Matthew J.
Yelp
I needed food and beer while in Chicago, so I found a place that checked both of those boxes for me.
Ravinia Brewing has been brewing since 2016, and is located conveniently in Chicago. I had never been, but looked at their menu and saw nachos that were calling my name.
The nachos that I ordered were a platter fit for a king. The beertender said it served multiple people, but I was down for the challenge. A bed of homemade chips were topped with a Texas Queso Blanco cheese sauce that perfectly covered each chip with toppings of Black Beans, Pico De Gallo, Pickled Jalapenos, Queso Fresco, and Green Onion. The pickled veggies and pico provided a nice acidity to the rich cheese. I added on Barbacao that was mouth watering good.
In addition, I got a flight of beer to wash down this massive meal.
Flight of the Rooster:
A Farmhouse Ale that was hopped with an immense amount of Nelson Sauvin Hops. A nice black pepper spicy balanced with white grape complexity.
Taco Fest:
A Mexican Lager that was perfect for my meal. Light bodied and nicely carbonated with a sweet malt aroma that cleansed my palate after each bite of nachos.
Drunken Rooster (BA Flight of the Rooster):
A Barrel Aged Farmhouse Ale aged for 90 days in Cabernet barrels. There was some nice red wine character that actually came through that went well with a hay malt flavor and some acidic tannic notes.
Community Matters:
A Vienna Lager that needs no other information than it was exactly what the doctor called for. Bready, light bodied, and beautifully crisp.