Over here at Lakeshore Beverage, we’re into beer. And now that the holiday season is in full swing, there are more than a few opportunities to share a beer with friends. So whether you’re going to your fifth ugly Christmas sweater party or just hanging out in front of the fireplace, here are four beers we recommend trying this holiday season. Read More
November is here and that means barrel aged beer season is upon us. And as Black Friday approaches, we have our sights set on one of Goose Island’s most ambitious years of Bourbon County Stout yet. 2018’s lineup features eight — yes, EIGHT — variants of the beloved Imperial Stout, each with its own distinct taste and character.
We were fortunate enough to sit down and taste through each of the variants with Goose Island’s brewing team and come up with this handy guide. Be sure to check out Goose Island’s Black Wednesday and Black Friday events right here. Read More
Well, it’s September which means it’s time for…Oktoberfest beers! And despite their name, Oktoberfest beers are not actually brewed in the fall. Say wha?!
That’s right, these beers are an outgrowth of the traditional, strong spring brews called March beers or Märzenbier in German. These beers were brewed in the springtime and then put aside in ice-filled caves or cellars to be stored and consumed over the summer. The leftover Märzen was usually finished off in the fall which is when a new season of brewing would begin after the late summer’s grain and hop harvest. So it was almost by default that Märzens became the official beer of Oktoberfest which made its debut in 1810 to celebrate a royal wedding in Munich.
Today’s Oktoberfest has morphed into an 18-day celebration that kicks off in September and includes parades, carnivals, music, art, and civic engagement. Want to celebrate here in the states? You can see all of our Märzen-style beers HERE.
Of course, like most college kids, my go-to beers have been domestic lagers…after I turned 21, of course. I often wouldn’t think twice about what beer to order at the bar and my college budget was an excuse for limiting my choices. Now that I’ve graduated and finished my internship here at Lakeshore Beverage, I’ve garnered a newfound knowledge about beer. Hint: they don’t all taste the same.
From recent grads like myself, to your uncle who’s been drinking the same domestic lager his whole life, there’s a craft beer out there for everyone. Listen, I’m not asking you to jump right into trying an intense hoppy IPA, but I am asking you to try a different beer than you’d typically reach for. There’s a huge world of beer out there and it’s time to widen your horizons, so here are 10 craft beers you can enjoy.
On Thursday, July 19th, the Green City Market Chef BBQ offered the most divine and delicious bites for attendees to enjoy. Beer tastings were available from a variety of Midwest beverage purveyors including Goose Island, Moody Tongue, Virtue Cider, Founders, Bell’s, Boulevard, 3 Sheeps, Urban Chestnut, Sun King, Jolly Pumpkin, and Burnt City. Lakeshore Beverage partnered up with the Green City Market Junior Board and Goose Island this year and brought Plinko to our lounge area. Guests could win a variety of Goose Island merchandise and one lucky winner even got to take home a Goose Island Bike!
There are literally hundreds of festivals in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs throughout the summer. Whether they’re showcasing a specific neighborhood, food, or beer, these festivals bring people together from all over the city. Our Special Events team is often the unsung heroes at many of these events, making sure the beverage operations run smoothly and that the beer continues to flow. We went behind-the-scenes to see what happens in order to make these festivals happen.