Lunch On Goose Island

On Tuesday, September 2, a team from Goose Island Brewing Co. in Chicago paid The Daily Meal a visit. They brought with them sandwiches from 'witchcraft as well as three of their beers to go along with lunch. Some of the sandwiches were roasted turkey with avocado, bacon, onion relish, and aioli on a ciabatta roll; heritage smoked ham with poached pears, dijon mustard, and aged cheddar on grilled cranberry pecan bread, and a vegetable frittata of seasonal vegetables and feta on a ciabatta roll.

"I think this pairs beautifully with pork," said Goose Island educator Ryan Daley as he helped pour us some of their Sofie Belgian Style Farmhouse Ale. It most certainly did. A few sips and a half a sandwich later, brewmaster Brian Taylor declared: "We take a lot of pride in this brew." He was referencing their 312 Urban Wheat Ale, which had a distinct flavor, but did not overpower the vegetable sandwich I had just bit into. Finally we were served my personal favorite, their signature IPA, which pairs well with just about every meal. Taylor explained it's an English-style IPA, so while it's full-bodied, it's not a mouthful of hops, like so many of the IPAs from newer American breweries. We greatly appreciated the food and drink they brought with them, but were especially impressed by their pride; as their website says, "We don't need to be the only beer you drink, we just want to be the best beer you drink."

Kate Kolenda is the Restaurant/City Guide Editor at The Daily Meal. Follow her on Twitter @BeefWerky and @theconversant.