April 29--What it is: Bellaire Brown from Short's Brewing Co. is a fairly faithful-to-style brown ale, though on the 2016 beer landscape, that's unfortunately not a compliment. With America's long-running obsession with big-flavored craft beer (India pale ales, imperial stouts, sour ales), there isn't a lot of room in the conversation for an un-showy beer like brown ale. That's our loss because, when done well, it's a wonderful style -- approachable but deeply satisfying. With the recent popularity of classic and lower-alcohol beer in craft circles -- such as Pilsners -- the prediction here is that brown ale will eventually enjoy a renaissance. When it does, Bellaire should be at the top of your list. It's new to Chicago, after Elk Rapids, Mich.-based Short's Brewing decided in January to end a longtime policy to sell its beer only in its home state.
In the bottle: There's really not much to dislike about brown ales, and Bellaire Brown's alluring web of flavors shows why: toffee, caramel, milk chocolate and even a wisp of coconut. As you might guess, this is a fairly sweet beer, but it's far from cloying. A light nuttiness and gentle dark bready character temper the sweetness, which results in a malt-forward, medium-bodied and deeply drinkable beer. There's virtually no hop bitterness at work here, so hop-heads need not apply.
Alcohol: 7 percent
Drink it with: One of the glories of brown ale is its versatility beside any remotely hearty dish. From a chicken sandwich to gumbo to prime rib, Bellaire Brown is a ready accompaniment.
Find it: Available in six packs of 12-ounce bottles at better beer stores such as Bitter Pops (3345 N. Lincoln Ave.; 773-857-7677; www.bitterpops.com), where Short's founder Joe Short will appear for a tasting 2-4 p.m. May 21.
More information: www.shortsbrewing.com/bellaire-brown
jbnoel@tribpub.com
