Chicago Beer Pass

Welcome to the Chicago Beer Pass: Your ticket to all the great beer events happening in and around Chicago. On this episode of Chicago Beer Pass, Brad Chmielewski and Nik White have Ricky Cervantes from Foreign Exchange Brewing joining them. Nik first got wind of Foreign Exchange when Kittywampus dropped and since then we have seen hit after hit come from them. Ricky shared with the guys a bit of his story and future plans which includes getting his own space sometime soon. If you haven’t had the Kittywampus or anything else from Foreign Exchange, it’s worth tracking down and getting your hands on some. Having issues listening to the audio? Try the MP3 (67.5 MB) or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes!

Welcome to the Chicago Beer Pass: Your ticket to all the great beer events happening in and around Chicago. On this episode of Chicago Beer Pass, Brad Chmielewski and Nik White have Jesse Valenciana joining them. The guys have known Jesse for several years, during his time with ManBQue and his time at Goose Island. Recently, Jesse made the move and joined the Dryhop / Corridor crew just as the new space for Crushed By Giants was set to open. Everyone was looking forward to that space and from the pictures, you can find online, it looks beautiful. The guys talk about that project as well as what’s happening at the current brewpubs. To go along with this conversation Jesse was kind enough to drop off some cans of Chula, a mango Gose that he helped brew under his new project, Feast City in collaboration with More Brewing. Brad, Nik and Jesse love Chicago and can’t wait to see it back in action or even evolve into something better. Right now there are a lot of people working to keep beer and food coming from some of your favorite places, so if you can, be sure to support them. This city has some great, food, beer and people. Be sure to do your part to help out the city, by ordering in, ordering beer to go, or even just by staying home for a little while longer. Having issues listening to the audio? Try the MP3 (79.6 MB) or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes!

Welcome to the Chicago Beer Pass: Your ticket to all the great beer events happening in and around Chicago. On this episode of Chicago Beer Pass, Brad Chmielewski and Nik White are joined by Cesar Marron and Sean Curry from Sketchbook Brewing. On a previous sketchbook episode, the guys talked with Shawn Decker just as they were getting ready to expand the Evanston taproom. So it’s great to chat with Cesar as the brewery buildout in Skokie is moving forward. Plus, the guys love talking with Sean Curry, who is often letting them know when they make a mistake on an episode. The four of them not only talk about the new project but also what Sketchbook is doing during their stay-at-home orders and what the city of Evanston is doing to support the small businesses in the area. Our lifestyle has been turned upside down during this time, but be sure to support the small businesses you love and want to see survive when we all move forward. Most breweries are doing pickup or local delivery, check out their website and social pages to see what they are doing to keep their staff and you safe during this time. Having issues listening to the audio? Try the MP3 (64.4 MB) or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes!

chicagobeerpass · Chicago Beer Pass: Eric Hobbs Welcome to the Chicago Beer Pass: Your ticket to all the great beer events happening in and around Chicago. On this episode of Chicago Beer Pass, Brad Chmielewski and Nik White have a guest joining them. Eric Hobbs has had an amazing journey here in the Chicagoland craft beer scene, from Goose Island, to opening Penrose and now a member of the Solemn Oath team. Solemn Oath started in Naperville just as the craft beer revolution was getting rolling in Chicagoland and with a terrific brand and tasty beer, they became a celebrated presence on the scene. Eric Hobbs joined the Solemn Oath team a few years ago as the Chief Operations Officer and has helped push the brand forward even more as well as helping to launch their City Water beverage. Brad and Nik have known Hobbs for years so it felt good to have a beer and catch up while we are all sheltered in place. Having issues listening to the audio? Try the MP3 (73.1 MB) or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes!

Welcome to the Chicago Beer Pass: Your ticket to all the great beer events happening in and around Chicago. On this episode of Chicago Beer Pass, Brad Chmielewski and Nik White are without a guest but they wanted to share their drinking adventures that included some beer delivery from On Tour Brewing, pickups from Maplewood and even a little whiskey collecting. The guys also share some stories about Argus Brewing as this week we learned that as a result of the fallout from COVID-19, they had to close their door. Hopefully you are enjoying these episodes and remember to support your local breweries when you can. Having issues listening to the audio? Try the MP3 (54.3 MB) or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes!

Welcome to the Chicago Beer Pass: Your ticket to all the great beer events happening in and around Chicago. On this episode of Chicago Beer Pass, Brad Chmielewski and Nik White have Bob McDermott, joining them. Bob was the owner of The Beer Bistro, a beloved Chicago beer bar with locations in the West loop and on Fullerton. The Beer Bistro had a huge impact on both Brad and Nik’s craft beer experience and it was sad to see it shut the doors. Bob shares some of the memories from the locations as well as how he would handle the shut down orders that are in place due to COVID-19. Having issues listening to the audio? Try the MP3 (76.0 MB) or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes!

Welcome to the Chicago Beer Pass: Your ticket to all the great beer events happening in and around Chicago. On this episode of Chicago Beer Pass, Brad Chmielewski and Nik White have Josh Grubbs from Black Lung Brewing joining them. Being stuck at home doesn’t allow you to hit up your regular spots but it does allow you to explore some beers that you might not have tried before previously. That’s exactly what Nik and Brad are doing in this episode. Black Lung Brewing is currently up in Waukegan brewing out of the Zümbier’s location. Waukegan isn’t an area Brad and Nik make it to very often but there are some great brewers and beer coming out of that area including, Black Lung Brewing. Josh gives the guys the lowdown of what he’s doing and how he got his start in the beer world. He also gives some insight into how a new and small brand is handling the pandemic outbreak.  If you are leaving your home for supplies, please be sure to support your local breweries as well. Most of them are doing delivery and payment on the internet, you can also pick up beer from a lot of your local beer stores which is where you will likely find Black Lung Brewing. Having issues listening to the audio? Try the MP3 (42.5 MB) or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! 

Welcome to the Chicago Beer Pass: Your ticket to all the great beer events happening in and around Chicago. On this episode of Chicago Beer Pass, Brad Chmielewski and Nik White continue following the rules and shelter-in-place. But just because you might be staying locked away doesn’t mean everyone is and doesn’t mean there still isn’t a lot happening in the Chicago beer world. To give the guys an update on what’s happening with them and District Brew Yards is the husband and wife behind Bold Dog Beer Co. The two of them have had a wild year with District Brew Yards opening, having a baby, brewing with Sam Adams and now being forced to deal with these strange times we have entered into. It’s nice to hear that they are still brewing at District Brew Yards and currently selling a lot of beer from the brewery as well. If you are leaving your home for supplies, please be sure to support your local breweries as well. Most of them are doing delivery and payment on the internet. Having issues listening to the audio? Try the MP3 (42.5 MB) or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! 

Welcome to the Chicago Beer Pass: Your ticket to all the great beer events happening in and around Chicago. On this episode of Chicago Beer Pass, Brad Chmielewski and Nik White are doing a remote recording as they both are following the stay-at-home rules for Chicago and Illinois. Because there haven’t been any events and the breweries and bars have been doing sales to go, Brad & Nik have a little check-in and talk about how they are dealing with Coronavirus. There is a lot to think about for how this looks as we move forward and neither Brad nor Nik has all the answers but it’s nice to grab a drink and talk over some thoughts & feelings.  Moving forward the guys hope to bring some guests on or retool the podcast a bit until we can all start going to events and bars again. Stay healthy Chicago and cheers! Having issues listening to the audio? Try the MP3 (42.5 MB) or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! 

Welcome to the Chicago Beer Pass: Your ticket to all the great beer events happening in and around Chicago. On this episode of Chicago Beer Pass, Brad Chmielewski and Nik White are cracking cans of 5 Rabbit’s Xicago. This is a great beer to be enjoying as the weather is starting to warm up here in Chicago. As the guys knock back this 4-pack they chat about Nik’s adventure in the suburbs to Black Horizon and Whiskey Hill. Brad talks about his experience of going to Night of the Living Ales, something neither of them have been back to for years. With the spread of Coronavirus there aren’t many events happening and it’s likely good to avoid them for a bit. So, instead of talking about events, the guys share some old or classic beers that you might want to revisit as you’re locked down at home. Having issues listening to the audio? Try the MP3 (133.9 MB) or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! 

Welcome to the Chicago Beer Pass: Your ticket to all the great beer events happening in and around Chicago. On this episode of Chicago Beer Pass, Brad Chmielewski and Nik White are opening a bottle from Cruz Blanca. The guys needed a break from all the Haze and Extra Pale Ales so they decided to dip into the cellar for this tasty offering Brad picked up around Thanksgiving. As the guys sip on this beer, they talk about trips to Piece Brewery, Mikerphone Brewery, Old Irving & Corridor.  Coming up this weekend at Bottom Lounge is Day / Night of the Living Ales. Tickets are still available so be sure to grab one and check it out. Having issues listening to the audio? Try the MP3 (113.9 MB) or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! 

Welcome to the Chicago Beer Pass: Your ticket to all the great beer events happening in and around Chicago. On this episode of Chicago Beer Pass, Brad Chmielewski and Nik White are opening some fresh cans that Around The Bend sent over. As the two of them knock back this experimental haze they talk about Mikerphone, Shortfuse Brewing, Cider Summit and Uppers & Downers. Sadly, neither Brad nor Nik made it to Emporium for Darkside but it sounded like it was a blast. It was a jammed packed week and because of that the guys skipped over some of the events happening this weekend. As winter’s end is in sight, we are starting to see more and more events. You might want to think about clearing out some of those winter beers from the fridge and make room for lagers. Having issues listening to the audio? Try the MP3 (123.3 MB) or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! 

Welcome to the Chicago Beer Pass: Your ticket to all the great beer events happening in and around Chicago. On this episode of Chicago Beer Pass, Brad Chmielewski and Nik White are getting Haz’d as they open cans from Brickstone Brewery that is located all the way in Bourbonnais, IL. These cans caught Brad’s eye in the store and it was a real treat to check it out. The guys keep up with what Brickstone Brewery is doing but very rarely make the drive for a visit so it’s great that their cans are pretty readily available in the stores. As the guys crush a few cans from the six-pack they recap the past couple weeks episodes including Michael Kiser on talking about Uppers & Downers on February 23rd, Chris Jacobsen’s Beer Pass Afterdark episode talking about this years Darkside on February 23rd. And then their most recent stop at Pilot Project for a chat about what’s going on there. All these episodes are great, so if you missed one, go back and give them a listen.  With Uppers & Downers and Darkside this week you’ll be in for a wild weekend. And there is also Cider Summit happening Saturday. Cider, Coffee & Dark Beer, it should be a fun couple days if you make it to everything. Having issues listening to the audio? Try the MP3 (132.1 MB) or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! 

Welcome to the Chicago Beer Pass: Your ticket to all the great beer events happening in and around Chicago. On this episode of Chicago Beer Pass, Brad Chmielewski and Nik White are on location at Pilot Project Brewing, chatting with Jordan Radke and Dan Abel, as well as Sean Curry from Sketchbook Brewing. The guys chatted about what Pilot Project is up to and what they have planned for the future. There is some great information about Pilot Project in this episode so hopefully, you can deal with some of the audio issues in this one… recording next to the blue line can lead to some trouble. Having issues listening to the audio? Try the MP3 (91.4MB) or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! 

Welcome to the third episode of Chicago Beer Pass After Dark. These episodes are going to be a little different than the weekly episodes you have grown accustomed to hearing. Brad and Nik mostly are hoping these episodes don’t deteriorate into drunken rambling. The episodes are a bit more unfocused so expect some conversations to go off on tangents at times, but the guys do have a theme to keep them focused.  For this episode of Chicago Beer Pass After Dark, Brad, and Nik are joined by Chris Jacobsen to talk about this year’s Darkside at Emporium. Chris has joined the guys a number of times over the years on the podcast to talk about this yearly event. And this year is sounding like a killer Sunday for celebrating dark beers. The guys talk about the event and all the things Chris has going on, they also dive into a handful of cans from Hop Butcher. In true Beer Pass After Dark spirit, the guys do a deep dive of a brewery and then question the hype around that brewery and its beers. Having issues listening to the audio? Try the MP3 (140.2 MB) or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes!