I just wrapped up my first month of the Siebel International Brewers Diploma program and am back to work in Maple Shade.  The last two weeks were definitely the most rigorous, covering yeast fermentation, quality control, and product stability.   Since I’ve been back many people seemed to be interested in the beer bars and breweries in Chicago so I figured I’d share a  bit on the blog.

When it came to beer bars I definitely had a few favorites.  Number one beer menu was Hopleaf. They had a great Belgian draft list, I was drinking Poperings Hommelbier and Cantillon Kriek, plus a well thought-out craft beer list that didn’t just have a bunch of outrageously hopped or extremely high alcohol beers.  A very close second was the Maproom, which also had a great Belgian draft and American craft beer list, the only problem is it gets really crowded.  One reason Hopleaf topped my list is that I had the privilege of eating their duck rueben sandwich.  Another favorite was Delilah’s.  It doesn’t have the same incredible beer list, but it is a punk rock bar that has a huge whiskey list and their own house whiskey.  When I went they were hosting a strong ale festival that consisted of English, American, and Belgian beers from different vintages.  The highlight of that festival was the Drie  Fonteinen Oude Gueze from 1985.  This Belgian brewery went out of business a while ago and was later revived again by different owners; however, the original house strain was not revived.  So it was cool not only to drink a beer that was made before I was born, but also with a now extinct yeast strain.

I was impressed with every brewpub I went to in Chicago.  The first I went to was Goose Island, conveniently across the street from school.  Their restaurant and menu is similar to Iron Hill and had a lot of different beers available.  I am a big fan of their Belgian style beers and highly recommend the Pere Jacques and Matilda.  Another favorite is the Bourbon County Stout, weighing in at 13% abv.  This beer usually ended my night of studying for our Friday tests.  Piece brewpub is known for their pizzas and award winning beer, but this is no deep dish Chicago pizza.  It’s quality thin crust pizza with a large variety of toppings.  Revolution Brewing Company opened a week before I began class and every beer on their list was fantastic.  Also their smokehouse burger is topped with pulled pork… genius.

Back in Philly I obviously have many similar options for beer bars and brewpubs, but there are two things that I found in Chicago that I will miss .  One is Binny’s, a chain of liquor stores that had the best selection of beer and most reasonable prices I have ever seen in a retail store. If you go to the one across the street from Siebel you’ll meet Adam who was the most knowledgeable liquor store employee I have ever encountered. The second thing I will miss is Italian beef.  This steak sandwich doesn’t need to be covered in cheese; all it needs is the au jus, giardiniera peppers, fries, and a root beer.  Go to the original Al’s Italian Beef.

Anyway, glad to be back and I will see you around the restaurant.

 - Jeff