City Editor Madeline here — over the weekend, I joined Oak Park Brewing Co. for their release of a new beer — Alien Tea Strong Ale. The release event featured live readings from local poets and mixing by DJ SantanaMustDie to really set the vibe.

The new brew was a collab inspired by local poet Kory Vance + his most recent book titled "Poems About Aliens." Alien Tea is on the lower end of the strong ale spectrum with an eight percent ABV, an intentional choice to make it palatable to a wider audience. Per my taste buds, the beer landed somewhere between a hazy ale and pale ale, and rounded off with a slight sea salt finish.

In Kory Vance's book Poems About Aliens, the poem titled "Alien Tea" is the namesake for the new beer. | Photo by SACtoday staff

Local poets J. Rowe, Anthony Xavier-Jackson + Kamil Azim accompanied Vance in reading prose for the audience. Each of the featured poems overlapped in themes of intimacy and human nature through an intergalactic lens.

Oak Park Brewing Co. will continue to serve Alien Tea Strong Ale while supplies least, so stop by to try this extra-terrestrial brew while you can.