The Packers may have crushed the Bears on the football field, but it was a tie at the Hyatt Regency between who put on the tastiest show – Wisconsin’s Lakefront Brewery or Chicago’s American Craft Kitchen & Bar.

In honor of the Midwest matchup on Sunday night football, the brewery and the restaurant paired up for a “tailgate” not far from the Chicago Bears’ home at Soldier Field.

The brewery brought four of its most popular beers to the Hyatt’s restaurant for an amazing pairing brunch a few hours before the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears were to play the game that would not favor the locals.

On hand for the afternoon was Lakefront Brewery’s co-owner Jim Klisch and Daniel Kelly, chef of American Craft Kitchen & Bar. Klisch explained every beer while Kelly introduced the group of about two dozen to the food he had created.

The brunch started with Rendezvous Bier De Garde, a French Farm House Ale. Klisch explained how it is brewed in the spring, aged through the summer, and served in the fall after the harvest. The result is a very smooth and fruity blend that went well with the rich Beer Cheese Fondue served.

The fondue was just an opener. For the first course, we were given a huge selection of American Craft Kitchen & Bar specialties served family style, including scrumptious Orange Ricotta Pancakes, Seafood Eggs Benedict, Rosemary Lamb Chops, and sweet Stuffed Dates, filled with goat cheese and wrapped in thick-sliced, smoky bacon.  

Along with the food, we were poured Wisconsin's Lakefront Brewery Fixed Gear American Red IPA to drink. It was the total opposite of the first offering, a much stronger, darker beer that really held its own.

Next came the Charred Jumbo Shrimp with Grits and Over Easy Quail Eggs. It was definitely a favorite, especially paired with the IPA India Pale Ale, which was fruit-filled yet not too sweet, as it had more citrus notes – especially grapefruit.

Just when everyone didn’t think they could eat any more, Chef Kelly came out with the best dish of all, Beer Can Chicken with Belgium Waffles. It was an excellent combination of sweet and savory, with apples and cherries over a pan fried chicken breast and a sour cream waffle.

Lakefront Brewery’s Rendezvous Bier de Garde went perfectly with it as its light taste allowed for the chicken and waffles to shine through.

The dessert selection of petit fours and tarts was hard to resist, though no one could manage to take more than a few bites after an outstanding brunch. With it we were served New Grist Gluten Free Pilsner, which was the first certified gluten free beer in the United States.

The beer was quite light in contrast to the desserts, with apple notes and a hard cider presentation, without being overly sweet.

American Craft Kitchen & Bar is located inside the Hyatt Regency Hotel on East Wacker in Chicago, Illinois. The restaurant is known for its use of seasonal ingredients and locally sourced products in unique dishes. Chef Daniel Kelly said he tries to get all produce, meat, and dairy from within a 250 mile radius of the restaurant.

You can visit Lakefront Brewery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They offer a very popular tour which comes with tastings of a variety of their beer. If you can’t make it to the brewery, Lakefront beers are also available at stores throughout the Midwest, including Whole Foods and Binny’s Beverage Depot. The Lakefront brews are also served at many restaurants, such as American Craft Kitchen.