Mmmmmm.....Beer

By John & Susie Pratt in Food on Jan 19, 2005 10:55PM

You know that Sam Adams commercial that has been playing all NFL season long? The one in which three guys go into a House of Beers and are handed a tome-like beer menu by hottie bartender - but before even opening it they decisively (and perhaps prematurely) order a Sam Adams? At this point in the commercial the blonde bartender nods appreciatively, as if to indicate her approval.

Well we’ve got news for Misguided Beer Guy. First, that hottie bartender is not going to sleep with you and second, Sam Adams should not be your go-to beer. Not like Chicagoist is a huge beer snob, but when offered a selection of the world’s beers – we’re thinking about leaving the domestic beers behind for a change.

Misguided Beer Guy can make amends at an Andersonville bar where Sam Adams isn’t even on the menu. We are talking about, of course, Hopleaf at 5148 N. Clark – great food, great atmosphere, and arguably the best beer selection in the City of Chicago. With over 200 beers on the menu, and many originating in Belgium, Hopleaf is a beer-lovers paradise. To those of you familiar with this particular joi de vivre – the menu contains Kwak, Delirium Tremens , and Chimay ales. For those of you who have no idea what we are talking about – a nicely annotated menu, along with knowledgeable staff (who are generous with the samples) will assist you in finding the right beer. But be warned, these interesting brews will knock flat on your Brussels if you’re not careful.

And you will want interesting beer to wash down the fantastic mussels in white wine, garlic and rosemary, accompanied by frites with aioli mayo available in the backroom dining area. Yes, it’s not just the beer that’s Belgian – the food draws on the best that the country has to offer as well. There are other menu options, and it all looks good, but we just can’t stop ourselves from ordering the mussels every time we go. Nor can we stop ourselves from making mussels/muscles puns. But that’s another problem entirely.