CHICAGO — Just in time for the football season, Vice District Brewing is paying homage to the team that plays less than a half-mile east of its South Loop location — the Chicago Bears.
The Vice team was looking for inspiration for a fall beer and wanted to avoid anything pumpkin-flavored, said co-owner Quintin Cole.
"No matter how bad [the Bears] are the previous spring, everybody's got their expectations up and [are] super excited," Cole said.
The beer, whose name hasn't been revealed yet, will go on sale Sunday at Vice District Brewing, 1454 S. Michigan Ave., in honor of the Bears' season opener. The beer will be on sale as long as the Bears are playing, Cole said.
"I don't know if they'll run past December, but hopefully we'll get a chance to continue to serve this beer," Cole said, adding that the beer makers are "highly, highly optimistic" about the Bears' chance of success this year.
On the other hand, USA Today projected the Bears would finish last in the league, so you may as well drink up fast.
The brewers crafted the beer to pair well with football food like bratwurst, burgers and barbecue. They also wanted to avoid making it too strong, as they want Bears fans to be able to drink while tailgating or watching the game, Cole said.
The beer has hints of caramel and a malt sweetness on the front end, Cole said, followed by a clean, hoppy bitterness that lingers. It has an ABV of 7.4 percent and costs $6 for a pint. It will be available at Vice District Brewing starting at 11 a.m. Sunday.
Cole said the beer will return in "some form" next year, though its recipe may be tweaked.
The Bears play the Green Bay Packers Sunday noon at Soldier Field.
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