WEST TOWN — Folks eager to sample botanical beers from Forbidden Root, a new brewery that plans to open a tap room along Chicago Avenue next year, can sample three of the brewery's creations paired with chicken and waffles, chicken wings and chicken-fried smelts on Thursday.
Scheduled for 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, the "Eat, Drink and Celebrate Local" pop-up dinner at Ugly Mug Cafe, 1458 W. Chicago Ave., costs $40 per person. The chicken-focused dinner will highlight three beers from Forbidden Root as well as one beer from Illuminated Brew Works.
Chicken dishes from West Loop caterer Red Butter will anchor the libations at the 21-and-over pre-Labor Day weekend gathering, which kicks off with a taste of "Orange Sunshine."
Described as having a "wine-dry, crisp body and delicate citrus notes," Orange Sunshine from Illuminated Brew Works is an American saison that will serve as "a toast to close out the end of summer," said Brian Ferber, the dinner's organizer.
Ferber said the pop-up will offer food stations, making the experience "light and fun, so our guests can choose to try the Forbidden Root pairings in any order and go back for their favorites."
Conceived by Red Butter owner and chef Monica Sharma, the chicken dishes include Tandoori chicken with cucumbers, mint and fresh cilantro tossed inside a waffle cone, intended to be paired with Forbidden Root's namesake beer, oak-aged with natural flavors and molasses.
The chicken-fried sardines or smelts, served with ginger cumin gravy, cheese, and pickled plums and peaches, are paired with Sublime Ginger, a wheat ale with ginger, key lime, honey bush and lemon myrtle.
Lastly, Sharma's curried Jalapeno chicken wings, served with tomato bacon yogurt sauce, is paired with Shady Character, a porter with black walnuts, roasted chestnuts and licorice.
Dessert will be carrot cake mousse with whipped cream topped with raisins and walnuts, along with La Colombe espresso served by baristas from host Ugly Mug Cafe.
Ferber said the pop-up can fit up to 40 people and, as of Monday, there are 12 tickets remaining.
Forbidden Root, which has so far brewed limited editions of its herb-based beer wherever it finds the space, has faced a number of roadblocks in opening its brewery and taproom at 1746 W. Chicago Ave., including a liquor ban in the area, zoning laws and opposition from a neighborhood organization.
The company recently won over the neighborhood group and hopes to open sometime in 2015.
"We are working hard on opening our brewery and tap room just down the street [from Ugly Mug Cafe],” BJ Pichman, Head Brewer at Forbidden Root and local West Town resident said in a news release.
For more information, visit eatdrinkcelebratelocal2.brownpapertickets.com.
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