A broad shipment of new craft beer releases Grayslake enthusiasts can explore has hit the shelves at Beer Bazaar. Rachelle is working the bar this Thursday evening serving fresh draft pours, guiding bottle shop selections, and hosting our monthly 15-Page Book Club starting at 6:30 PM.
This week’s arrival features barrel-aged reserve porters, traditional German Oktoberfest lagers, double-fruited smoothie sours, farmhouse saisons, functional THC sparklers, and gluten-free hard sodas organized below by brewery.
Deschutes Brewery (Bend, OR)
Oregon’s Deschutes Brewery has delivered their annual reserve benchmark porter to our bottle shop.
- Black Butte XXXVIII (10.5% ABV Port Barrel-Aged Imperial Porter): Matured in port wine casks and conditioned on dark cocoa, vanilla beans, orange peel, and Oregon cranberries. Pours pitch-black with notes of dark chocolate, vinous oak warmth, citrus oil, and a subtle cranberry tartness on the finish (Untappd: 4.20 / 5 | BeerAdvocate: 93).
Drekker Brewing Company (Fargo, ND)
Drekker Brewing Company returns with a full lineup of double-fruited smoothie sours, marshmallow sours, and sessionable variety 6-packs.
- Braaaaaaaains: Blueberry, Banana, & Orange (7.8% ABV Smoothie Sour): Conditioned on blueberry, banana purée, orange juice, sea salt, and lactose-free vanilla soft serve (Untappd: 4.20 / 5).
- Braaaaaaaains: Mango & Passionfruit (7.8% ABV Smoothie Sour): Thick and tropical, packed with mango purée, tart passionfruit, sea salt, and vanilla (Untappd: 4.25 / 5).
- Braaaaaaaains: Citrus Twist (7.8% ABV Smoothie Sour): Loaded with lime, orange, and lemon citrus purées balanced by a soft serve finish (Untappd: 4.15 / 5).
- Fluff Stuff: Mango & Guava (6.0% ABV Marshmallow Sour): Conditioned on sweet tropical mango, pink guava, and marshmallow fluff (Untappd: 4.18 / 5).
- Smol Party Pack (6.0% ABV 6-Pack Variety): Session smoothie sours featuring 2 cans each of Strawberry Lemonade, Blue Razz, and POG (Passionfruit, Orange, Guava).
- Chonk: Spiked Smoothie Variety Pack (6.0% ABV 6-Pack Variety): Thicker smoothie seltzers featuring 2 cans each of Pineapple Whhhip, PB&J, and Confetti Cake.
Off Color Brewing (Chicago, IL)
Chicago’s Off Color Brewing brings a balanced mix of traditional lagers, wild sours, and farmhouse ales.
- Apex Predator (6.5% ABV Farmhouse Ale — Restocked): Flagship saison free-fermented with a Belgian yeast strain for aromas of pineapple, lemon zest, white pepper, and an effervescent finish (Untappd: 3.80 / 5 | BeerAdvocate: 92).
- Waddle (6.5% ABV Oktoberfest Märzen): A malty festival lager featuring notes of toasted grain, brown bread crust, and a clean finish (Untappd: 3.82 / 5).
- Yuzu Fierce (3.8% ABV Fruited Berliner Weisse — Restocked): Low-ABV Berliner Weisse conditioned on Japanese yuzu fruit for a punchy, key lime citrus pop (Untappd: 3.95 / 5 | BeerAdvocate: 3.90 / 5).
- Yuzu Koshō (3.8% ABV Fruited Sour w/ Shishito Peppers): A savory variant infused with real shishito peppers to balance the tart yuzu with an earthy green pepper aroma and mild heat (Untappd: 3.98 / 5).
- Peach Beer For Golf (4.8% ABV Fruited Witbier): A Belgian-style wheat ale brewed with peach purée, lemon peel, and black tea (Untappd: 3.75 / 5).
DESTIHL Brewery (Normal, IL)
Central Illinois’ DESTIHL Brewery brings back their popular savory Gose alongside an autumn festival release.
- WiLD Sour Series: Spicy Pickle Sour Beer (5.5% ABV — Restocked): A tart Gose base combined with SuckerPunch spicy garlic pickle brine and red pepper heat (Untappd: 3.60 / 5 | BeerAdvocate: 3.87 / 5).
- Oktoberfest (5.8% ABV German-Style Märzen): A traditional Märzen pouring golden-amber with layers of toasted biscuit and honeyed malt sweetness (Untappd: 3.68 / 5).
Werk Force Brewing (Plainfield, IL)
Werk Force Brewing contributes a fresh fruit-infused hazy IPA collaboration and a seasonal Märzen.
- Pressure Makes Diamonds (6.5% ABV Passion Fruit Hazy IPA): A collaboration with Reserve Artisan Ales brewed with oats, wheat, passionfruit purée, Nectaron, and Citra hops (Untappd: 3.88 / 5).
- Werktoberfest (6.0% ABV Oktoberfest Märzen): A copper-hued lager loaded with dark toasted bread crust, caramel malt, and noble hop bitterness (Untappd: 3.81 / 5).
Elm Creek Brewing Co. (Champlain, MN)
Heavy fruit additions define these kettle sour releases from Elm Creek Brewing Co..
- Rare Candy: Raspberry, Mango, & Passion Fruit (6.0% ABV Fruited Sour): A tropical kettle sour loaded with red raspberry, mango flesh, and tart passionfruit (Untappd: 3.75 / 5).
- Rare Candy: Blueberry & Raspberry (6.0% ABV Fruited Sour): Packed with 40 pounds of real blueberry and raspberry per barrel for a deep ruby pour (Untappd: 3.92 / 5).
9th Hour Brewing Co. (Villa Park, IL)
Two distinct styles arrive from 9th Hour Brewing Co., covering autumn lagers and dessert sours.
- Schoolhouse Rocktoberfest (5.4% ABV Oktoberfest): An autumn lager featuring toasted Pilsner malts, subtle honey sweetness, and a dry finish (Untappd: 3.70 / 5).
- Nutty Professor (5.1% ABV PB&J Sour): A pastry sour conditioned on Concord grape jelly and creamy roasted peanut butter (Untappd: 3.85 / 5).
Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu & Haymarket Pub & Brewery
Classic European lager tradition meets local Chicago drinking staples.
- Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu — Spaten Oktoberfest Ur-Märzen (5.9% ABV): Munich’s historical benchmark Oktoberfest beer. Pours clear copper with toasted bread crust, caramel malt, and German noble hops (Untappd: 3.61 / 5 | RateBeer: 88).
- Haymarket Pub & Brewery — Gibson’s Gold Lager (5.5% ABV — Restocked): Light-bodied and snappy with doughy Pilsner malt sweetness and a clean finish (Untappd: 3.65 / 5).
Feels Factory & Rhythm Sparkling Hemp Beverages
Functional non-alcoholic tonics and CBD sparkling waters for alternative refreshment.
- Feels Factory — Flow State (Functional THC Tonic): A botanical sparkler microdosed with 5mg hemp-derived THC, 10mg CBD, 50mg natural caffeine, 100mg L-theanine, and 100mg Rhodiola in a mango, orange, and ginger base.
- Rhythm Sparkling Hemp Beverages — Kush Mango & Pineapple (25mg CBD): Functional sparkling water infused with 25mg broad-spectrum hemp extract and natural tropical fruit.
- Rhythm Sparkling Hemp Beverages — Sativa Mandarin Orange (25mg CBD): Bubbly sparkling water with mandarin citrus and 25mg hemp extract.
The Brewing Projekt & Bravazzi Hard Soda
Real fruit hard seltzers and naturally gluten-free Italian sodas.
- The Brewing Projekt — Boom’n Mix Hard Seltzer Variety Pack (6.0% ABV): A 12-pack featuring Raspberry Lemonade, Blackberry-Raspberry, Creamsicle, Piña Colada, Mango-Pineapple-Guava, and Strawberry Margarita.
- Bravazzi Hard Italian Soda — Variety Pack (4.2% ABV — Restocked): Naturally gluten-free craft hard sodas made with real fruit juice. Features Blood Orange, Grapefruit, Limonata, and Clementina.
Food Pairing Guide for Today’s Releases
- Barbecue & Burgers: DESTIHL Spicy Pickle Sour, Off Color Waddle, or Haymarket Gibson’s Gold Lager.
- Pretzels & German Fare: Spaten Oktoberfest Ur-Märzen, Werk Force Werktoberfest, or DESTIHL Oktoberfest.
- Desserts & Cheeses: Deschutes Black Butte XXXVIII or Drekker Braaaaaaaains sours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find these new craft beer releases in Grayslake?
All featured releases are available in our retail bottle shop at Beer Bazaar, located at 107 Center Street in downtown Grayslake, Illinois.
What time is the 15-Page Book Club tonight?
Our monthly 15-Page Book Club meets in the taproom tonight, Thursday, August 13, from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM with bartender Rachelle.
Can I build custom mix-and-match 4-packs?
Yes! You can mix and match individual cans across all featured breweries in our package shop.
Hub & Spoke Cluster: Related Grayslake Events
- Pillar Event Hub: View our full schedule on the Grayslake Community Events Calendar.
- Sister Reader Group: Join our Silent Book Club Grayslake on Wednesday, August 19.
- Spirits Showcase: Attend the El Bandido Tequila & Still Austin Showcase on Wednesday, August 19.
- Draft & Package Hub: Browse active pours on the main Beer Bazaar Taproom Menu.
Visit Beer Bazaar Tonight
Stop by Center Street tonight to catch bartender Rachelle, join the book club session, and browse these new arrivals.
For inventory holds or product questions, call us directly at (224) 541-4494. See you in the historic Village of Grayslake center!
Whether you are hunting for the Black Butte XXXVIII Reserve or exploring our new sours, these arrivals offer something for every palate. The Black Butte XXXVIII Reserve is truly a standout, though the Black Butte XXXVIII Reserve pairs beautifully with our seasonal events. If you crave complexity, the Black Butte XXXVIII Reserve delivers, much like the Black Butte XXXVIII Reserve does for collectors. We recommend grabbing a Black Butte XXXVIII Reserve before it vanishes. Each Black Butte XXXVIII Reserve bottle represents peak craftsmanship. Don’t miss the Black Butte XXXVIII Reserve this week, as the Black Butte XXXVIII Reserve remains our top recommendation for any serious craft beer enthusiast visiting our shop.
