It’s how we drink it in Belgium. It’s called a Belgium dip.

Remember when I told you I went to Hopleaf and I was going to tell you about it later?   Well, it’s later- you lucky little reader you…

DESTINATION:  Hopleaf Bar, 5148 N Clark St, Chicago, IL,  http://www.hopleaf.com/

Chicago bars are stocked with a lot of crafty beers.   However, if you’re craving fresh Belgian beer served in a logo branded goblet, you go to one of two bars- Map Room in Bucktown or Hopleaf in Andersonville.  I live about 100 yards from the Map Room and while their beer selection is phenomenal, it’s served with a side of ‘baditude’.  Recently I was craving quality beer minus the ‘tude so I decided to give Hopleaf a chance.

I found a fun drinking buddy to join me, we’ll call him K.  K is the kind of guy who will try any kind of beer…ya know?  He’s open minded yet opinionated about his beers.  He unhesitantly rates Guinness as his number one ; ) with Anchor Steam and Pacifico alternating between two and three.  But really he’ll sample anything and talk all about it, which makes for an entertaining beer partner.

After a warm up with a some cold Red Stripes, K and I head up to Hopleaf.  We arrive at 10pm on a Tuesday to a packed bar.   The crowd is filled with hipsters, suit coats and raised pinkies. The place has a little attitude, but is overall palatable. You get the sense that this is a smart bunch that knows their beer.  We weave (or is it man-made)* through the crowd and make our way to a couple stools at the end of the bar.  The vibe is cozy.  The lighting is low and they hum of the crowd is loud.  We end up sitting right next to my favorite feature in the bar.  It’s a backlit wall of shelving filled with all types of beer serving glasses.  It’s just gorgeous.

The drink menu here is beer nerd heaven.  There’s about 17 Belgians and 23 American’s on tap plus a plethora of bottles.  There are some hard to find tap beers…Goose Island Bourbon County Stout, Bells 2 Hearted Ale and Victory Prima Pils.  I settle on the Van Hosenbrouck- as self proclaimed “Hopleaf exclusive” boasting something about wheat, barley and oak aged perfection.  Plus it will be entertaining to hear K order it.  A young rockabilly bartender comes over to take our order.  I’m used to Map Room bartenders who have quite literally shoo’ed me before, so I’m pleasantly surprised to be greeted by a friendly, helpful bartender.  She politely questions my order, “Have you had a Gueuze before?”  I was totally caught off guard.  What??  I don’t know what you’re saying. Goose?  Now, I’m no Michael Jackson**, but I have read lots about beer and had never heard this word.  She was saying Gueuze, and warned me that it would be very sour.   I tasted a sample and I winced.  It was potently sour.  Not tart-sour like lemons, more fruity like sour apples or cherries.  Thanks to K’s iPhone*** we looked up the style right away to learn that it is a subcategory of Lambic, another Belgian style of beer.  It’s made by blending several Lambics and rebottling them for a second fermentation.  Lambics are made with wild yeasts that produce the cidery, sour and commonly called “barnyard” flavors.  Needless to say, I ended up selecting a different beer.  But now I’m thinking that I’d like to go back and see if I could down a whole glass of the Gueuze, just for the hell of, just to see how it feels.  So K and I ended up enjoying a Tripel Karmeliet and a Urthel Hop-It.  Mine was good but I had beer envy for K’s.  Don’t tell him.  We had a second round of bartender picked “Guinness” equivalents- Mclausan St-Ambroise Oatmeal Stout.

In the words of a funny friend….”In Summary”….Loved the beer.  Liked the bartenders.  Tolerated the crowd.  I’m pretty sure they don’t serve a bad beer here.  Everything is fresh and of high quality. The only thing that didn’t really tempt me was the food menu.  K and I had perused it to find a snack, but midnight didn’t seem like a good time for mussels, rabbit, duck or pork belly.  I’m sure the chef is skilled, but I think I’ll drink my dinner at this bar.  Overall a good place to go when you’re in the mood for an exceptional beer in a fancy glass.  A little pricey, but you get what you pay for. Wish they ran a special or something.  Regardless, I would go back to this bar in a heartbeat and try some new beers.  There ya go.  You’re first BEERded lady bar review!

The shelving minus the lighting. From http://www.chibarproject.com/Reviews/Hopleaf/Hopleaf.htm

* If you get this one-I love you.

**It’s not what you’re thinking.  There’s another Michael Jackson.  This one was an english journalist and author of several books that are famous in the beer community.  He traveled the world studying beer and was exceedingly fond of Belgian beers.  He is said to have helped to define modern theories on beer styles.

*** Speaking of, if you have an iPhone you should get this app- Geotap.com.

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