Come A-Wassailing Your Way With Lake County Holiday Libations 2022
By: Nick Borowitz 11/28/2022
Deck the halls with growlers, decanters, mugs and sifters this holiday season! Check out the season's greetings adult beverages when you come a-wassailing your way with Lake County holiday libations 2022.
No matter the time of the year, the makers of these fine spirits, vinos and craft beer prepare concoctions that adults will adore.
The holidays in Lake County can be hectic and no one is denying that. But when you visit these libation makers, you'll want to savor the season one glass at a time when you Holiday Your Way in Lake County.
These Lake County makers have received the message as creators pack a special holiday punch through the good, bad, and tough times. If you haven’t indulged, now is the time. come a-wassailing your way with Lake County holiday libations this season.
Lauren Barrel-Aged Vanilla Bean Porter | 9.5% ABV
Zümbier describes this barrel-aged craft beer as graceful. It is flavorful and barrel-aged porters are always a delight for the chilly weather with autumn's arrival. The barrel aging imparts notes of vanilla and whiskey, all balanced with a malt body. Savor it slowly, sip by sip, in a Belgian glass. Zümbier's beer reflects who they are and what they stand for.
Zümbier Brewery, 3232 W. Monroe St., Waukegan.
MARDRÖM Chocolate and Coconut American Porter | 5.6% ABV
This American porter is brewed with chocolate cocoa nibs and over six pounds of toasted coconut. That works to about half of an ounce of coconut per pint and a lot of flavors. The coconut aroma sticks around and tickles the flavor pallet while blending nicely with the chocolate. Stop in the tap room and have a glass or fill up a crowler to bring home for the holidays.
Black Lung Brewing Company, 2217 N. Illinois Route 83, Round Lake Beach.
Santa's Magic Belgian Strong Golden Ale | 8.2% ABV
This solid Belgian ale in Illinois’s oldest brewery has a light body, but the flavor is spicy, and the aroma has a sophisticated scent of spice and fruit blend. The Libertyville brewery’s most popular seasonal ale contains honey and dark Belgian candy sugar. This magic in a glass can be compared to Chimay and Duvel’s similar tastes.
Mickey Finn's Brewery, 345 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville.
Can't Even Whiskey Cold Brew Pumpkin Spice | 46% ABV
The autumn flavor mixture in this cocktail makes for an incredibly smooth sipping experience. Copper Fiddle Distillery takes their signature Bourbon Whiskey and combines cold brew coffee, coffee cordials and falernum as the building base. They further enhance this craft cocktail with pecan bitters, pumpkin spice bitters and pumpkin spice cold foam for a craft cocktail that is the essential flavor of the late autumn and winter season.
Copper Fiddle Distillery, 532 W. Illinois Route 22, Ste. 110, Lake Zurich.
We Be Yammin' Sweet Potato Ale | 6.4% ABV
This craft beer uses 280 pounds of sliced and baked sweet potatoes add the veggies into the mash tun. Tighthead Brewing Company then adds an additional 50 pounds of brown sugar to give it a sweet bite. Cinnamon and nutmeg top it off for a flavorful beer that is ideal for the holiday season.
Tighthead Brewing Company, 161 N. Archer Ave., Mundelein.
John Dough Gingerbread Stout | 8.5% ABV
The John Dough Gingerbread Stout is almost like drinking the holidays. The stout craft beer is brewed with a blend of ginger, spices and vanilla. Ravinia Brewing Company then adds 60 pounds of blackstrap molasses for a lightly spiced winter warmer.
Ravinia Brewing Company, 582 Roger Williams Ave., Highland Park.
Vin Glögg Winter Wine | 13% ABV
The concoction is one-half red wine, and the other half is a port. They complement the holiday Vin Glogg and pack it full of cinnamon and cardamon spices. Glunz Family Winery and Cellars top it off with an orange peel zest to taste. Vin Glogg is intended to be served warm, but don’t let a chilled bottle stop you.
Glunz Family Winery and Cellars, 888 E. Belvidere Rd., Ste. 107, Grayslake.
Cranberry Wheat Lager | 4.7% ABV
This lager was introduced in November for Thanksgiving and Christmas. The craft beer was such a hit that Bosacki's Brewery brings it back every year for the holiday season. The naturally carbonated fruity lager contains a subtle tartness due to the Bosacki hops and cranberry medley. The Cranberry Wheat Lager provides you and the family a beautiful complement to appetizers and dinner entrees.
Bosacki’s Brewery, 610 E. Hawley St., Mundelein.
I'll Not Ask For Wine Blush | 7.0% ABV
I’ll Not Ask For Wine Blush starts with a Belgian Pale Ale brewed in the time-honored tradition with Belgian yeast. The Waukegan brewery adds six gallons of Italian montepulciano grape juice and lets the liquid ferment together. After the fermentation period, the libation is dry-hopped with African Queen hops. The result is a crisp, blush beer-wine hybrid that is fruit-forward without sweetness.
Nightshade and Dark's Pandemonium Brewing Company, 216 W. Clayton St., Waukegan.
Dick Floats | 46% ABV
The Waukegan facility specializing in gin and whiskey is located in Waukegan, but the spirits are created in Wheeling. The Lake County Libation Trail participant creates decadent beverages for the modern townsman, by the modern townsman. The delectable treat the Waukegan/Wheeling distillery created is Dick Floats - a craft espresso ice cream libation with bourbon.
Oppidan Spirits, 220 W. Clayton St., Lot C, Waukegan.
Midwest Winter Black IPA | 6.6% ABV
This IPA utilizes Azacca and Idaho 7 hops in the brewing process to create this unexpectedly dark craft beer. When you drink it, you can expect a bright flavor that is crisp and delightful. Expect notes of citrus, tropical fruits and pine. It’s an excellent brew to enjoy in the garage or around the fire pit.
Light the Lamp Brewery, 2 S. Lake St., Grayslake.
Cranberry Wine | 10.5% ABV
This red vino is a 100% cranberry blend loaded with flavor and packed with a tart aroma. The Cranberry Wine is crisp and clean and when you pour it, the dark ruby color is enticing. It has a crispy finish with a slightly tart bite when you drink it. This wine is a good table beverage for any meal of the holiday season or when you want to place a spare bottle in the cooler at home.
Lynfred Winery Highland Park, 1823 St. Johns Ave., Highland Park.
Lynfred Winery Wheeling, 971 N. Milwaukee Ave., Wheeling.
Holiday Hell Cranberry and Blood Orange Helles | 4.9% ABV
Buffalo Creek Brewing takes their well-established house Helles and gives it a holiday twist by adding in cranberries and blood ornages. Sip and savor this delicious beer at the Long Grove Alpine Biergarten.
Buffalo Creek Brewing, 360 Historical Ln., Long Grove.
DDH Citra//Vic Secret//Rakau Créme Double IPA | 7.7% ABV
This craft beer is one of the favorites in Phase Three Brewing Company’s hazy créme IPA series. The smooth créme base recipe is jam-packed with heaps of Citra, Vic Secret and Rakau hops. The formula creates a soft flavor with notes of stone fruit, candied orange and pineapple. The additions of milk sugar makes the beverage a creamy, smooth treat.
Phase Three Brewing Company, 932 Donata Court, Lake Zurich.
Tongue Twister | 40% ABV
North Shore Distillery crafts this autumn-inspired beverage to be a delicious sipper for the cold months here in Lake County. The Green Oaks tasting room creates the cocktail with its Twisted Citrus Vodka. They add in a splash of cranberry and lemon juice to give it a fruity kick, as well as brown sugar-cinnamon simple. Shake with ice, strain into a Collins glass and garnish with an orange swath and you have a crafted cocktail to warm up in winter.
North Shore Distillery, 13990 Rockland Rd., Green Oaks.
Dirtbag Duane Pilsner | 5% ABV
The Side Lot offering celebrates their friend and local jam band frontman Duane Hanson. The label showcases Duane’s favorite things including boats, bikes and the band “Better with Bacon.” This heady pilsner is suitable for a long walk around Shakedown Street. 100% wookie approved.
The Side Lot, 110 Slocum Lake Rd., Wauconda.
Observer & Observed with Hazelnut and Coffee Barrel Aged Stout | 13.5% ABV
This barrel aged craft beer combines two stouts. One has been aged for 12 years in Elijah Craig bourbon Barrels. The other chilled out for a year in Willet bourbon barrels. Roaring Table Brewing Company combined these two stouts to create a craft beer drinking experience that is big, rich and luxurious in taste.
Roaring Table Brewing Company, 739 W. Illinois Route 22, Lake Zurich.
8 a.m. Rosé | 13.1% ABV
Pazzo di Vino calls this particular vino a “wine drinker’s wine.” And for a good reason. The 8 a.m. is fuller in the body than someone might expect from such a bright, crisp wine. The name comes from when they crush the Grenache grapes on the Friday night of Pumpkinfest until 8 a.m. that Saturday morning!
Pazzo di Vino, 524 Sheridan Rd., Highwood.
S'mores Barrel Aged Warrior Paint Imperial Coffee Stout | 11% ABV
The S’mores Barrel Aged Warrior Paint Imperial Coffee is brewed with Mexican coffee beans from Bannockburn’s Newport Coffee House and aged for one year. The Lincolnshire brewery adds marshmallow and graham crackers to provide that campfire bite flavor. Wonderful aromas of molasses and coffee waft from this libation and the scent is paired with hints of oak and vanilla.
Half Day Brewing Company, 200 Village Green S., Lincolnshire.
Butterscotch Whiskey | 33.3% ABV
The Highwood distillery provides this "elf on a shelf" offering perfect for holiday company. This whiskey is similar to their house bourbon, but they add in butterscotch flavor perfect for the holiday season.
28 Mile Distilling Company, 454 Sheridan Rd., Highwood.
Five Eyes Honey Ale | 6.5% ABV
Did you know that bees have five eyes? Well, that is how this honey ale from Wright’s Brew and Bistro, located inside Lincolnshire Marriott Resort, got its name. This honey ale is brewed in collaboration with Tighthead Brewing Co. The award-winning brew house utilizes the honey produced in the beehives onsite at the Lincolnshire Marriott Resort.
Wright's Brew and Bistro, 10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire.
Marechal Foch Reserve | 13.8% ABV
Give your mind a break from the cold weather with a Long Grove soul warming sip. This red vino is a fantastic local flavor to add to your holiday drinking experience. Their wines are grown and produced on their 20-acre estate. The wine is barrel-aged in French and American oak barrels, and bottled right on site.
Valentino Vineyards and Winery, 5175 Aptakisic Rd., Long Grove.
Dark Poets Society Schwarzbier | 5.3% ABV
9th Hour Brewing Co. designed this schwarzbier to be a malt-forward libation in the spirit of German biers. The roasty and light sweetness flavor comes from the myriad Munich malt. There's a crisp, clean finish on the last sip with a slight hint of bitterness.
9th Hour Brewing Company, 136 Cedar Ave., Lake Villa.
Just Peachy Fruited Sour Berliner Weisse | 4.2%
Savor the sour bite of this "peachy" craft beer at Harbor Brewing Company's Lake Villa or Winthrop Harbor taproom. The hectic holidays may be wrapping the mind up with the hullabaloo of the season, but a sour bite can be just the thing to unwind a little bit.
Harbor Brewing Company locations:
Lake Villa Taproom, 136 Cedar Ave., Lake Villa.
Winthrop Harbor Taproom, 811 Sheridan Rd., Winthrop Harbor.
Lakefront Biergarten, 701 North Point Dr., Winthrop Harbor. (Closed For The Season)
The Sequiot Red Table Wine | 12.5% ABV
Vigneto del Bino made this red table wine as a blend of Frontenac, Sabrevois and St. Croix grapes. This fruity fusion of strawberry, cherry and red currant is present in the aroma and taste of this wine. See if you notice the gentle additional hint of spice. Vigneto del Bino Winery is a boutique winery specializing in “Wines grown from local vines." The winery sits on a 10-acre property surrounded by 2,300 grapevines.
Vigneto del Bino Vineyard and Winery, 42150 Crawford Rd., Antioch.
Patio Napper Imperial Stout | 12.5% ABV
Liquid Love Brewing Co. went big with this stout craft beer. After brewing the delectable concoction, they laid it down to build flavor in Four Roses bourbon barrels for 18 months. This process gives this Imperial Stout an extra thick pour and flavor notes of vanilla, bourbon, molasses and maple syrup.
Liquid Love Brewing Company, 1310 Busch Pkwy., Buffalo Grove.
Stay Puft Brown Ale | 6.5% ABV
Stay Puft Brown Ale is kind of like drinking a campfire in a can. The flavor of this craft beer is reminiscent of s'mores and the distinctly sweet taste of marshmallows. Wild Onion Brewery has a timber-framed bar and dining room anchored by a massive stone fireplace, creating a comfortable atmosphere that has made The Onion has been a local favorite since 2003.
Wild Onion Brewery and Banquets, 22221 N. Pepper Rd., Lake Barrington.
Click here to see everything the Lake County Libation Trail has to offer. Continue here to view all of the holiday happenings in Lake County
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