ABV Chicago Craft Beer Podcast

We welcome Wiseacre to the Chicago market by sampling five of their beers and discovering that they will be a welcome addition even in this highly-competitive region. This show features three regular offerings, one seasonal release, one special release, and two slap-happy hosts. You’ll hear us threaten to Flowzie something, try to appeal to the youth, plea for some Sex Syrup, and kill off Jerry Lawler. Piledrive this episode into your eardrums!!

Beers Reviewed

Tiny Bomb (Pilsner)

Oktoberfest: Gemütlichkeit

Gotta Get Up To Get Down (Coffee Milk Stout)

Ananda (IPA)

Astronaut Status (Barrel-aged Imperial Stout)

Direct download: ABV_Chicago_144_Wiseacre.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:11am CDT

For our third annual pilgrimage to Denver, we again recorded mere hours after the closing of GABF from our hotel room to recap the fest, share some interviews, and drink even more beer. We review beers from Weldwerks, Odd13, and Copper Kettle with some help from MC Johnsen of Worth A Thousand Beers. There are also interviews with a bevy of brewers: Neil Fisher from Weldwerks Brewing, Ryan Fields from Beachwood Blendery, Eric Larken from Odd13 Brewing, Jonathan Wakefield from J. Wakefield Brewing, Jeff Stuffings from Jester King Brewery, Bob Kunz from Highland Park Brewery, James Howat from Black Project Spontaneous and Wild Ales, and Jeremy Tofte from Melvin Brewing. We discuss our personal festival highlights, Illinois medal winners, non-festival events, the Hanson brothers, Party Chapazian, Schwimmer Vintage Ales, the Tappening, and Little Lemmy & Friends. But the beer professionals we interview share knowledge on branding, coolships, mixed fermentation, the interplay of art and beer, green bottle experiments, a parking spot barrel house, fermenting with weeds, upscaling problems, and some “high” stakes brewer bets. (It’ll all make sense in the end.)

Beers Reviewed

Weldwerks Brewing - Fruity Bits IPA (Pina Colada Edition)

Odd13 Brewing - Hawaiian Bartender (Mango & pineapple Brett sour)

Copper Kettle Brewing - Mexican Chocolate Stout

Featured Interviews

Neil Fisher from Weldwerks Brewing (11:23 - 18:44)

Ryan Fields from Beachwood Blendery (21:22 - 24:32)

Eric Larken from Odd13 Brewing (31:46 - 36:43)

Jonathan Wakefield from J. Wakefield Brewing (43:52 - 46:43)

Jeff Stuffings from Jester King Brewery (49:56 - 55:05)

Bob Kunz from Highland Park Brewery (1:09:15 - 1:12:38)

James Howat from Black Project Spontaneous and Wild Ales (1:22:07 - 1:27:40)

Jeremy Tofte from Melvin Brewing (1:31:34 - 1:35:39)

Direct download: ABV_Chicago_143_GABF_2016.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:45am CDT

Ah, you think Darkness is your ally? Well, it is! Anticipating this year’s big release day, we drink a vertical-plus of Surly’s special release Russian Imperial Stout, and we’re briefly joined by head brewer Ben Smith to talk about what makes Darkness what it is. MC Johnsen sits in with us to help us make sense of these delectable beers and keep us from going too far off the rails. She succeeds in one of those, as we share some Darkness Lore, invent(?) chocolate Coke, describe Craig’s wild gestures, and give tips on sneaking beer into the Olive Garden. (This episode is not sponsored by Crossfit, even though MC is.)

Surly Darkness “Vertical”

Darkness 2012

Darkness 2013

Darkness 2014

Darkness 2015

Barrel-Aged Darkness 2015

Direct download: ABV_Chicago_142_Darkness.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:53pm CDT

If you haven’t heard of Triptych yet, you’re not alone - at least for now. On the edge of the University of Illinois campus, this brewery is making a variety of stellar beers - and we’ve got five to taste for this episode plus an interview with founder/owner/brewer Anthony Benjamin. Learn why you should schedule your Savoy trip soon, how they got connected with the Pygmalion fest, and what Triptych does with their beers that a lot of larger breweries wish they could. Throw in a few drunk texts from Craig, another Ryan’s Produce Minute, and the lasting impact of Stefan Urquelle, and you’ve got yourself another ABV Chicago podcast. We hope you like it.

Beers Reviewed

Little Secret (Session IPA)

These Aren’t the Blueberries You’re Looking For (Berliner weisse)

Pygmalion Pilsner

Because, Chocolate (Imperial Cocoa Stout)

Here Be Dragons (Imperial IPA)

Direct download: ABV_Chicago_141_Triptych.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:42am CDT

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