CU Bars in the news; Best Bar: Sunsinger

From WCFN 49/ Illinois homepage.net

Best Bars: Sunsinger

Dave Benton: After a short break, Jennifer's "Best Bars" segment is back for another week. This time it's a wine bar in Champaign—but so much more!

Rick Carbaugh, cafe manager: "It's eclectic in the sense that we offer lots of different wines, more than 30 on our menu, and they can be easily paired, depending on your tastes."

Jennifer Ketchmark: That's here at Sunsinger Wines on Windsor in Champaign. But don't think there is only wine on their menu!

Rick Carbaugh, cafe manager: "People really enjoy the cafe because of all the variety of items we have. We have black bean hummus, artichoke bruschetta, we have lots of different cheese plates."

And this fantastic creation:

Rick Carbaugh, cafe manager: "The number one pick, ever since we opened, has been our grilled cheese supreme."

Who wouldn't love that gooey goodness?

Rick Carbaugh, cafe manager: "It's a combination of 2 different cheeses, plus fig jam and Granny Smith apples."

Well, that makes it truly unique—much like their deli.

Rick Carbaugh, cafe manager: "All the salads that are on our menu are back there. Our baked potato salad, to a Caprese salad. We have all kinds of Old World salamis."

But it's not just their food that makes this a hot place to eat—

Rick Carbaugh, cafe manager: "If you look around here, I think people love the place, they love the openness here. People find themselves feeling very very comfortable here."

—which leads to a relaxed atmosphere.

Rick Carbaugh, cafe manager: "They are able to sit, to talk and just enjoy themselves with their friends."

And many do relax here with a glass of wine or a summer favorite.

Rick Carbaugh, cafe manager: "Probably the most popular thing right now is our slushies made from Quady Electra from California. One is a black muscat and the other is an orange muscat."

And when I heard "slushie" I couldn't resist, because it is that perfect summertime drink. This is the red muscat, and it really has that refreshing flavor and a great twist.

That's the tart kick this drink packs, and if you are looking for something refreshing, you'll find it here.

Rick Carbaugh, cafe manager: "We have a full retail section with wine, spirits, and beer."

Brian Bowman, beverage director: "We've got wines that are in that 6 dollar price point and all the way up to the sky's the limit."

And the staff here will help you find a great wine, but you can do more than that. You can join a class.

Brian Bowman, beverage director: "101, 102, 103. Pretty simple."

Breaking it down—very like a college town!

Brian Bowman, beverage director: "Basic class starts out and we learn the 7 main varietals, whites and reds, and taste through those. ... Gets more into getting full blown descriptions, and we do it a Sherlock Holmes way."

And by the end—

Brian Bowman, beverage director: "You are blind-tasting everything, and you don't know what you're going through, and we teach you how to break down and examine the wine."

Quality wines, gourmet eats, and a nice place to lunch with friends is why this place made our list of Best Bars.

CU Beer Weekend; June 4 (NHL/NBA Finals)

It's the weekend. Well, almost. Where are you drinking? Where are you watching the Blackhawks? Do you even care about the NBA Finals?

If you are looking for a place to watch the NHL Finals, you'll have to be selective in your choice of bars. Not all of them have the Versus Network (for the games at Philly). After tonight, the rest of the games are on NBC.

Game 4 tonight will be fun to try to find.

I know it will be on at:

Hooters
Buffalo Wild Wings (both locations in CU)
Old Chicago
Crane Alley
Firehaus (official Blackhawks Bar)
Kam's (official Blackhawks Bar)
Jupiter's at the Crossing
Tumble Inn
Buttita's
Houlihan's

Places I know that won't have it are:

Radio Maria (although Jacob will yell out scoring updates)
Blind Pig
Blind Pig Brewery
Seven Saints
Mike n' Molly's

My recommendation for the best beer is, of course, Crane Alley. The best view is at Hooters, the best pizza is probably Jupiters at the Crossing, unless you like Old Chicago; the best wings is BW. The place that most smells like vomit is Kam's.

So find a place to sit back and watch the game; and go Blackhawks!

(I'm hoping it's on at Guido's)

Seven Saints

Rotating Taps:

Bell's Two Hearted
Founders Red's Rye

Whiskey Wednesday: Scotch

Radio Maria

(as of 5/29)

1. Anchor Liberty $4
2. Green Flash Le Freak $6
3. Ballast Point Sea Monster $6
4. Bells HopSlam IPA $5
5. Avery Dugana IIPA $5
6. Arcadia Scotch Ale $4
7. Capital Imperial Dopplebock $6
8. New Holland Golden Cap $4
9. Goose Island Bourbon County Stout $8
10.Port Midnight Sessions $5
11.Two Brothers Cane & Ebel $4.5
12.Bear Republic Racer 5 IPA $4.5
13.Delirium Dark Brown $6
14.Mikkeller Cascade Single Hop IPA $6
15.Port Old Viscosity $7
16.North Coast Old Rasputin $6
17.Southern Tier Choklat $6
18.Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour $6
19.Lost Abbey Serpent's Stout $5
20.Lost Abbey Angel's Share $7
21.Blanche de Bruxelles $5
22.He'brew Bittersweet Lenny's R.I.P.A $6
23.Left Hand PoleStar Pils $4
24.Schneider Aventinus $5
25.Port Older Viscosity $7
26.Ayinger Brau Weisse $5.5
27.PBR $2.25

Friday: Happy Hour with free appetizers 4:30 - 5:30; beer special TBD; 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; Softball Beer Specials
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

June 13: Austrian Wine Dinner, 6pm, $75, 5 courses with 8 wines.

Blind Pig

Ommegang Rouge Grand Cru; Cooperstown, New York, Sour Ale, 5.5% abv
Southern Tier Oat; Lakewood, New York, Imperial Stout, 11% abv
New Holland Envious; Holland, Michigan, Fruit Beer, 7.5% abv
Great Divide Yeti; Denver, Colorado, Imperial Stout, 9.5% abv
Fort Collins Retro Red; Fort Collins, Colorado, Amber Ale, 5.2% abv
Unibroue Trois Pistoles; Canada, Belgian Strong Ale, 9% abv
Bear Republic Rebellion IPA (Citra); Healdsburg, California, India Pale Ale, 6% 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
Krusovice Imperial 12°; Czech Republic, Bohemian Pilsener, 5% abv
Stella Artois; Belgium, Pale Lager, 5.2% abv
Pabst Blue Ribbon; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Pale Lager, 5% abv
Rogue I²PA; Newport, Oregon, Imperial IPA, 9.5%
Bells Oberon; Kalamazoo, Michigan, Wheat Ale, 6% abv
Bear Republic Grizz; Healdsburg, California, Belgian Strong Ale, 9.5%
Lagunitas IPA; Petaluma, California, India Pale Ale, 5.7% abv
Fort Collins Dunkelweizen; Fort Collins, Colorado, Dunkelweizen
Tucher Helles Hefe Weizen; Germany, German Hefeweizen, 5.3% abv
Boulevard Tank 7; Kansas City, Missouri, Saison, 8.5% abv
Lindemans Framboise; Belgium, Lambic, 2.5% abv
Belhaven Scottish Ale; Scotland, Bitter, 3.9%
Guinness; Dublin, Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv

Blind Pig Brewery (the Piglet)

Blind Pig Witbier
Blind Pig Hard Cider
Blind Pig Smoked Rye
Schlafly Pilsner Maplewood, Missouri, Pilsner, 4.9% abv
Ballast Point Calico Amber Ale San Diego, California, Amber Ale, 5% abv
Rogue Chipotle Newport, Oregon, Spice Ale, 5.5% abv
Great Divide St. Briget’s Porter Denver, Colorado, Porter, 6% abv
Two Brothers Dog Days Lager Warrenville, Illinois, Dortmunder, 4.9% abv
Weihenstephaner Germany, German Hefeweizen, 5.4% abv
Heilemans Old Style Woodridge, Illinois, Pale Lager, 5% abv
Dogfish Head 60 Minute Milton, Delaware, India Pale Ale, 6% abv
Moinette Brune Belgium, Abbey Dubbel, 8.5% 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 White Rascal 5.5%
Avery DuganA IPA 8.5%
Great Divide Yeti Imperial Stout 9.5%
Lindemans Framboise 4.0%
Mikkeller East Kent Golding IPA 6.9%
Victory Prima Pils 5.3%
Ska Nefarious Ten Pin Porter 8.0%
Smithwicks Irish Ale 5.0%
Geants Goliath Tripel 9.0%
Bear Republic The Grizz 9.5%
Southern Tier Hop Sun 4.6%
Mikkeller\Drikkeriget GIPA 6.6%
Ballast Point Yellow Tail Pale Ale 4.6%
Moylans Pomegranate Wheat 5.0%

This week's food specials:


PORK LOIN - Grilled prok loin with roasted new potatoes and chipotle applesauce

RISOTTO - Creamy risotto with drunken cherries, applewood smoked bacon, asparagus, and asiago cheese

(dang, the risotto looks interesting)

June 20: 2nd Annual Crawfish Boil, 1pm, $15 in advance, $20 day of

July 5: Founders Beer Dinner, 7:30 pm, price and menu tbd

Mike n' Molly's

Guinness
Harp
Strongbow
High Life
Bruges Zot
Ballast Point Sea Monster
Great Divide Titan IPA
Rogue JLS Imp. Porter (almost gone)
Green Flash IPA (almost gone)
Southern Tier Mokah

Friday: Roberta Sparrow
Saturday: SteelEater
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 bottle

Black Dog Smoke and Ale House

Draft:
Ska Modus Hoperandi
Darkhorse Sapient Trip Ale
Two Brother's Ebel's Weiss
Summit Horizon Red Ale
Founder's Centennial IPA
Wexford Irish Style Cream Ale

Cowboy Monkey

Friday: DJ Belly, 10pm, free
Saturday: OUTDOOR Block Party, 8pm, free (in the National City parking lot)
Sunday: Big Dave's Trivia, 7pm, free
Tuesday: Open Mic Night, 10 pm, free
Wednesday: Salsa & Tango, 10pm, free
Thursday: Trailer Park Moses, 10pm, $5

Highdive

Friday: DJ Delaney, 10 pm, $5
Saturday: DJ and Dancing, 10pm, $5
Monday: 80's Night, 10pm, free
Thursday: DJ Night, 10pm, $5 after 11pm

Canopy Club

Friday: Point of Fire, $5
Saturday: Carnival Debauche, 8pm, $10 in advance
Sunday: Hawthorne Heights, 7pm, $11 in advance (with free album download)
Monday: Clutch, 7pm, $22 in advance
Tuesday: The Who Show, 7pm, $10 in advance

Alcohol in the news; Champaign council dissolves liquor advisory commission

From the News-gazette

Champaign council dissolves liquor advisory commission

You may remember from yesterday, it was possible it would happen, it did.

CHAMPAIGN – The city's liquor advisory commission is no more, after the city council Tuesday night unanimously voted to dissolve the group.

Following the vote, Mayor and Liquor Commissioner Jerry Schweighart said the commission meets infrequently and has become irrelevant, but he promised to keep the local alcohol industry informed of city liquor policies.

Nice of him to promise to keep the alcohol industry informed.

The liquor commissioner will now keep in direct contact with liquor industry leaders, often via e-mail, so individuals will receive information at the same time, Schweighart said. He added that one of the problems with the commission was that advisers were not reporting back to their constituents.

Who are liquor industry leaders?

Also in the Daily Illini

Champaign City Council dissolves liquor commission

Champaign City Council members voted unanimously in favor of an ordinance removing the city’s Liquor Advisory Commission from the city’s administration at their meeting on Tuesday night.

While the ordinance passed unanimously, there was some discussion before it went up for vote.

Council member Deborah Feinen said she got a call on the way to the meeting from someone who asked if it was possible for such a commission to continue but only meet once or twice a year.

Mayor Gerald Schweighart said the city will continue to correspond with liquor license holders, only without a specified liquor license commission.

“I just would like to state that I do appreciate their service to the city, and it’s just reached a time when I think we can safely close this without a negative effect,” Schweighart said.

The commission was composed of nine members, including representation from the Illinois Student Senate, the University’s administration and liquor license holders in the Campustown area.

Alcohol in the news; Musicians play on despite liquor license suspension in Urbana

From the News-Gazette

Musicians play on despite liquor license suspension in Urbana

It seems a lot of people are interested in the Iron Post. There have been a lot of visitors to the blog searching for Iron Post Liquor License. Finally, this story in the News-Gazette provides the answer.

URBANA – It was a long, slow weekend at the Iron Post, a bar in downtown Urbana that lost its liquor license for five days after an undercover investigation earlier this year by the Illinois Liquor Control Commission.

The Iron Post had a five day suspension of it's license.

"We were scheduled for that night," said Morgan Powell, trombonist for the Boneyard Jazz Quintet. "Some bands opted out because there was no liquor served. We decided to go ahead and do it anyway to support Paul.

"It went well. It was a packed house. Unbelievable. I've never seen so many sober people before," Powell joked.

...

Wirth estimated he lost $3,000 during the five-day period last week while his liquor license was suspended.

The Iron Post lost its license for selling alcohol to underage customers during the "Unofficial St. Patrick's Day" weekend in Champaign-Urbana in March.

So, there's the answer, the Iron Post lost it's license for selling alcohol to underage customers during "Unofficial".

"They order the beers and when the beers go on the bar, they turn around and walk out," Wirth said of the undercover agents. "Next thing there are three very large police officers/liquor control commission guys standing behind the bar and writing me and my server a citation."

The two underage customers were a young man and woman, Wirth said.

So, the moral for bar owners is, on days like "unofficial" you should have a person on staff to stand at the door and check ID's. The pay for one person to stand at the door, is a whole lot less than the $3,000 that you'd lose for having your license suspended.

Alcohol in the news; Sun Singer Wine and Spirits offers wine as a cool summer treat

From the Daily Illini

Sun Singer Wine and Spirits offers wine as a cool summer treat

Sun Singer Wine and Spirits, 1115 W. Windsor Rd. in Champaign, is open each Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. to fill that and all other wine-related needs.

Each week up to 100 people make their way to the establishment to try one of the wines up for selection. The samples usually involve a theme; in the beginning of summer, wines more suitable to the outdoors will be chosen.

It’s not just about the taste of the wine either. Brian Bowman, who selects which wines are chosen, tries to give as much information about each wine as he can.

This seems to be a fluff piece about the Saturday wine tasting at Sun Singer.

Alcohol in the news; New businesses planned for M2 in downtown Champaign

From the News-Gazette

New businesses planned for M2 in downtown Champaign

CHAMPAIGN – Two new businesses – a Mongolian-style restaurant and an Irish pub – are expected to open later this year in the M2 building in downtown Champaign.

Both businesses will be owned by Amit and Ritika Chopra, who also own Green Street Cafe.

Both will be located on the north side of the multiuse, nine-story building, facing Neil and Hill Streets. The restaurant will be in the northeast corner and the pub will be next to it, just north of BankChampaign. The pub will serve traditional Irish bar food. The restaurant will feature create-your-own stir fry.

Traditional Irish bar food? Fish and Chips? I wonder if the bar part will challenge Bentley's as the local Irish Pub?

In other M2 news, the brewery equipment for Destihl Restaurant and BrewWorks, which is planned for the south side of the building, was moved into the building last month. Construction on Destihl is expected to start soon, according to Smith. A building permit has not been filed yet.

When will Destihl open? No one knows.

Alcohol in the News; Dissolution of Champaign's liquor advisory panel possible

From the News-Gazette

Dissolution of champaign's liquor advisory panel possible

Mayor Jerry Schweighart, the city's liquor commissioner, said the liquor advisory commission has been irrelevant for some time, and its agendas historically have been insubstantial, according to city documents.

The group "really doesn't serve a purpose," Schweighart said.

Who, or what is it?

The commission was created in 1993 by city ordinance and comprises representatives from different parts of the local alcohol industry and the University of Illinois. Tuesday's city council decision will be whether to repeal the ordinance that created the group.

They are supposed to meet monthly, but apparently, most meetings are canceled.

The commission was created in a way that makes its recommendations non-binding, which means the decision-making authority lies with Schweighart and the rest of the city council. Schweighart said the city council often finds the commission's recommendations not helpful.

"We're not being asked for a lot of advice on things, and business kind of dried up," McCauley said.

So their recommendations don't matter, and the things they recommend, Schweighart dismisses anyway.