Business & Tech
County Fair Tribute Beer Brewing At Open Outcry
The popular ranger cookies at County Fair are the inspiration for a beer in the works at Open Outcry Brewing.
CHICAGO — The newest beer in the works at Open Outcry Brewing pays tribute to a beloved Beverly neighborhood grocery store. The grains for a County Fair "tribute beer" were added to the mash tun at the brewery Wednesday morning. Mixed with a few boxes of County Fair's famous ranger cookies, the creation should be flowing off the taps in time for Parade Day.
Open Outcry Owner John Brand said the beer will be a stout with an oatmeal taste.
"It will look like a Guinness," he said.
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Only one batch is planned, with about 1,200 pints set in motion on Wednesday. The beer is inspired by the ranger cookie at County Fair, which has a coconut oatmeal flavor. It will be available at the brewery until it sells out.
County Fair owner Tom Baffes and general manager Mike Winkler joined Brand, head Open Outcry brewer Wil Turner and 19th Ward Ald. Matt O'Shea in adding the malted barley and cookies to the mash tun to get the beer-making process started. Scroll through the photos at the top of this article to see more.
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Take a guess what were brewing tomorrow with Mr. Baffes and our homies from @CountyFairFoods!
A tribute beer to one of the best businesses on the #Southside and one of the last independent grocery stores in the city!
Stay tuned for more details.#DrinkLocal #19thWard pic.twitter.com/wbsIm7JHqL
— Open Outcry Brewing (@OpenOutcryBrew) February 5, 2019
The beer won't be ready right away, but it should be well in time for the South Side Irish Parade on March 17.
"Fermentation takes anywhere from 14 to 21 days... so I would say about three weeks," Brand said of a possible timeline for when the beer will be ready for consumption.
Brand said that when it is ready, the brewery will likely have a beer release party.
The collaboration with County Fair is the latest of several Open Outcry projects highlighting different aspects of the Beverly/Morgan Park neighborhood.
Many remember the "Rainbow Connection" flight of beers the brewery teamed with their friends at Horse Thief Hollow on last year. Other community-minded collaborations they've taken part in include a ghost-story night highlighting local paranormal experiences and brewing a beer specifically for the Y-Me Softball Tournament.
Photos by Tim Moran / Patch
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