Zwanze Day and Zwanze Week Details
September 23-28, 2019
Hopleaf is proud to host Zwanze Day 2019. It is extra special in Chicago this year since it coincides with the return of the portfolio of fine beers from Cantillon’s importer, Shelton Brothers to our marketplace.
On Zwanze Day, we’ll be offering, besides Cantillon’s very rare Zwanze Day beer, Cantillon’s Gueuze, Nath, Magic Lambic, Rose di Gambrinus, and Vigneronne. Other Shelton beers; Blaugies Dafrbyste, De La Senne Tarus Boulba and Zinnebir, De Ranke XX Bitter and Franke Belge, Glasspmutske Old Style Tripel, Drie Fonteinen Zwet, Het Nest Wild Card Sour with Apricots and Wild Card Wheat with Raspberries, Kerkom Bink Bloesem and Fantôme Saison will all be on tap till they are gone.
Besides our deep regular selection of Belgian bottled beers, we are bringing in a nice selection of Drie Fonteinen bottled lambics which, like all bottled Belgian beers, will be discounted all day.
We’ll also be bringing in from other importers special draft offerings from Alvinne, De Dolle, Val Dieu, Oude Beersel, Girardin, Lindeman’s, Straffe Hendrik, Het Anker, Bokor Vander Ghinste, and a very special treat Boon Schaarbeekse Kriek. All told, there will be at least 40 Belgian beers on tap. There will be a Belgian lunch and dinner special as well.
There is no charge to enter Hopleaf on Zwanze Day. It is possible to come and enjoy all of the offerings other than the Zwanze Beer without a ticket. The $50 dollar ticket guarantees you a 6 oz glass of Zwanze tapped at 2PM and available until 5 PM. It also gives you a second token good for any or the other Cantillon or other beer on tap and a Zwanze Day T Shirt.
During Zwanze Week, there will be Belgian beer seminar/tastings Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights. Your ticket gives you entry to any and all of these events as well. Tickets for the seminars go on line next week. There will be tasting seminars for Trappist, Lambic, Saison and Flemish Sour/Foeder style beers. All Zwanze Day ticket holders will need to do is RSVP in advance to attend. Tickets will be $15 for everyone else.
Tuesday night there will be a free Travel to Belgium presentation by Belgiums Honorary Consul Paul Van Halteren. If you have ever considered going to Belgium, this will be an excellent primer. He can also arrange a 7 day all inclusive package trip and of course, brewery visits will be in the mix.
There will be an extraordinary selection of Belgian beers on tap all week long ramping right up to the big day Saturday and Sunday too. And our kitchen is cooking up the Flemish Stew! If you can’t make it in Saturday, stop in any day that week for some special treats.
Tickets for Zwanze Day go online Wednesday August 28 at Noon. Two tickets per customer