Spring in Chicago means bad baseball is around the corner, people don shorts way too soon, and Bell's Beer makes a spectacle in bringing their wildly popular Oberon ale to shelves. more ›

Today's listings include a discussion coffee and sustainable practices at Counter Culture Coffee; Blue Sky Bakery's "Cupcakes & Cocktails" fundraiser; and a Bell's Beer takeover at The Beer Bistro. more ›

Like a good tub whiskey, one can't discount the importance of a good shower beer. This week's "BotW" selection manages to straddle the difference between the two: a quality brew intended for sipping in a mess-free container. more ›

We've gotten our collective undies in a bunch about Oberon before, and truth be told we were ready to be over the springtime rush to the Bells taps for the yearly release of the sweet wheaty ale. That was before we found out that Binny's was going to be hosting Larry Bell for a brewer's tasting on April 1st. more ›

Many local beer drinkers owe their first experience with New Holland Brewing to Larry Bell. It was in October 2006 when Bell decided to pull his beers out of Illinois as a protest of the Illinois Beer Industry Fair Dealing Act. October in Illinois is premium weather for hoppy ales such as Bell’s Two-Hearted ale and Bell’s decision (which was equal parts protest, fit of pique, and masterstroke of marketing) left bars, restaurants and liquor stores throughout the city scrambling for a replacement. more ›

Okay, so when we think "Bell's Oberon" we don't typically imagine snow on the ground and temps in the 30's. But damnit, when Larry Bell says it's Oberon season, it's Oberon season. We were at Sheffield's last night for the tapping of the first keg of the year, which means that spring must be somewhere nearby. We hope. more ›

Closing out a banner 2K8 in which his beers triumphantly returned to the area, Bell's Beer founder Larry Bell has been tapped to brew next year's collaboration ale with Dirk Naudts of De Proef Brouwerij in Lochristi, Belgium. Naudts is highly regarded for bringing state-of-the art 21st Century brewing techniques to time honored Belgian brewing recipes. more ›