I took Dan to Hubbard’s Cave Brewery to drink delicious beer, but also to gloat. I had finally discovered an amazing Chicago brewery before he did, and I was feeling pretty proud of myself.

I wasn’t worried about the beer. Dan is a Stout guy, and Hubbard’s Cave’s Vanilla Imperial Stout is one of the richest around, earning a ludicrous 4.42 on UT. So I was confident the beer would impress, and knowing Dan had never heard of it was vanilla icing on the Stout cake.

Dan is one of those people who always knows the best bar, the best steakhouse, and the best pizza place in every city. It makes him a lot of fun to hang out with, but I almost never get to play tour guide. So when I asked if he’d heard of Hubbard’s Cave, and he thought I meant the oddly named tunnel on I-90, I was overjoyed!

When I took him to the brewery, housed in a nondescript strip mall north of the city, he didn’t seem very impressed. Until he tried Vanilla Imperial Stout. He was blown away by the rich layers of creamy vanilla and chocolate with notes of roasty coffee, and fudgy, chewy mouthfeel. The 12% ABV balances wonderfully against subtle sweetness and decadent cocoa. It’s like biting into a moist chocolate tort.

Dan loved it. When I told him it was a limited annual release and would probably be gone soon, he loaded up on bottles. And I bet the next time he’s showing a friend around Chicago, they’ll end up at what Dan now calls the best Stout Brewery in town: Hubbard’s Cave.

Rated 4.42 on Untappd; Rated 4.36 on Tavour