I recently read, in CAMRA BEER Spring 2022, an article by Matthew Curtis about cask ale in the USA, and very interesting it is too but, sadly, only available to CAMRA members, presumably unless you buy a copy from them. Anyway, it took me back to 1998, when I visited Chicago to deliver a paper to a social science conference at the impressive Palmer House Hilton. On the Saturday I had sufficient free time to visit Goose Island for the afternoon. Goose Island is a brewpub, which is now owned by one of the biggie brewers, AB InBev, but it still brews in Chicago, and since 2018 has had a brewpub in what has become a very fashionable part of East London too (website).
Goose Island, Shoreditch Huigh Street E1
Anyway, back to Chicago, and before I had flown out I was provided with local information from a friend who was married to a lass from nearby in Illinois, and I was very happy with my visit to Goose Island (website). There were quite a number of excellent real ales brewed on the premises, and all types of English styles: IPA, Extra Special Bitter, Porter, Stout, Best Bitter, they had the lot, and very nice they were too! The only error I made there was to order 'chips' with my burger ("How would you like your burger?" was a surprise question too) and being given crisps, oh well, a learning experience. I also found out you could get their beers bottle-conditioned, indeed, I drank a few bottles of their Honkers back at the Palmer House that evening, also very nice. Although this was another learning experience, they DO like their beer ice cold out in the USA, the Honkers was dragged out of a sink full of icy water! 😄
Fat Cat & Kelham Island Brewery
Anyway, I do need to get to Shoreditch some time soon, although I expect prices will be very high, but it has to be done for old times sake. 😉 Oh yes, and Mr Curtis said he drank an ale in the USA brewed by Hogshead (website), which reminded him of Kelham Island Pale Rider, which was "one of the first in the UK to feature" Cascade hops. Now, when I was up at university in Sheffield, and worked part-time at Kelham Island Brewery (website) up to about 20 years ago, I remember brewing Pale Rider with Willamette hops... Did they use Cascade in the early days, or do they use them now? I do not know, but am visiting Sheffield soon, so shall make a point of asking.
Memories, cheers!
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