Stowed away in Northern Vermont, The Alchemist has been a world-renowned brewery for almost two decades thanks to its tremendously popular and influential Heady Topper. Craig’s recent travels to the area secured us that precious Heady along with four more beers of substantial quality that have us dreaming of green mountains. Also, Ryan resurrects the soundboard, Craig’s missed opportunity lets us all down, and we reach a decisive conclusion to the “drink from the can” debate. 

Beers Reviewed

Zomerbier (Summer saison)

Sterk Wit (Belgian-style imperial wit)

Skadoosh: Crystal (IPA)

Crusher (Double IPA)

Heady Topper (Double IPA)

If you’re going to toss the whole pastry shelf into your stout, we better see some proper punctuation. For this episode, we’ve gathered five stouts that are on a three-adjunct minimum, and we sacrifice our daily calorie count by bringing you our arbitrary reviews. We also consider T-shirts for songs, recommend three flavors for that White Sox waffle cone, conclude our eight year journey of finding a better name for the podcast, pan for cookie dough, smile at bubbles, and bristle at your bold breakfast self-invitation. You hear that, Doink?

Beers Reviewed

Hop Butcher for the World - Mobula (Imperial stout with chocolate, coconut, and almonds)

More Brewing Company - Arketype: Almond Fudge Macaroon (Imperial stout with almond, cocoa nibs, and coconut)

Prairie Artisan Ales & The Open Bottle - You Gotta Horchata (Imperial milk stout with cinnamon, vanilla, and sugar)

Hitchhiker Brewing Company - Point of Confusion (White stout with oats, coffee, cacao nibs, maple syrup, and hazelnut)

Cinderlands Beer Co. - Pastry Badge (Imperial milk stout with mint chocolate cookies, vanilla beans, and milk sugar)

On some episodes, we just wanna act stupid and have some fun, so for this one we’re doing an all suburban, all haze, all blind show to prove that we don’t give a sh*t about tomorrow. Will these five hazy Double IPAs help break Ryan free from his Low Haze Enthusiasm? Will either host hit a respectable average in guessing the blind lineup? How many friendships will be tested? Which White Castle is still squishing the ball? Listen to this tight 50 to hear that and why you might as well papaya.™ 

Beers Reviewed Blindly (in order of appearance)

Triptych Brewing - Batch 900

Mikerphone Brewing - Say Uhh! 

Phase Three Brewing/Roaring Table Brewing - Just Down the Road

Hidden Hand - Passioned Pastel

More Brewing - Elixir Fields

Revolution Brewing’s mission is to dominate your whole calendar. They release one of the most coveted barrel-aged beers in the last few years as a surprise for the summer along with two returning favorites, but they also let you wash it all down with exquisite lighter-drinking beers like the pair from this episode. So we chatted with Rev’s communications manager John Carruthers about these hot summer drops, the future of Rev’s packaged offerings, his charitable pizza project and cookbook, and of course, the 90s X-Men Arcade game. Then we drink through a wildly incongruous lineup that has no business being evaluated on the same level, but we do what we know. There’s also talk of souping-up Craig’s Prius, Hall & Oates music videos, new lexicons for 40-year olds, and hope for VSOJ soft serve cones. Snap into a green bean!

John Carruthers Interview (00:07:52 - 00:45:52)

Beers Reviewed

Riot (Bohemian Keller Pils)

Pursuit of Freedom: Watermelon Mint (Session Sour)

Supermassive Café Deth (Barrel-aged Imperial Oatmeal Stout w/ Coffee)

Strawberry Jacket (Barrel-aged Barleywine w/ Strawberries)
V.S.O.J. (Barrel-aged Barleywine)

The Belgian Quadrupel is a style one might associate with decades of Trappist-brewed tradition, when in actuality, it was first coined a style in 1991 in the Netherlands. History lesson aside, these strong dark Belgian-style ales have their American fanatics too, and we try to explore multiple facets of the style through this episode. Also, we talk about non-existent emojis, raw bread, a Sorting Habit, accidental chocolate hand, and Craig accidentally drinking syrup. Our pour discipline is poor on this one. 

Beers Reviewed

Bierbrouwerij De Koningshoeven - La Trappe Quadrupel

Spencer Brewery - Monks’ Reserve Ale

Une Année Brewery - Quad

Lo Rez Brewing - Rum Barrel-Aged Quad Core

Old Irving Brewing Co. - Barrel-Aged As Time Goes By

Summer Craig’s travels brought him to the Steel City of Pittsburgh to explore their vibrant beer scene and bring back five beers for the podcast. We have an unusual mix of styles from five different Pittsburgh breweries, but they impress in ways that make us want to wave our Terrible Towels. Also, Craig has a disorienting experience with the wrath of God at the amusement park, we honor the Warhol Museum Balloon Wrangler, bring Retchy into the fold for one particularly hungover host, and explain how our saggy beers support our pointy ales. 

Beers Reviewed

Old Thunder Brewing Company - Ordinary Stillage (English session ale)

Trace Brewing - Foeder Pils (Czech pilsner aged in an oak foeder)

Cinderlands Beer Co. - Gregg (Blended saison)

Strange Roots Experimental Ales - Mortal Eidolon (Barrel-aged sour ale aged on grape must)

Grist House Craft Brewrey - Solar Submarine (Sour ale w/ tangerine, blood orange, chocolate, vanilla, milk sugar, and graham cracker)

Keeping Together, the saison-focused project from Averie Swanson, has brought world-class mixed culture farmhouse-style beers to Chicago - if even for all too short of a time. We catch up with Averie about the future of Keeping Together as its time in Chicago comes to a close, but we also talk with the Master Cicerone and former co-owner/head brewer at Jester King about her evolution as a brewer and business owner - and it feels like she’s just getting started. Also, we extol the virtues of saison as a style, discuss the ups and downs of destination breweries, praise a few more local saison makers, explore the inspiration behind her beer names, and consider a few Chicago delicacies like Home Depot hot dogs and Chicago Handshakes. Then, there’s a whole other segment where Craig and Ryan drink through five Keeping Together beers and just go on and on about how great they are, so you should listen to that too. We also talk about special occasion fonts, pastry saisons, and a new take-home edition of Gushy. 

Interview with Averie Swanson (00:06:39 - 00:49:46)

Beers Reviewed

At The Still Point of the Turning World (Saison made with buckwheat and rye)
We Are Not the Counter Culture (Saison brun)

From the Outer Edge of Inner Space (Bitter saison with Galaxy hops and wildflower honey)

The Grace of Maybe (Saison with peaches, vanilla, and lemongrass)

Preoccupied with Memory and Expectation (Saison with Japanese Red Shiso leaf, burnt honey, and dry-hopped with Sabro hops)

The good folks at Necromancer Brewing in Pittsburgh want to bring dead beer styles back to life, learning from the past while also using modern techniques and ingredients to reinvigorate these long-dormant styles for a new audience. On the first day that their taproom opened, Craig happened to be in town and was lucky to chat with head brewer Lauren Hughes before buying up almost every can they had to offer. Lauren shares the journey that led to Necromancer’s opening and the long-term vision of expansion, while articulating why these styles all deserve a second chance. Also, we consider a new take on BYO, sample the hot Jerrysauce, and open up our little bock book. Remember, there’s no resurrection in seltzer. 

Lauren Hughes Interview 00:08:36 - 00:25:45

Beers Reviewed

Square Dancing (Kentucky Common)

Wildwood (Grisette)

Laissez-Faire (Witbier)

Cold Feet (Cold IPA)

Poker Face (Black IPA)

In our 26th installment of our State Show Series, we get surprised with a box from listener Andrew F. and try to turn this admittedly New Orleans-heavy show into a loving exploration of Louisiana beer. Appropriately, the five beers are about as oddly different as they can be, and we have at least one thing we’ve never had in a beer before. Also, we revisit the events that must’ve led to Pitbull’s performance at the 2018 Naperville Ribfest, try to put the baseball in New Orleans, fret over drinking a plastic baby, and hold down school in the weird fruit aisle.

Beers Reviewed

Brieux Carré Brewing Company [New Orleans] - Teensy Pale Apparition (Grisette)

Miel Brewery & Taproom [New Orleans] - Flor De Jamaica (Gose w/ hibiscus, pink sea salt, and cinnamon)

Rally Cap Brewing Company [Baton Rouge] - Wendy Peffercorn (White stout w/ coffee and vanilla)

Urban South Brewery [New Orleans]/Cruz Blanca Brewery - Desert Lights (Fruited sparkling ale w/ lemon, lime soda syrup, and prickly pear)

Zony Mash Beer Project [New Orleans] - King of Carrot Flowers (Fruited sour w/ mango, tangerine, carrot, and lactose)

Though the only true kölsch can be found in Cologne, Germany, the broad appeal of the style is an obvious draw for brewers and drinkers alike. We find six local examples of kölsch-style beers and sample them in a blind tasting, while trying unsuccessfully not to embarrass ourselves. We also share strange yet optimistic signs in a return to “normalcy,” consider spicy cereals, discover raw bread, and create a bunch of new band names. Grab yourself six for the lazy river. 

Beers Sampled Blindly (in order)

Metropolitan Brewing - Krankshaft

Maplewood Brewing Company/Goldfinger Brewing Company - Coaster King

Half Acre Beer Company - Discus

middle brow beer co. - Yard Work

Dovetail Brewery - Kölsch

Whiner Beer Co. - Curb Cutter