- It’s surprisingly difficult to photograph a bottle with a metallic label in the sun.
I wrote about Chicago botanical brewers Forbidden Root in August 2013, when they made what I’m pretty sure was just their second festival appearance at the Oak Park Micro Brew & Food Review. About four months ago the brewery finally hit retail shelves, shipping 12-ounce four-packs of Sublime Ginger and Shady Character, and a little more than a month later Forbidden Root’s namesake beer joined them. The Forbidden Root brewpub, which will occupy the former home of a theater at 1746 W. Chicago, plans to open its doors early this summer (if not in late May).
Heavy Petal smells confoundingly complex, with a vaguely floral, mulchy aspect that puts me in mind of the Palm House at Lincoln Park Conservatory (except without the fertilizer—I’m not trying to make anything sound gross). I have a hard time teasing out specific, identifiable fragrances from this jungly richness, but I’ll give it a go: chicory coffee, green citrus, crushed leaves, lemon zest, plant wax, dry-roasted pecans, and bitter chocolate.
- Heavy Petal’s lovely label helps it look a little less Whole Foods-y than Forbidden Root’s other bottles.
Forbidden Root has shipped maybe 200 cases of Heavy Petal, which adds up to about 2,400 bottles; each should cost $16 to $18, depending on the retailer, making this not just a special beer but also a special-occasion beer. Unless you’re pulling down a lot more money than I do, I guess, which admittedly isn’t setting the bar very high.
