About- Mike Zoller
Mike Zoller
After trying to retire after a lucrative two-year career in sports journalism, Mike got back into sports but in the administration side. He currently works for the Northwestern University Athletic Department as an account executive working directly with football and men's basketball. At Miami University Mike was the sports editor for the The Miami Student and also did radio play-by-play for RedHawk ice hockey, football and baseball. Mike is still waiting to see Northwestern basketball play in the NCAA Tournament and the Cubs win the World Series.Chicago Quick Sips | September 5th
September 5, 2017 | Mike Zoller
Quick Sips is our way of highlighting beer events, tap takeovers and other notable beer news around the city of Chicago. If you’d like to submit something to be included in the next Quick Sips, please email us at [email protected].
Goose Island Set to Release Four New Beers
June 29, 2017 | Mike Zoller
On Monday July 3, Goose Island will have its largest release of the year. Alright, maybe there is a bigger release in November; but Goose will release four new beers into the market on Monday.
Goose Island Announces 2017 Bourbon County Stout Variants
June 13, 2017 | Mike Zoller 1
In 2016 Goose Island’s Bourbon County Brand Stout release was subdued over the issues that plagued the 2015 release which saw four of the six variants have souring issues. With a smooth release last year, Goose has ramped up the BCBS release for 2017 and will introduce seven different versions of the beer.
Lo Rez Brewing’s Taproom Opens in Pilsen Neighborhood of Chicago
June 8, 2017 | Mike Zoller
Less than 24 hours before their grand opening, a ladder is still in the brewery, tap handles need to be screwed on and the rest of the beer list needs to be added – but Lo Rez opened last week to a packed tap room. Read More
Goose Island Migration Week Returns to Lincoln Square
May 31, 2017 | Mike Zoller 1
Goose Island’s Migration Week, which serves as an opportunity to expose fans to Goose Island’s portfolio and collection of rarities through education and activation events has already spanned the globe. Now Migration Week returns to Chicago and the Lincoln Square neighborhood the week of June 12th.
Event Recap | Beer Under Glass (BUG) – Chicago Craft Beer Week
May 22, 2017 | Mike Zoller
* Featured photo taken by Eric Dirksen and was from the 2016 BUG event
For the second year in a row, Beer Under Glass — the official kickoff to Chicago’s Craft Beer Week — was the benefit of great weather on the evening of the event. Although the temperature dropped 30 degrees throughout the night, that pales in comparison to recent years plagued by rain and bitter cold, which turned the outdoor grounds of the Garfield Park Conservatory into a muddy disaster.
8th Annual Chicago Craft Beer Week Kicks Off Thursday
May 15, 2017 | Mike Zoller
Every year since 2010, Chicago Craft Beer Week has celebrated the city’s craft beer industry and all those that work so hard to produce so many great beers. On Thursday, the week-long celebration kicks off with Beer Under Glass (B.U.G) and then will be followed by hundreds of events over the next seven days.
Ultimate 6er | Lawn & Garden
May 10, 2017 | Mike Zoller
As the weather begins to warm up, it’s time to uncover your lawnmowers, fill up your watering cans and put on your best pair of overalls and top it with a big floppy sun hat. OK, so living in a high-rise in Chicago doesn’t lend itself to really having lawn and garden upkeep, but when I was growing up in the suburbs I always had a long list of outdoor chores to do.
Newbies & Freshies CCBW Event Highlights New Breweries in Chicago
May 5, 2017 | Mike Zoller
Over the past year or so, Chicago’s craft beer scene has continued to increase in both brewery openings and outside-the-state breweries entering the city. PorchDrinking.com, along with Bitter Pops, is hosting Newbies & Freshies on May 24 (an event that’s part of Chicago Craft Beer Week or #CCBW) to showcase all that’s new and exciting in the city.
Event Recap | 4th Annual Firkin Fest
April 24, 2017 | Mike Zoller
Earlier this month Headquarters Beercade hosted its fourth annual Firkin Fest. 40 different breweries brought firkins of some of their well-known beer, giving those in attendance a chance to try a unique twist on the beer they’ve come to know.
Inside the Tank | Hopewell Brewing Company
April 17, 2017 | Mike Zoller
Three friends, Jonathan Fritz, Stephen Bossu and Samantha Lee, went to the University of Illinois together and did some home brewing together. After college they went their separate ways, Stephen and Samantha got married, but they ultimately came back together and last year opened up Hopewell Brewing Company in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago.
Inaugural South Side Craft Beer Fest Set for Chicago Craft Beer Week
March 23, 2017 | Mike Zoller
A new Chicago Craft Beer Week event is set to highlight the breweries on Chicago’s South side. The inaugural South Side Craft Beer Fest will take place Saturday May 20th outside of Baderbräu and bring together the breweries that call the South side home.
Ultimate 6er | The Simpsons
March 20, 2017 | Mike Zoller
Since 1989 The Simpson family has been a mainstay on American television. It is the longest running animated show, sitcom and most recently primetime scripted series. The family of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, Maggie and Grampa are the most beloved family on TV today.
Goose Island Set to Release a Variety of New Beers
March 14, 2017 | Mike Zoller
Goose Island is getting ready to release a variety of new beers throughout the next quarter and into the rest of 2017. From a new Fulton & Wood Series beer to a lot more barrel aged beers, I went out to Goose Island to try the new releases and taste the results of their experimenting. Read More
Event Recap | Chicago Beer Festival
March 13, 2017 | Mike Zoller
Where else can you drink among the tombs of ancient Egyptians or sip a cold beer in the Hall of Birds? If you were at The Chicago Beer Festival you had both of these opportunities and a lot more.
Goose Island to Release a Collaboration Beer with Wrigley Field
March 6, 2017 | Mike Zoller
When you’re home to the World Series champions, new opportunities get thrown your way. For Wrigley Field, one of those new opportunities is to work with Goose Island on an exclusive beer collaboration.
Blue Point Brewing Begins Distribution in Chicago
March 2, 2017 | Mike Zoller
From Long Island to the Windy City, Blue Point Brewing Company has docked in Chicago and is now available throughout the city. Illinois is the 22nd state Blue Point is now available in and is the furthest west the beer is distributed.
Event Preview | The Chicago Beer Festival
February 27, 2017 | Mike Zoller
Have you ever had a drink with a T-Rex, or shared a brew with some of the world’s oldest artifacts? This Saturday The Chicago Beer Festival returns to The Field Museum as over 70 breweries will be on hand pouring a wide variety of beers to try.
Southern Tier Brewing Co. | Nu Skool IPA
February 23, 2017 | Mike Zoller
ABV: 6% | IBU: 55
As fruitier and juicier IPAs crowd the market, the debate has ensued as to whether this is the best route for the beer style. Personally, I think both can coincide, and I hope that we continue to see the classic more bitter IPAs, as well as the NE-style IPAs, flourish. One excellent example of a fruity (but not over the top) IPA is Nu Skool IPA from Southern Tier Brewing Company.
Pipeworks & Marz’s Super Piña Collider is a Collaboration Unlike Any Other
February 20, 2017 | Mike Zoller
When you hear about two breweries working together to brew a collaboration beer, you’d expect the brewers of brewery A to go over to brewery B and then together they create one beer. That’s how 99.9% of collaboration beers go about. However, Pipeworks and Marz had something different in mind.
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