Chicago Beer Hoptacular 2012: More Food, New Winners And Lots Of Suds (PHOTOS)

Craft Brews Were King At Beer Hoptacular 2012

The beer from 5 Rabbit Cerveceria must be full of good-luck charm.

On Sunday, the Chicago brewery took home top honors, winning the title of "Beer Of The Year" at the 2012 Chicago Beer Hoptacular.

5 Rabbit has been on a winning streak of late: in addition to the Beer Hoptacular nod, the brewery took home awards from the Great American Beer Festival in October, and was added to the exclusive list of craft beers newly available at area Chipotle restaurants.

The brewery's 5 Lizard beer was given the top honor, described by the Chicago Beer Hoptacular website as a "creamy and refreshing wheat beer with some spicy complexity and light touch of passion fruit for a delicious and slightly exotic flavor."

Lexington Brewing and Distilling Company took second place with its Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale, while Brewery Ommegang from upstate New York nabbed third place with the Art of Darkness Ale.

Chicago magazine noted the now-annual weekend-long beer festival sold out on Saturday, with more than 100 craft brewers packing into the festival site at Chicago's Riverfront Theater.

This year's event included cheese and chocolate pairings, cooking with beer demonstrations and home brewing demonstrations along with the regular beer tastings, according to Eater Chicago.

The Hoptacular also honored home brewers, with Rockford, Ill. Forest City Brewers earning the distinction of the “Beer Hoptacular Homebrew Club of the Year,” according to the festival's Facebook page.

The homebrew club B.O.S.S. (Brewers of South Suburbia)finished second, while the Chicago-based C.H.A.O.S. (Chicago Homebrew Alchemists Of Sud) took third.

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Chicago Beer Hoptacular

Chicago Beer Hoptacular 2012

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