This Week's Beer Events & Socials: Good News for Lake Effect & Moor's
Powered by corn dogs! Just corn dogs!
Happy Friday, beer friends! I have three very good pieces of social-driven news to get us into the weekend:
1: Lake Effect is Back!
After months and months of construction and years of waiting on a previous property, longtime Chicago beer brand Lake Effect Brewing is finally open in their own brewery and taproom. This was a long time coming so go stop by, say hi and buy a beer or three. The map has been updated!
2: Moor’s Wins!
Moor’s Brewing announced yesterday that they had been selected as this year’s “Brewing the American Dream” winner from Samuel Adams. Looking forward to seeing what collab beer comes from this along with the industry support that also follows this honor.
Sam Adams has a big history of supporting Chicago beer: Funkytown won this award a couple of years ago, Bold Dog Brewing Company won in 2019 and had a good run with District Brewyards for a while, and you may remember a brewer named Cesar Marron winning a competition called the American Longshot Homebrew Competition before opening up a little brewery called Sketchbook.
3: Maplewood’s kitchen is open!
Not only that, but their famous corn dog is back with a “new and improved batter” from new chef Joanna Nietoperek.
Finally, here’s the responses to last week’s THC drink poll. I’m guessing most of you understood that the second “Somewhat and very interested” down there was supposed to be “uninterested.” I am not a professional pollster, clearly.
Reminder: Only Premium Subscribers get to see the rest of these newsworthy social media updates! They’re also the only ones being sent Wednesday label updates via email. Lite Subscribers can click here to see what’s going on in the world of apple brandy.
This Friday / Starting Friday:
Spiteful is still firing up the Weber kettle for a little “Working for Vacation” cookout tonight to celebrate the relase of their Working for Vacation DIPA with hot dogs, popsicles, and inflatables.1
It doesn’t look like they’re having a huge party but you can still go celebrate eight years of Off Square Brewing beers with some events in Crown Point, Indiana.
Saturday, June 14:
Firestone Walker X Half Acre, aka a “full Balmoral Brewery Blowout.” They’re promising “amazing beer … festival food, limited edition merch, flash tattoos, bull riding, and DJs dialing in the mood. There will be a scavenger hunt with prizes. Plus, face painting and popsicles for the kiddos.” Sounds awesome!
Hey Dad! Barrel Aged Father’s Day returns to both Phase Three locations.
In Grayslake, Beer Bazaar hosts a big Sips for Scholarships Craft Beer Fest.
The Door County Beer Festival brings 45 beermakers to About Thyme Farm in Bailey’s Harbor. Tickets are $55.
Sunday, June 15:
Head to IBW for a special Father’s Day Pig Roast. I bet roast pork pairs real well with Gay Agenda.
Other Things Next Week:
June 18-22 - Happy 11th Anniversary to Werk Force!
June 19: On Thursday, head to is/was for the release of something that I don’t think I’ve ever seen before: A brewery making another brewery’s long-lost beers. is/was is releasing Long Thai Double Rainbow Rye, a saison brewed with Thai peppercorns. Half Acre made this in 2010 and hasn’t made it since, but was kind enough to let is/was bring it back. Pretty cool. (Do the Magnus Schwarzbier next!)
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I want to shout out a few more breweries I saw celebrating Pride Month this week, including Bubblehouse (with merch!), Skeleton Key (with trivia!), Brother Chimp (with Marley the dog), Dovetail (with a forklift!), plus Foreign Exchange, Third Space, and Indeed Brewing.