Ted Perez
Founder of the Evanston Homebrew Club

Favorite breweries: Tough question! With over 300 breweries in the state, I know there’s always a brewery that I haven’t been to yet and looking forward to discovering. My most recent visits have been to, in no particular order: Off Color Brewing, Dovetail Brewery, Begyle Brewing, Half Acre Beer Co., Spiteful Brewing, Alarmist Brewing, is/was, Demo Brewing Co., Old Irving Brewing and Double Clutch Brewing Co.

Drinking tendencies: I’m a huge fan of the classic pale ale. For me, starting out as a homebrewer, Bell’s Two Hearted has been the gold standard for flavor, color and aroma for this style. This iconic beer is brewed and dry hopped with 100 percent Centennial hops. While its recipe is simple, it remains a crisp, refreshing example to this day.

I also love cream ales. I have a soft spot for New Glarus‘ Spotted Cow. My brother lives in Wauwatosa, so I’ll stop by Woodman’s or Mars Cheese Castle on the way home to grab myself a case of Spotted Cow bottles.

Sketchbook’s Honeybird is a refreshingly delicious amber ale with honey and Thai holy basil. … A wonderful accompaniment to summer barbecues.

Recent beers that have caught your eye: I was recently in Tokyo, Japan for the American Craft Beer Experience, and I was liking what some of the Japanese craft brewers were up to. In particular: Nagisa Brewing‘s Mikan Ale and Nomcraft‘s Octopus King Dip Hop IPA.

What are you looking forward to enjoying on draft this spring/summer: I’m looking forward to Sketchbook‘s seasonal release of Honeybird, the honey basil ale. Full disclosure, it was one of my homebrew recipes that Sketchbook refined and scaled up. It is a refreshingly delicious amber ale with honey and Thai holy basil. It has soft honey and malt notes, wonderful aromatics, and hints of mint and pepper. A wonderful accompaniment to summer barbecues.

Favorite beer bar in Illinois: My favorites are Hopleaf in Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood and Monk’s Pub in Chicago’s Loop. Hopleaf has an amazing Belgian (and American craft) beer selection, and the food is amazing. Monk’s has a solid beer program as well, and amazing burgers. Both places have a friendly and knowledgeable staff too.

Monk’s Pub in Chicago’s Loop has a solid beer program and amazing burgers. A friendly and knowledgeable staff too.

Best brewery you’ve hit on vacation: Our family does spring break on St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. One of the breweries I enjoy visiting there is Leatherback Brewing. Aside from delicious offerings, such as their Island Life lager and the Mango Beach Bash (fruited sour), they have a strong sustainability mission. They donate their spent grains to local farmers for feed, mulching and composting. They also are spearheading the “Show Your Island Love” initiative, getting the public to recycle aluminum cans. Additionally, both of their breweries (St. Thomas and St. Croix) are planning to be completely solar powered and off-grid.

Leatherback Brewing

If you’re in Wakayama, Japan, please go visit Nomcraft Brewing in Aridagawa. Brewer and owner, Adam Baran, hails from Chicago, and it was great to meet him at his brewery. Located in a former nursery school, their brewery is nestled among picturesque Wakayama mikan (a type of satsuma or mandarin orange) orchards with a backdrop of surrounding mountains that cover a great deal of Wakayama prefecture. They had several delicious offerings I was able to take home and sample: Octopus King Dip Hop IPA, Shark Snack fruited sour and their solid American IPA.

If you’re in Japan, go visit Nomcraft Brewing in Aridagawa. Brewer and owner, Adam Baran, hails from Chicago, and the brewery is nestled among picturesque orchards with a backdrop of surrounding mountains.

While you’re in Wakayama, make sure to visit Nagisa Beer in Shirahama. Opened in November 1996 by Manabe Kazuya, it is considered the first of Japanese craft brewery. He still brews, and I was fortunate to meet and chat with him when I visited and enjoyed a flight of their delicious, award-winning beers. I particularly enjoyed their mikan ale, made with local Wakayama mikan.

Secret beer spot: While not too secret for those in the north burbs, I enjoy grabbing a beer and sitting on the Sketchbook Brewing Company patio in Skokie and watching the world go by.