Before I left for Belgium we brewed what would be our first and final beer for the summer of 2010, a delicious and successful Saison. When I returned from my trip I learned that we had lost our sweet brewing space. Fortunately, we’ve got another lined up, it’s just not quite as cherry (or close) as our initial hook up. But by way of this frustrating loss, much to my delight, we found ourselves forced into a kind of seasonal brewing schedule. Stumbling after that path of least resistance as we sometimes like to do, we found ourselves brewing in the fall and winter and, as the evil star ventured closer to our confines, we would spend our Saturdays smoking meats where we used to be brewing.
Well, that cold snap of momma nature’s shower towel is back in the air and I swear, if you stand still enough, you can smell just the right beer to match these perfect autumnal days. For me, right now, in this wavering between Summer and Fall, I really enjoy a hoppy IPA, or, like I had on Friday, Stone’s 14th Anniversary Emperial IPA. Another fine companion to these waning days of the year I found was Revolution’s Bad Man barrel aged Old Rye ale. With it’s 9% ABV, those amazing vanilla notes and it’s tip of the hat to one of the finest science fiction movies set to celluloid, you really can’t find a finer partner to stare down the hustling winds of the city in the golden hours of the year.
I should probably make note of one other beer that I just get all a twitter over this time of year, New Holland’s Ichibad Pumpkin Ale. Lose your preconceptions of what a Pumpkin Ale is and just try it, I think you’ll love it.
So yeah, those up there are some fine beers to enjoy in Chicago this time of year. But as the fall continues it’s disintegration and the temperature heads south for the winter I’ve found myself leaning more towards Porter’s and Stouts. So, I think our initiatory brew for the fall of 2010 is going to be a Porter. I haven’t run down a recipe I’m happy with yet, but I do swear on the good name of my now deceased grandmother that I will post it to this here blog just as soon as I have one.
Mmmmm, mmmm. The promise of Chicago, I do believe, hides itself, somewhere, just around October.