crowd enjoying beer festival
Chicago Beer Society CBS Event Recaps, General CBS News

LEGENDS of LAGER 2 Recap

On Saturday, April 26th we welcomed 23 breweries, 2 food vendors, 1 cheesemonger and about 150 lager-loving attendees to the 2nd annual LEGENDS of LAGER festival & competition.

The food from Alo Arepa Co. and Chicago Secret Squares was incredible, but as with any CBS event, the beers were the true stars of the show.

With many, MANY great options on hand, the competition was fierce but in the end a few standouts took home the hardware.

CHAMPION BEER:

Goldfinger x Pollyanna – Back of the Rhine (Alsatian-style Lager)

FAVORITE BEERS:

Homewood Brewing Company – Conversations (Mexican Lager)

Cruz Blanca – Tequila Barrel Aged Lime + Salt Chelada (Mexican Lager)

BOARD AWARD (beer that best represented the true spirit of the event):

Cruz Blanca – Vienna Lager (Gravity Keg)

Huge thanks to everyone who came out, to the participating brewers whose generosity helps make these events possible, to the SUPERB food vendors, to our great host Duneyrr Wine & Beer Co. and especially to the amazing volunteers who helped throughout the day!

We truly can’t do it without y’all ❤️

See you next year at LoL3!

brewpub shootout attendees enjoying their beer and food pairings inside Metropolitan Brewery
Chicago Beer Society CBS Event Recaps

BPSO XXIV – RECAP & WINNERS

On Saturday we welcomed around 300 of the most knowledgeable, dedicated beer enthusiasts in the area to crown the best beers, foods, and pairings around at the 24th annual Brewpub Shootout.

The quality on offer this year represented the most impressive spread we’ve had in many, many years and the tight results of the vote reflected that; everyone involved truly brought their “A game” and we can’t thank enough all of the brewers and chefs who made it possible.

Special thanks also go out to our devoted attendees, our hosts Metropolitan Brewing, and the CBS volunteers and board members who put in many hours of work to make this event so special once again.

With all that being said, here are the winners:

BEST PAIRING

Champion: Eris Brewery and Cider House

Favorite: Off Color Brewing / Qing Xiang Yuan Dumplings

Favorite: Flipside Brewing

BEST FOOD

Champion: BrickStone Brewery

Favorite: Half Acre Beer Company

Favorite: Revolution Brewing

BEST BEER

Champion: Off Color Brewing

Favorite: Double Clutch Brewery

Favorite: Flipside Brewing

Chicago Beer Society CBS Event Recaps, General CBS News

45th Fall Tasting & Dinner Recap

The 2022 edition of our annual Fall Tasting reminded us how much fun sampling blind can be!

The venue was incredible (BIG shout-out to Double Clutch Brewing and their amazing staff), the food was tasty, and the wide variety of beers on offer kept tasters on their toes!

While there were many excellent options pouring throughout the night, the top 3 favorites (voted on blind by attendees) were:

CHAMPION: Goose Island (Clybourn Brewhouse) – Big News 1 (Imperial Stout aged on coconut & pecan – 13%)

FAVORITE: Revolution (brewpub) – Party Britches (Rye Dunkel – 6%)

FAVORITE: Ike & Oak – Woollysicle (Milkshake IPA w/orange, vanilla, lactose – 6.3%)

Many thanks once again to our host venue, and the volunteers & board members who helped with everything from hauling kegs to check-in to draft system maintenance to cleanup and tear-down! See you again next year!

FULL BEER LIST:

BREWERYBEERSTYLEABV %
1) Revolution (Brewpub)Party BritchesRye Dunkel6
2) Ike & OakWoollysicleMilkshake IPAw/orange, vanilla, lactose6.3
3) HaymarketOscar’s PardonBelgian Pale Ale4.5
4) Off ColorBeer for the Top ShelfVienna Lagerw/maple syrup5.5
5) TightheadWe Be Yammin’Sweet Potato Ale6.9
6) DuneyrrScarlet WynterRosé Vineyard Aleco-fermented w/ riesling grapes, blood orange, red currant & elderflower4.8
7) Double ClutchHellesHelles Lager5.1
8) Goose IslandBig News 1Oatmeal Stoutaged on toasted & raw coconut, and roasted pecans13
9) MaplewoodModified ConceptDDH IPA7.2
10) Casa HumildeMesita C2CMixed-FermentationTable Beer3.4
11) Half AcrePretty StreetsLime Lager4.8
11) Roaring TableAccordanceCzech Dark Lager4.6
13) Printer’s RowDark AdaptationStout w/ Cacao Nibs & Peanut Butter8.6
Chicago Beer Society CBS Event Recaps, General CBS News

2022 Brewpub Shootout Recap


Despite a few of our brewing friends having to drop out late due to some (understandable) staffing/logistics complications as we continue to recover from the pandemic, those that were able to participate in the competition brought their “A” games as usual!

Massive thanks to our hosts (Metropolitan Brewing), all of the participating brewpubs, the enthusiastic attendees, and to our hard working volunteers who arrived early and stayed late to help make this amazing event possible once again!


For those who were unable to attend, here are this year’s winners (full program here):

Best Beer

  1. Une Année
  2. Brickstone Brewery
  3. Ørkenoy

Best Food

  1. Brickstone Brewery
  2. Ravinia
  3. Une Année

Best Pairing

  1. Brickstone Brewery
  2. Eris
  3. Une Année
Chicago Beer Society CBS Event Recaps, General CBS News

44th Annual Fall Tasting & Dinner Recap

The 2021 Edition of our annual Fall Tasting & Dinner (our 44th!) was, as always, an enjoyable and enlightening event. Massive thanks to the brewers for providing us with so much delicious beer, all the attendees, our hosts Old Irving Brewing, and especially to their hard working staff who helped keep the food flowing and our plates full throughout the evening.

Thanks again – we’ll see you in 2022 for the 45th Fall Tasting!

BLIND TASTING WINNERS

CHAMPION: #15 – Old Irving ‘Grizzly Reaper’ Imperial Milk Stout 
FAVORITE: #2 – Duneyrr ‘Sauvyn Blanc’ Hybrid Ale
FAVORITE: #10 – Printer’s Row ‘Cannonball’ Robust Porter

FULL BEER LIST

BREWERYBEERSTYLEABV %
1) DovetailHefeHefeweizen4.8
2) DuneyrrSauvyn BlancHybrid ale Co-fermemted with Sauvignon Grape Must & Passionfruit5.5
3) OrkenoyBowski HamlinGolden Amber Lager4.5
4) Half AcreSouthern Hemi Double Daisy CutterDouble Pale Ale7.7
5) MetropolitanArc WelderDunkel Rye5.2
6) Midwest CoastEnglish Sporting BeerEnglish Pale Ale5.3
7) Cruz BlancaThree KingsHoliday Punch Ale8.5
8) Casa HumildeCampesinoSaison aged in Cabernet barrels4.7
9) MaplewoodCrushinatorSession IPA4.5
10) Printers RowCannonballRobust Porter7
11) Lake EffectGose Barrel Aged Program-TequilaTequila Barrel-Aged Gose4.8
12) Une AnneeLe Grand Monde 3 2021Wild Ale7
13) Imperial OakAdmiral AckbeerDubbel7
14) Old IrvingLeon’s Last StandFruited Sour6
15) Old IrvingGrizzly ReaperImperial Milk Stout10