Kindling is an amazing beer venue in a log cabin that used to be a fried chicken restaurant
I couldn’t help but let you all in on the joy in my heart after finding out about the greatest thing to hit craft brewing in Southern Illinois since the invention of the refrigerated truck that carries beer to us from the breweries far away from our part of the world.
I recently stumbled on the Beer Philosopher’s blog. The Beer Philosopher (aka Shawn Connelly) is the expert on craft brewing in the area, is the founder of Aleuminati, the not so secret society of better beer drinkers, and is the Beer Styles expert at the new Beer Connoisseur Magazine. I caught up on the last year of posts about beer in southern Illinois and discovered that Kindling, a local place I’d driven by a dozen times hosts LOCAL BEER TASTINGS EVERY MONDAY NIGHT FROM 6 TO 8! And, as if that weren’t enough, they also do special dinners paired with microbrews once every couple of months or so. Come ON–Beer, Philosophy, Southern Illinois–I had to go.
I dropped by Kindling tonight to sample some beers and meet the Beer Philosopher, and we had a great conversation over a Bell’s Two Hearted IPA, which was on tap (on tap! in southern Illinois!), and tasted a half a dozen other beers, including a Fantome Belgian ale, a Founder’s Centennial IPA, and a New Glarus Uff-Da! There was some left over chili from another event, which was passed around to beer tasters. Philosopher #2 (not to be confused with the Beer Philosopher, I know, this is getting complicated) and I drooled over the wine and beer selection and came home with a full bag.
Kindling is in a log cabin that used to be a fried chicken restaurant (I feel like that’s one of those things you can only say out here with a straight face). It’s amazing what a little loving care will do to fix up a place. The store is clean, beautifully laid out and well tended. And it has a great selection not just of beer, but of wine and spirits. For now dinners are only catered affairs, or special events coordinated with the Beer Philosopher, but you can drop by on Mondays to sample some brews, and sit out on the deck in a chair in front of the crackling fire.
I’m pretty sure life does not get any better than that.
2 Comments
October 20, 2009 at 1:40 pm
So glad you guys had a good time. You’re regulars now, ya know, so be sure and come back next week!
October 21, 2009 at 11:49 am
You put on a great show, Shawn! I won’t be able to make it next week, but looking forward to coming the week after!