvation.

Fuck Temperance!

Days of the Beer, March 26

2011-03-26T00:23:00.000-07:00

The beer for today is Fitger's Brewhouse, Mr Spock Eisbock.

On March 26, 1931, Leonard Simon Nimoy was born. Nimoy is most famous for his role of Spock in the original Star Trek series, and in the films.

After Star Trek, Nimoy joined the cast of Mission: Impossible. Later he hosted In Search of... Currently, he plays the role of William Bell, in the show Fringe.

In April 2010, he announced plans to retire from acting, in February 2011 he announced he would return to Fringe.

As to the beer:

Fitger's Brewhouse is located in Duluth, Minnesota. It officially opened in 1995, but has been around in various forms from 1857.

Sadly, Mr Spock Eisbock has been retired. It was 12% abv. It appears to have been made for several years, from 2006 to 2009. It received good reviews on Beer Advocate and Ratebeer.

A triplebock aged then frozen to take out extra water and increase smoothness. This also brings the alcohol content up. Very limited release, the bulk of this beer will age another year.

So, for the not-so-retired Leonard Nimoy, try to find a retired Mr Spock Eisbock. If you can't find it, which you probably can't, have any other eisbock for Mr Spock. (Kulmbacher or Aventinus are probably your best bets).

Days of the Beer; March 25

2011-03-25T00:54:00.000-07:00

The beer for today Magic Hat Howl.

On March 25, 1957; United States customs officials seized 520 copies of the poem "Howl", by Allen Ginsberg, for obscenity. In particular one line from the poem really irked them.

"who let themselves be fucked in the ass by saintly motorcyclists, and screamed with joy"

An obscenity trial was brought against Lawrence Ferlinghetti, who ran City Lights bookstore, the publisher. Nine literary experts testified on the poem's behalf. Ferlinghetti won the case when Judge Clayton Horn decided the poem was of "redeeming social importance".

As to the beer:

Howl is the winter seasonal beer from Magic Hat brewery, it's a black lager.

Born of dark, cold and snow in the marrow of the northeast's longest night, HOWL comes in on wailing winds with winter-weary eyes, burning holes in sunless shadows. In its darkened depths our inner voids are warmed. HOWL will remain until your bones are thawed, your spirit is freed... and until there is no longer a need...

A dark, medium-bodied beer with a rich roasted malt flavor and smooth hop bitterness.

The beer comes in at 4.6% ABV.

So, for the confiscation of Howl, go get yourself a HOWL, and try not to get fucked up the ass by motorcyclists.

Alcohol in the news; Emerald City packs a brunch

2011-03-24T10:15:00.000-07:00

From the Buzz

Emerald City packs a brunch
Emerald City Lounge's bloody Mary ups the bar at brunch

Bored with the usual Bloody Mary? Consider going to Emerald City Lounge for brunch this Sunday. With its fiercely furnished, yet comfortable bar and quality services, its brunch has become increasingly popular.

...

Emerald City’s brunch is open every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It generally provides a simple breakfast buffet with fresh fruits and homemade muffins and cinnamon rolls. Besides the expected egg dishes, breakfast meats like bacon, sausage patties and sausage links, French toast, sausage gravy and biscuits, hash brown or some type of potatoes, they also have an amazing build-your-own Bloody Mary bar.

...

The Lounge’s hearty brunch costs $9, and its customized Bloody Marys cost $4. They plan on offering a more upscale brunch for Easter and Mother’s Day, which would include more traditional brunch/lunch items. Reservations are allowed.

So, that's another brunch option in CU. It was mentioned before in their One-on-One with the buzz.

Days of the Beer, March 24

2011-03-24T06:38:00.000-07:00

The beer for today is Pisgah Brewing Valdez.

On March 24, 1989; the Exxon Valdez, struck Prince William Sound's Bligh Reef and spilled 260,000 to 750,000 barrels of crude oil. It was considered to be one of the most devastating human-caused environmental disasters. It wasn't one of the world's largest oil spills, but due to it's remote location, government and industry response efforts were difficult and hard to implement.

The oil spill eventually covered 1,300 miles of coastline, and 11,000 square miles of ocean.

As to the beer:

Pisgah Brewing Company is located in Black Mountain, North Carolina (a couple miles away from Frank and Dana's).

This mouth watering stout is brewed with organic, fair-trade coffee beans from Dynamite Coffee Roasters and weighs in at a respectable 6.8%. The aroma of fresh coffee leaps from the glass, and finishes slightly dry. Treat yourself to the finest coffee stout this season. Available at the tap room and in 22oz bottles at your local grocer and specialty beer store.

Oddly, on March 24, 1944; 76 prisoners began breaking out of Stalag Luft III, in an event that was to be dramatized in the movie The Great Escape. So, I was going to pick that event, and found a one time brewed beer called, The Great Escape. It was made by Asheville Brewing Company. But then I found Valdez by Pisgah, and went with that; either way, it was destined to be an Asheville beer day.

Alcohol in the news; Corkscrew 3/23

2011-03-23T07:41:00.001-07:00

From WCIA 3 Morning Show/ Illinois Homepage.net

Corkscrew 3/23

Todd Fusco, manager of Corkscrew in Urbana, is here for today's Whet Your Whistle.

A very short segment with Peique Rosado Bierzo as the wine they drink, with some drunken goat cheese.

Days of the Beer, March 23

2011-03-23T06:26:00.001-07:00

The beer for today is Southern Tier Gemini (Imperial IPA).

On March 23, 1965, NASA launched Gemini 3. The spacecraft was named The Molly Brown and it was the first manned Gemini flight. The crew was Virgil Grissom and John Young.

The flight was a test flight. The primary mission was to test the new, maneuverable Gemini spacecraft. In space, the crew fired thrusters to change the shape of their orbit, shift their plane and drop to a lower altitude. Other firsts achieved were: two people flew on an American spacecraft (the russians had a 3 person crew); and the first manned reentry where the spacecraft was able to produce lift to change its touchdown point.

The only major incident during the flight involved a contraband corned beef sandwich that Young had snuck on board. They both took a few bites before the sandwich had to be put away, as the crumbs could have damaged the spacecraft's electronics.

As to the beer:

Southern Tier Gemini is a blend of their Unearthly Imperial IPA and Hoppe Imperial Extra Pale Ale. Gemini is listed as an Imperial Blended Ale on their site.

High in the winter sky, two parallel stick figures are visible & known as “the twins,” or the constellation Gemini. The astronauts of the 1960s flew as teams of two in a program named after the celestial pairing. At Southern Tier, we have our own fraternal twins, Hoppe & Unearthly. Blended together & placed in this vessel, the mission of our Gemini is to travel high & take passengers on a journey far into the heavens.

The beer is 9% ABV.

It would go really well with a corned beef sandwich.

So, for the first manned flight of the Gemini program, have a Southern Tier Gemini. Again, try it with a corned beef sandwich, or maybe a reuben.

Alcohol in the news; extra on tap episodes #26-27

2011-03-22T08:16:00.000-07:00

From extra 92.1

Extra on Tap Episode #26

They talk about AY's recent trip to Colorado, beer in cans, and Avery Salvation.

Extra on Tap Episode #27

They talk about Anchor Steam, and sharing beer and the steam beer.

AY doesn't seem to know about steam beer. Currently, since Steam beer is a trademarked term by Anchor, the style is known as "California Common". The style originated by some original California brewers who didn't have proper refrigeration. If you think back to ale's and lager's, the main difference is the temperatures in which the beer ferments. Ale's ferment at higher temperatures, lager's at lower temperatures. When the people moved to California, they took lager yeast, the problem is, they didn't have refrigeration to let the beer ferment at correct lager temperatures. So a "steam" or "California Common" beer is one that uses lager yeast, but ferments at ale temperatures.

Extra on Tap Episdoe #27 (2)

This time, they drink an AY homebrew; honey, almond, wheat (a wheat brewed with honey and almond). They talk about the rise in craft brewing. Then they talk about Mikkeller.

So you may want to get into the Bar industry

2011-03-22T07:02:00.000-07:00

There are two places that are opening up in Champaign in the coming weeks/months. Both are hiring.

Quality Beer is opening the the former Lox, Stock and Bagel building in downtown Champaign, on Neil Street.

They are looking for doorman, bartender, and barbacks. You can apply online here, at Qualitybeerjobs.com.

Quality is a new bar in downtown Champaign. After a year of great renovation Quality is ready to open. Owners Neil and Aaron Van Natta are putting together a diverse crew of hard working and capable people. If you are interested in being a bartender, barback, doorman, or head bartender at Quality please fill out our application. We’re looking forward to hearing from you!

Destihl is getting ready to open as well. They are hiring full staff, including the above, and servers.

Destihl is also located on Neil Street, but is in the M2 building. You can fill out an online employment application, here.

DESTIHL Restaurant & Brew Works is a growing company. Our growth brings excitment, as well as a need for passionate individuals to help us grow. We have several opportunities for management and hourly positions.

We are always accepting applications. There is always room for talented people on our team. Even if we are not currently hiring for your desired position, we keep all qualified applications on hand for when it is time to recruit new team members.

So, if you are experienced and looking for a new home, or you just want to try a different job, fill out an application, you might get hired.

Days of the Beer, March 22

2011-03-22T06:54:00.001-07:00

The beer for today is Thomas Hooker American Pale Ale.

On March 22, 1931; near Montreal Quebec, William Alan Shatner was born.

Shatner is best known for portraying Captain James T. Kirk on Star Trek from 1966 to 1969. He currently stars in the CBS sitcom SH*! My Dad Says. Other roles have included Denny Crane on The Practice and Boston Legal, and as the title character in T. J. Hooker.

He was the guy in the episode "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" of The Twilight Zone. He also appeared in 3rd Rock from the Sun as the "Big Giant Head". (John Lithgow was also in 3rd Rock and appeared in Twilight Zone: The Movie in "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet". )

As to the beer:

Thomas Hooker Ales and Lagers is located in Bloomfield, Connecticut.

Thomas Hooker American Pale Ale is an extremely vivid, medium-bodied brew. Hooker Pale Ale stresses the crisp bitterness, lingering resin flavor, and aroma of American hops which are characteristic of the most distinctive West Coast Ales. The caramel sweetness of the malt balances the chock-full-of-hops flavor to yield a complex but quite refreshing brew.

The beer is 5.3% ABV.

So, for the guy who played Thomas J. Hooker, have a Thomas Hooker American Pale Ale, even though Shatner is a Canadian.

Alcohol in the news; The Jameson 12 Year Reserve

2011-03-21T08:14:00.000-07:00

From the Buzz

The Jameson 12 Year Reserve
A light Irish whiskey

Jameson is probably the most iconic and identifiable Irish whiskey. Irish whiskeys are, yeah, from Ireland. They are made from grains, mostly barley, and they must be aged for at least 3 years in oak casks. They are also characterized by being rather light and easy to drink, which may also be why you know Jameson. As far as whiskeys go, Irish is a very drinkable type. This is probably a generalization on my part, but I've noticed that I don't find as much complexity in Irish whiskeys as I do with bourbons or scotches.

Irish isn't necessarily my favorite style of whiskey, I'll go for bourbon or scotch before Irish.

This week I tried the Jameson 12 year Reserve, and I found that it surprised me. The 12 year is a blend, meaning it is a combination of different whiskeys, and the youngest of the blends is aged 12 years. It has a medium amber color and a lot more smoke flavor in the nose than I anticipated. The beginning of the drink is smooth and light, kind of thin, and then the flavors open up. There is a sherry-spiced flavor in the middle, and the finish is pretty quick and much like the start of the drink.

Again, Jeanine does a great job in describing the whiskey. There's color (amber); smell (smoke); mouthfeel (kind of thin); flavor (sherry and spice); and finish (quick). Hits the five main things you need to know to describe a drink.

The last graph is about a mix that is available at Seven Saints called the River Fin.

Good article.

Days of the Beer, March 21

2011-03-21T07:42:00.000-07:00

The beer for today is Red Hook Mud Slinger Sprint Ale.

Today is the day after the Vernal Equinox. The Equinox happened yesterday at 11:21 pm, so today is the first full day of spring. There will be 12 hours of daytime, and 12 hours of night, depending on your latitude. In Urbana, today the sun rose at 6:55 AM and sets at 7:06 giving us 12 hours and 11 minutes of daylight.

As to the beer:

Red Hook Mud Slinger Spring Ale is an English Brown Ale.

Mudslinger is a Nut Brown Ale with a Medium body and a fresh aroma. Its malty flavor is layered with light chocolate, caramel, brown sugar and a hint of vanilla. Six barley malts and two hop varieties result in a surprisingly smooth, well balanced dark beer.

Mudslinger pairs nicely with grilled meats, stews, fowl, and even smoked oysters or salmon.

Available on the West Coast from January through April.

The beer is 5.8% ABV.

So, for the first full day of spring, have a Red Hook Mud Slinger Spring Ale. Then, wait for summer.

Days of the Beer, March 20

2011-03-20T00:04:00.000-07:00

The beer for today is Alaskan Brewing Company Barley Wine.

On March 20, 1985, Libby Riddles became the first woman to win the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

riddles was born April 1, 1956 in Madison, Wisconsin. She moved to Alaska before her 17th birthday. Her first race was the Clines Mini Mart Sprint race in 1978, which she won. She finied 18th and 20th in the 1980 and 81 Iditarod races, then started breeding her own dogs. She won in 1985, and wrote three books about her adventure.

This years race was won by John Baker, on March 15. There are still people on the course, three days after his victory.

The Iditarod is more than 1,150 miles through Alaska. It runs from Anchorage to Nome.

As to the beer:

Alaskan Brewing Company opened in 1986. They are probably most famous for their award winning Alaskan Amber.

Alaskan Barley Wine is a full bodied ale, deep mahogany in color and brewed with an array of complementing malts to achieve its high original gravity. Multiple hop additions in the boil and dry hopping during fermentation provide contrast to the big malt character resulting in the smooth balance that distinguishes this specialty brew. Like many fine wines, Alaskan Barley Wine may be aged in the bottle and gains deeper malt complexity and smoothness over time.

The label has a sled dog team.

From the Alaska Natives who first trained dog teams for winter transportation to the Russian and American settlers of the 19th century to today's Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race®, the history of Alaska is tethered alongside the history of dog mushing. Dog teams were the primary source of winter transportation in Alaska before the advent of the airplane and are widely used even today for sport racing as well as travel in remote areas of the state.

This beer is very hard to find. It is 10.4% ABV. If you can get one, get me one too.

So, for the first woman to win the Iditarod, have an Alaskan Brewing Company Barley Wine.

Days of the Beer, March 19

2011-03-19T00:22:00.000-07:00

The beer for today is Great River Brewery, 483 Pale Ale.

On March 19, 1687, explorer Robert Cavelier de La Salle, was murdered by his men, when they were searching for the mouth of the Mississippi River.

de La Salle, had explored the Great Lakes, the Mississippi River, and the Gulf of Mexico. He claimed the entire Mississippi River basin for France.

As to the beer:

Great River Brewery is out of Davenport, Iowa (part of the Quad Cities).

True to the style, our pale ale is brewed with pale malt and a touch of crystal malt which gives it that copper hue. Then we aggressively hop it with centennial hops for a big citrus hop aroma and taste.

Beer for the hop lover. Nice bitterness and a good long aftertaste with a smack of grapefruit.

It's a really good beer.

Great River Brewery started in October, 2004 in Iowa City. They moved in December, 2008 to Davenport. Their first batch at the new location was brewed in February, 2009. Two of their beers are available in 16 ounce cans, 483 Pale and Roller Dam Red Ale.

So, for de La Salle, who was killed while trying to find the end of the Great River, have a beer that's made on the Great River.

(the beer is available in cans at Radio Maria, and other places around Champaign Urbana)

CU Beer Weekend; March 18

2011-03-18T12:34:00.000-07:00

It's madness!!!

Where are you drinking and watching games?

Seven Saints

Smuttynose Big A IPA
Southern Tier Creme Brulee

Tuesday: Tuesday Brewsday, New Belgium Ranger IPA, $2
Wednesday: Whiskey Wednesday, Canadian & Micro-American

Radio Maria

Harviestoun Ola Dubh 18
Port High Tide
Affligem Noel
New Holland Dragons Milk
Ommegang Abbey Double
Founders Porter
Two Brothers Northwind Stout
North coast Pranqster
Southern Tier Cuvee 3
Goose Island Pepe Nero
Founders Backwoods Bastard
Rogue Irish Lager
Gouden Carolous Cuvee Van de Kaiser
Unibroue Ephemere
Blanche de Bruxelles
Wexford Irish Cream Ale
Moylans' Dragoons Dry Irish Stout
Liefmans Cuvee Brut
Avery Ellies Brown
Avery Mephistopheles
New Holland Imperial Mad Hatter
Southern Tier Chokolat
Victory Prima Pils
Weihenstephaner Korbinian Doppel Bock
Flossmoor Station Station Master Wheat
Ballast Point Tongue Buckler
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; Board Game Monday; Random Beer Specials
Tuesday: 1/2 price wine by the glass
Wednesday: $1 off all beers on draft
Thursday:$5 Mojitos, Caipirinhas, and Brazilian Cosmos; Open Decks: local dj's perform.

Crane Alley

North Coast Old Rasputin Imperial Stout 9.0%
Southern Tier Gemini Imperial IPA 10.5%
Flossmoor Station Rail Hopper IPA 7.5%
Gulden Draak 10.5%
Bitburger Pilsner 4.8%
Bell's Expedition Stout 10.5%
Haandbryggeriet Nissefar 7.0%
Big Sky Moose Drool Brown Ale 5.3%
Piraat 10.5%
Lagunitas Hairy Eyeball 9.0%
St Bernardus Witbier 5.5%
Southern Cuvee Series 3 11.0%
Ommegang Hennepin Saison 7.7%
Dark Horse Tres Blueberry Stout 7.0%
Silly Double Enghien 7.5%
Lost Coast Tangerine Wheat 5.0%
Mikkeller Green Gold IPA 7.0%
Avery New World Porter 6.7%
PBR 4.2%

Blind Pig

Smithwick’s; Ireland, Irish Ale, 5% abv
O’Hara’s Irish Stout; Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.3% abv
Bell’s Double Cream Stout; Kalamazoo, Michigan, Sweet Stout, 6.1% abv
Rogue Chipotle; Newport, Oregon, Spice Ale, 5.5% abv
Rogue Irish Lager; Newport, Oregon, Premium Lager, 5.2% abv
Dark Horse Fore Smoked Stout; Marshall, Michigan, Smoked, 8% abv
Lagunitas The Hairy Eyeball; Petaluma, California, American Strong Ale, 9% abv
Big Sky Heavy Horse; Missoula, Montana, Scotch Ale, 6.7%
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
Smutty Nose Barleywine; Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Barleywine, 10%
Flossmoor Station Panama Red; Flossmoor, Illinois, Amber Ale, 5.5% abv
Tucher Helles Hefe Weizen; Germany, German Hefeweizen, 5.3%
Lagunitas IPA; Petaluma, California, India Pale Ale, 5.7% abv
Bitburger Premium Pils; Germany, Classic German Pilsener, 4.8%
Two Brothers’ Resistance IPA; Warrenville, Illinois, India Pale Ale, 6.9% abv
Rogue XS Imperial Stout; Newport, Oregon, Imperial Stout, 11.6% abv
Lindeman’s Framboise; Belgium, Lambic, 2.5% abv
Moylan’s Dragoon’s Dry Irish Stout; Novato, California, Dry Stout, 5%
Guinness; Dublin, Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv

Blind Pig Brewery

Blind Pig Replicale
Blind Pig Winter Barley Wine
Blind Pig American Pale Ale
Blind Pig Dark Mild Ale

Schlafly Pilsner; Maplewood, Missouri, Pilsener, 4.9% abv
Avery White Rascal; Boulder, Colorado, Belgian White, 5.6% abv
Port Brewing Midnight Expressions; San Marcos, CA, Schwarzbier, 5% abv
Southern Tier Iniquity; Lakewood, New York, Black IPA, 9% abv
Dieu Du Ciel Route Des Epices; Canada, Spice Ale, 5% abv
Smithwick’s; Ireland, Irish Ale, 5% abv
Arcadia Cereal Killer; Battle Creek, MI, Barley Wine, 10% abv
Moylan’s Chelsea Porter; Novato, California, Porter, 5%
O’Fallon 5 Day IPA; O’Fallon, Missouri, India Pale Ale, 6.1% abv
Guinness; Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv

Sunday: Trivia Night; 7-9pm, win gift cards
Tuesday and Wednesday: Mug Night, buy a mug and get $2 off draught beer

Black Dog Smoke and Ale House

Lagunitas IPA
Brassiere de Silly Double Enghien Blonde
Dark Horse One Oatmeal Stout
Southern Tier Mokah
Moylan's Dragoons Dry Irish Stout
Dark Horse Tres Blueberry Stout
Capital Blonde Doppelbock

Sun Singer

Bar Specials:

Whiskey: Michael Collins $4.50, Bushmills $4.50, Greenore 8 $7.75, Red Breast $8, Midleton $14.50

Bottle Beer Specials:
Abita Turbodog
Arcadia Nut Brown
Avery Redpoint Amber
Big Muddy Saluki Dunkeldog
Boulevard Irish Ale
boulevard Nutcracker
Buffalo Bill's Orange Blossom
Capital Tett Doppelbock
Crown Valley Horseshoe Pale
Dixie blackened Voodoo
Eel River Organic Porter
Great Divide Fresh Hop Pale Ale
Laughing Dog CSB-ESB
Moretti La Rossa Doppelbock
O'Fallon 'Sticke It to the Man' Alt
Rogue XS Imperial India Pale
Sam Smith Winter Welcome
Smuttynose Robust Porter

Piccadilly

Weekend wine tasting: Friday, 4-7 pm; Saturday 1-4 pm, $5; 6 wines (from Four Vines) and 3 beers (from Flossmoor Station)

Alcohol in the news; A winning ber from Victory Brewing Company

2011-03-18T08:54:00.000-07:00

from the Buzz

A winning beer from Victory Brewing Company
The Golden Monkey is definitely a beer worth trying

My monkey turned golden when I came into contact with Victory. Victory Brewing Company that is, and their beer named the Golden Monkey is the supreme treat I speak of.

...

The aftertaste had subtle bitter overtones with a robust sweetness to follow. Standing at a 9.5% ABV, this beer overshadows all of the IPAs (though I am aware that this beer is a Belgian Ale) I have tried with special attention focused on ABV and the amount of bitter overtones during the aftertaste. Some IPAs, or particularly bitter beers, leave a filmy, dry, cotton mouth partially due to the high alcohol content (or high yeast content because extra yeast is added late to a beer to increase alcohol percentage), but the Golden Monkey is a tasty treat that tingles the soul as the alcohol takes effect shortly after a beer or two.

...

My only concern with this beer is tied very nicely to my last point; the extra yeast that is added to increase the alcohol content. Now, although the beer’s bitter overtones are drowned out by the sweet fruity aftertaste (creating a unique balance), the extra yeast used to increase alcohol content gathers at the bottom and, if you’re like me and have an issue with texture, can pose something of a problem when enduring the last few sips. But of course, I drank every last drop and felt every bit of tipsy after two.

Ok, lets discuss bottle conditioned beers. Bottle conditioning doesn't necessarily provide a greater amount of alcohol. Bottle conditioning is usually done to provide the carbonation to the beer. It makes the beer alive, and does increase the ABV, but it won't be significant enough to alter the listed ABV of the beer.

You can't just add more yeast to make a beer have a higher ABV, that's not how it works. So, how does yeast work? You've probably heard Andy say that yeast: eats sugar, pisses alcohol, and burps carbon dioxide; that's true. But, yeast is a living organism, so once all the sugar is eaten, the yeast will die. Also, yeast strains are bred to produce certain flavors. Alcohol (even though they piss it out) is poison to yeast. When beer gets to a certain concentration of alcohol (ABV) it will kill the yeast. There are yeast strains that can produce up to a 20% ABV (if all you are doing is mixing sugar with water). These aren't really great yeasts to use with beer. (At Friar Tucks, the higher alcohol yeasts are something like "Rocket Yeast"). The higher ABV yeasts are normally used for making distilled products; not the initial fermented product.

So, if you brew a beer, and add the yeast, you will have an initial period of the yeast eating the sugars, this is the primary fermentation. When the beer stops bubbling (CO2 escaping)(usually about 2 weeks), the beer is normally removed from the dead yeast, and allowed to sit for a bit longer (secondary fermentation). The ABV at this point doesn't go up significantly. If you add more yeast to this product, you will not significantly raise up the ABV of the beer. At this point, most of the sugars have been eaten, and the alcohol will kill any new addition of yeast. In order to add more yeast, you would have to add more sugar, but that's an inefficient way of doing it. It's more efficient to continually and gradually add more sugars to the fermenting beer, and have your yeast evolve in the vessel, than to just add more sugar and more yeast.

Yeast in the bottom of the bottle won't hurt you. If you don't like it, don't pour the bottle aggressively, and don't try to get every last drop out of the bottle.

The rest of the article was good, although there could have been more description of the flavors. He hit the appearance, smell, flavor, mouthfeel, and overall impression. Granted, there's some misinformation, but he's getting better. But he should reduce the adjectives, and focus more on nouns.