Summer grilling is one of life’s greatest pleasures. It’s primal, a little dangerous, and it creates amazing foods. I like to think of myself as an above average cook but when it comes to grilling, it’s usually a steak, a burger, or some sausages. I haven’t dipped my toes into the world of smoking meats but I always wanted to. Luckily for us, we happen to have an expert at our office.
Rob Chambers, from our HR Department, just so happens to be a professional BBQ pitmaster and we were lucky enough to have him showcase his skills in person. Rob started off like a lot of us – someone who enjoyed BBQ and wanted to learn how to do it. He frequently smoked meat and BBQed.
One day, his friend Jon asked if he would be interested in competitive BBQ. Neither of them had competed before but they wanted to see what it was all about and entered a competition. It’s been about four years since they first competed and they continue to grow and place very highly in the competitions they enter.
I know I’m not the only one who has seen videos online of BBQed meats and wish they could take a bite right then and there. This was my first time being around a pitmaster cooking and he showed me a lot of tips and tricks to get the best end products.
Rob brought in a variety of meats to show what he can do with chicken, pork, and beef.
Chicken is ubiquitous and there are so many different ways to prepare it. When I BBQ though, I tend to stay away from it because more times than not, it turns out to be pretty dry and a little bland. When a BBQ pitmaster does chicken however, it is a flavorful and juicy bite every time. Unlike the one flip method that I’ve always been told was the correct way to grill, Rob lets the smoke do the job and makes sure the heat generated is consistent and at the specific temperature he wants.
Prior to grilling, the chicken is cleaned and trimmed. Meaning, it is rinsed off with water to freshen the meat. Using a knife or scissors, the chicken is trimmed to remove any excess skin or bone. Next, a dry rub would be added to coat the entire piece of chicken to ensure even flavor distribution. It would be preferred to let the dry rub set into the chicken for at least 30 minutes prior to adding it on the grill. There is not much flipping with chicken, however rotation does help.
I have loved ribs since I was a young boy watching the Flintstones car tip over on TV. I will order ribs the majority of the time if they are available. I have had them in all different styles in my travels but there is something very special about BBQed ribs because many times, the sauce is usually the prevailing flavor. The way pitmasters like Rob make them however, has the meat as the prevailing flavor enhanced by the aromas of smoke.
Same process as chicken for clean and trim. However, most ribs have a thin layer of membrane that will need to be removed on the back end of the rib. This can be done by pulling it off with a spoon and paper towel. From there, dry rub would be added to both sides of the meat and smoked with hickory wood. A few flips would help with the ribs, however once they have a good color on them, they would be wrapped in aluminum foil with butter and honey until they are at the right internal temperature.
The skirt steak was chosen because it’s a thinner cut of beef that would cook faster for all the hungry people at our office but many of the principles here work for thicker cuts too. While the chicken and ribs rested, I was able to observe Rob cooking the steak and ask some of the questions that I had.
First, I noticed that he was only using charcoal; I asked why he didn’t use propane (and propane accessories). It’s the kind of grill I have in my backyard and they seemed to be the most popular. Rob really likes the flavors charcoal imparts and he says he can actually taste the gas when it’s cooked on a gas grill. Maybe it’s because I grew up eating stuff made off gas grills but I couldn’t quite put my finger on what gas flavor he was talking about. If you notice those flavors, this may be the method of grilling you’ve been looking for!
Rob also showed me how to cook with an indirect heat method. The meat was never directly above the coals and he tried to keep the lid on the grill closed as much as possible. This ensures a nice even cook through and avoids the dreaded grey layer on steaks. I always liked a nice sear and char on my steaks but Rob’s steaks came out looking very different than what I make at home. It had a very appetizing browning and in certain lights, had the brighter red tones you might see in jerky. This got me wondering, “what do judges at BBQ competitions actually looked for?” Rob explained to me that although taste is very important, they are scored on consistency in competition. They will grill multiple pieces of meat but they pick the best looking piece(s) and send it in for judging. It has to look great, taste great, and have the perfect “chew” on it.
[When it comes to the perfect chew] it would be preferred to have a perfect bite through. This means that once you bite into the meat, there is barely any pull and [for chicken] you are taking skin with you on the chew. Basically like biting into a piece of bread and seeing your teeth marks.
I learned a lot from Rob and after talking to and watching him grill, I am excited to try his methods at home this 4th of July. Although mastering grilling will be very difficult, talking to Rob showed me it wasn’t quite as intimidating to start. It might be a while before I am confident enough to try my hand at the more expensive cuts of meat but I am looking forward to the day when I can smoke me some beef ribs and channel my inner Fred Flintstone.
With the nice summer weather (when it isn’t raining), we’re trying to spend alot more time outside. Outdoor parties, BBQs, happy hours … but here’s an idea, let’s have an outdoor movie viewing party! It wouldn’t take much to get everything set up – The New York Times has a guide here you can follow –
https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/diy-outdoor-movie-theater/
But, what to watch? We’ve gathered a collection of some classic movies along with beverage pairings! Use these duos to host your own movie night, or get inspired to create your own outdoor movie and beverage combos.
It’s often said that Chicago has two distinct seasons – winter and construction. And as you can tell by the traffic and hi-vis vests, we’re no longer in winter. Construction season or “summer” as many outside of Chicago call it, is a great time to enjoy our marvelous beaches, patios, and street fests. You can and should drink whatever you want any time of year but there are drinks that are so quintessentially summer however, I thought I should share them with you.
First – what makes a drink a “summer drink”? There’s no one answer to this but when I think something is a summer drink, I like to think about its history, its taste, and how refreshing it is. So with that in mind…
Bock & Maibock
I wanted to start this list with Maibocks because historically, this was a sign of the warmer months coming. And no, we’re not talking about a Mercedes-Benz. We’re talking about maibock, translating to May bock, aka a bock made for consumption in May. It is similar to bock beers but usually paler and more hop-centric than its counterparts. They are the kickoff of summer for me but it has been rarer to find in stores every spring. You will occasionally find some from breweries such as Founders if they brewed it that year.
Bocks, on the other hand, are very easy to find all year round. They are a strong ale that was traditionally brewed for special occasions and it’s one of my favorite styles of beer because it’s one of the styles that really got me into craft beers. I always felt that this is a style that is very approachable because it is not intimidating for newer craft drinkers. It’s slightly sweet, has low bitterness, and isn’t dry. I think it feels like drinking a nice craft soda that’s not overly sweet. The toasted malts bring a smooth taste with a soft mouthfeel making them easily drinkable and when served ice-cold, they are a perfect beer for the hotter months. If you’re not a fan of the bitterness hops bring (like in an IPA) and you enjoy a sweeter beer, this might be it for you. Michelob Amberbock is a classic no frills bock sure to satisfy but if you want to go craft, Shiner’s flagship beer, Shiner Bock, is probably one of the best examples of bock made in America.
Pilsner
If easy drinking sounds good to you but you would like something crisper, less sweet, and untoasted – pilsners are probably exactly what you’re looking for. This style originated in Pilsen (the German city, not the Chicago neighborhood) and is a type of pale lager. Known for being crisp and refreshing, it’s something I like to drink on the hottest days or as a palate reset when trying lots of beers or eating because it’s less filling.
When it comes to pilsners, for me, less is more. Pilsners are all about the minimalist aesthetic. If other beers were sandwiches, Pilsners are plain toast to me. But do not get me wrong, I’m not saying that pilsners are boring. When you pile on meats and cheeses with oils and vinegar on bread, what goes in between the bread steals the show. If you give me a piece of toast, all I’m getting are the flavors and smells of the bread. Pilsners are a great way to showcase brewing skill and talent because there are very few ways to mask imperfections. If you are new to drinking beers, this style may seem boring but the lack of flash is what makes it so unique and desirable. One of the best examples of a pilsner is Trumer Pils. The brewers painstakingly traveled all around the U.S. to find a water source similar to Pilsen to brew a pilsner as similar to the original as possible. I often use this beer as a reference point for all other pilsners I taste. Many craft breweries in Chicago also brew a pilsner like Hopewell’s First Pils and Goose Island’s Full Pocket and showcases their skills as brewers.
Saison
Possibly the best example of a seasonal beer, saisons (French for “season”), were created to help quench the thirst of hardworking farmers in Belgium during the hottest months. The style is very open to interpretation because it was traditionally brewed with what was available. Ingredients could include spices like coriander and ginger, pilsner malts or wheat, and they can be fermented with different types of yeast.
Unlike pilsners that go for minimal adjuncts, saisons range wildly on what goes into the beer. At the heart of this style, it’s about experimentation. This is what makes this style so fun. If you want a unique experience, pick a random saison at your local liquor store and try to figure out what you’re tasting before reading the label. No two saisons are quite the same and it’s an exciting way to test your palate.
Even though the style is up for interpretation, there still are exemplars of the style such as Boulevard’s Tank 7 which has won several medals at the Great American Beer Festival.
Kölsch
To really understand Kölsch beers, we need to take a dip into some beer science. For most beers, they can be distinguished by what type of yeast is used during fermentation. Ales are top-fermenting with higher temps; lagers are bottom-fermenting with cooler temps. Ales tend to be more flavorful and lagers skew towards crisper and cleaner (think pilsners). Now with that out of the way, a Kölsch is unique because it uses the top-fermenting yeast but is finished cold like a lager. This results in a flavorful brew like an ale but with the crisp, lighter body of a lager.
This beer drinks so easily in the heat like the pilsners I mentioned before but they can be much more fruity or hoppy depending on the recipe. Some great examples of Kölsch beers are Goose Island’s Summertime and Buckledown’s Cannonball Kölsch. A great non-alcoholic version exists too from Best Day Brewing but more on non-alcoholic beer a little later on.
IPA
I had to put this style in the back, not because I don’t like them, but IPAs have dominated the craft scene and there are so many substyles within that it can get very overwhelming. IPAs (India Pale Ale) are named so because hops were a preservative for the beer British sailors kept onboard while sailing to India. Classic British IPAs tend to be maltier and more bitter than American IPAs because the hops were kept in the beer for a very long time during a voyage. For me, that doesn’t really scream “summer”. The kinds of IPAs I love to drink during the summer tend to fall within the session IPA distinction or the West Coast IPA style.
Session IPAs are just lower ABV IPAs. Named so because they are “sessionable”, aka you can drink more of them before feeling the effects of alcohol. One of the best examples of a session IPA is Founders All Day IPA. As the name implies, you can drink them all day because it comes in at just below 5% and incredibly well balanced on the palate. They extended the All Day lineup to include session versions of a Hazy IPA, Red IPA, and West Coast IPA.
West Coast IPAs are great for the summer because the hops that are used in brewing tend to express many fruity and tropical flavors and aromas. Even if you’re tasting tropical fruits in the beer, there is no fruit actually added to the beer (unlike fruited IPAs). They tend to be less bitter than traditional IPAs and a bit more crisp. This is a great celebrating or relaxing beer for the summer because the ABVs tend to rise with this style. Stone IPA from Stone Brewing is a great example of the West Coast style. The hops are citrusy, tropical, and piney with an intense lemon rind aroma.
Non-Alcoholic Beer
While this isn’t a “style” of beer, non-alcoholic beers have soared in popularity. While many attribute the growing interest in non-alcoholic drinks to a generation of more health conscious consumers, it’s not just athletes and fitness enthusiasts buying these beverages (I’m buying them too!).
Drinking a crisp beer is a wonderful experience but there are times when I want to experience that sensation without the alcohol. Mowing the lawn and doing yardwork is a lot more enjoyable and safer with a NA beer. Enjoying NA beers at a BBQ when I know I have a long drive home lets me enjoy the day with friends without worrying about getting home. Even on a casual Sunday evening with an early Monday meeting, it makes sure I can keep the camera on or ditch the sunglasses in person.
NA Beers have been around for a long time, O’Doul’s for example, but there is a renaissance for them recently. Many historic brands are making NA’s like Budweiser Zero, Stella Liberte, Busch NA, Erdinger NA, and Guinness 0 to keep up with the surge in demand. Some craft breweries are also making NA beers like Brewdog with their AF (Alcohol Free) series or Omission’s Bright Eyed IPA and Good to Go Golden. Then we have breweries that only make NA beers like Partake. For me, the most important thing about NA beers is that they taste like real beer. There are many NA beers out there that distinctly taste off to me but there are many brands that nail the experience in my opinion. Although there are many examples of this, I’m currently drinking a lot of Stella Liberte. It is one of the best I’ve tasted (including alcoholic beers) and I’m looking forward to drinking a ton of it this summer.
These are my summer beer styles and I hope I was able to convince you to try some of these if you haven’t tried them before. As I said at the beginning of this blog – drink what you want, when you want. We live in a wonderful era where we eat and drink things regardless of what season it is and we should definitely utilize that. So even if you decide to drink a porter after reading this, I hope this was still informative and you enjoyed reading it.
This Sunday is Mother’s Day – but you knew that already, right? That means flowers and cards and boxes of chocolate for most of you but there are those of us who have moms or partners that are most looking forward to that brunch! Even though Bloody Marys and mimosas are the conventional affair for the occasion, there are those who have different Mother’s Day drink preferences.
This year, I asked our staff about their mother’s favorite drinks and the responses I got were not what I expected at all. It just goes to show you how unique each mom or partner is and why they’re celebrated on this day.
Our sales team members are some of the funniest and wittiest people I’ve ever had the fortune to work with and based on the stories and drink choices of their moms, I think I’m seeing where they get it from.
Scott Z. is a man who loves the classics and is a very “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” kind of person. Loves his bourbon and loves a crisp and chilled Trumer Pils on 9 out of 10 nights. Seeing as his mother was a classic Gin Martini drinker, it sounds like their get-togethers might be more of a black tie affair than not. A Great House Gin Martini is the perfect drink to have with dinner this Mother’s Day.
Then we have Zak B. – easy to pick out from the crowd just from hearing his Boston accent. He’s the life of the party, will make sure your cup is never empty, and will never let you leave early if he can help it. Not a surprise that his mom is a margarita gal. I’ve never met her but I bet I could also pick her out of a line up – no doubt. Next time she’s in town, I’ll make sure to get Zak a 4-pack of the Cutwater Lime Margaritas.
Jeb S. is one of our newer sales reps but he has been in the industry for a very long time. He’s a storyteller with some of the most Midwest intensity that I’ve ever met. He loves to say that since his mother never drank, he’s making up for her share and he sure can put them down. Fastest Beer Shotgun in the (Mid)West. His mother-in-law however loves a Michelob Ultra at the end of a long day and I can definitely relate.
Kyle T., or the mayor of Old Town, as we like to say has also been in the bar industry for years. I actually remember sitting at the bar he managed when I first started and was covering for someone on vacation. He set me up with an amazing Italian dinner (at lunch mind you) and kept the coffee coming as I tried my best to change his mind about one of his three taplines. He told me that his mother’s favorite drink is an Amaretto Stone Sour – very fitting for the place where he was working.
Last but not least – Cayla P. may be one of our newest sales reps in the city but she’s someone who feels like a friend you’ve had for years. When she shared with me that her mom’s favorite drink is a White Russian, my first thought was “that is definitely a choice”. I was very befuddled because I was under the impression that Cayla was from Florida (“milk was a bad choice” – Ron Burgundy). Turns out she’s from the Great White North, aka Canada, and it started to make a lot more sense. I think the next time her mom comes by, she should try one with Sneaky Fox Vodka or grab one ready to go from Cutwater.
I also had a chance to go around our office to ask some of our coworkers what their mother’s favorite drinks were too.
Paul M. is one of our newest managers at Lakeshore but he’s been working in distribution for many years. An avid hockey fan and coach, he manages many of our supplier partners like Spiteful Brewing. Paul told me that his mom’s favorite drink was a grasshopper while laughing. Not a drink I thought anyone would have picked as their favorite but suddenly I’m craving some Frangos…
Jake P. is also one of Brand Managers and manages some of our biggest brands like Goose Island and Stella Artois. His mother is a Bloody Mary drinker and that sounds like a perfect pairing for that Mother’s Day brunch. If they’re not going out though, a Cutwater Bloody Mary is my go to for the morning after. Pour it into a tall glass with some ice cubes and an olive – it’s a lifesaver!
When I first started with Lakeshore Beverage, Tony S. was someone I didn’t directly work with but always saw at every gathering. He manages brands like Guinness and Smirnoff. His mom is a Stella Artois drinker and I’m sure Tony has gotten her a few engraved chalices over the years. His wife, however, is a wine drinker that enjoys white wines like 101 North Chardonnay.
As you can see, we probably carry something that your mom will enjoy this Mother’s Day. If your mom doesn’t like flowers or chocolates, why not spend the day with her and go somewhere to grab her favorite drink instead? Or stay in and bring over a bottle or 6 pack; I’m sure she would love to share the special day with you.
Share with us what your mom’s favorite drink is. I’m very curious to see if there’s a clear winner because there doesn’t seem to be one at Lakeshore Beverage.
This past winter has been very strange – I was able to golf well into December, only got to use my brand new snow blower twice, and I only wore my “real winter” coat a handful of times. Even though it still isn’t quite feeling like spring, those windsome wintery weather days won’t hold back the awesome lineup of spring seasonals we have in store this year. This year, our seasonals will bring the whole fruit cart along with them.
From the softly sweet peach to the tart and tangy watermelon, this year’s offerings will bring the memories of the past springs to your mouths.
This year, we have returning favorites from our local craft breweries and just in time for baseball season. Spiteful Brewing’s Bleacher Bum and Haymarket Beer Company’s Relief Peacher IPA both bring this stone fruit front and center. Bleacher Bum is a wonderfully easy drinking Blonde Ale that goes for a dry and crisp “all day long” kind of beer. Relief Peach IPA however will come in full bore with the unmistakable Mosaic hopped deliciousness.
It’s not just our craft beer partners that are bringing the peaches this year either – Blake’s Hard Cider showed up with their Peach Party Hard Cider. To complement the apple cider base, this cider features peach and blackberry to bring you a sweet and fruity cider perfect for brunches or pool parties.
And last but not least, Busch will release Busch Peach for the first time this summer. If it’s as tasty as Busch Apple, this is going to be a hit too!
There’s just something so perfect about the acidity of citrus when it comes to drinks. Whether it’s the main focus or part of the supporting cast, these drinks feature the whole citrus family. Our friends at Buckledown are bringing out their Cannon Ball Kolsch. A super crisp Kolsch with hints of fresh tangerines are a perfect pairing. From another one of our local breweries, we have Moody Tongue’s Orange Blossom Belgian Blonde. Brewed with seafood lovers in mind, this beer showcases notes of apricot, orange rock candy, and honeysuckle. We can’t forget about our returning citrus stars though – Goose Island Lemonade Shandy will return this year with a new variety pack featuring Tangerine and Grapefruit! Also returning is Shiner’s Ruby Redbird – this beer proudly shows off its Texas heritage using local Ruby Red grapefruits and a kick of ginger.
Nutrl has also released their new Orange flavor this spring to add to our already amazing line of vodka seltzers. The new flavor will be available in the variety pack and as individual 4 packs.
Last year, everyone asked for sours to help them keep cool and we are coming with quite the lineup of tart fruit beers for this spring. Spiteful’s Twang Guava Gose has been reformulated this year to bring out more of the guava flavor to satisfy those sour seekers. Founders is also coming back with their beloved perennial Green Zebra Gose, but this year, there will be additional flavors other than Watermelon. Green Zebra variety packs will feature Pineapple, Mango, and Peach!
Beers aren’t the only products we carry that are going for that sour and tart demand this spring. Juneshine Hard Kombucha will release Strawberry Kiwi Crush, a ridiculously refreshing remix of the classic combo.
I wasn’t joking when I said we’re chock-full of fruit offerings this spring. We will have Seattle Cider coming with the very unique Marionberry Cider (a very popular varietal of blackberries from the Pacific Northwest) that will bring some complexity and pleasant tartness to their cider. Woodchuck will also return with their Blueberry Cider which has been a hit with bars for the past few years.
Of course we will also have plenty of traditional spring beer styles coming too. Goose Island Summertime will have a packaging refresh for this year. Alter Brewing’s Cold Digger IPA will be dryhopped with Nectaron, Centennial, and Citra hops to satisfy those hop heads out there. 18th Street will also come back with their popular Patio Pils regardless of the weather. Brewdog is getting into the swing of things with their Caddyshack inspired Bushwood Pilsner – brewed to be crushable on the greens, slightly grassy and lemony with a sweet malt aroma. Founders is continuing to expand their All Day line with All Day West Coast which will feature a lighter body but more citrus and pine forward and with a slight sweetness.
For our seltzers this spring, Bud Light Seltzer will launch with their Sangria Splash Variety Pack. It will feature the classic Red and White sangria styles along with a Rosé and Tropical style. For a sangria on the go experience, this may be just the convenient 12-pack you need.
The warmer months also mean that those warm weather cocktails are coming back in a big way. We have a great lineup of spirits and liqueurs perfect for any bar. With our spirits portfolio, anyone can make delicious cocktails, including these that are perfect as the days get longer and warmer:
If you’re not a mixologist or don’t have a home bar with all these ingredients, don’t fret! All these cocktails are also available from Cutwater Spirits Canned Cocktails, award
winning cocktails made with real spirits! These ready to enjoy cocktails are bar quality and absolutely delicious as well as convenient.
I hope you are as excited to try these out this season as I am. Also, a special thanks to my assistant – Ooyoo for helping with the photoshoot. He was handsomely paid in blueberries.
Every year for Black History Month, we read stories of leaders from our past, and how their actions impacted the present. We learn how they fought to change voting rights, bridging gaps, unifying classrooms, ending segregation, and creating opportunities for others to thrive in industries they once were never allowed. We learn about how these leaders paved the way for young black children to become whatever they want, even President of the United States.
At Lakeshore Beverage, we are taking time to introduce you to one such person that grew up in the Chicagoland Area – Sam Ross. Sam grew up in Harvey, IL to two loving parents that taught him that community and where he came from should always be celebrated. They taught him hard work could lead him in the right direction to fulfill all of his dreams.
He had no idea growing up that the beer industry was where his path would lead him, mostly because he didn’t even start drinking until 2015. He worked many different jobs throughout his life, even trying college but nothing seemed to fit. It wasn’t until he took a job at Whole Foods as a stacker that he found what he was passionate about in life, craft beer. With a little help from Lakeshore Beverage’s very own, Adam Lovinggood, he learned more about the beer industry and went from working at Whole Foods, eventually collaborating with Haymarket Brewery for Harold’s 83 Honey Ale.