f96h2 CBS Events, General CBS News

CBS Annual Picnic and War of the Ribs/Chili/Salsa/Dessert

Our annual picnic is always one of our most anticipated events, and with good reason:  Every year we supply an extraordinary beer selection (check out this year’s amazing beer list!) backed up by a seemingly endless feast of ribs, chili, salsa, and desserts that are whipped up by our amazing members who compete for trophies in hotly contested competitions. (Update: here are the 2008 results.)

Bring the family and your pals from the bowling league, running club, welding class, knitting circle, whatever – all are welcome and nobody ever goes home hungry or thirsty. The food is amazing – better than you’ll get in any restaurant. And the price? FREE to all CBS members and family who bring a food item to share, or $5 (fidollars) if you come empty handed. Nonmembers bringing foodstuffs pay $5; empty-handed nonmembers must pay $10, but what a deal!

So, grab your folding chairs, horseshoes, lawn darts, croquet sets, etc. and enjoy a great afternoon of phenomenal food, beer, and fun. If you’re interested in participating in the rib competition, contact Randy Mosher. If you want to compete for the chili, salsa, or dessert trophies, just bring along your entry and sign up on-site.

Location: LaBagh Woods, Grove 1 in the Cook County Forest Preserve just off the Edens Expressway on Chicago’s North Side (auto entrance on east side of Cicero Avenue, north of Foster). We’re about 1.5 miles from the Jefferson Park stop on the CTA Blue Line, where you can hop a 92 Foster Avenue bus. It’s also not far to the Forest Glen stop on the Metra Milwaukee District North line.

f96h2 CBS Events, Past CBS Homebrew Events

Big Brew Day

You are cordially invited to the annual celebration of the American Homebrewers Association‘s Big Brew Day. 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).

Brewers, if you’re planning on coming, contact Randy Mosher so he can save some room.

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 (brewers earlier by special arrangement). As far as food and drink, this is a pitch-in. We usually have a ploughman’s lunch midday, then get the smoker fired up (usually by Joe Preiser, Pitmaster) and eat a hot meat dinner later. We’ll have a grill available as well as the smoker. Don’t show up empty handed. Beer, meat, sides, snacks, and desserts are all welcome.

We will have a big pile of firewood for the firepit. You might bring a lawn chair with you if you care what you sit on.

Date & Time: May 3, 2008 8 am-until Roger leaves.

Location: Chez Mosher-Cline, at 1604 W. Lunt Ave, Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago. (Lunt is 7000 north; that’s 4 blocks from the lake, 2 blocks east of Clark, about a 5 minute walk from the Morse Ave Red Line CTA stop.) 773-973-0240.

f96h2 CBS Event Recaps

2008 Night of the Living Ales Recap

Night of the Living Ales, the region’s largest celebration of cask-conditioned beers, was held on March 1. Twenty breweries from Chicagoland and beyond provided 40 casks of real ale, while over 500 attendees sampled the beers and cast ballots to decide the 2008 Champion Real Ale of Chicagoland. After spirited voting, Surly Brewing‘s Tea-bagged Furious (Hoppy) emerged as the champion. Goose Island-Fulton captured second place with its Imperial Stout with Chicory, while Rock Bottom-Orland Park took third with its unusual M&D Peanut Butter Brown. Congratulations to the champions, and thanks to all the breweries for supplying such an outstanding list of beers.

NotLA IV simply could not take place without the support of CBS members and guests. We also owe a great debt to the Siebel Institute of Technology and World Brewing Academy and the Brewers Supply Group for their sponsorship this year; Roth Kase USA for supplying the fabulous cheese for the fourth straight year; above all, we want to thank John Hall and Goose Island Beer Company for their unstinting support for CBS over the last 20 years. Goose Island Wrigleyville has been our gracious host every year. Thanks to Reggie, Minda, Daria, and all their staff for their help.

We realize that this year’s event was much more crowded than it should have been. We’re sorry that we oversold tickets, but can assure everyone that we will substantially limit capacity in future years. We know that this may exclude some of you, but this will definitely provide a more comfortable environment and a better experience for all who attend.

Here’s the full list of breweries and their beers:

Goose Island Brewpub – Clybourn Avenue
1. Debbie’s Special Bitter
2. Pub Stout

Goose Island Brewery – Fulton Street
3. Matilda w/Juniper Berries & Branch Tips (pre-brett)
4. Honker’s Ale (dry-hopped)
5. Matilda w/Lime & Orange Peels (pre-brett)
6. Imperial Stout w/Chicory (Bourbon County pre-barrel)

Piece Brewery & Pizzeria
7. Big Black Moriah Smoked Porter
8. Mooseknuckle Barleywine

Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery – Chicago
9. Blitzen Belgian Strong Golden
10. Siegle d’Houblon de Moineau Belgian Rye-P-A
11. Who Are You Wit?

America’s Brewing Co – Aurora
12. Rex Grossman’s Big Play Barleywine
13. Kyle Orton’s Statistically Strong Scotch Ale

Brass Restaurant & Brewery – Lake Barrington
14. Anticipation Pale Ale

Emmett’s Tavern & Brewing Co – West Dundee, Palatine, Downers Grove, Oswego
15. McCarthy Red Ale

Flossmoor Station Restaurant & Brewery – Flossmoor
16. Bitter Harvest American Pale Ale
17. Milky Way Stout
18. X-IPA

Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant – Bolingbrook
19. Schwarzbier

Govnor’s Public House – Lake in the Hills
20. Randall Road IPA (dry-hopped)

Lunar Brewing – Villa Park
21. Kind Ale IPA
22. Orion’s Oatmeal Pale

Mickey Finn’s Brewery – Libertyville
23. Rye Stout
24. Irish Red Ale

M.T. Barrels – West Dundee
25. HopHead Heaven IPA

Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery – Orland Park
26. King of Hearts Imperial Red
27. M&D Peanut Butter Brown
28. Naughty Scot
29. Hopbomb IPA

Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery – Warrenville
30. Belgial Dubbel
31. English IPA

Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery – Yorktown
32. Valentines’ Double IPA
33. 630 Suburban Wheat
34. McCoy’s Pomegranate Stout

Two Brothers Brewing Co. & Taphouse – warrenville
35. Cane & Ebel

Lagunitas Brewing – Petaluma, CA
36. Old Gnarlywine

Three Floyds Brewing – Munster, IN
37. Decimator Doppelbock
38. Blackheart English IPA

Surly Brewing – Brooklyn Center, MN
39. Oak-aged Bender (Malty)
40. Tea-bagged Furious (Hoppy)

f96h2 CBS Events

Night of the Living Ales IV – Sold Out

For the fourth consecutive year, CBS will be sponsoring the region’s largest celebration of cask-conditioned ales, Night of the Living Ales. This event will feature around 40 casks of real ale from Chicagoland breweries and some very special guests. As always, this promises to be a big firkin deal for area real ale enthusiasts. Attendees will be able to sample the beers and then select the 2008 Champion Real Ale of Chicagoland. Past champions have been Bell’s Two Hearted Ale, Flossmoor Station X-IPA, and Three Floyds Admiral Lord Nelson. Who will win in 2008? It’s up to you!

NotLA IV will be held at Goose Island Wrigleyville, 3535 N Clark St, Chicago, from 6-10 pm (9:45 last call). Tickets are $35 for members, $40 nonmembers, purchased in advance. Admission includes a tasting glass, beer samples, and appetizers (artisanal meats and cheeses; Goose Island grub). You must be 21 or older to be admitted. As of February 17 we are now completely sold out. Thanks once again to all our members and guests for your continuing support of this event. Extra thanks to the Siebel Institute of Technology and World Brewing Academy and the Brewers Supply Group for their sponsorship this year.

As always, we recommend that you take public transportation or arrange for a designated driver. Goose Island Wrigleyville is located approximately 2 blocks west of the CTA Red Line Addison station (one-half block south of Wrigley Field). The CTA 22 Clark bus runs past the front door all night; taxis are also an easy option.

f96h2 CBS Events

10th Annual Chicagoland Brewpub & Microbrewery Shootout – Sold Out

Come out and enjoy the best beers and best foods from Chicago area brewpubs and microbreweries. Sample a bunch of beers and each brewery’s food item and then vote for your favorites (beer, food item, and beer-food combination). Winners will be announced at the end of the event. Support your favorite brewery or brewpub – or discover a new favorite. Either way, you get to taste the very best beer and food that Chicago has to offer.

The Shootout runs from 1-5 pm at the Irish American Heritage Center, 4626 N Knox Ave, Chicago. Tickets are $40 for members, $50 for nonmembers (if any are available). You must be 21 or older to attend this non-smoking event. NOTE: due to the enormous demand for tickets, the following policy is in effect:

  • Only current members as of December 1, 2007 can order tickets (1 ticket per single member; 2 tickets for couples) from December 12 through the end of the year. Requests for multiple tickets will not be honored.
  • Orders will be filled based on postmark date. Once we reach capacity, all unfilled orders will be returned and a sellout will be posted here.
  • If tickets are still available after this exclusive members-only offer, a PDF order form will be posted here on January 2, 2008. Again, nonmember or additional member orders will be processed based on postmark date. Nonmember orders sent prior to January 2 (assuming tickets are still available) will be returned.

We’re sorry that we have to enforce such strict guidelines, but space is extremely limited and the demand is extremely high. We cannot even guarantee tickets for all our members. Thanks for your unbelievable support for the Shootout. Best of luck with your ticket orders and hope to see you at the IAHC!

As of Monday, December 31, the Shootout is completely SOLD OUT. We were able to sell all available tickets via our exclusive offer to our members. To increase your chances of getting a ticket in the future, join CBS!

Occasionally a few tickets may be available as current ticket holders run into last-minute conflicts. Please monitor the CBS-HB listserv, as this is typically where people announce that they have some available.