Temperance Beer Company is churning out medal-winning beers from their Evanston brewery, and brewmaster Claudia Jendron invited us up to try most of their portfolio. Turns out that spending an afternoon drinking ten beers with Claudia makes for pretty great conversation. In addition to plenty of brewing notes, Claudia talks about the experience of winning a medal at GABF; her extreme commitment to quality control and customer service; and her preference for English ingredients to create a unique take on refreshing, approachable beers. She also talks about moving from receptionist to brewer at Goose Island and how the AB-InBev buyout impacted the brewery. We learn about the challenge of hop contracts, canning’s benefits over bottling, and the calculated risks in barrel-aging. This is a great listen, and by the end, you’ll want to start a hop farm.

Our Top Beers

Ryan

1. Grapefruit Escapist IPA

2. Restless Years Rye APA

3. Smittytown ESB

Craig

1. Smittytown Tart ESB

2. Restless Years Rye APA

3. Gatecrasher English IPA

Beers Sampled:

Gatecrasher English IPA

Restless Years APA

Escapist IPA

Smittytown ESB

Grapefruit Escapist IPA

Smittytown Tart ESB

Greenwood Beach Blonde

Quotidienne Dubbel

Root Down Porter

Manhattan Barrel-Aged Might Meets Right