Eighteen years ago, one of Chicago’s most authentic rock ‘n roll bars opened its doors. more ›

Bad news first: tickets to the Chicago edition of Malt Advocate magazine's annual WhiskyFest, which takes place tomorrow at the Hyatt Regency, are sold out. Now to the good news: whisk(e)y lovers of all stripes, including those who didn't get around to buying their WhiskyFest tickets, have numerous opportunities over the coming days to get in on the interesting tastings, pairing dinners, product launches and previews, and general brown-booze-colored revelry that make up the ancillary festivities known as WhiskyWeek. more ›

Like beer? Like trying new beers? Like learning about the history of beer? Consider signing up for CitySwarm's Chicago Beer Experience Tour on April 16th. For $47 ($41 if you buy before tomorrow night) you get a three-hour walking tour of north-side Chicago bars. During the tour, you will learn about beer history and taste 16 different beers. The tour starts at Vaughan's Pub with a history lesson and moves on to Paddy Long's for a combination beer tasting and bacon tasting. After, the tour heads to Bodega Ramos and ends at Delilah's. Plus, you can feel good about all the calories from the beer and bacon - you're walking so much! Alright, enough of our attempts to justify boozing - just go. There are only 20 tickets, so if you're interested, buy early. more ›

Since we know that Chicagoans take their beer seriously and, well, why the hell not argue about it a little more, All About Beer has released an article about the 150 best places to drink a beer. A half-dozen or so Chicago joints show up on the rundown and since it sparked a bit of argument around the Chicagoist offices, we thought we'd open the floor to the Peanut Gallery and get your take as well. more ›

Folks have asked where to get a good lager from the Far East, given the similar taste profiles of Asahi. Sapporo and Tsingtao. Chang, a Thai lager we first encountered nearly two decades ago, might be worth a look. This is a malt-forward lager perfect for tropical climes and humid Chicago summers, where you don't want the cloying flavor of hops weighing you down. The sweetness of the malt isn't heavy, with a light citrus that's refreshing. At 5 percent ABV, this is also a great session beer. It's perfect for extended patio/rooftop excursions, grilling in the backyard and picnics. more ›

An increasing number of bars turn to DJs to provide a musical backdrop, but we still appreciate a good jukebox. A jukebox is much more than a collection of songs. The clunky cabinet in the back of the bar holds the power to unite people ... especially when those people are fueled by alcohol. Stereotypes melt away and friendships are formed over a pile of quarters and a shared musical interest. With each punch of the numbered buttons, you choose the soundtrack to your experiences. more ›

It doesn't bear repeating, but we're doing it, anyway. Here at Chicagoist we're big fans of the Art of the Cocktail. If you aren't getting your fix from the "Properly Sauced" series, you can taste for yourself impeccably crafted cocktails while watching silk screen exhibitions and enjoying artwork. Starting Thursday night and running through October 9, Campari and Swindle Magazine are teaming up to host "The Art of the Cocktail" exhibitions throughout the city. more ›

This week's "BotW" selection is one of those "day late, dollar short" deals. It was available briefly right around WhiskyFest at Guthrie's, Delilah's, Map Room (actually, Map Room may have some left), Long Room, Underbar and Weegee's. It also tied in to WhiskyFest in that the malt used in brewing was whisky malt. more ›

The Great Migration of the 20th Century was one of the seminal events that changed the demographics of Chicago. Between 1900 and 1970, African Americans came to the north in wave seeking a better life. From 1940-1960 the black population in Chicago increased from 278,000 to 813,000. It helped spur the Golden Age of Bronzeville and gave us such local soul food treasures as Army & Lou's and Lem's BBQ. more ›

WhiskyFest Chicago is fast approaching, and that usually entails a week's worth of events leading up to the big dance at the Hyatt Regency Chicago next Friday. Commonly known as "whisky week" (why must it be just a week?), last year it took a superhuman effort to get through the week's events in one piece, all of them set up in honor of the brown spirit that makes us all seem more attractive to each other at last call. more ›

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Delilah's held their annual vintage strong ale fest Saturday afternoon. As a beer lover, we could ask for nothing more. We had the opportunity to sample vintage barrel-aged selections from over 20 breweries. Many of the breweries represented brought different vintages of the same ales, which made for some interesting vertical tastings. Sierra Nevada came correct, with selections of their Bigfoot Barley Wine ranging from 1998 to present-day. more ›