Brace yourselves: Craft Beer Week starts Sunday at a brewery near you

Posted May 13, 2010 11:00 pm

By Deborah Pankey

Move over martini. Step aside sake.

Discerning imbibers will be hoisting mugs of locally brewed Maibock and clinking pints of Belgian-style wit during Chicago Craft Beer Week.

Events planned for both the city and suburbs during the inaugural celebration aim to entice adults to try artisanal brews and investigate nearly lost styles of beer.

"This week helps get the word out about craft beer and how much of it is made in Chicago and Illinois, and how much is available around Chicago," said Peter Crowley, president of the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild, which spearheaded the celebration Monday, May 17, to Sunday, May 23.

"There's more out there than Budweiser and Miller Lite. There are a lot of independent brewers," agreed Kevin Blodger, brewer at Gordon Biersch in Bolingbrook. "Craft beer is beer that's made to be appreciated."

Craft beers are those lagers and ales brewed in smaller batches using traditional ingredients (heirloom hops) and techniques (barrel aging).

"It's more about quality than quantity," said Ryan Clooney, brewer for Emmett's Ale House in Palatine.

By all accounts the craft beer industry is thriving in Illinois.

"It's a great time to be a craft beer drinker," Clooney said. "Every year craft beers gain a bit on the big guys."

Anthony Norkus, craft and specialty brands manager for Louis Glunz Beer Inc., backs that up.

"The growth has been exponential," Norkus says. "It's not slowing down anytime soon."

Some credit the "eat local, drink local" movement for fueling craft beers' popularity; others see it as an extension of the food and wine frenzy.

"People want better life experience from their cars, from their phones, from the food they eat," Norkus said. "Beer is part of the culinary aspect of life."

So on the off-chance that you or someone you know hasn't waded into the craft beer pool yet, now's the time.

Brew pubs, ale houses and gastro pubs throughout the suburbs and Chicago have events planned to welcome new fans into the fold and give genuine beer geeks something to talk about.

Chefs are creating menus infused with seasonal ales, local and regional breweries are tapping kegs of rare beer, restaurants and bars are holding beer tastings and pairing seminars. There's even a Des Plaines River pub-crawl of sorts in canoes.

"The diversity of events mimics the diversity of craft beers and the diversity of Chicago itself," said Crowley, whose Haymarket Pub and Brewery opens later this summer in Chicago.

Yet jumping in doesn't mean drowning in a heavy stout or heady porter just yet.

Emmett's Clooney said many local brewpubs create lighter-bodied beers to be that bridge for craft beer virgins.

Look for golden ales, pilsners and styles that haven't been aggressively hopped.

"Find your local beer bar and talk to the bartender," Norkus said. "Start mild and work your way up."

Kevin Blodger checks on the beers he'll serve at Gordon Biersch Brewery restaurant in Bolingbrook during Chicago Craft Beer Week. Tanit Jarusan | Staff Photographer

Craft Beek Week events

For more events and updated details head to <a href="http://chibeerweek.com" target="new">chibeerweek.com</a>.

Sunday, May 16

Geneva Ale House

319 W. State St., Geneva

(630) 262-3877

<a href="http://genevaalehouse.com" target="new">genevaalehouse.com</a>

6 p.m. Unofficial Craft Beer Week kickoff party, spring and summer beer tasting and Founders Brewing Company rare beer tapping

Monday, May 17

Finnegan's Irish Pub

24102 W. Lockport St., Plainfield

(815) 733-5177

<a href="http://finnegansirish.com" target="new">finnegansirish.com</a>

7 p.m. $20 rare beer tasting flights

Tuesday, May 18

Limestone Brewing Company

12337 Route 59, Plainfield

(815) 577-1900

<a href="http://limestonebrewingcompany.com" target="new">limestonebrewingcompany.com</a>

Oak-aged Russian Imperial Stout release party

Rock Bottom Lombard

94 Yorktown Center, Lombard

(630) 424-1550

rockbottom.com

6 p.m. spring chef and brewers dinner. $49.95

Emmett's Ale House

110 N. Brockway St., Palatine

(847) 359-1533

<a href="http://emmettsalehouse.com" target="new">emmettsalehouse.com</a>

6:30 p.m. Spring Brewmaster Dinner. $59.95

Finnegan's Irish Pub

24102 W. Lockport St., Plainfield

(815) 733-5177

<a href="http://finnegansirish.com" target="new">finnegansirish.com</a>

7 p.m. North Coast Brewing Beer and homemade popcorn pairing; $15.

Wednesday, May 19

The Bavarian Lodge

1800 Ogden Ave., Lisle

(630) 241-4701

<a href="http://bavarian-lodge.com" target="new">bavarian-lodge.com</a>

Michigan craft beer night

Wildfire Glenview

1300 Patriot Blvd., Glenview

(773) 398-6960

<a href="http://wildfirerestaurant.com" target="new">wildfirerestaurant.com</a>

6:30 p.m. Three Floyds beer dinner, $40

Gordon Biersch

639 E. Boughton Road, Bolingbrook

(630) 739-6036

<a href="http://gordonbiersch.com" target="new">gordonbiersch.com</a>

7 p.m. Brewmasters dinner, $50

Finnegan's Irish Pub

24102 W. Lockport St., Plainfield

(815) 733-5177

<a href="http://finnegansirish.com" target="new">finnegansirish.com</a>

6:30 p.m. Lost Coast beer dinner and Chicago Craft Beer Week trivia contest, $50

Thursday, May 20

Durty Nellies Pub

180 N. Smith St., Palatine

(847) 358-9150

<a href="http://durtynellies.com" target="new">durtynellies.com</a>

6:30 p.m. Big Sky brewmasters dinner, $50

Limestone Brewing Company

12337 Route 59, Plainfield

(815) 577-1900

<a href="http://limestonebrewingcompany.com" target="new">limestonebrewingcompany.com</a>

Beer and cheese pairing

John Barleycorn Memorial Pub

658 W. Belden Ave., Chicago

<a href="http://johnbarleycorn.com" target="new">johnbarleycorn.com</a>

(773) 348-8899

7 p.m. "Historic Bars of Chicago" book signing with author Sean Parnell

Friday, May 21

The Bavarian Lodge

1800 Ogden Ave., Lisle

(630) 241-4701

<a href="http://bavarian-lodge.com" target="new">bavarian-lodge.com</a>

4 p.m. An Evening with Metropolitan Brewing Company

Elgin Public House Restaurant & Pub

219 E. Chicago St., Elgin

(847) 468-8810

<a href="http://elginpublichouse.com" target="new">elginpublichouse.com</a>

6 p.m. Anchor Brewing Company beer tasting

Saturday, May 22

BrewCanoe

Ram Brewery, Wheeling

9 a.m. A canoe/kayak trip down the Des Plaines River stopping along the way at Flatlander's Brewery in Lincolnshire and finishing at Ram Brewery in Wheeling for lunch. Contact Greg Browne, <a href="mailto:mash155@aol.com">mash155@aol.com</a> to reserve a spot and a canoe if you need one.

Illiana Mayfest

Lake County Fairgrounds

Crown Point, Ind.

4-8 p.m. Beers from more than 14 breweries; $25; $30 at the door.

Sunday, May 23

Half Acre Brewery

4257 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago

(773) 248-4038

<a href="http://halfacrebeer.com" target="new">halfacrebeer.com</a>

Chicago Craft Beer Week 5K Fun Run

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