Chicagoist's Beer of the Week: Begyle's Neighborly Stout

By Jason Baldacci in Food on Mar 15, 2013 8:40PM

When we were choosing local beers for our Beer Bracket Madness, we were focusing solely on brews that were readily available, for the most part, and could be found at various places across the city without too much of a hassle. Unfortunately, these stipulations caused us to leave out some special offerings from some of the budding smaller breweries in town, so this "Beer of the Week" is just for the little guys.

Begyle Brewing Co.'s Neighborly Stout is an American Dry Stout. It's nice and roasty, as a good stout should be, but not too bitter. We get a hint of cocoa on the nose with those roasted tones, along with a little bit of smoky pine. It's creamy on the palate and relatively full-bodied, with a bold, almost chewy texture. All of that roasted malt is accented wonderfully with an herbal and spicy hop profile that helps keep things pleasantly dry. At 6 percent alcohol content, Neighborly Stout is packed with flavor without being too strong to enjoy more than one.

Begyle Brewing is a perfect example of a brewery that's doing things a little differently. They refer to themselves as a "Community Supported Brewery," as they use a CSA-type (Community Supported Agriculture) business model where they sign up members who receive monthly beer subscriptions. Begyle also seems to be trying to do their part to support the community that supports them, as the Neighborly Stout was actually brewed this past November to commemorate the grand opening of a new home goods shop up on Montrose Avenue called, you guessed it, Neighborly.

Pick up a 22-ounce bottle of Neighborly Stout this weekend at Fischman's or Zen Wine & Spirits.