Finch Beer Displays New Tappers

I just came across Finch's Beer Facebook page and saw the new tappers. They are bright and easily visible with little finches on them. It looks like Finch is moving along quite well. They brewed water today and some licensing is coming through. Hopefully, they will be selling soon around the city. I'm not sure if they will be selling from the brewery (similar to what Half Acre does), but let's hope so. I take the bus past Montrose and Elston and I could definitely stop and grab something on my way home.

From Goose to Goat:: Goose Island Stabs Chicago in the Back

From Goose to Goat

The reaction to the announcement that Goose Island has sold out Anheuser-Busch has been swift and negative. After my jaw dropped this morning, I started to come across the onslaught of negative comments toward Goose Island both on comment forums and on Twitter. Goose Island said it is to add capacity and cash to its operations and to expand its distribution base (which was the original intent of the deal in 2006 for the 40 percent stake in the company). Even though Greg Hall took to the press to address accusations of selling out, it is palpable that people in the craft beer community feel that this move is exactly that: selling out.

From my view, it comes down to money. Hall argues that they couldn’t keep up with demand and needed AB to provide much-needed relief. Even though Dogfish Head cut back to maintain its independence, Goose Island was all to ready to abandon its operations. From the rumors online of mismanagement, it almost seemed inevitable. Whether this is a new development or something that has been in the works, it seems Goose Island no longer wanted to be independent.

Right now both Goose Island and AB are talking about their commitment to quality and how they will expand their offering with “high-quality regional beers.” This is what they are expected to say: commitment to jobs, commitment to quality and commitment to community. However, many of us feel that what will happen in a few years time will be quite the opposite. Look no further than what happened at Rolling Rock when AB moved the jobs from Pennsylvania to New Jersey. Why maintain brewers in Chicago when there is extra capacity in St. Louis?

AB is about destroying the competition. Instead of developing and crafting its own beers, it is looking to enter the craft beer market through a competitor. I’d argue that only the name will stay, and I bet that in a few years it will be rolled into some other brand. Goose Island will become nothing but another brand to manage, and unfortunately, sometimes brands can get lost in a large organization. Will it get the attention it deserves? Will it still encourage beers like the bourbon stout? Will AB pour money into creating high-gravity craft beers if the profit margins are too thin? Will AB look to cut corners on cost? There are simply too many questions, and honestly, we are not given many answers.


It feels much like Goose Island is abandoning the city and looking for a way to get out of the craft beer business while getting profit a healthy profit. I'm sorry, but I just don't buy the argument that "new structure will preserve the qualities that make Goose Island’s beers unique, strictly maintain our recipes and brewing processes." I also find it naive that John Hall believes the beers won't change. After selling out, he won't have any input. They will almost certainly change, and believe it or not, Hall will become marginalized at such a large corporation. 

AB doesn't understand craft beer. That's what makes this so infuriating and what feels like a stab in the back by Goose Island. Apparently, Hall doesn't understand craft beer drinkers either. Craft beer drinkers are in it for more than innovative new styles or taste. It is the idea of community and the idea of supporting a local product. It is about supporting beer in your neighborhood, not buying another corporate brew that only cares about brands and marketing. I identified Goose Island with Chicago. Now it is another beer in AB's (and InBev's) stable of global beers. Instead of being truly innovative, these companies look to destroy the competition. Watch the movie Beer Wars to get an understanding.

Many craft brewers view themselves as the little guy going against the corporate behemoth. That what makes it fun to support craft beer. That is what makes this announcement sound like Judas. I'm sure that's why the reaction has been overwhelmingly negative: we feel that we lost someone in our fight against the globalization of beer. For a group of people that value local and regional flavors, the selling out of Goose Island is just confirmation that you really can't win against these guys.

Even with Goose Island gone, there are other smaller breweries in Chicago, such as Metropolitan and Half Acre, that still brew local beers. Goose Island might be dead, but craft brewing in Chicago lives on.

Beer and Cheese - Not Just for Pizza

Craft beer has been getting a lot of press lately for its integration into more fine-dining places. Well, maybe not super fine dining, but craft beer has been getting a harder look at mid- to high-level restaurants beyond a gastropub or a fancy burger place. Of course, we expect good beer at the Bad Apple. Places such as the Fountainhead and Hop Leaf take it to another level with food pairings. This Spring, Pastoral is upping the ante by pairing craft beer with cheese.

This reminds me somewhat of the truffle and beer pairing the Grafton did earlier this month. On June 4, Pastoral will be holding a class that pairs cheese and beer. We are used to the concept of wine and cheese, but beer and cheese tends to be relegated to the basement shenanigans of Home Run Inn and PBR.

This class will pair an artisan cheese with a craft beer. I've personally never tried to do this, but it sounds wonderful. Of course, you can get our own cheeses and try, but Pastoral is offering professional pairing with background on the beer and cheese.

You can sign up at Pastoral's website. It is $40 and in the Loop.

Ancient Beers? Ancient Aliens?

Last Christmas, my family and friends got into a fight about ancient aliens. I'm not exactly sure what an ancient alien is, but I'm guessing it's old and foreign. Perhaps something to do with building the pyramids. Apparently, no human can stack rocks like that Ray.

If you believe in ancient aliens or not, we can all agree on tasting beer, and a new event coming to The Bluebird is angling to give us a taste of what ancient beers might have been like. According to Chicagoist, there will sour, smoked, blended and funky beers. It's light on the list and reservations are required, so if you can get in, do it.

What I like the best about this is the idea of merging history with beer. I think some people think beer only came about in the 1950s with the bland macro swill we have on grocery store shelves, but in reality, beer has been brewed for thousands of years and has a long history. Often it is thought as the working class cousin to wine, but beer has its own rich history.

The event is March 29 and costs $30. You can read more about it at Chicagoist's website.

Trying Dominique

The other night I was at Bar Deville on Damen to celebrate a friend's birthday. I had a couple of the bar's signature cocktails, and it was nearing the end of the night, so I felt like trying a good beer. I looked up and down the tappers and saw a Goose Island I couldn't remember having. Now, I've had a lot of beers, and a lot of Goose Island, so there was a good chance that I could have had this beer at some point. Luckily for me, the beer was a mistake and a beautiful one at that.

The beer is called Dominique, and it came about because a batch of Matilda became infected. You can read more about what happened here, but basically the barrel-aged beer became infected with a yeast that left the beer more sour. Instead of dumping it, Goose Island decided to put out a sour beer and see the response. The response has been overwhelmingly positive.

For one, I love sour beers. Flemish sours are great. Understandably, not everyone might share the same enthusiasm for drinking sour beers. The idea that a beer should be clear, light and refreshing has left a perverted notion of what quality is to most beer drinkers. This beer by contrast tasted of alcohol, wood, burnt sugar, light hops, good yeast and sour through and through. Even some of my friends that don't particularly like beer, enjoyed it.

This is the height of experimentation for craft beer. I like that Goose Island saw an opportunity to bring something different to the market, and maybe through its brand recognition, get people to try something new.

 Here is a picture of Dominique Pichon because he's awesome.

Beer Will Cure Everything that Ails You

Drinking alcohol, including beer, in moderation will help improve heart health according to the American Dietetic Association. Beer is also known to lessen the risk of kidney stones in men in addition to it lowering bad cholesterol, raising good cholesterol and reduce the risk for blood clotting. Also, if my memory serves me correctly, it is also good for strength. Perhaps there was something to the Guiness posters touting the health benefits of its beer.

I don't know much about the benefits of beer, but I'll say that well crafted beers have more health benefits than corn adjunct microbrews. My evidence? None, but what the hell, I'll believe it anyway. However, there is evidence that beer has no fat, some protein and some fiber. So, maybe that rich stout or wheat is doing some good. Now we just need a way to get this written off as a health benefit at the insurance companies. Maybe I can wrangle up a Beer After Work Health Team at work.

Remember, drink a pint, for health!