110782 Sat May 25 11:12:09 -0700 2002 3 7 Chicago Area 0 598598 Food Blog has some tips on fine beers in our area Link: http://kiplog.com/food/ Sat May 25 11:12:09 -0700 2002 0 Vital Information 1 598602 The heck with beer, I'm going out to get some Sweet Osmanthus sauce! Actually, I wonder if you could use it to make beer... Sat May 25 15:03:23 -0700 2002 598598 0 Mike G 1 598698 New Glarus Belgian Red is a remarkable beer. Several years ago it was outstanding but I think it declined dramatically a year or two ago. I sampled it again on tap at the Map Room last week and am happy to report it is nearly back to its old self. It has a robust sour cherry flavor balanced with a bit of sweetness. It’s one of the few US fruit beers I can get enthusiastic about. New Glarus also makes a raspberry beer that I never liked as much as their cherry. It’s still a very interesting beer and I believe it is currently on tap at Piece. On the topic of fruit beers, one of the most extraordinary I have ever had is Hanssens Oudbeitje, a bone dry lambic with an ethereal strawberry presence. Not every bottle is as good as the next but if you hit a perfect one it’s heaven. It’s at Hopleaf, Map Room, and (take-out) from Sam’s. It ain’t cheap but every now and then it’s a huge treat. When trying to figure out how to spell Oudbeitje, I came across a web page showing the making of this beer. Have a look. Link: http://www.bunitedint.com/oudbeitje.html Wed May 29 18:54:05 -0700 2002 598598 0 Rene G 2 598702 I ate at Indian Garden in Schaumburg last week and tried a beer I've never had - Hayward's 5000 - a strong 7% alcohol, lager that I really enjoyed. If you drink beer w. your Indian food and are disappointed by the usual Taj and Kingfisher, I'd recommend asking for this one. Very aromatic and fruity w. a definite alcohol presence. Wed May 29 20:23:45 -0700 2002 598698 0 Davido