Ok, well, it's not really me only, but my picture (from the about me, facebook, twitter...) is the one linked with the story.
Brady (who works with me at Radio Maria) went to the last beer club meeting in November, and wrote about it.
It's a good article, there are a couple of slight errors, but it's still good.
Several claim that within a block radius in Southeast Urbana—where many members reside—they have collectively amassed the best beers that exist in the world today.
I think it's a mile radius, but Brady said that the block makes it sound cooler.
Virgil, the weekly organizer of these events, was happy to break down this technical process in real terms, “The yeast eats the sugar, burps carbon dioxide and pisses alcohol. In a good beer like this one, the yeast keeps on pissing.”
I'm not really the organizer, I'm just the guy who runs the facebook page, and puts out the even invite. And yes, that's actually mostly a quote from Andy Borbely of Seven Saints, the "yeast keeps on pissing", that's all me.
Again, it's a good informative article, made especially pretty with the picture of me.
Tonight in Monticello, from 5:30 to 8:30, in downtown Monticello is Beer-apalooza. Not sure if there will be any great beers, but there's "free beer" with purchase of a souvenir stein. (Free beer in Illinois is a total of 6 ounces)
Seven Saints
Rogue John John Hazelnut Founders Breakfast Stout
Tuesday: Brewsday Tuesday, Two Brothers Atom Smasher, 22oz $6. Fat Tire pint $2 Wednesday: Whiskey Wednesday, Micro
Radio Maria
Draft Beers as of 09/20/10
1. Founders Cerise $4 2. Southern Tier Pumking $6 3. Rogue Somer Honey Wheat $4 4. Bells HopSlam IPA $5 5. Arcadia HopMouth $5 6. New Holland Mole Ocho $6 7. Great Divide Expresso Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout $5 8. Arcadia Jaw Jacker $4 9. Southern Tier Javaa Stout $6 10.Ommegang 3 Philosophers $6 11.Avery Seventeen Anniversary $5 12.Boulder Beer Company Oak Aged Mojo Risin $5 13.Delirium Dark Brown $6 14.Mikkeller Warrior IPA $6 15.Brasserie Blanche de Bruxelles $5 16.North Coast Old No. 38 $4 17.North Coast Old Rasputin $6 18.Two Brothers Oak Aged Domain Dupage $4.5 19.Victory Storm King $5 20.Nogne Porter $6 21.Port Wipeout IPA $4.5 22.Southern Tier Oak Aged Un*Earthly $6 23.Victory Prima Pils $4.5 24.Capital Imperial Dopplebock $5 25.Founders Nemesis 2010 $6 26.Weihenstephaner Weissbier $5 27.PBR $2.25
Friday: Happy Hour with free appetizers 4:30 - 5:30; Victory Storm King, $4 pint 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; Softball Beer Specials Tuesday: 1/2 price wine by the glass Wednesday: $1 off all beers on draft; Frankly Wednesdays: All Frank Sinatra and Rat Pack every Wednesday late night Thursday:$5 Mojitos, Caipirinhas, and Brazilian Cosmos; Open Decks: local dj's perform.
Sunday: German Wine Dinner, 6pm, $75
First Course: Roasted Marrow, Toasted Brioche, Caramelized Shallots, Capers, Himalayan Sea Salt Raumland Sparkling Cassis NV
Second Course: Grilled Sablefish, Fried Garlic, Pine nuts, Roasted Red Pepper Coulis, Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2006 Furst Muller Thurgau
Third Course: Duck Breast, Duck Fried Frites, Popcorn Shoots, Black Truffle, Wildflower and Balsamic Reduction 2007 JJ Prum Graacher-Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett 1998 Bert Simon Serriger Wurtzberg Riesling Spatlese
Sunday: Trivia Night; 7-9pm, win gift cards Wednesday: Mug Night, buy a mug and get $2 off draught beer
Crane Alley
Morland's Old Speckled Hen 5.2% Petrus Oak Aged Pale Ale 7.3% Avery IPA 6.0% Bells Octoberfest 5.8% Great Divide Oak Aged Espresso Yeti 9.5% Mikkeller Big Worse Barleywine 12.0% Erdinger Oktoberfest Weissbier 5.7% Spaten Optimator Doppelbock 7.2% Jenlain Ambree 7.0% Rogue Maierfest 5.2% Founders Dirty Bastard Scotch Ale 8.3% Arcadia Jaw Jacker Pumpkin Ale 6.0 North Coast Red Seal Ale 5.8%% Avery Kaiser Imperial Oktoberfest 9.7% Dark Horse Sapient Trip 8.5% PBR 4.2%
Black Dog Smoke and Ale House
Erdinger Oktoberfest Two Brothers Heavy Handed IPA Dogfishead 90 Minute IPA Petrus Aged Pale New Holland Black Hatter IPA Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout Harviestoun Ola Dubh Special Reserve 18
Beer Club Tuesday: Happy Hour at Mike n' Molly's, 6:30
Wednesday: Whiskey Wednesday Canadian and US Micro Thursday: Beer Class, 9:30pm, $10
Radio Maria
1. Founders Cerise $4 2. Jolly Pumpkin Calablaza Blanca $8 3. Anchor Liberty $4 4. Bells HopSlam IPA $5 5. Arcadia HopMouth $5 6. New Holland Mole Ocho $6 7. Founders Breakfast Stout $5 8. Dark Horse Pam's Kitchen $4.5 9. Goose Island Bourbon County Stout $8 10.Ommegang 3 Philosophers $6 11.Avery Seventeen Anniversary $5 12.Founders Old Curmudgeon $5 13.Delirium Dark Brown $6 14.Mikkeller Centennial IPA $6 15.Brasserie Blanche de Bruxelles $5 16.North Coast Old No. 38 $4 17.North Coast Old Rasputin $6 18.Two Brothers Oak Aged Domain Dupage $4.5 19.Victory Storm King $5 20.Brewdog Bashar $6 21.Victory Hop Devil $4 22.Great Divide Hercules IIPA $6 23.North Coast Scrimshaw Pils $4 24.Capital Imperial Dopplebock $5 25.Founders Nemesis 2010 $6 26.Kapuziner Weissbeir $5 27.PBR $2.25
Friday: Happy Hour with free appetizers 4:30 - 5:30; beer special, tbd; DJ at 10pm Saturday: $6 John Daly's, Salsa Night at 10. Sunday: $2 wells, $1.25 PBR Monday: 25% off bottles of wine; Board Game Monday; Softball Beer Specials Tuesday: 1/2 price wine by the glass Wednesday: $1 off all beers on draft; Frankly Wednesdays: All Frank Sinatra and Rat Pack every Wednesday late night Thursday:$5 Mojitos, Caipirinhas, and Brazilian Cosmos; Open Decks: local dj's perform.
September 20: Goose Island Beer Dinner, 6pm, $50, 4 courses 5 beers including a vertical of Goose Island Bourbon County Stout
October 3: German Wine Dinner, 6pm
Blind Pig
Port Brewing Summer Pale Ale; San Marcos, California, American Pale Ale, 5.2% abv Anderson Valley Anniversary Imp. IPA; Boonville, CA, Imperial IPA, 8.7% abv Tommyknocker Hop Strike; Idaho, Springs, Colorado, Black IPA, 7% abv Founder’s Reds Rye; Grand Rapids, Michigan, Specialty Grain, 6.6% abv Southern Tier Crème Brulee; Lakewood, New York, Imperial Stout, 9.2% abv Unibroue Blanche de Chambly; Canada, Belgian White, 5% abv Flying Dog Snake Dog; Frederick, Maryland, India Pale Ale, 7.1% abv Duchesse de Bourgogne; Belgium, Sour Ale, 6.2% 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 Kostritzer; Germany, Schwarzbier, 4.8% abv Stella Artois; Belgium, Pale Lager, 5.2% abv Pabst Blue Ribbon; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Pale Lager, 5% abv Rogue Dead Guy; Newport, Oregon, Heller Bock, 6.6% Celis White; Belgium, Belgian White, 5% abv Tucher Helles Hefe Weizen; Germany, German Hefeweizen, 5.3% Lagunitas IPA; Petaluma, California, India Pale Ale, 5.7% abv Left Hand Polestar Pilsner; Longmont, Colorado, Pilsener, 5.5% Affligem Tripel; Belgium, Abbey Tripel, 8.5% abv Original Sin Hard Cider; New York, New York, Cider, 6% abv Kasteel Rouge; Belgium, Fruit Beer, 8% abv Belhaven Scottish; Scotland, Bitter, 3.9% Guinness; Dublin, Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv
Sept 17-October 3: Oktoberfest, four rotating taps of Oktoberfest style (Märzen) beers
Sept. 23: Two Brother's Heavy Handed IPA Night, four versions of Two Brother's Heavy Handed IPA.
October 21: Goose Island Invasion, five special release Goose Island brews
Blind Pig Brewery (the Piglet)
Blind Pig Hard Cider Blind Pig Porter Blind Pig Replicale Pale Ale Schlafly Pilsner; Maplewood, Missouri, Pilsener, 4.9% abv Capital Wisconsin Amber; Middleton, Wisconsin, Vienna, 5.1% abv Rogue Chipotle; Newport, Oregon, Spice Ale, 5.5% abv Founder's Porter; Grand Rapids, Michigan, Porter, 6.5% abv Arcadia Cereal City; Battle Creek, Michigan, Bitter, 4.2% abv Capital Island Wheat; Middleton, Wisconsin, Wheat Ale% abv Petrus Aged Pale; Belgium, Sour Ale, 7.3% abv Port Brewing Shark Attack; San Marcos, California, Imperial Red, 9.5% New Belgium Ranger IPA; Fort Collins, Colorado, India Pale Ale, 6.5% abv Guinness; Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv
Sunday: Trivia Night; 7-9pm, win gift cards
Crane Alley
Great Divide St Bridgets Porter Mikkeller Frelser Triple Bock Jolly Pumpkin Oro De Calabaza Unibroue Ephemere Apple Konig Pils Great Divide Oak Aged Chocolate Yeti Erdinger Hefe Weizen Youngs Double Chocolate Stout Flying Dog Old Scratch Port Brewing 4th Anniversary IPA Boulder Mojo IPA Southern Tier Pale Ale
Black Dog Smoke and Ale House
Nothing on cask
Tommyknocker Hop Strike! (Colorado) $4.00 16oz pint / $5.00 imperial 7% ABV Celis White (Michigan) $4.00 16oz pint / $5.00 imperial 3.8% ABV Port Brewing Hop 15 (California) $4.00 12oz glass / $5.00 16oz pint / $6.00 imperial 9.7% ABV New Holland Imperial Hatter (Michigan) $4.40 12oz glass / $6.00 16oz pint / $7.50 20oz imperial 9.4% ABV Summit India Rye Ale (Minnesota) $4.00 12oz glass / $5.00 16oz pint / $6.00 imperial 6.3 ABV Left Hand Milk Stout (Colorado)$4.00 16oz pint / $5.00 20oz imperial 5.20% ABV
Mike N' Molly's
Founders Breakfast Stout Dark Horse Double Crooked Tree JollyPumpkinCalabaza Blanca Port Brewing Summer Pale Ale Rogue John's Locker Stock Glen Ale Blanche de Bruxelles
Champaign Urbana Beer Club
Tuesday: Happy hour at Mike n' Molly's, 6pm (or sooner)
Mark your calendars
October 9: Urbana International beer tasting and chili cook-off
1. Founders Cerise $4 2. Southern Tier Heavy Weizen $6 3. Anchor Liberty $4 4. Bells HopSlam IPA $5 5. Arcadia HopMouth $5 6. New Holland Mole Ocho $6 7. Founders Breakfast Stout $5 8. Dark Horse Pam's Kitchen $4.5 9. Goose Island Bourbon County Stout $8 10.Jolly Pumpkin, Lusianarga, the Firefly $8 11.Two Brothers Dog Days Lager $4.5 12.Left Hand Chainsaw $4 13.Delirium Dark Brown $6 14.Mikkeller Centennial IPA $6 15.Brasserie Blanche de Bruxelles $5 16.North Coast Old No. 38 $4 17.Left Hand Milk Stout $4 18.Two Brothers Hoppy Public Domaine $4.5 19.Victory Storm King $5 20.Brewdog Bashah $6 21.Victory Hop Devil 22.Southern Tier Gemini $6 23.Victory Prima Pils $4.5 24.Dark Horse Perkulator Coffee Dopplebock $5 25.New Holland Night Tripper $6 26.Weihenstephaner Weissbeir $5 27.PBR $2.25
Friday: Happy Hour with free appetizers 4:30 - 5:30; beer special, tbd; DJ at 10pm Saturday: $6 John Daly's, Salsa Night at 10. Sunday: $2 wells, $1.25 PBR Monday: 25% off bottles of wine; Board Game Monday; Softball Beer Specials Tuesday: 1/2 price wine by the glass Wednesday: $1 off all beers on draft; Frankly Wednesdays: All Frank Sinatra and Rat Pack every Wednesday late night Thursday:$5 Mojitos, Caipirinhas, and Brazilian Cosmos; Open Decks: local dj's perform.
August 21: Radio Maria Art Fair, 10am, showcasing local artists, running the same as the Downtown Festival of the Arts.
September 20: Goose Island Beer Dinner, 6pm, $50, 4 courses 5 beers including a vertical of Goose Island Bourbon County Stout
October 3: German Wine Dinner, 6pm
Blind Pig
Moylan’s Hopgarten Pilsner; Novato, California, Pilsener, 4.5% abv Anderson Valley Brother David’s Double; Boonville, CA, Abbey Dubbel, 9% abv Monk’s Cafe; Belgium, Sour Ale, 5.5% abv Avery Anniversary 17; Boulder, Colorado, Schwarzbier, 8.69% abv Southern Tier Mokah; Lakewood, New York, Imperial Stout, 10.9% abv Unibroue Maudite; Canada, Belgian Strong Ale, 8% abv Victory HopDevil; Downington, Pennsylvania, India Pale Ale, 6.7% abv Port Brewing 4th Anniversary; San Marcos, California, Imperial IPA, 10% 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 Two Brother’s Cane & Ebel; Warrenville, Illinois, American Strong Ale, 7% abv Stella Artois; Belgium, Pale Lager, 5.2% abv Pabst Blue Ribbon; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Pale Lager, 5% abv Rogue Kell’s Irish Lager; Newport, Oregon, Premium Lager, 5.2% Boulder Kinda Blue; Boulder, Colorado, Fruit Beer, 5.5% abv Bells Oberon; Kalamazoo, Michigan, Wheat Ale, 6% Lagunitas IPA; Petaluma, California, India Pale Ale, 5.7% abv Breckenridge Regal Pilsner; Denver, Colorado, Pilsener, 7.7% Affligem Tripel; Belgium, Abbey Tripel, 8.5% abv Original Sin Hard Cider; New York, New York, Cider, 6% abv Lindeman’s Peche; Belgium, Lambic, 2.5% abv Belhaven Scottish; Scotland, Bitter, 3.9% Guinness; Dublin, Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv
Blind Pig Brewery (the Piglet)
Blind Pig Hard Cider Blind Pig Belgian Tripel Blind Pig Belgian Pale Ale Blind Pig Extra Pale Ale Schlafly Pilsner; Maplewood, Missouri, Pilsener, 4.9% abv Bell’s Amber; Kalamazoo, Michigan, Amber Ale, 6% abv Rogue Chipotle; Newport, Oregon, Spice Ale, 5.5% abv Fuller’s London Porter; England, Porter, 5.4% abv Sea Dog Blueberry; Topsham, Maine, Fruit Beer, 4.6% abv Two Brother’s Ebel’s Weiss; Warrenville, IL, German Hefeweizen, 4.9% abv St. Bernardus Abt. 12; Belgium, Quadrupel, 10.5% abv Moylan’s Hopsickle; Novato, California, Imperial IPA, 9.2% Sierra Nevada Pale Ale; Chico, California, American Pale Ale, 5% abv Guinness; Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv
Sunday: Trivia Night; 7-9pm, win gift cards
Crane Alley
PBR 4.7% Guinness 4.2% Avery Maharaja 10.3% Mikkeller Warrior Single Hop IPA 6.9% Erdinger Hefe Weizen 5.3% Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast Stout 7.5% Two Brothers Oak Aged Domaine Dupage 5.9% North Coast Scrimshaw Pilsner 4.4% Founders Porter 6.5% Bells Poolside Cherry Wheat 5.1% Flying Dog Old Scratch Amber Ale 5.5% Green Flash IPA 7.3% Westons Stowfford Press Cider 4.5% Port Brewing S.P.A. 5.4% Affligem Abbey Blonde 6.8% Victory Golden Monkey 9.5%
Weekend Specials for August 13:
Champagne Salad - Warmed brie served over a salad of mesculin mixed field greens with roasted cherries and filberts tossed in Dijon-champagne vinaigrette and sprinkled with fresh chives. $8.95
Brie and Pear Quesadillas - with red onion and cilantro, served with lime sour cream. $9.95
Ahi Tuna - 6oz pan seared sashimi grade Ahi Tuna cooked your way and served with jasmine rice, oyster-shiitake mushroom sauce and a ginger carrot salad. $16.95
Black Dog Smoke and Ale House
Arcadia Cereal City Southern Tier Pale Ale Cathedral Square Iglesia Agave Ale Lost Abbey Serpent's Stout Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Harvest
Mark your calendars
Saturday: Great Taste of the Midwest, if you want to go (if you are reading this, then you want to go), I recommend going to Radio Maria Happy Hour tonight,and look for members of the Champaign Urbana Beer Club, as they may have information on tickets. If anybody from the beer club is still in town
Wednesday: CU Beer Club, Crane Alley, theme is Midwest Brews
August 27, 28: Bruegala, Interstate Center, Bloomington
1. Capital MaiBock $4 2. Green Flash Le Freak $6 3. Ballast Point Sea Monster $6 4. Bells HopSlam IPA $5 5. Dark Horse Double Crooked Tree IPA $5 6. Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale $4.5 7. Founders Imperial Stout $6 8. North Coast Scrimshaw Pilsner $4 9. Goose Island Pepe Nero $6 10.Port Midnight Sessions $5 11.Dogfish Head Aprihop $4.5 12.Port Shark Attack Red Ale $5 13.St Bernardus Abt. 12 $6.5 14.Mikkeller Cascade Single Hop IPA $6 15.Southern Tier Hop*Sun $4 16.Moylan Dragoon's Dry Irish Stout $4.5 17.Left Hand Milk Stout $4 18.Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour $6 19.North Coast Old Stock $6.5 20.Dark Horse Tres Blueberry $5 21.Blanche de Bruxelles $5 22.He'brew Bittersweet Lenny's R.I.P.A $6 23.Boulevard Tank 7 $4 24.Victory Moonglow $4.5 25.Capital Imperial Dopplebock $5 26.Ayinger Brau Weisse $5.5 27.PBR $2.25
Friday: Happy Hour with free appetizers 4:30 - 5:30; Scott Sivers' Special $4 pint of Dark Horse Tres Blueberry Stout, $3 pints of Left Hand Milk Stout; DJ at 10pm Saturday: $4 Jeremiah Weed drinks and $6 Jeremiah Weed John Daly's, Salsa Night at 10. Sunday: $2 wells, $1.25 PBR Monday: 25% off bottles of wine; Board Game Monday Tuesday: 1/2 price wine by the glass Wednesday: $1 off all beers on draft; Trivia Night 11pm with MC Juice Thursday:$5 Mojitos & $6 Brazilian Cosmos
Blind Pig
Cask: Two Brothers Cane & Ebel Great Divide Claymore Scotch; Denver, Colorado, Scotch Ale, 7.7% abv Sea Dog Blueberry Wheat; Topsham, Maine, Fruit Beer, 4.6% abv New Holland Envious; Holland, Michigan, Fruit Beer, 7.5% abv Kostritzer; Germany, Schwarzbier, 4.8% abv Founders Breakfast Stout; Grand Rapids, Michigan, Imperial Stout, 8.3% abv Unibroue Trois Pistoles; Canada, Belgian Strong Ale, 9% abv Pangaea Lilijas Hop Nest Monster; Wisconsin Rapids, WI, India Pale Ale% abv Original Sin Hard Cider; New York, New York, Cider, 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 Left Hand Polestar Pilsner; Longmont, Colorado, Pilsener, 5% abv Stella Artois; Belgium, Pale Lager, 5.2% abv Pabst Blue Ribbon; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Pale Lager, 5% abv Rogue JLS Paul’s Black Lager; Newport, Oregon, Schwarzbier, 5.2% Bells Oberon; Kalamazoo, Michigan, Wheat Ale, 6% abv Monk’s Cafe; Belgium, Sour Ale, 5.5% Lagunitas IPA; Petaluma, California, India Pale Ale, 5.7% abv New Holland El Mole Ocho; Holland, Michigan, Spice Ale, 8.8% abv Tucher Helles Hefe Weizen; Germany, German Hefeweizen, 5.3% abv Lindemans Framboise; Belgium, Lambic, 2.5% abv Blanche de Bruxelles; Belgium, Witbier, 4.5% abv Belhaven Scottish; Scotland, Bitter, 3.9% Guinness; Dublin, Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv
Blind Pig Brewery (the Piglet)
Blind Pig Witbier Blind Pig American Pale Ale Blind Pig Hard Cider Moylan’s Old Blarney; Novato, California, Barley Wine, 10% abv Captial Supper Club; Middleton, Wisconsin, Pale Lager, 5% abv Black Sheep Monty Python’s Holy Grail; England, Premium Bitter, 4.7% abv Kasteel Rouge; Belgium, Fruit Beer, 8% abv Weihenstephaner Hefe; Germany, German Hefeweizen, 5.4% abv Lost Abbey Red Barn; San Marcos, California, Saison, 6.7% abv Heilemans Old Style; Woodridge, Illinois, Pale Lager, 5% abv Avery The Maharaja; Boulder, Colorado, Imperial IPA, 10.54% abv Castelain; France, Biere de Garde, 6.4% abv Guinness; Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv
Sunday: 7-9 Trivia, $1 Old Style, $2 Jameson Whiskey, $3 Guinness Draughts Monday: $1 off all bottles; Blind Pig Brewery Beer Club
Crane Alley
This just in, bottles of Mikkeller 1000 IBU.
Einbecker Pilsner 4.9% Chimay Cinq Cents Trappist Tripel 8.0% Dogfish Head Old Midas Touch Golden Elixir 9.0% Lost Abbey Carnevale 6.5% Left Hand Sawtooth Ale 4.8% Great Divide Titan IPA 6.8% Bells Oberon 6.0% Founders Dirty Bastard Scotch Ale 8.3% Bells Expedition Stout 10.5% Hoegaarden Belgian Wit 4.9% Guinness 4.2% Goose Island Pepe Nero 6.0% Ballast Point Black Marlin Porter 5.9% Pabst Blue Ribbon 4.7% Bells Hopslam 10.0% Original Sin Hard Cider 6.0%
Food specials for the weekend of April 30
BRIE SALAD - Mixed field greens with pears, walnuts, and dried cherries tossed with lemon-dijon vinaigrette and topped with brie cheese
SALMON CAKES - Honey-walnut crusted fillet of salmon with sauteed squash, zucchini, and carrots over sweet potato puree with sweet onion cream drizzle
INFERNO BURGER - Our 8oz handcrafted burger with carmelized onions, roasted jalapenos, pepperjack cheese, and 4 pepper aioli consisting of chipotle, ancho, pasilla, and habanero. Served with french fries
A night featuring the brews of Founders. We will have some small batch Founders on tap not available anywhere in Illinois. Bottles of KBS, Backwoods Bastard, Breakfast Stout, Reds Rye, Porter and Dirty Bastard. Some free gifts as well. We will also be showcasing some small batch BrewDog beers this night. Our local representative will be in attendance to give info and answer questions.
July 5: Founders Beer Dinner, 7:30 pm, price and menu tbd
Mike n' Molly's
Guinness Harp Strongbow Miller High Life Avery DuganA Schneider Hopfenweissen Lost Abbey Carnevale Blanche de Brussels
Two taps I'm not sure of, one by Port, one by someone else
Friday: Inlets Saturday: The Middle East Monday: Abe Froman Project, 9-10pm, free/ Rockstar Karaoke, 10-2, free; $1 PBR Tuesday: $1.25 High Life; $.50 off all taps Wednesday: Bingo, 9:30-midnight, free; $2 Mickey's Big Mouth; $2.50 rails Thursday: $2.50 Stella Artois bottles
Black Dog Smoke and Ale House
Founder Breakfast Stout Hebrew Jewbelation 13 Left Hand Chainsaw American Strong Ale Summit Horizon Red Ale Belhaven Scottish Ale Lost Abbey Carnevale
Cowboy Monkey
Friday: Mhondoro, 10pm, $5 Saturday: Molehill, 10pm, $5 Monday: Roberta Sparrow, 10pm $5 Tuesday: Open Mic Night, 10 pm, free Wednesday: Salsa, 10pm, free Thursday: Blues Jam, 9:30pm, free
Highdive
Friday: ROAR (rock out against rape), $5, 6:30; DJ Delayney, $5, 10 pm Saturday:Dubstep Massacre, 9pm, $5 in advance, $7 at the door Rest of May isn't filled out.
Canopy Club
Friday: Jus Marley; A Tribute to Bob Marley, 10pm, $6; Teach for America Benefit Concert, 6pm Saturday: Fishing With Dynamite, 8pm, $5 Sunday: Pizza, Pitcher & a Movie, 80's night 6pm Ferris Bueller's Day off, 8pm The Breakfast Club, 10pm Top Gun Monday: Third Eye Blind, 7pm, sold out (how have I not heard of this before?) Tuesday: Trivia Diner: Live Game Show/The Piano Man Wednesday:Rave to the Grave Thursday: Mayday Parade, 5pm, $13 in advance; Santah cd release party
CU Beer Club Tuesday: Happy Hour at Mike n' Molly's, 6pm
Great Taste of the Midwest Sunday: Tickets go on sale, noon $40. (limit 2 per person) To find a ride, go to Radio Maria on Friday for Happy Hour at 5pm.
It's the annual mother's pilgrimage to Champaign Urbana and the University of Illinois for mothers of the students at U of I, Moms Weekend. This year it runs from April 16 to 18.
If you are looking for a place to eat, you should call ahead to see if there's room at the restaurant, and also to see if you need a reservation.
Many places will have unlisted food specials. Others will have drink specials.
Seven Saints
Rotating taps:
Bourbon-Aged Ballast Point Black Marlin Porter Port Shark Attack
Wednesday: Whiskey Wednesday, this week should be Canadian and Micro.
Radio Maria
1. Two Brothers Monarch Wit $4 2. Green Flash Le Freak $6 3. Ballast Point Sea Monster $6 4. Founders Double Trouble IPA $5 5. Dark Horse Double Crooked Tree IPA $5 6. Corsendonk Brown Ale $6.5 7. Founders Imperial Stout $6 8. Veltins Pilsner $4 9. Dogfish Head Raison d'Etre $5 10.Port Midnight Sessions $5 11.Ska Modus Hoperandi IPA $6 12.Port Shark Attack Red Ale $5 13.St Bernardus Abt. 12 $6 14.Mikkeller Simcoe IPA $6.5 15.Flying Dog In Heat Wheat $5 16.Moylan Dragoon's Dry Irish Stout $4.5 17.Left Hand Milk Stout $4 18.Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour $6 19.North Coast Old Stock $6.5 20.Dark Horse Tres Blueberry $5 21.Blanche de Bruxelles $5 22.He'brew Bittersweet Lenny's R.I.P.A $6 23.Pyramid Apricot $4 24.Victory Moonglow $4.5 25.Capital Imperial Dopplebock $5 26.Weihenstephaner Weissbier $6 27.Southern Tier Old Man Winter $2.25
Friday: Happy Hour with free appetizers 4:30 - 5:30 Saturday: $4 Jeremiah Weed drinks and $6 Jeremiah Weed John Daly's, Salsa Night at 10. Sunday: $2 wells, $1.25 PBR Monday: 25% off bottles of wine; Board Game Monday Tuesday: 1/2 price wine by the glass Wednesday: $1 off all beers on draft; Trivia Night 11pm with MC Juice Thursday:$5 Mojitos & $6 Brazilian Cosmos
April 28: North shore Cocktail Dinner, 6pm, $55 limited to 25 people
Blind Pig
Left Hand Chainsaw; Longmont, Colorado, American Strong Ale, 8.3% abv Atwater Double Down Imperial Amber; Detroit, Michigan, Amber Ale, 7.5% abv Lost Abbey Carnevale; San Marcos, California, Saison, 6.5% abv Sand Creek Oscar’s Choc. Oat. Stout; Black River Falls, WI, Sweet Stout, 4.5% abv New Holland Night Tripper; Holland, Michigan, Imperial Stout, 10.8% abv Unibroue Maudite; Canada, Belgian Strong Ale, 8% abv Sand Creek Wild Ride; Black River Falls, Wisconsin, India Pale Ale, 6% abv Weston’s Premium; Cider England, Cider, 4.5% 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 Konig Pilsener; Germany, Classic German Pilsener, 4.9% abv Stella Artois; Belgium, Pale Lager, 5.2% abv Pabst Blue Ribbon; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Pale Lager, 5% abv Rogue Chocolate Stout; Newport, Oregon, Sweet Stout, 6.3% Bells Oberon; Kalamazoo, Michigan, Wheat Ale, 6% abv Monk’s Cafe; Belgium, Sour Ale, 5.5% Lagunitas IPA; Petaluma, California, India Pale Ale, 5.7% abv Summit Horizon Red; St. Paul, Minnesota, Amber Ale, 5.7% abv Tucher Helles Hefe Weizen; Germany, German Hefeweizen, 5.3% abv Lindemans Framboise Belgium, Lambic, 2.5% abv North Coast Brother Thelonious; Fort Bragg, CA, Belgian Strong Ale, 9% abv Belhaven Scottish; Scotland, Bitter, 3.9% Guinness; Dublin, Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv
Blind Pig Brewery (the Piglet)
Blind Pig American Pale Ale Blind Pig Oatmeal Stout Blind Pig Brown Ale Moylan’s Old Blarney; Novato, California, Barley Wine, 10% abv Captial Maibock; Middleton, Wisconsin, Heller Bock, 5.2% abv Wychwood Hobgoblin; England, Premium Bitter, 5.2% abv Goose Island Pepe Nero; Chicago, Illinois, Saison, 6% abv Wittekerke; Belgium, Belgian White, 5% abv Victory Golden Monkey; Downington, Pennsylvania, Abbey Tripel, 9.5% abv Heilemans Old Style; Woodridge, Illinois, Pale Lager, 5% abv Great Divide Titan IPA; Denver, Colorado, India Pale Ale, 6.8% abv Atomium Grand Cru; Belgium, Belgian Strong Ale, 8% abv Guinness; Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv
Sunday: 7-9 Trivia, $1 Old Style, $2 Jameson Whiskey, $3 Guinness Draughts Monday: $1 off all bottles; Blind Pig Brewery Beer Club
Drink through a list of 150 beers, at 75 receive a Blind Pig Brewery Beer Club shirt, at 150 name on the Club Hall of Fame Plaque.
Crane Alley
Schlafly Kolsch 4.9% Avec Les Bons Voeux 9.5% Dogfish Head Aprihop 7.0% Lost Abbey Carnevale 6.5% Left Hand Sawtooth Ale 4.8% Mikkeler Cascade IPA 6.9% Bells Oberon 6.0% Great Divide Claymore Scotch Ale Founders Imperial Stout 10.5% Hoegaarden Belgian Wit 4.9% Guinness 4.2% Aecht Shlenkerla Rauchbier 6.5% Port Brewing Midnight Sessions Black Lager 5.0% Pabst Blue Ribbon 4.7% Southern Tier Gemini IPA 10.5% Weston Premium Cider 4.5%
Food Specials for the weekend of April 16
SEAFOOD RISOTTO - Creamy risotto with mahi mahi, shrimp, bay scallops, asparagus, grape tomatoes, and shaved carrots
PROSCUITTO AND MELON SALAD - Mixed greens and spicach tossed with a honey vinaigrette and topped with cantaloupe, honey dew, prosciutto, and asiago
LEMON CHICKEN FETTUCCINI - Fettuccini noodles with chicken breast, broccoli, and mushrooms in a limoncello-white wine-butter sauce topped with asiago cheese and served with garlic toast
Mike n' Molly's
Guinness Harp Strongbow Miller High Life Left Hand Oak Aged Imperial Stout Schneider Hopfenweissen Capital Maibock Lost Abbey Carnevale Blanche de Brussels Green Flash West Coast IPA
Friday: Arkansas Dogjaw Saturday: Sun Stereo (formerly Heyokas) Monday: Abe Froman Project, 9-10pm, free/ Rockstar Karaoke, 10-2, free; $1 PBR Tuesday: $1.25 High Life; $.50 off all taps Wednesday: Bingo, 9:30-midnight, free; $2 Mickey's Big Mouth; $2.50 rails Thursday: Via Audio$2.50 Stella Artois bottles
Black Dog Smoke and Ale House
CASK: New Holland Dragon's Milk
Southern Tier Unearthly IPA Flying Dog Raging Bitch IPA Port Brewing Midnight Sessions Chimay Triple Schlafly Scotch Ale
Friday: DJ Delayney, $5, 10 pm Saturday: Shannon Curfman, $12 in advance, 8pm; DJ and Dancing, $5, 10:30pm Monday: 80's Night, free, 10 pm Tuesday: Open Mic Session, $5, 9pm
Canopy Club
Friday: Fishing With Dynamite: An Evening of Sketch Comedy, $5, 10:30 pm; Pecha Kucha Night: CU Vol. 3, $5 in Advance, 7pm Saturday: The Antlers, $12 in advance, 8pm Sunday: Pizza Pitcher & a Movie, Movie Musicals, Grease, 6pm; Animal House, 8pm; Rocky Horros Picture Show, 10pm Monday: One Dollar Wild Mondays with Jobu, $1 beer and well Tuesday: Trivia Diner: Live Game Show/The Piano Man Wednesday:Rave to the Grave
So, you've managed to score an invite to a beer tasting; or you are going to a beer class (at 7 Saints, Thursday nights, 9:30pm, $10); or you are going to the Champaign Urbana Beer Club monthly meeting (third Wednesday of each month, 6:30, Crane Alley), and you are going to try some beers; good for you. How do you sample those beers? How do you ensure that you get invited back?
Let's say (for example) it's a Beer Club meeting at Crane Alley (doesn't matter the month), all the beers are lined up, and the bottles are being opened. You brought your share of beer (24-36 ounces) and now you are ready to start tasting.
The first thing you should do is get a sampler glass. Do not drink out of a pint glass. Do not drink out of a tulip. Do not drink out of any glass other than the sampler glasses. If there are no sampler glasses around, get the smallest glass you can find, preferably larger than a shot glass, rocks glasses work well too. You will want to drink from a glass that only holds about 2-5 ounces.
A regular small beer bottle holds about 12 oz. A bomber holds 22. Growlers can vary, as can flip-top (grolsch style) bottles. Figure out how many people are going to be at the tasting. If there is only one bottle (12oz) of a particular beer, that beer should be able to make it around so everyone gets a taste. If there are more than 12 people at the tasting, you get less than an ounce. Larger bottles and multiples of the same can allow for a more generous pour, regardless, you will only want to pour about an ounce of beer. If you take more than your share of a beer, people will start to not like you. If you routinely do it, you will probably be asked to not return.
In addition to the "more than your share" reason for taking less than an ounce, there are other reasons why you shouldn't take ... more than your share. If it's a beer you've never had before, there is a chance you won't like it. If you don't like it, and you took a "heavy" pour, then you have taken that beer from someone else. That person may like it.
At the last beer club in January, someone brought New Glarus Unplugged Old English Porter. This beer didn't taste like an American porter, it was slightly tart. There were people at the tasting who didn't like this beer. It came in a 12 ounce bottle, there was only 1 bottle, there were more than a dozen people there. If you took more than an ounce, then someone probably didn't get to try it. If you took more than an ounce, and didn't like it, then most of that was wasted, AND you didn't let someone else try it, who might have liked it.
So, that covers the selfish reasons for only taking an ounce. Don't be selfish, we beer drinkers are a happy community, lets keep it that way.
There are other important reasons why you should use a sampler, or smaller glass.
There are five things that people look for when reviewing beer:
1. Appearance, what does it look like. You don't need a lot of beer in a glass to determine what it looks like.
2. Aroma/smell, what does it smell like. You will often see beer "snobs" with their nose in a glass. This is a reason you will want to use a smaller glass. If you only have an ounce of beer in a 16 ounce glass, the aromas will be diluted with the other 15 ounces (volume) of air. A smaller glass will hold the aromas better, 1 ounce of beer, 2-4 ounces (volume) of air.
3. Mouthfeel. How does the beer feel? Is it thick, thin, chalky, drying? You don't need a lot of beer to get the feel. A tiny sip will tell you all you need.
4. Taste. What does it taste like? Again, you don't need a lot to tell you the flavors. If you want to taste a piece of steak, you don't shove a piece as big as you can chew into your mouth, you take a small amount.
5. Overall impression. (Beer Advocate says Drinkability) Did you like it? Would you have it again? Was it all that you hoped for? A beer can be great, outstanding, truly spectacular, and not live up to your expectations. Conversely, a beer can be utterly horrible, and be better than you expected.
None of the five criteria for reviewing beer requires a lot of beer. There is no standard amount of beer that you have to consume to prove that you've had a beer. I used to think I had to have 4 ounces of a beer to claim that I "had the beer". But if a beer is truly terrible, I don't need more than a sip or two to confirm it. I want to share that misery with as many people as possible.
Remember the small glass? There are other reasons why you should use a small glass. If you are using a pint glass, it is not obvious how much beer you are putting into your glass. It takes more beer to cover the bottom of the glass. An inch of beer in the bottom a glass like the one to the right, will give about an ounce. An ounce of beer in a normal pint glass will barely cover the bottom.
As you drink more and more beer, there is a chance you will start to get tipsy. As you are filling up a small glass, you can see that it fills up quickly, so you stop. If you do a "heavy" pour on a small glass, you are only taking an extra ounce, and you know that you took a "heavy" pour. If you put an inch of beer in the bottom of a pint glass, you have taken more than twice your share. You also probably didn't even realize you were taking more.
At DarkLord Day last year, I had a buddy who took a glass with him. The week before, he had lunch at Fat Sandwich, and they gave him a plastic mug. I believe the mug held a liter. He took that mug with him to DarkLord Day. He took that mug into the sampling tent. He doesn't know why he got drunk so quick, when all he did was pour beer into it until it covered the bottom of the glass. Each time he tasted a beer, he got about 5 ounces of beer. He was very rude that day. Not only did he get really drunk, but he also took more than his share of sampling beer. The drunker he got, the more he poured into the glass to a point where he could see that he had beer in it. He didn't start out his day intending to take more than his share, but he ended it that way.
Additionally, you are not entitled to more than your share of any one beer. Even if you brought the beer, you brought it for everyone, not so that everyone could watch you drink it. If you wanted it all to yourself, you should have left it at home. The uniqueness of your beer doesn't entitle you to more of another beer.
If everyone tastes the beer sparingly at first, then after everyone has had a taste, it's time to kill off those soldiers. Just because everyone has tried the beer, doesn't mean you now get to fill a pint glass though. You can refill your small glass, and enjoy the beer some more. Don't chug the beer for the sake of killing the bottle, someone else will spend the time savoring it.
Some other points to note.
Don't dump a beer out that you don't like before asking if someone else would like it.
If you dump a beer, rinse your glass. You want to remove as much of the taste you didn't like as possible. Don't ruin your next beer by having it taste like the previous one.
If you dump a beer, rinse your mouth. After you rinse your glass, drink some water. You will still have some of the previous beer in your mouth, water will help get rid of it. Don't ruin your next beer by having it taste like the previous one.
Don't feel bad about rinsing your glass often. It is acceptable to rinse it after every sample. Don't feel bad about drinking water.
I think that about covers it, to sum up:
1. Use a sampler glass, don't use a full size glass.
2. Don't take more than your share.
3. Don't dump without seeing if someone else wants it. (The more you wash your glass, the less likely someone will be to refuse taking your leftovers)
1. WitKap Pater Belgian Trippel $6 2. 3. Two Brothers Red Eye Coffee Porter $5 4. Dark Horse Beat Your Wheat $5 5. Founders Backwoods Bastard $6 6. New Holland Cabin Fever $4 7. Founders Breakfast Stout $5 8. Victory Prima Pils $5 9. Scaldis Noel Bush Ambree $6 10.Kulmbacher Eisbock $5 11.Green Flash Imperial IPA $5 12.Green Flash Hop Head Red $5 13.Unibroue La Terrible $6.5 14.Victory Hop Devil IPA $4 15.North Coast La Merle $6 16.North Coast Old No. 38 Stout $4 17.Southern Tier Oat $4 18.Goose Island Bourbon County Stout $7 19.Lost Abbey Angel's Share $7 20.Arcadia ESB $4 21.Southern Tier Choklat $6 22.Original Sin Hard Cider $4 23.Unibroue Ephemere $5 24.Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Urbock $5 25.Uerige Sticke Alt $5 26.Weihenstepnaner Weissbier $6 27.PBR $2.25
Friday: Happy Hour 4:30 - 5:30. DJ at 10, $3 Smirnoff drinks Saturday: $3 Bacardi and $6 Bacardi Mojitos, Salsa Night at 10. Sunday: $2 wells, $1.25 PBR Monday: 25% off bottles of wine Tuesday: 1/2 price wine by the glass Wednesday: $1 off all beers on draft. Thursday: $1 off house specialty cocktails
Blind Pig
Bell’s Kalamazoo Stout Kalamazoo, Michigan, Stout, 6% abv Bell’s Expedition Stout Kalamazoo, Michigan, Imperial Stout, 10.5% abv Bell’s Special Double Cream Stout Kalamazoo, Michigan, Sweet Stout, 6.1% abv Bell’s Cherry Stout Kalamazoo, Michigan, Sweet Stout, 7% abv Bell’s Java Stout Kalamazoo, Michigan, Stout, 7.5% abv Unibroue La Terrible Canada, Belgian Strong Ale, 10.5% Moylan’s Harvest IPA Novato, California, India Pale Ale, 6.8% abv Arcadia Cereal Killer Battle Creek, Michigan, Barleywine, 9% abv Fullers 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 Krusovice Imperial 12° Bohemian Pilsener, Czech Republic, 5% abv Stella Artois Belgium, Pale Lager, 5.2% abv Pabst Blue Ribbon San Antonio, Texas, Pale Lager, 5% abv Rogue John John Newport, Oregon, Heller Bock Sprecher Black Bavarian Glendale, Wisconsin, Schwarzbier, 5.86% abv Duchesse De Bourgogne Belgium, Sour Ale, 6.2% Lagunitas IPA Petaluma, California, India Pale Ale, 5.7% abv Lost Abbey Gift of the Magi San Marcos, CA, Bière de Garde, 10% abv Tucher Helles Hefe Weizen Germany, German Hefeweizen, 5.3% abv Lindemans Framboise Belgium, Lambic, 2.5% abv La Caracole Saxo Belgium, Belgian Ale, 8% abv Wexford Irish Cream Ale England, Irish Ale, 5% Guinness Dublin, Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv
Cask: Two Brothers Heavy Handed IPA
Blind Pig Brewery (the Piglet)
Blind Pig Porter Blind Pig Hefeweizen Blind Pig Pale Ale Blind Pig Belgian Pale Ale Dupont Avec les Bons Voeux Belgium, Saison, 9.5% abv Veltins Pilsener Germany, Classic German Pilsener, 4.8% abv Arcadia Big Dicks Olde Ale Battle Creek, Michigan, Old Ale, 8% abv Ommegang Three Philosophers Cooperstown, New York, Quadrupel, 9.8% abv Goose Island Bourbon County Stout Chicago, Illinois, Imperial Stout, 13% abv Boulder Obovoid Boulder, Colorado, Stout, 6.8% abv Heilemans Old Style Woodridge, Illinois, Pale Lager, 5% abv Left Hand Warrior IPA Longmont, Colorado, India Pale Ale, 6.8% abv Kulmbacher Eisbock Germany, Eisbock, 9.2% abv Guinness Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv
Sunday: 7-9 Trivia
Crane Alley
Bitburger Pilsner 4.9% Moylan's Spiced Christmas Lager 6.0% Lefthand Milk Stout (Nitro) 5.2% Bell's Special Double Cream Stout 6.1% Three Floyds Pride & Joy 5.0% Southern Tier Old Krampus 9.0% Port Brewing Santa's Little Helper 10.5% Weihenstephaner Hefe Weizen 5.4% Guinness 4.2% Gulden Draak 10.5% Lost Abbey Ten Commandments 9.0% Ballast Point Black Marlin Porter 5.9% Pabst Blue Ribbon 4.7% Two Brothers Prairie Path Golden Ale 5.3% Moylan's Moylander Imperial IPA Dogfish Head 60 Min IPA 6.0%
Coming Soon: Left Hand Warrior IPA St Louis Framboise Goose Island Bourbon County Stout 13.0% Mendocino Red Tail Ale Bells Java Stout Avery New World Porter 6.7% Lost Abbey Gift Of The Magi Avery Mephistopheles 16.8% Dark Horse Raspberry Ale 4.5% Wexford Irish Cream Ale St Bernardus Pater 6 St Bernardus Prior 8 Great Divide Hercules IPA
Specials for the weekend of Jan 29th
PORK LOIN -Marinated pork loin with carmelized apples, onions, and fennel served with rum-butter and fufu
RIBEYE - 10 oz RibEye grilled to your liking with pepperoncini puree and melted mozzarella over tomato cous-cous with black olives and red bell peppers
GOAT CHEESE BURGER - Our 8 oz handcrafted burger with apple-jalapeno chutney, shrimp, applewood smoked bacon, and goat cheese. Served with fries
Cowboy Monkey
Friday: Dubstep Massacre, 10pm, $5 Saturday: Elsinore, 8:45, $7 in advance $10 at door (moved to Highdive) Tuesday: Open Mic, 10 pm Wednesday: Salsa, 10pm Thursday: Blues Jam, 9pm, free Friday, Feb 5: Webb Wilder, 8pm, $12 in advance
Highdive
Friday: DJ Delayney $5, 10pm Saturday: Elsinore, 8:45, $7 in advance $10 at door (according to Gene) Saturday: DJ $5, 10pm; $5 Long Island, $5 Vegas Bombs, $4 Captain Morgan drinks, $4 Jose Cuervo drinks Monday: 80's Night, 10pm, free Friday, Feb 5: Mike Posner, 8pm, $20 in advance (online only)
Canopy Club
Friday: Keller Williams, 8pm doors, 9:30 show; $20 in advance Saturday:Pecha Kucha Night, 7 doors, 8:20 show, $5 advance, $7 door/ World's First flying Machine CD release party, post Pecha Kucha, $7 Sunday: The Prairie Ensemble: The Soldiers Tale, doors 6, show 7, $18 advance Monday: One Dollar Wild Mondays with Jobu, $1 beer and well Tuesday: Trivia Diner: Live Game Show/The Piano Man Wednesday: ZOSO: the Ultimate Tribute to Led Zeppelin, 7 doors, 8 show, $8 advance/Rave to the Grave: Dance Night, $3 Red Bull mixed drinks and bombs Thursday: Gov't Mule, 8pm, $25 advance
How can there be a beer club devoted to beers west of the Mississippi, and there be no IPAs?
Well, I didn't bring any. And apparently no one else did either.
Here's most of the beers.
Great Divide Espresso Oak Aged Yeti. Deschutes The Abyss Great lakes Barrel Aged Blackout Stout Firestone Walker Porter Reserve Russian River Consecration Port Hot Rocks Lager Port Old Viscosity Avery Anniversary 12 The Bruery Orchard White The Breuery Black Orchard Hair of the Dog Fred North Coast Old Rasputin Pyramid Imperial Hefeweizen Mendocino Black Eye Oskar Blues Dales Pale Ale (ok, there was 1 pale)
We also discussed Dark Lord Day events, and Great Taste of the Midwest.
Tonight is the April edition of the Champaign Urbana Beer Club. It's theme is beers from west of the Mississippi. Eventually if you go far enough west you'll wind up here, so don't be put off if you don't have anything that seems "westerly".
Last month was beers from east of the Mississippi. It turned into stout-fest. That's not really a problem, as this area has some really great stouts, Bells, Founders, Great Lakes, Goose Island, 3 Floyds; then you can get to the smaller breweries, Central Waters, New Holland, Flossmoor... there's some great breweries in this area.
I commonly think of IPA's and DIPA's and Imperial IPA's when I think of west coast beers. Oregon, Washington, (Idaho)... that's the hops growing region, so they can make some really fresh and potent IPAs. There are several stouts from the west on Beer Advocate's top 100; Deschutes The Abyss; Alesmith Speedway; Port Older Viscosity... (I'm leaving out Colorado, even though they are west of the Mississippi, I'm talking about west coast, not central west, has Colorado ever been called central west before?). Most of the beers that the west coast is know for is the IPA's. The Pliney's, Firestone, Sierra Nevada, Blind Pig...
I'm not sure if tonight will be the Hopfest to counteract last months stoutfest. But it could happen.
I don't have any hop bombs to bring tonight, so I'll just haveta see what I can find in the basement. I do have a good idea though.
Beer Club starts at 6:30 at Crane Alley, on the second floor; beer will probably be opened around 7:30.
I don't have pool tonight, so I can focus all my energy on beer... as though I don't do that anyway.
If you are coming, you'll want to bring 22 oz or more of a beer that you think fits the theme.
I still don't know what I'm going to bring.
It doesn't have to be a chocolate beer, but just maybe one that would go well with chocolate, like a raspberry, or other fruity beer. If you like it with chocolate, then someone else might too. Additionally, you can bring some of your leftover Valentine's Day chocolate if you want to get rid of it.
October: Scary Beer Names or Labels Celebrate Halloween with Scary Beer. Ghosts and goblins on labels, skulls and grim reapers? Bring it along. Scary, macabre names? We want it.
If you are interested in attending, bring 24-36 ounces (about 2 small bottles or a 22 or a 750ml) of beer.
The club meets upstairs around 6:30 to eat, about 7 or so, the beer starts to get opened.
My pool team will be occupying most of the downstairs pool area. We've had tastings with most of the people from the pool team, so this might be a good way to meet more of the CU beer people.
*spoiler alert* I'll be taking a bottle of this. *click at your own risk*
Not sure what else I'll take, maybe a Fantôme?
If you want to go, but don't know what to take, drop me a note and we can come up with something.
Last month's beer club meeting theme was Blind Tasting. There were 16 beers provided; and the object was to identify the style of beer that was provided.
I took notes on each beer and will provide you my tasting notes, and the style I thought each was.
1. Bell's Batch 7000.
Black with brownish head/ opaque. Smells of Chocolate and coffee. It kinda coats the glass and tongue. It tastes of Chocolate, coffee and smokey, not very hoppy. It's a decent stout.
2. New Glarus Uff-Da Bock.
Brown, scotchy looking. Smells malty and biscuitty. It's thin with slight carbonation on the tongue. It tastes malty and cookie dough-ish. It finishes drying. Either a scotch or brown (do'h; forgot about bock)
3. Rock Bottom Udderly Delicious Milk Stout.
It's dark black, and smells smokey. It feels thin and watery. It tastes smokey.
4. Avery Salvation.
It's yellow, tastes hoppy and peppery.
5. Orkney Red MacGregor.
It's a brown caramel color and smells malty.
(note: I didn't drink in order and my notes got thinner as the night wore on)
6. New Belgium 1554.
It's a light brown, to amber color. There's a slight vegetable smell. It really hits on the front of the tongue. It's malty with a burned coffee taste. It really finishes coffee-ish.
7. Petrus Oud Bruin.
It looks like a scotch, but bubblier, with good lace. It smells like a tart or Flanders red. It clears off the tongue. It's slightly bitter/tart with very little hops. It finishes really clean.
8. (A homebrew) Charlie Porter.
It's brown and cloudy. It feels syrruppy on the tongue.
9. Stone IPA.
It's clear and yellow. It smells piney. It tastes Hoppy; it's an IPA, crisp and mouth clearing.
10. (another homebrew) Queller
It's got aggressive foam and is light brown. It tastes tart, with malt. There are many off flavors. It finishes puckery. Is it a Marzan? (nope it's a red... really?)
11. Bell's Kalamazoo American Wheat
It's light yellow and cloudy. Smells of Banana; it feels heavy on the tongue for a wheat. It tastes like a wheat with little else; maybe some off-skunk flavor. It's a wheat.
12. Southern Tier Cherry Saison.
It's light yellow and cloudy. Smells of banana, feels thin-ish. Tastes of Banana, clove, corriander and pepper. Finishes slightly tart. I guessed weiss or belgian wit.
Brown with carmael; smells of cookie a ginger cookie. Tastes of ginger.
15. Avery Collaboration.
It's yellow, smells tart-ish. Tastes tart, saison-ish... sour. Is it a saison?
16. Great Lakes Commodore Perry IPA.
Fizzy yellow, has a sweet lager smell. Tasted lagery.
(wow, was I off on that one).
So, for the night and 16 beers, I'll be adding 9 to my list of new beers.
I'm pretty bad at picking out the styles, it would seem.
The next meeting is tomorrow, Wed, July 16. The theme is Beer and Hot Sauce. I haven't yet determined what beer I'll be taking; so I'll go through the stash tonight to try to find something.
