Craft Brewers Conference kicked off yesterday, capped by an opening reception at the Field Museum. But it was the after parties and later events where the big surprises were sprung on people throughout the city. One such reception at Green Mill hosted by New Holland Brewing found owner/"beervangelist" Fred Bueltmann putting a formidable hand on my shoulder and stating, "we've got some new stuff for you to sample.". New Holland's spirits more than meet the standards of high quality of their beers. But owner and distiller Brett VanderKamp may have exceeded even his expectations with a spirit he calls "hopquila." VanderKamp described it thus:"I distilled some barley grain and then added a lot of hops." more ›

It's common knowledge that the four basic ingredients in brewing beer are malted grain, hops, yeast and water. Most breweries tend to stick to variations of a grain: e.g. barley; wheat; rice if you're Anheuser-Busch or Miller. Belgium's Bosteels Brewery utilizes a 310-year-old recipe for Tripel Karmeliet using wheat, barley and oats in the brewing. The result is a smooth and sweet Belgian Golden ale that can appeal to both serious beer drinkers and folks looking for something cool to drink on a humid day (rare as they've been this summer). more ›