Susan for President barreled peach brandy from Koval Distillery
Lager from Dovetail Brewery
Hopewell‘s bright, airy taproom in Logan Square feels more like a cafe than a bar (and even has Ipsento nitro coffee on tap), so it’s probably not a coincidence that my favorite of the company’s beers is called Cold Brew and tastes just like iced coffee. Though it’s not sweet, the beer has zero bitterness and some very appealing milk chocolate undertones, making it one of the smoothest-drinking coffee beers I’ve had. It’s a seasonal offering that isn’t currently on the menu but will return in the spring.
Bourbon-Barrel-Aged Gingerbread Imperial Stout at the Tasting Room at Moody Tongue
When I set out to interview bartender Julia Momose about how she uses feni—a spirit from India distilled from cashew fruit—in cocktails at GreenRiver and the adjoining bar Annex in the Gold Coast, I was surprised by the level of enthusiasm she expressed for a spirit that she said smelled like acetone. At the time she’d recently retired one feni-based cocktail but developed another, the Carnivale Queen (currently on the GreenRiver menu). Feni can be difficult to work with, but Momose balanced out its aggressive flavors perfectly with Chareau (an aloe vera liqueur infused with cucumber, muskmelon, and spearmint), pistachio orgeat, Aperol, lime juice, and cinnamon. v
