I love Lost Abbey

I don't always wax poetic about a beer I don't sell, but I LOVE LOST ABBEY BEERS. Went to Hopleaf tonight, always a good idea, and discovered they have Lost Abbey Angel's Share on draft. Angel's Share is a strong ale aged in oak barrels which previously contained whiskey or brandy. The Angel's Share refers to the evaporation of spirits from those barrels -- each time a barrel is filled, some liquid seeps into the oak and is forever lost. Meanwhile, the oak imparts caramel, brandy and vanilla flavors to the beer. The beer rests quietly for a year in the oak barrels before it is ready for release. It is 12.5 % ABV of deliciousness. I am telling you, have a little snifter of Angel's Share. You don't need much. Sniff it. Spend some time with it. I enjoyed an 8-ounce snifter over a period of about 2 hours. I sipped, I sniffed, I sipped again. Get some while you can. Angel's Share is a warm, snug blanket from the heavens for you to enjoy.

GREEN GROCER TASTING, TUESDAY OCTOBER 20

Got a tasting going on tomorrow, Tuesday, October 20 at Green Grocer Chicago, 1402 West Grand Ave. at Noble. We're gonna taste out some New Holland brews. Have you been there? You should go. Tons of organic, local, sustainable food and plenty of excellent local beers. You can get sandwiches, cheese, produce, cereal, cleaning stuff . . . and it is independently owned and operated by Cassie Green, voted Chicago Magazine's top Green (no pun intended) Entrepreneur of 2008. And a really nice lady.

What good is sitting alone in your room?

When you could come to BRASSERIE JO tomorrow night, Wednesday, October 14th. METROMIX is hosting a Beer Gala from 6 - 8 pm!! LOADS of great breweries are bringing some of their best brews! Come out to Brasserie Jo, come hear the music play. Life is NOT a cabaret, and stop calling me chum.

Movin' and Shakin', mostly Shakin'

Good things are happening in Chicago Beer Land!! Just set up the Chicago Beer Girl fan page on Facebook, and already have 38 "fans" (sure, it doesn't sound like much to you, but come on, in just eight hours???? Not bad!!). Also, went down the street to In Fine Spirits and had some Three Floyds Broo Doo on cask. This is how time flies. I remember blogging about this beer last year when it came out. This is their harvest, wet-hopped ale. Since we had hop vines growing outside our offices this year, I got to smell and squish some wet hops myself. Yummy!!! Also, if you can, get out and get a bottle of New Holland Charkoota Rye before it's gone! It is an utterly delicious smoked rye dopplebock, so go buy some and get some bacon and maybe some smoked gouda and some dark chocolate. It's all you need!!