CBS Event Recaps, CBS Events

2015 Day of The Living Ales Recap

Congratulations to the winners of the 2015 Day of the Living Ales. Forty-seven cask ales were sampled by attendees over 2 sessions. Attendees voted on their top three favorite beers. Once the votes were tallied, awards were announced for the top two beers over 6% ABV and the top two beers at or under 6% ABV. In addition, the beer that best exemplified a cask beer based on condition, clarity, and quality as determined by the event’s cellar staff was awarded the Golden Tut.

Over 6%

6% and Under

Golden Tut Award

Many thanks to our hosts at Bottom Lounge, the breweries who provided beers, and the volunteers who helped with setup, serving, and clean up.

Until next year. Cheers!

CBS Events, General CBS News

2015 Day of the Living Ales

SALES END 02-26-2015 AT 11:59PM CST

The Chicago Beer Society announces the Day of the Living Ales for 2015, featuring cask conditioned ales from Chicagoland, plus selected guests.  The home of the event since its inception, Goose Island-Wrigleyville, has closed, so join us on February 28th in Chicago’s new home for real ale: Bottom Lounge.  Located at 1375 West Lake Street, Bottom Lounge is located steps from the CTA Green and Pink Lines, several bus routes, a long walk or short cab ride to two Metra stations, plus the aforementioned cabs and street parking nearby.

At this new venue casks will still be handled by CBS’s experienced cellarmen, trained in the UK to care for and serve real ale. A properly served real ale is neither cloudy, flat, nor warm: rather  it is bright, with a gentle carbonation and served at cellar temperature. Food will be available for purchase. As always, public sessions are from 1-5 and 6-10 PM.  When finished, the lively Randolph corridor offers ample entertainment options.

Attendees will select the 2015 Champion Real Ales of Chicagoland!

Saturday, February 28, 2015

Two Spirited Sessions!

Afternoon, 1:00-5:00 PM (sold out) & Evening (tickets still available) 6:00-10:00 PM

Bottom Lounge, 1375 W Lake Street, Chicago, IL 60607

Chicago Beer Society members should have received ordering information in the mail.
DO NOT THROW THIS MAILER AWAY.  It will contain a unique password by which you can order your tickets.

The CBS Member-only ordering period has ended. General sale of tickets is underway.
You must purchase your tickets for the specific session you are attending. They are NOT transferable to the other session.

Afternoon session tickets can be purchased at: afternoondotla15.brownpapertickets.com

Evening session tickets can be purchased at:  eveningdotla15.brownpapertickets.com

All attendees must be at least 21 years old. No refunds. Admission includes: tasting glass & beer samples. Food will be available for separate purchase from Bottom Lounge.

As usual, we recommend the use of public transit: Green or Pink Line ‘L’ to Ashland/Lake, and walk 3 blocks east along Lake Street.

Any questions regarding this event, membership status, or other queries should be directed to http://chibeer.org/contact/

Cask List

5 Rabbit Cerveceria, Bedford Park IL 5rabbitbrewery.com
1. 44-55 Scotch Ale 6.5% abv
2. Barrel Aged Vida y Muerte (“Muerzen” style ale) – With dulce de leche, cinnamon, tarragon. Aged in oak barrel. 5.2% abv

Crystal Lake Brewing Co, Crystal Lake IL crystallakebrew.com
3. Lakesider (American Märzen) – Chewy malt with an underlying hint of pine/floral hops. 5.3% abv
4. Slalom King (American IPA with Rye) – Bold citrus aroma and flavor along with a firm maltiness, and a bit of dry rye spice. 7.5% abv

DESTIHL Brewery, Bloomington/Normal/Chanpaign IL destihl.com
5. Tripel with Pomegranate, Blueberry, and Cranberry 11% abv

Emmett’s Brewing Co. West Dundee/Palatine/Downers Grove IL emmettsbrewingco.com
6. English Brown (Northern English Brown Ale) 4.7% abv
7. English Old Ale 8.7% abv

Flossmoor Station Brewing Co. Flossmoor, IL flossmoorstation.com
8. Anglo American Mild (English/American Mild Hybrid) – Higher ABV & American Hops; Medium malt flavor with hints of toasted oats, brown & crystal malts. Very low spicy & earthy hop profile 5.2% abv

Forbidden Root Brewing Co. Chicago IL forbiddenroot.com
9. Sublime Ginger Radler – Wheat with ginger, key lime juice, honeybush and lemon soda. Dry-spiced with fresh ginger & lime peel 3.2% abv
10. Sublime Ginger with Peaches – Wheat ale with ginger, key lime juice, honeybush and peaches 3.8% abv

Goose Island – Clybourn gooseisland.com
11. Cran-Bruin (Flemish-style brown ale) – With cranberries, aged in oak for 11 months 5.2% abv
12. Dark Mild (English style) 3.8% abv
13. Iron Sickle (Belgian-style table beer) – Mixed Sacc/Brett/Lacto fermentations 3.5% abv

Goose Island – Fulton gooseisland.com
14. 6297 (Green Line with Experimental hop #6297) 5.4% abv
15. Azteca (Belgian/Mexican spiced beer) – Rich sweetness, and finishes with a dry tea character. Faint pepper rounds out a nuanced cocoa base. 7% abv
16. Earl (Green Line with Earl Grey tea) – Biscuit with faint notes of bergamot and citrus. 5.4% abv
17. Fleurkin (Saison with hisbiscus kombucha and hibiscus) – It’s been almost 4 years, with some modifications we present a lighter version of Fleur with a harder rose color and growing tart/acidic finish. 6.5% abv
18. My Shout (Sparkling Ale) – Easy drinking and soft with a dry smooth finish. 5.0% abv

Half Acre Beer Co, Chicago IL halfacrebeer.com
19. Lead Feather Black Ale – Toasted coconut and vanilla bean 5.9% abv
20. Mango Habanero Space IPA 6.7% abv

Haymarket Pub & Brewery, Chicago IL haymarketbrewing.com
21. Winter Warmer – Old Ale meets Imperial IPA, dry hopped with Citra. 10% abv

Illuminated Brew Works, Chicago IL ibw-chicago.com
22. Kallisti (Golden Ale) – Calypso hops and a razor-thin grist conspire to create a beer made only for the most beautiful. 7.4% abv

Imperial Oak Brewing, Willow Springs IL imperialoakbrewing.com
23. Abbey Obscuro (Belgian Stout) – Dry-spiced with Cacao nibs, Chipotle peppers, Vanilla beans, Cinnamon 8.5% abv

Lakefront Brewery, Inc. Milwaukee WI lakefrontbrewery.com
24. IPA with Belma Hops (American IPA) 7.0% abv
25. Saison with Hibiscus & Chamomile 5.2% abv

Metropolitan Brewing, Chicago IL metrobrewing.com
26. Habanero Krankshaft Kolsch – Delicate Cologne style beer. We added fresh habanero peppers because we aren’t German and don’t have to follow the Reinheitsgesundheitmeinfräulein. Hopefully they provide some extra gemütlichkeit. 5% abv
27. Heliostat Zwickel Lager (Dortmunder/Pils hybrid) – Zwickel style lager conditioned in a cask. Includes plenty of hausgeschmack for the Stammtisch. 5.7% abv

Mickey Finn’s
28. Pat’s Irish Red 4.5% abv
29. Yorkie Bitter 4.0% abv

Off Color Brewing, Chicago IL offcolorbrewing.com
30. Apple Blossoms – Gose w/apple blossoms and chrysanthemums 4.5% abv
31. Bare Bear – Sahti w/juniper berries and wine staves 7.0% abv

Revolution Brewing, Chicago IL revbrew.com
32. Brixton Bitter (English-style Ordinary Bitter) 3.7% abv
33. Winter Woman (Imperial Brown) – Big, hoppy, brown ale 9.0% abv

Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery – Chicago rockbottom.com
34. Mouldy Toad Brown (Brown Ale with cacao nibs) 6.8% abv
35. Snow Cat (Belgian White IPA) 6.6% abv

Rock Bottom –Lombard
36. Chilsner (Chili Beer) – Light, Spicy, Golden Beer, dry-chilied 5.5% abv

Rock Bottom –Orland Park
37. Erik the Red – Irish Red Ale (Malty Irish Red with subtle lemon pepper hops for balance) >6% abv
38. Victim of Illusion – Imperial Golden Stout (Dark gold / light copper colored Imperial stout with cacao nibs, coffee, oats, and smoked malt) <6% abv

Rock Bottom –Warrenville
39. Doppelbock 8.7% abv

Solemn Oath Brewery, Naperville IL solemnoathbrewery.com
40. Billy No-Mates (Irish Stout) 5.0% abv
41. E-Ville (Dry-hopped American Brown Ale) 6.6% abv

Temperance Beer Co, Chicago IL temperancebeer.com
42. Dubbel Stubble (Belgian dubbel) 7.2% abv
43. Restless Years (pale ale with rye) 5.8% abv

Three Floyds Brewing Co, Munster IN 3floyds.com
44. Cimmerian Sabertooth Berzerker (Double IPA) 10% abv
45. Yum Yum (American Pale Ale) 5.6% abv

Tighthead Brewing Co, Mundelein IL tightheadbrewing.com
46. Coffee Boxcar Porter – Cold steeped coffee concentrate in cask 5.6% abv
47. Irie IPA – Dry hopped in fermenter 7.8% abv

Chicago Beer Society CBS Event Recaps, General CBS News

Fall Tasting Results

The Beer List for the recent Fall tasting was not announced before the event because it is a blind tasting event. The beers are voted on by the attendees and the top three beers are announced after everyone finishes dinner.

Just in case you were not able to attend the Tasting, we’re posting the beers that were donated and the winners list is below.

The beer list for this year’s Fall Tasting:

#1 Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Chateau Jiahu
Chinese Historical beer

#2 Piece Brewery & Pizzeria
Dark and Curvy
Dunkelweiss

#3 New Holland Brewing Company
Mad Hatter IPA
American IPA

#4 Mickey Finn’s Brewery
Saison
Belgian-style saison

#5 Arcadia Brewing Company
Shipwreck Porter
Barrel-Aged Baltic-style porter

#6 Unibroue
Maudite
Belgian-style strong dark

#7 Goose Island Brewpub
XXX Porter
Hoppy robust porter

#8 New Belgium Brewing Company
Eric’s Ale
Belgian-style peach lambic

#9 Rogue Ales
Shakespeare Stout
American stout

#10 Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery – Chicago
Morning Buzz Porter
Porter with coffee

#11 Lakefront Brewery
Barrel-aged Cherry Lager

#12 Brouwerij Verhaeghe
Echt Kriekenbier
Flemish red with cherries

#13 Sprecher Brewing Company
Dopple Bock
German-style doppelbock

#14 America’s Brewing Company
Imperial Stout
American imperial stout

#15 Flossmoor Station Restaurant & Brewery
Hoppy Little “O”
Belgian-style double IPA

#16 Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
World Wide Stout
Triple imperial stout

Bonus beer: Rock Bottom Chicago Shimkos’ uber-hopped Pale Ale

And these are the three beers that won.

Fall Tasting Beer Winners:

First Place: Arcadia Brewing Company – Shipwreck Porter
Second Place: Brouwerij Verhaeghe – Echt Kriekenbier
Third Place: Flossmoor Station Restaurant & Brewery – Hoppy Little “O”

Thanks to everyone who donated beer! Thanks to the always hospitable Rock Bottom for being such great hosts! Congratulations to the winners! And thanks to the CBS members and guests who attended and once again helped us have a great event!

f96h2 CBS Events

31st Annual Fall Tasting

The 31st Annual Fall Tasting
Saturday, November 17th
6:30 to 11 pm
Rock Bottom – Chicago
1 West Grand

Appetizers
BBQ Meatballs, Mini Bruschetta Bites and Artichoke Dip with Crispy Pita

Dinner:
Smoked Chicken Tuscan Salad, Roasted Pork Loin with Whole Grain Mustard Sauce and Mashed Potatos, Bowtie Pasta Primavera with Roasted Garlic and Olive Oil

Desserts:
Homemade Mini Carrot Cakes, Fudge Brownies

This will be a blind tasting — beers are seved in souvenir CBS glasses to allow you to judge the beers strictly on their own merit. When the formal tasting ends, all the beers will be available for your enjoyment.

There are a limited number of seats available. Reservations are due by 11/9 and prepayment is required. Everyone must be 21 years old. The price is $40 for members, $50 for nonmembers. Per usual nonmembers can pay the member rate if they join CBS at the same time.

As of November 7th This event is sold out.