Brews and Belonging: My Boisterous Voyage to Beermiscuous
“beermiscuous [beer-mis’ kyoo-uh s] adj.: characterized by casual and frequent enjoyment of a wide variety of craft beer”
The Spot
The quote above, pulled from the Beermiscuous website, does not actually constitute a real definition for a real word. However, it does embody the mission and intended experience for those who visit the local craft beer bar and cafe. Located off the corner of Diversey and Lincoln on the border between Lincoln Park and Lakeview, this intimate space provides an environment for a wide array of activities. They offer free Wi-Fi, encouraging people to come in and work like they would in a traditional cafe setting. The space is also a social setting for friends to gather and play board games, or even for people to host classes or events pertaining to all kinds of subjects. The notably fluid and multipurpose space of Beermiscuous seemed like an ideal location to simply sit back and experience.
The Sounds
With speakers scattered strategically across the exposed ventilation hanging above the halls of Beermiscuous, a constant background of classic throwback songs gives the atmosphere a liveliness but does not overwhelm. The occasional sound of glass on glass caught my attention, whether someone was retrieving a beverage from a cooler or an employee was spraying out glasses near the draft selection. Also in the backdrop was the steady exchange of words; conversations ranging from beer to the logistics of filming a pilot episode of a show of some sort, the topic of conversation for the five individuals closest to me, all sitting in front of a fireplace. Muted by the environment, the sound of motors from large vehicles on the major streets of the intersection still managed to penetrate into the space, occasionally amplified by the opening of the front door.
The People
Immediately upon entering the space I was greeted by an employee at the counter who offered me an overview of the place as well as assistance with the variety of craft beer selections, if needed. A few minutes later, I encountered Jim, who was a representative for LaGrow Organic Beer Grow. What stood out to me about Jim was outfit. He was wearing worker’s jeans, a dark brown hoodie and a trucker hat; the perfect outfit to compliment the honest, all organic, and sustainable image of his beer. As I took my seat to begin my sketch, I observed the individuals at the fireplace talking about their obscure pilot episode, as well as some people in the back who were working on their computers and quietly conversing with each other.
Notable Encounters
My first notable encounter at Beermiscuous occurred when I met Jim from LaGrow Organic Beer Grow, who was offering samples of beer made with 100% organic malt, hops, and yeast, as well as no additional chemicals. He had a jar of orange peels that had a pungent citrus aroma, explaining how they use the peels in their citra blonde brew. I also tried their imperial stout, a rich malt with overwhelming flavors and aromas of cocoa and coffee. Interestingly, Jim told me how the LaGrow brothers started their project in Chicago after moving here from Canton, Michigan. Since I grew up in Northville, a town very close to Canton, I was fascinated to hear how they ended up here in the city. In fact, one of the LaGrow brother’s actually showed up to the store, and I had a great time talking about craft beer and metro Detroit with him before my departure.
I also happened to stumble upon another event that I did not know was planned for today at the space. A group called the Chicago Philosophy Meetup gathered there for a seminar called “The Superficiality of Moral Concepts.” I only spectated the public discussion for about ten minutes, but it was interesting to see how the group used a space such as this for open dialogue and exploring philosophical topics of interest. Admittedly, I have relatively little recollection of what I learned in my business ethics course concerning morals, but nonetheless I enjoyed watching people engage with each other. To me, these two events seem to speak to the flexibility of this public space to adapt to the various needs and interests of the individuals who congregate here for unique purposes.
The Stuff
I managed to find a few interesting objects at Beermiscuous that I’m excited to share with the class. My first find was a coaster provided by the cafe; on the back side, it says “Coffee drives productivity; beer sparks creativity. Create back-of-a-coaster ideas here.” I felt like this was an interesting object to examine because it takes individuals who enter this space and invites them to engage and interact through creative expression. It also speaks to the overall ambiance of Beermiscuous as a public space that advocates for a wide array of experiences, creativity, and expression. In addition to the coaster, I located a stack of Newcity magazines that highlighted 50 individuals who were praised for their engagement with the overarching Chicago theater community. It was easy to see how this publication catered to a very specific audience of people dedicated to the culture of the city as well as a mutual interest in theater, a perfect combination for the kind of people one would typically see at this establishment.
All in all, my excursion to Beermiscuous ended up being much more enjoyable than I had anticipated, and I felt as though my observations and experiences there provided some tangible value to me as I attempted to immerse myself into this public space.
