Community Corner

Summer Craft Beer Suggestions from Vino e Birra

Want to get into the growing craft beer scene, but don't know where to start? We list some summer beer suggestions from a La Grange store with a nice selection.

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The craft beer scene has been exploding recently, especially in the Chicago area, and summer is the perfect time to ditch the Miller and the Budweiser and try some of the great beers out there. 

At Vino e Birra in La Grange, there's a wide selection of craft brew to try. I'm not talking Summer Shandy by Leinenkugel (which is a fine beer, but gets old fast). I spoke to Ryan Dewitt for good summer suggestions, some seasonal and others available year-round but with a crisp summer-y flavor. 

Here's what he suggested:

Victory Summer Love 

  • Style: Blonde ale 
  • ABV: 5.2%
  • Beer Advocate rating: 85/100
"It's an obvious choice. A nice, crisp summer ale. A lot of times when you think of ales it's heavier stuff, but this is great for summer. It's not just good in the summer, it's really trying to capture that summer atmosphere."

Flying Dog In-Heat Wheat
  • Style: Hefeweizen 
  • ABV: 4.7%
  • Beer Advocate rating: 80/100 
Hefeweizens are always light and crisp, perfect for summers. This is a golden color with a pretty strong taste of banana.

5 Rabbit Golden Ale
  • Style: Blonde ale
  • ABV: 5.3% 
  • Beer Advocate rating: 75
"If you want a local choice, this is definitely something different and it's brewed right in Bedford Park."

Revolution Mother of Exiles
  • Style: German pilsner
  • ABV: 5.2% 
  • Beer Advocate rating: 84
"Another local choice. Revolution seems to be trying a lot of flavors and seeing what works, but this is really good." 

Bell's Oberon Ale
  • Style: American Pale Wheat Ale
  • ABV: 5.8%
  • Beer Advocate rating: 86
"It's been the go-to craft summer beer for years." 

As you can see, most of these beers are lower in alcohol by volume, which means they're typically easier to drink and some could even be considered session beers. That's great for the summer, during which you think of backyard barbecues and sitting by the pool. The styles—wheat, pilsner, hefeweizen, blonde ale—are all golden or straw colored and generally light and crisp. 

One beer I would personally recommend that I've just gotten into this summer is Boulevard's Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale. At 8.5% ABV it's stronger than the rest of these, but it still is golden in color and has great fruity flavors, including grapefruit. 

Vino e Birra, located at 18 W. Burlington Ave. in La Grange, has a free beer and wine tasting every Saturday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. It typically features two beers and two wines, and many days are themed or seasonal. Other area bars feature great craft beer selections, including Wild Monk, Palmer Place and Brixie's in Brookfield.  

Not into beer? Why not? Just kidding, check out Vino e Birra's summer wine suggestions here. 

DID YOU KNOW: 5 Rabbit brewmaster John Hall is a Western Springs resident. Read our interview with him here. 

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