After six episodes and 25 beers, we’re finally putting our top 6 choices for best Chicagoland/Illinois hazy IPA to one last blind test. This showdown features four GABF gold medal-winners and two “underdogs” - and each beer impresses in its own way. Which brewery do we think is making the best cloudy juice utilizing Citra and/or Mosaic (and maybe like one or two other hops)? We’ll have a definitive arbitrary answer by the end of the show. Also, Ryan is excited about his Goop Dupe, Craig’s out there waiting for fruit to be thrown at him, and someone might just guess so good that they’ll dab into the sun. 

Beers Reviewed Blindly

DESTIHL Brewery - Deadhead: TourBus

Alarmist Brewing - Le Jus

Alter Brewing Company - Ambigram

Riverlands Brewing Co. - Dean Street

Penrose Brewing Company - Goofy Boots

Old Irving Brewing - Beezer

We’ve been admirers of Sante Adairius Rustic Ales for a decade now, and Craig’s recent trip to California brings us back the gift of SARA saisons - and a wonderful conversation with owner and co-founder Adair Paterno. The four barrel-aged saisons on this show are about as good of a lineup of beer we’ll drink all year, so get ready for the lovefest on this episode. But the real highlight is Adair and Craig’s talk which covers the early days to their now three-location status; how the house yeast culture came to be and has had to be resurrected; why so many taproom regulars have ended up joining the staff; and the time when they almost created yeast monsters underground. Also, Craig accidentally finds himself in the middle of parkour practice, and Ryan opts for opulence with the ultimate episode-ending Saison Cuvée.

Adair Paterno Interview (00:09:10 - 00:50:38)

Beers Reviewed

Eye of the Needle (Saison aged in Venus Spirits’ gin barrels w/ passionfruit, mango, and guava)

Intentional Invitation (Saison aged in Venus Spirits’ gin barrels w/ cara cara orange and grapefruit)

Proper Discourse (Saison aged in Frederiksdal Cherry Wine barrels)

Westly (Saison aged in barrels with apricots)

Summer Craig is starting off strong this year by bringing back five fantastic beers from California’s Bay Area (and beyond) for us to fawn over and attempt to recreate those vacation vibes. We learn the backstories of these breweries and their unique approaches and cover other beer-ish topics like the follies of berry beers, aggressive bread, trad saisons, and the royal need for hop names. Also, Craig has discovered a new traveling superpower and parlor trick; Ryan has picked a winner in an East Coast vs. West Coast IPA battle; and we flip through the Sam Goody poster stand for a while. It’s better than Semi-OK.

Beers Reviewed

Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing [Santa Cruz] - Hello Pretty (Organic blonde ale w/ strawberries)

Wondrous Brewing Company [Emeryville] - Rote Augen (Franconian-style Rotbier)

HenHouse Brewing Company [Santa Rosa] - Saison (Saison w/ black pepper and coriander)

Fox Tale Fermentation Project [San Jose] - No Más (Gose w/ Persian lime, pink pepper leaf, and lacto-fermented honey)

Ghost Town Brewing [Oakland] - Hammer Smashed EXP 586 (IPA)

Ryan’s a University of Iowa graduate, and in the 15 years since his last visit, a few breweries have popped up and thrived in the area. After a weekend with the family in Iowa City, Ryan brought back five beers from the area to talk about what’s been happening with beer in the decade-and-a-half since. Also, Craig’s aghast to share Tom Emanski with an uninterested party, we’re both a bit confused over TMNT villains, and Ryan’s not mad about the algorithm figuring out he likes Mortal Kombat videos. We hope you like nostalgia with your beer reviews, this week. 

Beers Reviewed

Big Grove Brewery - Tailwind (Golden Ale)

ReUnion Brewery & John’s Grocery - Thrilla in Amarilla (Hoppy Wheat)

Backpocket Brewing - Slingshot (Dunkel)

Lion Bridge Brewing Company - Compensation (English-Style Mild)

Iowa Brewing Co. - Cookie Oja (Baltic Porter w/ chocolate sandwich cookies)

Another somewhat recent trend in the world of local lagers is the Italian Pilsner, a style with only about a 30-year history that adds a bit more noble dry-hop character to something close to the Czech-style pilsner. It’s all winners on this show, except for the hosts who have to do rankings without the assistance of a large sandwich. Also, we welcome in Hot Grimace Summer, Craig’s empty hand is ever-reaching for an IPL, and Ryan’s got that soon-to-be-viral oyster cracker hack. 

Beers Reviewed

Mikerphone Brewing - Hey Mambo, Mambo Italiano!

Riverlands Brewing Company - Picchi Pils

Pipeworks Brewing Company (& J.P. Graziano) - Alla Salute

Art History Brewing - Bella Strada

Half Acre Beer Co. - italian Pilsner

In our penultimate round before the championship, we have one spot up for grabs with these fan favorite hazy IPAs from Chicagoland breweries. Bringing our grand total of hazy IPAs blind-tasted up to 25, this episode still manages to bring some surprising sights and smells - and the show’s winner isn’t exactly what we expected. Also, we workshop a brewer’s new brand concept, Ryan is dreaming of dunking on some suckers, and Craig just wants a banana shaped like a dolphin in his drink. 

Beers Reviewed Blindly

Roaring Table Brewing - Tuba Solo

Art History Brewing - Major

More Brewing Company - Morever

Short Fuse Brewing Company - Loosey Juicy

Alter Brewing Company - Ambigram

As we open our arms to embrace the start of summer, our empty glasses are going to need something flavorful yet refreshing. Luckily, Chicagoland breweries have been cranking out the hoppy lagers and pilsners lately, so we assemble five for this episode that are so good that they almost completely break the show. Also, Ryan speculates on banana pudding restaurants, The Queen’s death is really holding up new hop names, and Craig’s dry ramen-chomping has officially entered the canon.

Beers Reviewed

More Brewing Company & Beer on the Wall - Take One Down (German-style Pilsner)

Dovetail Brewery/Revolution Brewing - Thank You, Friends (Hopfenlager)

Roaring Table Brewing - Melts Into Air (California-style Pilsner)

Old Irving Brewing Co. - Doji* (Hoppy Lager)

Mikerphone Brewing - Lager & Lace (West Coast-Style Lager)

*At the time of this recording the beer was known as Oni, but is now renamed Doji

We’re just about halfway to FoBAB, so we are once again doing battle with the barrel featuring a roundup of beers we’ve been saving for this very episode. These four barrel-aged beers jostle around in our arbitrary rankings as we just luxuriate in their decadence for about an hour and fifteen minutes. Also, we explain why you (and Billy Corgan) just have to pay your hackers sometimes; Ryan’s got those Dairy Queen Blizzard flavor exclusives; and Craig gets called out for the snickerdoodle, again. More barrel-aged beers? We can never get enough. 

Beers Reviewed

Revolution Brewing Company - V.S.O. Gravedigger (Imperial Scotch Ale aged two years in bourbon barrels)

Old Irving Brewing Co./Phase Three Brewing - Barrel-Aged Migration 2023 (Bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout w/ coconut, vanilla, and Ecuadorian cocoa nibs)

Half Acre Beer Company - Catch Hell 2023 (Bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout w/ cinnamon and Madagascar vanilla)

Wax Wings Brewing Company - Mezcal Barrel-Aged Sweet Eddy (Imperial stout w/ vanilla, cacao nibs, and ancho chiles aged in Mezcal barrels)

Our quest to find the best flagship hazy IPA from Chicagoland breweries enters its fourth round, as we blindly sample through a fresh set of five to pick a winner that best fits our own personal preferences. And though our ability to guess blind beers is as bad as ever, our taste buds are finely tuned and finally ready to deliver a surprising upset on this episode. Also, we dream up some 80s-centric unexpected sports and celebrity pairings; we’re reaching for the purple stuff over the Sunny D; and we might just let a fly determine the overall winner of this whole dang competition.

Beers Reviewed Blindly

Begyle Brewing - No Tomorrow

DESTIHL Brewery - Deadhead: TourBus

Horse Thief Hollow Brewing Co. - Spoonful

Hopewell Brewing Co. - Lightbeam

Riverlands Brewing Co. - Dean Street

In our 31st installment of our decade-long State Show Series, we are sampling a hop-heavy lineup from North Carolina courtesy of listener Rodney Knox. We learn about these five breweries from across the state while appreciating how difficult they make the rankings segment, in more ways than one. Also, Craig shares tales of drive-thru beer stores; Ryan’s got a weird robot obsession, and we’re sold on the idea of the Sweltzer based on name alone. 

Beers Reviewed

Swells’a Brewing [Kill Devil Hills, NC] - Pea Island Parks Pilsner 

Southern Pines Brewing Company [Southern Pines, NC] - Man of Law (IPA)

Raleigh Brewing Company [Raleigh, NC] - Coffee Hidden Pipe (Coffee Porter)

Hopfly Brewing Company [Charlotte, NC] - Unity (IPA)

Foothills Brewing [Winston-Salem, NC] - Jade IPA