BierWax — A Girl's Guide to Drinking Alone

556 Vanderbilt Ave btw Dean and Bergen Sts, Prospect Heights

The Place: A beer bar that moonlights as a record store -- or is it a record store that moonlights as a beer bar? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

The Time: Monday October 14, 8:45pm. Having a boyfriend who’s now in grad school means I barely see him, which is sad, but it also means I get random nights to myself, which is nice! Especially for someone who writes a blog about drinking alone. Anyway, I saw the Judy Garland biopic at BAM (verdict: movie, fine. Renee Zellweger, fantastic) then took a long walk on this mild October night, aimlessly wandering, looking for a new place to drink. I’ll be honest, it didn’t feel great roaming the streets for a bar after watching a movie about a famous drunk and drug addict. But I wasn’t a child star so…I’m fine? I walk by BierWax, and think, yeah ok here is good.

The Vibe: Dark and loud, yet empty; kind of like when you get to a club right when the doors open, and you’re like “huh, maybe we should’ve stayed at that other place longer.” There’s a small group of friends in the front, taking up the entire entryway, so I have to stand there while they awkwardly shuffle their metal stools around so I can get through. The bar is long and occupies most of the space, and instead of bottles on the back wall, there are records. Lots and lots of records. A DJ is also in the front, literally spinning vinyl, probably pulled straight off the wall. There’s one guy down at the end of the bar, and a couple on the other end, so I settle in the middle. They have a little garden in the back, which is where more people seem to be, and I bet is way more pleasant right now. But I’m here, I’ll follow through.

The Bartender: A small woman with glasses who spends a lot of time reorganizing the records. That’s the same as cleaning bottles, right? Gotta entertain yourself somehow when it’s slow.

The Drank: So since records replace liquor bottles, there’s only beer here, which I figured, based on the name. I’ve been super into sours lately so I get the Gimme Gimme Passionfruit Guava Sour from Kills Boro Brewing. It’s pretty nice -- fruity, tart, easy-drinking. From the second I walk in here, I know I’m not gonna stay long so I’m glad I have the option to get a 4 oz pour for $4. For beer nerds (or newbies), this is a great way to try a bunch of different brews without breaking the bank.

Was I Hit On?: Nah. I’m left to drink my sour, mind my own business and google Judy Garland’s life story for 20 straight minutes. Wouldn’t recommend doing that if you’re looking to have fun.

Should You Drink Here Alone?: Alone, I’m gonna say no. But BierWax would probably be fun with a group of friends, better if you can wrangle some of your best beer and music geeks.