E. Jason Wambsgans / baiduhaiDead Ringer is described as a "traditional marzen lager" on its label but that's a bit misleading; Dead Ringer is no traditional marzen. But it is a terrific beer and an ideal match for summer's segue into fall. Read more about Dead Ringer here.
Grace Wong/baiduhaiSix wild Burgundian snails are the star of the wood-grilled escargot ($12) at Le Sud. The Roscoe Village restaurant's version of this dish is not hiding in a pool of garlic butter or served in a scalding hot dish. Presented on a skewer, the mollusks are brushed with olive oil infused with herbs de provence before they're grilled, absorbing a delicate smoky flavor that lingers in your mouth. Tender and buttery, the snails are served with a few generous pats of herb butter that melt, adding another layer of fragrance and lusciousness. A side of green salad dressed with olive oil, lemon and salt provides a bright contrast to the skewer and a hearty country bread serves as a foundation for assembling a makeshift toast point. The portion is small, so make your dining companions order their own. $12. 2301 W. Roscoe St., 773-857-1985, lesudchicago.com — Grace Wong
Michael Tercha / baiduhaiA beer for summer sipping: Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales' Bam Biere Farmhouse Ale. RELATED: Read our full review of this beer.
Michael Tercha/baiduhaiIn WarPigs Lazurite IPA, the requisite fruit flavors of the modern IPA are in abundance, offset by honey and faint grassy bitter pine. Read the story here.
Michael Tercha / baiduhaiShort's Brewing's Bellaire Brown has an alluring web of flavors: toffee, caramel, milk chocolate and even a wisp of coconut. RELATED: Read our full review of this beer.
Michael Tercha / baiduhaiSierra Nevada's Hop Hunter IPA uses hop oil for a robust hop effect. RELATED: Read our full review of this beer.
Michael Tercha / baiduhaiBoulder Beer goes all in on the chocolate with Shake Chocolate Porter, which features chocolate wheat malt and cacao nibs. RELATED: Read our full review of this beer.
Abel Uribe/baiduhaiSpeakerswagon is one of Chicago's essential local(-ish) canned pilsners. For the story, go here.
Grace Wong/baiduhaiAlthough the original steak tartare was made with horse meat, you'll find beef is used on American menus today. Bucktown's Le Bouchon offers the classic French dish with rich and tender top sirloin chopped into tiny chunks, with sweet cornichons, Tabasco, creamy gribiche with cured egg yolk, crunchy shallots and fragrant garlic mixed in. The dish is topped with a raw quail egg from which a small portion of the shell is missing, revealing the pearl of buttery yolk inside. On the side are two slices of toasted bread for scooping hearty spoonfuls of this decadently bright and snappy starter. $13. 1958 N. Damen Ave., 773-862-6600, lebouchonofchicago.com — Grace Wong
Michael Tercha / baiduhaiLiliko'i Kepolo, a white ale by Avery Brewing Co., is lightly tart, which both refreshes and rejuvenates the palate, great for a hot day on the beach. RELATED: Read our full review of this beer.
E. Jason Wambsgans/baiduhaiAmerican-style stout remains an outlier in American brewing, but Haymarket's The Defender provides a faultless example of the style. See the full story here.
Louisa Chu/baiduhaiThe Elysian tarte flambee sounds terribly frou-frou until you realize it's essentially a thin-crust pizza. Chef Danny Grant first offered the Alsatian creation at the Gold Coast hotel formerly known as the Elysian, and it remains quite heavenly. I've had lots of variations in France, even around the eastern borderlands with Germany and Switzerland. At Etta in Bucktown, wood-fired charred edges ring a heart of fatty bacon, soft onion, creme fraiche, the Gruyere-inspired Pleasant Ridge Reserve cheese from Uplands in Wisconsin and egg, its golden yolk drizzled over the top. Available weekend brunch only, so I highly recommend reserving a table at the busy restaurant, or bonne chance grabbing a seat at the walk-in bar or coveted outdoor patio, weather permitting. $16. 1840 W. North Ave., 312-757-4444, ettarestaurant.com — Louisa Chu
Zbigniew Bzdak/baiduhaiSun King Brewery's Wee Mac Scottish-style Ale is dark brown, approachable and malt-forward, an easy-drinking beer that will go great with hearty food. See the story here.
Josh Noel/baiduhaiThe list of countries known for their beer would wind on for a while — U.S., England, Belgium, Germany, New Zealand — before we ever got to France. But the French have given us at least one tremendous gift on the beer front: biere de garde. It's a toasty, lightly sweet, malt-forward style with little hop character that pairs exceptionally well with food. Local breweries Off Color, Marz and Whiner all dabble with biere de garde, but Two Brothers Brewing's Domaine DuPage is the only one made consistently in the Chicago area. It's a beer that dates to 1999 — well before the current craft beer boom — "inspired by the brothers' time living in France," the brewery says. Domaine DuPage is an extraordinarily well-respected take on the style, winning at least six major medals over the years. It's always there in a pinch, in coolers and on beer menus across the city, though the ideal place to try the beer is at the source: the taproom at Two Brothers' Warrenville brewery. $5.50. 30W315 Calumet Ave., Warrenville. twobrothersbrewing.com — Josh Noel
Louisa Chu/baiduhaiThe quiche has become such an iconic item at Cellar Door Provisions, a favorite neighborhood restaurant of chefs and food journalists across the country, that I live in fear that they'll take it off the menu. The French-inspired savory egg tart is encased here in a pate brisee that's not just the simple thin and crisp pastry crust as much as impossible proportions of butter, flour and je ne sais quoi. The custard must be touched by the supernatural too. Recently it was allegedly only infused with roasted onion, black pepper and bay leaves. Evocative of the silky Japanese dish chawanmushi or Chinese steamed eggs, it reaches such acrobatic heights that the whole creation must chill for a day before slicing, co-owner Tony Bezsylko once told me, thwarting imminent collapse from the gaze of sheer desire, I think. When you go to their corner of Logan Square, the type of quiche will probably have changed, since the menu adapts not just seasonally or daily, but a measure more fleeting. $10. 3025 W. Diversey Ave., 773-697-8337, cellardoorprovisions.com — Louisa Chu
E. Jason Wambsgans / baiduhaiPseudo Sue Pale Ale, from Toppling Goliath Brewing (Decorah, Iowa). If the T. rex on the can looks familiar, it should — that's Chicago's beloved Sue, who stands proudly at the Field Museum. For the full story, go here.
Bill Hogan / baiduhaiGoose Island has released The Illinois, a remarkably fresh limited-edition imperial India pale ale. RELATED: Read our full review of this beer.
Nick Kindelsperger/baiduhaiNo one would ever confuse downtown Chicago for Paris, but one of the hottest places to lunch right now is Cochon Volant Brasserie, smack-dab in the middle of the Loop. Call ahead if you want to have any chance of snagging a comfy table. Otherwise, you'll be seated in the middle of the bustling bar area, which turns out to be not such a bad place. While most people go for the sandwiches, I'd advise ordering a bowl of the French onion soup. The broth is rich and super savory, mostly thanks to the well-caramelized onions. It's capped with a layer of melted aged Gruyere cheese, which obviously adds heft to each sip, but also a deep funky complexity. $8.95. 100 W. Monroe St., 312-754-6560, cochonvolantchicago.com — Nick Kindelsperger
Bill Hogan / baiduhaiShady Character is the perfect spiced porter to usher in fall. RELATED: Read our full review of this beer.
Jennifer Day/baiduhaiPick the macarons up at Bennison's first thing in the morning, when the trays are still full, as a treat for your office mates. Give one a slight pinch, and the airy crust will shatter, yielding to a chewy burst of flavor. Our favorite flavors are the salted caramel for its dusky brown sugar quality and the vanilla for its light and bright lift. But it's fun to mix and match. The jammy strawberry and the raspberry macarons beg for partners: strawberry with chocolate, rich with cocoa notes; raspberry with sweet lemon. Warn your podmates to pace themselves: This is a sugar rush. $1.85 each. 1000 Davis St., Evanston, 847-328-9434, bennisonscakes.com —Jennifer Day
Adam Lukach/baiduhaiThe croque madame provides a great example of a simple concept executed perfectly. It's like a next-level ham-and-cheese sandwich, enhanced by well-made bechamel sauce and melted cheese — all topped with a fried egg. The French dish is a daily offering at Maison Parisienne in Lakeview, where it's prepped with mozzarella and Swiss cheeses atop white bread with ham and bechamel between, plus a bit of nutmeg and pepper on the blanketing medium-fried egg. $9, $13 with drink and salad. 3307 N. Clark St., 773-857-1636, maison-parisienne.com — Adam Lukach
Nick KIndelsperger/baiduhaiWhen I think of French cuisine, my mind usually jumps first to all the fussy, over-the-top dishes. But the French are no strangers to simple, satisfying fair, especially when chicken is involved. That's what you'll get at Taureaux Tavern, the second French restaurant in the Loop from WellDone Hospitality. This is simply a roasted half chicken perched on top of a bed of crispy potatoes, with a side of chicken jus. The chicken features a crackly, salty skin, and impressively juicy meat. But the real star of the dish might be the potatoes, which bathe in the meaty chicken juices, while still maintaining their crunch. $26. 155 W. Van Buren St., 312-624-8778, www.taureauxtavern.com — Nick Kindelsperger
Louisa Chu/baiduhaiChef Sandra Holl is an exceptional baker but not French, though her husband and partner Mathieu Holl was actually born and raised in Paris. Naturellement at Floriole, their cafe and bakery in the Sheffield Neighbors neighborhood, they make a better Parisian sandwich. It's inspired by the classic jambon beurre, which traditionally is all about the baguette and not so much the skimpy slices of ham (jambon) and swipes of butter (beurre). Floriole's take beats the street food I found in the years I lived in the City of Light. Generous and tender slices of honey roasted ham get gilded with lots of soft, sweet butter plus whole grain mustard and bonus Swiss cheese. All sandwiches are available all day, as soon as the crusty breads are baked, usually by 9 a.m. Choose the impeccably fresh Werp Farms mixed greens side salad over the sea salt olive oil popcorn to remind you that while we'll always have Paris, sometimes Midwest is best. $10. 1220 W. Webster Ave., 773-883-1313, floriole.com — Louisa Chu
Bill Hogan, baiduhaiOude Geuze Boon Ale is a classic and fascinating Belgian geuze. RELATED: Read our full review of this beer.
Abel Uribe / baiduhaiCashmere Hammer Nitro Stout by 3 Sheeps Brewing is a robust, yet easy-drinking stout carbonated with nitrogen, resulting in a smoother, silkier body with richer flavor. For the full story, go here.
Michael Tercha / baiduhaiBuckleDown Brewing's Clencher Double IPA explodes with notes of lush tropical fruit: mango, peach, pineapple and apricot, which meld into a big juicy bomb of a beer. RELATED: Read our full review of this beer.
Michael Tercha / baiduhaiLike Minds Brewing Co.'s Archimedes 100 percent Brett fermented IPA boasts an array of citrus fruit and hay aromas that tingle the nose, followed by a bitter fruitiness on the palate. RELATED: Read our full review of this beer.
E. Jason Wambsgans / baiduhaiTry Grapefruit Sculpin IPA with a burger topped with tangy ingredients, like pickled peppers. RELATED: Read our full review of this beer.
Bill Hogan / baiduhaiFlanders Red pops with lots of jamlike flavor and will appeal to red wine and savvy beer drinkers alike. RELATED: Read our full review of this beer.
E. Jason Wambsgans / baiduhaiLeft Hand Brewing released Hard Wired Nitro as the brewery's first seasonal offering on nitro. RELATED: Read our full review of this beer.
Terrence Antonio James/baiduhaiDeep Space from Half Acre is a gloriously fruity-bitter-boozy hop bomb that's impossibly easy to drink. For the full story, go here.
Bill Hogan / baiduhaiApex Predator shines as a locally made farmhouse ale. RELATED: Read our full review of this beer.
Michael Tercha / baiduhaiPouring a deep amber-brown, Grand Cru from AleSmith Brewing Company has a seductive earthy-sweet nose, mingling notes of plum, peach, berry, honey and burnt sugar with just a touch of yeasty funk. RELATED: Read our full review of this beer.
Nick Kindelsperger/baiduhaiYou may have heard about the burger here (I had something to do with that), but this tiny Logan Square spot is first and foremost a restaurant dedicated to the cuisine around the Alps. That explains why you'll run into a number of French dishes, including this escargot gratin. Because the petite and juicy snails are blanketed in a cheesy mornay sauce, you'd think that this dish would be overly heavy. But the thinly sliced tangles of charred celery on top bring an unexpected lightness to every bite. Toasted breadcrumbs also add some welcome crunch. $16. 2728 W. Armitage Ave., 773-486-8525, tabledonkeystick.com — Nick Kindelsperger
Zbigniew Bzdak / baiduhaiMaduro Brown Ale is the first beer that Cigar City made when launching in 2007, and it remains a core piece of the brewery's identity. For the full story, go here.
Michael Tercha / baiduhaiFordidden Root's Money on My Rind Wheat Ale is a traditional wit recipe, but with two key tweaks: grapefruit peel (and grapefruit juice) replace orange peel, and juniper replaces coriander. The result is a pitch-perfect beer for hot summer days. RELATED: Read our full review of this beer.
Bill Hogan / baiduhaiAllagash White is a wit beer for craft beer veterans and rookies alike. RELATED: Read our full review of this beer.
E. Jason Wambsgans / baiduhaiUinta Brewing's Dubhe, from Salt Lake City, Utah, is an imperial black IPA made with hemp seed. For the full story, go here.
Adam Lukach/baiduhai"People love them," said the waiter at Bar Biscay when I asked about the fried manchego gougeres. In this case, the people have spoken correctly, and it's easy to taste why: They're just cheeseballs! Gougeres are, in the best and most beautiful way, a simple choux pastry combined with cheese — in this case a buttery, sweet-ish manchego — that yields soft, fluffy pastry balls. The manchego walks the fine sweet/savory line perfectly, and the deep fry doesn't go too far, instead deepening the flavors of both the cheese and pastry. The garlic aioli served under the gougeres feels appropriately indulgent for a dish so rich yet so light. They're easy to love. $9. 1450 W Chicago Ave., 312-455-8900, barbiscay.com — Adam Lukach
Abel Uribe / baiduhaiTwo Brothers Domaine DuPage has been around so long that it's easy to forget, but it's worth remembering in the summer. RELATED: Read our full review of this beer.
Bill Hogan / baiduhaiRevolution Brewing and Firestone Walker collaborated on Dos Osos, an excellent IPA. RELATED: Read our full review of this beer.
E. Jason Wambsgans/baiduhaiCeske Temny by Hailstorm Brewing in Tinley Park is meant to be a simple, old-school, easy-drinking beer all the way down to its name, which translates simply to "Czech dark." A beer with such little alcohol — less than a Budwesier! — has no business being this flavorful and satisfying. Hailstorm's entire lager line is impressive, but Ceske Temny is a standout. For more on the beer, see the full story here.
Michael Tercha / baiduhaiWith mango, tangerine and a spry grassy freshness, Surly Brewing Company's Xtra-Citra Pale Ale shows why fruity Citra hops have been all the rage for the last few years. RELATED: Read our full review of this beer.
Abel Uribe / baiduhaiOrange Sunshine, the first canned beer from tiny Illuminated Brew Works on Chicago's Near West Side is dubbed a "citrus saison" by the brewery. Expect a well-hopped ale featuring orange and lemon zest and farmhouse yeast. For the full story, go hereMore Top Picks Best Large Capacity Dog Water Fountains
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Josh Noel/baiduhaiJohn Laffler, co-founder and brewer at Chicago's Off Color Brewing, pours Scurry, a dark, German-style ale made with honey, oats and molasses, at Off Color's Lincoln Park brewery. "We love Scurry; it's one of the most popular beers for the people who work at the brewery. I don't drink at home, but I always bring Scurry home with me. It's a beer I can drink a half-liter of very, very happily." For the full story, go here.
Nick Kindelsperger/baiduhaiThese days, we can eat foie gras out in the open without worrying about whether or not we're going to get fined. (If you've forgotten, fatty duck liver was banned in Chicago from 2006 to 2008.) And what better place to celebrate this freedom than at La Sardine, which has been open in the West Loop for more than 20 years? Currently a special on the lunch menu, the terrine de foie gras features layers of creamy foie gras mixed with thinly sliced black truffle. It's drizzled with a tart and slightly sweet cherry sauce and crowned with slices of extra buttery brioche. $21. 111 N. Carpenter St., 312-421-2800, lasardine.com — Nick Kindelsperger For a review of La Sardine, go here.
Abel Uribe/baiduhai; Shannon Kinsella/food stylingSurly Brewing's Abrasive is a throwback double IPA, rife with fruitiness but balanced against marked bitterness. For the story, go here.
E. Jason Wambsgans / baiduhaiTable by Central State Brewingis a "rustic blonde ale," though in beer speak it is a "table beer" — a bright, earthy, low-alcohol ale popular in the Belgian and French traditions meant to appeal to a broad swath of drinkers and pair well with a meal. For the full story, go here.
Jennifer Day/baiduhaiHead to Oceanique for a weeknight date and reconnect over a fortifying bowl of bouillabaisse. Start with a salad, and tell the hospitable server you want to share it all; he'll see to it that it's served in a most civilized fashion on two separate plates. Seafood is the specialty here, which was most apparent in an amuse bouche featuring halibut that tasted as if it had swam up to the table. The hearty bouillabaisse comprises an array—shrimp, lobster, salmon, squid, octopus, scallops—bathed in a thickened broth scented with saffron and fennel. The whole lot is topped with a perfectly toasted crouton and served with aioli. Oceanique's dining room is warm and quiet, but not too stuffy, and made all the more inviting by friendly staff and delightful amuse bouche. $43. 505 Main St., Evanston, 847-864-3435, oceanique.com —Jennifer Day
Grace Wong/baiduhaiSteak au poivre is a simple dish — tender steak encrusted with cracked peppercorns and often served with a peppery sauce. It's comforting, filling and craveable. There aren't any bells and whistles with how Boeufhaus serves its steak au poivre — a 12-ounce New York strip, sliced and served with a pepper sauce on the side. Although the dish is traditionally made with filet mignon, the New York strip serves as a more-than-adequate stand-in. Tender and succulent, with fine flakes of salt and bright chives sprinkled on top, the steak was a savory treat with crispy bits on the outside and a luscious center. The pepper sauce was salty and creamy, boosting the beefy flavors of the steak while providing a burst of peppery aroma. $52. 1012 N. Western Ave., 773-661-2116, boeufhaus.com — Grace Wong
E. Jason Wambsgans / baiduhaiTable Rustic Blonde Ale takes its name from "table beer," a bright, earthy, low-alcohol ale meant to appeal to a broad swath of drinkers and go with a meal. For the full story, go here.
Michael Tercha / baiduhaiFist City was supposed to be a one-time offering, but a fevered reaction led Revolution to continue making the beer. RELATED: Read our full review of this beer.
Louisa Chu/baiduhaiI don't know how Lost Larson chef and owner Bobby Schaffer does it. In a world where the best croissants sometimes mean waking up way too early to chase down just one variety, Schaffer offers his exquisite French-inspired edibles all day long, and now into the night. While I highly recommend his seasonal croissants whenever possible at the Andersonville bakery and cafe, get every variation of his chocolate croissants with a touch of cardamom too. Not only does the pastry itself contain chocolate, a rare technical feat, plus chocolate filling, but also an outrageous crown of whole roasted nuts frilled with chocolate drizzle manages to balance all the flavors beautifully. Preorders are possible, so go whenever you want. Sit out back on the dog-friendly private patio when weather permits. Stay for dinner and grab all the croissants you can for breakfast the next morning. $5.25. 5318 N. Clark St., 773-944-0587, lostlarson.com — Louisa Chu RELATED: Where to find Chicago's best croissants — butter, chocolate, almond and chicharron
Abel Uribe / baiduhaiMoody Tongue's Caramelized Chocolate Churro Baltic Porter makes a great companion for the foods of Thanksgiving. RELATED: Read our full review of this beer.
Louisa Chu/baiduhaiWhen Germain Roignant opened La Creperie in 1972, Chicago had yet to become the French fine-dining destination that would define restaurants for a generation. Now 47 years later, while empires rose and fell, the bistro with a secret garden behind its Lake View East storefront has not only survived, but was resurrected. Closed temporarily in 2013, then reopened months later with partners, it's definitely the oldest creperie in Chicago, and possibly the United States. Longtime chef Juan Aranda makes not only classic sweet and savory crepes from Brittany on the Atlantic Northwest coast of France, but the coq au vin crepe. One of my first tastes of French food ever, brought back after the reopening by popular demand, it's practically a Chicago-style dish at this point. It makes no sense to enclose rich chicken in Burgundy wine sauce stew inside a delicate buckwheat pancake. Thankfully, it endures. $15. 2845 N. Clark St., 773-528-9050, lacreperiechicago.com — Louisa Chu
Abel Uribe / baiduhaiHop Bullet Double IPA (Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.) was introduced in 2017 as a spring seasonal in bottles, but it sold so well — it was the brewery's fastest-selling spring or fall seasonal in five years — that the beer was shifted to full-time production in cans. Read more about the beer here.
Bill Hogan / baiduhaiLa Fin du Monde is a weighty, rewarding tripel. RELATED: Read our full review of this beer.
Grace Wong / baiduhaiCalf brains, or cervelle de veau, are considered a delicacy in France and for good reason — they are unabashedly decadent with a melt-in-your mouth, puddinglike consistency. Cafe Marie-Jeanne is one of the few places in the city that serves them. Available for breakfast or dinner, the sauteed calf brains are brined in caper juice before they're fried in butter and served on toasted brioche with crispy edges. A savory grenobloise sauce (browned butter, pan drippings, fresh herbs and lemon juice) is spooned on top, and the aroma from the herbs and lemon zest rises with each bite. This is not a light breakfast. The richness of the calf brains combined with salty capers and bright lemon makes you feel like royalty and will have you sitting back in your chair afterward feeling remarkably satisfied. $9. 1001 N. California Ave., 773-904-7660, cafe-marie-jeanne.com — Grace Wong For more on brains: A look into a Midwestern dish on the brink of extinction
Nick Kindelsperger/baiduhaiBistro Campagne has been serving French classics in an adorably low-lit Lincoln Square space since 2002. Along the way, a few of its dishes have become staples, especially the poulet roti forestiere, a half-chicken almost completely covered in onion frites. But the dish that appealed to me the most on a recent visit was new. The quail ballotine features a mostly boned serving of quail (its legs being the obvious exception) stuffed with a delicate pork and game mousse. The meat rests on a creamy celery root puree and arrives drizzled with an assertive dijon au jus. Enjoyed in the golden light emanating around the room, this is the sort of refined and confident dish that can immediately transport you to France, if just for a bite. $15. 4518 N. Lincoln Ave., 773-271-6100, bistrocampagne.com — Nick Kindelsperger
E. Jason Wambsgans / baiduhaiEmpirical's Gamma-Ray Ginger Wheat is a wheat beer with a punch of ginger, not a ginger beer. RELATED: Read our full review of this beer.
Louisa Chu/baiduhaiWalk into Pierrot Gourmet, the corner sidewalk cafe at the Peninsula Chicago hotel, and you might feel like you've stepped through to the chic Right Bank of Paris. Get the raspberry rose macaron, clearly inspired by Ispahan, made by the legendary Parisian pastry chef Pierre Herme. Here, big pink macaron shells sandwich a ring of fresh raspberries, hiding vanilla rose cream and raspberry gelee within. No lychee as in the original, but it's a breathtakingly beautiful delight in its own right. Your server will offer silverware if you dine in, but I advise just picking up the whole thing and taking a big bite. That's what I've done countless times to its Parisian cousin. It's indulgent and ridiculous and a celebration of joie de vivre. $8. 108 E. Superior St., ?312-573-6749?. peninsula.com — Louisa Chu
Grace Wong/baiduhaiBistronomic is making affordable French food but it's not skimping on the details. This is evident in the ahi tuna nicoise salad. The tuna is beautifully seared, with a salty and peppery exterior giving way to a soft, ruby red middle. Nestled against it are a halved hard-cooked egg and a creamy avocado wedge. Sharing the bowl are finely chopped haricots verts, fennel shavings, briney nicoise olives and thin slices of soft fingerling potatoes, all dressed in a lemon vinaigrette. Chef Martial Noguier says that the vinagrette is made like a sauce — made by reducing lemon juice with shallots, garlic and thyme and letting that mixture cool before stirring in honey and olive oil. The dish is served with an arugula salad, also lightly dressed, and both are topped with Parmesan shavings. After a month of eating buttery, creamy dishes, this one was a welcome reprieve with its bright flavors and delicately prepared fish. $18.95. Order the salad for prix fixe lunch with a dessert (try the creme brulee) for $22. 840 N. Wabash Ave., 312-944-8400, bistronomic.net — Grace Wong
E. Jason Wambsgans / baiduhaiFun Size Milk Stout from Pollyanna Brewing is made with peanut, cacao nib, vanilla beans and sea salt that is meant to emulate a Snickers bar. Yes, really. It's good. We promise. For the full story, go here.
Zbigniew Bzdak/baiduhai; Shannon Kinsella/food stylingSamuel Smith Nut Brown Ale is brewed by Samuel Smith Old Brewery in Tadcaster, U.K., in existence since 1758. The brewery continues to cling to tradition: drawing water from its 261-year-old well, fermenting beer in open-top stone squares and relying on its proprietary ale yeast that dates to the early 1900s. The brewery also largely sticks to classic beer styles, including its Nut Brown Ale. Be sure not to drink it too cold — about 48 degrees is ideal — so that the malt-forward nuances emerge. Nut Brown is newly available in 440-milliliter (almost 15 ounces) cans that are sold only in the U.S. For more, see the full story here.
E. Jason Wambsgans / baiduhaiThough many juicelike IPAs veer toward too much sweetness, Tart n' Juicy, veers toward tartness (the best kind of grapefruit juice), bathed in floral softness. Read the story here.
E. Jason Wambsgans / baiduhaiOutside the brewpub, BrickStone APA had been available only occasionally on draft or in bottles. But now it's canned and has wider distribution. RELATED: Read our full review of this beer.
Abel Uribe/baiduhaiMind Haze marks Firestone Walker Brewing's entry into the hazy IPA craze. Creating a hazy IPA with national reach was a lengthy process for Firestone Walker, but it's a quality beer with an interesting twist: The brewery calls Mind Haze an IPA, but only sort of considers it an IPA. In reality, it's a deft hybrid. For Firestone Walker brewmaster Matt Brynildson's explanation, go here.
Michael Zajakowski / baiduhaiPerfect for winter, Santa's Little Helper is an imperial stout with a big punch. RELATED: Read our full review of this beer.
Bill Hogan / baiduhaiChocolate Milk Stout from 4 Hands Brewing bursts with chocolate-vanilla sweetness with hints of butterscotch and creme brulee. RELATED: Read our full review of this beer.
Bill Hogan, baiduhaiPenrose Brewing Desirous is a locally made white India pale ale with beautiful balance. RELATED: Read our full review of this beer.
Bill Hogan / baiduhaiBaba Black Lager is dark in color but light and refreshing on the palate. RELATED: Read our full review of this beer.
Michael Tercha / baiduhaiAyinger Oktober Fest-Marzen features a pronounced sweetness of caramel and caramelized pumpkin on the palate. RELATED: Read our full review of this beer.
Michael Tercha, baiduhaiGreat Lakes Brewing's Oktoberfest is among the very best of the style. Everything about this lovely copper-amber ale shouts fall. RELATED: Read our full review of this beer.
Abel Uribe / baiduhaiCat Spit Stout, brewed by St. Louis's 2nd Shift Brewing, is a phenomenally smooth and silky oatmeal milk stout — pure splendor for the depth of winter. For the full story, go here.
E. Jason Wambsgans / baiduhai
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Dead Ringer is described as a "traditional marzen lager" on its label but that's a bit misleading; Dead Ringer is no traditional marzen. But it is a terrific beer and an ideal match for summer's segue into fall.
<a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/ct-food-beer-of-month-september-0912-story.html">Read more about Dead Ringer here</a>.
ExpandBy Josh Noel
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What it is: Money on My Rind was released in mid-July as Forbidden Root’s third year-round beer, and just in time — it’s a pitch-perfect summer beer. Money on My Rind follows a traditional wit recipe, but with two key tweaks: grapefruit peel (and grapefruit juice) replace orange peel, and juniper replaces coriander. The result is a beer clearly identifiable as a wit, but with two very discernible, and delicious, twists. As summer’s last hot days bear down, Money on My Rind is an ideal beer to carry us through to Oktoberfest.
In the bottle: Cloudy and honey colored, Money on My Rind drinks fairly simply. It’s dry, lean, grassy and wheat-forward. But it finishes with a slight citrus-bitter note and reveals an increasing degree of juicy sweetness as it approaches room temperature. Fortunately, the fruitiness never overwhelms the rind and pith, and that faint bitterness makes Money on My Rind more nuanced and interesting than many of the beers that count fruit as an ingredient these days. It also makes for a very refreshing and easy-to-drink warm-weather beer.
Alcohol: 5 percent
Recommended if you like: Allagash White
Drink it with: Money on My Rind would acquit itself nicely beside most dishes — from a spinach salad to chicken to pizza to a burger. Versatility is part of its appeal.
Find it: Available in six-packs of 12-ounce bottles and on tap at the Forbidden Root brewpub (1746 W. Chicago Ave.).
More information: www.forbiddenroot.com/money-on-my-rind
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