Without You I?m Nothing: Interactions
Jonathan Chan?s Amplified is the first of 15 performances in a four-month exhibit series, Without You I?m Nothing: Art and Its Audience. During Chen?s ongoing performance, visitors may use a microphone and a small amplified speaker so that when speaking, their voice is lightly amplified.
Springtime Secrets of Sour Beers
If you’re seriously into beer, chances are your journey through brewed beverages is somewhat similar to mine. Get burned out on macrobrews, wander the world of your major imports, check out the Belgian beers and then dip your toes into the deep pond of American craft beers. Following that, you go crazy on huge stouts, porters and ales, become a hophead with all the biggest IPAs, and then – only then – do you end up in the world of sours and barleywines.
That’s been my process, and I’ve arrived at a place where the more sour the beer, the happier I am. If the bartender has to warn me about the brew when I order it, so much the better. Sour brews can be tough to find when you’re in the mood for one, but when you do stumble across a mouth-puckering brew in a sea of barley and malt, it’s truly a thing of beauty. Since the beer scene in Chicago is changing as quickly as it ever has (at least in the past few years), always check first before making one of these places a destination for a sour. Who knows – I might have already beaten you to them.
Sour Selection: New Belgium‘s La Folie
Found At: Jerry’s Sandwiches (Division)
If your experience with New Belgium is limited to the flurry of Fat Tire mania that erupted when the Colorado brewery first began distribution in Chicago, consider digging deeper into its ever-expanding roster of locally available beers. The “Lips of Faith” is hyper-sour and can be found from time to time around the city (and is what prompted the aforementioned “are you sure you want that?” from a bartender), but the La Folie is a kinder, gentler wood-aged sour.
You can find 22-ounce bombers of La Folie at Jerry’s on Division for $20, and then pair it with one of the restaurant’s many sandwiches (over a hundred to choose from). Want to choose your menu item first and then find the proper brew for it? In addition to the La Folie, the eatery has dozens of beers in bottle and on draft, making Jerry’s a very underrated beer destination in a city that grows richer with beer bars every day.
Sour Selection: Monk’s Cafe Flemish Ale
Found At: Hackney’s (Printers Row)
Even though it was originally brewed for Philadelphia’s Monk’s Cafe, this Flemish Sour can be found in many places outside the city of Brotherly Love, including Chicago. A nice mix of sweet and sour, this 11.2-ounce bottle might remind you of wine in many ways, which is an okay thing for beers of this type. Without being overwhelming on the palate, Monk’s Flemish is light-to-average bodied and is a good median sour for when you don’t want to blow out your taste buds.
When you hear Hackney’s, you probably think “big burgers on black rye,” immediately followed by “onion loaf.” It’s time to add a third instant response: “a lot of good beer.” Besides the Monk’s sour, the Printers Row location recently had beers like the Surly Bender, North Coast’s Old Rasputin and Bell’s Oarsman on hand, all top-notch selections.
Sour Selection: Dogfish Head‘s Festina Peche
Found At: Long Room
While the Festina Peche is not a traditional sour or Flemish ale, the overwhelming tartness of this brew will definitely quell your need for a face-puckering beverage. The Peche is a BerlinerWeiss brewed with peach sugars, which interact with the yeast to make a fruity yet incredibly tart and complex beer. It’s not terribly strong (4.5 ABV) but that doesn’t mean you can down these like water; the Peche can be almost overwhelming. If you’re expecting a fruit beer going into it (like a cherry or blackberry ale), you’re going to be quite surprised.
The Long Room doesn’t have a lot of competition in the area of the Irving & Ashland intersection (although Ten Cat Tavern – ironically almost kitty corner to the Long Room – certainly is a quality bar as well) but the bar continues to improve its selection nonetheless. It’s hosted an unveiling of Moaten, a sour beer brewed by both Two Brothers and Belgian brewer Urthel, and stocks plenty of other beer-dork thrillers like Bell’s Hopslam on draft.
Sour Selection: Goose Island Juliet
Found At: Map Room
Up until this point, we’ve been focusing on beers that might not have a huge distribution and are found at places that might not get the recognition they deserve. But now we’re going to diverge from that path with a hometown brew at an old standby – Goose Island’s Juliet at the Map Room. Believe it or not, for as much hype as the Map Room gets for having a crazy selection of beers, sours are as underrepresented there as they are anywhere else. (Though some might say that you don’t need much more than Juliet and Lips of Faith).
The Juliet packs some tartness from the aging process; Goose Island lets it hang out in cabernet barrels for a while to let it soak in some sour, and also adds blackberries to the mix for good measure. The folks at GI claim it’s a good beer for fans of pinot noirs, and we think it’s a good way to ease into the world of sour ales, as it’s a milder version of the style. Once you’ve got your brain wrapped around it, grab a Lips of Faith and let ‘er rip.
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Memorial Day Weekend Events in Chicago
Stop flipping burgers and get out there already!
Really, how many family BBQs can you take in three days? If you want to think a little outside the box this Memorial Day weekend, here are some Chicago bar and restaurant events that might fit the bill (if you do just want to stay in the backyard, check out these grilling tips from Weber Grill executive chef Albert Gonzales).
Mac’s American Pub
Friday, May 28 – Monday, May 31
Celebrate the opening of Mac’s new, 18-seat sidewalk patio on Division Street with weekend specials including $9 pitchers of Bud Light (Friday), $5 mimosas (Saturday) and $2 PBR, $3 Jameson shots and $5 bloody marys (Sunday). All-day deals on Monday include $3 Sprecher Hefe Weiss drafts and a half-price half-pound burger with hand-cut fries, as well as the weekend brunch menu from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Rockwood Place
Friday, May 28 – Sunday, May 30
ESPN 1000 radio personalities Waddle and Silvy broadcast live from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Friday. The announcers will give away four rooftop tickets for the Crosstown Classic. Specials include $1 sliders, $2 flatbreads, $3 half-slab ribs, $8 Miller Lite and Bud Light pitchers, $10 peach sangria pitchers, $12 4 Rebels Dragonfruit Vodka lemonade pitchers all weekend long. The LaSalle Power Co. House Band plays live after the Cubs-Cardinals games Saturday and Monday, while The Personnel plays Sunday (no cover charge).
Division Ale House
Friday, May 28 – Monday, May 31
Heat up your long weekend with this Wicker Park bar’s new “suicide” wings, slathered in sauce made with bhut jolokia pepper extract (you’ll need to sign a waiver; the wings are $9, free if you eat all 10). Also on special this weekend: $4 Magic Hat #9 and $15 all-you-can-eat fish and chips (Friday); $7 build-your-own bloody mary bar (Saturday-Sunday); $4 Burning River Pale Ale, $5 PBR with a Jameson shot (Sunday); and $2 Bud Light bottles, 25-percent off appetizers and a free bags tournament at 6 p.m. (Monday).
John Barleycorn (Schaumburg)
Friday, May 28 – Sunday, May 30
Every day of the weekend offers something different at this massive bar, from a $9.95 BBQ rib dinner and live music from the 7th Heaven band on Friday (9 p.m.; $10 cover), to $15 Bud Light buckets and $6 4 Rebels cocktails on Saturday, to $3 beers and $4 Rebels cocktails on Sunday.
Stretch Run
All weekend long, you can enjoy $4 Sparkling Stripes (Chardonnay, Sierra Mist and grenadine) at this OTB bar.
Tin Lizzie
Saturday, May 29
Here’s something that’s both serious AND seriously fun: on Saturday, this Lincoln Park bar will feature guest bartenders who are veterans of the nation’s armed services (after all, the holiday is supposed to be about remembering those who served our country). All tips collected will go to the US Department of Veterans Affairs.
Pinstripes (South Barrington)
Saturday, May 29
The Memorial Weekend Block Party at this entertainment complex will feature family-friendly events like a 5K run and walk, face painting, jugglers, kids games and a performance by 10,000 Maniacs. Hamburgers and hot dogs will be available for $5.
District Bar
Sunday, May 30, 4-10 p.m.; $20
The Backyard Bar-b-que at this River North bar has all the elements of a great barbecue: unlimited food (burgers, hot dogs, grilled chicken), drinks (two included with admission price) and music (Acoustic Playback, 5-8 p.m.). All that’s missing is the actual backyard.
The Southern
Sunday, May 30, 6:30 p.m.; $16
Chef Cary Taylor celebrates the holiday with a traditional Southern Lowcountry boil – a one-pot medley of shell-on shrimp, andouille, new potatoes and corn on the cob boiled in water with Old Bay seasoning, served up by the chef himself in the dining room ’til it runs out (service begins at 7 p.m.). Not a stew person? The regular menu will also be available.
HUB 51
Sunday, May 30
The best thing about long weekends is that Sunday night feels like Saturday night. Make the most of it at this Summer Kickoff Party featuring half-price drinks from HUB 51′s new summer cocktail menu, including choices like The Back Nine (Beefeater 24, lemonade and organic iced tea), the pomegranate mojito (Don Q rum, mint and pomegranate) and Moscato Rose on draft. You can also get a full slab of ribs for $19.95, and enjoy tunes from DJ E-Six all night long.
Duke’s Alehouse and Kitchen
Sunday, May 30; 10 p.m.-1 a.m.
It’s not really summer until you have a beach party…and this Crystal Lake bar is hosting one on Sunday, complete with karaoke, $3 house margaritas, $4 pitchers and $5 bomb shots.
Grand Central
Sunday, May 30
Celebrate no work or school on Monday with $3 domestic drafts, $4 import drafts, $5 grape and cherry bombs and $6 burgers all day Sunday. A DJ spins at 9 p.m. with no cover charge.
John Barleycorn
Sunday, May 30 – Monday, May 31
Enjoy a free Sunday-night party featuring $15 Bud Light buckets, $7 one-topping pizzas and $1 sliders, with a DJ spinning at 10 p.m. Then come back on the holiday itself for the regular weekend brunch menu from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., plus a $12 all-you-can-eat BBQ buffet on the patio from 3-9 p.m., with options including ribs, burgers, Italian sausage, chicken and more (plus $15 Bud Light buckets and $5 Rebel Palmers).
Francesca’s Tavola
Monday, May 31
As part of its “Eat and Earn” promotion, the Arlington Heights restaurant will send 20 percent of all sales on Memorial Day to Legion Post 208. Also, any member of the military who comes dressed in uniform will receive 50 percent off his or her meal.
English
Monday, May 31, open 2 p.m.-2 a.m.
English will screen the Hawks-Flyers game at 7 p.m. on the bar’s 10 flat-screen TVs. Specials include $2 lamb sliders, $8 fish and chips, $3 domestic bottles and a $9 trio of bar snacks (pick any three).
Check out Centerstage Chicago food and drink deals!
Spring preview tasting menu
Get a sneak peek at the new menu with a four-course meal. Add sake pairings for $25 more.
Up on the 24th floor of the Peninsula Hotel you’ll find one of Tokyo’s hippest cocktail temples, Peter. The room is decorated with metallic trees which give an ethereal indoors-outdoors effect to the space that’s already pretty striking thanks to the digitized projections on the walls… 
