Summer is what beer is all about, at least in the United States. After a day of sun and primal heat, you need a beer that’s ice cold and cries out to be quaffed. Evening’s heat may be less intense and the beer may be consumed in sips, but its slightly bitter dryness is no less appreciated. Chicago’s craft brewers realize this and are endeavoring to quench thirst, not just with standard ale and lager but also with out-of-the-ordinary brews special to this season.
“Most of our customers want something a little lighter (in alcohol) at this time of year,” says Adam Ellis, general manager of the Clark Street Ale House. “They will ask what we have for summer.”
“There is a growing interest in our specialty beers, especially in summer,” adds Gregory Hall, brewmaster of the various Goose Island operations. “Ten years ago almost everyone ordered pilsner. Now the seasonal beers are our best sellers.”
Seasonal beers come on the menu at brew pubs as specials and may stay for a few days or a few weeks, depending on the amount made and on demand. Seasonal specialties made for the festivals of October, May and Christmas may be better known, but there are more beers of summer.
These are European or European-style seasonal favorites such as the weiss (“white” in German, made from wheat) beers of Germany and some of the wit (white) beers of Belgium. Kolsch from Cologne is a summer beer. So are British-style blond ales. A number of these beers are flavored with fruit, others with spices, but the common thread is that they are refreshing, flavorful and low in alcohol (most of them, at least). They also pair very well with the casual foods of summer. (See recommendations elsewhere on this page.)
Brew masters love to make specialty beers. Their challenge is to produce something that is light and pleasant, but has distinctive character as well. One or more of them should be available on draft at virtually every brew pub in the area (see list on this page) at prices parallel to regular selections. Less predictable is the selection of bottled summer beers. The combination of a specialty product available for only a short time and a sales staff that may not be familiar with that product tends to keep retail stores from taking full advantage of the selection.
But alongside the bottles of Bud and Old Style in washtubs full of ice at picnic sites across Chicagoland, there should be a few bottles that look and taste different. There may be some of Belgium’s saison beers, with their eye-catching labels. They are made especially for summer. So are the summer ales of Britain, some with delightful names: How’s Your Father Summer Ale, Porch Swing Ale, Summer Madness.
Other bottled choices brewed especially for summer include Hennepin from Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, N.Y., Samuel Adams Summer Ale and White Ale, Pierre Celis White from Texas and Sprecher Hefeweizen from Milwaukee.
As for summer beers that are brewed here and sold on draft (and, in some cases, in bottles), here are the best known:
BLOND ALE
Sometimes called golden ale, these beers are made from Oregon and Washington hops and malts that are paler than most British ale malts. They are related to pale ales and have a medium alcohol content. Honker’s, a blond ale, does well for Goose Island at its Clybourn Avenue and Wrigleyville locations. Hopcats’ Clybourn Honey Blond Ale contains thistle- and clover-flavored honey gathered by resident bees whose hives are behind the Clybourn Avenue brewery. At America’s Brewing Co. in Aurora, the popular house blond ale is light-bodied, straw colored and crisp with a slight malt sweetness.
HEFEWEIZEN
Hefeweizen means yeast wheat beer. A mellow Bavarian creation with very little bitter hops character, it is often served in outsize glasses accompanied by a lemon wedge. The beer contains live yeast that provides a banana aroma and clove or cinnamon taste. Unfiltered, it has a cloudy appearance. Flatlander’s Pat Berger, who makes a fruity and spicy hefeweizen at the Lincolnshire brew pub, says it is called a breakfast beer in Germany. Mickey Finn’s Gudenteit Hefeweizen won a gold medal for the Libertyville brewery at the 1998 Great American Beer Festival in Colorado. Two Brothers, the Warrenville brewery, makes hefeweizen that is sold at the Clark Street Ale House. Brewing Co. No. 9 on Clybourn offers one, too.
KOLSCH
A very refreshing lagerlike ale with a light tang, kolsch was developed in the German city of Cologne. Now kolsch yeast is produced in California. Goose Island’s Hall says his version “starts hoppy like pilsner and ends with a tart finish. It’s our most popular seasonal beer.” Ray Daniels, president of the Chicago-based Craft Beer Institute, praises the Goose Island product, saying it is “pale with an appealing malt flavor, flowery hop notes and moderate to low bitterness.” At Flossmoor Station, Todd Ashman agrees with the pilsner flavor profile and says his is very light on the palate, softer and more subtle than wit. Mickey Finn’s does an apricot kolsch. Often kolsch is served in a traditional narrow, straight-sided glass.
PALE ALE AND INDIA PALE ALE
While not a summer beer, IPA was first produced for British stationed in hot and sunny India. As made here, its lemony, dry, somewhat bitter finish is thirst-quenching. It’s a more muscular version of pale ale, a 17th Century invention that is amber to bronze in color, moderate in alcohol and possesses an agreeably bitter flavor. At Brewing Co. No. 9, Greg Olson produces an American-style pale ale called The Chief, which he describes as “very crisp with a citrus aroma and aftertaste.” Two Brothers does an amber-colored, highly hopped, very aromatic India pale ale with citrus notes as well. Try it at Sheffield’s Wine & Beer Garden.
WEISSBIER
Weissbier is also called white beer, or weizenbier: Malted wheat, which provides 25 percent to 70 percent of the grist for these German-inspired beers, is mixed with barley malt. Golden, with low alcohol and medium body, these beers taste dry, even tart. They often are flavored with fruit or fruit extract. Shawn Quigley of Glen Ellyn Brewing Co. says the “light-bodied, refreshing” beer is a summer favorite. Gregory Hall describes the Goose Island version as having a “creamy head, citrus aroma from the yeast and a thirst-quenching high acidity.” At Two Brothers, the beer is called Ebelweiss and has “clove, banana and vanilla flavor undertones,” partner Jason Ebel says. Two Brothers is sold at the Village Tap on Roscoe Street. At America’s Brewing Co., Tom Sweeney uses wheat and barley malt. But at Rock Bottom Brewery, Pete Crowley is making raspberry wheat beer from “real” fruit, not extract. It offers a strong berry flavor followed by a tart, dry finish. He recommends drinking it by itself, though it might go with cake or fruit tarts.
WIT
This is a Belgian version of wheat beer made with two other grains, air-dried barley malt and oats plus several exotic ingredients. Light with a hint of sweetness, it develops a cloudy gray appearance when chilled. Hopcats’ Greg Moehn calls his “half-wit ale” and flavors it with a “generous amount” of coriander seed, orange peel and some “secret spice.” At Flossmoor Station, Ashman says his is lightly hopped with high carbonation and a zesty flavor. Easy to drink, it is served year-round in Belgium.
Incidently, when choosing a brew for summer sipping, don’t judge the beer by its color. Ray Daniels points out that darker beers are not necessarily higher in alcohol than light. His personal favorite, even in summer, is black Guinness stout on draft, assumed to be a Hulk Hogan among beers.
“Believe it or not, it’s only 4 percent alcohol by volume,” he says with a laugh.
WHERE TO FIND SUMMER BREWS
Here is a listing of brew pubs and microbreweries in the Chicago area along with their summer beers. Most of these beers are made in small batches and for a limited time only, so some may be out of season already and not be available again until next year. Most are sold on draft only, though a few are available in keg or bottle.
America’s Brewing Co., 205 N. Broadway, Aurora. 630-264-2739: blond ale, weissbier.
Brewing Company No. 9, 2350 N. Clybourn Ave., 773-472-9999: alwit, hefeweizen, The Chief Pale Ale.
Clark Street Ale House, 742 N. Clark St., 312-642-9253: Clark Street Old World Pilsner, Bell’s Oberon, Goose Island Kolsch, Two Brothers Ebelweiss.
Flatlander’s Restaurant and Brewery, 200 Village Green, Lincolnshire, 847-821-1234:al hefeweizen, marzen, wit, Czech-style pilsner.
Flossmoor Station Brewing Co., 1035 Sterling Ave., 708-957-2739: alwit, kolsch.
Founders Hill Brewing Co., 5200 Main St., Downers Grove, 630-963-2739: Main Street Maibock, Spring Beer.
Glen Ellyn Brewing Co., 433 N. Main St., Glen Ellyn, 630-942-1140: alhefeweizen, Honey Apricot Ale, alkolsch, alwit.
Goose Island Brewing Co., 1800 N. Clybourn Ave., 312-915-0071, and 3535 N. Clark St., 773-832-9040: alkolsch (draft and bottle), alhefeweizen, aloatzen, Smoked Porter, alweizen.
Harrison’s Restaurant & Brewery, 15845 La Grange Rd., Orland Park, 708-226-100: Honey Blond Ale, Summertime Lager, Vanilla Ale.
Hopcats Brewing Co., 2354 N. Clybourn Ave., 773-868-4461: alwit, Frederick’s Weiss, Honey Blond Ale.
Mickey Finn’s Brewery, 412 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville, 847-362-6688: Gudenteit Hefeweizen, Gasthaus Pilsner, alkolsch, Golden Belgium.
Millrose Brewing Co., 45 S. Barrington Rd., South Barrington, 847-382-7673: alweiss, Wheat & Honey, Raspberry Wheat.
O’Grady’s Brewery & Pub, 372 E. Golf Rd., Arlington Heights, 847-640-0600: Waterford Honey Weiss, Waveland Wit.
River West Brewery, 925 W. Chicago Ave., 312-226-3200: Summer Blond Ale, British Mild.
Rock Bottom Brewery, 1 W. Grand Ave., 312-755-9339: Raspberry Wheat Beer, Summerfest Honey Ale, alkolsch, Dunkelweizen Wheat Beer.
Two Brothers Brewing Co., 30 W. 114 Butterfield Rd., Warrenville, 630-393-4800 (retail sales only, no bar service): Monarch Wit, Ebelweiss Wheat Beer, Two Brothers IPA.
WeinKeller Brewery, 6421 Roosevelt Rd., Berwyn, 708-749-2276 and WeinKeller Brewery No. 2, 650 Westmont Drive, Westmont, 630-789-2236: Summer Blond Ale, British Mild.
Wild Onion Brewing Co., 28W039 Commercial Ave., Lake Barrington, 847-304-1183 (brewery only, no retail sales on premise): Blackberry Wheat Beer.
SUMMER BEERS MATCH WELL WITH SANDWICHES AND MORE
What to eat with the beers of summer? A good place to start is to recognize that beer and bread are made from almost identical ingredients.
Sandwiches, then, are always in order, as are ingredients often associated with them–including cheese, ham, cold cuts and fried fish or chicken. So, too, are salty or smoked fish and meat and a broad litany of foods from soups to nuts that are neither overtly bitter nor overtly sweet.
Some specific suggestions from brew pub menus follow:
– Rock Bottom’s Pete Crowley matches his lemon grass-flavored Summerfest Ale with Asian dishes, alkolsch with salads and lighter fare.
– Glen Ellyn Brewing Co.’s Shawn Quigley sips his alhefeweizen with a portobello mushroom sandwich, sesame chicken salad or grilled mahi-mahi with peanut crust and mango vinaigrette. He prefers perfumed alwit by itself as an aperitif.
– Flatlander’s Pat Berger chooses to pair his alwit with a chicken-apple-walnut salad, and a Vienna-style lager, or almarzen, with steaks and ribs.
– At Flossmoor Station, Todd Ashman instinctively drinks his German-style alkolsch with brats and German potato salad.
– Brewmaster Gregory Hall likes Goose Island’s alkolsch with “spicy food such as our Cajun catfish po’boy” as well as a salad of greens, tomatoes and balsamic vinegar. With barbecue, he would sip an oat-beer called aloatzen or a porter flavored with malt smoked over cherry wood.
– Hopcats’ Greg Moehn makes a match between his honey blond ale and a grilled jerk vegetable sandwich made with cucumber-yogurt sauce. Another choice with this ale is a grilled blue corn and sweet potato quesadilla with a yellow pepper-cilantro salsa.
– Wendy Littlefield of Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, N.Y., an expert on the beers of Belgium, recommends serving alsaison beers (including her Saison Grisette) with grilled chicken or rabbit, mussels and rich cheeses. Saison Duval is a Belgian favorite with shellfish.
SUMMER BEER-MARINATED CHICKEN, PORK OR RABBIT
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Marinating time: 4 hours
Cooking time: 1 hour
Yield: 4 servings chicken or rabbit, 6-8 servings pork
Wendy Littlefield recommends her Ommegang Brewery’s Saison Grisette, flavored with ginger and coriander for this recipe. Ask for it at Whole Foods or Sam’s Wines & Spirits.
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 small carrot, diced
1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon ale, Belgian preferred
1 cup chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
Pinch ground cloves
1 cut-up roasting chicken (about 3 1/2 pounds), 1 cut-up rabbit or 1 pork loin roast (2 1/2-3 pounds)
1 tablespoon butter
Pepper
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in small skillet over medium heat. Add onion and carrot; cook until soft but not browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to large bowl; stir in 1 1/2 cups of the ale, broth, bay leaf, vinegar, honey, salt, thyme and cloves. Place meat into large zipper-lock storage bag; pour marinade over. Seal bag; marinate at least 4 hours in refrigerator, turning several times.
2. Remove meat from marinade; pat dry with paper towels. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil and butter in Dutch oven or heavy casserole over medium-high heat. Sear meat on all sides. Season with salt and pepper; sprinkle in flour. Pour marinade over meat; heat to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer with lid ajar until meat is very tender when pierced with fork, about 1 hour for chicken or rabbit, 1 hour 20 minutes for pork.
3. Remove meat from pan. Heat liquid to boil. Cook until lightly thickened. Return meat to pan, add parsley and remaining 1 tablespoon of ale.
Nutrition information per serving (based on chicken):
Calories ……….. 600 Fat ………… 38 g Saturated fat .. 10 g
% calories from fat .. 58 Cholesterol .. 165 mg Sodium ……. 670 mg
Carbohydrates ….. 9.7 g Protein …….. 51 g Fiber ……… 1.2 g
PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM SANDWICH
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Rob Matzig, executive chef Glen Ellen Brewing Co., recommends hefeweizen, a German-style wheat beer, to accompany this sandwich.
1/4 cup each: balsamic vinegar, olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, optional
4 large portobellomushrooms, rinsed, patted dry, stems removed
1/2 cup cooked spinach
4 ounces fresh goat cheese, room temperature
1 large roasted red pepper, fresh or jarred, sliced
4 pieces (4-inch diameter) focaccia bread, tomato focaccia preferred
Salt, freshly ground pepper
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine vinegar, oil and basil in medium bowl; dip mushrooms in mixture. Place on baking pan; bake until soft, about 20 minutes, turning mushrooms once. (This may be done ahead.)
2. Top each mushroom with equal amounts of spinach, goat cheese and pepper slices. Return to oven until filling is thoroughly heated, about 5 minutes.
3. Slice focaccia in half lengthwise. Toast, if desired. Place mushrooms on 4 focaccia halves; season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover with remaining bread slices.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories ………… 545 Fat ………… 29 g Saturated fat .. 8.8 g
% calories from fat .. 47 Cholesterol .. l20 mg Sodium …….. 685 mg
Carbohydrates …… 55 g Protein …….. 18 g Fiber ………. 7.5 g
