In August we were looking for a casual, fun restaurant where we would celebrate Joe's birthday, and we decided it was finally time to check out Goose Island, a local brewery and brewpub. Goose Island is the largest craft brewery in Chicago, and it's pretty easy to find their brews in restaurants and liquor stores. They have a commercial brewery where they brew and bottle the bulk of their line, but they also have two brewpub locations in the city. The brewpubs have smaller batches of beer, so there are always a lot of options to try. They also feature other local breweries, and the selection changes weekly.
Needless to say, we were hooked after one visit. Our downfall was the discovery of the MBA program that they offer. Friends of ours know that Joe is in finance, but this MBA is different from the types of grad school he might attend some day. This MBA is the Masters of Beer Appreciation, and we are now both on our way to earning this prestigious honor. Basically, every time you try a new beer, you get to mark it on your MBA tracking card, and after 15, 30 and 45 you earn a free growler. Also after you make it to 45 your name is immortalized on a plaque which hangs in the Goose Island lobby.
Although we both love and appreciate beer, the addition of having a goal to strive for has made Goose Island our new favorite haunt...it doesn't hurt that their food is pretty good too. My favorite is the pulled pork. The pork is supplied from a local farmer who actually feeds the hogs with spent Goose Island grains; it's a beautiful cycle. Joe is a big fan of the frites which are served with truffle aioli...mmmm truffle aioli!
In closing, we still have about 32 beers to go and if any of our friends would like to join us on our mission, give us a holler.
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