Chicagoist's "Beer of the Week": Aris Greek Lager

By Chuck Sudo in Food on Mar 13, 2009 7:00PM

One of the knocks on Greek diners is that there isn't much of a choice with regard to cocktails. like the food, they keep it simple but tasty: efficiency at its most basic. Wanting a beer with out Greek combo plate from Central Gyros last weekend, we were looking for Mythos on the menu, which is normally the go-to Greek beer at most Hellenic-themed restaurants. Then Toula, our waitress offered us a bottle of Aris, as Mythos was out of stock.

Brewed by the same brewery that makes Mythos, Aris is a by-the numbers lager, right down to the green glass bottle. Green glass does lead to skunky beer; the nose on Aris left a lot to be desired. But the flavor was wonderful, at least when paired with all that spiced meat. Not certain if it would make a good session beer, although it does meet the basic requirements. The best part of Aris was the head. It was a thick foam that took its time to dissipate, which only helped the flavor and removed most of the initial skunkiness.

Now we have another beer besides Mythos to request when we find ourselves in Greektown. Opaaa! Aris lager is Chicagoist's "Beer of the Week."