Old Town Social

The City of Broad Shoulders has much to offer even a casual visitor. For the walker, there's glorius people-watching along the Navy Pier. For the shopper, there's the Magnificent Mile. For the builder and architect, there's the delight of the castle-like splendor of the enduring Water Works and the other buildings that were turn-of-the century monoliths to the preeminent superpower to be: The United States.

Adding to that the Second City offers an almost infinite variety of places to eat, drink and be merry: Your friendly Irish Pub, the dank dive bar, or the lively outdoor cafe packed with partying and unlaboring proles.

After trying all of the above on for style, when you've built a thirst like no other and want to try to someplace new, look no further than Old Town Social. Old Town Social recently opened and is located in the section of the city with the moniker Old Town and is short walk north and west of the Water Tower area.

On our recent visit to Chicago, we begain in the Gold Coast section and decided to try to find and experience Old Town Social for ourselves. While walking down North Avenue, we spotted Second City. You know: Birthplace to the comic genii: Eugene Levy, John Candy, John Belushi, et al? S and I didn't know when we might get back, so with just a few minutes to go before the 7:00 p.m. show, we decided to try to get tickets--No luck. So we continued down along North Avenue, forlorn yet still walking toward the light, searching as always for beervana. Finally, near um, the cross street of N. Cleveland I think it was, we spotted Old Town Social in an unassuming plain storefront--access via side entrance, please.

In the vestibule just inside the door on the wall hang a group of what I immediately assumed were clerical collars (!)--it was only after I queried the pleasant hostess, that I discovered that they were pin-on collars worn early last century by poor people as a means to make-do with a limited amount of clothing.

Walking inside and turning to the right opens to a long marble-topped central bar going down the middle of the space with a dining area on both sides. High original exposed-truss ceilings and strong brick walls lead me to believe this was some sort of industrial space in an earlier incarnation. The overall scene is old-school: antique roll-top arrival station; turn-of-the-century framed photos on the walls; light-colored leather-seated bar stools, dark marble bartop and back bar, dining booths set into one wall with curtain tails to each side, a shoe-shine station--A showpiece really, but still evocative of the overall old-time spirit.

We seated ourselves at the bar and now it gets good, really good. Check out their beer menu. Local beers? Natch. Imported Belgium beauties en draught? Certainly. PA beers? Got that covered too!


































What else? Specific glassware for 23 of their beers. Slavering now: Hmmm....Must...Taste....Indeed.

From Two Brothers Brewing Company, their Prairie Path, Belgian Pale Ale started me along the path to beervana. This is a new beer and brewery for me. They're located in Warrenville, IL, a western suburb of Chicago. Check them out over here along with an interesting story about their new oaken Foudres. For S, she gave the beer menu a three times over and made a great choice if I don't say so myself: drum-roll please: Victory Prima Pils from draught. Need I say more?

Quickly downing my pint (we had walked a mile or so after all), the geese who usually flock, followed me next onto Goose Island - Matilda, a Belgian Strong Pale Ale. This brewery's situated in Chicago and is also one I've not sampled beers from before. Matilda's from their Reserve collection and sports a racy and spicy treat of wonderful light amber that kicked it just right.

Look Mommy there's a goose up in the sky...

Matilda paired perfectly with with my dinner choice: the B.L.T. As is well known, there is no finer food on God's green Earth than the majestic B.L.T. And when paired with the finest beer on God's great Earth, well, can you say Heaven? The bacon between toasted bread was perfectly done and thick, even after frying--as it should be. The tomatoes: End of summer sweet, sweet, Heirlooms. Aioli slathered on, was a different and unique twist (for me) adding just a bit of garlic flavor to the proceedings. Yummeee!

The final piece of the puzzle slipped into place when the barmaid brought me a housemade dill pickle. Now: You know there's just one other thing that a Polish boy is never separated from by more than an arm's length. Right? His sausage? Well yes, but... His dill pickle!

I am something of a pickle connoisseur as I make my own too and am always looking to other examples for points of comparison and ideas. Well let me tell you, this was one humdinger of a dill pickle. It was crisp, spicy, zippy, and had some flavor component I don't often taste--I'm wondering if these were aged in an oak barrel?

After these treats(the whole menu looks just as sensational), I took to the beer menu again, this time aiming for something a little more familiar. I found it in Bell's Two Hearted Ale, an ale in the American IPA style. This beer brought me a few hundred miles closer to home. Frankly speaking, Bell's is becoming one of my favorite breweries and in a ship's hold worth of IPAs sailing about the world, this single IPA is just different enough to stand out in a very crowded harbor.

About this time I finished my meal and S had just finished an exquisite chopped salad, and for my night-cap, in correct glassware please, I ordered up a farmhouse ale from the brewery Dupont, their Saison Dupont seasonal beer. Prior to this beer I had been an avowed Farmhouse Ale anti-devotee, but perhaps I had been showing my naivete? I humbly sit before you and admit I was wrong. Saison Dupont has turned me into a believer. A more exquisite beer I have not tasted--refreshing, fruity, spicy, dry in the finish.

Restrooms: Spotless.

Service: Eye-popping.

Beers: Excellent selection for all tastes from the lightest to some heavyweight stouts and all SRMs in-between.

Any place that has housemade dill pickles, an interesting overall food menu, and great beers, is home indeed. I will be back. Highly recommended.

Hey Tazio, what's in the Beer Meister?

Well, let's see...Realizing that the Bavarian Barbarian Hammerin' Ale was in it's death throes after we had to tag-team to ax and broadsword it to its knees last week, I anticipated this revolting development quite nicely and procured a backup keg of Victory Prima Pils. Just in case expiration came at an inconvenient time and all...

Well when the Hammerin' Ale honorably kicked over the weekend (may ye rest in peace, valiant warrior), it was a simple matter to switch to the Prima Pils. And what a primo delight that was!

Still on tap two is ITHACA Beer Co.&trade Apricot Wheat--it's going as fast as a hound dog passing Apricot pits. But really, it's going steadily, but subject to a foaming issue. My pressure only shows 8 lbs--I'll dial it back a wee bit to see if that helps!

Hey Tazio, what's in the Beer Meister?

When summertime's come and I need something to keep me cool, my faithful Beer Meister always comes through without protest to supply just what's needed. Never complaining, steadfastly delivering the chilling elixir that makes everything juuussttt right...

First up is one for the ladies: ITHACA Beer Co.™ Apricot Wheat. This is a mellow easy-drinking beer with just a hint of apricot. Wheat is a bit of a stretch as the beer is actually a combination of barley and wheat malts giving it a unique twist. Not one too much for sweet beers, still, I find this very drinkable at an easy 4.9% ABV. I did have a sip of this from S's glass, once before at Marty's Blue Room.

Next up is a really local beer which is new for me, from the Bavarian Barbarian Brewing Company in Williamsport and called Hammerin' Ale. This is another very easy-drinking beer weighing in at a light 4.5% ABV, but is a bit darker amber ale. This beer has a unique, clean flavor, that is a nice switch from a lot of the stronger beers that have kissed my lips lately. Another nice summer brew.

On deck for the dog days, we have Victory Prima Pils. That is, if I'm victorious in scoring a sextel... Wish me well.

Sometimes the area you grew up in doesn't reveal all its secrets until after you've matured, moved away and come back. Bringing along a new perspective and appreciation for things you may have missed the first time passing through. Sometimes you even achieve focus and the proverbial Aha! moment.

This happened to S and I this weekend on our trip to Danville, Pa for our first visit to Old Forge Brewing Company.

I didn't grow up in Danville but my HS team played them in sports. And I never really gave their name: the Danville Ironmen, much thought. I just thought it was another metaphorical sports team name meant to evoke the image of tough as steel ballplayers. Wait a minute. Am I that out of touch?

But once we went inside the narrow storefront of the Old Forge Brewing Company, it all clicked. And it became clear that there was something really historic and special about this town, relating to iron, manufacturing, and railroads. And now, again, about something else: great food and beer.

I'm a student of bar design and never pass on the opportunity to check out a neat bar. Let me tell you, Old Forge Brewing Company has a very cool bar. As you enter, to the left are some brewing tanks--a mash/lauter tun perhaps and behind that a floor to ceiling brick wall running perpendicular to the street. Original brick perhaps? Straight-ahead is a long flight of stairs leading to the second floor taproom and seating area. As you advance into the room to the left is thee bar, constructed of what appears to be maple. The bar top is a one inch thin maple laminated ell about 18' by 6' with an approximately ten inch overhang at the front supported by black wrought iron brackets. The bar's base cabinet is a horizontally-paneled maple piece with the corners adorned by black angle iron with diamond rivet detailing. Rimming the edge of the bar at the belt line is a distinctive thin, red rubber bumper. But the foot rest is the pièce de résistance. A clever yet totally functional foot rest the likes of which I've never seen before. It's an ell-shaped iron rail, a T-Rail, enabler of the Industrial Revolution, originally developed and manufactured in Danville, originally painted red but now on the friction surface, rubbed away to reveal its silver essence not unlike the rail you see on a well-used railroad. Closing the ell at the far end of the bar is the eight or ten tap system, the tap handles a homage to iron in the form of the tools that built Danville and this great country.

Maybe 12 light wooden-seated ladder back stools at the bar, almost all taken at 3 on a Saturday afternoon, face the bar. Along the right wall are three or four bi-seating pub tables with two mirrors on the wall over the tables. Beyond the bar at the back is another area of low tables.

Given that the room is narrow, to conserve space another neat feature was implemented behind the bar to store glassware: single-pint-depth shelves running what appears to be the length of the bar and perhaps three or four rows high, maybe more. And at a bit over bar-top height above the shelves, a regiment of mugs hanging in silent attention for that moment when they're asked to perform their duty--a most honorable duty, to bring the cool, fresh beer to the mouths of eager mug club members. Alas the mug club is full and the waiting list is over 128 names deep!

We settled into a couple of stools to peruse the beer menu. I wanted to try something a bit different and chose the Slack Tub Stout (on Nitro). S decided she needed an adventure and picked the Irish Draught Ale, also on nitrogen. My Slack Tub Stout arrived a deep dark color with some nice foam, and not at all tasting like it had been fermenting in a blacksmith shop all week. This was an excellent stout of the highest order and not overwhelming in roast, chocolate or coffee flavors as others are want to sometimes. It had just a bit of molasses flavor, contributing just that little bit of sweetness. I had a sip of S's red Irish Draught Ale and this was a real surprise to me. One, there is something wholly unique in this recipe that I could not put my finger on that gave it a superior enticing attitude that murmured drink-me. Sort of like that surprise when you first taste Prima Pils. I can't explain it as I only had a sip, but WOW! (If anyone can tell me this mystery ingredient I speak of, please do. If not: I'm going back to find out asap.) And two, it didn't have an alcohol finish like some other beers in this style. Very good and very tasty.

S always checks out the food menu and this time was no different. Her conclusion: everything on it's interesting, and begging to be ordered! But we didn't want to eat a big meal so instead opted for something from the appetizer menu: an order of two sausage skewers which arrived in no time flat accompanied by sides of grainy mustard and ale-infused cheese annointments. The red and green peppers and onions were sublime in their freshness and doneness. The sausage: grilled to perfection and soft in texture--not hard--that had me singing Na Zadrowie in no time. (This happens sometimes when I get my hands on good sausage.)

With our food, I ordered a T-Rail Pale Ale which was the perfect complement to the sausage and spicy mustard. This beer is not a hop-bomb, but a very easy drinking, bright and crisp American Pale Ale that I would think would be a great introduction to Pale Ales for new craft beer drinkers, but with just enough of an attitude for anyone. Really. It was so good in fact that I had to get a growler of it to bring home, which I did and which I'm enjoying at this very minute!

This is a fantastic place to experience the joy of well-made craft-beer. They have a very nice selection--maybe five or six or eight, so there's something for everyone, running the gamut from Pilsner to Stout. Bring a bit of an appetite as their food menu is inventive and tantalizing. Everyone was friendly and all the patrons were enjoying themselves. The barmaids: attentive. The beer: bright, fresh, crisp, excellent. I'll be going back soon.

Victory Prima Pils -- Favorite of German Brewery Technicians

A rather blah rainy Saturday was enlivened considerably when S and I decided to go down to Wegmans for the Harvest Season Beer and food Pairing event.

Wegmans chefs, food experts, and brewery representatives from Victory, the Lion Brewery and others, were on hand to display how delightful beer and food can be when paired.

When we arrived around 1:30, hundreds of like-minded beer enthusiasts of all persuasions were already winding their way around the Market Cafe area from station to station sampling various food and beer pairings. The food was presented in bite-sized portions along with a small plastic cup of beer. The pairings were either complimentary or juxtaposed to the dish's dominant flavors.

At the first station Victory Golden Monkey (Belgian style) was paired with a Columbus Finocchiona Salame on Baguette (basically a small hors de vours). To me, the primal strength and creaminess of the Golden Monkey was a nice compliment to the saltiness of the salami.


At the next station, Wegmans mini-pretzels with various condiments like dijon and horseradish mustard were paired with Victory Prima Pils (Pilsner style). Now this was the first time I had ever tasted Prima Pils and I'm here to tell you that it's one excellent beer refreshingly crisp and light with citrus notes prominent. The Victory rep expressed that when the German brewery techs come to work on the equipment in Downingtown, that this is the beer they like and the only beer they drink while there. Coincident with this station, the Lion Brewery rep was providing samples of their Oktoberfest. The maltiness of this beer was exactly a compliment to the bready pretzels.

Moving on to the next station there was a pairing of Troegs Trogenator Double Bock (Bavarian style) paired with brats braised in Bass Ale served on Wegmans chef- developed beer bread with Whole Grain Dijon mustard. I have had the Trogenator before and I love this beer due to its stalwart resolve. I could definitely see myself serving this pairing at a tailgate party.

The next station had Weyerbacher Hops Infusion (IPA style) with smokey, spicy, pulled pork served inside a hollowed-out pretzel, topped with cole-slaw. The punch of the Hops Infusion tasted great along with the pulled-pork sandwich. Something else that would have them raving at my next party. Oh. The hollowed-out pretzel was really a pretzel-dough roll that was baked and scooped out. Also at this station was a cheddar ale soup that has a bottle of dark beer and sharp cheddar as their main ingredients. This was pretty good but the small sample wasn't enough for me!

After that, we took a break and went to the seating area next to the tasting area to finish the pulled pork sandwiches. When we finished we were able to pick up and cut the line (sorry for cutting) when we came back and start afresh at a wine and cheese table. Wait a minute, it wasn't wine and cheese but it was close! This pairing had a crumbly, salty, yellowed, three year aged Gouda paired with Chimay Grand Reserve (the one with the champagne cork-cage on top). I had never tasted this ale and it turned out to be very fizzy, almost wine-like essence that did not have an overpowering bearing. Paired with the delicate cheese, I thought it went well.

Finally, Weyerbacher Pumpkin Ale was served with vanilla ice cream and a spiced wafer. How? Think of root beer float; now think of replacing the root beer with beer; now think pumpkin pie.... Put it all together and taste. Mmm, mmm, good. Now this was something I don't think I'd ever thought of doing myself, but let me tell you, it was excellent!

This was fun and eye-opening for me as I hadn't really thought too much about what can be done when beer and food are paired (and not just with `wings). Everyone involved from Wegman's that I spoke to at each station, was knowledgable about the beer styles and how they mesh with the particular dish or flavors. Thanks Wegmans.

Footnote: I was surprised by the turnout and how much people seemed to be enjoying themselves. Overall I believe a few more eyes were opened to the wide-world of beer we live in.