Small Town Brewery in Wauconda- their adult root beer rocks!

Has anyone tried their root beer? Comes in four strengths: non-alcoholic, 5% abv, 10%, and the whopper, 19.5%. Only on draught, no bottles. Increasingly seen around the northern 'burbs in bars and restaurants.

I have tried the 10% version. Great stuff, the alcohol is VERY well hidden. Quite sugary, but that's kind of to be expected. Was able to get it at a dive bar in West Dundee, so he's definitely getting some kegs around.

Which bar?

I think the name is Bikini Bottoms Bar and Grill -- used to be Hammerheads Pool Hall, across the street from Emmetts Tavern on 72. You may want to double check if they still have it -- the night I was there, the bartender said it was going quick.

Yes it is Bikini Bottom! They still have it- in fact according to the bartender, they are moving two full half barrel kegs a week! That's a lot of 10% root beer. Great Stuff, thanks!

Could someone here please post address, phone, etc.? Always good to include that kind of thing in the thread.

Here is a list of places where you can get their stuff on draft. Don't know how up-to-date it is, but Bikini Bottom is listed on here, so it looks to be in sync.

http://www.smalltownbrewery.com/#/BuyBeer/

Bikini Bottom Bar & Grill
105-107 West Main Street
West Dundee, IL 60118
847.836.8099
bikinibottombar.com

Binny's in Algonquin is now carrying Small Town kegs to go!

adipocere wrote:Binny's in Algonquin is now carrying Small Town kegs to go!

Well I would hope they weren't for in store consumption!

SSDD

This stuff is AMAZING!!! You can't even tell it is 19.5 percent it is that smooth! You can get it at World of Beer in Naperville. I would love to see what other beer they have!

Speaking of World of Beer, this is really a great place to go. I have started to hang out here more an more lately. The beer selection is really fantastic. With 48 beers on tap and several hundred in bottles, there is enough to keep me happy! They dont serve food but I can bring in any food I want. They also have cookouts pretty much every Sunday and it is free. They also seem to bring in food from local places and provide it at no cost as well. My kind of bar!


World of Beer
1727 Freedon Drive
Naperville Il 60563
www.wobusa.com/naperville

Redhdbest, they have several other beers, none of which I would call "hoppy". Which is great because I have an enormous sweet tooth. There's a Whiskey Honey Ale, a stout, a very sweet apple ale, a pumpkin ale (the driest of the whole bunch), a brown ale, and the various root beers, ranging from zero alcohol all the way to the 19.5% monster.

cgs027 wrote:I think the name is Bikini Bottoms Bar and Grill -- used to be Hammerheads Pool Hall, across the street from Emmetts Tavern on 72. You may want to double check if they still have it -- the night I was there, the bartender said it was going quick.

They now also have the 19.5% on Friday and Saturday nights after 9pm. Again as with the 10% version, the 19.5% one tastes just like a root beer. A little heavier, more viscous, maybe a little less sweet. But also dangerously drinkable- even more so.

Sounds like they ran out of the 19.5% version in a week or so (I must have just missed it). Bummer. The bartender did say that an Apple Cider Beer from the brewery was next on tap (I believe it may already be on).

I've seen the 10% variety at several places in the north burbs. Tap House in Highwood and Beer Market in Vernon Hills are 2 places I remember seeing it.

Small Town's web site indicates they are seeking Fed and State labeling approval for bottling.

I finally did try this stuff, the 19.5% version, a couple of weeks ago at LockDown....and wow! It really has no alcohol taste, and is pretty good as a rootbeer, dangerous as everyone has mentioned.

SSDD

There are events tonight and tomorrow night in Chicago and Algonquin respectively, promoting the debut of Small Town's Not Your Father's Root Beer in bottles (10% version).

December 12, 5-7:30p, Whole Foods, Lincoln Park

December 13, 6-8p, Binny's, Algonquin

--
edc

I tried the 10% version at Ellyn's in Glen Ellyn. It's incredible!

I spotted six packs of the 5.9% bottles at my local Jewel (Lincoln Ave in North Center) and have bought it twice now. It really does taste just like root beer, with a quick hit of a dark beer taste right at the end. Each time I've checked out, the person at the register has noted how popular it is and how quickly it flies off the shelves.

skess wrote:I spotted six packs of the 5.9% bottles at my local Jewel (Lincoln Ave in North Center) and have bought it twice now. It really does taste just like root beer, with a quick hit of a dark beer taste right at the end. Each time I've checked out, the person at the register has noted how popular it is and how quickly it flies off the shelves.

Binny's gets it occasionally but it sells out as soon as they get stock.

Binny's gets it occasionally but it sells out as soon as they get stock.

You talking about the 10% version or the 5% version? The 10% disappears immediately. But piles and piles of the other stuff hang (hung?) around for months. At Binny's, at Jewel, at Walgreens. So many places for so long that I just assumed everyone was wary of it! More root beer than beer, regardless, right down to the added caramel coloring.