Over a multitude of charcuterie boards and Hopewell cherry smoked Lagers at Butcher & Larder's happy hour Thursday night, Stan, a farmer from downstate Illinois, gesticulates his way through a description of how various cuts of pig are used to produce these insanely delicious things we're eating.
He's also been hearing a lot about these "microbrews" back home. "It's crazy," he says. "Guess timing is everything, even in the beer business."
He takes a big bite of the remaining paté, licks his fingers, and mentally gathers himself for the six-hour drive home. "I'm an Old Milwaukee guy myself."
—Michael Kiser