Chicago Beer Society

Day of the Living Ales, the region’s largest celebration of cask-conditioned beers, was held on March 5. Twenty-six breweries from Chicagoland and beyond provided 44 different beers, while 500 attendees sampled the beers over two sessions and cast ballots to decide the 2011 Champion Real Ale of Chicagoland.

The winners:

1. Goose Island Beer Company Skully (saison aged in oak barrels with fresh strawberries, honey, and Champagne yeast)
   
2. Goose Island Beer Company Bourbon County Brand Coffee Stout
   
3. Three Floyds Zombie Dust

In addition, the cellar staff awards an annual Golden Tut Award to the brewery/beer that best exemplifies the overall cask ale experience. The winner for 2011:  Firestone Walker Double Jack Double IPA.

Congratulations to the champions, and thanks to all the breweries and their brewers for supplying such an outstanding list of beers. Take a look at the event program to see what was featured.

DotLA/NotLA could not take place without our great volunteers, sponsors and supporters. Any beer event requires a lot of effort, but the logistics of a cask event are even more complex. And everyone who organized, set up/broke down, stillaged, spiled, tapped, served, sold, etc. was an unpaid volunteer. Many put in many hours and traveled great distances to help us – they all deserve your thanks.

We also owe a great debt to our sponsors, the Brewers Supply Group, Cicerone Certification Program, and Owen & Engine. Thanks also to Goose Island, Marion Street Cheese Market, the Cellars at Jasper Hill, and Gene’s Sausage Shop & Deli for the great selection of appetizers, meat & cheeses. Goose Island Wrigleyville has been the gracious host of this event every year. Thanks to all GI-W staff for their assistance during the planning and functioning of this event, especially to manager Daria Olechowski.

Of course, events like this could not take place without the support of our members and guests who attend and make DotLA so much fun. The two sessions sold out in record time and proved once again that the passion for real ales is growing every day.

Cheers!

For the seventh consecutive year, CBS will be sponsoring Day of the Living Ales, a walk-around real ale tasting featuring the best cask conditioned ales from Chicagoland breweries and some very special guests. We’ll also be serving fine meats, cheeses, and other appetizers to help you consume responsibly.

As always, DotLA will feature the region’s largest selection of real ales (40+ casks), all of them coddled by our own staff of experienced cellarmen, trained in the UK to care for and serve real ale. Remember, a properly served real ale is neither cloudy, flat, nor warm; rather, it is bright, with a gentle carbonation and served at cellar temperature. Accept no substitute!

Attendees will be able to sample the beers and then vote for the 2011 Champion Real Ale of Chicagoland. Last year’s winners were:

1. Flossmoor Station Bourbon McElroy Imperial Stout
2. Goose Island Beer Company Oaky Rose Flemish Brown
3. Surly Brewing Darkness

Will a local brewer earn repeat honors in 2011? You decide!

Casks settling at 2010 DotLA

Day of the Living Ales will be held at Goose Island Wrigleyville, 3535 N Clark St, Chicago, over two sessions: 1-5 pm (4:45 last call) and 6-10 pm (9:45 last call). Only 250 tickets per session will be sold. Admission includes a tasting glass, beer samples and appetizers (artisanal meats and cheeses). All attendees must be at least 21 years old. Note: as of January 31, the event is sold out. Please do not call or email, or ask to change sessions, as there are no additional tickets available, and none will be available at the door.

Occasionally some tickets may be made available via our CBS-HB listserv. If you do not already subscribe, you are encouraged to do so.

Thanks once again for your incredible support of this event!