ABV Chicago Craft Beer Podcast

Though we’d all like to pretend Hazy IPAs or pastry stouts represent the most significant trends in beer over the last decade or so, the real big money game-changer is the astronomical growth of Michelob Ultra. So how does craft (or “craft”) beer respond? We find out by drinking a lineup of low-calorie, low-carb beers that will help counter our lactose-enhanced waistlines. We pitch some fitness innovations for beer (and beyond), classify common dad problems as genres of music, master our asses, and put some pressure on our exotic fruit dealer. It’s an episode made for DOING!

Beers Reviewed

Anheuser-Busch - Michelob Ultra Pure Gold (American light lager)

Ballast Point Brewing - Lager (American light lager)

Lagunitas Brewing - DayTime IPA

Deschutes Brewery - Da Shootz! (Pilsner)

Boulevard Brewing - Easy Sport (Blonde ale w/ tangerine peel & sea salt)

Dogfish Head Craft Brewery - Slightly Mighty (Session IPA)

Marathon Brewing Company [Boston Beer Co.] - 26.2 Brew (Golden ale w/ sea salt & coriander)

Direct download: ABV_Chicago_281_Diet_Beers.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:30am CDT

For decades, brewers have been harvesting the funk from brettanomyces yeast strains for a variety of purposes. Whether it’s to add some phenolic funk to a sour beer or some fruity depth to an IPA, brett has become a household name in brewing. Chicago’s Lake Effect Brewing and Omega Yeast Labs collaborated on a mixed 4-pack, titled School of Brett, by dosing a wine barrel-aged base saison with three different strains of brettanomyces to help educate about the differences between the strains. For this episode, we have Lake Effect’s founder and owner Clint Bautz along with Omega’s co-founder and co-owner Lance Shaner to talk about the collaboration and what makes these brett strains unique. We also talk a lot about what’s new with both businesses, Craig mines for some yeast puns, Ryan just had to dig up that Brett Trois story again, and we literally bathe in tropical light. Join us and learn more about brett - it’s the yeast you can do.

Beers Tasted

Lake Effect Brewing/Omega Yeast Labs -  “School of Brett”

Base Saison

Claussenii

Bruxellensis

Lambicus

Direct download: ABV_Chicago_280_School_of_Brett.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:30am CDT

More sustainable and definitely more rustic than your city brewery, these five beer producers also operate in conjunction with a farm, using ingredients grown on their lands for a uniquely artisanal experience. We have a range of styles from Illinois, Tennessee, and Vermont that teach us a lot about ingredients and just basic vocabulary, to be honest. Ryan subjects Craig to a game of Two Truths and a Lie: Farm Animal Edition, Craig clears up confusion about his America’s Next Top Model history, and we get real psyched about gruits. It’s a premium farm to our mouths to your ears experience.

Beers Reviewed

Scratch Brewing Company (Ava, IL)  - Turmeric Tonic (Gruit-style ale with turmeric and nettle)

Big Thorn Farm & Brewery (Georgetown, IL) - Wood Thyme Tart (Kettle-soured gruit w/ farm-grown thyme and aged on charred hickory logs)

Hill Farmstead Brewery (Greensboro, VT) - E. (2014; Dry-hopped barrel-aged saison)

Rolling Meadows Brewery (Cantrall, IL) - Coffee Break (Brown ale w/ coffee)

Blackberry Farm Brewery (Maryville, TN) - Abbey Quad

Direct download: ABV_Chicago_279_Farm_to_Podcast.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:30am CDT

For our 20th State Show, listener and friend Jim Plachy offered to round up five Oklahoma beers, and we said that’d be alright with us. And with a lineup this flavorful, we wish we would’ve done this state sooner. Fill your ears with some word jazz as we talk about movie tropes, melty faces, weird tongue stuff, Chris Elliott, and whipping jerseys at babies. Mmm, Zangy!

Beers Reviewed

Prairie Artisan Ales Brewpub (Tulsa) - Rockets and Dreams (Saison w/ chamomile and plums)

Stonecloud Brewing Company (Oklahoma City) - Chug Norris (Mosaic pale ale)

Heirloom Rustic Ales (Tulsa) - Chapel Visitor (Blended barrel-aged wild ale)

American Solera (Tulsa) - BK...OK (DIPA, collaboration with Other Half)

Cabin Boys Brewery (Tulsa) - The Bearded Theologian (Belgian Quad)

Direct download: ABV_Chicago_278_The_OK_Show.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:30am CDT

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