Tastings near Peoria/Bloomington

Discussion in 'Great Lakes' started by BobSmooth, Jan 22, 2013.

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  1. alcstradamus

    alcstradamus Initiate (0) Aug 10, 2008 Iowa

    Pretty much officially moved in, and I have some beers with me that you want to drink. Not prepared to set a date yet, but who all is down for a tasting at Kellehers and what day of the week works for people?
     
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  2. match1112

    match1112 Initiate (0) Mar 2, 2011 Illinois

    I think in the past that Kellehers let us know which days we could do something on. They don't want us in there on their busy nights taking up table space. Clark W. Griswold would have a better grasp of things for scheduling I think. Mondays and Wednesdays are bad for me.
     
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  3. tstigz

    tstigz Initiate (0) Dec 6, 2010 Illinois

    Kellehers is so hit or miss. The Hopslam release was good, but I'm so over that place.
     
  4. beerepiphany

    beerepiphany Initiate (0) Oct 19, 2010 Illinois

    ....And you'd recommend?

    I can agree they dont ALWAYS have the biggest, baddest, most sought after beers, but they do have a wide variety of craft options that changes constantly. Being a craft beer lover from Peoria and going to Kellehers for many years it would be hard to say they are "hit or miss" and worthy of "being over them."

    Also, if you are from Peoria Kellehers is the biggest, and arguably best place in town for craft beer. Their selection has grown over the years and they are putting on more events with breweries and harder to find brews. They are improving their craft beer selection and related events.

    So, you're "over" one of the few bright spots in Peoria to offer anything close to a craft beer experience. Sorry if I come off a little defensive, but I'd love to hear why you feel this way as you don't give any reasoning.

    ***EDIT*** The waitresses at Kelleher's suck. They are typically rude and almost always (with the exception of Angela and one or two others) know absolutely nothing about beer. I'll show up three hours into a big release (aka Hopslam) and ask for details and the waitress will look pissed off I want to order anything other than Blue Moon.
     
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  5. tstigz

    tstigz Initiate (0) Dec 6, 2010 Illinois

    Yeah, you are plenty defensive. I've been going there for years too and my biggest complaint is how poor of a job they do updating their tap list. Whether its online or on the beer menu or bottle list on the table, they do a terrible job of deleting or crossing off beers that they are out of. They were once out of four beers in a row that I asked for. I've been to plenty of comparable bars. It's not hard to pencil a line through a beer you are sold out of. It's almost every time. They forget appetizers and forget to bring beer. They even forgot my meat and cheese at the Goose Island tap takeover. The waitresses are just bad man. They really effect the experience. There is one really good one, but I dont know her name. There are plenty of things I like about the place, and yeah I really do respect what they are doing for craft beer in the area. They need to educate their wait staff and stop getting my hopes up that Sculpin is still on tap.
     
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  6. beerepiphany

    beerepiphany Initiate (0) Oct 19, 2010 Illinois

    I'd have to agree with all of your complaints. After replying to your post earlier it actually inspired me to email the business with pretty much all the complaints you just listed. I really enjoy Kelleher's, and they have a number of things to improve on (some they REALLY need to improve on), but darn it if they dont have the largest (best?) variety of beer in town. And, man, the waitresses really are TERRIBLE. Also, I've suggested a chalk board for years and a more active Twitter/Facebook to address the outdated beer lists, all to no avail.

    Cheers to you and sorry for the defensive stance. All your complaints are more than warranted, but I'm not ready to thrown in the towel yet.
     
  7. tstigz

    tstigz Initiate (0) Dec 6, 2010 Illinois

    It's cool. And yeah, it's not like I'm not gonna go there anymore. They do have the best selection around. Ill put up with a bad waitress for some of the stuff that will be there at the barrel aged night. I just may be spending a little more time at The Fox instead. It's closer to me anyway. I hate getting my hopes up and then driving 15 minutes to find out they don't have what I went there for. Or my second option either. They are getting better at it, but their social media updates are seriously lacking. It's like that all over Peoria, though. Compare the online marketing and updates from the Bloomington Friar Tuck to Peoria. Hell, the Publik House website has said they have Celebration on tap for the past six months. I called and the guy had no clue what I was talking about. Who is in charge of marketing at these places?
     
    beerepiphany likes this.
  8. clarkw42

    clarkw42 Initiate (0) May 10, 2009 Illinois


    Unfortunatly, many of the days available end up being Mon or Wed. Tues is a very busy trivia night (alot of fun btw) and Thurs night will work from time to time. We would have to give plenty of notice to reserve an area. Should probably do it before the middle of March due to high school basketball finals, St PAttys, and such. I don't mind setting it up guys. Shoot me a couple possible dates and I'll see what I can do.
     
  9. beerepiphany

    beerepiphany Initiate (0) Oct 19, 2010 Illinois

    Yeah, I've never understood why it is so hard for Peoria places to keep their online lists updated. Rhodell actually does the best job, it is updated weekly, but I hardly go there because I don't really enjoy their beer. And it is very frustrating to pick out a few things from the draft list sitting on the table at Kelleher's only to be told your #1 and #2 choices have kicked. CHALKBOARD! And I love The Fox, but they are also pretty poor at their media updates.
     
  10. alcstradamus

    alcstradamus Initiate (0) Aug 10, 2008 Iowa

    Mondays are impossible for me. Sounds like Thursdays might be the best bet. If you can find us a Thursday that would be nice.
     
  11. beerepiphany

    beerepiphany Initiate (0) Oct 19, 2010 Illinois

    My work schedule is rotating between days and nights (including weekends), but I'll try and make whatever I can.
     
  12. bharlan51

    bharlan51 Initiate (0) Jan 22, 2010 Illinois

    I'm actually curious as to what all your favorite beers are.....are they rare beers, stouts, porters, ipa's....seriously just curious.
     
  13. bharlan51

    bharlan51 Initiate (0) Jan 22, 2010 Illinois

    Also, I do beer samplings all the time around the Peoria area. I've done them at Kelleher's, Fox Pub, Hofbrau, Black Rabbit, the Locker Room, Jimmy's, Joe's of Peoria, Bernardi's North, Sully's, River Beach Pub, etc... I LOVE places like Kelleher's because they do have a very good selection of brews and allow you to sample the brew before you decide to buy one.

    I do samplings around town because I understand that a majority of the people in the area aren't as educated on beer as some of us are. I don't try to push a certain brew on people, merely explain the brews, how they're made, what they're made of and what it may compare to. Sure, I have my favorites, but deep down, I'm just a beer lover. I don't think that just because a beer is "rare", that it's any better than a beer like Smithwick's. That's just me though.
     
  14. beerepiphany

    beerepiphany Initiate (0) Oct 19, 2010 Illinois

    I'd have to say I love to try one-offs, sours, barrel-aged beers, etc., but really I just want to try anything I havent had before. Then I like to keep a supply of some of my favorites on hand at all times (which I have found from trying as many as I can). I'm sure this logic goes for many people though. There's just something special about trying someone "rare" or "limited."

    And I think I've met you at the Fox and elsewhere before if you are the guy who does the tastings. I'm the redhead who is always there with his girlfriend (young couple).
     
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  15. alcstradamus

    alcstradamus Initiate (0) Aug 10, 2008 Iowa

    My favorite beers are lambics, most notable 3 Fonteinen, Girardin, Cantillon, and Tilquin.

    Since lambics are generally too expensive for daily drinking, I would generally go with a classic German beer as a replacement like Aventinus or Weihenstephaner Hefeweizen.

    I used to always hunt for rare beers but after a couple years of consistent disappointments I prefer now to drink at local breweries and pubs and also homebrews (not mine, my friends')
     
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  16. tstigz

    tstigz Initiate (0) Dec 6, 2010 Illinois

    Mostly IPA's and Stouts. Big flavored beers. I'm also known to enjoy a gueuze after breakfast on the weekend.
     
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  17. match1112

    match1112 Initiate (0) Mar 2, 2011 Illinois

    i like my beer like my women. thick, black, and full of booze.

    sours give me heartburn.
     
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  18. bharlan51

    bharlan51 Initiate (0) Jan 22, 2010 Illinois

    Yea, I remember who you are.....I'm the one doing the tastings the last tuesday of the month.
     
  19. tstigz

    tstigz Initiate (0) Dec 6, 2010 Illinois

    Who went to Kellehers on Saturday? I got all four flights and the cherry Bourbon County. I went home and fell asleep at 830.
     
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  20. match1112

    match1112 Initiate (0) Mar 2, 2011 Illinois

    Im here now enjoying black note for lunch
     
    clarkw42 likes this.
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