I’ve had a serious thing for Belgian beers the past couple of years. Part of it is due to exposure - The Map Room and the Hopleaf have been fertile training grounds with informed servers and bartenders, helping to guide me. Another part of the reason is flavor: after you’ve sipped some of these unique brews - tart cherry lambics, intense Trappists - you’re never going to be satisfied with a mass market beer again. But the final part of the equation is availability. Thanks to aggressive, passionate importers, we now have more Belgian beer choices than ever. Just stroll the aisle at Binny’s in the South Loop to get an idea of what I’m talking about. Wendy Littlefield and her husband started Vanberg & DeWulf more than 25 years ago, and have continued to bring intriguing labels into the U.S. ever since. They recently moved their headquarters from Cooperstown, NY to Chicago. I spoke with Wendy this week about some of the amazing Belgian beers now available to us here in Chicago.