Month: May 2012

In celebration of the 35th anniversary year of the Chicago Beer Society, we bring you – for one night only – the triumphant return of the Blues & Brews Cruise.

Join us aboard the fabulous Kanan (Navy Pier) for an evening cruising Lake Michigan, with specially selected craft beers, a whole roasted pig dinner, plus live music and dancing against a backdrop of the beautiful Chicago skyline and summer fireworks. Performing for the evening will be Bloodshot Records recording artist Charlie Pickett (“…a trashed-out mix of dark, scuzzy blues and earthy country stomp…” UNCUT Magazine).

The all-inclusive price is $98 for CBS Members, $115 for nonmembers, paid in advance. Nonmembers who join the Beer Society at the same time can pay the member price. Tickets can be purchased by filling out and mailing in the reservation form (already snail mailed to current members) or online (nonmember price only) via Brown Paper Tickets. You must be 21 or older to attend.

Boarding will be from the Kanan Cruises dock at Navy Pier at 7:30 pm, with departure at 8 pm sharp (no stragglers!). Return is at 11 pm.

Directions, parking options, and public transit information are all available at the Kanan Cruises website.

You are cordially invited to the annual celebration of the American Homebrewers Association‘s Big Brew Day (albeit one week later since many of our guys were  at the Craft Brewers Conference in San Diego). Homebrewers all across the country will be brewing batches of beer at the same time, including some of us. There are even some standard recipes (which we rarely follow).

The Chicago Big Brew Day will be held Saturday May 12 at Camp Norris/Phillips, 3717 N. Kenneth, Chicago.  Randy Mosher, Nancy Cline, and their long-time friends will be on hand to help host. Tim Norris and Dave Phillips will be here too, unless Tim is called in to work. There will be room for brewing outdoors, there will be water, perhaps filtered. A smoker will be set up, etc.  All attendees can bring beer and food as usual. The big differences are that there is an alley for drive by unloading, and more grass/dandelions to frolic around in.

Of course, the party is mostly non-brewing participants, thank god, as we’d burn down the neighborhood otherwise. It functions as a warped open house event. Doors will be open from 8 am.  As far as food and drink, this is totally a pitch-in. We usually have a ploughman’s lunch (cheese, cured meat, pickles, etc.) midday, then get the smoker fired up and eat a hot meaty dinner later. We’ll have grills available as well as the smoker. Don’t show up empty handed.  Beer, meat, sides, snacks, and desserts are all welcome. The club will supply plates, forks, glasses. etc.

You might bring a lawn chair with you if you care what you sit on.

Date & Time: May 12, 2012, 8 am-until Roger leaves.

Location: Camp Norris/Phillips, at 3717 N Kenneth Ave,  Chicago, just north of Milwaukee Ave. The site is easily accessible via public transit. The Metra Milwaukee District North line train stop (Grayland) is just around the corner, and the CTA #56 Milwaukee bus stops there, too (Kilbourn). The closest CTA train station is Irving Park on the Blue Line, less than a mile to the east and easily walkable. 773-545-4004.