There are two things the three of us here at GuysDrinkingBeer unapologetically love; beer (obvious) and sausages (maybe not as obvious). So anytime a bar is willing to pair the two together we’ll back it 100%.
That explains why we think it might be worth your time to swing by Mahoney’s in Noble Square Saturday for their 2nd annual Lager Jam.
If you followed our advice then you’re likely staring into an empty fridge that has been cleaned out of all of your summer favorites. No more Krankshaft, no more Oberon and no more Ruby Redbird.
And if you didn’t follow our counsel, no biggie, but I bet you’ll start thinking about fall beers soon.
Regardless of which camp you fall into we took it upon ourselves to compile a handy, dandy guide of our favorites for Fall.
Sierra Nevada says:
“The long, cold nights of winter are a little brighter with Celebration® Ale. Wonderfully robust and rich, Celebration® Ale is dry-hopped for a lively, intense aroma. Brewed especially for the holidays, it is perfect for a festive gathering or for a quiet evening at home.”
Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale
American IPA, 6.8% ABV
Sayeth the Guys:
Karl: I’m gonna be honest – while the other two Guys were all about this beer (or so it seemed to me at the time), I didn’t really get it. It’s a big IPA, and a good one, but nothing jumped out at me and said “this is a Christmas beer!” or “let’s be seasonal!” aside from the name and the label. Which I suppose I shouldn’t be too picky about because a peach beer isn’t really Christmassy either or anything but at least Shiner promised Cheer! and I got cheer. Anyways.
At least weather wise, this beer is appropriate. It lays a coating of hops over the whole palate, laying on top of it like an uncomfortable sweater. Continue reading
Sierra Nevada says:
“Brewed using 65% wheat malt and 35% barley malt. This filtered wheat beer is light blonde in color, light bodied and has a wonderfully clean finish. This is a great choice for craft brew novices and beer aficionados alike.”
Sierra Nevada Old Chico Crystal Wheat
Pale Wheat Ale, 5% ABV
Sayeth the Guys:
Karl: Before we get rolling here, allow me to take you along with me on the journey of this beer. The El Old Chico, as you can see from the label, is “only available locally.” So how the hell did we end up with it in Chicago? No, there was no lying to the USPS. No shipping. No intracontinental trading. The El Old Chico came to us the old fashioned way – on a beer run.
"Only available locally." Read: NOT IN CHICAGO
See, my brother was working for Americorps a while back and took his rare time off to scavenge for beers unknown to Illinois. He came back with a trunk full of Sierra Nevada beers that I had never heard of – and boy, did they pay off. He kindly graced me with a dozen 24oz. bottles of SN’s Southern Hemisphere, and my other brother got a case of the El Old Chico. I traded him 24oz. of the Hemisphere for one lonely 12oz. bottle of Chico – and having now had it, I consider it a fair trade. Continue reading
Sierra Nevada says:
“Creamy, malty, and full-bodied, the Sierra Nevada Stout is satisfyingly rich. Caramel and Black malts give the Stout its deep, dark color and pronounced roasted flavor.”
Sierra Nevada Stout
Stout, 5.8% ABV
Sayeth the Guys:
Ryan: There are so many varieties of stouts on the market these days it’s easy to lose an appreciation for one of my favorite winter standbys. Sure, I love a good Russian Imperial Stout or Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout but sometimes it’s OK to just sit down with a plain old, run of the mill stout. Although, there is nothing plain with Sierra Nevada’s stout. Even though this beer has been available in the beeriverse for a while I hesitated to pick it up. I knew Sierra Nevada did a great pale ale and I kind of figured that is all they did well. Well, I was wrong. This stout is hands down one of the best I have ever had. Continue reading
