Framboise Raspberry Beer?

Anyone know of any good places in the chicagoland area that serve a framboise rasberry beer? I think my new local Sam's in the South loop has it as well as trader joe's probably, but the only dine in place I've been able to find it is up north in The Glenn, forgot the restaurant but they had hundreds of beers and had a nice, (if a bit expensive) ras Framboise at $9 a glass.
Why is this so hard to find? I guess many people haven't had the chance to try one out, if you haven't you def should, even if you're not even a beer fan. I honestly don't like the taste of any alcoholic beverage, but Framboise could turn me into a daily drinker!

Paddy Long's on Diversey has it on tap. $7 a glass.

FoodSnob77 wrote:Anyone know of any good places in the chicagoland area that serve a framboise rasberry beer? I think my new local Sam's in the South loop has it as well as trader joe's probably, but the only dine in place I've been able to find it is up north in The Glenn, forgot the restaurant but they had hundreds of beers and had a nice, (if a bit expensive) ras Framboise at $9 a glass.
Why is this so hard to find? I guess many people haven't had the chance to try one out, if you haven't you def should, even if you're not even a beer fan. I honestly don't like to taste of any alcoholic beverage, but Framboise could turn me into a daily drinker!

I'm almost absolutely sure that Small Bar has a framboise. If you want a really great mixed beer drink, try a dirty belgian- 1/2 framboise and 1/2 wheat beer (something like Allagash)

we had our work party at BB's and were suckin it down like it was going out of style... i don't normally drink beer but it was quite good.

BB's
22 E Hubbard St
Chicago, IL
(312) 755-0007

Bavarian Lodge in Lisle will have it on tap pretty soon.

http://www.bavarian-lodge.com/beerlist.html

THE BAVARIAN LODGE
1800 OGDEN AVE
LISLE, IL 60532

The Hopleaf has, I believe, both Liefman's and Lindemans available. The Liefman's is my choice, since it's got more tart.

Next time you're in Wisconsin, go to a Woodman's and pick up a few bottles of the New Glarus Raspberry Tart. Great stuff.

Some of their cherry would be good, too.

Yes Hopleaf has it.

The cherry (kriek) is good, and I think currant (cassis) is the very height of the artform as far as the fruit-flavored lambics go. After a lot of fruit lambics, I had a revelation backing off to straight un(additional)flavored lambics, enjoying the complexity of whatever mash is used for the particular batch; it is the taste of the Old World to me. Raspberry lambic is like a gateway drug to the heroin that is good Belgian beer.

Hop Leaf is definitely the place to go. You could sample lambics well past the point of passing out. I'd recommend trying the Cantillon Rose de Gambrinus if raspberry is your thing. The Cantillon lambics are excellent, and far more complex and less jammy than the Lindemans products.

I believe Bad Dog Tavern up in Lincoln Square has framboise rasberry beer on tap for about $8 a glass and it is very good.

Bster

I believe the Long Room had a good lambic on tap last time I visited. I was generally impressed with the overall selection. I think more bars are getting serious about their taps.

Try the Map Room. Also, try something other than the Lindeman's. Ask the server for recommendations.

The Map Room
1949 W. Hoyne at the corner of Hoyne and Armitage
Chicago, IL 60647
Phone: 773.252.7636
http://maproom.com/

Next time you're in Wisconsin, go to a Woodman's and pick up a few bottles of the New Glarus Raspberry Tart. Great stuff.

I just want to second this suggestion. Really great example of a fruit beer from someone that is very critical of fruit beers. If you do the tour at the brewery, you can seen the massive wooden casks it is aged in too.

schenked wrote:

Next time you're in Wisconsin, go to a Woodman's and pick up a few bottles of the New Glarus Raspberry Tart. Great stuff.

I just want to second this suggestion. Really great example of a fruit beer from someone that is very critical of fruit beers. If you do the tour at the brewery, you can seen the massive wooden casks it is aged in too.

New Glarus also has a cherry beer, much like the raspberry, that's also very good!

Now that you know what you are looking for, I think you'll find Lindeman's framboise taps in many of the good beer places around Chicago.

As mentioned, MapRoom almost always has one fruit/lambic beer on tap, and usually its Lindemans Framboise.

Piece always has Framboise on tap and I've seen more and more people doing half and halfs with it (either with a wheat, or as I prefer it with a chocolate stout, roasty porter, or imperial stout -- some people call it a chocolate truffle.)

Sheffields had the Founders Rubaeus over the summer (not sure if it is still there) which is another similar beer.

I third the suggestion of New Glarus Raspberry Tart and it is indeed a good reason to take a trip North as they no longer distribute in IL.

Also look for Founder's Blushing Monk which is very similar in profile to Lindeman's and New Glarus (and you can still get Founders in Chicago).

cheers
GW

As long as we're on to non-Belgian fruit beers, let me also recommend Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy (in season), and Pyramid Apricot Weizen. I'm not a particular fan of other offerings by these breweries (though the tours at both are great), but I enjoy both of these quite a bit when I'm in a light mood.

lawoman wrote:New Glarus also has a cherry beer, much like the raspberry, that's also very good!

I personally think their cherry beer is better than their raspberry beer, but they are both very good and full of fresh fruit on the nose. I don't normally enjoy fruit beers, but these are two that I do. I still marvel at how much their cherry beer smells like fresh sour cherries.