We went to Bonny Doon!

That would be Great Taste of the Midwest, a rollicking beery good time held in Madison, WI, on the 2nd Saturday in August, each year. Followed by dinner the same evening at Bavarian Lodge, Lisle, IL. And.....Revolution Brewing and Fountainhead on Sunday (both in Chicago), and a nightcap at Saugatuck Brewing, where we spent the next three days. Er.....in Saugatuck, not at the brewery, though we did find ourselves there more than once...

Highlights from GToM.....
*Kuhnhenn's Gueuze. Yes, gueuze. 'Twas strange to find this in the Real Ale tent though. It was good, though could have done with a wee bit more carbonation (but then it would not have been a Real Ale. Hmmm.) It certainly had some nice funkiness and sourness, but it was also a tad malty and sweet. I could almost call it Faro.
*Metropolitan Brewing's Crankshaft Kolsch. *Destihl Sour Strawberry *Gordon Biersch Gose
*Rockbottom Mango Chili Saison *Short's Nicie Spicie (of course) *Jolly Pumpkin Calabaza Blanca with Hibiscus *Fat Head Pils *O'Fallon Hemp Hop Rye *Goose Island Sofie
If you notice that most of my picks were sour beers, you're right! Bourbon-aged Imperial Stouts, Imperial IPAs and Barley Wines just don't go down too smoothly when it's 90 degrees and 75% humidity.

Check out the beer menu at Bavarian Lodge! Outstanding!
I finally got to try the Saison Du Buff collaboration, and it was worth the wait. I LOVE sage, rosemary & thyme, even in my beer, as long as it's just a nicely done tease. And, Port Hot Rocks steinbier was rich and full of burnt caramel notes. Victory Braumeister Pils snuck in while we were there; it's unfiltered Prima Pils. Wow.

The bacon fat popcorn at Revolution was decadent, as always.....And, three days of books and sorely needed beach relaxation in Saugatuck was sublime (despite our cutesy B & B accomodations). Good beers at Saugatuck Brewing, a fancy new smoking jacket from the local "Antiques Mart" for Mr Cicerone, and dinner two nights in a row at Everday People Cafe in Douglas was icing on the cake (or sage, rosemary & thyme in my saison).