Does Your Beer Say Something About Your Politics?

National Journal sifted through marketing data to see if there was a link between the brand of beer someone drinks and how—as well as if—they voted. Find out what the media outlet uncovered.

Call it the Year of Politic-Ale Correctness. Between the White House press corps dogging officials about President Obama's homebrew and Mitt Romney's Mormon faith keeping him from touching the stuff, this alcoholic beverage has become a campaign tool to establish a candidates common man bona fides—or lack thereof. Another sideshow under the giant political big top to distract from this year's free-wheeling election circus. So it's no surprise that National Journal, a nonpartisan media outlet that covers Beltway politics, tackled the beer issue straight on. "We've analyzed Scarborough Research data, which includes 200,000 interviews with American adults, to determine the politics of beer drinkers," said in an article it posted to its …

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Southland Stories

White Castle Serving Beer: Is This a Good Idea?

White Castle is testing restaurant beer sales in Indiana. Who knew folks had a hard time finding a few cold ones before they got to White Castle? A Patch Poll.

Sliders and beer — sounds like a dangerous combo in so many ways. White Castle chain is testing beer and wine sales at a restaurant in Lafayette, IN, thinking customers might like a cold beer or a glass of wine to wash down a Crave Case or two. Aside from the gastrointestinal distress this combo conjures up, aren't there enough White Castle customers showing up pre-lit already? To wit: What do you think? Would you like to see beer and wine on the menu at your local White Castle? [ Did You Know? The Southland is home to a Crave Case Hall of Famer, Dale Bemis. ]

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Southland Tour de Beer Gardens

Tour de Beer Garden at The Park, Rocco's and Rokwelz

This week we dig cold brews among sand volleyball courts, spend time in little Italy and lounge near the fire pit.

I had been waiting for this one. The beer garden and sand volleyball courts behind the fence at OF Bowl were practically taunting me. I had been there before, years ago, but I was eager to return and see if it was all I had it cracked up to be. I was right: The Park is a little piece of retreat, bordering Cicero Avenue and tucked alongside Oak Forest Bowl. 1. Adult atmosphere. In our opinion, it doesn't get much better than this. The place almost feels like a secret adult hangout. With plenty of space for several games of bags, and two sand volleyball courts, it's the perfect combination of adult drinks and game time. There were no kids when we stopped in, right around dinnertime. Groups of friends were trickling in for their volleyball …

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Ben Feldheim

1:35 pm on Saturday, August 20, 2011

We'll keep that in mind. Thanks for the suggestion.   more ›

This Weekend: Movie Night, Concerts and Back to School Fun

Events are happening this weekend, August 11-13, in the Orland, Palos, Tinley and Oak Forest areas.

Just like prairie dogs in U.S. deserts, life is easier if you hang with a group. This weekend, take friends, relatives or even a date out to see what the south 'burbs have to offer including fundraisers, mini-golf and back to school fun. Together We Cope Rock Bottom Fundraiser August 11, 6pm - 9pm | Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery Support Together We Cope by trying a custom brew (called Cope-asetic) sold in Together We Cope pint glasses for $5 each. Enter a raffle for an iPad2. 10% of all food sales will be donated to Together We Cope.  Friday Night Date Night August 12, 7pm - 9pm | El Morro Park, Miniature Golf Course Take that special someone for a round of mini-golf. Couples golf for $5 and receive a flower. Concessions will be open …

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Southland Tour de Beer Gardens

Tour de Beer Garden at Sam Maguire’s, Marcotte's and The Cottage

This week we took down domestic bottles, on-tap brews, fried stuff and salads.

Mall parking lots usually bring to mind chaos, disturbingly impatient drivers with cars stuffed to the brim with, well, stuff, and in general are not my scene. And yet a solid, serene beer garden sits tucked away in a corner of Orland Square Mall’s giant lot. Sam Maguire’s Irish Pub and Restaurant has a peaceful beer garden that is good, but it could be great with a few service tweaks. The area itself is spacious and separated nicely from the mall drivers, enough of beer selection to keep most of us (a.k.a. non-beer snobs) happy and good food. The service during our visit was pretty slow and one of our beers was a bit warm, so just some screw-tightening and it would be much better. 1. Adult atmosphere. We had what looked like a birthday …

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Harrison’s Restaurant and Brewery: Tour de Beer Garden

This week we tested an Orland Park beer garden sheltered from outer distractions, fueled by in-house brewed beer.

Harrison’s puts both the beer and garden in beer garden. For a restaurant and brewery nestled next to the busy barrages that are LaGrange Road and 159th Street, Harrison’s beer garden manages to shut all that away from its temporary dwellers. With craftily placed bushes and plants scattered around blocking distractions that plague many gardens – like massive numbers of cars driving around the area – Harrison’s creates a serene atmosphere to enjoy the warm weather with frosty beer. And then there’s obviously the beer. From sweet fruit bases to pungent, hoppy face-puckerers, they craft a wide range of brew flavors. Add a Creole wallop to the common bar menu, with a mix of simple sandwiches to full entrees, and the result is a garden more …

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Southland Tour de Beer Gardens

Southland Tour de Beer Gardens

Your Orland, Tinley and Oak Forest Patch editors are thirsty ... and craving the outdoors.

Do you like booze? Well Southland, you're in luck. Many decry the lack of deep, probing journalism in the modern world but we're about to turn that all around. Your lovable Patch editors are embarking on the daunting and difficult journey of visiting beer gardens in Tinley, Oak Forest and Orland to tell you how they rate. That's right. We're making the ultimate sacrifice for YOU. We'll be stopping by one garden a week in each of our respective Patches to enjoy an outdoor beverage. We've spent the last week gathering your suggestions — via Facebook and Twitter, mostly — of where your favorite hotspots are. We've listened. Included on our dockets are: Rocco's Little Italy Patio, Durbin's, JW Hollstein Saloon and The Cottage in Tinley. …

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PHOTO GALLERY: Bottoms Up at Summer Solstice Craft Beer & Wine Festival 2011

Who doesn't love a good beer or glass of wine? Definitely not those attending the 2011 Summer Solstice Craft Beer and Wine Festival in Oak Forest.

Summer is here, and what better way to celebrate than by drinking wine and craft beer. Saturday at Blarney Stone Pub in Oak Forest, dozens of people came from around the Chicago area to sample from over 35 different breweries nationwide, and over 15 different Italian and Californian vineyards, during the first annual Summer Solstice Craft Beer and Wine Festival. “This is a great way to kick off the summer,” said manager Tom Spellman, whose family has owned the pub for 17 years. “We're trying to let people know we have great Chicago beers at south suburban prices.” Tickets were $20 online and $25 at the door, which gave attendees coupons that allowed them to sample their livers out from 3 p.m. until 9 p.m. For the full story of yesterday's …

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Southland Stories

Bowling Brings Out the Beast In You; Chuck E. Cheese Brings Out Something Else

From a bowling alley brawl to a thumb-tack attack, the Southland's crime reports deliver tales of oddity this week.

See how the other half lives in this roundup of Crime-N-Shame, the Southland blotter spotter. Are you really manly if you get into a shoving match with a guy who will be 70 on his next birthday? A 69-year-old man told police he was bowling at Oak Forest Bowl when another man—Jon Damon, 40,  of the 16700 block of 92nd Avenue in Orland Hills—began exchanging words with his team. According to reports, Damon told police he was walking away when a team member taunted him, questioning his masculinity. Damon then turned and shoved him, according to police. Staff spotted the brawl and broke it up, and police said Damon was charged with assault. An employee at Dunkin Donuts, 4100 block of 167th Street in Oak Forest, told police a man threatened him…

Southland Stories

Crime-N-Shame: Taxi Smoking and Beer Confessions

The Southland's best blotter, courtesy of the men and women behind the badge.

Orland Park cops are pretty cool sometimes. After busting a taxi driver for speeding in a school zone while puffing on a cig, they hustled his fare over to the train station free of charge. In Olympia Fields, if the cops ask you how much you've had to drink, you might not want to fess up the way this guy did. Without further delay, the region's best blotter in Good Read: Crime-N-Shame edition. Two local men are accused of stealing six tons of road salt meant for state highways. Jerome Latos, 54, of Tinley Park, and John Syarto, 33, of Oak Forest, are charged with one felony count each of theft of government property and official misconduct, prosecutors said. If convicted, each man could face a maximum of 12 years in prison. Prosecutors …