CHICAGO — Celebrating five years since opening, the beer release comes just after Moody Tongue’s recent announcement of an upcoming large-scale expansion to a 25,800 sq. ft. space opening later this summer. The new facility will not only double the brewery’s production capacity to allow for new additions to their successful barrel aged beer program, but will introduce two new dining concepts, led by long-time Moody Tongue friend, Chef Wentworth. The new restaurants include The Dining Room at Moody Tongue, an unprecedented fine-dining restaurant featuring a 10-course hyper-seasonal tasting menu expertly paired with a selection of Moody Tongue beers, and The Bar at Moody Tongue, an entirely fresh take on the brewing company’s existing high-design tasting room.
Oak Barrel Aged Flanders Red Ale
Never one to shy away from the often lengthy creative process when it comes to brewing exceptional craft beer, Brewmaster Jared Rouben shares the new limited release Oak Barrel Aged Flanders Red Ale, which has taken over two years to create. The new beer is the first bottle release by Rouben and the Moody Tongue team since 2017, following other barrel-aged beers including the initial vintage of the Bourbon Barrel Aged 12 Layer Cake Imperial Stout and the Bourbon Barrel Aged Gingerbread Imperial Stout. The traditional Flemish-style beer showcases a ruby-red, medium body through the blending of a young Flanders red ale with that aged for 24 months in American Oak barrels, resulting in aromatics of Sangiovese grapes and a touch of Oak alongside the flavors of tart cherry and rhubarb.
“This is a beautiful style of beer which can be cellared and will continue to evolve over time,” said Jared Rouben, “This is the first of many new specialty and limited release beers to come now that we have moved into our larger brewing facility, and I am excited to share these with guests across the country.”
In addition to new beer releases and upcoming massive expansion, Moody Tongue has also recently divulged an exclusive partnership with New York City-based online marketplace TapRm, to be the sole distributor of Moody Tongue Beers in NYC. The brewery will utilize the platform to share current and new portfolio offerings to top-tier restaurants including: Thomas Keller’s Michelin-starred Per Se and TAK Room, James Beard Award winner for Outstanding Chef and Top Chef host Tom Colicchio’s Riverpark and Major Food Group hot spots The Grill, The Pool and Lobster Club.
About Moody Tongue Brewing Company
Founded in 2014 in Chicago by cousins Jared Rouben (president and brewmaster) and Jeremy Cohn (CEO), Chicago’s Moody Tongue Brewing Company is built on the philosophy of culinary brewing, appealing to those with a discerning palate—or as Rouben describes, a “moody tongue.” A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in New York and the Siebel Institute of Technology—one of the world’s leading beer schools founded in 1900—Rouben worked in Michelin-starred kitchens including the Martini House in Napa Valley, California and at Thomas Keller’s Per Se in New York City before beginning to brew. Utilizing his extensive culinary background and brewing education, Rouben approaches brewing with a chef’s mindset, carefully creating balanced beers that encompass layers of flavors and aromatics using three principles — sourcing high-quality ingredients, understanding how best to handle ingredients, and knowing when and how they should be incorporated during the brewing process. Each year, the brewery offers six perennial beers, such as the Sliced Nectarine IPA, Steeped Emperor’s Lemon Saison and Caramelized Chocolate Churro Baltic Porter as well as a selection of limited release beers and wine or whiskey barrel-aged beers. The distribution of Moody Tongue beers focuses on culinary markets throughout the United States with a presence in major cities including Chicago, Las Vegas, Charleston, Houston, Atlanta, Asheville and more across nine states, as well as internationally across China in cities like Shanghai, Beijing and Hangzhou. In 2016, Moody Tongue Brewing Company expanded to open The Tasting Room within a 125-year-old abandoned glass warehouse in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood. The venue serves a menu of both year-round and limited-release beers in an intimate mid-century modern space showcasing a library, which houses the largest collection of beer books in the country. The stylish space quickly garnered critical acclaim and three years later, Moody Tongue’s Tasting Room earned the Jean Banchet award for “Best Bar” in 2019. The Tasting Room is open Wednesday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Thursday, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., Friday, 5 p.m. to 12 p.m.; Saturday, 12 a.m. to 12 p.m.; and Sunday, 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. For more information, please visit moodytongue.com, call 312.600.5111 or find them on social media @moodytongue