Mr. Krafty Miracle Whip

We love keeping up with Chicago Reader's Cocktail Challenge series. Recently, our new dude Nick O. was challenged with Miracle Whip. You know a challenge like that is actually challenging when he begins by saying, "I've never bought a single jar of Hellman's or Miracle Whip, nor do I plan on it after this drink."

Read the full story here.

Sunner Kellerbier Gravity Cask!

We’ve noticed a lot of folks are talking about gravity this week, and it’s probably because we’re tapping a gravity cask of Sunner Kellerbier on Thursday, November 17th at 7pm!

Up until now, these 15L gravity casks of Sunner Kellerbier have only been available at bars in Cologne.  We got our paws on one of only four casks that made it to Chicago, and we’re serving it straight from the cask, just like the Middle Ages, back when gravity was just a natural phenomenon by which all physical bodies attract each other, and not a Hollywood blockbuster.

Speaking of the Middle Ages, that’s the time period that Kellerbiers date back to. They’re unfiltered and unpasteurized lagers that are matured in deep vaults, and Kellerbier literally translates to ‘cellar beer.’ It’s smooth, cloudy and rich in vitamins and that translates to ‘get in here on Thursday night at 7pm when we tap this thing!’

Our Elmer T. Lee, Limited Edition

Buffalo Trace Distillery is one of the (if not the) oldest continuously-operating distilleries in the United States. A must-stop on Kentucky’s Bourbon Trail, Buffalo Trace has been the home of some of the greatest bourbonaires (if that’s not a word, it is now) of all time. Most notably, Elmer T. Lee, the man who introduced the single-barrel bourbon to the world.

It was 1984 and the bourbon industry was suffering. Enter Elmer T. Lee, who’d been with the company since 1949 when he was hired on as a maintenance engineer. Now a master distiller, Lee was looking for an opportunity to elevate the bourbon market and revitalize his beloved Buffalo Trace distillery.

Lee and his staff tasted through every barrel of bourbon in their warehouse (nice work, if you can get it) and selected the crème de la bourbon and bottled it straight from the barrels, unblended, in decanters featuring horse-and-jockey bottle stoppers. And this of course, is the story of the now legendary Blanton’s Single Barrel.

Why are we telling you all this? Because: Lee named the world’s first single barrel bourbon after his mentor: Colonel Albert B. Blanton. Shortly thereafter, Elmer T. Lee namesake barrels were produced to honor his legacy and unparalleled palate.

And here at Bangers & Lace, we used our own palates (nice work, if you can get it) to select a single barrel of the Elmer T. Lee distinction to bottle and pour exclusively. So next time you’re in, order up a shot of our Elmer T. Lee Limited Edition. It’s always $6 and it’s always delicious. Salute Elmer T. Lee himself by ordering it in the legend’s preferred style: on the rocks with a splash of 7-Up.