Great Beers From American Beer Classic With Cider And Mead Too
American Beer Classic at Soldier Field
![American Beer Classic at Soldier Field]()
A determined attendee trying to hit the nail at the Menard’s tent
![A determined attendee trying to hit the nail at the Menard’s tent]()
<a href="http://www.ponybrewing.com/">One Trick Pony</a>: It’s not surprising that some of my very favorite breweries are nearly impossible to find on retail shelves. One Trick Pony, a micro-brewery in Lansing, Illinois, is in that category, though bottled offerings are expected to hit shelves later this year. Every tap poured something unique and delicious, but I really fell for their amber ale, Storm Cat. The dark but clear ale was brimming with citrus and pine with a hint of caramel sweetness
![<a href="http://www.ponybrewing.com/">One Trick Pony</a>: It’s not surprising that some of my very favorite breweries are nearly impossible to find on retail shelves. One Trick Pony, a micro-brewery in Lansing, Illinois, is in that category, though bottled offerings are expected to hit shelves later this year. Every tap poured something unique and delicious, but I really fell for their amber ale, Storm Cat. The dark but clear ale was brimming with citrus and pine with a hint of caramel sweetness]()
<a href="http://virtuecider.com/">Virtue Cider</a>: The standout for cider was Virtue Cider, based out of Michigan. My favorite cider was Sidra de Nava, a Spanish-style sidra with bursts of lemon and an olive-y funk. I also really liked The Mitten, a blend of last season’s best ciders combined with fresh-pressed juice, aged in bourbon barrels. It’s sweet with an overripe quality that already has me yearning for autumn.
![<a href="http://virtuecider.com/">Virtue Cider</a>: The standout for cider was Virtue Cider, based out of Michigan. My favorite cider was Sidra de Nava, a Spanish-style sidra with bursts of lemon and an olive-y funk. I also really liked The Mitten, a blend of last season’s best ciders combined with fresh-pressed juice, aged in bourbon barrels. It’s sweet with an overripe quality that already has me yearning for autumn.]()
<a href=" http://smalltownbrewery.com/">Small Town</a>: The explosion of craft beer in Chicago has founds its way all the way up to Wauconda, a Northwest suburb of Chicago. Small Town specializes in unique brews, realized in the delicious Not Your Daddy’s Root Beer. Brewed with vanilla and sassparilla, this 10% ABV beer tastes like root beer, but with a warm, boozy body that’s almost sinful. Their Apple Cider Ale is also a serious treat, especially over ice.
![<a href=" http://smalltownbrewery.com/">Small Town</a>: The explosion of craft beer in Chicago has founds its way all the way up to Wauconda, a Northwest suburb of Chicago. Small Town specializes in unique brews, realized in the delicious Not Your Daddy’s Root Beer. Brewed with vanilla and sassparilla, this 10% ABV beer tastes like root beer, but with a warm, boozy body that’s almost sinful. Their Apple Cider Ale is also a serious treat, especially over ice.]()
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/MiddleBrow">Middle Brow</a>: They cultivate an innovative, communal approach to brewing with their monthly brewing competitions. But Middle Brow also makes their own great beer recipes. My favorite was Tigermilk, which is their Life Pursuit saison with cinnamon and vanilla, filtered through whole Metropolis coffee beans from Brazil as it comes out of the tap.
![<a href="https://www.facebook.com/MiddleBrow">Middle Brow</a>: They cultivate an innovative, communal approach to brewing with their monthly brewing competitions. But Middle Brow also makes their own great beer recipes. My favorite was Tigermilk, which is their Life Pursuit saison with cinnamon and vanilla, filtered through whole Metropolis coffee beans from Brazil as it comes out of the tap.]()
<a href="http://wildblossommeadery.com/Home.html">Wild Blossom</a>: I had never had a good mead before, but they stole a piece of my heart with two of their delicious meads. My favorite was the smoky Pirate’s Blood, infused with three separate chili peppers and two additional chilis in the bottle. It’s got plenty of heat, cut with a honey sweetness. My next favorite was the Sweet Desire, a mead aged in a Kentucky bourbon barrels for a year. It’s so delicious that you’ll hardly believe the AB
![<a href="http://wildblossommeadery.com/Home.html">Wild Blossom</a>: I had never had a good mead before, but they stole a piece of my heart with two of their delicious meads. My favorite was the smoky Pirate’s Blood, infused with three separate chili peppers and two additional chilis in the bottle. It’s got plenty of heat, cut with a honey sweetness. My next favorite was the Sweet Desire, a mead aged in a Kentucky bourbon barrels for a year. It’s so delicious that you’ll hardly believe the AB]()
Chicago Craft Beer Week is fast approaching, but frankly, we just couldn’t wait around for it. Last weekend, we got an early fix at American Beer Classic, an annual event where a hundred American breweries take over Soldier Field, serving and over-serving, Chicago’s thirsty beer lovers.
In addition to the array of brews, the most memorable aspect of the festival involved the people-watching. In a cruel but almost brilliant business move, Menard’s had a booth with two large cross sections of tree trunk, each with a ring of nails along the outer rim. For $3 a hit, each intoxicated attendee attempted to hit the nail with a backwards hammer. I’m sure there was some prize, though I can’t say I bothered to check. It was too entertaining to sit back and watch. Towards the end of the night, you could watch much of the younger crowd darting across the sectioned-off part of the field, protecting newly laid out sod, only to get hauled off by security if caught. You can’t blame them: after this winter, who could possibly resist a romp in such beautiful, lush grass?
Many of the most impressive producers at ABC were local breweries, upholding my belief that Chicago is America’s craft beer capital. While most attendees slammed the tasty array of craft choices without reflection, I chose to pace myself-or at least try—and learn about the beers I was sampling. Despite the 2 ounces serving size, many of the tents poured double that, which was actually kind of a bummer because I ended up tossing a lot of good beer as well as drinking too much of it. Before making the transition from people watching to watched, I carefully sniffed, sipped and selected my top five favorites. Flip through the slideshow for the best brewers of Chicago's American Beer Classic.
