Wed, 28 December 2016
Our new best friends at Cypress Grove make some of the finest goat’s milk cheeses in the country, and they sent us some to pair with local beers. Win your New Year’s party by learning from our pairing experiments, or find out which cheeses to make a staple of all your future bottle shares. We learn a bit about rennet, apply a few brewing ideas to cheesemaking, and once again fail to break the curse that eternally binds us together. Live deliciously! Beer and Cheese Pairings Two Brothers Twenty-Plus Pilsner and Purple Haze Suller’s Past Maiden Berliner Weisse and Humboldt Fog Off Color Sibling Rivalry Tripel and Truffle Tremor Hop Butcher Hoppy Days Are Here Again IPA and Bermuda Triangle Arcade Brewing Mega Milk II* and Midnight Moon *Note: This episode was recorded back in November before we - or anyone - could anticipate Arcade Brewery’s sudden and unfortunate closing. We had many of their beers on the show over the years, and we will miss their contributions to the ever-changing Chicago beer landscape. We sincerely wish Chris, Jay, and Lance the best in all of their future endeavors. Our new best friends at Cypress Grove make some of the finest goat’s milk cheeses in the country, and they sent us some to pair with local beers. Win your New Year’s party by learning from our pairing experiments, or find out which cheeses to make a staple of all your future bottle shares. We learn a bit about rennet, apply a few brewing ideas to cheesemaking, and once again fail to break the curse that eternally binds us together. Live deliciously! Beer and Cheese Pairings Two Brothers Twenty-Plus Pilsner and Purple Haze Suller’s Past Maiden Berliner Weisse and Humboldt Fog Off Color Sibling Rivalry Tripel and Truffle Tremor Hop Butcher Hoppy Days Are Here Again IPA and Bermuda Triangle Arcade Brewing Mega Milk II* and Midnight Moon *Note: This episode was recorded back in November before we - or anyone - could anticipate Arcade Brewery’s sudden and unfortunate closing. We had many of their beers on the show over the years, and we will miss their contributions to the ever-changing Chicago beer landscape. We sincerely wish Chris, Jay, and Lance the best in all of their future endeavors. |
Wed, 21 December 2016
We manage to throw a holiday party with no eggnog, ugly sweaters, or inappropriate mistletoe placement - just great friends and great beers. Actually, Craig does wear an insane gaudy suit, but it only enhances our talks with four guests over five beers. We are joined by our good friends MC Johnson (Worth 1000 Beers), Marie Cummins, Matt Johnsen (Horse Thief Hollow), and Doug Veliky (Revolution Brewing & @beeraficiando) to sample some tasty treats and review our favorite events and stories of 2016 - and what gets us excited for 2017. Then we talk about the year in beer trends, the excellence that is Dovetail Brewing, the Gary Busey woods, chipmunk tickling, winning big time beer medals, Schwimmer Vintage Ales, and how to become an Instagram star by taking pictures of beer. Listen, or I’m telling Santa. Beers Shared Une Année - Le Grand Monde I Dovetail Brewing - Holiday Bock Horse Thief Hollow - Bad Mama Jama (Imperial stout with chocolate aged in Buffalo Trace barrels) Horse Thief Hollow - Barrel-aged Cinnamon Girl (Bad Mama Jama with cinnamon and vanilla) The Lost Abbey - Veritas 017 (Oak-aged wild ale with blackberry)
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Wed, 14 December 2016
Need a stocking stuffer or an effective mood-lifter for a family gathering? We try six different Christmas beers to help you better lubricate your holiday train. Our top beer is a huge surprise, but the whole lineup proves to be a Christmas miracle. And like two slightly tipsy yet overly productive elves, we play two games on this one, talk fruitcakes, explore the Hintonverse, make our ideal gingerbread man together, transcribe the Ying Yang Twins, share some Color Me Badd fan fiction, make a case for The Wallflowers, get banned from pillow fights, plan our pop-up shop, and implore you to stop doing that to our snowman. It’s our gift to you, listeners. Happy Holidays, everyone! Beers Unwrapped Revolution - Fistmas Ale Anchor - Christmas Ale 2016 Great Lakes - Christmas Ale Three Floyds - Alpha Klaus Porter Prairie Artisan Ales - Christmas Bomb Brouwerij Huyghe - Delirium Noël |
Wed, 7 December 2016
We celebrate the big one-five-oh with the most valuable lineup of beers we’ve ever put to our lips - and the bottles practically pop themselves in revelry. Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen made these four special gueuzes to save itself after a terrible mishap and released them in very limited quantities back in 2011, and we’re lucky to have them all here. We also commemorate the occasion by resurrecting everyone’s favorite beer podcast reviewing game: Beers Against Humanity. So while we try to wrap our brains around the deliciousness of these world-class beers, we talk about what Billy Corgan smells like and other matters of equal import. Craig introduces a successful new segment, and we duck for cover from flying corks. (It says corks, just to be clear.) Cheers to another 150! Beers Sipped Upon, Luxuriously Armand’4 Oude Geuze Herfst (Autumn) Armand’4 Oude Geuze Winter Armand’4 Oude Geuze Lente (Spring) Armand’4 Oude Geuze Zomer (Summer) |
Wed, 30 November 2016
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) |
Wed, 23 November 2016
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) |
Wed, 16 November 2016
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) |
Wed, 9 November 2016
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) |
Wed, 2 November 2016
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) |
Wed, 26 October 2016
We welcome Wiseacre to the Chicago market by sampling five of their beers and discovering that they will be a welcome addition even in this highly-competitive region. This show features three regular offerings, one seasonal release, one special release, and two slap-happy hosts. You’ll hear us threaten to Flowzie something, try to appeal to the youth, plea for some Sex Syrup, and kill off Jerry Lawler. Piledrive this episode into your eardrums!! Beers Reviewed Tiny Bomb (Pilsner) Oktoberfest: Gemütlichkeit Gotta Get Up To Get Down (Coffee Milk Stout) Ananda (IPA) Astronaut Status (Barrel-aged Imperial Stout) |
Wed, 19 October 2016
For our third annual pilgrimage to Denver, we again recorded mere hours after the closing of GABF from our hotel room to recap the fest, share some interviews, and drink even more beer. We review beers from Weldwerks, Odd13, and Copper Kettle with some help from MC Johnsen of Worth A Thousand Beers. There are also interviews with a bevy of brewers: Neil Fisher from Weldwerks Brewing, Ryan Fields from Beachwood Blendery, Eric Larken from Odd13 Brewing, Jonathan Wakefield from J. Wakefield Brewing, Jeff Stuffings from Jester King Brewery, Bob Kunz from Highland Park Brewery, James Howat from Black Project Spontaneous and Wild Ales, and Jeremy Tofte from Melvin Brewing. We discuss our personal festival highlights, Illinois medal winners, non-festival events, the Hanson brothers, Party Chapazian, Schwimmer Vintage Ales, the Tappening, and Little Lemmy & Friends. But the beer professionals we interview share knowledge on branding, coolships, mixed fermentation, the interplay of art and beer, green bottle experiments, a parking spot barrel house, fermenting with weeds, upscaling problems, and some “high” stakes brewer bets. (It’ll all make sense in the end.) Beers Reviewed Weldwerks Brewing - Fruity Bits IPA (Pina Colada Edition) Odd13 Brewing - Hawaiian Bartender (Mango & pineapple Brett sour) Copper Kettle Brewing - Mexican Chocolate Stout Featured Interviews Neil Fisher from Weldwerks Brewing (11:23 - 18:44) Ryan Fields from Beachwood Blendery (21:22 - 24:32) Eric Larken from Odd13 Brewing (31:46 - 36:43) Jonathan Wakefield from J. Wakefield Brewing (43:52 - 46:43) Jeff Stuffings from Jester King Brewery (49:56 - 55:05) Bob Kunz from Highland Park Brewery (1:09:15 - 1:12:38) James Howat from Black Project Spontaneous and Wild Ales (1:22:07 - 1:27:40) Jeremy Tofte from Melvin Brewing (1:31:34 - 1:35:39) |
Wed, 12 October 2016
Ah, you think Darkness is your ally? Well, it is! Anticipating this year’s big release day, we drink a vertical-plus of Surly’s special release Russian Imperial Stout, and we’re briefly joined by head brewer Ben Smith to talk about what makes Darkness what it is. MC Johnsen sits in with us to help us make sense of these delectable beers and keep us from going too far off the rails. She succeeds in one of those, as we share some Darkness Lore, invent(?) chocolate Coke, describe Craig’s wild gestures, and give tips on sneaking beer into the Olive Garden. (This episode is not sponsored by Crossfit, even though MC is.) Surly Darkness “Vertical” Darkness 2012 Darkness 2013 Darkness 2014 Darkness 2015 Barrel-Aged Darkness 2015 |
Wed, 5 October 2016
If you haven’t heard of Triptych yet, you’re not alone - at least for now. On the edge of the University of Illinois campus, this brewery is making a variety of stellar beers - and we’ve got five to taste for this episode plus an interview with founder/owner/brewer Anthony Benjamin. Learn why you should schedule your Savoy trip soon, how they got connected with the Pygmalion fest, and what Triptych does with their beers that a lot of larger breweries wish they could. Throw in a few drunk texts from Craig, another Ryan’s Produce Minute, and the lasting impact of Stefan Urquelle, and you’ve got yourself another ABV Chicago podcast. We hope you like it. Beers Reviewed Little Secret (Session IPA) These Aren’t the Blueberries You’re Looking For (Berliner weisse) Pygmalion Pilsner Because, Chocolate (Imperial Cocoa Stout) Here Be Dragons (Imperial IPA) |
Wed, 28 September 2016
It took a surprising amount of heavy lifting to bring together five Chicago porters, and *record scratch* none of them are actually porters! Sort of! This is a deep exploration of the porter style with our usual reviews, and the variance is wide. We draw from some of the great beer books to piece together a paraphrased history of the porter, and why what’s common today is so radically different than what it used to be. The asides are similarly rich and roasty, with loose ponies, Girl Scout cookies, breakaway glass failures, Craig’s Hunger Corner, prowlers, Sidney Poitier, and Taxidermied Churro. And Ryan does the worst thing he’s ever done on the show, ever. Revolution Brewing - Eugene Aquanaut Brewing - MoonRay Moody Tongue - Carmelized Chocolate Churro Baltic Porter Arcade Brewery - Rye Resolution Cruz Blanca Cerveceria - Winnow |
Wed, 21 September 2016
Levi Funk is taking the foundation laid by breweries like Russian River and Allagash and making American lambic-style beers to match the quality of Belgian masters. Or at least approach them. We have five sours from the Funk Factory Geuzeria, and we pimp that coolship. There’s a whole cast of new characters here: Gushy the Bunker Bucket, Jean Cheese, Curtis Mercer, and Dreggy Topoff. Beyond a lot of spontaneous fermentation and lambic talk, there’s also Kraig’s Kandy Korner, Ryan’s Produce Minute, and a graphic mustache experience. We ain’t funkin’ around.
Dweller on the Threshold (Blended American sour) Cassis (Blended lambic-style beer with Champagne currants) White Lodge Reserve (American Gueuze-style beer) Frampaars (Blended lambic-style beer with purple raspberries) Bosbes (Blended lambic-style beer with blueberries) |
Wed, 14 September 2016
Parched after an evening of marmot spotting, we continue our 50 states quest by sipping on some Washington. We review six beers from six breweries from The Evergreen State thanks to Raj Shah and only mention grunge a half dozen times. We play a Blood Brothers-based game, do the alternating-brewery-name-pronunciation tango (the forbidden worddance), and discuss “the problem” with New England-style IPAs. Beware the mouth goblin.
Bale Breaker Brewing - Field 41 Pale Ale Urban Family Brewing - Herr Kinski’s Apricot Dream-Spiral Berliner Weisse Cloudburst Brewing - Market Fresh Saison #6: Peaches & Grains of Paradise Holy Mountain Brewing - The Goat Brett Saison Three Magnets Brewing Co. - Little Juice IPA (Smoothie Edition) Stoup Brewing - Citra IPA |
Wed, 7 September 2016
It’s New Baby Hiatus time at ABV Studios, so we have gathered some of our favorite Low ABV episodes that were previously only available to our Patreon donors. Uh, sorry Patreon donors. But you’ll hear four beers reviewed, and a very loose - and edgy - Ryan & Craig on these mini shows that are sure to be the talk of Craft Beer Town. There’s an MC Johnsen appearance, SMaSH desires, 90s rock karaoke, hot takes on some local breweries, a story about a 26-inch hot dog, and a noxious cloud of Hoobastank - all while we seemingly look to find the tag beyond “Explicit” on iTunes. To get access to a whole mess more of these types of shows, go to www.patreon.com/abvchicago and donate to help keep our show listener-supported an ad-free.
Low ABVs Compiled: Low ABV 2 - Buckledown’s Citra Clencher Low ABV 4 - Cycle Brewing’s Tuesday Low ABV 7 - Lord Hobo’s Boom Sauce Low ABV 10 - Moody Tongue’s BA Chocolate Barleywine |
Wed, 31 August 2016
Our next stop on our mission to taste the whole USA brings one of the overall most satisfying lineups - and maybe Craig’s favorite beer of all time. Five Florida breweries are featured with two brief interviews with brewers poised to make a huge name for themselves. Matt Manthe from Odd Breed Wild Ales talks taproom plans and how they do spontaneous fermentation in the Florida climate. Corey Artanis from 3 Sons Brewing explains how he gets the flavors just right - and damn do we have an example of that on the show. We also mention the increased instances of brewers contracting wort and working double duty. Plus, there’s some etiquette talk with Craig, Pitbull trivia, stuff Craig saw on Twitter, being flavor-forward in Florida, and nerding out at J. Wakefield’s taproom. Dale.
Wakefield Brewing - Every Gose Has Its Thorn (Gose w/ grapefruit) Odd Breed Wild Ales - Peaches (Barrel-aged wild ale w/ peaches) Wynwood Brewing - Tres Puentes (Blended saison) Cycle Brewing - Monday (Maple bourbon aged coffee cinnamon imperial stout) 3 Sons Brewing - Summation (Bourbon barrel aged imperial vanilla coffee stout) |
Wed, 24 August 2016
At one point, this show had a purpose and a modicum of decency - but this episode takes it pretty far from either. We review a bunch of our favorite (favored?) breweries’ beers and debut our new theme song. It all starts with just a shameful lead-up thanks to Craig, and ends with a whole new meaning for the abbreviation “ABV” thanks to Inclement Weather. In the middle there’s talk of can-conditioning, pizza beers, the New England IPA non-story, Joey “CoCo” Diaz, and the problem with mouthfeeling everything. Hold me closer, greasy dancer. Beers Reviewed Transient Artisan Ales - Weko (Brett Pale Ale) Maplewood Brewing - Juice Pants (IPA) Middle Brow Beer Co. - Low (Brown Gose) Mikerphone Brewing - Mad Flavor, Batch #2 (Double Dry-Hopped IPA) Une Année Brewery - Framboise (American Raspberry Wild Ale) |
Wed, 17 August 2016
No one can ever accuse Funky Buddha of false advertising, but their brewing methods certainly seem unholy. We taste a few dessert beers and one IPA that are perfect executions of this Florida brewery’s intentions. And because Craig was in Florida recently, there’s a little interview with brewer Jeff Rose included here. Much more funkiness abounds as Ryan confesses a crime, Craig loses a job over khakis, and we plan a brewery sitcom. There’s also a Mario 2/Jesus connection, The Nerding Hour, “Coach” and Applebees talk, Soaky Toast, and a Hurricane of Elbows. And we play a game called “311 or Buddha?” You got to come original. Beers Reviewed Lemon Meringue Pie (Blonde Ale) Muy Bonita (Double Brown Ale) 3 Years & Brewing (IPA with mango) French Toast (Double Brown Ale) Barrel-Aged Chocwork Orange (Imperial Milk Porter) |
Wed, 10 August 2016
How does a brewery that owns a single fermenter in a borrowed space with a staff of three people with other full-time jobs not only survive but thrive in the marketplace? Jeremiah from Hop Butcher gives us the whole story - and a lot of tasty beers. Few stones are left unturned as we talk about the name change (from South Loop Brewing), the brewery’s prospective growth, the importance of good artwork, the difficulty of hop contracts, and how they’ve managed to sell their beer to a few major Chicago sports institutions. We get a little sweaty, taste a very rare barrel-aged treat, and thank Jeremiah for not trolling the show as he had planned.
Beers Sampled Your Wish Is Granted (Double IPA) Alemerica the Beautiful (Mosaic-Hopped American Pale Ale) Good Ryes Wear Black (Black Rye IPA) The World’s Colombian Coffee Exposition (Imperial Coffee Stout) The World’s Colombian Coffee Exposition: Bourbon Barrel-Aged |
Wed, 3 August 2016
It’s been almost two years since we first recorded in the legendary Chicago institution, and as much as things have changed, Goose Island Clybourn is still about creative small batches from some of the most passionate brewers around. Brewers Jon and Steve join us to talk about the implications of the sale to AB InBev including equipment upgrades, recipe ownership, franchising the brewpub model, and the public reaction to “selling out.” They also pour us some unbelievable beers, including maybe our first recorded experience with a “ghost whale.” Also expect to hear about their current issues with brewing sour beers, how they handle bottle releases and determine pricing, and a little teaser regarding Belgian Fest. Steve also absolutely schools us on Old Ales and Stock Ales, Jon gets to bask in his proudest beer-naming moments, and we all give some sweet love to Cory King. This one is chock full of goofs and goodies, folks, so grab a few beers and enjoy. Beers Tasted: Sara Later (Belgian pale ale) Cran-Bruin (Oud Bruin with cranberries aged in red wine barrels) Barrel-Aged Dark Crusader Coconut (Imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels with coconut added during bottling) Nutulhu (Imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels with toasted hazelnuts and vanilla beans) Side Project Brewing - Saison du Fermier Pinot (Wild saison aged in pinot noir puncheons) |
Wed, 27 July 2016
Well dammit if we can’t just be happy with our regular ol’ IPAs, brewers have been adding all sorts of stuff to our favorite hopdrinks. This show features five IPAs...with a TWIST! Might it be possible that we built this show around a “ringer”? Perhaps. But all of the beers more than hold their own, and they bring out an unusual array of distractions: Björk, WiiKush, Offspring beers, and BagelFest. We also challenge each other to come up with a list of unusual ingredients that have yet to be used in IPAs - so brewers take note! Cream bomb: out. Beers Considered Middle Brow Beer Co. - Karin (Belgian IPA + farmhouse ale blend) Like Minds Brewing Co. - Archimedes (IPA + Brettanomyces) Burnt Hickory Brewery - Killboy Powerhead (IPA + orange & vanilla) Stone Brewing - Mocha IPA (DIPA + cacao & coffee) Other Half/Half Acre - Rainbow Never Ends (DIPA + oats, rice flakes, rice syrup, & kölsch yeast)
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Wed, 20 July 2016
Used to be that a beer aged in wood was a rare shelf find, but now you can’t throw a bottle cap without hitting one. For this episode, we have five barrel-aged “Chicago” beers, and the results are...unexpected. We have one of the most mysterious beers we’ve ever opened, experience nostalgia for the days of bottle-waxing, and try to resist the urge to jibboo. And Craig might not be hunting whales, but he sure is hunting something.
Beers Reviewed
Whiner Beer Co. - Le Tub (blended wild farmhouse aged in cabernet barrels) Nomad Brewery - Batch #1 (imperial brown ale aged in bourbon barrels) Mikerphone Brewing - Jibboo (farmhouse ale aged in wine puncheons) Off Color Brewing - Barrel-Aged Dino S’mores (imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels) Transient Artisan Ales - Kentuckley (imperial breakfast stout aged in bourbon barrels)
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Wed, 13 July 2016
Not so long ago, Craig took the midnight train to Georgia and came back with a bushel of tasty beers. Here we drink five of them and throw in a few brief interviews, including yeast talk with Ford from Orpheus, and chattin’ beer styles with Joran from Three Taverns. Craig also recaps his Georgia trip including ballpark food, his guest spot on Beer Guys Radio, and the profoundly stupid beer laws of the Peach State. We’ll also learn how Ryan continues to make the freshest dunks and the actual hotness of 98 Degrees. But then Craig refuses to take us to Stankonia. :-( :-( :-(
Beers Reviewed
Second Self - Maverick & Gose Orpheus - Atalanta Tart Plum Saison Creature Comforts - Tropicália IPA Three Taverns - Inceptus American Wild Ale Burnt Hickory Brewery - Kolb’s Farm Imperial Stout |
Wed, 6 July 2016
Mike Pallen is releasing instant classics on a regular basis, and since the rabid fans demanded it, we drink some “updated” versions of his beers from our recent go-round with Mikerphone - with one bonus “track.” This one also involves a little music trivia, Craig’s new catch phrase, Ryan’s advice for winning at strip-anything, and a huge wax boner. Rock over London! Rock on Chicago! Polaroid: see what develops.
Beers Sampled Hang Me Up To Dry Dry-Hopped Sour Special Sauce (Batch #2) Double IPA Travelin’ Man Dry-Hopped Saison Imperial Smells Like Bean Spirit Breakfast Stout Stop, Collaborate, & Listen Vanilla Rice Stout
Direct download: ABV_Chicago_128_Mikerphone_Remastered.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:26am CDT |
Wed, 29 June 2016
Just a spit trail east of Cowshit Corner in Newcastle, Maine, Oxbow Brewing has been making actual farmhouse beers since 2011. We’re lucky to try five of their low-SRM ales - most of them thanks to David Leshinski - and talk about what makes them unique. Craig has an exciting update on a long-time fugitive, Ryan explains how he chooses music for the show, and we break the space-time continuum. Also: Stuff to shave into your head! Grisette addicts! Crystal IPAs! Ska talk! FrankenCraig! Listen, or tell it to Jimmy Teku. Beers Reviewed:
Farmhouse Pale Ale Loretta Grisette Cross Fade Saison Saison de Kuaska Goods from the Woods Farmhouse Ale |
Wed, 22 June 2016
Only one brewery in Illinois is also in the distilling business, and we leave the bunker to record amongst those lovely vapors. Maplewood is not only crushing it in the beer department, but they’ll soon release their own small-batch spirits. Joining us are Adam Smith (brand manager/assistant brewer), Adam Cieslak (Co-founder/head brewer), and Paul Megalis (Co-founder/business manager), and they share several of their flawless beers and let us pop the bung for a little whiskey sampling. Topics include the upcoming taproom, label makeovers, unique challenges of a brewery/distillery, canning vs. bottling, the dynamics of yeast, selling to CostCo, and the (im)practicality of SMaSH beers. And because it’s our show, we also talk about the band Train, Disney sing-alongs, and who has the best hair at Maplewood. Hike up those juice pants and get ready for an adventure.
Beers Sampled:
The Charlatan Pale Ale Creepy Ginger Belgian Golden Strong Ale Mandarina Bavaria Saison Azacca Morris IPA |
Wed, 15 June 2016
Get ready for a ton of nostalgia as we drunkenly bid farewell to the original recording space for the podcast. We clean out five of Ryan’s cellar beers to help reduce the load and reveal our origin story. You’ll learn about our convoluted early attempts at rankings, the many beta versions of the podcast, and why we’ve never had guests at ABV West. There’s also a ton on aging beer, Malort, the Fire sauce quota, and an excellent addition to our ever-growing list of band names. Shades up, ABV West. Shades up.
Beers Unloaded:
Founders Furniture City Stock Ale (2012) Allagash Mattina Rossa (2015) New Glarus 20th Anniversary Strong Ale (2013) The Bruery White Oak (2013) Goose Island Cherry Rye BCBS (2012) |
Wed, 8 June 2016
After last episode’s penance, we are blessed with five outstanding hoppy beers on this one. United by their hop-forward nature, these beers prove that a perfectly-made IPA is no longer a rare find in the wild. And with great beer, it loosens up our conversation into all sorts of unpleasant, juvenile places. So, behold pellicle porn, a lot of wang talk, Jeff Bridges, cartoon personas, Yaz, and the drunkest rankings we’ve likely ever recorded. Good ol’ Yaz. Beers Reviewed: Toppling Goliath Citra Double Dry-Hopped PseudoSue Pale Ale The Veil Crucial Taunt DIPA Hoof Hearted Wängbär Oatmeal DIPA Hubbard’s Cave Fresh IIPA V2 515 Brewing Hopititis DIPA |
Wed, 1 June 2016
Hoppy beers are best enjoyed fresh - that’s just a fact. But what happens when you let them age well beyond their suggested shelf life? On this episode, we subject ourselves to a little experiment for educational purposes. We discuss a variety of hop-related topics like bottle dates, the insignificance of IBUs, alcohol as a preserver of hoppiness, trusting your bottle shop, and the benefits of canning. Craig recaps a few final CCBW highlights, Ryan has a theory on Zombie Dust’s inflated reputation, and we both experience second puberty. But then it all ends in the NONIC PINT OF DEATH. Come on - grow old with us. Don’t forget to vote for us once a day at podcastawards.com in the Arts category! Beers Experienced: Short’s HumaLupaLicious (2016) & HumaLupaLicious (2013) Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA (2016?) and 120 Minute IPA (2012) Bell’s Mars DIPA (2014) Bell’s Hopslam DIPA (2014) Bell’s The Oracle DIPA (2013) Bell’s This Goes To 11 Imperial Red Ale (2012) Bell’s Harvest Ale (2012) Great Lakes Lake Erie Monster DIPA (2013) New Glarus IIPA (2013?) Dark Horse Double Crooked Tree DIPA (2013) The Alchemist Heady Topper DIPA (2013) Three Floyds Arctic Panzer Wolf DIPA |
Wed, 25 May 2016
It’s alright, because it’s Chicago Craft Beer Week! We mark the occasion by drinking six beers from local breweries we’ve never featured before - and we’ve been missing out. We try to give some background on these breweries, but our “research” has truly reached a new low. There’s also talk of marketing angles, bleach lambics, bomber fatigue, skateboarding orphans, noisy dick, head nipples, dweebs, geeks, and ladders. Ryan reviews the many name changes that some of the these breweries have made, and Craig files his Beer Under Glass report. Beers Reviewed: Around the Bend Beer Co. - Ghost of ‘lectricity Kolsch Motor Row Brewing - New Phenix Lager Alarmist Brewing - Phobophobia Patersbier Maplewood Brewing - Crushinator Session IPA Hop Butcher For The World - Watch for Falling Coconuts Tropical Pale Ale Illuminated Brew Works - Kallisti Golden Ale Local Bands/Artists Featured: Blizzard Babies, Meat Wave, Twin Peaks, The Brokedowns, Yoko and the Oh Nos, Lil Tits, Chance the Rapper |
Wed, 18 May 2016
Sometimes the show is about what we don’t drink, and on this one, we have No IPAs. It’s really just a cute name for a random beer show we recorded while already drunk late on a Friday. There are five beers from a few locals and a few others, and at least for some, we’re happy we didn’t say “No” to them. And hopefully you won’t refuse us as we sloppily pitch movies, scrutinize our own similes, and visit Pen Island. We also find one of the best deals in beer currently. There’s also about four minutes of the drunkest blather Ryan has ever not edited from the show at the end. Go ahead and listen - we’ll just be over here, covering our NIPAs. Beers Reviewed Une Anneé Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien (American Wild Ale w/ lime zest & dry-hopped w/Citra) Sketchbook Turbulence (Imperial Stout) Lindemans Oude Kriek Cuveé René (Kriek Lambic) Blue Island Beer Co. Lost Weekend (Barleywine) Central Waters Cassian Sunset (Bourbon Barrel-Aged Stout w/coffee, vanilla, & cinnamon)
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Wed, 11 May 2016
Other Half Brewing is the latest small East Coast operation churning out heavily-hopped (and hyped) beers that are increasingly in demand. We scrutinize five of these Brooklyn-born ales on this show, trying to determine if their growing reputation is well-deserved. And because it’s us, we also do some “NBA Jam” trivia, drink Sea Monkeys, ruminate on JNCO jeans, and stick our fingers in beer. We also respond to a few listeners and acknowledge our almost aggressive lack of hipness. Boom shakalaka. Beers Reviewed: Forever Ever (Session IPA) Hop Showers (IPA) All Citra Everything (DIPA) Green Diamonds (DIPA) Peachwood-Aged (Sour farmhouse w/peaches) |
Wed, 4 May 2016
At the foot of the Appalachian mountains just outside of Asheville, Fonta Flora embraces local ingredients while honoring the history of a flooded sharecropping community. For some reason, reviewing four of their beers brings out our feisty side - and the most violent reaction to a beer we’ve ever had. We hope you also want to hear about Spanish Yoda, Craig’s cartoon hands, a little spooning, Byron Allen, sharecropping, and Nazi Fanta. The apology list might be long on this one. But at least most of the beers were good. Beers Reviewed Sun Gold Appalachian Grisette Land Trust Appalachian Apple Saison Vestige Bloom Wild Ale (aged in wine barrels w/kiwi) Sal De Gusano Imperial Stout (aged in Mezcal barrels with sea salt & cacao)
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Wed, 27 April 2016
Another Dark Lord Day approaches, so we review a vertical of 3 Floyds’ signature special release with a little help from the Chicago Tribune’s beer columnist Josh Noel. Should you ever age a Dark Lord? Is it really just a decent beer? Are the variants worth it? The answers will probably not shock you. But we do our best to contribute to the conversation by talking about the changes to the fest itself, this year’s variants, and 3 Floyds’ place in local beer culture. There’s also some Goose Island talk, thoughts on the next era of beer, Josh’s day of karmic realignment, and the most Indiana story ever. Jud Jud. Beers Reviewed: Dark Lord (2012) Dark Lord (2013) Dark Lord (2014) Dark Lord (2015) Bourbon Barrel-Aged Vanilla Bean Dark Lord (2015) Jarring metal music transitions courtesy of the lineup for this year’s Dark Lord Day, which you can find here: http://www.darklordday.com/schedule/
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Wed, 20 April 2016
Nothing is certain and all of life is a lie. We drink five Midwestern barrel-aged stouts without knowing what they are to test their true quality and our very confidence in ourselves. And it is discovered that we, in fact, are terrible. But major surprises abound as we mostly play a new game we should call “Is This Bourbon County?” And we learn that spotting a fresh stout in a sea of aged beers is not as easy as one would expect. There’s also stuff about Everclear, pro-wrestling, Wu-Tang, the “Clue” movie, Craig’s hog, and Ryan’s newest brewery idea. Is it getting existential in here, or is just me?
Beers Reviewed, Blindly Wild Onion Drӓgo (2015) Goose Island Bourbon County Stout (2013) Dark Horse Bourbon Barrel Plead the Fifth (2013) Bell’s Black Note (2012) Central Waters Bourbon Barrel Stout (2013) |
Wed, 13 April 2016
We’re all too eager to try more from Boston’s Trillium Brewing Company as we were positively gobsmacked by their beers last time. This time around, we have MC Johnsen from Worth 1000 Beers to help us review these five offerings and steer us into some serious streams of consciousness. We talk a bit about Trillium’s expanded production and second location, saison brewing, and hop blindness. For the digressions on this one, we go deep on candy (of course), feeling cheese, bad accents, ranch-flavored things, elbow dancing, and The Eagles. There’s an exciting announcement for our Patreon patrons; Craig shares his report on new craft beers at U.S. Cellular this season; MC promotes her “RAW” event at the Metro; and Ryan joins the creamy revolution.
Help nominate us for a Podcast Award by going to podcastawards.com and entering “ABV Chicago” in the Arts category between April 15th and April 30th.
Rankings
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Wed, 6 April 2016
Check. Check. Is this thing on? Everybody wants some Mikerphone Brewing, and we find out exactly why on this episode. With a mixed 4-track of Mike Pallen’s beers, we have our asses rocked by a few of the best beers we’ve had in a long, long time. We share an update on Mikerphone’s new location, and discuss New England style IPAs, beers as musical instruments, and the fault of first impressions in craft beer. But then there’s some disgusting stuff about buckets, Gloria Estefan, Halloween masks, and girdles. Also, there’s some weak high fives, Craig’s day of action, and a game about Nirvana lyrics. Goodnight, Chicago!
Beers Reviewed
Nature’s Candy Peach Berliner Weisse Special Sauce Double IPA G Funk Era Golden Ale (w/ grapefruit) Smells Like Bean Spirit (Batch 3) Breakfast Stout |
Wed, 30 March 2016
Somewhat quietly, Jerry Nelson from Une Année has been making some of the best sour beers in Chicago - or anywhere, frankly. On this show, we review the first five beers from the Le Seul series of wild ales and fall in love with the solera method. We also talk about Une Année’s recent news, share some info on the souring process from Jerry, and discuss the challenges of a sour beer membership program. Also, Craig’s voice is eating itself, Ryan gives Chris from Transient Artisan Ales tips on naming beers, and we play another (a)rousing round of Beers Against Humanity. The phrase “canonical dingleberry” has never been so appropriate. Beers Reviewed: Le Seul I (Reddish brown sour with tart cherries and cranberries) Le Seul II (Hoppy golden sour with raspberries) Le Seul III (Wild ale with blackberries) Le Seul IV (Blended golden sour with peaches) Le Seul V (Blended golden sour with kiwifruit) |
Wed, 23 March 2016
Two Michigan breweries enter Illinois; only one will be declared victorious. Well, not really, as we’re sure that both Short’s Brewing and Odd Side Ales will make a lot of new fans in Illinois. We pit six of these Michigan export beers head-to-head on this episode - and the real winner is good taste. But also, we take asides on Craig’s Street Fighter knowledge, offensive beer names, Johnny Cage the Elephant, and that time Ryan almost witnessed Sugar Ray die. (Long live Sugar Ray!) And yes, there will be a little Ween. Beer Matchups Round 1: Short’s Bellaire Brown vs. Odd Side Bean Flicker
Short’s Huma Lupa Licious vs. Odd Side Citra Pale Ale Round 3: Short’s Soft Parade vs. Odd Side Flash Golden
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Wed, 16 March 2016
We disengage our clutches and rev up our car metaphors for a whole show dedicated to the Speedway Stout from AleSmith. Mike Zoller from PorchDrinking joins us to taste five versions of this coffee-fueled, high-octane stout, and it’s a damn good thing we’re not actually driving. We talk about aging coffee beers, infected beers, and barrel-aging’s impact on ABV. But we also discuss Wacky Races, recoil from political talk, step on Craig’s pole, and try not to offend any volcanoes. And someone gets threatened with his own Cicerone pin. There are no friends at 200mph. Got speed? Drive Hard; Get Dirty. Beers Reviewed Speedway Stout (2015) Barrel-Aged Speedway Stout (2015) Speedway Stout - Vietnamese Coffee Speedway Stout - Kona Coffee Speedway Stout - Hawaiian (with coconut and vanilla) |
Wed, 9 March 2016
Episode 111 - Stoneface Brewing Co. Since 2014, the people of Stoneface Brewing Co. have been focused on churning out a small variety of high quality brews. We drink five from the New Hampshire brewery, and there’s nary a complaint to be made about these great beers. But the diversions we take are more, uh, graphic than ever. Expect to hear about a Mozzapocalypse, perfect rimjobs, the genius of Neil Breen, eating babies, Nick Nolte’s Sea Captain period, and Craig’s sexual proclivities. It’s actually not as bad as it sounds. But we do say maybe the worst words we’ve ever said, Craig reveals he’s a Certified Beer Server, and Ryan subjects Craig to a game of “Name That Stone or Face.” Caution: it gets frothy. Beers Reviewed Blip (Session IPA) Rye (India Red Rye Ale) Porter RIS (Russian Imperial Stout w/coffee and vanilla beans) BA RIS (Rum barrel-aged) CORRECTION: Marvin Berry in Back To The Future is actually Chuck Berry’s cousin, not his brother. ABV Chicago would like to formally apologize for this error. |
Wed, 2 March 2016
To celebrate the opening of their new bottle shop, Off Color has released a few unique beers that we combine with two other shelf selections for review on this episode. And because Craig spent the day acquiring cideries at the Cider Summit, we try to keep it brief and on topic - which fails quickly. There’s a little talk of food color byproducts, two new Craig characters (John Apple and French Stupid), Ryan’s trouble in the produce aisle, a reappearance from the orgy tarp, and a solid eight minutes on our second favorite subject: candy. Furry little creatures are welcome. Beers Reviewed Bare Bear (Sahti) Le Woof (Biere de Garde) Whiskers (American Wild Ale) Space Tiger (American Wild Ale) |
Wed, 24 February 2016
We enter unfamiliar territory on this one by doing our first-ever cider show. Kim Leshinski of Hail to the Ale and MC Johnsen of Worth 1000 Beers join us to educate us on these fermented apple beverages. You’ll learn a lot about how ciders are made, apple varieties, local cider sources (including Broken Nose Cider), heirloom apples, and “the long pour.” We go from “cider stupid” to just plain stupid at times, as the diversions here are frequent and give Craig a good core workout. And Ryan is made to feel stupid by being the only one familiar with Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader. Listen and let us be the apple of your...ears?
Ciders reviewed Farnum HIll Dooryard Cider Shacksbury Farmhouse Bantam The Americain Uncle John’s Apple Hard Cider Vander Mill Chapman’s Blend 2014 Wandering Aegnus Wanderlust |
Wed, 17 February 2016
Straight out of the cellar and into your earholes, five Side Project beers are on the table for this one as Steph from The Girl and Her Beer joins us to review these ridiculous works of liquid art. It’s not news that Cory King makes badass 100% barrel-aged beers, but you can live vicariously through us as we experience them. There’s also a musical side projects game, blending talk, a wall of acetone, origins of blue raspberry candy, ideas on how to make wax better, and a gusher we won’t soon forget. We also find out how Craig screens potential guests, and the details will SHOCK you. CLICK to find out MORE!!! Beers Reviewed Marietta Ave. Saison Pulling Nails (Blend 2) Wild Ale Black & Wild (Blend 1) Wild Black Ale The Origin Imperial Stout Blueberry Flanders |
Wed, 10 February 2016
From the caves and laboratories of New Glarus, these four beers undergo our own “research and development” - by which we mean we “review” them and get surprisingly “drunk.” But the beers are of the usual New Glarus quality, so it gives us a lot to talk about: if Barney Rubble smells worse than a band-aid; what a “funk blanket” is and how to use it to get out of your Cicerone exam; and whether or not Craig has ever eaten celery. We also give some tips on beers with Belgian yeast and read an absurd poem. Beers Reviewed Wild Bitter Vintage 2014 Wild Barrel Golden Ale |
Wed, 3 February 2016
We dipped into our vault this week to bring you our little tribute to working together. All five beers on this show were the product of collaboration featuring at least one local brewery (or liquor store) and a brewing buddy. Recorded back in August, this episode just got buried in our release schedule, but we’re proud to finally bring it to you so you can hear our trite discussions of the Aggro-Crag, smelly toys, One Direction, supple buttcheeks, and our idea for a naughty collaboration beer. Also, stay tuned to the end for some HOT TIPS on how to totally ignore bottle release allotments. Grab a friend and do it together! And come to Beermiscuous on February 6th for our 2nd Anniversary party! Beers Reviewed Off Color/Side Project - Corybantic (American Wild Ale) Arcade/Ale Syndicate - Dubbel Time (Dubbel with cocoa nibs) Pipeworks/4 Hands - Black Tuna (Black DIPA with honey) Hubbard’s Cave (Slapshot/Une Année) - Imperial Stout (with vanilla) Jester King/West Lakeview Liquors - Encendia (Mezcal barrel-aged saison with agave nectar, ancho chiles, and epazote) |
Wed, 27 January 2016
It’s about to get all rustic up in here with four tart beers from Casey Brewing and Blending. Troy Casey subscribes to the Old World philosophy of brewing by using local Colorado ingredients and 100% oak fermentation to create these masterful brews. We subscribe to the ABV philosophy of getting completely off-topic from our beer reviews to create a fever-dream of a podcast. In addition to our take on these finely-crafted ales, there’s bits about Craig’s garbage mouth, overzesting your lemons, spaghetti sauce beers, and a long discussion of what styles of beer pair with certain weather and/or clothing. Because why the hell not. Beers Reviewed East Bank Saison (with honey) Apricot Fruit Stand Saison Oak Theory Wild Ale The Cut: Montmorency Cherry Wild Ale |
Wed, 20 January 2016
To clumsily pay tribute the only way we know how, we drink some beers to honor David Bowie that have some tangential relationship to his career. And though we don’t attempt to give Bowie a proper send off, the beers turn out really damn good and silliness abounds. We talk Monster cereals, sing some Cher, fear “target character drift”, defend Elisabeth Shue’s honor, and recall Quantum Leap. And there’s more conclusive evidence that Craig is our greatest living beer poet. Thank you, David Bowie. Beers: Bayerischer Bahnhof - Berliner Style Weisse Marz Community Brewing - Marzcal Kolsch Half Acre Beer Co. - Space IPA Revolution Brewing - Blue Gene BA Porter Uinta Brewing - Labyrinth Quadruple Black Ale/Imperial Stout (2013)
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Wed, 13 January 2016
It’s a mother-loving good time on this episode as we drink six different beers from Springfield, Missouri’s own Mother’s Brewing Company (Thanks Jeb and Eden!). And just like our own mothers, these beers fill us with warm feelings and happiness and alcohol. So we also rattle on about resolutions, crappy candy, hard root beer, TV moms, and Craig’s eHarmony profile. One beer brings out the 15 year-old in both of us (take a wild guess), and then there’s a little coffee talk - no big whoop. Ryan
Craig
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Wed, 6 January 2016
Who says a little danger can’t be a lot of fun? Well on this show, we drink five random beers we had around and give them the ol’ arbitrary review treatment. Ryan shares his complete pitch for Yet Another Stakeout, the prospective third film in the Stakeout Trilogy. And for some godforsaken reason, the whole show is soundtracked by the music of Steven Seagal. It’s like we’re challenging you not to listen - so thanks if you do!
Craig
Ryan
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