For over 15 years, Metropolitan blessed this great city with high quality lagers and traditional German styles. They ushered in a second wave of Chicago craft brewing back when there were next to no options available. It’s safe to say that without Metropolitan, the Chicago craft beer scene wouldn’t have grown the way it did. Now Chicago will have to move on without Metro, who will be closing their doors for good on December 17th. We take this episode as an opportunity to appreciate their excellent lineup one more time, share many meaningful personal memories about the beers and brewery, and to say thank you for stubbornly making lagers even when it wasn’t cool to do so. Thank you, Metropolitan crew, and we wish you a clear and fulfilling path forward. Beers Enjoyed Flywheel Pilsner Krankshaft Kolsch Stromhaus Helles Heliostat Zwickel Lager Arc Welder Dunkel Rye Afterburner Oktoberfest  

Earlier in November, the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild put on the 21st Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beers to recognize some of the breweries making the finest wood-aged beers around. We got our hands on five (out of the eleven) Illinois medal winners - and our first-ever Best of Show beer - to help us audition to become FoBAB judges some year. We share some FoBAB “by the numbers” and recap the awards with a slight angle towards our Fantasy FoBAB league interests. Also, Craig is opening up to the possibility of tinsel, Ryan is destroying himself for pleasure (as usual), and we point out which beer is the Warren Zevon of barrel-aged beers.  Medal Winners Reviewed Off Color Brewing - Mezcal Barrel-Aged Beer for Tacos (Gold in Specialty/Experimental) Sketchbook Brewing Co. - Red Wine Barrel-Aged Tripel G (Gold in Other Pale Beer) Half Acre Beer Company - Orin (Silver in Other Dark Beer) Mikerphone Brewing - Slappa Da Base (Silver in Strong Porter/Stout) Hidden Hand/Solemn Oath Brewery - Oaked Val D’or (Gold in Wild Beer/Brett & Best of Show)  

Hop on the Brown Line straight to Browntown with us, as we discover a hopefully-growing local resurgence of the brown ale with five examples from Chicagoland breweries on this episode. Adjunct or not, these brown ales all have a unique angle on the style - and most would absolutely kill on cask. We also discuss the worst possible colors for mayonnaise, we consider the best brown for the Thanksgiving table, Ryan shares his true feelings about the apple orchard, and Craig am become Cronch, destroyer of dry ramen.  Beers Reviewed Spiteful Brewing - Bowmanville Brown Phase Three Brewing - Midst Maplewood Brewing Company - Brownie Points Werk Force Brewing Company - Axis: As Bold As Beer Around the Bend Beer Company - Puffing Billy  

Carbonated water treated with hops is pretty simple in concept, but these five breweries prove that there’s a lot of variation and skill that goes into making these “zero/zero” drinks. And it shows that no matter how well non-alcoholic beers have progressed, some drinkers looking for a dry spell just can’t quit the hops - and now they don’t have to! We get extremely refreshed on this zero alcohol show while discussing many areas of potential for this rising trend. Also, Craig needs some real talk on a confusing bathroom arrangement, Ryan’s watching his calcium intake, and we want to know if kids should be drinking hop water before one of us looks like a bad parent. Waters Reviewed Sierra Nevada Brewing Company - Hop Splash Third Space Brewing - Hop Water: Citra Lemon Noon Whistle Brewing - Hop Water Revolution Brewing - Super Zero Marz Community Beverage Co. - Hop N’ Honey Water  

Though it might be one of the smallest states, the brewing scene in Delaware is mighty, and we’re ushering in our 33rd State Show with a lineup of five flavorful beers from five different breweries. Thanks to Ryan Tracy (and family), we’re able to live vicariously through his travelogue while sipping these delectable beers, just missing out on the coastal views and massive plates of seafood. Also, Ryan flies too close to the sun with his back scratcher, Craig’s working on the leg rolls, and one podcast studio gets absolutely drenched in an exploding beer. Beers Reviewed Blue Earl Brewing Co. [Smyrna, D] - Oktoberfest (Märzen) Mispillion River Brewing Company [Milford, DE] - Not Today Satan (American IPA) Thompson Island Brewing Company [Rehoboth Beach, DE] - Never Been Wrong (Barrel-Aged Sour Belgian Blonde) Big Oyster Brewery [Lewes, DE] -  Noir et Bleu (Belgian Tripel w/ blueberries and black tea) Dewey Beer Company [Dewey Beach, DE] - Thrills: Strawberry, Watermelon, Lemonade (Fruited Sour)  

Chicago’s biggest, baddest and most-barreled festival is back in its 21st year, so we’re eager to FoBABble about it for the first time in four years as a lead-up to the competition. We also open four barrel-aged beers from breweries that have been FoBAB staples (and previous medal winners) to lubricate our discussions of new and returning breweries at this year’s fest, our “first pour” picks, festival attendee tips, sleeper breweries not to miss, and Fantasy FoBAB Power Rankings. Also, Ryan has a shameful admission about common bird identification, we ride the plot line of sniffs, and Craig’s getting the BabyBjörn ready for his unprepared podcast partner. Beers Reviewed Off Color Brewing - Beer For Burgers: Prime Cut (Helles Bock aged in bourbon barrels blended with fresh Helles Bock) Short Fuse Brewing Company - What The Night Brings (Imperial stout aged in bourbon and cognac barrels w/ dates and figs) Half Acre Beer Company - Double Barrel Catch Hell (Double barrel-aged imperial stout w/ Madagascar vanilla and Saigon cinnamon) Mikerphone Brewing - Sweet Drams (Double mash imperial stout aged in Pappy 15 bourbon barrels)  

The seven barrel-aged beers that comprise this year’s Luchador lineup feature styles and ingredients we have rarely - or never - seen in the past, and no local “special release” lineup is getting as experimental as this one. Flavor master Jacob Sembrano is at it again, and we’re here to drunkenly rave over the barrel-aged results. There are many true “wow” moments on this one, and at least one bird that tried to ruin it all for everyone. Also, Craig has neighborhood watch concerns about bananas, Ryan’s ready to huff that bean bag, and beer jerseys are getting raised to the rafters.  Beers Reviewed Bad Mermaid (Imperial Blonde aged in rye whiskey and rum barrels w/ dulce de leche and coconut) Lucha Royal (Imperial Saskatoon ale aged in French black currant liqueur barrels) Gigante (Double barrel blonde barleywine aged in Barbados rum barrels, finished in Colorado rye whiskey barrels) El Petito (Double barrel blonde barleywine aged in Colorado rye whiskey barrel, finished in French apricot brandy barrels) Rey Gordo (Imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels) Señor Finito (Imperial stout aged in Colorado rye whiskey barrels w/ cocoa nibs, mesquite beans, and canella) Don Moustache (Imperial stout aged in bourbon barrel w/ Mexican Mazapan candy and cocoa nibs)  

We’re indulging in our capital vices for our yearly attempt to destroy each other over bad beers, and this one features some of the most unexpected pours we’ve ever seen. There’s at least one beer here that unexpectedly brings out an extra large dose of wrath for one podcaster, and it’s not even the mystery beer in the box. WHAT’S IN THE BOX?? Also, Craig is investigating some decapitated pigeons, Ryan’s plan backfires, and we both learn to fear the SlenderCan. And make sure you stick it out for one of the most horrifying Cuvées of Doom ever concocted.  Beers Endured [LUST] Kultowy Browar Staropolski - Bestbir Pszenica z Sokiem Pacific z Grejpfrutem (Grapefruit-flavored wheat beer) [GREED] O’Fallon Brewery - Cherry Chocolate Dark Wheat (from 2017??) [PRIDE] Dugges Bryggeri - Cola (Cola-inspired sour w/ nutmeg, lime, cinnamon, and vanilla) [GLUTTONY] RAR Brewing - Out of Order: It Wasn’t Easy (Pastry sour w/ pineapple, lemon-lime, coconut, lactose, and pastry cream) [SLOTH] Penrose Brewing - Wild XI (Oak-aged American wild ale, from 2015) [ENVY] 903 Brewers - Dr. Seltzer (Hard seltzer slushy w/ fruit and spices) [WRATH] Aslin Beer Company - Pinkies Up (Quintuple IPA)  

Chicagoland is pretty gifted in lager-centric breweries, but now that trends have shifted back towards the more drinkable, almost every brewery is featuring more and more lagers. This is an extremely good thing. For this show, we do a blind tasting wherein we match a local lager-focused brewery’s beer against a local “everything” brewery’s beer along style lines and give our unbiased opinions. Our arbitrary reviews won’t prove much, but we do have an opinion on which brewery we think is making the best lagers in Chicagoland. Also, we force the title colon thanks to A.I. which introduces us to Chi-Taste-O. (We recommend you get a 6-pack of lagers ready and responsibly drink every time we say, “Chi-Taste-O.”) Plus we’re making bread references, attacking the Veggie Stick stash, and valuing rusticity. So sayeth the Mayor and Seer of Chi-Taste-O.  Beers Reviewed and Battled Blindly    Alarmist Brewing - Crispy Boy (Pilsner) Vs. Dovetail Brewery - Pilsner   Half Acre Beer Company - Helles Vs. Metropolitan Brewing - Stromhaus (Helles)   Miskatonic Brewing Company/Seldom Beer Co. & Streetside Brewery - Loggers From Vienna (Vienna-Style Lager) Vs. Goldfinger Brewing Company - Vienna-Style Lager  

Now somewhat relegated to an occasional fall seasonal from breweries, the Amber style is essential to the history of American craft beer as we know it. So we’re pumped to see five local breweries dabble in amber ales and lagers, and we fall in love all over again (with the beers, not each other). Also, Craig has an unexpected pet, we accidentally have a moment of real beer talk about wilds and sours, Ryan vetoes an obvious 311 reference, and we are bringing our own ludicrous drinkware to the District Brew Yards until someone tells us “no.” Whoa-oh.  Beers Reviewed Casa Humilde Cerveceria - Alba (Mexican-Style Amber Lager) BuckleDown Brewing - Alien Avatar (Amber Ale) Maplewood Brewing - Amberana (Amber Ale conditioned on Amburana wood) Off Color Brewing - Beer For Huddles (Amber Ale) Burnt City Brewing (?) - Titan Walls 5 (Amber Lager)  

We were just back in Denver for the 41st Great American Beer Festival, and we’ve got an episode chock full of interviews and beer highlights that’s as good as gold (medals). Catch up on our beer-y travels as we hit the festival floor for about 14 total hours and stop into several great Denver taprooms and bars, sharing our experiences and regrettable food decisions along the way. Plus, we talk to a bevy of fascinating brewers and brewery owners from all over the U.S. and we hear stories about an onstage proposal, a beer made with the cast of Hamilton, a terpene-infused milkshake IPA, a brewer who has won Master Distiller, and the (maybe) real original year of Bourbon County Stout. And to top that off, we open three Denver-area beers in the hotel while trying to soothe our ragged voices and heal up from a serious vapors affliction. PLUS, Craig’s going ASMR while Ryan’s recording from the chaise longue.  Beers Reviewed WeldWerks Brewing Co. - Colorado Ale (Traditional Ale) Burns Family Artisan Ales - Gallivant (Gin barrel-aged barleywine) Jessup Farm Barrel House - Wheelhouse (Bourbon barrel-aged brown ale) Interviews Matt Brynildson of Firestone Walker Brewing Company (Paso Robles, CA) - [00:11:20 - 00:21:13] Ryan Fields of Wild Fields Brewhouse (Atascadero, CA) - [00:26:51- 00:30:07] Colt Carpenter of Pax Verum Brewing Company (Lapel, IN) - [00:39:03 - 00:45:42] Leo Sawadogo of Montclair Brewery (Montclair, NJ) - [00:54:10 - 00:59:08] Rick Hagen and Greg Meyer of Heavy Riff Brewing (St. Louis, MO) - [01:12:44 - 0:1:18:46] Dave Lopez of Gun Hill Brewing Company (Bronx, NY) - [01:33:33 - 01:39:42] Ryan Wibby of Wibby Brewing (Longmont, CO) - [01:50:52 - 01:57:08]  

In the week that we’re heading out west for a certain fest, we gather up four barrel-aged beers from West Coast breweries that are pretty well-known for their wood-aged offerings. Expectations are flipped on their head and a ringer is challenged as we pop a few actual corks for this one. Also, Craig wants in on the limited-edition mattresses; we open our minds to the possibilities that breweries can grow over the course of nine years; and we share the tales of the juggling Belgian Gueuze Mimes.  Beers Reviewed Floodland Brewing - Calling Out to Psychic Death (Dry-hopped blend of barrel-aged saisons w/ honey) deGarde Brewing - The Broken Truck (Wild ale aged in oak, blended from four years) Russian River Brewing Company - Small Batch: Intinction (Sauvignon Blanc-aged wild pilsner w/ Sauvignon Blanc grape juice and dry-hopped with Nelson Sauvin) Cellarmaker Brewing Company - Bourbon Blammo! (Blend of bourbon barrel-aged stouts and barleywine w/ toasted coconut)  

The Great American Beer Festival is right around the corner, and since we’re attending again this year, we’re providing an audio guide to what to drink at the fest while also sipping on some previous medal winners. These aren’t just any Illinois medal winners; our four choices here are a good drive from Chicago while also representing more traditional styles. For the GABF preview, we cover what Illinois breweries are pouring, which “new-to-us” breweries have us the most excited; whose familiar faces we can’t wait to see; and which “steady hand” brewers can’t be missed. Also, Ryan’s sharing an irrational fear, we develop an open floor taproom concept to maximize turnover, and we both agree the judges are pretty good at what they do. Beers Reviewed Crystal Lake Brewing - Too Much Cologne (Kolsch) Sew Hop’d Brewery - Alt 140 (Altbier) Mickey Finn’s Brewery & Pub - Dark and Down (Dark rye lager) Tighthead Brewing Company - Scarlet > Fire (Irish red ale)  

For the second part of our big 500, we sit down with Revolution Brewing founder Josh Deth and talk about the last ten years of his brewery while sharing a rare beer from Craig’s cellar. It’s a fitting interview for this milestone, as no brewery has been featured on the podcast more - and it’s not even close. Also, we open another cellar gem while recording in the ABV West bunker for the first time since the pandemic; we discuss some of our greatest hits; we continue our wax hatred for the 10th year in a row; and Ryan struggles through another ABV By the Numbers game. Thanks for listening anytime, anywhere, everyone.  Josh Deth interview (00:08:58 - 01:05:14) Beers Opened Side Project Brewing - Beer: Barrel: Time Rye 2023 (A blend of imperial stouts aged in rye barrels) Phase Three Brewing - Eunoia Batch 1 (Barrel-aged imperial stout with peanut butter, chocolate & marshmallow)  

500 episodes is a long time to do arbitrary beer reviews, so we reach out for some help in reviewing a few beers from Craig’s cellar. We chose brewers that have been around longer than the podcast to reflect on the last ten years in craft beer, and they chose a beer from our list. For this part one of two episodes, we sit down with Spiteful Brewing’s Jason Klein and Half Acre’s Gabriel Magliaro. We also sip through their cellar selections, and open up one more in the ABV West Bunker for a small but mighty lineup. Plus, Craig has discovered a potential Malort cure, and Ryan struggles through an ABV By The Numbers game. Stay tuned for Part Two. Jason Klein Interview (00:09:16 - 00:53:26) Gabriel Magliaro Interview (01:01:26 - 01:25:52) Beers Reviewed Hair of the Dog Brewing Company - Don 2023 (Double Barleywine aged over four years in rye, bourbon, port, calvados and maple barrels) Sante Adairius Rustic Ales - West Ashley Cuvée (A blend of four consecutive years of West Ashley, aged in Pinot Noir oak barrels with apricots) Hanabi Lager Company - Hanabi Lager White Apron (Pilsner)  

Once every four years, we gather up nine Märzens or Festbiers for a blind review revue as a not-so-subtle excuse to drink what might be our favorite seasonal style. And again, we have eight local takes (and one collab from a legacy American brand) on the German-style lager to help us determine our arbitrary preferences. Surprises abound and misconceptions are challenged as this extremely drinkable nine-pack has us craving pretzels in no time. Also, Ryan has inadvertently created an eight year-old future Cicerone; Craig is once again calling for unnecessary adjuncts; and it’s ‘Oops! All Basslines!” for one beer. Light up your pretzel rod cigars and fill up your ceramic stein with Oktoberfest, and join us.  Beers Reviewed Blindly Maplewood Brewing Company - Festbier Midwest Coast Brewing Co. - Oktoberfest Sketchbook Brewing Co. - Oktoberfest Sierra Nevada Brewing Co./Kehrwieder Kreativbrauerei - Oktoberfest (2023) Spiteful Brewing - Oktoberfest Temperance Beer Co. - Oktoberfest Off Color Brewing - Waddle More Brewing Company - Oktoberfest Mikerphone Brewing - Kick, Push, Prost  

We’re bringing the dry heat with our 32nd State Show, drinking through five beers from five different Arizona breweries, courtesy of listener Ryan Lamb. There’s a lot to like from this set with some essential Arizona ingredients and a few beers with heavy medal pedigree. But also, Craig’s recent Disney trip has him looking at redoing some rides; Ryan reminds us that stouts are for closers; and we finally find out what love smells like.  Beers Reviewed Four Peaks Brewing Company [Tempe, AZ] - Kilt Lifter (Scottish-style ale) Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co. [Gilbert, AZ] - Cactus Juice (Prickly pear sour) Wren House Brewing Company [Phoenix, AZ] - Spellbinder (Hazy IPA) Mother Road Brewing Company [Flagstaff, AZ] - Tower Station (IPA) Fate Brewing Company [Scottsdale, AZ] - Hatch Chile Gatos (Golden ale w/ hatch chiles)

Revolution is back at it this summer with a threesome of barrel-aged delights for an early kickoff to the Deep Wood series, and we take our time breaking down these complex blends to find our results to be pleasantly surprising. Also, Craig ruins going to the mall; Ryan’s having breakfast with Velveeta; and we let the barrels take it to the X-treme (and Ex-Treme).  Beers Reviewed Dread & Breakfast (Breakfast Blend Ale with coffee aged in bourbon barrels) Cuvée De Grâce (Cuvée Ale aged in bourbon barrels) Life Jacket (Barleywine Ale with mango, guava, passionfruit, and coconut aged in bourbon barrels)  

We can give a lot of credit to Half Acre co-founder Gabriel Magliaro for helping awaken the craft beer scene in Chicago. And more than 16 years later, Half Acre is still a leader in craft in the city and all over the country, so we’re thrilled to sit down with Gabriel for a deep dive into the history of his legendary brewery. We talk about how he was strongly advised against putting beer in 16-ounce cans, how opening a retail shop exposed the brand to a new audience, the evolution of their barrel program to its esteemed current status, and why the Lincoln taproom sale was the best of all outcomes. Then, Craig and Ryan open four Half Acre beers across a variety of styles to review, and it’s kind of a cosmic gumbo. Also, we’re trying hard to make Slowdem a real thing. Gabriel Magliaro Interview (00:07:29 - 01:09:02) Beers Reviewed Green Torch (Lime Lager) Bodem (IPA) Slow Wink (West Coast IPA) Double Barrel Benthic 2022 (Double arrel-aged imperial stout with toasted coconut and cinnamon)  

It’s another show about highly drinkable summer styles, and this minor trend of local breweries releasing hopped-up wheat beers caught our attention enough to put five beers in front of us for review. The styles differ despite their shared ingredient, and we’re as excited about the big hops as we are comforted by the soft wheat. Also, we blue-sky some product design for Impractical Packaging Brewing Co.; Craig might drizzle some honey on that dry ramen snack; and Ryan’s just looking for a little extra fiber. Beers Reviewed Riverlands Brewing Company - Lazy Fox (Hazy Pale Wheat Ale) Brothership Brewing - Citra Crop Circles (Hoppy Wheat Ale) Keg Grove Brewing Company - Vacation Haze (Hazy Wheat New England-Style IPA) Miskatonic Brewing Company/Seldom Beer Co. - Silver Sun (Hoppy Wheat Lager) DryHop Brewers - Shark Meets Hipster (Wheat IPA)  

Brad Clark is the man behind the highly sought-after blended barrel-aged beers of Private Press, and Craig sat down with him over some decanted barleywine to talk about the history and future of his members-only brewery. Brad shares how his background at the renowned Jackie O’s in Ohio led to some of the more daring experiments at his current Santa Cruz brewery, and how peaceful running led to him inventing an entire style. Also, he shares details about his meticulous blending process, how his barrels travel treacherous terrain to reach their destination, where the inspiration for his labels and beer names originate from, and why he once had to set a barrel on fire in an attempt to save it. If that wasn’t enough, we also open four of his beers that are just about unmatched in quality, and Craig talks about an unexpected visitor while dining at The French Laundry. Brad Clark Interview (00:10:02 - 00:55:28) Beers Reviewed Life is Round (Blend of barleywine ales aged in bourbon barrels) A Silent Pursuit (Blend of barrel-aged Munichwine ales) Double Barrel Almond Suite - collaboration with Side Project (Imperial stout brewed with almonds and lactose, aged in bourbon and Cognac barrels) Third Press (Blend of stout and barleywine ale aged in oak barrels)  

After six episodes and 25 beers, we’re finally putting our top 6 choices for best Chicagoland/Illinois hazy IPA to one last blind test. This showdown features four GABF gold medal-winners and two “underdogs” - and each beer impresses in its own way. Which brewery do we think is making the best cloudy juice utilizing Citra and/or Mosaic (and maybe like one or two other hops)? We’ll have a definitive arbitrary answer by the end of the show. Also, Ryan is excited about his Goop Dupe, Craig’s out there waiting for fruit to be thrown at him, and someone might just guess so good that they’ll dab into the sun.  Beers Reviewed Blindly DESTIHL Brewery - Deadhead: TourBus Alarmist Brewing - Le Jus Alter Brewing Company - Ambigram Riverlands Brewing Co. - Dean Street Penrose Brewing Company - Goofy Boots Old Irving Brewing - Beezer  

We’ve been admirers of Sante Adairius Rustic Ales for a decade now, and Craig’s recent trip to California brings us back the gift of SARA saisons - and a wonderful conversation with owner and co-founder Adair Paterno. The four barrel-aged saisons on this show are about as good of a lineup of beer we’ll drink all year, so get ready for the lovefest on this episode. But the real highlight is Adair and Craig’s talk which covers the early days to their now three-location status; how the house yeast culture came to be and has had to be resurrected; why so many taproom regulars have ended up joining the staff; and the time when they almost created yeast monsters underground. Also, Craig accidentally finds himself in the middle of parkour practice, and Ryan opts for opulence with the ultimate episode-ending Saison Cuvée. Adair Paterno Interview (00:09:10 - 00:50:38) Beers Reviewed Eye of the Needle (Saison aged in Venus Spirits’ gin barrels w/ passionfruit, mango, and guava) Intentional Invitation (Saison aged in Venus Spirits’ gin barrels w/ cara cara orange and grapefruit) Proper Discourse (Saison aged in Frederiksdal Cherry Wine barrels) Westly (Saison aged in barrels with apricots)  

Summer Craig is starting off strong this year by bringing back five fantastic beers from California’s Bay Area (and beyond) for us to fawn over and attempt to recreate those vacation vibes. We learn the backstories of these breweries and their unique approaches and cover other beer-ish topics like the follies of berry beers, aggressive bread, trad saisons, and the royal need for hop names. Also, Craig has discovered a new traveling superpower and parlor trick; Ryan has picked a winner in an East Coast vs. West Coast IPA battle; and we flip through the Sam Goody poster stand for a while. It’s better than Semi-OK. Beers Reviewed Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing [Santa Cruz] - Hello Pretty (Organic blonde ale w/ strawberries) Wondrous Brewing Company [Emeryville] - Rote Augen (Franconian-style Rotbier) HenHouse Brewing Company [Santa Rosa] - Saison (Saison w/ black pepper and coriander) Fox Tale Fermentation Project [San Jose] - No Más (Gose w/ Persian lime, pink pepper leaf, and lacto-fermented honey) Ghost Town Brewing [Oakland] - Hammer Smashed EXP 586 (IPA)  

Ryan’s a University of Iowa graduate, and in the 15 years since his last visit, a few breweries have popped up and thrived in the area. After a weekend with the family in Iowa City, Ryan brought back five beers from the area to talk about what’s been happening with beer in the decade-and-a-half since. Also, Craig’s aghast to share Tom Emanski with an uninterested party, we’re both a bit confused over TMNT villains, and Ryan’s not mad about the algorithm figuring out he likes Mortal Kombat videos. We hope you like nostalgia with your beer reviews, this week.  Beers Reviewed Big Grove Brewery - Tailwind (Golden Ale) ReUnion Brewery & John’s Grocery - Thrilla in Amarilla (Hoppy Wheat) Backpocket Brewing - Slingshot (Dunkel) Lion Bridge Brewing Company - Compensation (English-Style Mild) Iowa Brewing Co. - Cookie Oja (Baltic Porter w/ chocolate sandwich cookies)  

Another somewhat recent trend in the world of local lagers is the Italian Pilsner, a style with only about a 30-year history that adds a bit more noble dry-hop character to something close to the Czech-style pilsner. It’s all winners on this show, except for the hosts who have to do rankings without the assistance of a large sandwich. Also, we welcome in Hot Grimace Summer, Craig’s empty hand is ever-reaching for an IPL, and Ryan’s got that soon-to-be-viral oyster cracker hack.  Beers Reviewed Mikerphone Brewing - Hey Mambo, Mambo Italiano! Riverlands Brewing Company - Picchi Pils Pipeworks Brewing Company (& J.P. Graziano) - Alla Salute Art History Brewing - Bella Strada Half Acre Beer Co. - italian Pilsner  

In our penultimate round before the championship, we have one spot up for grabs with these fan favorite hazy IPAs from Chicagoland breweries. Bringing our grand total of hazy IPAs blind-tasted up to 25, this episode still manages to bring some surprising sights and smells - and the show’s winner isn’t exactly what we expected. Also, we workshop a brewer’s new brand concept, Ryan is dreaming of dunking on some suckers, and Craig just wants a banana shaped like a dolphin in his drink.  Beers Reviewed Blindly Roaring Table Brewing - Tuba Solo Art History Brewing - Major More Brewing Company - Morever Short Fuse Brewing Company - Loosey Juicy Alter Brewing Company - Ambigram  

As we open our arms to embrace the start of summer, our empty glasses are going to need something flavorful yet refreshing. Luckily, Chicagoland breweries have been cranking out the hoppy lagers and pilsners lately, so we assemble five for this episode that are so good that they almost completely break the show. Also, Ryan speculates on banana pudding restaurants, The Queen’s death is really holding up new hop names, and Craig’s dry ramen-chomping has officially entered the canon. Beers Reviewed More Brewing Company & Beer on the Wall - Take One Down (German-style Pilsner) Dovetail Brewery/Revolution Brewing - Thank You, Friends (Hopfenlager) Roaring Table Brewing - Melts Into Air (California-style Pilsner) Old Irving Brewing Co. - Doji* (Hoppy Lager) Mikerphone Brewing - Lager & Lace (West Coast-Style Lager)   *At the time of this recording the beer was known as Oni, but is now renamed Doji  

  We’re just about halfway to FoBAB, so we are once again doing battle with the barrel featuring a roundup of beers we’ve been saving for this very episode. These four barrel-aged beers jostle around in our arbitrary rankings as we just luxuriate in their decadence for about an hour and fifteen minutes. Also, we explain why you (and Billy Corgan) just have to pay your hackers sometimes; Ryan’s got those Dairy Queen Blizzard flavor exclusives; and Craig gets called out for the snickerdoodle, again. More barrel-aged beers? We can never get enough.  Beers Reviewed Revolution Brewing Company - V.S.O. Gravedigger (Imperial Scotch Ale aged two years in bourbon barrels) Old Irving Brewing Co./Phase Three Brewing - Barrel-Aged Migration 2023 (Bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout w/ coconut, vanilla, and Ecuadorian cocoa nibs) Half Acre Beer Company - Catch Hell 2023 (Bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout w/ cinnamon and Madagascar vanilla) Wax Wings Brewing Company - Mezcal Barrel-Aged Sweet Eddy (Imperial stout w/ vanilla, cacao nibs, and ancho chiles aged in Mezcal barrels)  

Our quest to find the best flagship hazy IPA from Chicagoland breweries enters its fourth round, as we blindly sample through a fresh set of five to pick a winner that best fits our own personal preferences. And though our ability to guess blind beers is as bad as ever, our taste buds are finely tuned and finally ready to deliver a surprising upset on this episode. Also, we dream up some 80s-centric unexpected sports and celebrity pairings; we’re reaching for the purple stuff over the Sunny D; and we might just let a fly determine the overall winner of this whole dang competition. Beers Reviewed Blindly Begyle Brewing - No Tomorrow DESTIHL Brewery - Deadhead: TourBus Horse Thief Hollow Brewing Co. - Spoonful Hopewell Brewing Co. - Lightbeam Riverlands Brewing Co. - Dean Street  

In our 31st installment of our decade-long State Show Series, we are sampling a hop-heavy lineup from North Carolina courtesy of listener Rodney Knox. We learn about these five breweries from across the state while appreciating how difficult they make the rankings segment, in more ways than one. Also, Craig shares tales of drive-thru beer stores; Ryan’s got a weird robot obsession, and we’re sold on the idea of the Sweltzer based on name alone.  Beers Reviewed Swells’a Brewing [Kill Devil Hills, NC] - Pea Island Parks Pilsner  Southern Pines Brewing Company [Southern Pines, NC] - Man of Law (IPA) Raleigh Brewing Company [Raleigh, NC] - Coffee Hidden Pipe (Coffee Porter) Hopfly Brewing Company [Charlotte, NC] - Unity (IPA) Foothills Brewing [Winston-Salem, NC] - Jade IPA  

Though they’re maybe not the first brewery that comes to mind when you think of Kalamazoo, Michigan, Wax Wings Brewing (est. 2018) flourished during the pandemic with their fresh hazies and complex barrel-aged beers gaining a ton of word-of-mouth momentum that saw many a beer fan traveling just for the opportunity to take home some of their lineup. Count Craig as one of those folks, as he went to Kalamazoo to snag an interview with owner Rob Hopkins and bring back a fun (and boozy) lineup of fresh beers. The highlights here are about as good as anything we’ve had all year, and thanks to that the rankings are as joyfully inebriated as we’ve been in a while. Also, Craig’s got your Guide to Purchasing a Kazoo in Kalamazoo; Ryan’s gonna buy anything that’s “rustic”; and a certain someone has just discovered that “fruit leather” exists. (And thanks to listener Benji for one of the bottles!) Interview with Rob Hopkins (00:08:08 - 00:26:20) Beers Reviewed Cut ‘Em All Down (Rustic American Ale) Knows Not What It Means (Double IPA) She The Queen (Triple IPA w/ Michigan wildflower honey) The Saucefather (Imperial Stout w/ coconut, vanilla beans, and coffee aged in bourbon barrels) Goodbye Mr. Sun (Barleywine aged in rye whiskey barrels, finished in tequila barrels)  

A new set of five hop warriors enter the extremely flimsy ring for another blind tasting to lead us to our favorite Chicagoland flagship hazy IPA. This one features many more hops than just Citra and Mosaic, so it leads to the widest range of flavors yet. Will we agree on who moves to the championship, and will any beer make it on the bubble? Listen to find out that but also which brewery could potentially be profiting big from director K*vin Sm*th, why Craig’s making a heel turn, and how we’re implementing a simplified haze SRM scale to cut through all the fog.  Beers Reviewed Blindly Revolution Brewing - Hazy Hero Around the Bend Beer Co. - Juice Trials Penrose Brewing Company - Goofy Boots Noon Whistle Brewing - Gummylicious Ravinia Brewing - Isle of Lost Hops: Medusa’s Lagoon  

If it wasn’t obvious from the totally easy to understand episode title, this show is a return for us to a whole lineup of barrel-aged beers from different breweries we love. We add a little blind twist to this one as all four are adjunct-free affairs: just delicious big stouts in world-class barrels. Also, Craig’s totally serious about the tater tots offer, Ryan has found The Cheesecake of Beers™, and we both have a lot of thoughts about ramen.  Beers Reviewed Mikerphone Brewing (w/ Beer on the Wall) - Pick of Destiny #10: Raw Power (Imperial Stout Ale Aged in a Single Weller Wheated Bourbon Barrel) Central Waters Brewing Company - Twenty Five (Blended Bourbon Barrel-Aged Stout) WeldWerks Brewing Co. - Medianoche 2022 (Imperial Stout aged in Blanton's 15-year bourbon, Thomas H. Handy 6-year rye, E.H. Taylor 6-year bourbon, and Eagle Rare 10-year bourbon barrels) Triptych Brewing - AJ’s Stout Vol. 1 2022 (Imperial Stout aged in Heaven Hill Parker Heritage Collection bourbon barrels)  

Though still somewhat unknown around these parts, Cellar West Artisan Ales out of Lafayette, Colorado became known to us as an award-winning saison brewery. This episode further proves their proficiency with a variety of styles. Thanks to a porch box from founder and brewer Zach Nichols, we sample five cans of wildly drinkable and enjoyable beers as we calculate how many chapters it’ll take us to get some beers on local shelves. Also, Craig relives his Cellar West taproom visit from last fall, we consider the advantages of wine-flavored bubblegum, and Ryan wishes he was warned about the Woodman’s robot.   Beers Reviewed Silver Stream (Helles Lager) Unfed Mind, Vol. 1 (Pale Ale w/ Simcoe and HBC 630) Single Hop Saison - Emerald Spire Bourbon Barrel Spinechiller (Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels) Bourbon Barrel Ginger Clove Spinechiller (Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels w/ ginger & clove)  

The second installment in our ongoing (and expanding) arbitrary competition to determine what we deem to be the best Chicagoland Flagship Hazy IPA continues with this murderer’s row of five eclectic and skilled breweries. There are many joyous smells and even a false lactose spotting, but at least there are no glasses of SkittleMilk on this show. See who’s moving on to the championship round, and who may find a second chance on the bubble. Beers Reviewed Blindly Open Outcry Brewing Company - Delirio Alarmist Brewing - Le Jus Phase Three Brewing - Pixel Density Sketchbook Brewing Co. - Insufficient Clearance Midwest Coast Brewing Co. - Elevator to Nowhere  

Seemingly popping up on more local taplists than ever, smoked beers are moving past being a niche brewery-only oddity. We find five beers that enlist smoked malts in their production to give off a surprising variety of flavors - and a refreshing level of nuance. Also, we role play our own Chopped appearances, spend some time living in the aftertaste, and accept that this might be one of the best top-to-bottom lineups of beer we’ve done all year. Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em. Beers Reviewed Alarmist Brewing - Bamberger (Rauchbier) Maplewood Brewing Company - Over Fire Island (Smoked Porter) Soundgrowler Brewing Co. - Burning Hill (Rauch Marzen) Dovetail Brewery - Rauchdoppelbock Art History Brewing - Good Night Bamberg (Rauchbier)  

This year marks the tenth anniversary of Savoy, Illinois’ Triptych Brewing and their creative, artfully-crafted brews, and we’re toasting to them with four of their barrel-aged beers. We went into this one expecting quality beers, but the results far exceed what we could’ve imagined - and should have every Chicago big beer lover driving south for these specialty releases. Plus we’re reaching alcohol-by-volume heights we hardly ever see, so we’re soaring by rankings time. Also, Craig’s only green t-shirt gets him into trouble, Ryan reaps what he sows re:BCBS, and we get a little sad thinking about a lonely whale.  Beers Reviewed Batch 969 [collaboration w/ Foreign Exchange] (Barleywine aged in Amburana and bourbon barrels) AJ’s Stout Vol. 2 [2022] (Blended barrel-aged imperial stout) Dearest Anna (Barrel-aged imperial stout w/ Intelligentsia coffee and Tahitian vanilla) 52.5 Hz (Bourbon barrel-aged stout w/ pistachios and Ugandan vanilla beans)  

In this first round of what will become an ongoing arbitrary competition, we conduct a blind tasting of five Chicagoland breweries’ go-to, year-round, flagship hazy IPAs to determine our favorites - and to move the top beer(s) onto the championship round. For this one, we start with two newer flagships, a top award winner, and two of the original local hazies - and the results catch us totally off guard. Also, Ryan’s got a new swear word to consider thanks to his six year-old, we’re expanding our merchandising brand, and Craig’s Mosaic blindness actually comes in handy for once. Stay tuned for Round 2 in a few weeks, as we scour the shelves for more flagship hazy IPAs to toss into the ring.  Beers Reviewed Blindly Old Irving Brewing - Beezer Hubbard’s Cave - Fresh IPA Solemn Oath Brewery - Small Wave City Club Half Acre Beer Co. - Waybird Maplewood Brewing Company - Son of Juice  

Even without a proper cask engine, we sample five Chicagoland interpretations of centuries-old English styles to appreciate what is hopefully a still-growing trend. The beers sometimes overlap in style but none are done exactly the same way, which makes this a nice little learning experience. Also, Ryan lets the AI script a few scenes for the podcast, we’re trying hard to find a suitable replacement for “mouthfeel,” and Craig’s ready to go pro with his vape tricks for ESPN7. Plus, there’s a Jack Bauer mission, greasy digits, crewneck tattoos, hard corn, a crazy game of UNO, and a good morning at the White Castle. So basically, the least English episode ever. Beers Reviewed Miskatonic Brewing Company (w/ MobCraft) - Gled Tae Meet Ye, My Name Is English-Style Mild Roaring Table Brewing - Warbler Vivant (Dark Mild) Illuminated Brew Works - Her Majesty’s Satanic Request (ESB) Soundgrowler Brewing Co. - Butcher Bird (ESB) Midwest Coast Brewing Co. - English Sporting Beer (ESB)  

St. Patrick’s Day in Chicagoland is a whole season, and thanks to that more local breweries are making the curiously not-traditional Irish Red Ale. To learn more about this style (and give ourselves a nearly-impossible guessing challenge), we do a blind tasting of the five beers on this show. Also, we let the AI bots tell us more about ourselves, we’re dancing in the aisles over that joyous romp The Banshees of Inisherin, and we’re looking for new partners for our Glass Wavy™ line. So, whether you’re a seasoned beer enthusiast or just starting out on your craft beer journey, ABV Chicago is definitely a podcast worth listening to for its lively discussions, informative interviews, and engaging content. Cheers! Beers Reviewed Blindly Midwest Coast Brewing Co. - Irish Tommy Funkytown Brewery - Cuffin’ Season Begyle Brewing - Dicey Riley Old Irving Brewing Co. - Lucky Linny BuckleDown Brewing - Good Times  

Listener and friend Don Kasak conceptualized this show around five Illinois breweries that are practically suburbs of St. Louis, and we are more than happy to drink through a lineup from this mostly unfamiliar-to-us territory. We also can’t get over Smokey Robinson’s new album and song titles, Craig discovers that side-of-the-tongue flavor, and Ryan’s got some hot tips on pretzel investments.  Beers Reviewed Millpond Brewing & Incubator [Millstadt, IL] - Lawrence (German-style Pilsner) Excel Brewing Company [Breese, IL] - Lefty’s Lager (Helles Lager) Stubborn German Brewing Company [Waterloo, IL] - Stubbornfest (Märzen) White Rooster Farmhouse Brewery [Sparta, IL] - Syllables (Foeder-aged Mixed Fermentation Saison) The Old Bakery Beer Company [Alton, IL] - 7th Anniversary Imperial Stout (Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout w/ chocolate, coconut, caramel, and peanuts)  

We’re taking our taste buds on a trip down south thanks to listener Crystal Nguyen we get to sample five unique and tasty beers from the Dallas area. There’s a beer that’s even better when sipped, one that might be made with “Skittlemalt,” and one that inspires the singing of “SkaMan.” Also, we’re thinking big for our eventual Texas show; we look for new innovations in leather pants (and stray cat storage); and we’re putting sippy-cup lids on snifters. Beers Reviewed Celestial Beerworks [Dallas, TX] - Murphy’s Law (Dark Lager) Turning Point Beer [Bedford, TX] - Dangerouser Salad (Berliner Weisse w/ blueberry, vanilla, coconut, almond, and granola) Community Beer Company [Dallas, TX] - Hop Unity: Green Edition (Double IPA) Bitter Sisters Brewing Company [Addison, TX] - Family Trip (Belgian Tripel) Peticolas Brewing Company [Dallas, TX] - The Usual (Barleywine w/ cherries, fresh orange peel, bitters and whiskey soaked American oak chips)  

We’re flipping to Side B of the 2022-2023 Deep Wood releases for this episode, and it’s a whole lineup of immaculate bangers. It’s two ryewines, one stout, and two barleywines with a bigger emphasis on special barrels and extended wood-aging to create the magic in these 12 ounce cans. Plus, Craig’s looking for new ways to trick his Apple Watch; Ryan will trade you half of an open can of DBVSOJ for a Switch controller; and we get to hear the syrup-drinking story again. Beers Reviewed (2022-2023 releases) Ryeway to Heaven (Ryewine aged in bourbon barrels) Boss Ryeway (Ryewine aged in WhistlePig The Boss Hog VIII: LapuLapu’s Pacific barrels) V.S.O. Dark Mode (Imperial milk stout aged in bourbon barrels) Straight Jacket (English Barleywine aged in bourbon barrels) D.B.V.S.O.J. (Cuvée of barrel-aged English Barleywines aged 1-3 years and rebarreled and aged in Templeton Rye barrels)  

More breweries are embracing malt-forward easy-drinking options as an essential part of a seasonal lineup, and the Schwarzbier may be one of the styles seeing the most taplists these days. For this show, we put five locally-made Schwarzbiers through a blind tasting to help us better understand the style and see how subtle variations can make all the difference for our arbitrary rankings. Also, we fit Chicagoland breweries into boy band archetypes; Craig’s going hard on the Schwarz puns; and Ryan tries to assert himself as the young/cheeky one.  Schwarzbiers Reviewed (Blindly) Soundgrowler Brewing Co. - No Ice Skeleton Key Brewery - 7th Evil Ex Half Acre Beer Company - Schwarzbier Riggs Beer Company - Schwarzbier Pipeworks Brewing Company - Select Schwarzbier

Since throwing open the doors to their Lincoln Ave. taproom just a few months back, Hop Butcher has worked to offer some draft variety by stepping outside of the style(s) for which they’re most recognized. For this episode, we got our hands on four cans that are not IPAs to see how well one of the country’s best haze producers can make something for the hop-averse. Also, we say hello (and goodbye) to Winter Break Ryan which opens an unclosable rift between the hosts over crewneck sweaters and turtlenecks. We also consider the missed opportunity of an Italian Pilsner show; Ryan bores the bartender with his old man shit; Craig’s got a bizarre preference with beer and pizza; and we have a bold new marketing plan for HBFTW and the White Sox.  Beers Reviewed Cricket Hill (ESB) Supreme Being (German-Style Pilsner) Double Saaz (Italian-Style Pilsner) Magic [Collaboration with is/was brewing] (Saison)

To commemorate our 9th year of this podcast, we celebrate local breweries that opened since we first started broadcasting our shabby little beer reviews. Craig and Ryan each bring three blind beers to the table for the other to guess with a focus on years and a few additional mystery themes. It’s also one of those shows where you get to hear Craig fall head-over-heels in love with a beer, which is always a treat. Also, we’re angling to take that Girl Scout cookie taster position; Ryan’s just completely flummoxed by a bomber; and Craig is Raging Against A Thin Stout.™ We want to thank everyone who has ever listened or supported the show in any way for making nine years a possibility - it feels truly surreal. Beers Reviewed Half-Blindly One Allegiance Brewing [opened 2020] - Double Vanilla Rambler (Imperial Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels w/ vanilla beans and cocoa nibs) Werk Force Brewing Company [opened 2014] - Genuine Authentic (Black Pilsner) Miskatonic Brewing Company [opened 2015] - Rye Bell Witch (Imperial Stout aged in Rye Whiskey Barrels) Skeleton Key Brewery [opened 2016] - Indomitable (Double Rye IPA) On Tour Brewing Company [opened 2017] - Apres (Black Lager) Double Clutch Brewing Company [opened 2021] - Helles Rauchbier Lager

After two years of selling bottles from what is essentially his front porch, Rob Brennan opened the doors to his Milwaukee taproom in 2022 - and his rustic farmhouse beers are absolutely worth a trip. For this episode, we drink through four funky and beautiful Supermoon bottles that show artistry beyond what you might expect from such a young brewery. Also, Craig has a bounce in his step (and not just because of the house cultures); Ryan shares some moon facts and comes up with the perfect collaboration; and we’re both aching for that Yanni/Bootsy/McD collab to drop.  Beers Reviewed Saison Bay View (Farmhouse style saison brewed w/ pilsner, malted spelt and oats) Oaxen (Abbey Style Pale Ale brewed w/ aged hops & fermented w/ Brettanomyces Bruxellensis in neutral French Oak) Epitope (Bière de Coupage - Young saison blended w/ French oak fermented saison aged for 3 years) Marbelle (A blend of mixed culture saisons fermented in French Oak aged 12 months, refermented on Petite Pearl wine grapes & Tart Montmorency cherries)