BEER REVIEW: Three Floyds Broodoo by Three Floyds Brewing Company

Broodoo is a Seasonal Fall brew by the Three Floyds Brewing Company. It is categorized as an IPA, but it is not as hoppy as other IPA's. That is okay though since most Fall Seasonal IPA's tend to be not as hoppy. Broodoo does carry with it all the citrus aroma one would associate with an IPA. Overall, Three Floyds Broodoo is a beer you should check out before it goes away.

Three Floyds Broodoo is Recommended by Gonzalo

BEER REVIEW: Goose Island Harvest Ale by Goose Island Brewing Co

The Harvest Season begins and ends with Goose Island Harvest Ale. Brewed by the Goose Island Brewing Company, Goose Island Harvest Ale is one of the special seasonal beers made to compliment a special time of year. The special time of year is fall, the special beer is Harvest Ale. The flavor reminds you of the Goose Island India Pale Ale, only not as hoppy. With an amber color and a citrus-like aroma, the Goose Island Harvest Ale goes well at any Fall event: Football Games, Thanksgiving Dinners, Holiday Shopping, etc.

Yes, Holiday Shopping. Enjoy a pint of Harvest Ale as you relax at the local bar near the mall.

No matter how you decide to enjoy Goose Island Harvest Ale, make sure you enjoy it soon because it is only around for the Fall.

Goose Island Harvest Ale is Highly Recommended by Gonzalo

BAR REVIEW: THE WRIGHTWOOD TAP in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago, IL

Dog owners search no more. If you are looking for a bar where you can drink fresh beer and enjoy the company of your four-legged best friend, your bar is The Wrightwood Tap. This local Lincoln Park watering hole is a "Dog Friendly" establishment. You can bring your pet dog in and converse with the other dog owners. When I visited the Wrightwood Tap, there were 3 dogs hanging out while their owners enjoyed fresh pints of draft beer. Out of all the drinking establishments I have visited in Chicago so far, this local bar is the only one where you can experience a wet nose against your feet.

Beer wise, the Wrightwood Tap has the popular favorites. But you don't come to this bar to drink “hard to find” beers or micro brews. No, you come here to enjoy a decent beer in the company of your neighbors and dogs. Of course if the bar becomes too packed (as is the case through out the weekend nights), dogs are not allowed.

The Wrightwood Tap is located at 1059 West Wrightwood Ave in Chicago, IL. Phone (773) 549-4949.

THE WRIGHTWOOD TAP is Recommended by Gonzalo

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BAR REVIEW: PROST! DEUTSCHLAND/CHICAGO in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago, IL

The neighborhood of Lincoln Park in Chicago, Illinois, USA, has a bar for every occasion. If you want to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, you head out to one of the many Irish Bars. If you want to catch a major sporting event, you embark to one of the many Sports Bars. If you want to celebrate Cinco De Mayo, you'll find many of the bars become "cantinas." Up until now, if you wanted to celebrate Octoberfest, you had to venture out of Lincoln Park for a German themed bar. Well, that is until PROST! opened its doors. Prost! means Cheers! in German, and you'll be doing plenty of cheering in this German drinking establishment.

Everything from the picnic benches, to the chandeliers, to the Boot mug, to the German Hefeweizen beers, screams Octoberfest. The fun drinking environment welcomes all who want to have the experience of being in a Munich-style beer hall without having to pay for the airfare. The food offered at Prost! are pure German dishes and go great with a stein of lager. Speaking of lagers, Prost! has a wonderful selection of German beers. My recommendation: Spaten Optimator. It's a Doppelbock beer (a strong Bavarian specialty lager) and goes great with friends and good German food.

Check out Prost! now before the Octoberfest celebration begins, because I'm sure this bar will be a popular destination for all those wanting to celebrate the new season. Of course, you will want to visit Prost! during Octoberfest and any other weekend night!

Prost! Deutschland/Chicago is located at 2566 North Lincoln Avenue in Chicago, IL. Phone: (773) 880-9900.

PROST! DEUTSCHLAND/CHICAGO is Recommended by Gonzalo

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BAR REVIEW: PLYMOUTH RESTAURANT AND BAR in the South Loop district of Chicago, IL

You will fall in love with the roof top bar at PLYMOUTH RESTAURANT AND BAR. High on the 3rd floor, nestled between classic Chicago buildings, this rooftop bar can (and should be) an ideal place for any occasion. I'll even go as far as to say it would be a great place to propose marriage. The small but quaint roof top deck area has just enough room for those who are lucky enough to know this haven even exists. Don't let the narrow deck space discourage you from visiting this beautiful drinking establishment. Sure the rooftop may be busy on the weekends during the summer (what roof top in Chicago isn't?), but if you visit Plymouth Restaurant and Bar during the week, you can find a seat at the bar or amongst the tables. Of course if you are not into a beautiful setting or into enjoying a beer outside during the fantastic Chicago summer, Plymouth Restaurant and Bar does have a bar section on ground level too!

When an opportunity to enjoy a fresh pint of beer while engulfed in the beautiful Chicago Architecture that the South Loop has to offer presents itself, you should seize it. That very same opportunity is present and alive while you are at the beautiful rooftop of the Plymouth Restaurant and Bar. A definite destination if you have company from out of town!

Plymouth Restaurant and Bar is located at 327 South Plymouth Court in Chicago, IL. Phone: (312) 362-1212. Website: www.plymouthgrill.com

PLYMOUTH RESTAURANT AND BAR is Recommended by Gonzalo

Last Saturday I attended the Michigan State - Northwestern football game at Ryan Field in Evanston, Illinois. I enjoyed a great game between two strong rivals in the Big Ten. Before the game I walked behind the stadium to the baseball field where Northwestern has their "Wildcat Alley" area. One tradition I've enjoyed before Northwestern football games is drinking a complimentary cup of beer at the Goose Island Tent.

Who among us can turn down free beer ?

I highly recommend going to the Goose Island tent before attending a Northwestern University Wildcats football game at Ryan Field.

By the end of the 2008 Major League Baseball (MLB) Season, old Yankee Stadium will be no more. I say "old Yankee Stadium" because the new and improved Yankee Stadium is being built directly across the street. The stadium that has hosted the most MLB World Series Champions will close its doors forever. Knowing full well that 2008 would be the final year to experience the stadium that Babe Ruth called home, I made sure to pencil in a visit to Yankee Stadium. Of course, a visit to Yankee Stadium would only work if I can cheer on my home team: The Chicago White Sox.

September 15, 2008 is the memorable date that will live with me forever. On that date, I watched the New York Yankees in their famous pinstripes uniforms take on Mark Buehrle and my White Sox. Sitting in section M24, which is located on the main level by 3rd Base, I experienced every sound, sight and smell associated with Yankee Stadium. Some of the more memorable experiences was hearing the "YMCA" Song during the 7th inning stretch (not really a memorable experience, but more of a weird experience); beer vendors selling Coors Light instead of the traditional Miller products I am used to at Comiskey Park (a.k.a. US Cellular Field: Home of the Chicago White Sox); running into the White Sox fans I saw at Carnegie Deli earlier in the day (actually, they sat right behind us); New Yorkers booing Alex Rodriguez (a member of the New York Yankees); camera flash bulbs going off like fireworks every time Derek Jeter attempted to break the Yankee Stadium Hit Record (he did not accomplish this feet on Sept. 15, but he did accomplish that feet on Sept. 16); paying $8.50 for a beer; enjoying the sight of the full moon as it panned across the outfield; hearing and seeing the elevated train; the Goosebumps I felt when "Enter Sandman" played from the stadium speakers as Mariano Rivera (the Yankees closing pitcher) made his way to the pitching mound to save the game; the annoyance I felt when the song "New York, New York" played through the stadium speakers after the Yankees victory; gazing at the white frieze along the outfield billboards; finally, the packed subway station outside Yankee Stadium.

No matter what team you root for, every baseball fan respects the history and allure of the New York Yankees and Yankee Stadium. The stadium has been home to many important baseball players and has seen its share of success. Behind Fenway Park in Boston and Wrigley Field in Chicago, Yankee Stadium was/is a historical ball park that attracts visitors from all over the world. History fills the walls and memories will echo forever.

Will the new Yankee Stadium create the same type of nostalgia? Only time will tell.

BEER REVIEW: Steam Whistle by Steam Whistle Brewing, in Ontario, Canada

American’s sure do not have a wide variety when it comes to high quality pilsners. Sure, you have your Bud and Miller…but once you take a step beyond and experience a premium pilsner, you will not want to go back.

Steam Whistle is a premium Canadian pilsner. What is unique about this beer is the fact that it only uses four natural ingredients: spring water, malted barley, hops and yeast. The web site points to the brewmaster’s and staff’s passion as being the fifth - and I think you will agree once you try it. The simplicity pays off in taste, as there are no complex flavors trying to receive the attention of your taste buds.

The first thing I noticed when putting back a bottle of this fine beverage was how smooth it was. The fresh, crisp brew went down quickly, smoothly and enjoyably leaving a nicely balanced, mild hoppy and malty aftertaste. Steam Whistle’s light gold color is also parallel to its light, refreshing taste. While ever-so-slight, the mild citrus notes enhanced the flavor even more so and makes for a great summer time drink.

If you ever find yourself in the great north, make sure to pick up one of the very better pilsners out there. And when you are finished, be sure to blow across the neck of the bottle and enjoy the satisfying steam whistle sound. Canada’s very own Steam Whistle. You will not be disappointed.

*special thanks to Derek White for providing the opportunity.

Steam Whistle is Highly Recommended by Ben