ABV Chicago Craft Beer Podcast

Wherein we consume over a gallon of Bourbon County, this episode attempts to balance detailed reviews with what is basically stunt drinking. We enlist the help of Beer on the Wall’s Ryan Tracy to try all eight variations under Goose Island’s 2019 Bourbon County brand. We spend a lot of time dissecting the annually most-argued-over beer release while also planning our 311 heist, uncovering box-related conspiracies, checking to see if our wort is fully worted, and tearing away our pleather pants. Absolute. Fudgebomb.

2019 Bourbon County Beers Reviewed

Bourbon County Brand Stout

Bourbon County Brand Wheatwine

Reserve Rye Bourbon County Brand Stout

2-Year Reserve Bourbon County Brand Stout

Bourbon County Brand Mon Chéri Stout (w/ cherries, oats, granola, and brown sugar)

Bourbon County Brand Café de Olla Stout (w/ Intelligentsia coffee, cassia bark, orange peel, and panela sugar)

Proprietor’s Bourbon County Brand Stout (w/ toasted pecans, coconut, cocoa, and vanilla)

Bourbon County Brand Double Barrel Stout

Direct download: ABV_Chicago_307_BCBS19.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:00am CST

To continue Barrel-Aged December, we track down five beers that brought home medals from this year’s Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beers. (We swear this isn’t a month-old FoBAB recap show.) We put on our judges’ hats and try to find the secret to what makes a beer medal-worthy at Chicago’s premier beer competition. Craig lazily tries to shoehorn Baby Yoda into the show, Ryan just wants to be recognized for his cake, and we act like a couple of drinking cockswains. Pour it on your ham!

Beers Reviewed

Church Street Brewing Company - Holy Moly (Barrel-aged milk stout) - Bronze in Classic Styles

Hacienda Beer Co. - L’hiver (Foeder-aged Brett. saison w/ ginger, orange peel, and green cardamom) - Silver in Wild Beer/Brett

Crystal Lake Brewing - Boathouse Reserve Rye Whiskey Barrel Aged Imperial Stout - Silver in Strong Porter/Stout

Pollyanna Brewing Company - Orenda Volume 02 (Belgian-style quadrupel aged in grape brandy barrels) - Silver in Other Strong Beer

Cerebral Brewing - Vanilla Rye Here Be Monsters (Rye barrel-aged stout w/ vanilla beans) - Gold in Specialty Strong Porter/Stout

Direct download: ABV_Chicago_306_FoBAB_Winners.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:30am CST

At some point, these guys can’t stay “underrated” or “under the radar” with the ridiculous blends and adjunct-enhanced beers from barrels they release every year. Cruz Blanca’s Luchador series may still be young in the Chicago specialty release annual tradition, but the resulting beers are outpacing their seasoned competitors in quality and accessibility. In what is likely an ill-advised move, we sit down and drink through all six of these high-ABV barrel-aged beers to review and rank them. The episode is also an extended tribute to Challenge Butter, Your Intimidating Kitchen Friend. We also get on about noseburns, flowereaters, The Simpsons arcade game strategy, and Bourbon County sharkjumping. Listen to us wrestle with sobriety!

Beers Reviewed

Rey Gordo (Imperial stout aged in Basil Hayden bourbon barrels)

Santa Cruz (Oatwine aged in rye whiskey & red wine barrels)

Tarzan Boy (Imperial stout aged in rum barrels with banana, coffee, & vanilla)

Señor Incognito (Imperial stout aged in rye whiskey barrels with toasted coconut, pecans, & cinnamon)

Loco Dinero (Imperial blonde ale aged in rum & rye whiskey barrels with Sparrow coffee)

Lady Luminada (Imperial blonde ale aged in rum & rye whiskey barrels with chocolate, strawberry, cherry, & blackberry)

Direct download: ABV_Chicag_305_Cruz_Luchadors.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:30am CST

The best yearly barrel-aged release series has hit its halfway point, so we’re using that as an excuse to drink through the five newest releases in Revolution’s Deep Wood series. It takes some real nitpicking to find flaws in any of these beers, so we mostly just talk about why they are all awesome in their own way. Plus, Craig schemes to be the next Everyday Hero, Ryan reveals he’s a real PlumBum, and we order out for some CrunchWraps. We also plan out our social media wall-of-fame and wonder what it would take to convert Craig to drinking actual coffee. There’s plenty of room on our tongue futon.

Beers Reviewed

Deth’s Tar (Barrel-aged Imperial Oatmeal Stout)

Deth By Plums (Barrel-aged Imperial Oatmeal Stout w/ plums)

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

Straight Jacket (Barrel-aged Barleywine)

V.S.O.R. (Rye ale aged in Rye barrels)

Special thanks to Revolution Brewing for providing the beers for this show!

Direct download: ABV_Chicago_304_Deep_Wood_2019_Part_1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:30am CST

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