It’s not just stouts, barleywines, and sours that should receive the benefits of wood-aging. For our final episode of Barrel-Aged December, we try five beers from breweries brave enough to take their drinkable cold-fermented beers and let them rest in different types of wood for any matter of time. The results are truly unique and enlightening as to how wood can transform a lager, and we bend our elbows with almost too much confidence for the night. Also, there’s motorized-cart mayhem in the grocery aisles, weather-based clothing gets a rebranding, and we play a soundbite-based game of Name That Wood. Happy New Year to all - and thanks for listening to us at any point in this past one. 

Beers Reviewed

Forbidden Root Brewing Company - Hoodie Weather (Oak-Aged Vienna Lager)

Werk Force Brewing Company - Rip Cut (Oat Lager aged in oak puncheons)

Solemn Oath Brewery - Foederface (Foeder-Aged Märzen)

Begyle Brewing - Foeder Doppelbock (Oak-Aged Dopplebock)

Waypost Brewing Co. - Keptwell (Bourbon Barrel-Aged Lager)

Focusing on drinkable lagers, pales, and IPAs has already carried Half Acre to legend-status locally, but their barrel program has developed into an undeniable force over the last few years - and we’re not even talking about Benthic for this one. We have five big barrel-aged beers from this year that are an impressive ode to one of Chicago’s best breweries. Also, Ryan has developed a whole new family of app-based apps that’ll revolutionize the dining industry. Plus, Craig dives deep into Half Acre’s cosmic gumbo writeups; we get our Glass Wavy on; and there’s a building nitro twist ending to this one. 

Beers Reviewed

Vim (Barrel-Aged Baltic Porter)

Orin (Blended Barrel-Aged Strong Ale)

Before Land Shook (Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels w/ marshmallow, vanilla, and sea salt)

Sickle Through Sable (Barrel-Aged stout w/ cocoa nibs)

World of Bog (Bourbon Barrel-Aged Barleywine)

Throughout this year we’ve been collecting barrel-aged stouts from different states without a real purpose for them: until now. From five states we have three straight barrel-aged stouts and two that are pastrified - and all are in the running for top spots in our rankings. Also, we engage with some AI-generated characters for their opinions about which states make the best barrel-aged beers; we push for more BA brown ales in 2024; and we make a few dirty boy snack confessions. Big thanks to Aaron Carlson for a few of the beers, and Dolphin Man for his valuable perspective. 

Beers Reviewed

Ethereal Brewing [Lexington, KY] - Baba Yaga (Russian Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels)

Warrior Brewing Company [Duluth, MN] - Barbarian (Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels)

Denton County Brewing Company [Denton, TX] - Night Witch (Bourbon barrel-aged Imperial Stout)

Toppling Goliath Brewing Co. [Decorah, IA] - Term Oil S’mores (Imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels with natural and artificial flavors)

WeldWerks Brewing Co. [Greeley, CO] - Starry Noche 2022 (Imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels w/ coconut and hazelnut)

As winter barrel-aged beer releases expand into more adjunct variants and special barrels, you can’t overlook the base. For this show, we blind sample six barrel-aged local stouts that are part of a seasonal release lineup - but without any of the added gimmicks. We base our opinions only on the liquid in the glass, and we continue our rich tradition of being terrible at guessing the beers. There are more twists and turns than a high-occupancy vehicle-based action thriller, and we try not to be swept away by the relative viscosity. Hop on board.

2022 Beers Reviewed Blindly (in order of appearance)

Goose Island Beer Co. - Bourbon County Brand Stout

Revolution Brewing - Deth’s Tar

Old Irving Brewing - Krampus in the Buff 

Temperance Beer Co. - Might Meets Right 

Werk Force Brewing Co. - Sleepy Bear Single Barrel

Cruz Blanca Brewery - Rey Gordo

We kick off Barrel-Aged December a little early with a six pack of mostly locals who took home medals at this year’s Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beers. Unsurprisingly, this lineup is all killer with no filler, but there are a few style surprises from some familiar breweries that steal the show. We stumble into covering a whole category’s winners while running through an updated FoBAB “by the numbers.” Also, we consider how much wood a beer must touch to qualify for an entry; Craig is gonna get so yelled at during rankings; and we implore someone at ICBG to let Randy Mosher check his coat. 

Medal-Winning Beers Reviewed

Off Color Brewing - Tequila Barrel-Aged Beer for Tacos (Gose style beer aged in oak tequila barrels with lime juice and salt added) - Bronze in Other Pale Beer

Forbidden Root Brewery [Columbus ] & Derive Brewing Company - Well Positioned (Oak-fermented Saison) - Silver in Other Pale Beer

Ravinia Brewing Company - Spanish Cedar-Aged Steep Ravine (IPA aged w/ Spanish Cedar) - Gold in Other Pale Beer

Around the Bend Beer Co. - 1825 (Barrel-aged Raspberry Ale w/ Brett) - Silver in Wild Beer/Brett

More Brewing Company - Lucky Bamboo (Rum barrel-aged Tiki Sour w/ pineapple, passionfruit, lemon, lime, and bitters) - Silver in Fruit Beer

Mikerphone Brewing & Goose Island Beer Co. - Double LP: Side B (English Barleywine aged in bourbon barrels) - Gold in Barleywine/Wheatwine

In this return to one of our favorite Colorado brewery’s beers, we find some of the more offbeat and odd offerings from Weldwerks. Also, Craig catches up with co-founder and head brewer Neil Fisher to chat about how they’ve decided to grow within Greeley, why their concept of collaborations has evolved, and what makes a Medianoche so dang thick. These five flavorful beers bring out 15 barrels of bad impressions, the duality of man, and the possibility of Canned Cocktail January. Also, why is Ryan’s 6 year-old suddenly talking about Simon and Garfunkel? All that and more on this week’s…ABV CHICAGOOOOOO.

Beers Reviewed

Root Beer Float Stout (Milk stout w/ sarsaparilla, birch bark, milk sugar, vanilla, and natural flavors)

Smoke & Peaches (German-style smoked lager w/ smoked malt and smoked peaches)

Wild Mountain Mint Mojito (Imperial sour ale w/ mint, lime, Turbinado sugar, and natural flavors)

Trade Secrets (Double IPA) Collaboration with Cerebral Brewing

Midnight Magick 3: Last Barrel on the Left (Barrel aged imperial stout blended from 52-month bourbon barrel stout and 38-month aged bourbon barrel stout)

As we brace ourselves for an extended Barrel-Aged December, we dip back into the summer archives for this final Oregon-centric show from Craig’s trip to highlight these Pacific Northwest breweries that are around a year old. And if you think new Oregon breweries can’t live up to those legacy ones we all know, then you should give this one a listen. Also, we consider how breweries could ford their beers across bodies of water; we cast some liquid spells; and we share some beer drinking progression theory on a collegiate level. 

Beers Reviewed

Van Henion Brewing [Bend, OR] - Helles Lager

Fracture Brewing [Portland, OR] - Czech Dark Lager

Funky Fauna Artisan Ales [Sisters, OR] - Right to Bloom (Saison w/ Tangerine, Plum, Strawberry, Grapefruit, Guava, Hibiscus Flowers and Rose petals)

Brujos Brewing [Portland, OR] - Sitra Achra (Double Hazy IPA)

Nebuleus [Portland, OR] - exchanging glances (Wine barrel-aged blended saison)

We’re just going to come out and say it: this is the best lineup in the history of this series, and it might be the best complete lineup of barrel-aged beers to come out of Chicago this year. Cruz Blanca’s playfully-conceptualized yet artfully-crafted Luchador series goes in directions many barrel-aged brewers don’t - and all the big swings pay off. Nothing is lost with the switch to 12-ounce cans and only six offerings this year, especially when they all bang this hard. In addition to a possible “beer of the year” candidate for both of us, we’re trying to solve the Fedora Pool Mystery, dreaming up the perfect donut pairings, and getting ready for the pit. 

Beers Reviewed

La Tormenta (Imperial pineapple ale aged in Barbados rum barrels with canella and spices)

Barbarosa Con Café (Imperial black and red raspberry ale aged in red wine barrels w/ Metric coffee)

Señor Finito (Imperial stout aged in rye whiskey barrels w/ cocoa nibs, mesquite bean, and canella)

Tarzan Boy (Imperial stout aged in Barbados rum barrels w/ banana, Mexican vanilla, piloncillo, and Metric coffee)

Rey Gordo (Imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels)

Rey Cuvée (2019, 2020, and 2021 Rey Gordo blended and rye barrel-aged w/ Mexican vanilla) 

With one summer and one fall release, Revolution has already put six cans of this year’s Deep Wood series out into the world, and we’re eager to have them all side-by-side. We sample five stouts and a black barleywine aged in a variety of barrels, and nothing here is threatening their title of best barrel-aged brewery in Chicago (in our opinion). Also, we brainstorm attractions that could be added to local taprooms; we trademark Tall and Dangerous grocery stores; Ryan’s bringing back his Year One self; and Craig explains the drawback of bringing Deep Wood beers to C2E2. 

Beers Reviewed (Deep Wood: 2022-2023)

Deth’s Tar (Imperial Oatmeal Stout aged in bourbon barrels)

Café Deth (Imperial Oatmeal Stout aged in bourbon barrels and steeped with fresh coffee beans)

Coconut Deth (Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels with coconut)

Deth by Currants (Imperial Oatmeal Stout with currants aged in bourbon barrels)

Thundertaker (Imperial Rye Stout aged in bourbon barrels)

Lumberstruck (Black Barleywine Ale aged in red wine barrels)

Unknowable horrors await us on our sixth annual Torture Test show, wherein we try to find weird, old, and terrible beers to blindly afflict one another, and this one’s crawling with impossible-to-guess styles and shapeshifting ABV. We try to avoid adding ounces to the simmering Cuvée of Doom by guessing whatever we can about these beers while (often) choking down what’s in the glass. Ryan pumps himself up with the Unsolved Mysteries theme song, Craig keeps feeling the effects of a flavor creeper, and we experience The Longest Finish. 

Beers Survived

Local Option Bierwerker - Dampf Loc c. 2015 (Dampfbier)

Rinkuškiai - Effin Awesome (Imperial Lager)

Grupo Modelo - Chelada Piña Picante (Pineapple and Pepper beer)

Athletic Brewing Company - Oktoberfest (Non-Alcoholic Beer)

Bell’s Brewery - Neptune: The Mystic (Imperial Stout w/ black pepper, hickory bark, dandelion root, spices, molasses, and maple syrup with cayenne peppers, star anise, raisins, and dates added)

Oliphant Brewing - Milkman Manbaby (Milky Weizen Dunkel Stout)

For the 40th year of GABF - and the first festival in three years - we had to go bigger than ever, so much so that we couldn’t fit it into one episode. Even though Ryan stayed behind in Illinois, Craig succeeded in drinking all the beers Denver had to offer and bringing back some stellar interviews from some of his brewery highlights - along with an all-time bucket list guest. Even though we recorded this over two days and thousands of miles away, we manage to drink through some beers that have a GABF connection and give some one-sided reviews. For Part Two, Craig goes into his Saturday afternoon session experiences, and we discuss the highlights of this year’s awards. Check that guest list below!

For the 40th year of GABF - and the first festival in three years - we had to go bigger than ever, so much so that we couldn’t fit it into one episode. Even though Ryan stayed behind in Illinois, Craig succeeded in drinking all the beers Denver had to offer and bringing back some stellar interviews from some of his brewery highlights - along with an all-time bucket list guest. Even though we recorded this over two days and thousands of miles away, we manage to drink through some beers that have a GABF connection and give some one-sided reviews. In Part One, Craig talks about his experiences at WeldWerks, Peculier, Cellar West, Hops & Pie, and the Denver Rare Beer Tasting - in addition to his first two sessions at GABF.

Part One

Beers Reviewed

Cellar West Artisan Ales - Spinechiller (Bourbon Barrel-aged Russian Imperial Stout)

Cellar West Artisan Ales - Cone Country (Golden Wet Hop Pale Ale)

Beachwood Brewing - Amalgamator (West Coast IPA)

Interviews

Zach Kelly of HenHouse Brewing Company (Santa Rosa, CA) - 00:24:15 - 00:31:52

Shyla Sheppard of Bow & Arrow Brewing Co. (Albuquerque, NM) - 00:43:09 - 00:51:54

Seth Morgan and Andrew Truemper of Denton County Brewing Company (Denton, TX) - 00:58:15 - 01:10:30

Kevin Davey of Wayfinder Beer (Portland, OR) - 01:14:52 - 01:22:54

Kelly Montgomery of Third Eye Brewing Company (Cincinnati, OH) - 01:26:12 - 01:29:40

The 30th installment in our State Show series takes us to the Southwest thanks to listener Don Kasak’s recent trip to New Mexico. To beat that dry heat, things stay pretty light on alcohol with five beers from four breweries that fortunately aren’t light on flavor. Also, Craig runs into a surprising t-shirt at a beer fest, Ryan looks for the flavors that exist in the negative spaces (ooooooh), and we would really love a be-turtlenecked Brian McKnight to sing a love ballad about kölsches. 

Beers Reviewed

Santa Fe Brewing Company [Sante Fe, NM] - NMX Standard (American Lager)

Boxing Bear Brewing Company [Albuquerque, NM] - New Mexi-Kölsch

Bow & Arrow Brewing Co. [Albuquerque, NM] - Rancho Light Lager (Light Lager w/ lemon zest)

Bow & Arrow Brewing Co. [Albuquerque, NM] - Savage Times (Sour IPA)

Rowley Farmhouse Ales [Sante Fe, NM] - Germophile - Prickly Pear (Berliner Weisse w/ prickly pear)

Just off the Lake Michigan shoreline sandwiched between popular vacation beach towns, there’s a little farmhouse brewery in Fennville, MI called Waypost. Opened in 2018, the folks at Waypost make a variety of styles exceptionally well (and even have a GABF Gold for Saison in their recent history). Ryan brought back five beers from his summer trip, and he’s positively giddy to finally share them with Craig. Also, we are on the search for the perfect T-shirt, Ryan stands up for Little Caeser’s pizza, and we’re both kind of mesmerized by the oddities of the South Haven Meijer. 

Beers Reviewed

House Lager (Zwickelbier)

Grisette (with Earl Grey tea)

Current (Pale Ale)

Flora (Foeder-fermented saison w/ elderflower and hibiscus)

Helles Bock

Further expanding our recent slew of city-centric shows, Craig took a brief trip to the Twin Cities area and scored five killer beers from Minneapolis breweries. In addition to learning about weird Minnesota beer laws and Ryan trying to imagine Feather Bowling, Craig snagged an interview with Dan Herman and Tom Berg of Falling Knife Brewing. Also, we consider what it’d take to become a sommelier for pancakes (batterino), aim our gripes at the inventor of ducking autocorrect, and get goofily excited over a sticker. 

Falling Knife Interview (00:47:05 - 00:57:24)

Beers Reviewed

Utepils Brewing Company - Helles (Helles Lager)

La Doña Cervecería - Doña Oscura (Dark Lager)

Modist Brewing Co. - Small Hang Glide (Wheat Pale Ale)

Pryes Brewing - Royal Raspberry Sour (Berliner Weisse w/ raspberry)

Falling Knife Brewing Company - Very Old Painless (Bourbon barrel-aged English Barleywine)

Who says you need a reason to saison? Saison is all the reason you need. On this landmark episode, we again drink five different takes on our favorite style of beer - but we pepper this one with some interviews. You’ll hear from Sarah Flora from Flora Brewing on how she ended up releasing a saison with Chicago’s Pilot Project, in addition to how the art world brought her to be one of the most popular homebrewers on social media. Then we hear from Sway Brewing and Blending’s Matt Sampson on how a side project of a side project ended up releasing exquisite saisons in 16 ounce cans out of Door County, Wisconsin. And Afterthought’s Mike Thorpe phones in briefly to talk about his Revolution collab. As a bonus, you get to listen in as Ryan experiences a beer as he never has before: blasted through his nasal cavities at an extreme rate of propulsion. If that’s not enough, there’s brewery theme parks, heavy bubbles, and a popcorn-based TikTok challenge. It’s episode 450 - something had to explode.

Interview with Sarah Flora - (00:10:11 - 00:23:35)

Interview with Matt Sampson - (00:43:15 - 00:53:37)

Interview with Mike Thorpe - (01:13:44 - 01:15:32)

Beers Reviewed

Flora Brewing/Pilot Project Brewing - Blossom Tonic (Saison w/ tart cherry juice, rosemary, and coriander)

Young Blood Beer Company/Fair State Brewing Cooperative - Death, Taxes, and 1-94 Construction (Dry-hopped Belgian-style saison)

Sway Brewing + Blending - A Lovely Place to Be (Foeder-fermented mixed-culture spelt saison)

Seedz Brewery - Green Bottle Saison (Whole leaf hoppy saison)

Revolution Brewing Company/Afterthought Brewing - Foreknowledge (Dry-hopped saison)

For our 29th State Show in our decade-long intermittent series, Craig’s travels reward us with beers from one of the great beer states in the nation: Oregon. This impressive lineup of five different styles from five breweries put this one high on our all-time State Show list, and our rankings are more difficult than ever. Also, Craig learns the hard way about Oregon’s gas-pumping law; Ryan is the reluctant IBU expert; and we play a location name game of “Oregon or Oregoff?” 

Beers Reviewed

Fort George Brewery [Astoria, OR] - Spruce Budd (Spruce Beer)

Von Ebert Brewing [Portland, OR] - Volatile Substance (American IPA)

Wolves & People Farmhouse Brewery [Newberg, OR] - Foothills (Barrel aged saison w/ pineapple sage, szechuan peppercorns, and lemongrass)

Alesong Brewing & Blending [Eugene, OR] - Coconut Rhino Suit (Imperial Milk Stout aged in bourbon barrels w/ toasted coconut)

Pelican Brewing Company [Pacific City, OR] - Mother of All Storms (Barrel-aged English Barleywine)

It’s our job to bring together five local table beers (and deal with Eddie Munster), so we seek to further understand this lighter cousin of saison by talking with Mike Thorpe of Afterthought Brewing about the style and his TableFest™ on September 11th. Also, Ryan finds the perfect work night beer; Craig says the brewery name that makes him squeamish; and we both create the flavor better known as Thunder. The tables are our corn.

Mike Thorpe Interview (00:11:27 - 00:23:10)

Beers Reviewed

Off Color Brewing - Beer For Lightweights

Afterthought Brewing Company - Table: Contessa

Metropolitan Brewing - Micro-Volt

Mikerphone Brewing - On the Table and Dreaming

Sundial Brewing & Blending - Table Chardonnay

BlackStack Brewing has built quite a reputation off of exceptionally well-crafted hazy IPAs, and we have three of them in this lineup to prove it’s true. Craig also managed to find two other styles to help us better understand this five year-old brewery out of St. Paul, MN. You gotta love a show that challenges your expectations of style, and this one reinvigorates some haze appreciation on our part. Also, Craig excitedly recaps his time at the World’s Largest Bouncy Castle; Ryan invokes Patio Dad to gain a new perspective on haze; and we’re a little nostalgic for the Kveik Days of 2019. Also, Google translates into peanut butter, Roll Your Own Ham nights, and (heavy sigh) Critical Meat Theory. 

Beers Reviewed 

Giving Trees (Mixed culture foeder-fermented Berliner Weisse w/ apple cider, cinnamon, granola, and brown sugar)

DDH 755: HBC 586 (NEIPA)

Kveik 755 (NEIPA)

Trust the Process (DDH DIPA)

Maximum Drip (Milk stout w/ coffee)

Unlike a usual episode where we rub our fuzzy faces and gaze at our navels, this peach beer show comes with a twist. Certainly we review five local beers under a shared theme of “beer with peaches,” but we also foray into a dice-rolling RPG-style podcast with a whole game based around a popular mustachioed video game character (who is not Mike Haggar from Final Fight…sorry). Fortunately, the beers are much better than Ryan’s dice rolls, and Craig’s playing like he has a GameShark. Also, we talk about what Spirit Halloween does in the offseason, imagine other fruit-based mascots, and get some trivia on these five breweries to help move the game along. 

Beers Reviewed

Goose Island Beer Co. - Sounds Queer, I’m In (Wheat ale w/ peaches & natural peach flavor)

Phase Three Brewing - Raw: Passion Fruit// Peach (Wheat ale w/ passionfruit and peach)

Around the Bend Beer Company - Vivian (Pistachio cream ale w/ peaches)

Pipeworks Brewing Company - Ride the Gnar (Sour ale w/ peach and white grape)

Hopewell Brewing Co. - Fun Facts (Wild Ale w/ peach and black tea)

Known as Beervana for a reason, Portland, Oregon is maybe the premier beer destination city in the United States. Summer Craig recently spent some time getting to know the beers of the Pacific Northwest, and he got some help from accomplished beer writer Jeff Alworth. The Beer Bible author gives us the story of Portland’s beer proclivities and how they don’t always follow the national trends. Also, Jeff gives us good Portland beer history, explains how the hazy trend might’ve actually started out west, and tells us whether or not “smoothie sours” made it into the recent reprinting of his book. We also review five stellar beers from Portland breweries, yell stuff at HackerMan, conceptualize Inkblot Brewing, and try to solve a beer snob mystery.

Jeff Alworth Interview (00:14:58 - 00:51:24)

Beers Reviewed

Breakside Brewery w/ Barley Brown’s Beer - WanderJack (American IPA)

Ruse Brewing - Wolves in the Rain (West Coast IPA)

Wayfinder Beer - Original Cold IPA

Little Beast Brewing - Dream State (Foeder-aged Ale w/ strawberries)

Upright Brewing Company - Pathways (Blended saison)

The hefeweizen is a pretty universally appreciated summer beer, and we’ve amazingly never dedicated an entire show to the style. But thankfully a bunch of cool local brewers have put their best non-hoppy hazies in cans for us to consider, as we rise from 5% ABV all the way up to 5.4% ABV in this lineup. Also, we do some summer PD by putting Summer Craig through a SWOT analysis; Ryan has rediscovered his Willi Becher; and we have Hefeweizen Opinions (on HBO). There’s also a game that Ryan’s unfortunately calling Beerdle, and Craig’s wife gets in on the ranking action.

Hefeweizens Reviewed

Revolution Brewing - El Hefe Loco

The Conrad Seipp Brewing Company - Bavarian Hefeweizen

The Hopewell Brewing Co. - Here & There

Roaring Table Brewing Co. - Secret Beach

Maplewood Brewery - Bavarian Dream

Though it may not be many people’s pick for Oregon’s best beer city, it’s hard to ignore the quality beers produced in Bend. From Craig’s trip, we have five diverse beer styles from five different Bend breweries that both impress us with new flavors and stir up some nostalgia. Also, Craig talks about his trip to The Last Blockbuster and quizzes Ryan on related trivia. Plus there’s talk of squirrels drunk off of tree fermenters, a Rule 34 Brewery, imaginary berries, and a desperate plea for someone to take Ryan’s unwanted DVD of the movie “Funny People.” Make it an ABV Chicago night, and we’ll take care of those late fees.

Beers Reviewed

Crux Fermentation Project - Island Pilz (Tropical Pilsner)

Boss Rambler Beer Club - We’ll Do It Cold! (Cold IPA)

The Ale Apothecary - Connor (American Wild Ale aged in Pinot Noir barrels w/ marionberries)

Boneyard Beer - Notorious IPA3 (Triple IPA)

Deschutes Brewery - The Abyss: Coconut (Imperial Stout aged in whiskey barrels w/ roasted coconut flakes, licorice, cherry bark & vanilla beans)

Plunge that hand deep into the slushy depths of that beach-ready cooler and help yourself to a cold and refreshing serving of…lactobacillus, saccharomyces, and brettanomyces?! That’s right - we are packing our coolers with refreshing and fruity mixed culture sour beers from local breweries to bring some new energy to our summer gatherings. These are the kind of tart beers that can only be measured in beach balls, deck chairs, patio lights, and floppy sun hats. Also, we imagine the stories behind memorable commercials and jingles; we identify the most well-rounded brewery in Chicago; Ryan does whatever the labels tell him to do; and Craig knows which fruit is the scariest. 

Beers Reviewed

Is/Was Brewing - Levain Yuzu (Saison fermented in oak w/ mixed culture and yuzu added)

Odious Cellars - Alabaster (Mixed-culture sour w/ white peach, wildflower honey, and vanilla)

Maplewood Brewing Company - Softcore Mutation: Foeder Raspberry (Mixed-culture foeder-aged sour w/ raspberries)

Duneyrr Artisan Fermenta Project - Sauvyn Tropica (Hybrid ale co-fermented with sauvignon blanc grapes, dragon fruit, mango, papaya, and pineapple)

Hopewell Brewing Co. - Neon: Mangosteen Pitaya (Mixed-culture sour w/ mangosteen and pitaya puree)

For almost 30 years, Alan Sprints and his Portland, Oregon brewery Hair of the Dog pioneered American craft beer through some of the earliest barrel-aging experiments and developed potent beers built for aging, creating some of the original “whales” in the process. Once Alan decided to retire and close his legendary brewery in June of 2022, Craig booked a trip to experience Hair of the Dog for a final time and to get Mr. Sprints on the microphone to reflect on his career and look ahead to the joys of retirement. In addition to the interview, we are fortunate to drink through five Hair of the Dog beers and cross off a significant line on our beer bucket lists. We also speculate on the brewery’s actual magical powers, open the oldest beer we’ve had on the show, and play some 1993-based trivia along the way. Thanks again to Alan and his whole crew - all of beer has been made better because of Hair of the Dog.

Alan Sprints Interview (00:07:02 - 00:20:01)

Beers Reviewed

Polka Dot (American IPA)

Doggie Claws: 2012 (American Barleywine)

Matt: 2019 (Strong Ale)

Adam: Batch 102 (Old Ale)

Cherry Adam from the Wood: 2022 (Barrel-aged Old Ale w/ cherries)

The time has finally come to pit the world’s premier saison producing cities - Chicago and Milwaukee, obviously - against one another in an arbitrary competition to determine once and for all whose farmhouses rule the I-94 corridor. We have six saisons, three from each city, going head-to-head in specified categories to help determine a “winner.” Also, we evaluate which candies would make the best breakfast food, Craig’s mundane superpower of ABV-detection, and our desire to drink fancy bathroom beers. 

Beers Reviewed

Round 1: Saisons with Brett

Is/Was Brewing - Spandrel (Saison brewed w/ aged hops, raw spelt, and Brettanomyces)

vs.

Radix Fermentation - Simpler Times: Batch 2 (Brett-conditioned saison)

Round 2: Saisons with Fruit

Keeping Together - Watching the Mind, Watching the Body (Saison w/ Michigan pears, Chaat Masala, and honey)

vs.

1840 Brewing Company - Three Part Harmony (Saison w/ peaches)

Round 3: Barrel-aged Saisons

Afterthought Brewing Company - Biere De Pieces #39 (Blended saison aged in mead and whiskey barrels)

vs.

Supermoon Beer Company - Many Phases: Blend 003 (Blended saison aged in French oak wine barrels)

We’ve long loved Hood River’s Pfriem Family Brewers, and thanks to Craig’s recent travels, we are able to drink through five of their impressive beers. For this one, we experience a wider array of styles, and a few challenge the best of style available locally. Also, we dream of having our own Streisand-like underground malls, we settle into a good butt nook, and we try to forget some bad brut memories. If you’re down with P(friem), then you’re down with me. 

Beers Reviewed

Helles Lager

Sparkling IPA

Druif Blanc (Barrel-aged grape ale)

Rum Barrel-Aged Porter

Bourbon Barrel-Aged Barleywine

Pittsburgh’s Necromancer has just crossed over a year in operation, and we’re already onto our second show featuring only their beers. Why?  Kuit beer is the reason. We catch up with head brewer Lauren Hughes about five of her “Resurrection” releases - beers that were previously “dead” or so obscure that there’s almost no example for comparison’s sake. (Much like our beloved Kuit beer.) She also shares updates on Necromancer’s expansion plans and what in the hell is a Pennsylvania Swankey. Also, we test our innovative snack ideas, battle a little foam gremlin, vape the vase water, and watch as Xander Cage solves global warming. (And shoutout again to Craig’s mom, who picked up all the beers for this show.)

Beers Reviewed

Forbidden Fruit: Mango, Guava, Passionfruit (Smoked sour Lichtenhainer w/ fruit)

Rag And Bone (British Golden Ale)

Parkour (Bière de Printemps)

Münster Mash (Kuit Beer)

Bitter As Death In the Gallows (Merseburger)

No matter how much trends fluctuate, one of the steadiest beers to bank on is the pilsner. Everyone who loves beer loves a great pilsner, and in our opinion, no beer list is complete without one. So we pick five pilsners from five midwestern states to taste through and appreciate while trying very hard to banish the term “drinkable” from the show. Also, Bo Jackson is behind the wheel on the way to our pheasant-hunting trip; we talk about how going to New Glarus is like going to Six Flags; and we evaluate which bubbles make Craig feel happy. 

Beers Reviewed

Fair State Brewing Cooperative [MN] - Superclear (German-style Pilsner)

New Glarus Brewing Company [WI] - 22 Pils (German-style Pilsner)

Noon Whistle Brewing [IL] - Brüski (Czech-style Pilsner)

Moontown Brewing Co. [IN] - Anni IV (American Heirloom Czech Lager)

Seedz Brewery [MI] - Shark Pils (Czech-style Pilsner)

Beers Reviewed

Mikerphone Brewing - Sir Blends A-Lot [Blend #2] (Blend of barrel-aged imperial stouts)

More Brewing Company - Mehndi Special Reserve 2022 (Imperial stout aged in Old Rip Van Winkle 10 year bourbon barrels)

Half Acre Beer Company - Double Barrel Benthic (Imperial stout w/ coconut and cinnamon, aged in Willet/Heaven Hill bourbon barrels and apple brandy barrels)

Werk Force Brewing Company - Cowabungus Chungus (Double barrel-aged imperial pastry stout w/ coconut, vanilla, and cacao nibs)

Based in Madison, Wisconsin, Giant Jones is a woman-run, certified organic brewery specializing in big beers and obscure styles - a few of which are completely new to us. So we have on co-owner and brewer Jessica Jones to talk about how Giant Jones gets creative within the limits of organic ingredients, why some of their signature beers were born somewhat accidentally, and how they’ve evolved from their origins as a barleywine brewery. We also review five beers that each surprise and impress us - which serves as a distraction to how drunk they actually make us in the end. We also celebrate the return of Summer Craig and suffer angular smelling-related injuries. 

Jessica Jones Interview (00:07:42 - 00:51:13)

Beers Reviewed

English Style International Pale Ale

Pale Weizenbock

Grand Porter

Burton Ale

Kaves

Established in 1998, Kuhnhenn remembers a simpler time for craft beer. But Kuhnhenn also remembers that there were big and flavorful beers done differently - to emphasize style while also honoring drinkability - in the early part of the 21st century. This lineup of five beers from the Detroit suburb-housed brewery gives us a lot of nostalgia while finding a way to keep up with some of the big flavors of today. Also, we explore the relationship between sandwich size and happiness, get our drippiest Gwar masks ready for TikTok, and get disturbed by innocuous words. Kuhnhenn remembers.

Beers Reviewed

Saucy Minx (Extra Special Bitter)

Kuhnieweizen (Hefeweizen)

Imperial Crème Brûlée Java Stout

DRIPA (Double Rice India Pale Ale)

Bourbon Barrel Fourth Dementia (Bourbon Barrel-aged Old Ale)

Hard seltzers are starting to see a bit of a dip in sales, but it’s probably because they’re not all loaded up with chunky fruit and 250-plus calories per can. Last year’s “phenomenon” of the smoothie hard seltzer was kicked off by an offshoot of Ann Arbor’s HOMES Brewery that goes by the name of Smooj. Craig stopped by the Lab (which should really be called the Smoojery) to pick up five slim cans of thick and sludgy hard seltzer for us to review. And because we needed another layer of smoothness, Ryan subjects Craig to a complicated game of identifying Michael McDonald lyrics that has real stakes for the loser. Also, Craig should be the mayor of Hell, Lactose is Easy Mode™, and we drink the Smoovée and a can of what we’re calling SmoojYO. 

Smooj Reviewed

Strawberry Banana

Piña Colada

Tropical Trip

Orange Delight

Cara Cara Cran

Currently operating out of Pilot Project, Azadi Brewing may be small at the moment, but their flavors are big and inspired by ingredients from regions all over India. We talk with co-founders Bhavik Modi and Gator Schrand about their unusual collaborative process that results in a rich lineup of beers that seek to tell a story and educate the consumer about India, Indian food, and Indian communities in Chicago. (They also taste pretty great as well, we might add.) In addition, we learn about how they became featured in prominent Chicago Indian restaurants, how their logo is inspired by the Dabbawala, and when we might expect to see a taproom open. Also, we want in on the Taste Buds trading cards, dream of some perfect food pairings, and get a lesson in the chaotic Craig-style of reviewing things. 

Bhavik and Gator Interview: (00:10:37 - 00:36:33)

Beers Reviewed

Devon (Gose w/ Telicherry black pepper, Himalayan pink salt, and Indian coriander)

Cochin (Lemongrass Saison)

Shimla (Pale Ale w/ Columbus, Centennial, and Cascade hops)

Chopta (Hazy IPA w/ Cascade, Sorachi Ace, and Hallertau Blanc hops)

Hira (Belgian Quad w/ dates)

Malt-forward and flowery, the bock-style lager most made for the Spring season is typically a maibock, though not all breweries embrace the confines of that title. We collect five local bocks made with Spring in mind to help Craig make up his mind about this style that once literally saved a city. We also meet two diabolical breakfast buffet villains, get our minds freaked by food commercial secrets, and start feeling real TOASTY! Shorts and a sweater? A dress and a jean jacket? We’ve got the lager beer pairing for you, lover of Spring weather.

Beers Reviewed

More Brewing Company - Bartlett Maibock

Dovetail Brewery - Maibock

Dutchback Brew Co. - Friar Bok (Lentebok)

Half Acre Beer Company - Spring Bock

Church Street Brewing Company - Magisterium (Maibock)

One of America’s few original styles also happens to be a commonly misunderstood one. The Cream Ale has no dairy or lactose (much to Craig’s chagrin) but is instead much more similar to the flavorful and easy-drinking Kölsch. We drink through five examples of the style to better grasp its nuances and are once again surprised by the refreshing amount of subtle variation. Also, we discuss the ultimate mind game, foosball, and accidentally give the ice cream machine sentience. (And if you’re interested in attending Gathering Place’s Lager & Friends festival in Glendale, Wisconsin on June 4th, go to our Instagram for details on how to win some tickets.)

Cream Ales Reviewed

Midwest Coast Brewing Co. - Three From the Tee

Scout & Scholar Brewing - Kolbier

Mikerphone Brewing - C.R.E.A.M.

Gathering Place Brewing Co. - Midwest Chill

Illuminated Brew Works - Mr. Monk’s Cream Ale

We’ve been summoned to do our civic duty in Haze Court, giving five hazy beers their due process through our arbitrary…arbitration. We’re ready to be convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that we should drop the charges against haze, and sentence our taste buds to about an hour of hop service. Also, we imagine adding a twist to new MLB rules, experience the Mandela Effect with Sir Mix-A-Lot, and try to keep Craig’s Hop Anger Meter below critical. 

Beers Reviewed

Old Nation Brewing Co. - DDH M-43 (Double Dry-Hopped New England-style IPA)

Eagle Park Brewing Co. - Goon Juice (New England-style IPA)

Brothership Brewing - The Arrival (New England-style IPA)

Hop Butcher for the World - Oblong (Double IPA)

Old Irving Brewing Co. & Alarmist Brewing - Beez Jus (DDH Triple IPA)

Beers Reviewed

Czech Pils

O’Beer (Sour w/ passion fruit, blue raspberry, lemon, and vanilla)

Dumpster Cut (Simcoe NEIPA)

Chocolate Covered Cherry Boy (Pastry Sour w/ cherry, cacao nibs, and vanilla)

Barrel Aged Hegemon (Bourbon Barrel-aged Russian Imperial Stout)

Beers Reviewed

Fast Fashion/Keeping Together - Reality is an Atmosphere: Centennial (Belgian Pale Ale)

Civil Society Brewing - Fresh (New England-Style IPA)

J. Wakefield Brewing - K.R.E.A.M. (Berlinner Weisse w/ strawberry, vanilla, and lactose)

Mason Ale Works - Cash (Imperial Coffee Stout)

Cascade Brewing - Primordial Noir (Bourbon barrel-aged imperial red ale w/ cherries and spices)

Well ahead of Derby Day, Craig trotted down to Louisville, Kentucky to check out their beer scene and bring back a five-pack, along with an interview. The range is wide on this one with easy-drinkers to adjunct-crammed sippers all fighting for the top spot in our arbitrary rankings. Also, Craig chats with Andy Cobb from Butchertown to learn about his growing operation, how to determine the right amount of coconut to cram into a stout, and the potential for kung fu showdowns over craft beer. Also, Craig shares some other unique highlights from his Louisville trip, Ryan’s considering restoring a vintage Segway, and we end our boys trip with a friendship-strengthening fist fight.

Andy Cobb from Butchertown interview (00:32:55 - 00:48:41)

Beers Reviewed

Gravely Brewing Co. - La Bamba (Mexican-style Lager)

Mile Wide Beer Company - Army Had A Half Day (West Coast IPA)

Butchertown Brewing - Arise: Coconut (Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels w/ coconut)

Holsopple Brewing - Apricot Pufflefluff (Fruited Sour w/ apricot and marshmallow)

Gallant Fox Brewing Co. - Blue Suede Brews (Peanut Butter Banana Old Ale)

Beers Reviewed

Throwback (Pilsner)

Fad-tastic (NE IPA)

Bellerophon (English Barleywine aged in bourbon barrels)

Bananas Foster Baba Yaga 2022 (Imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels w/ bananas, Tahitian vanilla bean, molasses, and cinnamon)

The Void Sake Co. - Echoes Horchata Nigori (Junmai Nigori Sake w/ vanilla bean and cinnamon)

Inching ever-closer to our Belgian cycle, we finally reach for the Dubbel on this show by drinking the style-originator and several American examples - including one big-time medal winner. With such wide variety on the style that are mostly good in their own way, we try to examine what makes a Dubbel such a beloved style - even when you’re not ingesting gamey meats. Plus, we introduce tickling to the Olympics, put Brendan Fraser and Hugh Grant into a buddy comedy, and explore your body as an intimate landscape. Now’s a good time to remind our donors to “dubbel” their donation. 

Beers Reviewed

Brouwerij der Trappisten van Westmalle - Westmalle Trappist Dubbel

Illuminated Brew Werks - Intimate Landscape

Sketchbook Brewing Co. = Back Alley Abbey 

Temperance Beer Co. - Quotidienne

Vintage Brewing Company - Dedication

Beers Reviewed

Off Color Brewing/Speciation/Native Species Winery - Garamond (Wit Ale fermented in Barolo Foedre then aged on Frontenac Gris grape pomace)

Supermoon Beer Company - Gloe (Mixed Fermentation Saison fermented w/ Brettanomyces in French Oak Barrels with La Crescent White Grapes)

Half Acre Beer Co. - Hot Hot Day (Mixed culture lager w/ Roussanne grapes blended with mixed culture witbier)

Hopewell Brewing Co./Speciation Artisan Ales - Taxon Cycle (Wild Ale w/ Traminette Grapes)

Keeping Together - Creature of Infinite Contradiction (Barrel-aged Saison w/ Cabernet Franc and Merlot grapes)

Sometimes you just gotta say, “What the f***?” and open five cans absolutely crammed full of fruit slurry and let the whole notion of beer just leave your mind. We’re down with the thiccness for this episode, watching our glasses become opaque with a pulpy sludge while measuring the detritus on each glug-glug pour. So while they may not be beer per se, are they fun to drink? Also, we re-examine the days of the week, learn the truth about MC Hammer, develop some can-rolling techniques, and experience THE CHONK. Come on and get fruit stupid with us.

“Beers” Reviewed

BlackStack Brewing - Are You There God? It’s Me, Guava (Triple Guava Smoothie Sour w/ vanilla and lactose)

Energy City Brewing - Bistro Smoothie: Mango Pineapple Banana (Berliner-Style Weisse w/ mango, pineapple, banana, and natural flavor)

Phase Three Brewing Company - Double Nectar: Raspberry, Blackberry, Blueberry (Sour Ale w/ fruit)

More Brewing Company - Peach Cobbler (Fruited Sour Ale w/ peach, vanilla, granola, and milk sugar)

Drekker Brewing Co. - Chonk: Spumoni (Sundae Sour w/ cherry, chocolate ice cream, pistachios, and lactose)

For the third straight year, we return to the type of enormous barrel-aged beers that destroyed us throughout December…and fall in love all over again. This lineup of five is going down in the history books, as they not only compete for rankings on this show but several are also in the very early running for our year-end lists. Complex barrel blends and big adjunct additions go toe-to-toe with our sobriety, and it’s a hell of a way to ring in Craig’s birthday. Speaking of, we wonder about an alternate reality with #SoftCraig, throw out even more Milwaukee love, and contemplate the mysterious CD long box. (Plug in your Game Genie for the Enhanced episode.) 

Beers Reviewed 

Temperance Beer Co. - Might Meets Right: Orange Chocolate 2022 (Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout w/ roasted cacao nibs and dried sweet orange peel)

Private Press Brewing - Cosmic Echoes [Batch  1] (Blend of Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout and Barleywine Ale)

Central Waters Brewing Company - XXIV (Blend of Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stouts)

Triptych Brewing - When Someone Asks If You’re a God (Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels with cocoa nibs, marshmallow, vanilla beans & natural flavor)

Half Acre Beer Company - Triple Barrel Catch Hell (Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout w/ cinnamon and vanilla)

Yeah we know what episode this is, and truthfully, the pressure of somehow delivering The Funny Weed Number Show was too much, leading us to sip on five delicious dark lagers instead. We explore some of the range a “Dark Lager” can have while finding ourselves in a real rankings-based bind. Also, we have run-ins with NBC sitcom doppelgangers in very unexpected places, we ascend (and descend) the flavor mountain, and we discuss if a Cold Black IPA is a thing. And we back our way into a 420-appropriate set of topics like White Castle 1921 burgers, Boston Dunkies, the Hotel Transylvania film series, and just the nastiest NSFW chips you can find. 

Beers Reviewed

Riverlands Brewing Company - Midnight Silence (Schwarzbier)

1840 Brewing Company - Schwarzen Katze (Schwarzbier)

Cellar West Artisan Ales - Metaluna (India Black Lager)

Old Irving Brewing Co. - Lifesblood (Dark Bock Lager)

Pipeworks Brewing Company - Dunkel

Beers Reviewed

Gravedigger Billy (Scotch Ale aged in bourbon barrels)

Straight Jacket (Barleywine Ale aged in bourbon barrels)

Maple Jacket (Barleywine Ale aged in bourbon barrels with maple)

Blackberry Finn (Barleywine Ale double barrel aged in bourbon barrels with blackberries)

Ryeway to Heaven (Rye Ale aged in rye barrels)

V.S.O.R. (Rye Ale aged in rye and bourbon barrels)

Once brewed as a “superbier” to push the limits of ABV in a Belgian Blonde ale, the Tripel has almost a century of history with many American breweries embracing its fruity and spicy barrage. We try five Tripels, including the style standard, to better familiarize ourselves with this Belgian staple - and to help us complete half of our Belgian Beer Cycle. Also, Ryan gives the play-by-play in the 5 year olds basketball class, we sample the newest flavors of Jeez-Its, Craig wants all the brandy barrels, and we brace ourselves for the oncoming onslaught of Fiber-Forward IPAs. 

Beers Reviewed

Brouwerij der Trappisten van Westmalle - Westmalle Trappist Tripel

Une Année Brewery - Tripel

New Glarus Brewing Company - Triple 5

The Church Brew Works - Millenium Tripel

Imperial Oak Brewing - Beermuda Triangle: Peach Brandy BA Tripel w/ peaches

Ushering in our 8th year of the podcast, this anniversary episode is a surprisingly sessionable trip down memory lane. Each host blindly leads the other through three beers of their choosing with the caveat being that all breweries must be Chicagoland local and would have already been open in 2013. Then, there are other connecting themes behind our choices that the other must guess - all while we find ourselves reeling pickled off of a bunch of 5% beers. Also, we decide which restaurants we would actually stay the night at, take drastic measures to put each other at aromatic disadvantages, and nod along to the Tart Suggestion. Pop two quarters in the blast chiller and get your plants out of my butt zone - we’re already looking ahead to the next eight years.

Beers Reviewed Half-Blind (in order of appearance)

Light the Lamp Brewery - Still Single (Belgian Blonde)

Une Année Brewery - Less Is More (Saison w/ oranges)

Horse Thief Hollow Brewing Co. - Little Wing (Pilsner)

Temperance Beer Co. - Smittytown (ESB)

Emmett’s Brewing Co. - Munich Light (Helles Lager)

Off Color Brewing - Scurry (Dark Honey Ale/Kottbusser)

For the past two years, Off Color’s line of Beer For… beers have been a steady source of creative pairings executed immaculately, so we talk with co-founder Dave Bleitner about the project he heads up. Dave shares some of his process for conceptualizing these beers, why it was the right time to do his first ever pale ale (and make it a year-round release), how the label art and merchandising comes about, and why you shouldn’t sleep on a hop pillow for too long. We also drink through five of the Beer For beers while attempting to lure a new sponsor, removing the squeaking from televised basketball, and putting our whole mouths under the butter dispenser. 

Dave Bleitner Interview (00:09:39 - 00:41:46)

Beers Reviewed

Beer For Hoops (Cream Ale w/ peach puree and vanilla beans)

Beer For Movies (Popcorn Kolsch-Style Beer)
Beer For Lounging (American Pale Ale)

Beer For Bathtubs (Belgian-Style Wit w/ citrus, flowers, spices, and epsom salt)

Beer For Bowling (English-Style Session Ale brewed w/ wood)

A sequel to one of our favorite shows of 2021 might seem rushed, but Keeping Together’s time in Chicago is limited. For this one, we drink five more of Averie Swanson’s artful creations in an exercise that honestly feels shamelessly self-indulgent due to how good the beers are. Also, we speculate on a provolone problem, conjure up some Joey Pants, do a sitcom t-shirt reveal, and feel inspired to don windbreakers. Expect a very early contender for beer of the year that we never saw coming. Who says the sequel can’t be better than the original??

Beers Reviewed

Dreaming of a Common Language (Dry-hopped saison w/ Hallertau Tradition, Tettnanger, and Saaz hops)

Everything Glistened and Sparkled (Saison w/ roasted rhubarb, angelica root, and honey)

The Earth Is What We All Have In Common (Bière de Garde w/ roasted chestnuts, dried oranges, and rosemary)

Make Art Not Content (Saison w/ coffee, sage, peach leaves, and honey)

Undulant & Impermanent (Barrel-aged saison w/ maple-roasted carrots and spent Fernet botanicals)

Though our very existence denies it, we love the idea of Dry January - a time when people can re-evaluate their habits around beer and explore more sober and healthy options. But we never really intended on doing this show - not until Ryan got Covid. So to keep this weekly show going amidst that diagnosis, we explore how non-alcoholic beers have come to mimic craft styles much more than they did half a decade ago. Also, Craig needs help with a t-shirt resolution, Ryan’s just grateful he can still smell and taste things, and we find the perfect names for a few yet-to-be-founded NA breweries. Plus we still manage to talk about lactose a bunch.

Beers Reviewed

Big Drop Brewing Co. - Pine Trail Pale Ale

WellBeing Brewing - Hellraiser Dark Amber

Athletic Brewing Company - Free Wave Hazy IPA

Bravus Brewing Company - Oatmeal Dark

Untitled Art - S’mores Dark Brew

The Cold IPA itself is an oxymoron. So is it a hopped-up lager, or a lagered-down IPA? Or is it neither? We speak with Doug Veliky, CFO of Revolution Brewing and industry trend-spotter, about why the Cold IPA could be a legitimate trend, and what could keep it stuck in fermentation. Then we examine the style further by drinking through five local examples, hoping to create our own frame of reference. Additionally, Craig has a new workout plan for 2022, Ryan’s creating the Slow Pour Cold IPA at-home device, and we class it up by talking about all the best smells in craft beer. Let’s have a cold one together, shall we?

Doug Veliky interview (00:06:03 - 00:35:45)

Beers Reviewed

Revolution Brewing - Subz-Hero (Cold IPA)

Phase Three Brewing - Cold Pixel (IPL)

Riverlands Brewing Company - Cold Synergy (Cold IPA)

Maplewood Brewing Company - Cold Chisel (Cold IPA)

Alarmist Brewing - Woodland Chill (Cold IPA)