ABV Chicago Craft Beer Podcast

In this long-awaited sequel, we are filling our meters with GABF excitement as we talk about the upcoming fest while drinking some local medal winners. We sample four Chicagoland beers that have previously earned medals - and deservedly so. There’s also a lot of tips for the Great American Beer Festival for 2019, including our Illinois brewery picks, which new-to-us breweries we’re most excited about, and all the other breweries that can’t be missed. Also, we develop an emergency plan in the case of a skitching, plead for more care in pug diets, resist feeling the Mitch Steele, and seek the weirdest weird beers. #rebootALF

Illinois Medal Winners Reviewed

Maplewood Brewing Co. - Fat Pug (Oatmeal Milk Stout) - 2017 Bronze in Oatmeal Stout

Smylie Brothers Brewing Co. - Purple Line (Wheat w/ hibiscus, blueberry, and blackberry) - 3-time medal winner 

Piece Brewery & Pizzeria - It’s Your Fault Alt (Altbier) - 2017 Silver in German-style Altbier

Eris Brewery and Cider House - Foiken Haze (New England-style IPA) - 2018 Bronze in Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale

Direct download: ABV_Chicago_294_Road_2_GABF.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:30am CDT

The number of breweries in or around Chicago has surpassed 200 at this point, deflating the opinions of those that speculated about a major bubble bursting in the last few years. But that market density means that breweries must start strong to gain their footing with consumers. On this episode, we’re sampling five beers from five Chicagoland breweries that have opened or begun releasing beers in the last few months, and this show gives us a lot to be excited about. We also write a tubular eulogy for the 90s, anger a few breweries on the moon, beg for more cask beers, become proud brew daddies, and live out Summer Craig’s dying wish. This one’ll leave you feeling like a head human with the lungs. 

Beers Reviewed

Casa Humilde - Maizal (Mexican Lager)

Is/Was Brewing  - Will Be (Saison w/spelt and triticale)

Midwest Coast Brewing Co. - The Colonies (ESB)

Black Lung Brewing Company - Mr. Willy Sub For A Day (Maltshake Hazy Double IPA)

Riverlands Brewing Company - First Catch of the Day (Imperial Stout w/ coffee, maple, and vanilla)

Direct download: ABV_Chicago_293_New_Chicagoland_Sampler.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:30am CDT

Like hooded sweatshirts and nutmeg-dusted coffee drinks, Oktoberfests make the impending colder temperatures much more bearable. Is it beer’s most popular seasonal? Probably! We had no problem finding nine different Oktoberfest/Märzen beers, most of which were brewed right here in Chicagoland. So we put them into a big blind tasting to determine which malty lager rises to the top, and we are desperately seeking jumbo pretzels by the end. Craig has a chicken-wing experiment, Ryan is a BelVita Biscuit Boy, and we do a little urban foraging. If this episode is making you thirsty, you should check out Beer On The Wall’s TRUCKTOBERFEST on Saturday, September 14th! Tell them Craig and Ryan sent you to receive one (1) complimentary quizzical look!

Beers Reviewed Blindly (in order of appearance)

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. (w/ Bitburger Braugruppe) - Oktoberfest

Half Acre Beer Co. - Lager Town

Miskatonic Brewing - Oktoberfest

Werk Force Brewing Co. - Werktoberfest

BuckleDown Brewing - Oktoberfest

Banging Gavel Brews - Civil Code

Goose Island Beer Co. - Oktoberfest

Pollyanna Brewing Co. - Fruhauf

Burnt City Brewing - Oktoberfest Lager

Direct download: ABV_Chicago_292_Oktoberfest_Blind.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:30am CDT

Our state show journey reaches New Hampshire, courtesy of listener and friend David Leshinski, who sent us a state sampler box with *record scratch* no hazy IPAs?!? We enjoy this welcome and scenic diversion from our usual (lactose) fare with five different beers from five different New Hampshire breweries, and we’re livin’ free. Also, Craig Pokémons his dog and relives his time at Riverdance U, Ryan has a parenting and superhero dilemma, and we aspire to live like famous treasure hunter Nicolas Cage. But back on the beer side, we get into the complicated story of Smuttynose, remember goses, yearn for more gruits, and get enthusiastic over another new sour program. And shield your Tekus, because Craig’s hitting the high notes.

Beers Reviewed

Schilling Beer Co. [Littleton, NH] - Hanse (Keller Pils)

Liars Bench Beer Co. [North Conway, NH] - Private I (India Pale Lager)

Moat Mountain Brewing Co. [North Conway, NH] - Bone Shaker Brown (English-style Brown Ale)

Earth Eagle Brewings [Portsmouth, NH] - Indian Summer (Gose w/ plum)

Smuttynose Brewing Co. [Hampton, NH] - Baltic Porter

Direct download: ABV_Chicago_291_The_NH_Show.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:30am CDT

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