Beer Events and Socials: Just Drink The Beer Already
Powered by that one beer in your fridge you haven't had yet
First up: A couple of sad Chicagoland closures to note.
After ten years in business, The Open Bottle’s original Tinley Park location is closing tomorrow night. They will remain open in Lockport. Also calling it quits (not quite as soon) is Second City Mead, who accomplished a lot in their years in business … but financially, they say, it just wasn’t working out. They still have a bunch of meads to release so look forward to that, at least. I will be updating the map accordingly.
Someone remind me: Wasn’t there a day of the year where you’re supposed to finally drink the beer you have in your fridge that’s been sitting there for a while waiting for a special occasion? Was that just a social media thing we did on Twitter for a couple of years? I don’t remember and a surface-level Google isn’t returning anything that sounds familiar.
Anyways, I am deeming this weekend Just Drink the Beer Already Weekend in my household. I have a handful of beers that have been sitting for too long already - over a year in some cases, and that’s just dumb. You are all cordially invited to join me in celebrating Just Drink the Beer Already Weekend. What are you cracking open? I’ll share mine on Monday as a bit of accountability. Tag us on FB or IG if you do the same.
#justdrinkthebeeralreadyweekend #jdtbaw
Reminder: Only Premium Subscribers are being sent Wednesday label updates via email. Lite Subscribers can click here to see this week’s leafy label.
This Friday / Starting Friday:
This actually started yesterday but The Beer Temple is hosting a Scratch Brewing residency today and tomorrow with a ton of amazing-sounding beers on draft. Today’s theme: Mushrooms.
This also started yesterday, but you have all weekend to get to 1840 Brewing in Milwaukee which has transformed itself into The Springfield Connection to help everyone get through this lousy Smarch weather.
Just outside Minneapolis, Haggard Barrel Brewing hosts an official Grand Opening for their St. Louis Park taproom all weekend after previously only being a to-go location.
Saturday, March 29:
Werk Force releases their Humungous Chungus barrel-aged stout at 11am today.
Sunday, March 30:
Visit Half Acre starting at 11am for their Reads & Records book and vinyl fair.
Next Week:
April 4: Artifact Events hosts New Beers Eve.
April 4 and 12: Head south for a Fruit Tree Grafting Workshop at Scratch Brewing.
April 4-6: Steep Ravine Brewing hosts a Grand Rebranding Weekend.
April 5: In Springfield, Obed & Isaac’s will be hosting their annual Finally Firkin Springfest.
April 5: Ann Arbor’s Hearsay Brewing is hosting a Hops & Hash gathering during this year’s Hash Bash.
April 5: Burning Bush turns 5 today and is hosting a Spring Fest anniversary party all day today.
April 6: Hop District Brewing hosts a beer dinner with Happier Now Cafe and Market.
April 7: Starting today and running through the rest of the month is Links & Drinks, hosted by a dozen breweries (including Bubblehouse, Soundgrowler, Brother Chimp and Sturdy Shelter) who all created a mini-golf hole at their brewery. Play every hole you’ll be entered into a raffle drawing for a bunch of cool stuff. Fun idea!
The “Events” portion of our Friday emails remains free and unrestricted, because we want to give you a reason (or three) to visit a local brewery or beer event every week.
As we reach the 11th (!) year of me sending these emails, however, I’ve decided that our Social Updates section will move behind the paywall next week. This is an additional way of thanking our supporters with content that’s now sourced just for Premium Subscribers.
We’re so very grateful to our Premium Subscribers for all your ongoing support. We really couldn’t still be doing this without y’all.
Mikerphone has entered the THC-beverage world with their new line of MikerDose drinks.
After starting out nearly a decade ago as “Bosacki’s Homebrew,” Bosacki’s Brewery is now up for sale.
If you want to keep the Oberon Day party vibes going into the weekend, Bell’s posted a playlist with some appropriate jams.
Job alert: Pollyanna is looking for a production brewer at their Lemont location.
Many breweries will let their space be used for political fundraisers, but not get involved themselves … so it’s interesting that 93 Octane is actively promoting a campaign for alderman in St. Charles with this “Pints for Paul” event.
Penrose spent some time this week making a big improvement to their draft system.
Brewery tours have returned to Noon Whistle Naperville.
The latest beermaker to become a winemaker is Allagash.
Beers from Forbidden Root Columbus are making their way into Ohio distribution.
Cheers to Jolly Pumpkin and North Peak in Dexter, MI who reduced prices on pints at their taproom recently.
It’s collab season at is/was where they’ve released the beer they made with Hop Butcher and next week they’ll release the sunflower-seed-saison they made with Revolution.
And speaking of collabs, looks like Chaos Brewing is teaming up with The Perch for something.
Need to recycle some Pak-Tech plastic? Roaring Table has a special bin just for ‘em. More of this, please.
One of my favorite parts of the return of baseball? The return of Mitten Brewing’s Peanuts & Crackerjack brown ale.
If you didn’t get burned by the “investment” you made in Temperance before they shuttered, well, Donna’s Pickle Beer is looking for funding.
Thank you all for being here! Have a great weekend.
~Karl, a Guy Drinking … well, you’ll find out soon.