Bluebird Bistro & Wine Bar offers an impressive beer list.
photo: Steven Johnson
With gastropubs growing in popularity, more and more restaurants are showcasing impressive rosters of beer. Bucktown’s Bluebird Bistro & Wine Bar offers some 49 choices, divided by country of origin, on its menu, which also lists alcohol content and wine-worthy descriptions (“…with raisin, caramel-covered cherries and ripe peaches on the nose, finishes with toasted almonds and chocolate”). At Jerry’s in Wicker Park, you may even find the proverbial 99 bottles of beer on the wall. OK, about 85 – all North American – plus detailed descriptions, a glossary of beer-geek terminology and stats from www.ratebeer.com.
Add the recent debut of NoMI’s “library beer selection” – including bottle service of a vintage 2002 DeuS “Brut des Flandres” ($70 for a 750 ml bottle) and a 2006 Chimay Grand Reserve ($75 for a 1.5 liter bottle), both from Belgium – and it’s clear that beer is fast becoming the next trendy tipple. Bottoms up!
– Alice Van Housen