In heaven there is no beer
that’s why we drink it here (Right Here!)
and when it’s gone from here
All our friends will be drinking all our beer!
'Tis the season of Oktoberfest and you can’t have an Oktoberfest without that fermented beverage known as beer. Beer dates back to ancient Egypt when someone may have left the grain outside, it rained, it fermented, that someone drank it and soon realized its potential. OK, maybe that’s not exactly the way it happened, but however it came to be it has been enjoyed through the centuries by many different cultures, with Chicago’s first breweries dating back to 1833 with the arrival of German immigrants. After Prohibition the number of smaller, independent breweries in the city decreased as the “big boys" of beer established themselves in those “other cities” to the north and south of us.
These days, however, craft beer is having a resurgence in Chicago. Did you know that we have over 25 breweries/brewpubs in the city with more in the works? That’s a lot of beer! So head to your favorite watering hole, or neighborhood Oktoberfest, and try a local lager, ale, stout or porter. Or if you are the MYOB (Make Your Own Beer) type, join a homebrewing club like CHAOS or Square Kegs and your friends really will be drinking all your beer!
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