This week’s BotW hails from Chico, California, home of Sierra Nevada. The brewery’s Ruthless Rye is taking advantage of a recent trend in beer – that is, the tendency of brewmasters to use more rye in their recipes. Perhaps it’s a nod to the rye spirits we’re seeing from places like Templeton or Old Overholt. … Continued
If you love walnuts, this week’s beer is for you. It’s from Perennial Brewery in St. Louis, and The Hopleaf’s Michael Roper really loves how dark and intense it is. Beer with dessert? Why not. It’s barely 7% abv, and with all of those rich, intense walnuts to draw upon, it has a sweet intensity … Continued
If you’ve spent anytime eating in Chicago or perusing the Farmer’s Markets, you’ll be very familiar with Nichols Farm. Based in Marengo, IL, the family farm has been a part of the growing food scene here for well over a decade. More recently, their apples have become the basis for Virtue Cider’s latest cider, which … Continued
Stephanie Izard’s Little Goat Diner has been open for about a year, while the bakery next door, Little Goat Bread, has been the workhorse, pumping out all of the breads for her restaurants and serving Stumptown coffee first thing in the morning. They’ve also opened a second branch at The Chicago French Market, with a … Continued
Every time I drive by La Unica Food Mart, in Rogers Park, I’m struck by how hidden away this gem truly is. I bet 99.9% of the people who cruise down Devon Avenue – either on their way to the Indian/Pakistani restaurants, or to the Lake – think it’s just another Hispanic grocery store. But … Continued
It’s friggin’ cold outside. But this week, The Hopleaf’s Michael Roper has an excellent suggestion: go get yourself some Expedition Stout from Bell’s, the pride of Kalamazoo, MI. It’s dark, roasty and toasty; perfect to sip in front of a fire or have with roasted meats (even chocolate). It looks like oil, but tastes like … Continued
If there ever was a good week for something brutally dark and rich and comforting to help get through the dark days of winter, this would be it. While Chicago suffers yet another bone-chilling, snow-covered few days (high of 10 today, folks), Roper picked an apropos brew this week. It’s Obsidian Stout from Deschutes Brewery … Continued
Very few of our Beers of the Week have had the distinction of being named in a lawsuit at the same time The Hopleaf’s Michael Roper was singing their praises, but such is the situation this week for the talented guys over at 5 Rabbit in Bedford Park. The local brewery – which specializes in creating beers … Continued
By now, you’ve probably heard all about the pizza, pasta, carne and pesce at Eataly, the 63,000 square feet behemoth in River North. What you probably haven’t heard too much about is their beer. Yes, they have a brewery on site, but they are also importing some very special beer from Italy, including this week’s … Continued
We’re off to Morocco this week, sort of. At least on West Irving Park Road. I guarantee you’ve probably whizzed by Shokran on the way to Smoque BBQ or at the very least, were probably focusing more on the exit/on ramp for the Kennedy Expressway than you were on the storefront here. It’s easy to … Continued
Last week, Michael Roper tackled a few US beers in the Christmas spirit; today, it’s off to Belgium, where he’s got three more to recommend, including his favorite, Gouden Carolus, a deep, intense beer that really delivers a lot of flavor – without the cloying spices inherent in so many of this season’s brews. This … Continued