A New Low for Local Beverage Imagery (+ Unrelated Events & Socials)
Powered by <sigh> why?
I can’t believe beer and spirits makers are still doing shit like this. I really can’t.
But apparently Spirit Water - the brewery and distillery in suburban Cary owned and operated by Tim Kovac, the creator of Not Your Father’s Root Beer — thinks it’s perfectly fine to promote a vodka called … Panty Dropper. WTF.
Oh, and it gets worse.
We’ve noticed Spirit Water using this AI-generated slop for a while now, but compounding that with the worst beverage name ever and slapping IP theft on top of it (using cartoons! that are made for kids!) makes for the saddest and most creatively bankrupt marketing decision I’ve seen made by a brewery owner in a long time.
Holy shit is that bad. Please do better, everyone else.
Unrelated (and also unpalatable, but in a very different way), news broke this afternoon that Noon Whistle did end up getting fined by the ILCC for their cicada Malort.
Okay. Enough. I need an actual palate cleanser. Oh, here’s one! Alter Brewing has produced a special beer for DNC events hosted by JB Pritzker called JBeer. Looks like the Gov is at Centennial Crafted Beer & Eatery in River North today for the debut. That’s fun.
Alter has a Pritzker beer; Minocqua has a Kamala beer; which Minnesota brewery wants to be the first to put out a Tim Walz beer? Walz-weiss, anyone? Or maybe a DunkelWalz?1
Moving on. Brewery events have slowed down a lot this weekend for one very good reason:
This Weekend:
Great Taste of the Midwest takes place on Saturday afternoon with approximately 1400 beers available for sampling. Good luck out there. Looks like perfect outdoor afternoon drinking weather.
Naperville’s Rib Fest may not be happening any more (boo! That’s the first place I ever had deep fried alligator) but Solemn Oath is hosting their own tomorrow, and they’re calling it Wolfie’s Mighty Fine Rib Fest.
Wolfden Brewing’s 6th Year Ren-Iversary happens on Saturday and Sunday with knife forging, tarot card reading, glass blowing and more.
If your GTMW hangover has subsided by Monday, Half Acre is partnering with Big Star for a “Pig Star” cookout that afternoon.
Later This Month:
Another Malt Row Happy Hour is scheduled to take place at Begyle Brewing on the 14th, hosted by the Ravenswood COC.
On August 15th and the 29th, you can hit the water with Moor’s Beer and Bub City eats on a Wendella river cruise.
On August 16th, Spiteful Brewing’s Cheeseburger And a Pair of Dice event returns after a four-year hiatus! And for the first time ever, they’re hosting it at their own space. Tickets are on sale now.
August 17th sees the return of the Oak Park Microbrew Review, now in its 17th year. Golden birthday!
One the 23rd head to Nik & Ivy to help celebrate their 4th Anniversary.
MobCraft Woodstock is hosting their own WeirdFest on the 24th with some appropriately weird beers.
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Cool new taphandles, IBW.
Peckish Pig took a day off this week, which I only post to remind you that their space has one of those awesome Chicago barrel-style ceilings. I love those. I think Piece has one of those also. Anyone else?
The Beer Culture Center gave their followers the very first chance to check out the new Casa Humilde taproom yesterday. (Look at all those side-pull handles!)
Great news from Fair State Brewing Cooperative: They were able to exit Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Hopewell’s Oktoberfest is now available — and it’s krausened!
About a year and half after opening it, Will County Brewing Company announced this week that they were closing their Channahon taproom “effective immediately”, but they’ve got some “exciting things planned” for their Shorewood space.
If you pick up a newly-updated copy of Modern Lager, you’ll find a section from Art History brewer Greg Browne.
Job alerts: Demo Brewing is looking for beertenders, Gnosis Brewing is looking for a cellarperson, Dovetail needs a Taproom Manager and per the ICBG, their job board has a lot of other listings as well. In Grapids, Speciation Ales is also looking for help.
Do you recognize these two clowns? They stole from Bottles & Cans Edgebrook earlier this week.
Two beers from Grainology Brewstillery are now in cans and available to-go.
Brewery Vivant announced a rebrand this week, changing the name of their taproom to Vivant Brewery + Spirits.
Short’s announced the release of a new mixed 12-pack of Local’s beers, but I’m kinda stoked that they’re calling their Local’s Amber the new flagship.
Noon Whistle now has a centrifuge.
Here comes 60bbl batches of Goldfinger lager.
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Until then, see y’all next week! Have a great weekend.
~Karl
Not to mention the Big Gretch beer released in Michigan in 2020 and 2021. Lots of brewers on the Blue Wall.
This reminded me of this piece I wrote for Time Out Chicago TEN years ago, almost to the day. So dispiriting we are still having this discussion!
https://www.timeout.com/chicago/blog/time-to-grow-up-breweries