In patients with celiac disease, the small intestine is damaged and it is unable to absorb specific nutrients. Gluten in the diet, which comes from wheat, barley, and rye, causes a reaction and produces the damage. As a result of the inability to absorb nutrients, an individual with celiac disease will become malnourished, regardless of how much food they eat.

Eating out can be tough when you are trying to eat gluten free. Did you know that Fountainhead has numerous items on both our food & drink menus that are gluten free?

Join us next Monday, April 9th as we will be highlighting the items we already serve & pairing them with some of the delicious Draft Gluten Free Beers & Special Ciders!!

Draft Gluten Free Beers:

Dogfish Head – Tweason’ale
A gluten-free sorghum based beer brewed with fresh strawberries, hints of molasses and pit fruit and an added complexity thanks to buckwheat honey.

Two Brothers Prairie Path
Prairie Path Ale is a Belgian-style golden ale. Prairie Path Ale is a full flavored, slightly bitter, clean and refreshing ale. The Belgian malts along with the Saaz and Goldings hops give this beer great drinkability.

Recently been proven Gluten Free! For more info: http://www.twobrosbrew.com/gluten.htm

Draft Ciders:

Crispin The Bohemian
Unfiltered apple cider, fermented with authentic Pilsner lager yeast.

Doc’s Draft Framboise
Fresh raspberries are added to their apple cider and re-fermented to create a delicious spin on traditional cider.

Vandermill – Chapman’s Blend
This is an American Heirloom cider using Winesap, Baldwin, Northern Spy and Jonathan varietals . It is a semi-dry cider with a clean fruit flavor and slight carbonation.

Fox Barrel Wonderwall
A pear cider, aged in Zin barrels for 14 months with a light kiss of organic honey.

Crispin Marvin
Unfiltered apple cider with a stout yeast, oak aged, with organic molasses,

On Sunday April 8th we will be taking reservations for Easter brunch (10:30 – 2:30). If you want to reserve a table please email us at contact@fountainheadchicago.com. The subject line should read “Easter” & the body should tell us how many people & the time you’d prefer to be seated. Tables are limited.

In addition to our normal offerings, Chef Sarah will be whipping up a few delicious specials:

Rabbit Crepes $9
Braised rabbit, wild mushroom ragout stuffed crepes with mornay sauce

Michigan Asparagus $10
Green & purple asparagus, 2 soft boiled eggs, bacon, lettuce, mustard-bacon vinaigrette and tomato focaccia

Smoked Pork Chop $12
8oz smoked pork chop, crispy polenta, fennel-apple slaw, cherry compote

We will also be pouring Three Floyds Rabbid Rabbit Saison (Munster, IN). This beer is smooth and elegant, light in body with a creamy mouth feel. Light spicing from coriander and orange peel give a wonderfully malty/spicy sweet ale. Big alcohol is lurking underneath a light and frothy exterior. 7.4% ABV.

The Beers:

New Holland Single-Barrel Dragon’s Milk
This version is unblended from a first-use Heaven Hill barrel, and keg conditioned. The keg conditioning can lend to a different carbonation level, often a bit creamier in texture.

Barrel Aged Ichabod
Combining malted barley and real pumpkin with cinnamon and nutmeg. Then, aged for five weeks in spent New Holland Superior Rum Barrels, Superior is matured for at least one year, but typically closer to two years.

Barrel Aged Charkoota Rye
A Smoked Rye Dopplebock with a malty backbone of rye and four other malts, including malted barley smoked over cherry wood. Its smoke-forward body is balanced with tones of deep molasses and caramel. Then aged for 7 weeks in spent New Holland Superior Rum Barrels, Superior is matured for at least one year, but typically closer to two years.

The Whiskeys:

Black River Bourbon
Small barrel bourbon distilled from corn and barley. Caramel and molasses tones coaxed from the grains, combine with vanilla-sweet oakiness for a robust character, smooth body and a nutty finish.

Double Down Barley
Barley is the lifeblood of beer, so it’s especially fitting for our first distributed batch of Brewers’ Whiskey to be 100% 2-row barley, twice distilled and laid down in 5-gallon barrels of white American oak with a heavy char. A caramel nose invites a bright spirit, balanced with hues of cocoa & coffee before a spicy, clove finish.

Zeppelin Bend
Zeppelin Bend Straight Whiskey is a culmination of New Holland’s brewing roots and a growing passion for distilling. A straight-malt whiskey, it begins with a brewer’s mash coaxing sugars from malted barley into a liquid wash. This wash is twice distilled and aged in new American oak with a heavy char. Notes of vanilla and clove arise from the slightly caramelized spirit leading to a classic American-oak finish.

Malthouse
Brewers’ Whiskey”, a series of small-barrel whiskeys twice distilled from a “beer wash” and laid down in small casks with a heavy char, was introduced by New Holland Artisan Spirits in 2010. Born from a whiskey-wash brewed from 2-row malted barley, smoked barley and rye, Malthouse is twice-distilled and matured in small American oak barrels. Silver medal winner in the 2011 American Distilling Institute Whiskey Judging, this limited release of less than 700 375ml bottles is third in the series and is now available. This complex multi-grain whiskey offers a subtle smoke presence, enhancing the woody, charred oak character with hints of cherry and caramel. Our most complex Brewers’ Whiskey yet, Malthouse opens with burnt sugar and a rich mouth feel, moving to cinnamon and clove. The finish is long with a subtle smoke flavor.

Beer Barrel Bourbon
Many craft brewers will attest that whiskey barrels make great beer, and our Dragon’s Milk is a delicious example. Beer Barrel Bourbon goes to show that the opposite is also true; beer barrels make remarkable whiskey. Beer Barrel Bourbon is first aged in new American oak barrels for several years, before a three month beer-y slumber in Dragon’s Milk barrels. The beer-barrel aging lends biscuity notes and a smooth malt character to the robust whiskey tones of toffee and caramel.

Saturday February 25th Founatinhead will host brewer & BFM’s owner/founder Jerome Rebetez as well as our friend Eric Salazar, New Belgium’s brewer & Manager of NBB’s wood, barrel, & sour program. Come chat with these two extremely passionate, wildly creative, comical brewers that are some of the best in their field!

We will have various drafts, bottles, & a special Firkin from BFM. In addition, Chef Sarah & our Beer Director Phil Kuhl will be putting together a special menu of food pairings to go with these amazing beers!

Event runs from 6:00 to 11:00.

Food & Drink Pairings:

Clams & Mussels, Shallots, Preserved Lemon, & Parsley

Paired with:
Cask – BFM “La Douze” – 5.5% ABV
Jerome’s spin on the classic German Gose bier. Made with flowers of salt of Guérande, wheat, pale malt, spices, and lactobacillus for a crisp, bright sourness. Quite complex yet remarkably drinkable and balanced. Refreshing and quite sessionable.

And

Bottles of – New Belgium “Biere de Mars” – 6.2% ABV
With earthy tones of ripe mango and lemon verbena, this bottle-conditioned ale reflects the hearty character of the southern Belgian and northern French countrysides. Brewed with barley, oats and wheat malt, Biere de Mars’ celestial orange hue inspired the planetary play on words. Brettanomyces, a wild yeast strain, added for bottle-conditioning creates a refreshingly sour flash across the palate. Lemon peel coupled with the lemon verbena imparts fruitlike character and a citrusy finish.

Smoked Goat Sopes with Tomatilla Salsa, Queso Fresco, Black Beans, Jicama-Orange Slaw

Paired with:
Draft – New Belgium “Cocoa Molé” – 9.0%% ABV
Say hola to a spiced up ale full of cocoa and ancho, guajillo, chipotle peppers. But don’t fear the heat, because plenty of caramel and chocolate malts bring a smooth, complex flavor. Scents of cinnamon when poured will have your saying “¡Ole For Mole!”

And Draft – BFM “La Tarry Suchong” – 6% ABV
Made with Chinese Lapsong Tary Suchong tea leaves that are smoked over beech wood. Amber in color, with an aroma of smoke and caramel. On the palate, it is creamy and sweet at first, developing a bitterness and fruity smoke, marked by the bitterness and astringency of fine Chinese tea.

Flourless Chocolate Hazelnut Cake with Lingonberry sauce

Paired with Bottles of – BFM “Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chie” 2007 – 11.0% ABV
This Strong Sour Ale was brewed in honor of the former brewery cat, sanctified in her disappearance. This vintage shimmering red-amber is matured for months in oak barrels that previously contained wine or eau-de-vie. The drums give a very complex flavors this beer. In the mouth, she recalls the plot of a fruity red wine with a very sharp acidity. The color of this beer points out the old wines of Burgundy with their red tile with a light foam collar. With the nose, the ASBC surprises, because one finds there a range of very astonishing flavours, spices (grooves, wooded), of the brandy odors, ripe fruit and point liquorice and vegetable dry. In mouth, it is necessary to take more time than a beer of conventional tasting: one starts with velvety, raised of light carbonic giving a little nerve, to arrive on a light acidity of the vinous notes and a very low bitterness. The ASBC strikes by its length in mouth and its Port side.

And Draft – New Belgium “La Folie” – 6.0%% ABV
Folie Wood-Aged Biere, is New Belgium’s original wood-conditioned beer, resting in French Oak barrels between one and three years before being bottled. Peter Bouckaert, came to us from Rodenbach home of the fabled sour red. Our La Folie emulates the spontaneous fermentation beers of Peter s beloved Flanders with sour apple notes, a dry effervescence, and earthy undertones.

Also On Draft:

BFM / Terrapin Brewing “Spyke & Jérôme’s Cuvée Délirante” – 12.3% ABV
A collaboration with Terrapin Brewing, this is a big beautiful rye barley wine aged in rum barrels. This glorious full-bodied collaobation has a tart woody aroma, a citric tartness, with notes of fresh cranberries and sweet caramel, finished of with plenty of oaky rum. Quite complex, but as with all BFM brews, absolutely lovely!

New Belgium “Super Cru” – 10.0%% ABV
Start with the backbone of Fat Tire, but double the malt and hops; Add in crisp Asian Pears, a very Belgian thing to do; and bring it to life with a Saison yeast.

A bit of BFM (Brasserie des Freiberge) & Jerome Rebetez’s History:

At 23, wearing the diploma winemaker, Jerome Rebetez aspires to create a brewery within the country which is expensive, Freiberge in the Swiss Jura. The Franches-Montagnes (ancient French for “Free Mountains”) are part of the Jura Mountains, along the North-Western Border of Switzerland. Penniless but full of passion, he is working to create unusual beers and picks up the price of a TV contest “The dream of your 20 years. The sum awarded to the winner allows him to start in June 1997, the Brasserie des Freiberge. It is therefore positioned as one of the pioneers of the Swiss brewery and, like his temperament, manufactures beers of strong character, revealing lots of body, complexity and finesse.

Jerome Rebetez is working to produce the best: raw materials are carefully chosen and it focuses on quality ingredients, always original and difficult to integrate, such as Sarawak pepper, sage and other spices. The expertise of the young brewer then quickly positioned as the artisan beers with rich complex bouquet, enjoy a body and a long finish outstanding. His ongoing search for the subtle flavors and experiences in wine growing Jerome Rebetez to concoct products comparable to the best wines.
BFM’s range of top- and bottom-fermented beers is as staunchly original as the region. The New York Times rated “L’Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien one of the best beers in the world”; no small feat for a brewery that still bottles beer by hand and produces limited quantities of all their products.

We will have 4 stations set up, each showcasing a fondue or raclette from a different area: Midwest, East Coast, France & Switzerland. Each station is $10 and includes the cheese as well as bread, meat, & other accoutrements that pair well with the featured cheese. Beer pairings will also be available at each station for an additional fee.

Lydia from Marion Street Cheese will be on hand to discuss each cheese.

To secure your spot go to Brown Paper Tickets & buy access to two stations for $20. You can use both stations for your own indulgence or you can split it with a friend. You will also be able to buy additional stations once you arrive (you know you’ll want to!). Spaces are limited for this event, so we suggest you buy your tickets early!

The event runs from 5:00 – 8:00.

Info about the beer pairings available at each station:

East Coast
Stillwater – Cellar Door (Baltimore MD)
Allagash – Dubbel (Portland, ME)
Dogfish Head – India Brown (Milton, DE)

France
Castelain – Blond Biere De Garde (Benifontaine, FRA)
Two Brothers – Domaine DuPage (Warrenville, IL)
Collesi – Imper Ale Ambrata Fiat Lux (Apecchio, ITA)

Mid-West
Three Floyds – Jinx Proof (Munster, IN)
Metropolitan – Iron Works Alt (Chicago, IL)
Dark Horse – Raspberry (Marshall, MI)

Switzerland
BFM – La Tarry Suchong (Saignelégier, SUI)
Avery – New World Porter (Boulder, CO)
Boulevard – Chocolate Ale (Kansas City, MO)

Info about the cheese served at each station:

East Coast Raclette course:

Reading Raclette ~ Raw Cow’s Milk ~ Spring Brook Farm ~ Reading, VT
A stellar homage to the European original. This raclette is the textural equivalent of cheese velvet. Silky-smooth, and superbly meltable. The flavor strikes a delicate balance between milky and light, and salted, toasted peanuts. This flavorful, easy melter is great out of hand or as an American Artisanal twist on the traditional Alpine favorite. These cheeses were made in between August 24th and September 8th, 2010, from cow’s that were grazing on grasses out on the pasture…

Midwest Fondue course blend of:

Pleasant Ridge Reserve ~ Raw Cow’s Milk ~ Uplands Farm ~ Dodgeville, WI
When Mike and Carol Gingrich retired, they chose the life that most of us working stiffs can only dream of: cheese maker. So they bought a farm in Wisconsin and started making Pleasant Ridge Reserve, a rich and hearty Alpine-style cow’s milk cheese with a stately coffee brown rind. Pleasant Ridge is only made 10 weeks out of the year when the cows are out on pasture, and is a perfect expression of the low grassy valleys of southern Wisconsin in the summer time. Now under cheesemaker Andy Hatch, Uplands has managed to one up its already pristine reputation; in August Pleasant Ridge took best in show at the American Cheese Society competition for the third time, an unprecedented accomplishment for any single cheese.

Blended with

Emmentaler ~ Raw Cow’s Milk ~ Edelweiss Creamery ~ Monticello, WI
Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker Bruce Workman is the first & only to craft an Emmenthaler in the traditional Swiss method outside of the Alps; he has imported special Swiss copper vats in order to create the 180 pound wheels here in the states, & only makes the cheese from pasture grazing cattle, upholding the tradition of Alpage. One taste & you will understand why he has gone to all this trouble: all the sweet & savory onion & nutty flavors you come to expect out of an Emmentaler, followed by a clean brown butter finish. Savor all the flavors of Southern Wisconsin in the spring & summer as encapsulated in this mammoth cheese all year round.

Swiss Raclette course:

Alpage Gruyere A.O.C. ~ Raw Cow’s Milk ~ Fribourg, Switzerland
Make no mistake Alpage gruyere is not your average gruyere! These high mountain cheeses are made between June and September, by small independent cheesemakers using very traditional methods and equipment in their mountain chalets. The flavours are savoury and almost toasty, with hints of cocoa nib, & tropical fruit. These cheese are produced in large copper vats over open wood fires which are located literally next door to the barn where the animals are housed. About 2 cheeses are made from the milk of 50 cows. Our wheels were made between July – September of 2009, seeing over 28 months of age & hence developing ample studding of the calcified proteins or “crunchy bits” we love.

French Fondue Course:

12-14 month A.O.C. comte

Blended with

Cantal ~ Raw Cow’s Milk ~ Allanche Pays de L’estive ~ Auvergne, France
Cantal is the oldest of all French cheeses, dating back to the time of the Gauls, & mentioned in the oral history of Pliny the Elder written in the 1st century A.D. Auvergne is a region known for a thousand volcanoes, blessed by mountain storms, a blazing summer sun, & dotted with fertile pasture lands. Cantal cheese manages to capture all the richness of these elements: a well-ripened Cantal has a vigorous taste, whereas a young cheese has the sweetness of raw milk. The paste is firm & homogeneous, with a thick, smooth, dry, grayish-brown rind. It smells of earth, grass, & soil, & has a tangy buttery taste. This quintessential country cheese is pure perfection melted on a baguette & served with cornichons. (We challenge you to find a cheese that melts more sumptuously than this guy!)

Chef Sarah will be whipping up some decadent specials for you lovebirds (see below) however she has warned us that she may be blasting bitter heartbreak music over our speakers. A little something for everyone.

Valentine’s Day Food Specials:

Vanilla Poached Lobster with Green Curry Sauce $12

Buffalo Ravioli with Smokey Tomato Cream Sauce $8/$15

Apple-Thyme Chutney stuffed Pork Chop with Fingerling Potato, Spinach & Roquefort Cheese Sauce $18

White Chocolate Cheesecake $7

This dinner SOLD OUT quickly!! If you want to be one of the first to know about this type of event, please sign up for our newsletter!

MENU

La Quercia Proscuitto & Olives
Tamdhu 8 yr old

Vanilla Smoked Salmon Rillette
Radish, mustard, crostini
Benromach Traditional

Cocoa dusted Squab
Barley & Orange Gastrique
Benromach 10 yr old

Honey Orange Granita
Linkwood 15 yr old

Haggis pie
Whisky cream sauce
Highland 8yr

Rabbit Confit
Golden Raisin, Pumpernickel Croutons, Bibb lettuce
Caol Ila 1999-10 yr old

White & Dark Truffles
Vanilla Cookies dusted with espresso
Glenrothes 30 yr old

We are extremely excited to have Master of Whisky Kyle McHugh in our Barrel Room for a one-hour Whisky presentation and tasting on Wednesday 1/25! We’re rolling out 6 Whiskies to taste for only $10. Tasting starts at 7:00 pm.

Featured Scotch Ales:

Fresh Cask of 3 Floyd’s Robert the Bruce
BrewDog 5 A.M. Saint
Belhaven Scottish Ale

Special Scottish Fare will include:

Salmon terrine with brown bread and horseradish cream
Lamb bridies
Cock-a-leekie
Scotch egg with bibb lettuce and Dijon vinaigrette
Haggis with potato swede purée and whisky cream sauce – a favorite of Robert Burns! Trust us, this recipe is delicious!!

On Saturday, January 28th local breweries from around Chicago will set up shop in the 5th floor ballroom of the Dank Haus to showcase the great beer scene Chicago has to offer. You’ll have the chance to taste multiple local beers and discuss what makes each of them unique. Participating breweries include:
– 5 Rabbit Brewery,
– Half Acre,
– Metropolitan Brewing,
– Finch’s Beer Company, and
– Revolution Brewery.
Koval Distillery will also be on hand whipping up amazing cocktails.

If you’re hungry during the event both Fountainhead & The Grafton will be on hand cooking up some of the best food in town! The menu for the evening will be specially designed around the beverages being poured during the Winter Brew.

In addition to the great craft beer and food, the winners of the first Lincoln Square Winter Home Brew Competition will be announced!

Tickets to this event are going faster than anticipated, so we strongly encourage you to buy yours today…we expect to be sold out soon!