This is the second and final article in the “Anatomy of a Beer Menu” series. Part I included an interview with Local Option’s Alexi Front about their vision of the perfect beer bar experience and their own house brews.

This Friday, the Local Option is tapping a special selection of rare beers for their populist-themed ”Occupy the Local Option.” For the first time in the acclaimed bar’s history, we have teamed up with Local Option to share an annotated draft list for the event. This is one of those opportunities to stretch your palate and your understanding of what beer is and can be. When Hopslam looks a pedestrian option on a beer list, you know it’s good.

Alvinne Gaspar – Generously hopped strong ale from a very small Belgian brewery (115 IBU and 8% ABV).  Gaspar is unpasteurized, unfiltered, and has a strong bitter finish.

Apostelbräu Hauzenberg First Bavarian Pale Ale  – Aptly named pale ale brewed in Bavaraia by a former Thornbridge brewer and two colleagues who had met at Weihenstephan Brewing School (43 IBU 5.1% ABV).

Bells Hopslam – An infamous double IPA from one of Michigan’s most well known breweries (70 IBU, 10% ABV).

Boulevard Chocolate Ale – A 9.1% adjunct strong ale brewed as collaboration with Christopher Elbow, a renowned Kansas City based chocolatier.

Brasserie des Franches-Montagnes Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien 2010 – A sour ale matured in a mixture of 11 oak barrels: 6 pinot noir, 2 chardonnay, 1 pinot gris de Neuchatel, and 2 Merlot.  At 11% it’s very big…and rare.

Cantillon Fou’Foune – Noah visited the Cantillon brewery immediately after getting off a red-eye flight from the US.  The brewmaster poured him a bunch of rare Cantillon brews – at 9am – including the Fou’Foune and it was a stand out beer.  Cantillon beers are very difficult to come by on draft, especially the Fou’Foune which is an apricot lambic.

Central Waters Brewers Reserve Bourbon Barrel Stout – Limited edition bourbon barrel aged stout from Central Waters (9.5% ABV).

Central Waters Exodus – Sour red ale aged with cherries from northern Wisconsin in bourbon barrels.  Good luck finding this beer on draft anywhere else.

Central Waters/Local Option La Petite Mort – This is our collaboration beer – a Weisse bock with Belgian yeast – we developed and brewed at Central Waters.  The yeast is the driving force in this beer, complemented by rich malts.

De Molen Bed & Breakfast – Spiced ale, brewed with coffee and dry hopped.

De Molen Hemel & Aarde (Heaven And Earth) – Hemel & Aarde is made with heavily peated malts from the renowned Bruichladdich distillery in Scotland.  Thick like motor oil.

De Molen Rook & Vuur (Smoke And Fire) – Strong smoked beer utilizing peated malts and chili peppers from a small brewery in the Netherlands.

Dieu du Ciel Péché Mortel – World-renowned and highly sought after coffee-imperial stout brewed in Montreal.

Djævlebryg Old Mephisto – From the Danish brewers whose name literally translates into “Devil’s Brew,” Old Mephisto is a huge roasty barley wine.

Evil Twin Biscotti Break – Biscotti Break is one of the most successful Evil Twin beers thus far in terms of taste and flavor combinations.  Imperial porter brewed with toasted almonds, vanilla and espresso (8.4% ABV).

Evil Twin Freudian Slip – This is one of Jeppe’s first beers brewed stateside.  It’s a big American style barleywine and it will be a new release at Occupy The Local Option.

Evil Twin The Talented Mr. Orangutan – Another Midwest release from Evil Twin. We’ll be the first in Chicago to have it.  This is a stout brewed with orange peel.

Founders Double Trouble – One of our favorite Midwestern double IPAs (86 IBU and 9.4% ABV).  Strong hop aroma and bitter finish.

Founders Imperial Stout – Usually this beer is only found at Founders Brewery; a strong hoppy IPA (9.9% ABV).

Great Divide Espresso Oak Aged Yeti – One of the latest additions to Great Divide’s Yeti series; brewed with Denver’s own Pablo’s espresso.

Hinterland Luna Coffee Stout – Coffee stout brewed using locally roasted Luna fair trade coffee; brewed in Green Bay.  This will be served on nitro at Occupy The Local Option.

Jandrain-Jandrenouille IV Saison – Unpasteurized, non-filtered saison from a small brewery in the middle of Belgium.

Jolly Pumpkin Calabaza Blanca – Using its unique wild house yeast Jolly Pumpkin created a witbier spiced with orange peel and coriander.

Jolly Pumpkin Oro De Calabaza – Golden ale aged in oak barrels with a gentle hop bouquet and ever-present wild yeast characteristics.

Local Option American Muscle – 12.5% Double IPA we developed and brewed at Against The Grain Brewery using NO additives, sugars, or adjuncts.

Local Option Dampf Loc – An all-barley Bavarian style steam ale we brewed originally at Dog Brewing Co in Maryland and again at Cumberland Brewery in Louisville last autumn.  Dampf Loc was served at the recent Opeth concert at the Vic Theater in Chicago and sold out in less than an hour.

Local Option Morning Wood – An amber oak-aged coffee ale we brewed at Against The Grain brewery.  The beer is aromatically driven by Blue Bottle’s Mexican Chiapas Proish single origin coffee.  It was originally unveiled at FOWBAB earlier this year.

Mestreechs Aajt – Flemish-style red ale brewed for Gulpener’s brewpub in Netherlands.  Great balance of sweetness and sour.  Also very rare.

Mikkeller 黑 / Black (2009) – The strongest beer ever brewed in Scandinavia (17.5%).  So strong in fact we had to age it for over two years before serving.

Port Brewing  Older Viscosity – Old Viscosity aged in Hill Bourbon (oak) barrels for six months.

Thornbridge Jaipur – A delicious pale ale brewed by an innovative up-and-coming English brewery.  Starts off very soft and the taste builds up into a citrus title-wave.

Three Floyd’s Rune Priest – Rune Priest is a Belgian-style pale ale brewed with Sorachi ace hops and yeast from De Struise’s brewery in Belgium.

 Photo: Natalie Walser. Beer Descriptions: Alexi Front, Local Option