In celebration of the 35th anniversary year of the Chicago Beer Society, we bring you – for one night only – the triumphant return of the Blues & Brews Cruise.

Join us aboard the fabulous Kanan (Navy Pier) for an evening cruising Lake Michigan, with specially selected craft beers, a whole roasted pig dinner, plus live music and dancing against a backdrop of the beautiful Chicago skyline and summer fireworks. Performing for the evening will be Bloodshot Records recording artist Charlie Pickett (“…a trashed-out mix of dark, scuzzy blues and earthy country stomp…” UNCUT Magazine).

The all-inclusive price is $98 for CBS Members, $115 for nonmembers, paid in advance. Nonmembers who join the Beer Society at the same time can pay the member price. Tickets can be purchased by filling out and mailing in the reservation form (already snail mailed to current members) or online (nonmember price only) via Brown Paper Tickets. You must be 21 or older to attend.

Boarding will be from the Kanan Cruises dock at Navy Pier at 7:30 pm, with departure at 8 pm sharp (no stragglers!). Return is at 11 pm.

Directions, parking options, and public transit information are all available at the Kanan Cruises website.

You are cordially invited to the annual celebration of the American Homebrewers Association‘s Big Brew Day (albeit one week later since many of our guys were  at the Craft Brewers Conference in San Diego). 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).

The Chicago Big Brew Day will be held Saturday May 12 at Camp Norris/Phillips, 3717 N. Kenneth, Chicago.  Randy Mosher, Nancy Cline, and their long-time friends will be on hand to help host. Tim Norris and Dave Phillips will be here too, unless Tim is called in to work. There will be room for brewing outdoors, there will be water, perhaps filtered. A smoker will be set up, etc.  All attendees can bring beer and food as usual. The big differences are that there is an alley for drive by unloading, and more grass/dandelions to frolic around in.

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.  As far as food and drink, this is totally a pitch-in. We usually have a ploughman’s lunch (cheese, cured meat, pickles, etc.) midday, then get the smoker fired up and eat a hot meaty dinner later. We’ll have grills available as well as the smoker. Don’t show up empty handed.  Beer, meat, sides, snacks, and desserts are all welcome. The club will supply plates, forks, glasses. etc.

You might bring a lawn chair with you if you care what you sit on.

Date & Time: May 12, 2012, 8 am-until Roger leaves.

Location: Camp Norris/Phillips, at 3717 N Kenneth Ave,  Chicago, just north of Milwaukee Ave. The site is easily accessible via public transit. The Metra Milwaukee District North line train stop (Grayland) is just around the corner, and the CTA #56 Milwaukee bus stops there, too (Kilbourn). The closest CTA train station is Irving Park on the Blue Line, less than a mile to the east and easily walkable. 773-545-4004.

How could the area’s greatest beer & food event get any better?

Well, for starters it could be in a larger venue so more people and breweries could attend; then the brewers and the chefs could top almost everything they’ve served for the last 13 years.  Amazingly, for the 14th edition of the Chicagoland Brewpub & Microbrewery Shootout, that’s exactly what happened!

The Zhou B Art Center in Bridgeport provided much greater room for breweries and patrons alike. There was more seating and it was definitely a lot easier to move around. Attendance was at an all-time high, and there’s still room for more people next year.

There were 15 participants, including a few first-timers: Finch’s Beer Company/City Provisions, Limestone Brewing Company, and the Goose Island Fulton Brewery (paired up with Urban Belly). As always, awards were presented in three categories (Best Beer, Best Food, Best Beer/Food Pairing) , with the top three in each taking home an attractive trophy. The attendees cast their ballots and the awards were presented towards the end of the event.

Flossmoor Station, Revolution, and Three Floyds all garnered multiple awards this year, but clearly there were no losers – everything was outstanding, so congratulations, all!

To see what you missed, check out the program (PDF) listing all of the featured beers and pairings.

14th Annual Chicagoland Brewpub Shootout Awards:

Beer
1. Goose Island Beer Company (Fulton Street)
2. Revolution Brewing Company
3. Three Floyds Brewing Company

Food
1. Flossmoor Station Restaurant & Brewery
2. Three Floyds Brewing Company
3. The Lucky Monk Burger, Pizza, and Beer Company

Pairing
1. Revolution Brewing Company
2. Flossmoor Station Restaurant & Brewery
3. Three Floyds Brewing Company

As always, this was an unbelievable event. Thanks to all of the Brewpubs, Brewers, Chefs and their Assistants for making this possible; to the staff at the Zhou B for their assistance;  to our sizable crew of volunteers who assisted with set-up and break-down; and, of course, to our great members who continue to make the Shootout one of the best beer events in the world.

The Chicago Beer Society’s 35th Annual Fall Tasting Dinner’s in the books. Thanks to our host and the staff at Klas Restaurant for a great meal, all the brewers and breweries, The Map Room, Paramount Merchants, Louis Glunz Beer Inc., and 10th & Blake for the excellent beers. Hope all those attending had a good time!

The 2011 winners were:

First Place (tie): Revolution Brewing Co. Rise (American hoppy stout)
First Place (tie):  Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co. Big EddyRussian Imperial Stout
Third Place: 5 Rabbit Cerveceria Hibiscus Belgian Golden Holiday Ale

Filling out the rest of the impressive field were (in alphabetical order):

• Boulevard Brewing Co. Nommo Dubbel
• Czechvar Premium Czech Lager
• Goose Island Beer Co. Lolita Raspberry Ale (aged in wine barrels)
• Goose Island Clybourn Brewpub Midway IPA
• Haymarket Pub & Brewery Peg Leg Smoked Porter
• Lakefront Brewery “Dan” Baltic Porter
• Metropolitan Brewing Dynamo Copper Lager
• Mickey Finn’s Brewery McFinn’s Wee Heavy
• New Holland Brewing Co. The Poet Oatmeal Stout
• North Coast Brewing Co. Red Seal American Amber Ale
• Wild Onion Brewing Co. Hopslayer Double IPA

Regards,
Frank Patino
Fall Tasting Organizer

We look forward to seeing you at Haymarket on October 29.

The Spooky Brew Review winners list is now available here.

Let’s be Frank(lin) – Ben probably never said ”Beer is Proof that God Loves us and Wants Us to be Happy,” and Patrick Henry definitely didn’t say “Give me Liberty, or a Beer would be nice…” And while we’re still waiting for someone to brew a palatable version of George Washington’s small beer (hint: the recipe says hops to taste), thankfully a homebrewer revived Sam Adams’ recipe and one could argue, started a craft beer revolution.

So here we are 236 years later, with the craft beer revolution in full swing, enjoying the fruits of our brewers’ independence and imagination. Join us for Brewed in the U.S.A., featuring a wide selection of American-made craft brews that exemplify the independent spirit that makes our country, and our beer, the greatest!

The event will be held from 1-5 pm on Sunday, July 10 at DANK Haus, 4740 N Western Ave, Chicago. We encourage you to use public transportation to and from the event, and it couldn’t be easier! The venue is located just north (across the street) from the CTA Brown Line station at Western and is convenient to Metra (15 minute walk from UP-N Ravenswood Station). The CTA 49 Western and 81 Lawrence buses can also drop you almost literally at the front door.

Admission is $40 for CBS members, $50 for nonmembers, and includes a tasting glass, BBQ from Smokin’ Woody’s, and American cheeses. As always, anyone who joins CBS when ordering tickets can also pay the member price. Attendees must be 21 or older to attend. Please, no children. No refunds.

To purchase tickets, print out and mail in this form. You can also purchase tickets online (nonmember pricing only) at Brown Paper Tickets. Tickets will also be available at the door.