ABV Chicago Craft Beer Podcast

As if this year hasn’t been cruel enough, we once again try and assemble a tapestry of nightmares out of old and bad beers. Each host brings the three worst beers they could find to this modified remote version of our yearly late October tradition, and the results are not at all what we would’ve expected. Also, Ryan is trying to make his kids not scared of ska, someone peed in Craig’s soda, and we almost stumble backwards into a Red Ale show. This show is also a tribute to the resilient liquor stores and bottles shops that - despite insistence otherwise - refuse to take old beer off the shelves nor mark it down in any way. This episode is like a haunted beer museum with the ever-present threat of hearing someone gag on microphone - but, like, better than that sounds. The host will let you in....SOON.

Beers Reviled

Urban Legend Brewing - Elizabeth (Red Ale, c. 2015?)

Alpine Beer Company - Willy Vanilly (Wheat ale w/ vanilla from 2016)

Stillwater Artisanal - Duck Sauce (DIPA w/ apricot, plum, pineapple, ginger, and candi syrup)

Browar Wąsosz - Jeżynowe/Blackberry Beer (Fruit beer)

Rude Hippo - Wooden Nickel (IPA aged on oak from 2016)

Church Street Brewing Company - Brimstone (IPA from 2016)

Direct download: ABV_Chicago_351_Torture_Test_IV_Zoom_of_Doom.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:30am CDT

In need of a haze hiatus but unwilling to give up our hop addiction, we are ISO IBUs as we sample through five West Coast-style IPAs to travel back to a time of malt, bitterness, and clarity. It was exactly what we needed, as this lineup becomes one of the best front-to-back that we’ve had in a while. Also, we add some utility to our quarantine wardrobes, Craig is a self-appointed dank expert who once appeared on Nickelodeon’s Legends of the Hidden Temple, and Ryan is drinking a Celebration with his mind. We also discuss the world’s most perfect song and explain why it’s Vin Diesel’s “Feel Like I Do.” (Send Malort.)

Beers Reviewed

Solemn Oath Brewery/Pollyanna Brewing Company - Full Moon Looks (IPA)

Listermann Brewing Company - Purple Parrots (IPA)

Ology Brewing Co. - Resolved Enigma (IPA)

Offshoot Beer Co. - Escape [it’s your everyday West Coast IPA] (IPA)

Miskatonic Brewing Company/Foreign Exchange - Unified Field Theory (DIPA)

Direct download: ABV_Chicago_350_Bless_This_West.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:30am CDT

For the first time since this podcast started almost seven years ago, there’s no trip to Denver to drink beer at the Great American Beer Festival - and we’re feeling a little sad about it. So we embark on a gleefully nostalgic and self-indulgent episode, wherein we revisit some favorite memories (and interviews) from the first five years at GABF all while drinking five beers to represent years 2014-2018. You’ll hear some brief interview snippets from the past, including Sam Calagione (Dogfish Head), Jay Goodwin (The Rare Barrel), Jeff Stuffings (Jester King), Randy Mosher (Forbidden Root/being “The Mosh”), and Tomme Arthur (The Lost Abbey/Port Brewing/The Hop Concept). We also have a few ridiculous pizza stories, share our all-time top 20 beers from GABF, and fire up a game of Doom on a pregnancy test. It’s also a bit of a meditation on how beer has changed since 2014 through the observation of trends shifting from year to year at America’s largest beer festival. It’s a long one, but we hope you dig it.

Beers Reviewed

Dogfish Head Craft Brewery - 90 Minute Imperial IPA

The Rare Barrel - Forces Unseen 2016 (Golden sour aged in oak)

Jester King Brewery - Bière de Miel

Forbidden Root Brewery (Columbus) - Cosmic Trust Fall (Double Hazy IPA)

The Lost Abbey - Ghosts in the Forest - Guava (Oak-aged wild ale w/guava)

Direct download: ABV_Chicago_349_GABF_Memories.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:30am CDT

It’s as good a time as ever to take time to chill with some simple and refreshing pilsners, so we try to lower our resting heart rates through a little lager love. We drink five different pilsners that offer a surprising amount of variation for the style, and we try not to let the prospect of arbitrary rankings stress us out. Also, we workshop some tech puns for our IT friends, name all the crazy bassists (well, two of them), investigate the hot dog bun conspiracy, and reclaim our rightful title as “barely a beer show.” And there’s a game about CBD products as well because we were too blissed to say no. It’s Chill Pils. Take one with us, friend. 

Beers Reviewed

On Tour Brewing Company - Lightning Will

Pipeworks Brewing Company - Premium Pilsner

Modern Times Beer - Ice

Foreign Exchange - Chicago-ish

The Conrad Seipp Brewing Co. - Seipp’s Extra Pale Pilsner

Direct download: ABV_Chicago_348_Chill_Pils.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:30am CDT

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