Category > Beer Run!
The Blind Pig in downtown Champaign is one of the premier beer drinking establishments in the Midwest, let alone in Champaign-Urbana. Bartender Jason Ewing, who has served up drafts at the Blind Pig since it opened its doors in 2004, delivers the brews to patrons in a friendly demeanor. Jason, age 35, regularly addresses his customers as "doctor" or "professor," and creates a pleasant drinking atmosphere by rocking deep funk and soul jams through the bars speakers during his …
On a recent visit to Piccadilly, I noticed Schlitz six-packs prominently displayed with a number of other newly-arrived, quality, American craft beers. This caught my eye for a few reasons. First, Schlitz usually isn't displayed with quality craft brews. Second, I haven't seen a sixer of Schlitz bottles in years. And third, the packaging seemed a little different. I picked up a bottle to have a closer look and discovered, according to the label on the bottle, that I …
Yesterday, I posted the first half of my conversation with Tom Sheehan, bartender extraordinaire at the Esquire Lounge, and residing Champaign-Urbana beer expert. Today, part two of that interview, where Sheehan expounds on Illinois alcohol laws and the local beer culture, among other topics. Smile Politely: That consistency isn’t as important on the craft level. It’s not necessarily a goal at that level. Speaking of Flossmoor, what’s been your career with beer? (Photo by Tracy Popp)
Whenever the topic of beer comes up at local watering holes, the name Tom Sheehan is frequently mentioned as the man you really need to talk to if you want to talk about beer. Tom, age 46, was one of the prime players in helping Champaign-Urbana becoming the oasis of quality beer that it is today. His encyclopedic knowledge of beer is ever impressive. Currently, Tom can be found bartending at the Esquire Lounge in downtown Champaign. Tom sat …
In this edition of “B-double E-double R-U-N, Beer Run,” I’m featuring two of the more comfortable and homey bars in downtown Champaign: Bentley’s Pub and Mike ‘N Molly’s.
Champaign-Urbana really is a beer enthusiast’s paradise. Though C-U lacks its own brewery, beer drinkers have virtually hundreds of quality beers to choose from at the local watering holes. Many of the area bars make a concerted effort to provide their customers with a worthy variety of North American craft and choice European beers on tap and in bottles. What’s even better is that a number of bars bring in new selections on a regular basis. In this monthly …
Most Recent Food Comments
Glad you asked Stuart. In the 1950s (well before they were approved for human use) poultry producers began using subtherapeutic doses of quinolone antibiotics, specifically fluroquinolone, to reduce the incidence of respiratory disease in overcrowded production conditions. In humans, quinolones are a last line of defense antibiotic…
Hah! Good one, Joel. But my question was a serious one. I only buy eggs from a couple of local organic farmers, so I never thought about antibiotic-free eggs. I’m assuming that Anna meant the hen was not fed antibiotics, but am not wholly sure. I’m…
That sounds like a setup to a joke at a CSA’s annual banquet. Q: “How can you tell an antibiotic-free egg?“ A: “It just can’t seem to get rid of that cough.“ /shows self out
I love eating Vietnamese food, and having growing up my entire life eating it, I was excited to go. I really wanted to like this place because of all of the hype I had heard——unfortunately, I was sorely disappointed. I got the pho (vietnamese soup) and thought…
Kaiyo was decent for a sushi buffet, but it definitely isn’t as good as KO fusion. I thought it was better than any sushi I’ve ever had at a chinese buffet, but was not as good as my least favorite sushi item at KO fusion. However, I…
What is an antibiotic-free egg? And how can you tell?
Great article. I’ve always found that by making it in the blender, I can be my typical impatient self and pour tons of oil in at once. It’s very forgiving that way, though not fool proof.
I like Kaiyo A LOT, but at Sushi Kame (next to the art theatre) you can get an absolute shitload of good sushi, plus miso, and a bit of noodles in a vineagar cucumber salad for $21, and you know it was made just for you. I…
Nice article, Emily! When I get to the CU area, I’ll be sure to give this place a try.
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If the democrats didn’t have Kucinich, and the republicans didn’t have Ron Paul, where would both these parties really stand? These men actually mean what they say.
Joel, thank you for the opportunity to answer these questions and have them posted here. I really appreciate it! Yes, I was thrilled to see that Rep. Kucinich flipped today, so he will has committed to voting yes for health reform. I appreciated his comments which seem…
It appears to me that your reviewer did all that could be expected: she paid her money, saw the play and conveyed her impressions. The review (on the whole, laudatory) may have been rushed, in a generous attempt to publicize the production while it was still available…
Dan Schreiber’s chocolate is simply the best I’ve ever had. It’s a whole different ball-game; closer to very high-end wine than anything out of Hershey PA.
That settles it… Im going.
Vosges is pretty decent chocolate, but you should definitely try the locally-produced chocolate from Dan Schreiber, available (regularly?) at Amara, Caffe Paradiso, and Common Ground. I believe it is or will be at other places soon.
I read Kucinich flipped today. He must have read this and been convinced.
Bread Company can do some fantastic vegan dinner dishes! Several of their pastas are vegan or could be made vegan and their pizzas can be ordered (and taste great) without the cheese. I also recommend their roasted potatoes and their roasted garlic head appetizer.
General Admission? Are we supposed to camp out the night before the game to get decent seats?
I wonder with Griffey if he’s not in game shape enough to play a significant number of minutes. If you look at his minutes played this year, he’s never played a starters minutes.
I really appreciated Ms. Lennhoff’s candid answers to the questions. I learned a lot about health care reform from this experience. Thanks CCHCC!
Glad you asked Stuart. In the 1950s (well before they were approved for human use) poultry producers began using subtherapeutic doses of quinolone antibiotics, specifically fluroquinolone, to reduce the incidence of respiratory disease in overcrowded production conditions. In humans, quinolones are a last line of defense antibiotic…
Hah! Good one, Joel. But my question was a serious one. I only buy eggs from a couple of local organic farmers, so I never thought about antibiotic-free eggs. I’m assuming that Anna meant the hen was not fed antibiotics, but am not wholly sure. I’m…
That sounds like a setup to a joke at a CSA’s annual banquet. Q: “How can you tell an antibiotic-free egg?“ A: “It just can’t seem to get rid of that cough.“ /shows self out
First off did you read the wired magazine article I posted? You should. Second, WAS!? HAhahaaha. What, we aren’t being spied on right now. Its not legal anymore? Obama didn’t just re-authorize the patriot act? Semi-mythical deep packet inspection devices. Semi-mythical deep packet inspection devices. Semi mythical…
I was all set to pounce on this, but it’s the truth. There used to be bands in town I was afraid of, like I’d have a heart attack during their set. There are still some great bands, but they’re pretty and dainty and low in cholesterol. …
I love eating Vietnamese food, and having growing up my entire life eating it, I was excited to go. I really wanted to like this place because of all of the hype I had heard——unfortunately, I was sorely disappointed. I got the pho (vietnamese soup) and thought…
Kaiyo was decent for a sushi buffet, but it definitely isn’t as good as KO fusion. I thought it was better than any sushi I’ve ever had at a chinese buffet, but was not as good as my least favorite sushi item at KO fusion. However, I…
What is an antibiotic-free egg? And how can you tell?
Great article. I’ve always found that by making it in the blender, I can be my typical impatient self and pour tons of oil in at once. It’s very forgiving that way, though not fool proof.
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Bread Company can do some fantastic vegan dinner dishes! Several of their pastas are vegan or could be made vegan and their pizzas can be ordered (and taste great) without the cheese. I also recommend their roasted potatoes and their roasted garlic head appetizer.