Once again, Cleveland rocks. This week’s BotW hails from the Great Lakes Brewery there, and The Hopleaf’s Michael Roper has a thing for amber lagers. These colorful, complex and easy-to-drink beers are wonderful in warmer months, and he says the Eliot Ness will do the trick. Cheers.
It’s one of my favorite times of the year, ingredient-wise, but strawberry season is, sadly, also too brief. I try to pack them into everything I can: shortcake, ice creams, jams, you name it. But sometimes I just want a simple sundae, adorned with a few macerated strawberries for seasonal oomph. That’s the case this … Continued
The recent heatwave has me reaching for an arsenal of summer-friendly recipes, including one of my favorites, gazpacho. But tomatoes aren’t quite there yet, so we’re turning to cucumbers and garlic scopes today – familiar sites at most markets this time of year.
Grand Rapids, Michigan is the source of this week’s Beer of the Week from The Hopleaf’s Michael Roper. Founders Brewery has a terrific light beer called “All Day IPA” and with warm weather here, he says it’s a perfect summer sipper that won’t fill you up. Cheers.
ASPEN, CO – In what is surely the most anticipated orgy of all things porcine, this year’s Grand Cochon in Aspen proved exciting (and damn delicious), right up until the final chicharon, with Chicago’s Jason Vincent of Nightwood taking home the crown (literally). The annual event is the culmination of a nationwide tour, … Continued
ASPEN, CO – I’ve been going to Aspen annually for the last decade. At first, it was to sit on a panel, talking about dealing with the media. But over the past several years, its been to serve as Moderator for the entire American Express Trade Program, handling the duties for four distinctive panels. … Continued
Anyone from Michigan (including The Hopleaf’s Michael Roper) will sing the praises of Bell’s. But now that it’s truly hot outside on a consistent basis, you don’t need a lot of coaxing to give this Michigan brewery’s beers a try. Their Oberon is a light wheat ale that is absolutely perfect for summer sipping, coming … Continued
This week, The Hopleaf’s Michael Roper looks to Lagunitas, which recently announced it’s going to set up a (huge) brewery in Chicago. They’ve got a little “sumpin’ sumpin’” to quench your thirst: it’s 7.5% alcohol, a tad spicy, and a prototype for an excellent summertime ale. Cheers.
Ah, Brooklyn. Home to hipsters and fine chocolate (Mast Bros.); smoked meat (Mile End) and pies (4 and 20 Blackbirds). Beer has, of course, been a part of the borough for some time, as the namesake brewery has been led by the more-than-capable nose and palate of Garrett Oliver. But there’s always someone in … Continued
After yesterday’s post regarding Mindy Segal’s re-booted HotChocolate, I didn’t really think about running another sweet feature, but I’ve had this one in the works for about two weeks. After a casual dinner by my lonesome recently at the bar at Telegraph, in Logan Square, my eyes were drawn to one of their desserts: … Continued
Not all dark beers are created equally. Take this week’s Beer of the Week: Schwarzbier, from the Mönchshof Brewery in Germany. The Hopleaf’s Michael Roper says since it’s low in alcohol, it is very easy to drink (think warm weather sipper out in the backyard). Here’s to deep, dark, delicious drinking. Cheers.