(Wheeling, Illinois) — During an adventure to Lake County, Illinois, about an hour north of Chicago, I researched the area’s winery scene and found Lynfred Winery!
They didn’t have one… two… or three wineries. They had FIVE locations! The most logistical stop for our drive up to the Illinois Beach Hotel was the Wheeling location, which was situated in a lovely older home renovated into a winery.
To taste multiple flavors of wine in smaller batches, you’ll want to start with the flight!
Lynfred has different flight types. Red wine, white wine, fruit wines and seasonal wines. We chose the fruit wines because it consisted of sparkling rose (which my wife enjoys), pear, cherry and cranberry.
Clearly the pear was our favorite! Because this was the bottle of wine we ended up buying. I LOVED the cherry wine as well. It was a perfect mix of refreshing, sweet and tart. That’s speaking my language!
As seen above, Lynfred has plenty of different flavor wines for you to try! From sweets and semi-sweets to semi-dry and dry, you’ll find the wine of your liking here.
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I loved the vibe of the Wheeling location. It was quiet, serene and you felt fancy while not having to dress up to the 9s. Does that make sense? This second glass of wine says it does 🙂
I’ve become a champion of Illinois wine, and it’s something I hope you get to enjoy as well! Most of Illinois’ wines are French-American hybrids.
“Illinois winemakers use different grape varieties to produce a diversity of high-quality wines. The top six grape varietals grown in the state cover more than 75 percent of the state’s total grape acreage. Five of these grapes—Chambourcin, Seyval, Vignoles, Chardonel and Vidal Blanc—are “French Hybrids,” developed by crossing French grapes, such as the Chardonnay often grown in France and California, with native American vines. This cross-pollination results in grapes that produce excellent wine, but that are less susceptible to the effects of extreme cold—making them ideal for the Midwest’s unpredictable weather. The other grape in the top six, Norton, originates from native American vines,” says the Illinois Grape Growers & Vintners Alliance.
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It feels like you’re learning history, culture and wine all in one when you learn about the wine our State has to offer! That’s something to be proud of.
I’ve experienced phenomenal wineries in central, northeast, southeast, northwest and southern Illinois so far. I love the different Illinois Wine trails our State has, its time to put Illinois Wine on the map!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this journey. There’s a long way to go and we aren’t stopping now! Cheers.
(Zion, Illinois) — I asked my Facebook followers what the first word they thought of when they hear “Illinois.”
Some negative remarks said “high taxes,” “corruption” and “pot holes.”
The positive statements said “family,” “home” and “corn.”
Well, just like corn, I believe in growing where you’re planted. I’m a Missouri boy, born and raised, but this season of life has had me in Illinois for the past 5+ years. A large part of these articles I write are to show people the beauty and adventure our State possesses.
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Nestled alongside Lake Michigan, roughly an hour north of Chicago, sits the Illinois Beach Hotel. Thea IBH is the only beachfront resort in the Prairie State, and I had a blast taking a family adventure there for the weekend this September.
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The hotel is a part of Illinois Beach State Park, which was one of my favorite parts of the trip.
With five hiking trails, you can escape into a wetlands oasis perfect for outdoor adventurers. We started at the “Dead River Trailhead” and headed into the Illinois savanna.
The above photo was as far as we could go on the trail we took, because we would’ve been met with the river!
The cool fall breeze was met with a perfectly sunny day, and we trekked across the trail and walked right up to the Dead River. A calm, peaceful view made for picture-perfect moments.
My other favorite parts? The sunrises and the views of Lake Michigan. This was an amazing opportunity to see the Lake that I haven’t experienced before.
I’ve traveled to Michigan (Holland, Grand Haven, Muskegon) and Wisconsin (Port Washington and Lake Geneva) where there are some great sights. The Lake Michigan views at the Illinois Beach Hotel are right up there with those and might be hard to beat.
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We stayed in the 3rd floor suite of the hotel, which was very spacious. The bathroom was one of the high points, with a rainfall shower and jacuzzi bath tub. The Serta mattress king-sized bed was extremely comfortable, and made for a good night’s sleep.
The suite has a living room area with chairs, a coffee table, couch, mini fridge and microwave. Plus, there’s a “kitchen area” with a table you could sit at and eat. I was impressed by the space of the room and never felt cramped. I also liked how there were doors in between all the rooms, which offers privacy no matter where you need to be.
The staff was extremely welcoming and made our stay enjoyable. The front desk associate, Brenda, was very friendly and the waiting staff at Nolan’s Restaurant were phenomenal as well. Every staff member was hard-working and down to earth. Definitely one of the highlights of the trip.
The first night, we split a cheese curds which were very good. I got the fish and chips for the Friday night “fish fry.” The fish was HUGE.
Parts of the fish were very flavorful and tasted good. Others, not so much. It was an interesting ride getting a different experience every bite I took. My wife, on the other hand, really enjoyed the chicken fettucine (and so did our son). The Cosmopolitan cocktail was also extremely strong and tasted like straight vodka. If you’re into that, you’ll love it! But not for us.
The second night we both ordered steaks. I the ribeye, Rachel the sirloin. These were much better in flavor, but unfortunately our one-year-old was having a meltdown outside and by the time we ate our steaks, they were cold.
Luckily, we did enjoy the corn nuggets before they got cold, and they were really good!
Getting out into Zion, we visited a really charming coffee shop called “It’s All Good.” And it was all good! We both got the Blended Javas (AKA frappes) and they were great!
I really enjoyed the mocha while Rachel enjoyed the seasonal flavor of blueberry and white chocolate. She also really liked the bacon & egg breakfast sandwich on a bagel, while I chowed down on the breakfast burrito.
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The nearby areas have a lot of awesome things we didn’t get to do. There was a canoe drop on the Des Plaines River, and the Lake County Forest Preserves which seemed to be great opportunities for nature lovers to explore.
We did head to The Shanty in Wadsworth, which was a unique building somewhat resembling a wooden ship. The ambience was great and the food was tasty as well.
While the hotel is a beachfront resort, I do need to point out that this is not the kind of beach you’re used to in Florida or South Carolina where you can wade out in the water.
There’s a barrier on most of the beach preventing you from getting down near the water of Lake Michigan. The sand is a brownish color that is a bit rockier than the sand I’m used to, but it’s a great option for people who just want to come, set up their chairs, and enjoy the views.
Obviously, Bennett loved it! Which is all that matters to his dad.
The sand is also great for those on a walk or even those biking. We saw many people come to the beach just to sit and watch the sunrise! Because it was truly that beautiful.
To get into the cold waters of Lake Michigan, you just have to head down the road half a mile and you’ll reach the public beach. There, many people were enjoying the sunshine and water. There was a better area to walk to the water and enjoy the waves, but again, most of the sand was separated from the water by rocks.
Once again, there were some trails available for walkers and bikers to head down and enjoy the views. Many people were sitting in their lawn chairs and just enjoying the lakefront breeze. If that’s what you’re into, then this is the perfect place for you!
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The Illinois Beach Hotel was also the host of multiple group events over the weekend. Clearly, this would be a great place for a reunion, birthday party, anniversary party, wedding reception, etc.
Many nights I sit here and wonder what things could make the State of Illinois a better place. I think about the negative comments made (as mentioned in the beginning of this article), and I think if people knew about places like this, maybe they’d change their tune a bit. I also think the State of Illinois would be smart to put some more effort (and funds) into places like the Illinois Beach Hotel and Illinois Beach State Park. While the trails and outdoor options were great near the Nature Center, it was clear the hotel and path near the beach were in need of some upgrades/renovations.
There were some abandoned buildings along the path closer to the public beach that clearly used to be a concessions stand with showers for beachgoers. I wonder what this area was like back when these were open for visitors. Someone needs to come in and put some funding into the concrete paths and buildings that lay idle to put some life into that beachfront!
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Overall, we really enjoyed our time at the Illinois Beach Hotel. We were very impressed with the staff at the hotel, the suite, and the nature aspects of the State Park.
Would I go back? Absolutely. Would I recommend it to others? Yes, I would, IF what I described sounds like something you would enjoy.
I also want to add that there is a camping area you could bring your RV, tents, etc. and stay inside the State Park.
The Illinois Beach Hotel is a great addition to Northeast Illinois, and I’m thankful we got to adventure Lake County for the weekend.
(MISSOURI/ILLINOIS) — I hope one day my son knows the joy he’s brought to so many people.
He’s a rockstar in his family. Loved by parents, grandparents, great-grand parents, cousins, uncles and aunts and more! The way strangers look at him when passing by. “What a handsome boy.” “He’s got beautiful blue eyes!” “Oh my, look! He’s waving at me!”
The countless stories I could tell of older adults’ eyes shining as he waves at them. The stories of young kids saying “aww he’s so cute!” as he just looks at them and smiles.
While my wife and I hope to one day have a baseball team of little Sheehans running around (only halfway joking), I told her the other day “If Bennett’s the only child we have, we are still so blessed.” And I meant it!
I then also joke that we are going to have “Benito,” “Benita,” “Benetito,” “Benjamin,” and “Benny” as the names of our future children. Hopefully we can be a little more creative with our names one day.
I want him to know that I’m proud of him. I want him truly know it.
I want him to be a better man than me. I think he will be better than me in every way, and I sure hope so!
When he was first born, we called him our “little lion.” It was because of the way he “ferociously” attacked a bottle I was attempted to feed him. He’s just like his mom and dad. He loves food!
And that’s so true today. As he reaches the end of year 1, the little man has tried over 200 foods! We decided to go the baby-led weaning route, and started feeding him “real people food” around 6 months. We found this to be a great way to let him to try all kinds of different foods and see what he liked!
So far? Green beans, pork steaks and apple sauce are a few of his favorites. As almost every kid does, he also loves cheese.
It’s ended up encouraging us to eat healthier. Because when you realize you have to provide daily nutrition for a baby, you don’t want to be feeding him fried foods and dessert all day long! It’s helped us have a more well-rounded diet full of lean meats, fruits and vegetables (although we still love ice-cream and Butterburgers from Culver’s, don’t get me wrong).
It’s been so fun traveling with Bennett by our side, too. We’ve gone to Minnesota, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Missouri and Florida with B in the last year and it puts a whole new view on travel. Will he remember it? No. Will we? Absolutely. His mother and I like to take photos and videos of… well, just about everything, but travel is a big one! I look forward to the day where he can hold a conversation with us and we can tell him all about our adventures.
BB (Before Bennett) – I was not a worrier at all. I was the calming voice in our marriage while Rachel can be a bit … not calm. Now with a son? In many ways, it’s flipped.
I now work in the health care field, so daily I’m writing stories about different diseases and speaking to doctors about viruses, vaccines, exercise, pain, really anything you can imagine. And as I knock on wood at the desk I’m sitting at right now, we’ve been blessed that Bennett has been of great health this first year. Has he had a small cold here and there? Sure. But – when he has that cold – I am on high-alert.
“Get out the thermometer. Feel his forehead. Let me listen to his breathing. Has he been coughing? What’s his nose been sounding like?” All things that have come out of my mouth as I’ve worried about my son.
I remember the first night we had with Bennett in the hospital. He was born at 1:17 AM so after we had our skin-to-skin with him and then he met his grand parents on Rachel’s side, we finally got to lay down and get some shut eye. Except that didn’t happen to me.
“How is he supposed to be breathing? Can you see his chest go up and down as he breathes? I can’t hear him very well while he sleeps. Is he okay?” Every few minutes I was getting up out of the couch to see if I could hear his tiny breaths as he slept outside the womb for the first time.
“Okay, I can hear him breathing. Let me try to get some sleep,” I say until I continue to stare at him and get up every 5 minutes to make sure he’s still breathing.
It’s been a beautiful thing to see Rachel be a mother to Bennett as well. She loves the living daylights out of that kid, and she’ll make sure he knows it as he gets older! I think many times I can draw out the BIGGEST laughs from Bennett. I can be crazy and make the weirdest noises to get him to giggle, tickle him, throw him in the air and catch him, and make faces at him. But there’s something about the mother/child connection that is so special. Sometimes, that boy just needs his mama.
But one day, when the monsters are hiding under his bed or in the closet, he’s gonna need his daddy to scare them off. And I will.
I just bought his very first Bible today (it’s Tuesday, September 5th). I try to pray over him every day and read devotions or Bible verses while he’s around. There’s always room for improvement! I hope one day he enjoys reading this Holy Bible, koalas on the cover and all.
Speaking of animals, every time he sees a puppy he giggles. It’s the cutest thing. And when he can talk, we’re definitely going to be suckered into buying him a puppy. We stop by a store and he points at a stuffed animal and I buy it for him! I’m definitely in trouble there.
I hope I can be a loving father to him. One he can come to when times get hard. One who encourages him to do whatever he sets his mind to. One who can offer constructive advice but in a loving way. Luckily, I have a great wife who can tell me when I’m being a little too “firm.”
We love you, buddy. I thank God for you every day. I know you’re going to change the world.
(METAMORA, Ill.) — They say you can never get back a first impression, and at wineries, I believe there are two first impressions to be made.
1: The outdoor ambience
2: The indoor vibe
Well, at Old Mill Vineyard in Metamora, Illinois, I was greatly impressed by both.
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A gravel road and a sign or two will lead you back the quiet path to the sole winery in Woodford County, Illinois. You’ll pass vines laden with grapes on your left, then you’ll see the Bent Tree Tasting Room on your right. Now let’s talk about that second first impression.
As you enter Bent Tree, you’ll find an extremely clean, aesthetically pleasing scene with a wine tasting awaiting you. Dry or sweet, Bent Tree has them both.
My favorite is the Oakenwald. It’s a semi-sweet, Niagara wine which is not too sweet, and not too dry. It offers a subtle “Riesling-like” finish according to the Old Mill website, which I absolutely agree! You’ll see my glass of the semi-sweet white wine below in front of a pristine lake.
The clear lake right behind Bent Tree was a nice finishing touch for me. From the pretty drive in, to a relaxing feel inside, topped off by beautiful views overlooking a lake? It doesn’t get much better than this.
If for whatever reason the lakeside seating and the indoor vibe isn’t your thing, you can cross the street and sit underneath the overlook shown above! Once again, the aesthetic touches and different aspects Old Mill Vineyard offered were a pleasant sight for me.
It was a beautiful July day when we went to the Metamora-based winery. A little hot, but that’s no problem in the cool A/C surrounded by good people and good wine.
And if you think it’s too hot, sit in a comfortable leather chair overlooking the lake outside.
As does everything, Old Mill Vineyard has a journey of how it got to where it is today.
Starting in 2005, 400 vines were planted. Vineyard Master and Winemaker Kurt Grohsmeyer added additional plantings to fill up all 10 tillable acres.
Old Mill now grows 10 varieties of cold climate American/French hybrid grapes.
If you’re not familiar with the climate in Illinois, let’s just say winters get REALLY cold. Kurt prioritizes ensuring his vineyard is taken care of year round, and works tirelessly to provide top notch care for his Central Illinois-grown grapes.
The tasting room, Bent Tree at OMV, opened in October 2016.
Now, Kurt and his wife Donna are a dynamic duo in the wine business. Donna was a fabulous host to my family and I inside Bent Tree, talking to us all about the wine-making process and giving great explanations of what made each wine special.
We are very happy we visited Old Mill Vineyard in Metamora, Illinois, and I’d recommend you do the same! If you’re not a wine drinker, but are a fan of the beautiful outdoors, this is the place for you too. There are beers, sodas and food items available for purchase.
Thank you Donna and Kurt for the great visit, I look forward to seeing you both soon!
(PERU, Ill.) — Producing roughly 100,000 bottles of wine a year, August Hill Winery opened up shop in 2002.
The inspiration of the winery comes from August (Augie) Engelhaupt, a farmer who tended to his land, teaching great life lessons to his grandson Mark Wenzel.
Over two decades and a mechanical engineering degree later, Mark returned to the Illinois countryside he loved, and founded August Hill Winery with his wife, Teri.
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Fast forward to 2023, August Hill is a booming winery business, producing wines of all kinds and even having its own sparkling wine line, “Illinois Sparkling Co.” You can visit the winery itself in Peru, Illinois or head to the tasting room in Utica, Illinois just 8 miles east.
Our journey through this article takes us to the winery in Peru, which included an amazing experience I’ve never had at a winery before.
When I heard August Hill’s winery location had caves where you could do a wine tasting, I was all in! We had an amazing experience during Father’s Day weekend. I was able to bring my father, wife and 9-month-old son. My first Father’s Day was a success!
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Sitting 3 feet underground at a cool 63 degrees Fahrenheit, the man-made caves inside the August Hill building offer a spectacular place to learn the history of the winery… and of course try some wine.
You get six tastings of August Hill and Illinois Sparkling Co. wines throughout the hour-long experience. Laurie was our guide that day (you can see our selfie above), and she did an amazing job walking us through the winemaking process, and why August Hill operates the way it does.
I always find it fascinating to learn the different ways wineries go through the winemaking process. Each are so unique, and August Hill’s cave setting proves to be something not often found throughout the country.
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Much of the knowledge and equipment comes from what one of the winemakers learned in France. 90% of the grapes are harvested in Illinois, and August Hill uses French-hybrid varietal grapes.
The winery cave tour shows you the barrels different wine varieties live in. The lack of direct sunlight benefits the wine during the process, keeping the flavor strong. It’s referred to as the “Sparkling Cave” largely because of the lights lined up throughout the cave. Most of August Hill’s wine bottles are blue, green and yellow. This is intended to act like “sunglasses,” again protecting the wine from the sun.
In between the two man-made caves is a wall with two archways standing between them. In these archways are 4,000 bottles specifically placed throughout the wall.
My favorite wine, you ask? Well, I currently have 3. But I need to try more!
1: Emerald Apple – A semi-sweet apple wine with amazing flavor. But the part that makes Emerald the most unique wine I’ve ever drank, is the color and edible glitter inside of the bottle. Gently shake the bottle up (while the cork is still in) and the edible glitter will make a spectacular showcase within the bottle.
2: Niagara – It’s a sweeter white wine that with a fruity taste that pairs well with dessert, sweets and “nice people” according to the August Hill website. This wine won the Double Gold medal & Best of Class at the 2022 Illinois State Fair wine competition.
3: Indigo – Similar to Emerald Apple, Indigo is filled with the edible glitter which proves to be a beautiful sight. But in the same way I appreciate the Emerald’s appearance, Indigo is a stunning, shimmering blue wine. With notes of cotton candy and tropical fruit, Indigo is a party-pleasing, refreshing wine.
There are many other August Hill wines I like, but you’ll have to head up to Peru or Utica to take a taste for yourself! If you can’t make the trip up, keep an eye on your local Binny’s, Friar Tuck, or grocery store to see if they’re sold there.
Up the hill from where we were for the cave wine tasting lies the vineyard. 4.5 acres worth of vines sit in the Peru, Illinois countryside. The vine process begins in March, with grapes being hand-picked in August. If you’re looking to experience grape-picking, August Hill is looking for volunteers! And you’ll be paid in wine.
I’ve also been to the wine tasting room in Utica, one of my wife and I’s favorite towns in Illinois. It’s a beautiful place, where the street is shut off from traffic and restaurants open up outdoor seating for guests. The tasting room is a great way to see the variety of wines August Hill has to offer, while tasting them as well.
It’s the perfect place for a date night or weekend getaway. Get a meal at Lodi Tap House across the street. They have the best cheese curds we’ve tried! Then relax at August Hill and enjoy some wine.
I want to thank Susanne and Laurie at August Hill for the amazing experience you provided my family at the cave wine tour. I can’t wait to open the Emerald Apple and Indigo I bought in the very near future.
Located in Knox County, Illinois, Hidden Hills was a retirement dream of David Poland. Now his dream is a reality, and I’m glad I was able to visit his great establishment with my wife, son and friends.
It was the perfect day to visit a winery. Sunny and in the low 70s. We were greeted by David Poland himself, and given the grand tour.
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David offered to walk us through the entire process of making the wine. From the fermentation process to the bottling process, we learned a lot that day. I can vividly remember the amazing scent of the wine tanks in the large-scale refrigerator the winery has. It was also great to learn about the bottling process and the designs you see on all the bottles.
We started the day off with the wine flight! I highly recommend this as you get to try four different wines. It’s served with crackers so you can cleanse your palate in between wine.
My favorite was the Sweet Red. This is the one I bought a bottle of on my way out of the door. It’s a concord wine that is 12% alcohol. But they were all so good. I also had the Sweet White, Sandburg Sangria, and Rebel Rose. Definitely try the Raspberry Cider as well. They serve it to you in a can that you can pour into a glass if desired. And they just announced they’re serving the cider at Peoria Chiefs games!
Hidden Hills has a great outdoor covered patio with plenty of tables both in the shade and out on the grass. They host musicians and band for live music which would be an incredible time.
We all agreed the wine we tried was high-quality and refreshing. Now that it’s getting warmer out, the wine slushie that my wife got would be perfect on a summer day.
The staff was extremely friendly and welcoming, and we all had an incredible time. Even my son, Bennett, who was more interested in the Hidden Hills pens than anything else.
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It feels great to be back on the wine tour after not writing for the past two months or so. Things get quite busy when you have two jobs and a little kiddo to take care of! But I’ve got a wine tour I’m extremely excited to tell you all about later this month. I am heading to this place in mid-June for Father’s Day. Stay tuned for that!
But for now, cheers to you all. Always remember to support local and check out Hidden Hills Winery in Knoxville, Illinois.
(MILWAUKEE, WI.) — Wisconsin is known for a vast array of beer, and Sprecher Brewery is a large part of that.
But while I do love Sprecher’s alcoholic beverages, there’s something they have that many breweries don’t.
Introducing the Soda Lab! And the brand new Sprecher soda flavor: Tropical Cherry.
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Each time I’ve been up to Milwaukee, I make sure to stop by Sprecher for a brewery tour, a stop at the bar, and of course some time to pick up my favorites from the gift shop.
This past March, Sprecher decided to get in on the action surrounding March Madness. Online and through social media, the brewery made a bracket of all different kinds of potential flavors they could whip in the Soda Lab. From Chocolate Cola to Thin Mint to Tropical Cherry, the flavors were all over the map! But I had my eyes set on one the entire challenge. The Tropical Cherry.
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And although my NCAA March Madness bracket was a bust just like everyone else’s, my pick throughout the challenge won! Now I’m working alongside Sprecher to taste test this tropical concoction, and tell you all about it!
First and foremost: If you’re looking for a summer drink, you’ve found it! The Tropical Cherry is extremely refreshing. It’s sweet, but packs a lot of flavor while still remaining light and drinkable. It has plenty of carbonation and is extremely unique in flavor. I’ve been trying to pinpoint what the flavor reminds me of, and I can’t really think of anything! That’s a good sign in my opinion.
This is the perfect soda to drink around the pool, on the beach, or while watching sports at home. Whatever the occasion, I highly recommend trying the Tropical Cherry!
But you’ll need to get yours fast! The product is expected to sell out quickly. They’re currently only selling the Tropical Cherry in the Sprecher Taproom!
Been thinking about a weekend trip? How about Milwaukee? You can find Sprecher Brewery at 701 W Glendale Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53209.
Right now the Brewery is dong a Friday family date night for 4. It’s $30 + gratuity for 4 drink tokens, one huge MKE pretzel, and one 12″ pizza. Just another way to sweeten the deal for ya.
So cheers to you all. Enjoy this flavorful drink while supplies last. Please let me know what you think!
Find me on Facebook at Matt Sheehan TV.
Thank you to Sprecher Brewery for sending me this delicious drink, I look forward to trying more of your flavors when we visit your brewery next month! Cheers to the future.
This article was done on the author’s spare time and has no connection to his employer.
(PEORIA, Ill.) — It’s not everyday you see a popular hotel chain and think “Man, I really wanna stop by their restaurant!” Well, I hope this article makes you think twice on that.
As you can see, Bennett is saying “let’s go!” as we walk into the hotel.
Chef Seth Colvin treated us to an incredible dinner with appetizers, special drinks, entrees and dessert. Let’s start with the appetizers!
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You really can’t go wrong here. All of the appetizers sounded so good, I need to come back to try Suite Fire’s calamari, “suite bites,” and firecracker shrimp. But what you see above is a special platter Chef whipped us up. We’ve got bacon wrapped shrimp, stuffed with pepper jack cheese and a slice of jalapeno. Served with pineapple bacon chutney with a roasted garlic butter sauce.
Then we had a couple BBQ dry rub chicken wings, and sweet chili chicken wings! Both were so good.
Last but not least were the Idaho Prime Rib Nachos. House fried chips topped with shaved prime rib, Gouda cheese sauce, cheddar cheese bacon and green onions. Amazing!
What’s so incredible about this drink, is the journey all your senses go on. The smoked top creates a campfire smell, so as you get ready to take the sip, you get the smokiness welcoming you into a smooth sip of the Old Fashioned. It’s a great and innovative take on the drink.
The prime rib was the perfect amount of pink for me, with a nice crisp outside layer.
Hope you saved room for dessert! Cause it just might blow your mind.
Two words. Fried Strawberries. This was honestly life-changing. You’ve got to get these if you’re a sweet tooth like we are. And of course you can’t forget about the crème Brulee! A fantastic end of the meal for us.
One of my go-tos on draft, Blue Moon!
If you’ve enjoyed my article and think you want to eat here, check out the image below of Suite Fire’s Prime Rib Suite Night! It’s Thursday, April 27th from 4-8 p.m.
If you’re a fan of the fruity drinks, you’ll want to tune in for what my wife got.
I’ll add that while a lot of this food sounds expensive, Suite Fire has very affordable prices. Not to mention they do a Happy Hour 4-6 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays with $5 apps. We definitely plan to come out soon for that.
I want to thank Chef Seth for being such a gracious host. We really enjoyed ourselves and were so impressed by your restaurant, the quality of the food, and the atmosphere.
(OVERLAND PARK, KS) — If you’re a barbecue connoisseur like me, you need to make your way to Kansas City!
I’ve enjoyed KC BBQ now three different times, and I’ve loved it every time. In 2017, we had Joe’s. In 2022, it was Jack Stack. This year? We headed to Q39 (Overland Park location). Let’s dive in!
Well, this is the Rib Report. So of course I had to get ribs! You’re probably experiencing “smellivision” right now. The Q Pork Spare Ribs are glazed in a honey BBQ sauce. Honestly, you don’t even need additional sauce on these bad boys. That’s when you know it’s THAT good! Of course I had to go with the French fries which were highly recommended by the waitress, and they were incredible. Great size and perfectly crispy. The other item you see is the pasta salad. I ordered this solely so my wife could enjoy it. When the wife sees something on a menu and says she wants it, you better make sure she gets it! Let’s take a look at what else she ordered.
These are the Pork Belly Tacos, covered in spicy mayo and southwest slaw. If you know my food preferences, you know my two “no-gos” are tomatoes and onions. So I steered clear of this one. But she loved it!
Another honorable mention to my favorite item on the menu, are the “Best Wings on the Planet.” There’s something to that name. They just might be right about their assertion! The jumbo chicken wings are smothered in chipotle BBQ sauce, which ended up being my favorite sauce Q39 has to offer.
Another appetizer we ordered for the table were the Q39 spiced onion straws! I know I just said I don’t do onions… but these are fried! Anything is good fried, right? Especially dipped in a tasty sauce.
If you just can’t decide what you want for dinner, why settle for one? Check out the platter options. I’ll share some photos below.
And if you’re not the hugest barbecue fan, you can always go with a good ole’ burger. Served with some mac n cheese as a side.
Oh, speaking of mac n cheese… just wait for these next food item.
Introducing the Mac & Q. A simple idea that goes a long away. 5-cheese blend mac n cheese with with herbed bread crumbs, topped with a meat of your choosing. My friend chose brisket. Smart choice.
Have you ever been to Q39 before? If so, comment on this post or contact me on Facebook at Matt Sheehan TV.
This blog was done on the author’s free time and has no connection to his employer.
(PEORIA HEIGHTS, Ill.) — One of my go-to places on a weekend or when I have friends in town is Peoria Heights. Specifically, Heritage Square!
In this area, you have any kind of food and drink option you’d need; plus it’s walkable!
One of the newer tenants of Heritage Square is Water’s Edge Winery & Bistro. And yes, it’s as good as it sounds!
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As many of you who have been following the wine tour may know, I tend to go for the sweeter wines. My palate is slowly changing to enjoy the drier wines, but here I started with the Moscato d’Asti. If you’re a sweet wine lover and you see those two words on a menu, there’s a 99% chance you’re going to enjoy it greatly.
Next, I didn’t move too far away on the menu. I chose the Mango Moscato! My wife, Rachel, tried this out and really enjoyed it. And I second that notion! This was easily my favorite drink of the night.
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Something I really appreciate about Water’s Edge is the high-quality food choices offered. They’re always offering specials, 4-course meals, etc. You can see what nights they have these specials on their Facebook page. I have it linked here!
Here we are cheersing our Moscatos with our friends’ glasses of Cabernet Sauvignon. They enjoy the drier wines, which there are multiple to choose from here!
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You can never leave out dessert. We got the monkey bread, and it was delicious. Baked bread covered with caramel sauce, powdered sugar, and ice cream! Yum.
I have to shoutout Michael Vandy, the Owner of Water’s Edge. He was kind enough to sit down and just talk with us about life. He then offered to take us into the wine batch room and tell us all about the process! It was great to hear about the wine-making experience and hear what Water’s Edge has coming soon. For those who frequent Water’s Edge, you may be fond of the Big Daddy Red. It’s currently being made and will be back at Water’s Edge soon! This is a smoother blend that wine lovers of all kind will enjoy. Stay tuned on the Facebook page for when it’s ready.
We had a wonderful time at Water’s Edge, just like I have every time I’ve been here. The wine is great, the food is wonderful, and I really love the vibe. Water’s Edge is a franchise. Mike told us when he joined, there were 9 craft wineries in the franchise. Now, there’s 20! It all originated in Southern California.
If you’d like to learn more about Mike’s background, WMBD-TV did a story about him. Here’s the link.
Thanks, Mike for having us by! If you love Water’s Edge or choose to go here because of this article, please let me know! Comment on the blog and follow my Facebook at Matt Sheehan TV.
This article was done on the author’s free time and has no connection to his employer.
Matt Sheehan Official 