The 23rd annual FoBAB returns to Chicago’s Credit Union 1 Arena Nov. 7-8

North America’s largest and most prestigious wood and barrel-aged beer festival is back for an impressive 23rd year, consisting of two different in-person tasting sessions — Friday, Nov. 7 (6-10 p.m.) and Saturday, Nov. 8 (1-5 p.m.) — at Credit Union 1 Arena in Chicago (525 S. Racine).

Festival attendees will have the opportunity to sample hundreds of barrel-aged beers, ciders, meads and perries across 13 style categories:

• Strong Porter & Stout
• Specialty Strong Porter & Stout
• Barleywine/Wheatwine
• Blended Beer
• Other Pale Beer
• Lagers
• Other Dark Beer
• Fruit Beer
• Specialty & Experimental Beer
• Wild Beer-Brett
• Wild Beer-Mixed Culture/Acidic
• Wild Beer-Mixed Culture/Acidic with Fruit
• Cider/Perry Mead

Brewers will be pouring throughout the main floor, around the concourse and outdoors, and food will be available for purchase throughout the arena. IMBIBE members with the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild will be allowed to enter one hour earlier than the general admission audience. A panel of expert judges will evaluate FoBAB entries, awarding gold, silver and bronze medals across each category, as well as “Best in Show” honors.

Tickets are available beginning Sept. 17 at FOBAB.com and keep an eye on the following social media accounts for up-to-date information:

Facebook — Festival of Wood & Barrel Aged Beers
Twitter — FoBABOfficial
Instagram — FoBAB

Roaring Table adds new pizza kitchen, with more food on the horizon

Roaring Table Brewery and Taproom opened their long-awaited kitchen in mid-July, with a focus on three styles of pizza before adding more food options in the near future.

“We always wanted to go about the kitchen with the same mentality that we brew our beer, and open with a finely-tuned product,” says Beth May, who owns Roaring Table with her husband, Lane Fearing. “We carefully thought through our styles, and there was some relief in the fact that we knew we had something good and really different.”

At the helm of the kitchen is chef Mike Athanasopoulos, an entrepreneur who previously operated a successful food truck and enjoys the excitement of creating new combinations.

“He definitely brings a level of expertise, and we’re lucky to have found someone so talented,” Beth tells us. “It’s really been exciting because we feel like our pies are on par with our beers, and that’s always been our metric.”

What to expect? Try three variations of fresh pies: tavern-style, New York and — our personal favorite — thick, crunchy pans of Detroit-style. Plus, they’re making a habit of rolling out a few creative specialty pizzas each week. Recent examples include the “Drive-Thru,” featuring deconstructed burger patties, onions, jalapeno cheddar cheese, mustard drizzle and marinara stripes on the Detroit pizza. And the New York cheese steak pizza, which comes topped with Philly steak, onions, green peppers and provolone.

But it doesn’t stop with pizza, as Roaring Table has plans to add a few small plates and an assortment of sandwiches and salads to the menu before the end of the year. They’ve also added to the front patio to make it more of a beer garden feel, with additional landscaping, lights and fire pits for the cool fall nights ahead.

Roaring Table’s kitchen is currently open Wednesday and Thursday 4-8 p.m., Fridays 4-9 p.m., Saturdays noon-9 p.m. and Sundays noon-7 p.m.

Roaring Table Brewery and Taproom is located at 739 West IL Route 22 in Lake Zurich. RoaringTable.com

Enjoy live music, fall foliage and local draft beer during SeptOberfest at the Beer Garden at Independence Grove in Libertyville

The sunsets are earlier and the air a little crisper, but the Beer Garden at Independence Grove in Libertyville is still buzzing with live entertainment and scenic views well into fall.

Operated by the Lake County Forest Preserve, the cozy lakeside venue comes alive during SeptOberfest every Wednesday and Thursday in September and October with live music and special events. Most performances run from 6–7:30 p.m., though a few events kick off earlier.

Enjoy an ever-changing selection of local craft beers from Lake County breweries, as well as plenty of wine, ciders, cold brew coffee and tasty packaged snacks.

Independence Grove is located at 16400 Buckley Road in north suburban Libertyville. See the music lineup at LCFPD.org/septoberfest

The Berghoff and Adams Street Brewery celebrate Oktoberfest in downtown Chicago through Oct. 18

This iconic German restaurant, which dates back to 1898, hosts one of the longest, and certainly most authentic and fun, Oktoberfest celebrations anywhere in the Midwest. And did we mention The Berghoff happens to be home to the award-winning Adams Street Brewery? Running Sept. 11-Oct. 18 and featuring live music Thursday-Sunday and a full menu of traditional German fare and tasty brews (try their Marzen, Herman’s Dunkel or the Vienna lager) this party is not to be missed, regardless of whether you stop in after work or are playing tourist for a weekend. The gorgeous building that’s dripping in history only adds to the charm. 17 W. Adams Street in Chicago. TheBerghoff.com

Special K’s BeerCandles combines craft beer and quality candles

Special K’s BeerCandles is a small business based in west suburban Woodridge, specializing in premium, hand-poured soy wax candles. What makes them unique is a commitment to sustainability and craft brewery culture, transforming upcycled beer cans into high-quality candles. Each fragrance is carefully selected to complement the theme of the can’s artwork, creating a product that resonates with both craft beer enthusiasts and candle lovers alike.

What began as a COVID craft in 2021 quickly grew into a business after Michael Kowalczyk connected with Streetz Artz Alliance and the various markets they host nearly every weekend across suburban Chicago.

Since then, Special K’s BeerCandles has attended more than 100 craft shows (with most hosted at breweries), introduced new product lines, poured more than 5,000 candles (including custom wedding favors) and partnered with several local breweries to feature candles in their taprooms.

To shop online, visit SpecialKsBeerCandles.com and follow @specialksbeercandles on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates and a full calendar of events.

Brewery deals not to be missed

In Evanston, Double Clutch Brewing Company’s happy hour from 3-5. p.m. is a good one, running Monday-Friday with $5 house brews and $2 off select appetizers.

At Maplewood Brewery & Distillery in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood, you can grab a burger, Lounge Lager draft and a shot on Wednesdays for just $22.

For Sunday Funday options, Roaring Table Brewing Co. in NW suburban Lake Zurich offers $2 off pints all day long to accompany their new pizzas. On Wednesdays, you can snag a 64-ounce pitcher of beer and your choice of one of three tavern pies for only $30.

Torta Thursday is something to behold at Soundgrowler Brewing in Tinley Park, where you can score a stacked torta, chips and salsa, and a beer of your choice for just $12. Plus, on the last Thursday of the month, it’s Boards and Brews Day, where you can enjoy $5 pours all day while you dive into your favorite board games.

North Aurora’s Brother Chimp Brewing is where you want to be when you’re looking for happy hour to last all day on Mondays ($2 off select pints, cider, wine and cocktails). Select pints are just $5 on Thirsty Thursdays too.