May 13--Should the dozens of events that comprise Chicago Craft Beer Week seem like too much of a good thing, here are day-by-day recommendations for honoring the best 10-day week of the year in beer. For more information on these and other events, check the Craft Beer Week website.
Thursday
Craft Beer Week's traditional kickoff, Beer Under Glass (300 N. Central Park Ave., 6:30-9:30 p.m., $60), was a wonderful event amid the greenery of Garfield Park Conservatory until last year's version was moved outdoors at the last minute into a pit of mud.
The result: angry beer drinkers, and this year's event -- which is back under the glass -- selling far more slowly than previous years.
Tickets remain available as of this writing, and a Beer Under Glass back to its old self is a don't-miss three hours of beer in a greenhouse.
Friday
Eleven brews from Boulder, Colo., stalwart Avery Brewing go on tap at Fischman Liquors Tavern (4780 N. Milwaukee Ave.), including a host of rarities both large (Tweak, a barrel-aged imperial coffee stout that clocks in at 17 percent alcohol) and small (Lilikoi Kepolo, a 5.6 percent passion fruit witbier).
Saturday
There's no better brewery in the nation than central California's Firestone-Walker, and its barrel master will be at Haymarket Pub Brewery (737 W. Randolph St., 6p.m.) with a small army of his rare and unique barrel-aged beers.
Sunday
Goose Island hosts its second annual Sunday Funday Battle of the Breweries Dodgeball Tournament at its barrel warehouse (603 N. Sacramento Blvd., 2-6 p.m.).
Entertaining as it might be to watch local brewers duke it out on the dodgeball floor, the real attraction is a beer lineup that includes all sorts of rarities from Goose's family of Bourbon County beers. Tickets cost $25; proceeds go to the Special Olympics of Illinois.
Monday
I haven't tried a lot from Arcade Brewery, but I've had enough to be intrigued by the nine beers it is tapping at Sheffield's Beer Wine Garden (3258 N. Sheffield Ave.) -- especially Graveyard Shift coffee pale ale aged in Koval whiskey barrels.
Tuesday
The Cicerone program hosts a showcase of breweries along the Brown Line at The Long Room (1612 E. Irving Park Road, 6-9 p.m.), which is an easy way to taste beer from several smaller breweries that include Alarmist Brewing, Aquanaut Brewing, Empirical Brewery and an up-and-comer by the name of Half Acre Beer Co.
Wednesday
The Division Street IPA Crawl returns with Fatpour (2005 W. Division St.) pouring West Coast IPAs, Jerry's Sandwiches (1938 W. Division St.) handling the Midwest IPAs and Bangers Lace (1670 W. Division St.) taking on the East Coast's IPAs.
May 21
The third Northwest Side Craft Beer Ride pairs 10 Northwest Side bars each with a different brewery.
Most important, the event connects the stops with a "craft beer transit system" of four buses.
Beer is sold individually; $20 gets you transportation from 6-11 p.m. between the participating locations.
May 22
The Green Lady (3328 N. Lincoln Ave.) turns over all 30 of its taps to sour beer.
May 23
This year's closing event is the new Welles Park Craft Beer Festival (2333 W. Sunnyside Ave.; 1-5 p.m.; $55), which brings 50 local breweries together in one of Chicago's finest parks.
