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.

CU Bars in the news; Summer Drinks

From WCFN; Illinoishomepage.net

Drink with Andy Borbely; Summer Drinks

Andy mixes some drinks

CU Beer Weekend; May 28 Memorial Day Weekend

What are you doing this Memorial Day Weekend?

Seven Saints

Wednesday: Whiskey Wednesday: Bourbon

Radio Maria

(list as of 5/19)
1. Capital MaiBock $4
2. Green Flash Le Freak $6
3. Ballast Point Sea Monster $6
4. Bells HopSlam IPA $5
5. Avery Dugana IIPA $5
6. Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale $4.5
7. Founders Imperial Stout $6
8. New Holland Golden Cap $4
9. Goose Island Bourbon County Stout $8
10.Port Midnight Sessions $5
11.Dogfish Head Aprihop $4.5
12.Port Shark Attack Red Ale $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

I was there on Wednesday, and they have some awesome stuff on tap. Port Old and Older Viscosity, Lost Abbey the Angel's Share, Goose Island Bourbon County Stout...

Friday: Happy Hour with free appetizers 4:30 - 5:30; Port Midnight Sessions, $4 a pint; 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

Lakfront Rosie Kriek; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Sour Ale%
Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence; Cooperstown, New York, Stout, 7% abv
Dogfish Head Midas Touch; Milton, Delaware, Traditional Ale, 9% abv
Lagunitas Wilco Tango Foxtrot (WTF); Petaluma, CA, Amer. Strong Ale, 7.83% abv
Boulder Bourbon Barrel Never Summer; Boulder, Colorado, Spice Ale, 5.9% abv
Unibroue La Terrible; Canada, Belgian Strong Ale, 10.5% abv
Left Hand 400lb Monkey; Longmont, Colorado, India Pale Ale, 7% 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
Piraat; Belgium, Belgian Strong Ale, 10.5%
Lagunitas IPA; Petaluma, California, India Pale Ale, 5.7% abv
Arcadia Whitsun; Battle Creek, Michigan, Wheat Ale, 6.2% abv
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 American Pale Ale
Blind Pig Witbier
Blind Pig Smoked Rye
Blind Pig Hard Cider
Schlafly Kolsch; Maplewood, Missouri, Kolsch, 4.8% abv
Founder’s Dirty Bastard; Grand Rapids, Michiagn, Scotch Ale, 8.3% abv
Pyramid Apricot; Portland, Oregon, Fruit Beer, 5.1% abv
Great Divide St. Briget’s Porter; Denver, Colorado, Porter, 6% abv
Two Brothers Dog Days Lager; Warrenville, Illinois, Dortmunder, 4.9% abv
North Coast Le Merle; Fort Bragg, California, Saison, 7.9% abv
Heilemans Old Style; Woodridge, Illinois, Pale Lager, 5% abv
Victory HopDevil; Downington, Pennsylvania, India Pale Ale, 6.7% abv
Ommegang Three Philosophers; Cooperstown, NY, Quadrupel, 5.8% abv
Guinness; Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv

Crane Alley

PBR 4.7%
Guinness 4.2%
Avery White Rascal 5.5%
GreatDivide Yeti Imperial Stout 9.5%
Great Divide Hercules 9.1%
Lindemans Framboise 4.0%
Founders Centennial Ipa 7.3%%
Konig Pilsner 4.9%
Ska Nefarious Ten Pin Porter 8.0%
Founders Backwoods Bastard 10.2%
Geants Goliath Tripel 9.0%
Founders El Diablo del Noche 8.1%
Arcadia Whitsun 4.6%
Mikkeller\Drikkeriget GIPA 6.6%
Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale 7.2%
Lost Coast Tangerine Wheat 5.0%

This weeks food specials:

SALMON - Honey-walnut crusted salmon with sauteed squash, zucchini, and carrot over sweet potato puree and drizzled with sweet onion cream.
STEWED PORK - Stewed pork in curry spice, onions, celery, carrots, bell peppers, smoked paprika, and coconut milk served with basmati rice.

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

Friday: Little Pieces
Saturday: the Keylocks
Sunday: El Fuego
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

Cask: Arcadia Angler's Ale

Two Brothers Ebel Weiss
New Holland Dragon's Milk
Moylan's Pomegranate Wheat
Summit Horizon Red
Left Hand 400 Pound Monkey
Wexford Irish Style Cream Ale

Cowboy Monkey

Friday: DJ Mingram, 10pm, free
Saturday: Beat Kitchen, 10pm, $5
Sunday: Hit it Run, 10pm, free
Tuesday: Open Mic Night, 10pm, free
Wednesday: Salsa & Tango, 10pm, free
Thursday: Blues Jam, 8:30 pm, free

Highdive

Friday: DJ Delaney, 10 pm, $5
Sunday: DJ Drama, 9pm, $tba
Monday: 80's Night, 10pm, free
Thursday: DJ Night, 10pm, $5 after 11pm

Canopy Club

Tuesday: The Piano Man
Wednesday: Discotech Dance Night

CU Beer Club

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

Alcohol in the news; Summer Beers

From WCIA 3 CBS Morning Show/Illinoishomepage.net

Summer Beers

Nick Bland from the Corkscrew shows some summer beers.

He talks about lawnmower beers, kindof. The first is Konig Pilsner, the second is North Coast Acme IPA.

The conversation leaves beer...