Looks like we're in for another show, weather-wise today. We've had sightings of tornadoes in Boone and McHenry counties this afternoon. It's supposedly the first of two bouts of severe weather passing through the area before the temperatures take a nosedive. The sever thunderstorm warning includes parts of DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane and Kendall counties until 4:15 p.m. CST. Winds up to 60 miles per hour are possible along with hail and heavy rain. more ›

We've written about the local beer wars in the past, the competition for tap handles between the local beer distributors for taps, shelf space and sales. It's long been no secret that, between the distributors and some of the bars, a sense of "Ubi Est Mea" exists. Craft breweries get lost in the shuffle. Unable to compete with what the major breweries can offer a bar, they either lose out on sales or, in the case of Bell's a few years back, pull out of the market altogether. Anat Baron's Beer Wars covers this trend nationally, but she really only scratched the surface. more ›

It's been nearly six months since Bell's Beer founder Larry Bell pulled his product from the Illinois market in a dispute with distributors over the Beer Industry Fair Dealing Act of 1982. Readers will remember that that specific law, enacted at the time to protect distributors from the loss of a giant beer account on the level of Anheuser-Busch or Miller should they decide to move to greener pastures, doesn't give mid-level craft breweries like... more ›

In business, one rule holds true: “money talks, bullshit walks.” When you’re talking about a multi-billion dollar industry as alcohol, that old adage takes on an often literal meaning. In the past twelve months, we’ve seen a series of issues that have shed a light on the seedy underbelly of wholesale liquor distribution, most notably in the lengths the state’s liquor distributors go to acquire and maintain their business. They’ll lobby Springfield to pass... more ›

Some of you may be thinking we should just let Festivus go. Seinfeld hasn't been on for many years and afterall, it's just a television show. First of all, we're a little offended by the "just a show" sentiment. Seinfeld brought our friends and families together in comedy and both reflected on pop culture and produced many popular catchphrases. But enough about Seinfeld. This is a time to celebrate Festivus and regardless of the... more ›

In just ten years, Holland, Michigan-based New Holland Brewing Company has established itself as a craft brewer to be reckoned with, fashioning high quality beers and even delving into flavored brandies and liqueurs available at their brewpub. Along with Sundog, Mad Hatter IPA is their most notable brew. If you aren't a "hop head", you might take a while getting acquainted with this overly heady ale worthy of being named after a deranged genius... more ›

If you notice a reduced presence of Bell's beer on the shelves and in bars in the coming weeks, there's a reason. Bell's delivered their last shipment of beer to Illinois last week. Here is some of what Bell's founder Larry Bell wrote last week regarding the situation on a forum thread at the Beer Advocate website (post number 32): "I'm very tired and sad tonight, but I will share thoughts with this group soon.... more ›