Surly Brewing Is Back In Chicago
By Chuck Sudo in Food on Nov 16, 2013 5:00PM
Some breweries gain their stellar reputations as much by their lack of availability as they do the quality of the beer they produce. This is known as “The Coors Effect” because of the Colorado brewery’s once famous lack of sales east of the Mississippi. (Remember: Burt Reynolds and Jerry Reed were tasked with smuggling a semi trailer full of Coors from Texas to Georgia in Smokey and the Bandit, with Jackie Gleason in hot pursuit the entire way.) Then Coors crossed the Mighty Mississippi and boy were the bubbles of scores of beer drinkers pierced.
New Belgium’s Fat Tire ale benefited from the Coors Effect for the longest time; it’s their other beers people forward to drinking these days. New Glarus certainly benefits from the Coors Effect. The Wisconsin brewery has enough of a problem serving America's Dairyland and New Glarus is close enough to Chicago that a road trip to load car trunks full of their sudsy elixirs is a great way to spend a weekend.
Then there’s Minnesota’s Surly Brewing which pulled out of the Chicago market in mid-2010 to focus on its accounts in its home state while expanding their brewing operation. In subsequent years Surly has popped up in some Chicago bars but not on a consistent basis. Until now.
Surly is slowly working its way back into the Chicago market and they're bringing some amazing selections with them. Surly Furious IPA is popping up on draft across the city, while other selections will be available in 16-ounce cans Hell lager, Cynic saison, Bender brown ale, Coffee Bender and the double IPA Furious, Overrated!; these selections will eventually become available on draft, as well.
Surly and its local distributor Windy City Distribution have a few events setup Monday and Tuesday. Check them out.
Nov. 18 at Hopleaf: Draft of Furious, Cacao Bender (Oatmeal Brown Ale with coffee, vanilla bean and cacao nibs), and Damphbier (German style Steam Beer).
Nov. 19 at Jake Melnick's: Draft of Furious, Dumpster Fire (Smoked IPA with Puya chiles) and Cacao Bender.
Nov. 19 at Sheffield's: Draft of Furious, Dumpster Fire, and El Hefe Negro (Imperial Dunkel with Mexican Sugar).