In 1891 Prussian immigrant Peter Hand started a brewery in Chicago. The brewery’s flagship brands Old Chicago and Meister Brau carried the Peter Hand Brewing Company through prohibition and beyond, until it was sold in 1965 and renamed Meister Brau Inc. The brewery sold again in the 1970s, this time to Miller. I had Old Chicago cans in my childhood beer can collection. I drank more than my share of Meister Brau in college. But ultimately those once-strong brands were retired.
But classic (if you want to call Meister Brau a classic) beer brands die hard. Like others before it (think Schlitz, Grain Belt, and Pabst Blue Ribbon) the Old Chicago brand is rising from the grave. Craft Works, the parent company of the Rock Bottom and Old Chicago chains, has bought the rights to the brand from Miller and will be using it for a rotating seasonal series of in-house beers at the Old Chicago restaurants. This is a great idea…as long as the beer is good.
The first of the Old Chicago branded beers to debut in the Minnesota Market is good. Old Chicago Old Curmudgeon Winter Warmer Ale makes its debut today as part of the Winter Mini Tour at all Old Chicago locations. The beer is brewed at the Minneapolis Rock Bottom Brewery by Brewmaster Bryon Tonnis. It is apparently a tweaked version of a beer that has been in and out of rotation at Rock Bottom for a number of years.
Old Chicago Old Curmudgeon is a classic winter warmer in the English style. The creamy mouthfeel and malt-forward flavor make it smooth and easy to drink. Rich caramel and dark fruit sweetness is just barely balanced by subtle spicy hops. It has pleasing alcohol warmth that is surprising given its moderate 6.5% ABV. I was pleasantly surprised by this beer.
The full line-up for the Winter Mini Tour is a good one. In addition to the house beer are standouts like Chimay Red, Schell’s Hopfenmalz, Lift Bridge Chestnut Hill, Summit Winter Ale, and Odell Isolation Ale. Other decent beers on the list are Sam Adams Winter Lager, Blue Moon Winter Abbey Ale, and Bell’s Winter White. The one odd-ball on the list is Stella Artois. I was stumped by its inclusion until I learned that Stella was originally introduced in 1926 as a Christmas beer. You learn something new every day. While I’m still a bit stumped by its inclusion in an otherwise “stella” line-up, at least I know there is a logic to it.
While the Blue Moon Winter Abbey isn’t a bad beer, it was interesting to taste it side-by-side with the Chimay. These two beers of the same style are very different, and the Blue Moon version is clearly, and not surprisingly, the inferior. Whereas the Chimay is sharp, dry, moderately bitter, with multi-layered complexity, the Blue Moon Abbey is overly sweet and somewhat one-dimensional. I wouldn’t turn the Blue Moon away, but it really can’t stand up to the real thing.
On the menu, Schell’s Hopfenmalz is called “miracle lager.” Every year Old Chicago includes a “miracle” beer in the Winter Tour list. A portion of the sales of this beer go to support the Miracle Foundation, a charity that is involved in several causes including homelessness and breast cancer. For every glass of Hopfenmalz poured, Schell’s Brewery is kicking in 25 cents toward the Foundation. A Miracle Day event, staffed by volunteers from the Rock Bottom and Old Chicago restaurants is held on Christmas Day at the Minneapolis Rock Bottom. Homeless people from local shelters are invited for a huge meal, with Santa Clause delivering gifts for the kids. Drink up the Hopfenmalz. It’s a great beer and you get to support a good cause as well.
The Old Chicago Winter Mini Tour kicks off today, December 1st, at 6:00 PM at all Old Chicago locations. It runs through January 2nd.