It’s our longest video so far, as in this edition we are treated to a tour of a breweriana collector’s treasure trove, as Don Hardy shows us his bar. Don is the group administrator for a 8500+ strong Facebook group, Chicago-area Microbreweries, and is well-known in the area as a craft beer supporter. Each month for group m,embers, there is a drawing for gift cards and brewery swag donated by local breweries. To qualify, group members must post 7 or more times to the group.
This time we are doing the drawing ‘live’ as part of this virtual happy hour. All this and the video-cast crew see how a true beer can collector displays his collection, including a can that has a $10K price tag! Stay tuned to see if you are a winner!

We’ve renamed our series of Virtual Happy Hours to ‘Hops At Home’, just so you guys are encouraged to Stay Home, Stay Safe, and do your brewery drinking via carry-out or delivery!
In this episode, we head to the farmland of Illinois and visit with Lincoln Slagel, brewmaster at Emancipation Brewing, located in a farm field outside Fairbury. We actually catch up with Lincoln at his home, enjoying a brew in his garage on a day when temperatures reached 70 in some places. He tells us how his community taproom and brew-house is managing in these restricted times, and he is the first brewer to play, ‘Show Us Your Fridge, Please’. And of course, we let you know what brews everyone is drinking this happy hour. Cheers!

This is the first video Happy Hour we have had with a man who is completely green! We visit with Steve Kamp who is sitting in his brewery and for some reason, the picture has a green tinge to it…you can hear the tale Steve spins in this episode.  Evil Horse is one of the Dixie Highway Beer Trail locations, and Steve talks to the crew about his current experience under lock-down, and of deep,dark stouts with unpronounceable names, which will be coming in the future. Cheers!

We’re very happy to welcome a powerhouse person in craft beer, Katherine Valleau, who is the co-owner/manager of Exit Strategy Brewing in Forest Park, IL. Katherine’s husband Chris is the head brewer and is continuing to brew his great beers for to-go orders, and in preparation for better times ahead! We hear from Katherine how they are working through these ‘weird’ times, and she’s sipping down on one of their all-time great DIPAs, Judgemental Dick. Spend your next happy hour with the crew and then head over to ESB and pick-up some brews!