The Off-Menu Bottle List

.

MICHAEL’s SECRET BEER COOLER

Since the Hopleaf opened the new bar side, what we call the South Bar, there was a cooler that housed rare and special bottles of beer.

Visitors to the Hopleaf had to “know” that this list existed; no bartender or server, or even Michael, would tell you about this list unless you asked. When you did ask you were presented with a crinkled, torn and ripped packet of papers detailing what lay inside that elusive cooler.

During Covid times, as we downsized significantly the number of beer bottles we had on our list, we decided to move our beautiful collection of white wines to “Michael’s Secret Beer Cooler.”

But because we love beer at Hopleaf it was hard for us to pass up rare and special offerings! Since things have started to get back to normal we realized we had yet again amassed a collection of limited quantity specialty beers that only had a home in Michael’s Secret Beer Cooler.

STIEGLGUT
Wildshut Bio Perlage
8% 750mL. . . . .$70

Perlage was created to combine the best of both world’s– Beer and Champagne, Brut de Bière! This premium organic ale is brewed with select yeast from the Champagne region of France. Brewed using the traditional Methode Champanoise, it has a vibrant lively finish.

Initially, the Brut de Bière wraps itself in a silky white foam lace. The nose is caressed by a fruity-spicy Riesling bouquet, the tongue is surprised by intertwining delicate sweetness and utterly charming acidity. Finely bubbly carbonic acid is reminiscent of the mousseux typical of sparkling wine. The rich complexity and beautiful dryness impress with great elegance.

BIÉRES de CHIMAY
Grande Réserve Barrel Fermented (2024)
10.5% 12.7oz. . . . .$45

Brouwerij BOON
Oude Geuze Apogee
7% 750ml  . . . . .$80

Oude Geuze Apogee is a celebration of Frank Boon’s extraordinary achievements. At the same time, this one-off edition celebrates the handover to Jos and Karel Boon. This transition from one generation to another is reflected in the composition of this geuze—because for Apogee, Frank created a special blend with lambic beers from the oldest (N° 79) and from the newest (N° 83) foeder.

The Oude Geuze Apogee was bottled on 29 April 2019.

Oude Geuze a l’Ancienne
—numbered casks—8% 330ml . . . . $28.

• Vat 92—Cask #92 was used by wine makers in the Rhône Valley, France.
  It’s the favourite of the Boon tasting team: oak wood, complex and perfectly balanced, with smoky and spicy touches.
• Vat 108 —The very wine-like accents of this oude gueuze combine w/a
  distinctive ‘old beer’ character, which provides full-bodied & robust flavour, with unmistakable hints of volatile acidity that never overwhelm. 8%

LAMBIEK FABRIEK
Natur-Elle (2023)
6.2% 12.7oz  . . . . .$25

A certified organic Geuze. This unique blend of different lambic vintages is completely organic, pure, unfiltered and not pasteurized. A refreshingly tart mix of green apple, orange, lemon zest and lemon juice flavors with a moderate funkiness.

LINDEMANS  
Oude Gueuze Cuvée René 2021
6% 3L  . . . . . .$200

An exclusive release and one of the jewels of the brewery. With its golden color, its sparkle and its beautiful sherry aromas, this is the queen of gueuzes. This old gueuze is a blend of old and young lambic matured in large foudres.  Slightly carbonated and tart, perfect to share for a special occasion.

LIEFMANS
Goudenband (2016)
8% 750mL  . . . . . .$30

One of the most unique beers in the world, resulting from mixed fermentation, takes 4 to 12 months to achieve the right level of maturity. Even ten years from bottling, you will still recognize its refreshing nose and light sour aromas of caramel, apple, rhubarb and cherry.

CANTILLON
Classic Gueuze (2024)
5.5% 750mL  . . . . . .$75

A blend of one, two and three year-old lambics.

Lambics produced at Cantillon Brewery are referred to as “young” after one year of ageing and are considered fully matured after three years. Young beers contain the natural sugars that are necessary for secondary fermentation in the bottle while beers that have matured for three years contribute their taste and refined flavors.

Gueuze is the ultimate result of a complex blend of lambics of different ages and with different tastes kept in oak barrels. The brewer’s main task involves tasting and he or she will have to try around a dozen lambics from different barrels, finally selecting five or six.

It is by this method that gueuze 100% lambic, presenting the typical characteristics of Cantillon Brewery’s beers, is produced. Each blended batch yields a slightly different gueuze because the natural elements at the heart of the beer make it impossible to produce a standardised product.

Slightly acidic and fruity taste, delicate and woody fragrance and a dry finish that lingers on the palate.

Kriek (2023)
5.5% 750mL  . . . . . .$80

Blend of lambics and sour cherries, 200 grams of cherries per liter of beer. The sour cherries, which are certified organic, come from Turkey. The fruit is blended with lambic that is on average 20 months old, the proportion being 200 g of fruit per liter of beer.

Since sour cherries have a very pronounced taste it is necessary to select a lambic that has enough character so that it will be a good match for the fruit. After soaking for two to three months, the lambic has extracted the full colors, fragrances and flavors of the sour cherries. At that point it is blended with one-year-old lambic, which contributes the sugars necessary for secondary fermentation in the bottle.

Slightly acidic taste of red fruit complemented with subtle almond flavors.
 Kriek brings out its maximum “fruitiness” when drunk young. With age the lambic will take the upper hand, but this is at the expense of the fruit component.

Sang Bleu (2024)
6% 750mL  . . . . . .$90

Maceration of 2-year-0ld Lambic with blue honeysuckle, or haskap berries, a blue fruit that makes a blood red beer.

Powerful and very fruit-forward, but still maintains a nice, mellow balance between acidity and astringency.

Previously called “Camerise Lambic.”

Vigneronne (2023)
7.5% 750mL  . . . . . .$115

Blend of lambics aged an average 16 to 18 months with organic Viognier grapes.

Vigneronne represents less than 5% of the total production of the Cantillon brewery. In order to obtain grapes which are as mature as possible, they buy them at the end of the growing season. Every year, 1000 kilos of white French grapes are delivered to the Cantillon brewery at the beginning of October.

It is difficult to produce more Vigneronne even though the demand exists. All the grapes are picked from the bunch by hand.

The beers are not blended before the bottling. The second fermentation is caused by the addition of a sugared liquor.

Viognier grapes make Vigneronne a delicate and very refreshing beer that, due to the fructose, is slightly less acidic than other Cantillon beers.

Ashanti (2024)
5.5% 750mL  . . . . . .$115

The newest addition to the Cantillon range. Ashanti is the little sister of the 2022 Zwanze Day Lambic made with Gorilla pepper.

Same recipe, same pepper, but slightly more focused on the Lambic side compared to the first blend.

The spicy, fruity, and obviously peppery side is still present and harmonizes superbly with the natural power of the Lambic.

Brouwerij GIRARDIN
Gueuze Limited Edition 2021
5% 3L  . . . . .$250

Limited edition release to commemorate Paul Girardin’s 60th birthday, only 670 bottles made. A blend of 100% 3 year lambics. Very special beer, to be shared for a special time.

3 FONTEINEN
Perzik Rood (season 21/22) No. 20
6.2% 750mL . . . . . .$70

They macerated red O’Henry peaches for almost five months in two-, three- and four-year old lambics. And then blended with even more four-year old lambics. This makes the weighed average of the complete blend clock in at almost 34 months upon bottling!

The final fruit proportion is 390 grams of fresh peaches per liter of finished Rode Perzik.

Pruim Mirabelle (season 21|22) Blend No. 21
7.3% 750mL . . . . . $70

For this Pruim, they macerated fresh picked-to-ripeness sweet Mirabelle plums.

Maceration took a tad over four months. For both maceration and blending, they used over 90% of old lambics, both two-, three- and four-year old. The weighted average of this blend upon bottling is therefore almost 25 months.

The final fruit intensity is 304 grams of plums per liter of finished Pruim. The largest part of the fourteen brews used comes from smaller barrels and are 3 Fonteinen brewed. Of those, more than 1/3 were brewed with Pajottenland grown cereals.

Pruim Belle De Louvain (season 21|22) Blend No. 17
7.7% 750mL . . . . . $70

For this Pruim, they used the old plum variety Belle De Louvain, hand-picked in Limburg, Belgium.

Maceration took almost four months and the lambics for both maceration and blending originate from six different barrels and thirteen different brews, of which the oldest brewed end of October 2018. The weighted average age of this fruit blend is almost 22 months.

The final proportion of fruit used is 385 grams of plums per liter of Pruim. Almost half of the cereals used originate from the Pajottenland.

Frambozenlambik Oogst (season 19|20) Blend No. 33
6.8% 375mL . . . . . .$40

For this Frambozenlambik, they macerated raspberries from Ferme Framboos for four months on jonge lambik at a fruit intensity of 382 grams of raspberries per liter of lambik. Lighter in color due to the applied maceration technique, the raspberry characteristics in aroma and taste of this Frambozenlambik present themselves while opening up. They let this Frambozenlambik rest for almost 18 months before releasing it.

Intens Rood (season 19|20) Blend No. 79 PX
7.1% 750mL . . . . .$60

While looking for old sherry barrels, they don’t get lucky all the time. While they will be sourcing barrels directly from bodegas to assure provenance and quality, they had a batch of Pedro Ximenez (PX) barrels that was on the peated side (albeit subdued). As a result, they decided not to use them for Zenne y Frontera, but to blend them with other (fruit) lambikken into geuze and fruit blends.

This is the first and only of such blends to be released. Sour cherries were macerated partly on young peated lambik and partly on two-year old straight lambik in a stainless steel tank. Blended with young and three-year old lambik. 55% of the blend is old lambik and the final fruit intensity is 567 grams of sour cherries per liter.

Oude Kriek (season 19|20) Blend No. 35
6.8% 375mL . . . . . $35

For this specific Oude Kriek, they macerated sour cherries with jonge lambikken from three different brews and from one and the same barrel, during six months on stainless steel. They blended with another jonge lambik to a final fruit intensity of 353 grams of sour cherries per liter of Oude Kriek. They kept this bottle for almost 18 months in their cellars before releasing.

Oude Kriek Intens Rood (Season 19/20) Blend No. 77 6.8% 375mL . . . . . $30

Macerated for almost 10 months on five different lambics from two barrels. Another four different lambics from another two barrels were used in the blending process. The final fruit intensity was about 442 grams of sour cherries per liter of Intens Rood.

Hommage (season 18|19) Blend No. 106
5.3% 750mL . . . . . $75

This particular Hommage has a final fruit intensity of 352 grams of fruit per liter of Hommage. The lambics originate from 4 different barrels and 4 different brews. Lambics originate from 3 Fonteinen (40%) and Brouwerij Lindemans (60%).

Hommage (season 19/20) Blend No. 72
6.3% 375mL . . . . . $40

They blended a kriekenlambik and a frambozenlambik in a forty-sixty proportion and with a final fruit intensity of 529 grams of fruit per liter of Hommage. The weighted average maceration time was five months, and they used both jonge and two-year old lambik from seven barrels and eleven brews. This bottle aged for a year in their warm room before its release.

Nocturne (season 21/22) Blend No. 47
8% 750 mL . . . . . $50

A spontaneously fermented full malt beer. Not your typical lambik beer, but their take on a Vlaams Oud Bruin. The beer was brewed with five different barley malts, from pilsner malt to dark roasted malts, and no wheat whatsoever.

This batch was brewed in April 2019 with more lighter malt, and put on oak barrels for three years before they blended it with a small portion of freshly brewed Nocturne. The average age of this beer upon bottling is 33 months.

Nocturne (season 21|22) Blend No. 48
7% 750mL . . . . . $50

A spontaneously fermented full malt beer. Not your typical lambik beer, but their take on a Vlaams Oud Bruin. The beer was brewed with five different barley malts, from pilsner malt, dark roasted malts, and no wheat whatsoever.

This batch was brewed in March 2018 with more dark chocolate malt, and put on barrels for four years before they blended it with a small portion of freshly brewed Nocturne. The average age of this beer upon bottling is 45 months.

Oude Geuze (season 18/19) No. 50
7.2% 1500mL . . . . . $150

A blend of one-, two-, and three-year old lambikken. No two bottles are alike, as there are multiple variables in the blending process. A high variety of barrels, differences in aged lambik proportions. When cellared properly these beers can be aged for decades.

Gueuzerie TILQUIN
Stout Rullquin (2018/2019)
7% 750mL . . . . .$42

Obtained from a blending of 7/8 of Rulles Brune (Stout de Gaume) and 1/8 of a blend of 1 year old lambics, which has matured for 8 months on oak barrels. Unfiltered and unpasteurized, this beer is refermented for 6 months in the bottle.

Cassis Rullquin (2020/2021)
7.7% 750mL . . . . .$44

Beer of mixed fermentation, made from the fermentation of 160 grams of blackcurrants per liter in a blending of 7/8 of Rulles Brune and 1/8 of 1 year old lambics, which has matured for 8 months on oak barrels. Unfiltered and unpasteurized, this beer is re-fermented for 6 months in the bottle.

Oude Mirabelle à l’Ancienne (2020/2021)
7% 750mL . . . . .$50

During this season 20|21, a new fruit beer was blended, made from the fermentation of 240 grams of Mirabelle plums per liter of lambic.

Oude Pinot Meunier à L’Ancienne (2020/2021)
750mL 7.9% . . . . . $50

Beer of spontaneous fermentation, made from the fermentation of 250 grams of Pinot Meunier grapes per liter of lambic. The grapes were grown bio-dynamically by their neighbors at Domaine W. Unfiltered and unpasteurized, this beer is re-fermented in the bottle.

Oude Pinot Gris à l’Ancienne (2020/2021)
8.4% 750mL . . . . .$50

Beer of spontaneous fermentation, made from the fermentation of 280 grams of Pinot Gris grapes per liter of lambic. Unfiltered and unpasteurized, this beer is re-fermented in the bottle.

Oude Riesling à l’ancienne (2020/2021)
7.7% 750mL . . . . . $50

Beer of spontaneous fermentation, made from the fermentation of 325 grams of Riesling grapes per liter of lambic. Unfiltered and unpasteurized, this beer is re-fermented in the bottle.

Oude Sureau à l’Ancienne (2020/2021)
6.5% 750mL  . . . . . $46

Beer of spontaneous fermentation, made from the fermentation of 125 grams of elderberries per liter of lambic. Unfiltered unpasteurized, this beer is re-fermented in the bottle.

Cuvée Jean-Paul à l’Ancienne (2020-2021)
7% 750mL . . . . .$60

An Oude Gueuze blended in honor of Jean-Paul Tilquin (1947 – 2010), father of Pierre, with 40% 1-year old lambics, 30% 2-year old lambics and 30% 3-year old lambics, all matured in oak barrels. Unfiltered and unpasteurized, this beer is refermented and matured in the bottle for 1 year minimum. It is part of their Family Tree Project: a different blend for each member of the Tilquin family tree.

Cuvée Paul à l’Ancienne (2021-2022)
7% 750mL . . . . .$60

An Oude Gueuze blended in honor of Paul Tilquin (1909 – 2005), grandfather of Pierre, with 30% 1-year old lambics, 30% 2-year old lambics and 40% 3-year old lambics, all matured in oak barrels. Unfiltered and unpasteurized, this beer is refermented and matured in the bottle for minimum 1 year. It is part of their Family Tree Project:  a different blend for each member of the Tilquin family tree.

Cuvée Marie-Catherine à l’Ancienne (2021-2022)
7% 750mL . . . . . $60

An Oude Gueuze blended on February 15, 2022 in honor of Marie-Catherine Tilquin-Rousseaux, mother of Pierre, with 40% 1-year old lambics, 30% 2-year old lambics and 30% 3-year old lambics, all matured in oak barrels. Unfiltered and unpasteurized, this beer was refermented and matured in the bottle for 1 year. It is part of their Family Tree Project: a different blend for each member of the Tilquin family tree.

Oude Mûre à l’Ancienne (2020/2021)
6% 375mL . . . . . $25

Obtained from the fermentation of fresh or frozen blackberries in young lambics, blended with 1, 2 and 3 years lambic to reach a final concentration of fruits of 260-300 grams fruit per liter.

Oude Gueze à l’Ancienne
7% 375mL . . . . .$18

A blend of 1, 2 and 3 years old lambic re-fermented in bottle for at least 6 months. “Oude” in flemish or “à l’ancienne” in french is an appellation protected by the EU and is restricted for traditional Belgian Gueze in bottle.

Oude Quetsche à l’Ancienne (2020/2021)
6.5% 375mL . . . . .$25

Obtained from the fermentation of de-stoned fresh purple plums in young lambics, blended with 1, 2 and 3 years lambic to reach a final concentration of fruits of 260 grams fruit per liter.

RODENBACH
Vintage 2018    7% 750mL . . . . . .$80

A unique, unblended Flanders red-brown ale beer that is matured in oak casks for 2 years. Only the best casks are used, after which the beer is subjected to a strict sampling selection. Rodenbach Vintage has a uniquely balanced acidic taste and a long, fresh and fruity aftertaste. A beautiful beer made specially by brewmaster Rudi Ghequire.

DE KONINGSHOEVEN
La Trappe Quadrupel
10% 1.5L  . . . . .$80

First Quadrupel ever made, great to share with friends. Warm, amber colored, heart-warming and intense taste is malty with sweet tones of dates and caramel.

La Trappe Tripel
8% 750mL . . . . .$35

A classic Trappist ale with floral, fruity aromas of peach and apricot. It has a candy-sweet and light malty character, the aftertaste is bitter and slightly dry.

DOVETAIL BREWING  Chicago, IL
Framboise 2020
5.8% 12.7oz. . . . . $20

The second season of Framboise. 2020 is a 13-barrel blend of spontaneously fermented and traditionally made beer from 2017 and 2018, that then spent 7 months on nearly 700kg of red raspberries.

SCRATCH BREWING Ava, IL
Black Cherry Sour
5.5% 750mL. . . . . $40

Sour black ale brewed with wild cherry bark harvested from the woods around the brewery and fermented with their wild house mixed culture. Notes of chocolate-covered cherries and a tart wine-like finish.

Strawberry Rhubarb
5.5% 500mL. . . . . $30

This bottle-conditioned sour beer was brewed over a direct fire in a copper kettle with Vienna and Munich malt from Sugar Creek in Indiana. The beer was made without hops, fermented with their wild house mixed culture and refermented on strawberries from McLaughlin Farm in Murphysboro, IL as well as rhubarb from Henry’s Farm in Congerville, IL. This beer shines a bright red, tastes like your favorite strawberry-rhubarb pie and has a pronounced tartness.

TRILLIUM Canton, MA
Barrel-Aged Feed Your Soul
5.5% 500mL. . . . . $40

Collab with Weathered Souls Brewing. Featuring barley smoked on a Primitive Pit smoker over New England maple and oak. Rich baker’s chocolate, caramelized brown sugar, sticky molasses, and freshly-ground coffee with an underlying complementary smoke profile.

Barrel-Aged Almond Cake
15.7% 500mL  . . . . . $40

Imperial stout brewed w/ harmoniously blended dark malts and conditioned on Madagascar vanilla beans and toasted almonds. More than three years of subsequent maturation in bourbon barrels adds well-structured oak presence, mellow spirit character, and graceful smoothness.

BFM (Brasserie des Franche-Montaignes)  Switzerland
Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien Grand Cru 2021—Gola Verage
11.1% 37.5 cL  . . . . . $35

Sour ale matured for 12 months in Red Wine barrels, then 6 in Rum barrels.

Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien Grand Cru 2021—Moustache
11.1% 37.5 cL  . . . . . $35

Sour ale matured for 12 months in Red Wine barrels and 6 months in Tawny Port barrels.

BELL’S BREWERY Kalamazoo, MI
Black Note 2023
11.1% 12oz  . . . . . $14

Blends the complex aromatics of Expedition Stout with the velvety smooth texture of Double Cream Stout, each aged in freshly retired oak bourbon barrels for months.

GOOSE ISLAND
Bourbon County Wheatwine (2018)
15.4% 16.9oz . . . . . . $20

Made from two row and malted wheat, the first recipe to veer from the original Imperial Stout since Barleywine in 2013, Wheatwine displays a deep amber color, lighter than its counterparts and acts a true medium to convey the characteristics of the 4+ year old Heaven Hill Bourbon barrels. Overflows with flavors of caramel, vanilla, butterscotch, and toffee.