In another tale of the macabre (beers), our palates are attacked and our bodies shake with that unmistakable burn: it can only be Crypt Fever! We once again try to outdo one another by picking beers we think are going to be revolting for a blind test of our tolerance for bad - and most of these drinks fit the horrible bill. We also envision the Skoilet, smell some sockfruit, invent Flushtones™, and discuss why hard seltzers are the future of the Torture Test. 

Beers Administered

The Bruery Terreux - Frucht: Cucumber (Sour Berliner Weiss w/ cucumbers)
Hoppin’ Frog Brewery - Verrückter Brauer (Strong Lager)

Abita Brewing Company - Strawberry Lager

Shipyard Brewing Company - Pumpkin Head Hard Seltzer

5 Rabbit Cervecería - ChocFruit Piña (Stout w/ pineapple, from 2016)

Forbidden Root - Money on My Rind (Wheat beer w/ juniper and grapefruit, from 2016?)

For the 28th installment of our State Show series, our friend Don Kasak brought us back a nice (IPA-less) lineup from South Dakota. We have five different beers from five different breweries, although one host’s personal curse seems hellbent on lowering that number. But in addition to these enjoyable brews, we construct five different nostalgia/pop culture-based Mount Rushmores of our own, which leads to discussions around cereal mascots, Seinfeld NPCs, classic WWF wrestlers, Saturday morning cartoons, and 90s bassists. We also find new ways to describe “yellow,” dream of our favorite highly dangerous vehicles, and piledrive our friends. 

Beers Reviewed

Remedy Brewing Company [Sioux Falls, SD] - MarketBrew (Hoppy wheat ale)

Sawyer Brewing Co. [Spearfish, SD] - Blood Orange Blond Ale

Obscure Brewing Co. [Sioux Falls, SD] - SoDa Kölsch

Eponymous Brewing Company [Brookings, SD] - Blueberry Indiglow (Barrel-aged sour w/ blueberries)

A Homestead Brew [Valley Springs, SD] - Blood Run Belgian Dubbel

With Duneyrr Artisan Fermenta Project, Tyler Davis wants to explore the ways wine and beer fermentation can cross over into styles that defy traditional categorization. And with Moderne Dune, he is using newer ingredients and techniques with IPAs and lagers in thoughtful and artful ways. We talk with Tyler about his many projects and upcoming taproom, the origins of Duneyrr, his brewing history, choosing quality over locality when it matters, and how deep into the world of wine he’s looking to venture. Then we drink five beers - two from Moderne Dune and three from Duneyrr - to better appreciate his vision and see how our beer-centric tastes react to his wine hybrids. We also threaten to kill the Cold IPA, Craig goes all Whitman on us, and Ryan’s getting rich off those NFTs. Can we be franc?

Beers Reviewed

Moderne Dune - River Yacht (Cold IPA w/ Mosaic, Meridian, and Motueka)

Moderne Dune - Invited Concept (DDH Lager w/ Loral and Citra)

Duneyrr Artisan Fermenta Project - Freya Franc (Sour Hybrid w/ strawberries and Cabernet Franc grape must)

Duneyrr Artisan Fermenta Project - Sauvÿn Blanc (Sour Hybrid w/ passion fruit, Sauvignon Blanc grape must)

Duneyrr Artisan Fermenta Project - Hazy Et Blanc! (Double IPA w/ Sauvignon Blanc grape juice, Phantasm, Citra, Hallertau Blanc, and Nelson Sauvin)

To recognize the improbable 400th episode of this show, we take it all the way back to the beginning - with a little added age. We revisit the same five local breweries from “Episode 1 - Chicago Stouts” - but this time, there are barrels involved. We take stock of all that has changed along the way and share a few memories from listeners. But there’s also our Top 3 arcade cabinets, shameless Trader Joe’s plugs, some babka truths, stout luge races, and a little old-fashioned Ryan rage over unwieldy beer prices. I’d buy that for a dollar. 

Beers Reviewed

Spiteful Brewing - Barrel-Aged Hostile Harry - Cinnamon Bun 2020 (Russian Imperial Stout w/ cinnamon and vanilla aged in Weller barrels)

Solemn Oath Brewery - Nourri Au Pistache (Imperial Milk Stout w/ vanilla and pistachio aged in bourbon barrels)

Half Acre Beer Company - Double Barrel Catch Hell (Imperial Stout w/ Vietnamese cinnamon and vanilla, aged in Four Roses Small Batch and Four Roses Single Barrel Select barrels)

Pipeworks Brewing Company - Phantom Unicorn (Barrel-aged Imperial Stout w/ cacao nibs, vanilla, and lactose)

Hubbard’s Cave - Barrel-Aged Bananas Foster Imperial Stout 2021 (Barrel-aged Imperial Stout w/ cinnamon, maple, vanilla and banana)