23 Enticing Adult Beverages for Lake County Libation Trail Month
By: Jonathan Jones 12/19/2019
“In wine there is wisdom, in beer, there is freedom, in water there is bacteria,” said U.S. Founding Father and esteemed libation consumer Benjamin Franklin.
It is Lake County Libation Trail month throughout January, and you should visit one of our breweries, wineries and distilleries eager to sip the night away - especially with one of these enticing adult beverages for Lake County Libation Trail Month.
Surely irresistible Lake County libations can’t account for all of the bountiful treats these makers create and distribute, but it gives you a fantastic overview of the plethora of flavors to quench your thirst.
Make sure this January, you note your attendance at one of these maker's facilities. During Lake County Libation Month, sippers have the opportunity to win free tickets to the Lake County Beer Festival in February at the Lake County Fairgrounds and Event Center. Click here to learn more.
Bevies of adult brew, vino and spirit drinkers can start the year checking off one thing on their New Year’s resolution list: tasting 23 enticing adult beverages for Lake County Libation Trail Month.
Glunz Family Winery & Cellars produces a trio of seasonal Sangria flavors: red, white and rosé. The intense citrus, berry flavors complemented by a dash of sweetness, makes for a refreshing treat during hot summer days. The Grayslake vino can be enjoyed by the glass or by can!
Glunz Family Winery and Cellars, 888 Belvidere Rd., Grayslake.
The Wheeling winery’s red wine contains a concoction of 70 percent cabernet sauvignon, 25 percent merlot and five percent petite sirah. The Lynfred wine complements dishes like beef, lamb, venison, spicy food and poultry very well. The vino is also called Vin de City Red.
This vino is an International Medal-Winning Wine. A full-bodied, smooth finish Bordeaux style red wine with mid to full range tannins aged two years in a combination of French and American oak barrels. This libation is an excellent complement to steak and lamb.
Valentino Vineyards, 5174 Aptakisic Rd., Long Grove.
The Kaleidoscope is a semi-sweet fusion of the vineyard’s St. Pepin, LaCrescent and Somerset wines. The melody of flavors includes tropical citrus, peach apricot and strawberry.
Vigneto del Bino Vineyard and Winery, 42150 Crawford Rd., Antioch.
“Gimme a liddle fiddle.” The taste of this whiskey encompasses notes of caramel, vanilla, dark chocolate, butterscotch and toasty oak. The 92 proof, 46 percent ABV small-batch beverage is made in their old style copper pot that was still-made from Arkansas. The Lake Zurich distillery urges libation-ers to drink the bourbon whiskey neat or on the rocks with a lemon peel.
Copper Fiddle Distillery, 532 W. Route 22, Lake Zurich.
The Green Oaks distillery has released their newest winter libation. Cocoa Curaçao, their latest installment of the orange liqueur (last year was Beehive Curaçao), they found the best available cacao. The beverage was infused and distilled with an array of orange peels. This spirit has rich yet refined aromas of orange and chocolate, with intriguing, layered flavors of bright orange with deep chocolate undertones. It is sweet, yet balanced and extremely sippable.
North Shore Distillery, 13990 Rockland Rd., Green Oaks.
They deviated from the standard London Dry style to create a unique and refreshing perspective with floral and citrus notes unseen in this category. For citrus, the Waukegan distillery uses a freshly peeled pink grapefruit. Elderflower, hibiscus and chamomile give Oppidan American Botanical Gin a light floral nose balanced by the spice of ginger, cardamom, and cinnamon. The result is a superbly balanced gin that works well neat or in your favorite gin cocktails.
Oppidan Spirits, 220 W Clayton St, Lot C, Waukegan.
Distilled from a blend of all malted midwest grains, 28 Mile Vodka is clear in color with aromas of almond and vanilla bean. This unique vodka has a silky smooth mouthfeel and notes of vanilla and cocoa nibs that finishes extremely clean on the palate with a lingering warming sensation. Drink this neat, on the rocks or in your favorite cocktail.
The Scotch Ale “Wee Heavy” is the perfect year-round libation in Lake County for the brisker forecast. The sweet-tinted ale, also that may be a bit overweight, as it contains a 7.3 percent alcohol by volume (ABV) and rated 20 on the International Bittering Units scale. Due to the higher ABV content, the Mundelein brewery limits customers to only two of the pints in one visit.
Bosacki’s Home Brew, 610 E. Hawley St., Mundelein.
This concoction was created as an autumn festival in your mouth, but now it is a year-round drink (best drank in the fall). Bruno Mars’s “24K Magic” can’t compare to the Long Grove brew home’s Belgian strong ale. The 42K is the water connection expenses Buffalo Creek Brewery had to pay for their facility expansion. Like the cost of the fee, the ABV stands at a high 10.5 percent and is rated 31 IBUs. You’ll never taste the precise version as the last because the two yeast strains integrated into the beverage change the flavor of the malt.
Buffalo Creek Brewing Company, 360 Historical Ln., Long Grove.
This brew ABV stands at 11.5 percent. The suds drink is a rye barrel-aged imperial stout complemented by Mexican chocolate, vanilla beans and other spices.
Flesk Brewing Company, 200 Applebee St. Suite E, Barrington.
The Barrel-Aged Warrior Paint Imperial Coffee is taking a victory lap through the Lincolnshire brewing company. The 11-percent ABV stout is brewed with Mexican coffee beans from Bannockburn’s Newport Coffee House. Beautiful aromas of molasses and coffee waft from this libation, and the scents are paired with hints of oak and vanilla.
Half Day Brewing Co., 200 Village Green, Lincolnshire.
Special K Milkshake IPA is a part of your balanced breakfast, lunch and dinner. Yes, you read it correctly. A cereal beer. The Winthrop Harbor brewpub provides cereal/beer lovers with their destiny. The breakfast treat IPA is brewed with zero boil hops and is packed with Citra and Mosaic hops for an incredible aroma and finish.
