3rd annual Windy City Smokeout
The space at 560 W. Grand Ave in the past has been home to Riverfront Mayfest and Beerhoptacular, but never have we seen any party like this.
Three days of beer, bbq and country music over 2 stages. And for good measure Jack Daniels set up a mini tour of their Lynchburg, Tennessee Distillery . No seriously who knew that Jack Daniels was only 5,’2. Or that 80% of their used barrels are sent to scotch producers in Scotland. You could even go home with a full used barrel (still wet) if you wanted for 165$
This was the 3rd annual Windy City Smokeout.. During day 2 the gates opened an hour earlier for a Craft Beer Showcase. You had the option to pay 30$ and drink one off beers like Founders CBS and Goose Island BCS Vanilla Rye for an hour before general admission.
15 regional smokehouses
17 regional breweries
the north stage
Pappys BBQ, St Louis
Its not often you get sample BBQ from some of the best pitmasters in the country. Highlights for us included the Cranberry Cayenne Chicken from Pappys in STL and brisket from the Salt Lick.
This event was pricy, but damn good. There’s an art to having a massive event and not have the service impacted by the crowd volume. These crews deserve credit for making certain this party flowed harmoniously.
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Shiner Brewery
Shiner, TX
Strawberry Blonde
made w fresh homegrown strawberries from Poteet, TX 4.3%
Ruby Redbird
lager with ruby red grapefruit and ginger. 4%
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Pipeworks Brewing
Chicago
Ninja Vs Unicorn
imperial IPA brewed w 5 lbs of hops per barrel
the 1st beer to run out during the Friday session.
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Trumer Brauerei Berkeley
Trumer Pils
German style pilsner from Austria 4.8%
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Bridgeport Brewing
Portland, Or
Conviction Pale Ale
American Pale Ale produced year round 5.2%
Chocolate Cherry
A sweet stout 15 pounds of dark sweet cherries per barrel 7%
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brunches, dinners and celebrity chefs all weekend long
south stage
Goose Island Beer Company
Chicago
St Genevieve
Collaboration with Crown Valley Winery. Belgian wit w 50lbs of pears, oranges, limes, blueberries, and pineapples aged in both wine and brandy barrels. 5.5%
The Ogden
Belgian Tripel named after the city’s 1st mayor. 9%
312
Urban Pale Wheat Ale 4.2%
Green Line
American Pale Ale 5.2%
Sofie
Belgian Style Farmhouse Ale wine barrel-aged with hand-zested orange peel. 6.5%
Matilda
2x World Beer Cup, 1 x GABF Winner Belgian Pale Ale 7%
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Bells Brewery
Kalamazoo, MI
Oberon
Summer Wheat Ale 5.8%
Amber Ale 5.8%
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Brooklyn Brewery
Brooklyn, NY
Brooklyn Lager
American Amber Lager 5.2%
Summer Ale
Light English Dinner Ale 4.5%
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Virtue Cider
Fennville, Michigan
Lapinette
Norman-style cidre brut, aged in French oak barrels. 6.8%
Prince Hall
a wet bag of apples
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Sweetwater Brewing
Atlanta, GA
420
Extra Pale Ale 5.7%
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Central Waters Brewing Co.
Amherst, WI
Session Ale 4.5%
Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout
Merican-style stout aged for 1 year in used 12-year bourbon barrels. 9.5%
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Moody Tongue Brewing
Chicago
Bub City Gold
Collaboration lager with Bub City BBQ
Sliced Nectarine IPA 5.9%
–Nkosi
photos courtesy of Jeff Marini
