Bangers & Lace + Une Annee Collaborative Brew!

Earlier this month, we very subtly hinted at an upcoming collaboration between Bangers & Lace and Une Annee Brewery. And now, we think you’re ready for the big news!

We spent some time tasting through numerous styles of beer — hey it’s our job — before deciding on what was exactly right for us. Eric was on the committee, so you knew it was going learn towards an IPA. And Une Annee pays particular attention to Belgian styles, and that’s when the magic happened and the Bangers & Lace + Une Annee ISA was born.

Our ISA (India Saison Ale) is an IPA brewed with Saison yeast — so it’s totally drinkable in mass quantities — just in time for summer and Chicago’s beloved patio season.

Our collaborative brew will be regularly available at Bangers & Lace, but you can also find it in select retail spots — you know, just in case you can’t pry yourself away from your episodes.

And save the date for the Release Party on April 1st — no foolin’ — when Une Annee takes over our famous Chalkboard 6 Pack!

Special Guest: The Lagunitas Couch

We’re tapping a special delivery of Lagunitas’s Fusion Ale Thursday, March 20! It’s a Brownish Ale, made with music fest goin’ beer lovers in mind. And one of our own music fest goin’ beer lovers -- you remember Eric, right -- will be spinning Blues/Psych/Funk & Fusion tunes all night.

And the couch featured in that very cool video we posted up there? It’s become the unofficial mascot of the Lagunitas team, having traveled from California to DC to Nashville to Austin. The couch will be at Bangers & Lace tonight, too, along with some of the Lagunitas crew making their way back from SXSW.

Stop by, raise a glass, have a seat...you know the drill.

Chicago Reader's Spring Cocktail Challenge

Remember when Nick killed it in Chicago Reader’s biweekly cocktail challenge? Oh, sure you do, because he made you do what no one else has ever convinced you to do: consider mixing up a cocktail with Miracle Whip in it.

In the spirit of a little healthy competition, The Chicago Reader throws a cool bash that brings together the crème de la crème of Chicago mixology, this time letting them use non-gross ingredients, pitting their best cocktails against one another.

On Friday, March 21st, we’ll be rooting for our own Nick O! He, along with a bunch of cocktail-making peers, will be mixing up a fabulous Spring-inspired cocktail. So ditch those plans to chug green beer with the college students, because you could be enjoying an array of grown-up green cocktails instead (the theme is green and we’re betting more than a few bartenders will opt for matching that shade).

While you’re busy sampling the 20 mixologists' best springtime libations and deciding who pulled off the most impressive drink, you can also enjoy complimentary wine from City Winery, beer from Shiner, and bites from Chop Shop.

Grab your tickets here, so that you can join us in Nick’s cheering section. Not convinced? Check out the video from the Fall 2013 event to see how much fun we had at the last one!

Bangers & Lace + Une Annee Brewery

We’re brewing up some trouble with Une Annee! Details coming soon...