Tag Archives: Chicago

Beer Hoptacular

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Yesterday afternoon I headed to Beer Hoptacular at the Aragon Ballroom. There were over two hundred beers from amongst 30 breweries.  The breweries were mostly from the Midwest but there were also some from each coast (Brooklyn, Sierra Nevada).  I’d say my two favorite beers of the day were Flatlander IPA or Roadhouse Brewery’s Bluebeery Ale.  The beer I liked the least had to be the Imperial IPA King Paddy from the Wild Onion Brewery, to me it tasted like weed.

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The only downside was the ‘featured brewery’, was out of their signature beer: Brooklyn Local 1.  I got there an hour into the event and they were already out.

Stanley Cup Final: Game One.

Inside the United Center.Stanley Cup Final Game 1 - United Center.

On Friday Julie and I went to game one of the Stanley Cup Final between the Blackhawks and the Flyers.  This is our third trip to the Finals in three years (much like Marian Hossa), we were at games one & two in 2008 and game one in 2009; all in Detroit.  Thankfully we had a different outcome this time around with the Hawks pulling out a 6-5 win.  The United Center was probably as loud as I’ve ever heard it in the past two years.

Julie’s got some great pictures over at chicagometsfan.com, including shots of a couple of the Hawks goals.

Western Conference Finals Game 4.

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The Blackhawks completed the sweep of the Sharks last night at the United Center.  Once again the Hawks came from behind and now we’re headed to the Stanley Cup Final.  We got to see the Campbell Trophy awarded and the handshake line.  Jonathan Toews, much like Crosby two years ago, did not touch the Conference Championship trophy.

Side Note:
*The rest of my photographs from Game 4 are on Flickr here.
**Once the on ice celebration began Patrick Kane began circling the rink waving his stick looking for some one toss it to:

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On to the Stanley Cup Final.