Food Blog

The guys who brought you Volo and Kitsch’n have put together an outstanding beer geek and foodie destination, The Paramount Room on Milwaukee (415 N. Milwaukee Ave) just south of Hubbard and the train viaduct in an old speakeasy. I guess you could define it as a gastropub if that definition is above average pub […]

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In more local beer news, Evanston’s Bill’s Blues Bar has Two Brothers’ Heavy Handed IPA on tap. This is an IPA that is hopped with ‘wet hops’ or hops that haven’t been dried, which gives it a serious hop punch.
Bill’s also has Kwak on tap, served in the traditional ‘yard’.

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I’m glad to be the next one to step up to the plate and praise What to Drink with What you Eat, the newest book from Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page. A book about beverage pairings is not unique, I’ve seen lots of them, but what makes this book worth its weight is that it’s […]

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A few years ago I had the sad duty to report the loss in Illinois of New Glarus beer. Now the sad news is that Bell’s will be leaving us. In a protest move against a distribution rights sale to Chicago Beverage, part of the largest beer distributor in the United States.
I’ll have to see […]

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Myopenbar.com has come to Chicago to quench “the dire need for a centralized and coherent source of worthy open bar listings” I wish I had known about this last week, because then I would have known about the chance to meet the two brothers from Two Brothers.
In other local (to me anyway) beer news, I […]

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Any real drinker knows enough to stay away from the Irish pubs today, because it’s too hard to get a beer. But if you’re willing to attempt to get a Guinness when it’s five deep at the bar, we certainly have enough places to go in Chicago.

That’s the Merchandise Mart all lit up green. Inside […]

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I got quoted in the Columbia Chronicle about my Chicago Irish Pub page - In search of the perfect pint “Guinness sales up as much as 20 percent for St. Patrick’s Day”.
Actually I was severely misquoted. I did say “Real Irish bars are about conversation and [are] where you go to make friends,” and “Every […]

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As I work on updating my Irish Pub map mentioned in the last post, I thought I’d share some Chicago drink resources I’ve collected.
Centerstage Bars
The Chicago Bar Project The Granddaddy of all Chicago bar websites.
Chicago Beer Map
Drinktown’s Chicago Bar Specials map
Lumino Mag’s After Hours Chicago
Metromix’s Bar and club section
Metromix also has a Dive Bar Blog
mmmChicago […]

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Empty!
Don’t worry. I’m getting to all the fancy places I ate in while in Phoenix, but I did want to mention this place- Molly Brannigans in Mesa.
It’s an Irish Pub in a mall, but with the traditional look, complete with fine handcrafted woodwork and obligatory fireplace in the back. Behind the bar area was […]

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Droogle Drink Search Engine.
The 110 Best Distilled Spirits Currently Available in 2005! I had to go pretty far down the list before I found one I’ve tried.
The World in a Glass: Six Drinks That Changed History
Speaking of beer drinking, please people, let’s do everything in our power to make sure this abomination does […]

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