The Art Behind the Handle

I have always loved the artistic nature of the different beer tappers we get from our brewers. The handles are as distinctive as the beer themselves; they are filled with creativity and can be very beautiful. It’s why I proudly display them at our Mokena and Tinley Park locations! Ask to have the handle of the beer you are drinking pointed out by one of our friendly bartenders; you will be amazed at how the flavor of the beer you are drinking will fit the art of the behind the handle!

Check out the handle on the North Coast PranQster, the delicious Belgian Style Ale with its playful blend of antique yeast strains that give it a fruity flavor, the colorful handle twists upwards, capped with a jester hat, the letters of ‘PranQster’ in bold gold with the ‘Q’ hollow in the center to view the other two sides

The handle is as playful as the beer itself! I know of several folks who will pony up the bar and order a beer based on the art of the handle! It’s a fun way to select a beer! By the way, did you know that you can get a small sample sip of the beer before trying it? There is nothing sadder than seeing a good beer get left in the glass! So be adventurous, try a sip first!

Our walls are slowly becoming adorned with beer tappers, from the sublime and sleek, to the garish and loud; beer tappers are as much a part of the beer as the hops and yeast! Different brewers will have very different and distinct styles as well. Our friends from Goose Island, brewers of the delicious Goose Island Matilda, have very elegant as well as sleek pull handles. With their goose head dramatically displayed at the top of the handle and the slender neck of the goose down to the spout, the Goose Island handles are always beautiful to look at.

Each brewer has their own distinctive flair and it shows through in the art of their handles! Try one tonight, base your selection on the art of the handle and see if I’m not right!

For the Love of Beer

As a ‘hop peddler’, I am always amazed at watching the throngs of beer lovers who come in and out of my establishments! What amazes me is the variety of folks that I not only see, but engage with. The variety always surprises me; from the differences in the crowd at our Mokena location to the different crowd at our Tinley Park location. The one thing they all have in common, they love beer!

The beer we serve is a lot like the variety of people who come through our doors. Having done this for so many years now, I can almost pin a person to a particular beer based on what they look like! Try it sometimes – it can be fun! It’s also fun to try and pair a beer with the folks sitting down to enjoy one of our tasty entrées;  I try to create menu items that pair very well with the beer that we carry. But often, people will pair their own likes to the food they have and often, it will be the opposite of what even I expected!

For example, if I see a big bear of a man walk in, I can easily peg him for a stout lover, perhaps taking in the rich smoothness of a Great Lakes Blackout Stout! Generally, women tend to fall to the nice amber ales like the deliciously nutty Lost Coast Downtown Brown and when I see a group of younger people coming in, generally their first foray into the wonderful world of craft beers, they direct themselves to the lighter end of the spectrum. A fruity O’Fallon Wheach or the subtle OmmegangWitte is usually a good place for them to start! The real aficionados, the ‘hop heads’ always steer their way to the IPAs!  There is nothing like a Firestone Walker Double Jack to take the bite out of a cold winter evening!

Pairing food with beer is always fun and can really enhance the flavor of the dish. For example, with a juicy Alehouse Black ‘N Bleu Burger there is nothing like the smooth, rich finish of a Scottish style ale to compliment the bite of the crumbled bleu cheese! Try a nice IPA, or perhaps an Oscar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale, with some Scallop & Garlic Shrimp Scampi, talk about bringing out the flavor of the garlic! But above all, experiment! Each beer has its own personality and may change with your pallet; food does as well – different pairings will bring out different flavors!

If you are reading this – you are reading this for the love of the beer! It’s why I do what I do as well, for the love of the beer! So, if you see me sitting in the corner, a nice Green Flash West Coast IPA in my glass, watching the crowd come alive, it is because I love the beer and what I do! Stop by and say hello, let me know what you are drinking, better still…let me guess!

Wednesday Tapping, 5-23 4PM - @foundersbrewing Kentucky Breakfast Stout. Get here early to ensure you get a glass!

Starts January 26th!

We have a couple of things to chat about for the coming weeks. 

Ever go to the city and try some food items that you never thought you would and were pleasantly surprised? But then, every time you want to have it again you just don't feel like driving to Chicago to enjoy it! 

Well, the Tribes may be able to help you out a bit! That is, if you are in the mood for Sauteed Frog Legs, Foie Gras or Pork Belly.

On Thursday January 26th from 4PM-10PM (and each Thursday after that)  we will be rolling out our "Tastefully Twisted Thursdays" menu! We will be offering menu items that - at times - can be quite elusive down here in the South Suburbs! So, stop in next Thursday and try some Twisted Food Items! 

Here is a peak at the "Tastefully Twisted Thursdays Menu:"

SAUTEED FROG LEGS
ALLIGATOR BITES
PAN SEARED HUDSON VALLEY FOIE GRAS
TRIO OF BUFFALO, ELK & VENISON
FILET MIGNON STEAK TARTAR
GRILLED OSTRICH SLIDERS
BISON SLOPPY JOE
PORK BELLY B*E*L*T*

Ranting...

Let me start by saying that the restaurant industry attracts some of the best people you will ever meet - truly. The employees can be the best and the customers are awesome... On the flipside of that, it also embraces some of the strangest, quirkiest, weirdest and most troubled folks you’d ever care to get to know! And I am right there in the middle of them all! I enjoy - in fact I relish -  being included with the goofy, silly, ugly, pretty, friendly and downright rude people that make up our industry.

It is because of being included in this mad bunch of depraved, talented, bizarre, artistic and highly intelligent people that has given me cause to Rant! (Oh I could also rave, but where's the fun in that? I will rave from time to time, but now is not the time!) 

And rant I will...

By the way, before I begin my rant this week, I need to mention an incident that was recently witnessed. And by "mention" I mean, "If you ever leave your infant child in their car seat with the window cracked - and choose to leave them in the car while you are in the bar having a drink, we WILL call the police. That's a promise and good Sir, that’s just sick. You know who you are....

Anyway, moving on...Whats with chewing gum while you are drinking beer?  Seriously, its bad enough that you are chewing gum like a cow chewing grass, and now you are gonna pour beer all over it and let the two flavors blend?? Gross. Cut it out. Grow up. And while we are talking about gum – STOP putting your chewed gum under the seats, bar stools  and tables! That’s nasty and people have to remove it!

On another note, we appreciate that you are trying to quit smoking and as a result have an addiction to chewing tobacco and have to ask for a paper cup to spit in, but its gross. It is especially disgusting when the cup is left behind when you leave for another customer to sit down at the bar stool you just vacated and be greeted with your brown, nasty, tobacco juice infused saliva.  PLEASE take the cup with you or ask where the trash is so you can throw it away yourself. Dont leave it up to the bartenders or servers to clean/clear up your drippings.

I just put myself in a bad mood, so I will check back later when I remember the fun stuff not just the annoying! Have a great weekend.

Surly Darkness at Tribes on Wednesday

I know there are quite a few bars in Chicagoland that have been allotted a keg of Surly Darkness, and we are one of them. I dont know where we stand in terms of tapping dates, but regardless. We are tapping our Darkness keg next Wednesday December 7th at 4PM. Its a damn tasty Imperial stout that comes in at approximately 9.6% ABV.
I, like most of you Surly fans, are bummed it is not currently available in IL. So, when we have a chance to tap one, its a nice treat. Come out and try it. You wont be disappointed. We never are with Surly...

120 Minute Tapping Today...

Ahh, Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA. It's here again, and so will arrive the  inexperienced people that think the best time to come out for a good beer is to show up for the tapping of 120 Minute Imperial IPA. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy and appreciate all of the folks that walk thru or doors on a daily basis. I am more referring to THAT GUY that only orders it due to its high alcohol content. He is not appreciating the nectar like, sweet, incredibly hopped up quality 120 minute delivers regularly.

As an example, if memory serves, there was a guy - who shall remain nameless - that got pissed off when we shut him off (from any more 120) after he quickly downed 2 glasses as if it truly was water. He became belligerent, insulting and obviously had no idea what he was drinking. Needless to say, he left only to return the next morning and apologize to all of us that had worked the night before. According to him: Apparently, after  he left us, he decided to hit another spot for a chilled bottle of that Triple Hops Brewed beer that comes in a fancy bottle with a vortex neck.  When he returned home, his wife was not happy when her hubby walked in, slurring his words and saying he only had a couple of beers. She was not convinced and had him sit outside hoping the cold air would wake him up a bit. (In time for his turkey day dinner). He claimed it gave him time to think about how rude he was to the staff earlier in the evening and decided he would come back and apologize. And apologize he did. Thank you.

Hey friends, I love DFH 120 as much as the next guy. Just enjoy it responsibly as you do with all of your other vices - alcohol or otherwise! and remember, you don't need to be an ass-clown when we make every attempt to guide you even if it eventually leads to us shutting you off!

Chicago Foodies: Thanksgiving Beer Pairing Ideas

Some great ideas for pairing beer on Thanksgiving - or for that matter - ANY TIME! Well Done!

Chicago Foodies: Thanksgiving Beer Pairing Ideas:

'via Blog this'

Thoughts from a Bartender

Here are just 3 things that bartenders notice when dealing with the customers we serve. There are a million more, but will post more when I get the time! Remember Poor “bar etiquette” is universal! Make no mistake, these, amongst others,  are echoed throughout the country at every fancy bar, gin mill or straight up dive. It doesn’t matter if it’s a pub, a nightclub, French, Mexican or Italian in concept or theme.

Have Your Order Ready Before You Flag Me Down!

Hey I know everyone wants to get served as fast as possible. But when we ask you what you would like and you have to raise your index finger at me and ask me to “wait a sec.” That, whether you know it or not, is rude and slows down our servicing of the other patrons in the bar. When that happens, I will inevitably, walk away and tend to a customer who is ready to order. (Preferably with cash in hand).  Also, PLEASE try and order your drinks all at the same time.  Not one by one!.

Jack-Ass Drinks

Hey, everybody goes to Vegas and drinks the gigantic cocktail out of the plastic bong like hurricane glass. And that’s fine. But don’t come to a beer bar, order a Pink Cadillac or get pissed because we don’t carry mango-wildberry infused vodka that is to be poured over  muddled mint leaves and garnished with organic sliced strawberries. Go somewhere else and get that. We don’t carry that stuff.  At some point you need to grow out of the Hawaiian Punch flavored drinks and wine coolers! (HINT:  We can sometimes guess your age by what you order to drink! So that ID better be genuine!)

Shutting You Off

Hey it happens. You are not the first person that has had to be shut off and I am quite certain you wont be the last. If you are a regular, please just trust us. If we think you have had enough, you had, You don’t have to tell us, ”Hey man, you know me!” That’s right we do! And that’s why we are shutting you off! Because you normally don’t act like a dick! And tonight you are! Look, if you think highly enough of us, to spend your money with us, trust that we will take care of you and let you know when you have had enough! As far as the people that we don’t know or don’t know us that choose to come in already wasted – [please stay away. It’s not cool, funny or otherwise acceptable to be  sipping pre made drinking cocktails out of a flask or a water bottle. We will catch you and we will throw you out. 

Fancy Beer

The other day, I went to Chicago to check out some of the city's great beer bars and as always, I am pleased to notice that the Tribes is still holding their own!  I would like to add more funky selections like Mikkeller, De Struise, 3 Foneteinen, Nogne etc. However, at this point, I think we will stick with what our South Side market is enjoying! Eventually, we will start bringing in more of the fancy, crazy beers from Europe and the like. But, I kinda like supporting American Craft Beer. Made by Americans for Americans!