Chicago Beer Review #5: A couple of new digs...

Well maybe not "digs" per say (part time maybe) and they are not exactly new, just new to me.




The sign will take you to the Edgewater Lounge website, it also serves as a beacon that calls to those who love good beer, good inexpensive food, and a low-key city bar with a small-town-bar feel. They got a good yelp too. Someone did a great job hiding the divy-ness of this bar in the website so don't expect to get what's on the web when you go there. And you should go there. I got turned on to real ESB by total accident.

Erin and I have been wanting to try this place ever since we saw the Rogue sign in the window. We finally made that happen on St. Patty's Day (proper) of all days. We got there early and there was no crowd, so we took our time. I drank Three Floyds Pride and Joy and the ordered the ESB.

This is where the story gets funny for us. So far the only ESB either of us has ever had came from Red Hook. While better than most beers in general, it was nothing like the real ESB we got from Edgewater Lounge. It was made by Breckenridge; it humbled me. My opinion of Breckenridge has swung a complete 180°. Must have been the altitude that threw my taste buds when I was in Denver. I am definitely going to have explore more of their beers!

Edgerwater Lounge
5600 N Ashland Ave
Chicago, IL 60660
773.878.3343
www.edgewaterlounge.com


We also went to Hopleaf in Andersonville, which has an amazing beer selection! After hearing so much rave about the place, it was time to continue our quest to boldly go where we have not gone before. We could have spent hours in there, and we did! They serve hundreds of specialty brews from all around the world. If I ever have a victory celebration, this is where I would like to go. I will not say much more about it, since they are widely known in Chicago. For those of you who do not know about this place, you gotta go - it's like beer heaven! I must admit that the food is a bit odd (Euro-) and priced higher than I would like (they serve Mussels, Escargot, and Rabbit). You can't get a burger here; it's no dive bar.

THE HOPLEAF BAR
5148 N. CLARK ST.
CHICAGO, IL 60640
773.334.9851
www.Hopleaf.com