ABV Chicago Craft Beer Podcast

In the wake of another Black Friday, we sample the four releases from Goose Island’s infamous Bourbon County line for 2016. So, was all the Friday madness worth it? That’s really subjective based on your personal experience, but we’ll do our best! At least we concur that it’s a huge step-up from 2015. Two beers exceed their previous years’ versions by a significant margin, and at least one beer needs some time to rest. There’s also Tales of Two Black Fridays, The Gouge Report, and an impassioned plea for real true garlic bread.

Beers Reviewed

Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout (2016)

Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Barleywine (2016)

Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Coffee Stout (2016)

Goose Island Proprietor’s Bourbon County Brand Stout (2016)

Direct download: ABV_Chicago_149_BCBS_2016.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:41am CDT

In our yearly moment of clearheadedness after the Festival of Barrel-Aged Beers, we take on four non-alcoholic beers for the sake of science. To take our minds off of these near beers, we go over all of our FoBAB beer highlights. But you’ll learn a lot about how non-alcoholic beer is made, why there are no NA-IPAs, and what might be the worst beer-like drink we’ve had on the show. We also find out what Craig is doing in a Petsmart (Petco?), what happens when Ryan pours his own beer, and how to elevate High Life beyond reproach.

NA Beers:

Buckler Non-Alcoholic Beer (Heineken)

Krombacher Weizen Alkoholfrei

Kaliber (Guiness)

Clausthaler Dry-Hopped

Ryan’s FoBAB Top 5 List:

5. Horse Thief Hollow - Margarita Gose (Gose w/ black limes, orange peel, and sea salt aged in tequilla barrels)

4. Mikerphone - Dynamite with a Laser Beam (Saison w/ blueberries, raspberries, and tart cherries aged in wine puncheons)

3. Weldwerks - Peach Climacteric (Sour blend w/ peaches aged in bourbon barrels)

2. Goose Island Clybourn - Big Lazy Joe (Imperial brown ale aged in bourbon barrels and blended with coffee)

1. Trinity - President’s Club (Sour pale ale w/ tangerine zest, coriander, peaches, and apricots aged on French oak)

Craig’s FoBAB Top 5 List:

5. Off Color - Market Rate (Wild ale aged in red wine barrels with green strawberries)

4. Jester King - 2016 Spon 3 (or 4?) (Gueuze-style blended sour aged in wine puncheons)

3. Goose Island Clybourn - Impervious (Imperial stout aged in Woodford Reserve barrels)

2. Weldwerks - Peach Climacteric (Sour blend w/ peaches aged in bourbon barrels)

1. Wicked Weed - White Angel (Sour ale w/ Muscadine grapes aged in wine puncheons)

Direct download: ABV_Chicago_148_FoBAB_2016.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:02am CDT

Wisconsin’s O’so Brewing has dabbled in sour beers for a few years, and while the whole brewery grows rapidly, their “Extreme Beers” are finding a captive audience with sour beer lovers. We review five tasty barrel-aged sours and try not to turn this episode into a Tums commercial. We discover “TA” and struggle to make sense of it. Craig explains why SNL was better back in the 1930s. Ryan reveals the true source of his pain. And you’ll pretty much never think of The Giving Tree the same way again. And yes, Craig is totally DTC.

Beers Reviewed

Project Lo (Barrel-aged sour blonde)

Blood of the Cherry (Barrel-aged sour blonde with cherries)

Arbor Qui Donne (Barrel-aged sour blonde with peaches)

Berry Gibb (Barrel-aged sour with blueberries and  ginger)

The Continental (Barrel-aged blended sour refermented on champagne currants)

Direct download: ABV_Chicago_147_Oso_Sours.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:39am CDT

The Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beers (FoBAB) enters its 14th year as one of Chicago’s premier beer fests, and we are so pumped for it that we drink four beers that’ll be pouring over the weekend. Expect some festival advice, relive FoBAB days of yore, and hear about the beer Ryan named. There’s also talk of the 39th Annual Illinois Craft Beer Awards, Fartboy Slim, the Weekend at Bernie’s unrealized trilogy, and the most evil of bottle sealings. Craig also quizzes Ryan on the many states represented at FoBAB, and we even discuss proper fest attire. Roll damn tide.

Beers (p)Reviewed

Transient Artisan Ales - Double Barrel Obelus (Wine Barrel-Aged Saison)

Goose Island Clybourn - Ground Control (Bourbon Barrel-Aged Old Ale)

Noon Whistle - Imperial Bernie (Bourbon Barrel-Aged Milk Stout)

Weldwerks Brewing Co. - Barrel-Aged Mexican Achromatic (Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout with cacao nibs, vanilla, and cinnamon)

Direct download: ABV_Chicago_146_FoBABblin.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:38pm CDT

Pure joy will emanate from your listening devices on this one as we taste some of the best hoppy beers on the planet. We can hardly contain our giddiness with a mixed six pack of beers from both Tree House Brewing of Massachusetts and The Alchemist from Vermont, courtesy of listener Josh Sissman. In between moments of bliss, we talk about Belgian warlocks, blacklight posters, inventive ways to steal beer, and Goldilocks and the Artisanal Porridge. Experience our most divergent and most meaningless rankings ever! Hear our smiles!

Beers Enjoyed

Tree House Brewing - Green (IPA)

Tree House Brewing - Very Hazy (DIPA)

Tree House Brewing - Bright (DIPA)

Tree House Brewing - Bright w/ Nelson (DIPA)

The Alchemist - Focal Banger (IPA)

The Alchemist - Crusher (DIPA)

Direct download: ABV_Chicago_145_Bright_Green_Bangers.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:41am CDT

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