Goose Island holiday ale

Wine may be the more common seasonal libation, but Goose Island brewery provides another means to be merry.  Every month, Chicago’s premier craft brewery hosts a beer academy that allows participants to indulge in a range of custom blended brews.  This month’s workshop features the festive theme of holiday brews.

On December 28 at 6:30 PM, the Beer Academy kicks off at the Goose Island brewery on Clybourne.

Think years of slinging back Heineken’s gives you beer know how? Not quite. The Beer Academy provides instructions of brew details like alcohol percent, international bittering units and standard reference method to specify color.

Head Pub Brewer Jared Rouben will pour 15-20 beers and explain the different styles, serving temperatures,  ingredients and history. The workshop lasts two hours and is aimed at novices as well as experts — although I recommend pacing yourself, hand-crafted beers can make you very, very, jolly if you’re unaccustomed to sipping them at a steady pace.

Goose Island brews a selection of 50 different craft beers and seasonal brews. Reservations are required for the Beer Academy, which is held on the last Wednesday of every month.  Tickets are $20 per person, call (312) 915-0071 to RSVP.

After sampling the liquid nirvana that Goose Island serves up, walk over to the brewpub to try the menu of locally produced small plates.  The pierogi and pork sliders with pickled cabbage pair especially well with the light ales.

Photo courtesy of Goose Island