Resolutions v 2.0

I had a chance, on Monday, to try the Goose Island Clybourn Resolutions Stout on cask. As the beer was the subject of my last post, I thought I’d share my impressions with you. We’ll talk about something other than beer in my next post. I promise.

First though, if you’re curious about what “cask” beer means, Wikipedia has a nice article on it. So does All About Beer magazine. Both indicate there’s a possibility that a place advertising “cask-conditioned” beer is misrepresenting themselves. I don’t have the expertise to know for sure by looking at a beer, but I have no reason to doubt GIC or the brewers there.

For this post the most relevant information about cask beers is the fact that cask-conditioned are served warmer than draft beers and with substantially less carbonation.… Continue reading →

Resolutions: Coffee Beer and Coffee in the New Year

One of the best things about being a regular somewhere is getting to know the people at your local haunt. You learn that X bartender or barista is a bit of a nerd or Y server is an actor or Z cashier is also from your home state and would kill for some green chile1.

Yes, I’ve learned all of those things and more about various people who work at assorted places I am or have been a regular.

One of the other wonderful things about being a regular is that these same people get to know you a bit. They geek out with you over a Neil Gaiman book or swap recipes with you. Or, in the case of the junior brewers at Goose Island Clybourn (GIC), they slip you a sample of a then-soon-to-be-released coffee beer (Resolutions), and send you home with a bag of the coffee they made into that beer for your coffee-nerd husband.… Continue reading →

Tell Me About Your Heritage Places.

So, my last post touched on the idea of the Field Museum of Natural History being a piece of Chicago’s heritage, if not the whole world’s heritage. I’d like to expand on that idea a bit, because it’s one that fascinates me. But, more than that, I want to know about your places.

I think we all have some basic idea of what this means. Even if we couldn’t name a one, we all know there are designated World Heritage Sites, but I’m not sure how many of us know exactly what that means. I know I didn’t. I just had, and have had, a sense of the word “heritage” and places I’d consider part of my/our cultural heritage.

I also find “heritage” to be one of those words where I feel I know the meaning, but probably couldn’t give a good verbal definition if asked.… Continue reading →

The Field Museum Pissed Me Off. Thus, I’m Giving Them Money.

When I first read the Chicago Tribune article about the Field Museum of Natural History (the Field) cutting scientists, curators and scientific research, my first thought was, roughly, that I had not just signed up to be a member of this museum for the leadership to turn around and gut the place.

Yeah, I was pissed.

Later, I was saddened, and worried for some people I know personally who will be impacted, directly or indirectly, by this choice. I spent some time thinking about the impact the Field’s scientists and scientific programs have had on my scientific development and got a bit mopey. Then I got to thinking about how the Field figures prominently into my future plans for my beloved nieces and nephews…

I’m back to pissed.… Continue reading →