96 Hours of Fantastic Beer

The Law of Attraction states that like attracts like.  Well during the 27th Annual Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America, and the 2010 Brewers Association World Beer Cup, fantastic beer attracted fantastic beer, around 3,401 fantastic beers to be exact.  In regards to the World Beer Cup, there were 651 breweries from 46 countries represented in the "Olympics of Beer Competitions."  All these brilliant brewmasters and savvy beer drinkers converged upon the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers in Chicago, Illinois.  In regards to the Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) and BrewExpo America, professional brewers would come together to learn new ways to improve beer quality, their performance and to hear educational presentations from various speakers from the brewing industry.  Together, the CBC and World Beer Cup left a lasting impression on The Second City, Chicago, or left it with a hang over, depending on whom you ask.

One of the highlights of the April 7 - 10th event was the Welcome Reception held at the Field Museum on Wednesday, April 7th.  Under the watchful eye of Sue, the most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex fossil found, local Chicago Breweries such as Goose Island Brewing Company, Metropolitan Brewing and Piece Brewery & Pizzeria, to name a few, were pouring their best selling beers for the guests of the CBC.  There were a total of 28 Breweries on hand for this social event that generated plenty of buzz.  Among the Natural History and Classical Revival Architecture, attendees got a chance to try brews that one would not come across at a Bar or Store.  A beer such as the Belgian Style Amber Ale from The Lucky Monk Burger, Pizza & Beer Co. located in South Barrington, Illinois.  My favorite beer of the night was Marketing Ploy.  This smooth Pale Ale is a collaboration between the Three Floyds Brewing Company and Piece Brewery & Pizzeria.  The result is a refreshing ale with a hint of citrus aroma.  Here is hoping more breweries join forces to produce more Super Beers!  An interesting note about the 2010 CBC Welcome Reception is that for once I got to experience a long line for the Men's Restroom.  It was not the best experience in the world, but when you are in a room with more male beer drinkers than female beer drinkers, it is to be expected.  Among the female drinkers, there was the 2009/2010 Hallertauer Hop Queen (Hopfenkönigin) herself, the lovely Mona Euringer.

The Main Event of the CBC was the Saturday Evening Brewers Association World Beer Cup 2010 Beer Tasting Gala Dinner Awards Ceremony.  Various breweries generously donated their beers for this historic ceremony and the dinner itself was a feast for the palate.  Executive Chef Sean Paxton and author, Randy Mosher, crafted a first-class, five course menu consisting of local meats, cheeses, produce and of course, local beer.  My favorite was the fourth course, so aptly titled "Long Live The Swine!"  The meal consisted of, and I quote the Gala Awards Dinner Menu, "Pork belly brined in Upland Brewing Co. Winter Warmer and stuffed with fennel, caramelized onions and a custom Alaskan Smoked Porter sausage atop a pretzel spätzle simmered in stout wort and splashed with an Oskar Blues Gordon & Sierra Nevada Stout Grain Mustard sauce and herb Styrian Golding hop pesto."  With its complex and full-bodied flavors, the 2008 Gold World Beer Cup Award Winning American-Style Stout, Terminal Stout, from Rock Bottom Brewery in Chicago, was one of two beers chosen to accompany the fine swine.  The dynamic combination of the Stout and Swine turned out very fine.  After the fifth and final course found its way to your table, the Awards were ready to begin!  There were a total of 90 Beer Style Categories and each category generally had a Bronze, Silver and Gold Medal awarded.  I say "generally" because there were more than one category where there would be no Gold Medal awarded.  For a complete list of the 2010 World Beer Cup Winners, please follow this link: http://www.worldbeercup.org/winners.html.  Also, please keep your eyes open for our next blog article where we will go into more detail over the 2010 World Beer Cup Winners.

After all was said and drunk, the 27th Annual Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America, and the 2010 Brewers Association World Beer Cup, provided brewers, aspiring brewers, beer aficionados, bar owners and beer lovers, 96 hours of fantastic beer.