ABV Chicago Craft Beer Podcast

This Seattle brewery’s been on our wishlist for quite some time, and listener Raj Shah sent us a heavenly array of Holy Mountain beers to review. Big hops, barrels, and Brett make for some pretty flavorful beer - and almost all of it is impressive and unique. We encounter the ugliest beer we’ve seen in a long time, try to rhyme things with yuzu, share the secret to erudite beer reviews, get mistaken for famous wizard Brian Potion, and express concern over our future beer-related ailments. Put away that copy of EsophaGigli, get the #craigarmy together, and let us be your sherpas on this ascension to Holy Mountain.

Beers Reviewed

Lesser Ritual (Hoppy Pilsner)

Sunroom (Mixed culture saison brewed with Nelson Sauvin and fermented in oak barrels)

Astral Projection (Double IPA)

Wraith (American wild ale aged in oak with blackberries and raspberries)

Midnight Still (2016) (Imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels)

Direct download: ABV_Chicago_210_Holy_Mountain.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:32pm CDT

Unknown to most of us Midwesterners but regarded highly in their native Arkansas, Lost Forty Brewing is canning up some stellar takes on a wide variety of styles. We taste five beers from this Little Rock-based brewery thanks to listener Chris Butler. These extremely tasty beers quickly chuck us over the hill and into one of the most far-fetched game ideas Ryan has ever had, in addition to a real rogue’s gallery of diversions: the worst way to ruin your phone, the problem with Spencer’s Gifts, weird sleepovers, the California Raisins, a controversial statement on convertible pants, and a Brazilian butt mystery. #BossBabyisLife

Beers Reviewed

Logger Rita (Mexican-Style Vienna Lager)

Trash Panda (New England Style IPA)

Baltic Porter

Snake Party (Double IPA)

Nighty Night (Imperial Stout aged in cabernet, bourbon, and rye whiskey barrels)

Direct download: ABV_Chicago_209_Lost_Forty.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:12am CDT

Our 14th state show is with beers from all over the Hawkeye state, thanks to listener TJ Osborn. We review five beers from five different Iowa breweries and run into our first-ever CrowlerFreak.Ⓡ  Ryan gets to relive a little of his college days in Iowa City by drinking too much and wearing an adult-sized onesie; Craig just tries to figure out what the hell we’re drinking. There’s two games on this one that Ryan uses to torture Craig: Name that Slipknot Tune and Dan Gable: Fact or Fiction? And it won’t even cost you a single cheddar cube.

Beers Reviewed

Barn Town Brewing - Hop Skewer IPA (maybe….)

SingleSpeed Brewing Co. - Cocoanut Oat Porter

Franklin Street Brewing - Drugstore Cowboy (New England IPA)

Lake Time Brewery - Peanut Butter Cup Porter

Iowa Brewing Company - Moray (Barrel-aged Scotch Ale)

Direct download: ABV_Chicago_208_The_IA_Show.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:48am CDT

In the last six months, four hotly anticipated taprooms threw open their doors for thirsty Chicagoans, and we took a day to visit them. We brought back beers from each spot to review while sharing our early impressions of the new establishments. There’s also some necessary Podcasting 101 (for Kidz), Craig’s melty-face fears, the search for Snackwell’s, and a toilet Ghoulie sighting. So pop open a growler, and have yourself a scoop of The Country’s Second Best Yogurt, in audio form.  

Beers Reviewed

Half Acre Beer Co. Balmoral Tap Room (2050 W Balmoral Ave) - Wallonia (Saison)

Spiteful Brewing Taproom (2024 W Balmoral Ave) - Spiteful IPA

Off Color Brewing, The Mouse Trap (1460 N Kingsbury St) - Myshka (Russian Serf Stout)

Maplewood Brewery & Distillery Lounge (2717 N Maplewood) - Fluffy Bottoms (Lactose Pale Ale)

Direct download: ABV_Chicago_207_New_Taproom_Tour.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:50am CDT

The pfabulous brewery with the pfunny name, pFriem Family Brewers out of Hood River, Oregon has been perfecting styles and racking up medals since 2012. We get to try a variety of styles here thanks to head brewer Gavin Lord who sent us a generous package for our reviewing pleasure. And it’s a pleasure, indeed. But we also talk a lot about what Ja Rule has been up to these days, explain both “dankness” and centrifuges with immaculate precision, get the dill out, and receive a terrible nickname from a toddler. Grab your own fish and sit down for a pristine evening with one of the best breweries in the world.

Beers Reviewed

Pilsner
Super Saison
Dank IPA
Frambozen
Oud Bruin

Direct download: ABV_Chicago_206_Pfriem.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:06pm CDT

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