FIB War Room

[Gonzoillini1]

If you go to Imperial Oak during the week make sure to ask for the LT as my father made the transition from law enforcement to professional brewer.

To say I'm jealous is an understatement.

 

[trickytunadicky]

We've been talking the place up for ages, but we have also been admitting to being biased. Glad everyone else is catching on.

 

[lb304854]

While we're talking places up, suburban folk should check out Harvest Room in Palos. They do the farm-to-fork thing. The food and cocktails are incredible. The Scotch eggs are delicious. Nice beer selection too.

 

[adipocere]

If you are way-way out west, check out The Forge on IL-64 in Sycamore. Beer much improved and ******* great woodfire pizza. https://www.facebook.com/Forge-Brewhouse-576907699096275/timeline/

 

[danbanana]

We've been talking the place up for ages, but we have also been admitting to being biased. Glad everyone else is catching on.

I wouldn't have even considered the place but for the nice words said on this site about it. So thanks, FIBs.

 

[RedCoffee]

If you are way-way out west, check out The Forge on IL-64 in Sycamore. Beer much improved and ******* great woodfire pizza. https://www.facebook.com/Forge-Brewhouse-576907699096275/timeline/

This place is minutes from my house. Pizza is ******* gangbusters. Everything is fresh. Great crust. They just rolled out sliders too so I need to make an appointment for that, pronto.

I have never had a problem with the beer. No one is going to line up for it, but it's not bad at all for what it's trying to be (broadly palatable for the local non-geek customer). The owner is a really nice guy and seems to have a good attitude about brewing (always improve but don't go ******* bananas with weird stuff).

If any of you FIBs find your way out to Iowa to try it, hit me up and I'll try to meet you there.

 

[trickytunadicky]

If you are way-way out west, check out The Forge on IL-64 in Sycamore. Beer much improved and ******* great woodfire pizza. https://www.facebook.com/Forge-Brewhouse-576907699096275/timeline/

I do believe this is the pizza ChadQuest brought to my house, but I may be confusing it with a similar establishment in DeKalb.

 

[SSTroller]

Because of you homies, decided to make the trip to Imperial Oak finally. Incredibly impressed with the Dave's Pale and BA Udder. Thanks for kicking me in the ass to get here.
And then a few people ride up to the brewery on horses? Def coming back.

 

[SecretSquirrel]

If you go to Imperial Oak during the week make sure to ask for the LT as my father made the transition from law enforcement to professional brewer.

To say I'm jealous is an understatement.

I thought he was just pouring? now brewing?

 

[Dunt1]

I wanna check out Imperial Oak...it's just so far away

 

[SecretSquirrel]

I wanna check out Imperial Oak...it's just so far away

lol, if I can get to that damn Aquanaught for my transient beers you can make a trip out to Imperial oak...

 

[Gonzoillini1]

I thought he was just pouring? now brewing?

Yea he has been apprenticing / helping out in the brewhouse for a few months now, and as of Great Taste weekend became a paid employee of the brewery.

If you ask him he's just a janitor with a bit of brewing knowledge

 

[Lognar]

Yea he has been apprenticing / helping out in the brewhouse for a few months now, and as of Great Taste weekend became a paid employee of the brewery.

That's great to hear! Congrats LT!

 

[Scalzo]

lol, if I can get to that damn Aquanaught for my transient beers you can make a trip out to Imperial oak...

****, I still need to go to Aquanaut....


edit: one trick pony

 

[Treebs]

****, I still need to go to Aquanaut....


edit: one trick pony

Edit: Maybe Michigan? I have no idea where our beers are at.

 

[SSTroller]

Edit: Maybe Michigan? I have no idea where our beers are at.

Speaking of, looks like they're expanding into another unit out there?

 

[SecretSquirrel]

Yea he has been apprenticing / helping out in the brewhouse for a few months now, and as of Great Taste weekend became a paid employee of the brewery.

If you ask him he's just a janitor with a bit of brewing knowledge

none the less very cool and I hope to be in a similar situation in 10 - 15 years when I retire...

 

[PHBoiler]

Any suggestions on where to grab a bite and a beer tomorrow early evening in walking distance of Two Prudential Plaza and The Chicago Theater? Thought I'd have a wide open schedule in the afternoon to hit a brewery before hitting The Loop for the Chris Cornell show but by a stroke of luck I'll also be catching the pre-show at XRT studio beforehand. South Water Kitchen is all I'm seeing from aerial view that fits the bill.

 

[user 306237]

Any suggestions on where to grab a bite and a beer tomorrow early evening in walking distance of Two Prudential Plaza and The Chicago Theater? Thought I'd have a wide open schedule in the afternoon to hit a brewery before hitting The Loop for the Chris Cornell show but by a stroke of luck I'll also be catching the pre-show at XRT studio beforehand. South Water Kitchen is all I'm seeing from aerial view that fits the bill.

State & Lake isn't bad and Elephant & Castle is better than it needs to be - I prefer both over SWK. You may be better off heading a hair farther south to Miller's Pub (or West to Monk's).

 

[PHBoiler]

State & Lake isn't bad and Elephant & Castle is better than it needs to be - I prefer both over SWK. You may be better off heading a hair farther south to Miller's Pub (or West to Monk's).

I've been to Monk's many times as it is a block from the Appraisal Institute, and I've yet to have any food from them that is noteworthy. Thanks for all the options!

 

[SSTroller]

Any suggestions on where to grab a bite and a beer tomorrow early evening in walking distance of Two Prudential Plaza and The Chicago Theater? Thought I'd have a wide open schedule in the afternoon to hit a brewery before hitting The Loop for the Chris Cornell show but by a stroke of luck I'll also be catching the pre-show at XRT studio beforehand. South Water Kitchen is all I'm seeing from aerial view that fits the bill.

It's hard to beat the food at The Gage, and they usually have good stuff on tap. Would be slightly more expensive than some other options though.
If you want to keep it super cheap and it's nice out, you can grab some bottles and eats from the Mariano's right down Randolph and drink on their patio area overlooking the park.

 

[ClCardinal84]

It's hard to beat the food at The Gage, and they usually have good stuff on tap. Would be slightly more expensive than some other options though.
If you want to keep it super cheap and it's nice out, you can grab some bottles and eats from the Mariano's right down Randolph and drink on their patio area overlooking the park.

The Sriracha Honey Chicken & Waffles at Miss Ricky's in the Virgin Hotel are ridiculously good and worth the stop. Cocktails are solid also. Beer list is bare bones however.

Could also make a stop at the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel. They have a decent beer list in Cindy's, the rooftop bar.

 

[Farnsworth]

Any suggestions on where to grab a bite and a beer tomorrow early evening in walking distance of Two Prudential Plaza and The Chicago Theater? Thought I'd have a wide open schedule in the afternoon to hit a brewery before hitting The Loop for the Chris Cornell show but by a stroke of luck I'll also be catching the pre-show at XRT studio beforehand. South Water Kitchen is all I'm seeing from aerial view that fits the bill.

Local 22 is just across the river. They always have a solid tap list (stumbled on Peruvian Morning 2 weeks ago) and good classic bar food (tater tots tossed in buffalo sauce have been rockin my world).

Otherwise, yes to The Gage and Millers.

 

[tag1]

Any suggestions on where to grab a bite and a beer tomorrow early evening in walking distance of Two Prudential Plaza and The Chicago Theater? Thought I'd have a wide open schedule in the afternoon to hit a brewery before hitting The Loop for the Chris Cornell show but by a stroke of luck I'll also be catching the pre-show at XRT studio beforehand. South Water Kitchen is all I'm seeing from aerial view that fits the bill.

Howells and Hood at the base of the Tribune Tower has a ridiculous number of beers on tap, more than 100 I think? The food is decent, too.

 

[trickytunadicky]

The Marq (skip the mac and cheese, everything else is fab), Cherry Circle Room, Miller's

 

[trickytunadicky]

I am busy this week, but would love to squeeze in another loop meetup before it gets too cold. Maybe next week? Maybe someone else's corner of the loop? Not that Miller's didn't work but I was two drinks in before anyone else got there.

 

[Farnsworth]

I am busy this week, but would love to squeeze in another loop meetup before it gets too cold. Maybe next week? Maybe someone else's corner of the loop? Not that Miller's didn't work but I was two drinks in before anyone else got there.

For sure.
Now that I know how slow I am to get over there I can plan ahead next time and be relatively on time. Only other places i'm pretty familiar with are north of the river.

 

[PHBoiler]

State & Lake won on sheer proximity. Excellent large salad. $5 Rev taps for happy hour. Nice beer list. Thanks for everyone's help.

 

[danbanana]

Follow-up: my crowler of Dave's Pale from Imperial Oak had a pretty heavy diacetyl aspect once it started warming. It definitely didn't have this at the bar, though again it was cooler than this is now. Is this a crowler thing? Not filled fully? It's not bad, but it's pretty much Yum Yum now. And it was much better right off the tap.

 

[tinypyramids1]

Follow-up: my crowler of Dave's Pale from Imperial Oak had a pretty heavy diacetyl aspect once it started warming. It definitely didn't have this at the bar, though again it was cooler than this is now. Is this a crowler thing? Not filled fully? It's not bad, but it's pretty much Yum Yum now. And it was much better right off the tap.

a while ago i had a diacetyl bomb of a can of spiteful ipa, which is usually quite dece (another can i opened from the same six pack was fine). i informed the spiteful dudes about it, and they graciously took the remaining cans back and swapped them for a fresh sixer. when they gave me a tour of their facilities, i saw that they were basically canning everything by hand, and based on that process, i could easily see how can variation could creep in when you're doing something like filling off a tap. maybe some yeast got roused or oxygen reacted with something when it was filled.