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With every great beer, comes great snacks.  We all know you have to have a little salt with beer.  It’s a rule of sorts.

Along with that, there are foods where it’s just better if you have beer.  (For all my non-beer drinking friends, I apologize, but it’s true)  These foods include pizza, duh, and tacos, hot dogs, fish and chips and ruebens .  Pretzels, shell-on peanuts and some cheeses…particularly flavorful spread cheeses. 

I have a great affinity for popcorn. Homemade popcorn especially but I have had many a bag of microwave popcorn.  I could probably do a review of microwave popcorn even.  I also love cheese popcorn, but find it’s not a great beer snack. I mean, it’s okay but it’s really better with a soda I think.  A few years ago I was introduced to the Chicago mix.  Cheese and caramel.  Oh my goodness.  Now, I don’t particular care for caramel corn on its own…too sweet…but with the cheese, goodness.

A quick trip to Costco will allow you to snag a big ol’ bag of cheese caramel Chicago mix corn from G.H. Cretors who claims on their bag to have been founded in 1885 and particiapted in the Columbia Exposition ~ can you say Devil in the White City.  That may be awesomely true, but it’s the perfect mix of cheese popcorn with the gently sweet and soft caramel corn that really earns a thumbs up. It’s really good.  It’s just not right with beer.  

There’s a well known popcorn company named Garrett’s in Chicago that produces some great mix, too. I think it’s been open since the mid 1940’so  and when they are popping it fresh, it’s hard to resist. 

It really will be sping soon and next week I am going to look at a few brews that are labeled as spring seasonal.  Usually a bit light for my taste, but I'm going try and find one I like!

I get by with a little help!

We had this fairly important soiree at my work last week and had made plans with a local college for their culinary department to manage the food.  Now, they did a bang up job...but we feared it was a little "light" and made a few frantic calls to local restaurants to see if they could help out with some appetizers.  We ran in to a couple of no answers, seeing that it was 2:00 and after most lunches, and hit the charm with call #3 to Benny's in Michigan City, IN

Managing a huge vegetable tray with some fresh cut vegies and a mega bowl of dip and about a million meatballs, the owner and stud of Benny's, Jon delivered to our door.  What a sweet young man, polite and as handsome as can be.  We were so pleased with what they did for us!

When hubs and I were finishing up our week I suggested we go to Benny's to try their pizza, which I had heard good things about, and return the mega bowl.  We walked in to a quiet Friday evening, sat at the bar, talked a bit with Jon and got some history of Benny's.  Jon has been around for about 15 years so knows his Benny's history. His brother Rob was behind the bar and mentioned the lake perch all you can eat special.  So much for pizza.  They also had Bell's Amber on tap so we were good to go.

Bell's will be a topic of a future blog...dedicated to all it's loveliness...this blog will be about the perch.  Now, there's a couple things about Benny's that maybe should be mentioned.  It is all non-smoking.  It's been there for a long time...so it could handle some updating and if you sit where we did, well, you can get some scary looks into the dishwashing area of the kitchen.  Serious fright.  We sat at the bar you know...left side.  Jon sat next to us for a bit until one of the locals, a regular, came in and politely asked if someone was sitting there, as Jon's coat was on the back of the chair.   Jon replied it was just him, he was finishing his dinner and of course he could have that seat.  This guy was not as good looking as Jon, but I was okay with him sitting next to me...he was very nice. 

The guy approved of our ordering perch, and he did as well although we had fried and he chose sauteed.  Ours was perfect.  I mean perfect...had that great buttery taste, crispy but not coated, just dusted with flour.  The fries were good...hubs enjoyed the cole slaw.  It was all you can eat so we asked for a second serving of perch, which came quickly on a small plate of four fillets.  The guy's plate, to be honest, looked a little better than mine, not that there was anything wrong with mine.  He had a baked potato though and corn instead of cole slaw.  He had salad, which looked fresh and crunchy and we had opted for cream of broccoli soup, which was very good.  The guy smiled at his plate and told me no one does perch as good as Benny's.  I have to say I have not had any better. 

We had a second Bell's and started chatting with the guy.  He was interesting and intelligent.  He has been retired for a couple of years and mentioned his wife and family.  I am not sure why he was eating on Friday night by himself but I didn't sense any drama.  He was a nice man and an example of why I like to eat at the bar.  While we chatted, the place started filling up with a boisterous younger crowd.  I think I heard billiards or something going on but I'll be honest and say I didn't look around much.  

Benny's is outdated and a bit ho hum in appearance inside and out but those guys are trying to do everything they can to be your spot.  It's comfortable and the non-smoking is a real plus.  I think we'll try it for breakfast sometime...I hear they have a great Bloody Mary.  http://www.bennysmichigancity.com/

Go Figure

After a little shopping trip to our neighboring city, we stopped in at their local brew pub to check out their beer offerings and their food.

Figure 8 is located downtown Valparaiso, Indiana and boasts a terrific corner location on the southwest corner of their town square.  Their town square has always been lively and a vital part of their city.  Known also as a dining mecca...I'm not 100% sold on that particular view, but, whatever.  They do a lot of things right in Valparaiso.

The first difference you might notice with Figure 8 is it's brightly lit space.  I mean, it's bright, like drug store bright.  It is kind of a nice deviation from the psuedo industrial spaces that seem to be the theme for brew pubs.  I liked it.  They have a bit of a system when bringing two menus to your table...vinyl sleeves trimmed in red for beer, trimmed in black for food.  Straightforward.  Liked it.

Now, the sandwiches...and they have more to offer food wise than any of the others I've reviewed so far...and named after rock climbing things.  Okay, that's cute.  Figure 8 has something to do with that sport as well but I'm not sure what, to be honest.  But, hey, it's okay to have a theme.  Hubs started with a bowl of soup, a hearty Potato Brat.  Interesting spin and it was tasty.  Maybe a bit long in the pot as the potatoes were mush but still had good flavor and I'm sure some people like their potato soup that way.  It could have used a bit more brat, but overall it was pleasant. 

Now the sandwiches have these names right? But, they are traditional sandwiches, maybe served on a different bread or bun.  I had corn beef, sauer kraut, swiss cheese and thousand island dressing which I am pretty sure in anyone's book is a rueben but they called it Redpoint. They offered a couple other dressings other than thousand island but I went all in traditional.  Hubs had an italian beef, straight up but called some rock climbing thing which we can't remember.  Both were good...not fantastic, not horrible.  Good. We didn't have dessert, but they have a few. 

Beer. They had about 12 to 16 to choose from.  Their standards and the special or seasonal brews.  I was pretty sure I was going to have Raven Tor, which is an oatmeal stout, with my rueben but I wanted to taste a couple others.  Very accommodating...$1 per 2 ounce taste.  I tried the Dogma Dubbel, which I tried because of the name and ending up liking it quite a lot.  Hubs and I and some old friends shared an inside joke over the word "dogma" and so, I just had to taste it but the description included lots of fruit notes.  Although I'm not much of a fan of fruity beers I liked it.  Would like it in summer.  If you aren't much of a beer drinker, this would be a good choice.

The other one I tried and it was just okay was called Belly Pat ~ listed as the winner of the employee brew contest, a pale ale.  I looked forward to it but thought it fell a bit short, was kind of "meh".  The Raven Tor, which was the pint I ordered, was very good.

Figure 8 was pleasant, efficient, bright and adequate.  We weren't wowed by anything but would think of it if we were in the mood to go somewhere a bit further out, or were in Valpo for shopping or something.  I did really like our server and wish I could tell you his name.  He just made me feel good.  www.figure8brewing.com

It is a small world.

Did ya wonder where I was? Did ya wonder why I said there would be an update on Sundays but last week there wasn't? It's alright if you didn't wonder, didn't check, didn't miss me or even consider me missing...but I was.

I left my snow encased abode and traveled south to the land of sunshine ~ daughter, SNL and two grandchildren in tow, to visit Mickey and the other rodents and mammals of his kingdom.  It was grand, I tell ya, just grand although it was colder than one would prefer when traveling south at this time of year.

We had a big time, thanks in large part to the help of a sister in law who happens to also be a Disney beast, I mean, employee.  She helped with rooms and recommendations.  We also partook of the Disney Dining Plan, which I don't care what any one might say...it's so totally worth it because it forces you to actually eat something other than park food or fast food while you are there, and Disney is well known for its food options.  It can also force you in to a schedule, which some might not like but schedules have benefits and good eatin' is one of them.

Such is Raglan Road at Downtown Disney...my review of the week.  We dined there in fine fashion on Wednesday evening.  Had a beer I had never had before, which was the publican special that day ~ Maduro Oatmeal Brown Ale.  It was tasty with the fish n' chips.  That's what I use as a benchmark when I visit places that serve and boast fish n' chips.  Then wow me.   This particular serving was fine...not the best but certainly not the worst I have had.  The Irish step dancers were a treat as well.  A little loud in there for casual conversation but  a fun spot.  You should go.  Before you go, check out beersandears.net a blog about beers available at Disney...and there are lots and lots of 'em.

The other people in our party seemed to really enjoy the food and the atmosphere also.  SNL had what he called one of the best steaks he had ever had.  Hubs and daughter enjoyed a hearty beef stew.  The menu offers a lot of things we didn't try at our table as we were a fish n' chips crowd ~ but other tables seemed to be quite satisfied with their meals, and all were toe tapping a bit.

You should go to Disney if you have never been, and you should go if you haven't been to any of the resorts or the dining opportunities at the parks and resorts.  Teppan Edo in Japan in EPCOT? Superb.  Seriously good. 

But, our main reason for visiting Disney this year was not for the food or beer, nor necessarily even  for the rodent..it was for the princesses.  I have a princess you know...my 4 year old granddaughter.  She was made over into a princess at Disney and came face to face with her favorites at a "character" breakfast...the look on her face was like nothing I have ever seen and hope never to forget.  It was a spectacular week. 

A trip into the city.

Son and fiance just got a new place in a nice neighborhood north of the loop.  We had a load of stuff to take up, wanted to see their place and of course, stop in to get a beer. 

Chicago hosts quite a few breweries.  Not quite one on every corner, but getting there.  We stopped in at Half Acre because, well, it was just down the street from the new apartment, not because we planned it. 

Half Acre has a small tap room and do beer. Beer. Not food.  Not servers.  Beer, go up and order it, try to find a place to sit and stand if you can't.  It was a cold day in Chicago and the tap room was crowded.   Unlike some other brew spots, no one under 21 and there was a friendly door guy checking IDs.

I couldn't decide what to try and so future daughter in law and I agreed on a flight.  They had a pretty short list but they do brew a LOT of beers throughout the year.  We tried four and both decided the Hearths Aglow was our preference.  A stout, and very smooth.  To be honest, the other three were pretty ho hum in my book and I couldn't tell you now what the names were. 

Definitely a trendy spot, with young and older male and female.  A small room with limited seating and a store next door.  They have the store figured out buddy, and seem to turn a lot of merchandise over in that place, which you can enter through the tap room or off the street.   

Half Acre also has growlers in both 64 ounce and 32 ounce.  It appears they refill only their own growlers.  They also have kegs of their brews with advance notice, which is pretty nice for the area especially as this neighborhood is filled with young professionals and they tend to be in to micro breweries it seems. 

I have to admit I am getting a bit tired of seeing exposed brick and duct work.  Half Acre is a little different in that it is brighter in the tap room and only leans toward the super industrial look.  People were friendly, having a good time with their clientele who seemed to be having a good time on a very brisk afternoon.  As mentioned, Half Acre does not "do" food but since they are located in an area with many small eateries, they invite you to bring in food from a neighboring business and have take out menus for many of them upon asking.  That's kind of neat. 

While I am talking about a Half Acre, though, I must mention Wild Goose, on the corner.  We stopped there for lunch and found it to be pretty good...with reasonable prices, an efficient staff, a good and spicy Bloody Mary and a hefty beer selection of its own.  Also, apparently into Guinness and scotch.  Like Half Acre, really nice to have in the neighborhood but not a destination. 

The little brewery that could...Greenbush

As some of you know, hubs works in Michigan and will sometimes come in with information on a place we should go or something we should try.  We've gone to a few places as a result, but sometimes, he's just so happy to get home that going back up to Michigan on a weekend is not on his list.  Not that there is anything wrong with Michigan!

One of his suggestions was Greenbush in Sawyer....he had heard a few things and wanted to give it a go.  I like Sawyer and the Garden Center; planning to visit both would be a good "day trip".  Back then,  it was easy to find a table and we enjoyed a couple of beer choices.  We did not order a "flight" or sampler of six or so beers, although, looking back we should have and next time I go, I think I shall. Our waitress was a sweet red head who happened to be the granddaughter of the government teacher at our local high school.  She was charming and provided us with a nice history of the brewery and the upcoming remodeling.

Back to the beer.  Greenbush opened in this small community, next door to a popular restaurant and in front of a more popular garden center, on the "main drag".  Already different than Three Floyds in the industrial park, Greenbush set their eyes on a small batch goal and would have considered themselves successful if they had met a 300 barrel production their first year.  They had a great marketing plan in place, a great location and a great product.  They hit over 2500 barrels that first year, 2010, and haven't looked back or slowed the pace. 

A small location, Greenbush was undergoing an expansion that first time there and would be adding more seating.  The decor is very cute, a kind of industrial vibe and a nice view of the busy brewing area.  It's energetic, loud and fun.  Family friendly ~ although I'm sure there are better locations for the kiddies, they are welcome.  We were there recently, on a Saturday evening in the freezing cold, and had to wait about 45 minutes for a table.  Standing outside was not an option, so we were a little crowded in front of the merchandise display...which is extensive...but, we could have beers, we were with my son and his fiance, so we enjoyed ourselves, even though standing.  We were given attention by the staff and soon we were seated at a high top in front of the windows. 

Like Three Floyds,  they aren't there for the food.  However, the food they do is done very well.  Our first time, they had four sandwiches on the menu.  I thought that brilliant...a beef, a ham, a turkey and a grilled cheese.  I wasn't hungry the first time but hubs had the the beef and reported it to be very good.  I did, however, fall in LOVE with the blue cheese and bacon dip and chips.  Wowzer.   Great with beer.  A lot of folks also love the pretzels and cheese, and they offer pulled pork and brisket on the weekends; still a small menu which is absolutely fine by me, it's a brewery not a restaurant.  Anyway, you'll see folks standing outside in the warmer weather, waiting for a table.  In fact, they were so crowded on a recent fall "drive by" that we didn't even stop but went on to somewhere else.

So, which beer? Greenbush offers a great seasonal selection and a solid regular rotation.  We've tried quite a few as have been to Greenbush a few times now.  You can also find them on tap at other bars and restaurants in the area if you are lucky and ask!  Retribution is always good.  As for something a bit lighter Dunegras is good, and one of their most popular brews.  I have spelled it correctly but don't have the little double dot thing over the "a".  Brother Ben is the one, I'm telling you, for a serious pint of good beer.  A bit high on the alcohol content, a great pint.  I've heard good reviews of Red Bud, but have only had a sip of it myself, and well, if you go for the black IPAs, you'll find a nice option in Anger. 

Greenbush has continued to develop quite a following and have added a bottling process just recently.  Yay! That is good news for you, me and all those folks from Illinois who stop in at Greenbush as a regular habit when coming our way.  I appreciate something Scott Sullivan, the owner, said in a recent article when asked if he considers Greenbush a "Chicago brewery".  He responded that he enjoys and respects their history and reputation with their Chicago base and continue to have great representation there, but he is a Michigan brewer.  Give Greenbush in Sawyer a try ~ expect great beer.  greenbushbrewing.com

Three Floyds

The first stop on our tour is Three Floyds in Munster, Indiana.  Located in an industrial park much like those in many cities ~ nothing particularly special about the site. 

Three Floyds has a couple of very popular brews ~ Gumball Head, Robert the Bruce, Pride and Joy for example.  Gumball Head is a favorite of my extended family and I have had quite a few bottles, and even a keg on the 4th of July...which was superb I must say. 

Husband and I visited Three Floyds on a quiet and cold Saturday afternoon.  The place was packed, especially with visitors from Illinois.  Three Floyds is not huge by any stretch, and they do not have a "waiting" area for those of us wishing for a seat.  We stood outside in a chilly vestibule with other visitors ~ a family of four, which included the mom and dad, just a bit younger than us,  their son and his girlfriend.  The girlfriend was vivacious, fun, mentioned she worked in a bar herself and was adorable.  Even with her very false eyelashes.  The other was a quiet couple, pretty much keeping to themselves.  The deal at Three Floyds was to give your cell phone # to the door guy and he would call you when he had a table for you.  

Music blasted...sort of a hard metal/punk rock thing. It was loud, even in the freezing vestibule.  I guess, since the door guy had our cell phone, we could have walked back to the car, but we chose to stand and wait with these other folks.  Soon, the couple got a call.  Well, there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with that, does there? Except in the vestibule is a window into the bar area and a view of just a bit of the restaurant side.  Mom from Illinois notes couple arrived after them, and just got seated at a four top table in the bar.  She was not happy and stomped in to the door guy to let him know she was not happy.  Turns out, she says upon her return, that the door guy knew the couple.  I thought they might be waiting a long time for the next table, but within just moments, they were called.

So now, hubs and I are in the vestibule alone, shivering.  Pretty soon, a young woman comes in...I think we would say she was a hipster.  She had the prettiest  red lipstick on a perfect bow mouth.  She was joined by an attractive young man, wearing all black and Chuck Taylor shoes, a red wool hat pulled low and just so over his left eye, and a bit higher over his right eye.  Above his right eye, was a fringe of black bangs.  He was a cutie and very friendly.  He and this young woman needed to have their picture taken against the dark chalkboard, considering their touches of red.  I pondered this for quite a long time. 

Anyway, once we got inside, I looked the beer menu over which listed about 10 different options of Three Floyds and several "guest" brews, took in the sights of tatoos and black t-shirts, hoodies and jeans and went right for Zombie Dust as an order to our crew cut sporting waiter named David. 

I really liked it.  Hoppy...which means you get a strong taste of those wheat, flower head looking things they use to make beer.  Hops is a fast growing grain, and also can grow in a variety of climates, so you see a lot of small breweries growing their own hops.  We'll talk more about that in a future post

He tried BackMasking...it was also good, a dark beer with a pretty strong hop and that's kind of unusual.  I liked it as well.  I like dark beers as a preference, really, but so does hubs at times, so I let him choose that one.  Don't take that as meaning I didn't care for Zombie Dust because I did!

But, at Three Floyds...the french fries were possibly our favorite thing. Oh my goodness..hand cut fries that are drizzled in an herb butter.  Three Floyds is not a restaurant and don't advertise themselves as one.  They do have a couple sandwiches and appetizers, but those french fries? Awesome.  Our waiter, David, was maybe my second favorite thing...friendly but not fakey,  with good advice on beers, food and a mexican restaurant recommendation.  Of course, my favorite thing everywhere is talking to new people and hearing their stories.  We had a great time. 

Drive over to Munster for a taste.  Remember the vestibule is COLD and the wait can be long.  You can sign up for a tour and are guaranteed a table if you take it.  On our way out, we stopped in clean restrooms, and I ran into the girlfriend, with the eyelashes, and we then looked up their table.  They were having a great time, watching an old samuri movie projected on to the wall.  We wished them well, thanked them for the tips they gave us while sharing the cold space. 

Going beyond!

Well, hey everybody! Where has the time gone? It's been months since I've posted but that does not mean that I haven't been doing anything...I have, and now is the time to be back on it.

So...to shorthand it ~ Thanksgiving was great, Christmas was superb, we've gotten past New Year's and there's some big football game coming up.  I finished at the lower end of my fantasy football league but still had a good time.

I have added a description to the blog title...views and reviews.  Since the window was an early theme, and my view from it, I wanted to keep the title...but also open it up a bit.  This is where you come in...facebook has been my friend in the past but its so unfriendly anymore when it comes to posting updates in a sensible fashion that I know a lot of my previous readers weren't seeing when I posted there was a new blog entry.  You have to like my blog itself ... become a follower, please, and pass it along.   If you do link to it from facebook, that's cool as it will let your friends know.  I promise not to beg you to follow me, but, I hope you will.

I am changing my focus on my blog posts a bit going forward. One of the things I've discovered about myself in the past year is my enjoyment of trying new food, new beers, new wines, and new spots to do all of the above.  I live outside of a of a big city, so there is plenty of the aforementioned, and while I am not kidding myself as to who reads this blog and who doesn't, I do look forward to expanding the audience a bit.

I am establishing a small group of women to aid my views and reviews.  We will go to breweries, wineries, eateries and pubs and will update you as to what we learned.  We're not in our 20s so we are not talking about going out and getting blasted...and sometimes, we might stay in.  I have an idea of 5 or 6 for a core group but it may be more and certainly different backgrounds, and there may be guests from time to time that accompany me ~ let me know if you are interested.  I also hope to do more traveling this year and beyond so I hope to add outside of my region information as well. 

My posts will update on Sundays and first up is Three Floyds...look for it next Sunday!

I hope you will continue to read the blog as the focus changes somewhat ~ I am still searching for the black pencil skirt so you might hear more about that, too!  I do hope to see you out and about, on the road and maybe, just maybe, sitting across the table from me.  I know not everyone loves and appreciates beer, wine and food...but everyone enjoys great company and conversation, right?