It’s alright, because it’s Chicago Craft Beer Week! We mark the occasion by drinking six beers from local breweries we’ve never featured before - and we’ve been missing out. We try to give some background on these breweries, but our “research” has truly reached a new low. There’s also talk of marketing angles, bleach lambics, bomber fatigue, skateboarding orphans, noisy dick, head nipples, dweebs, geeks, and ladders. Ryan reviews the many name changes that some of the these breweries have made, and Craig files his Beer Under Glass report.

Beers Reviewed:

Around the Bend Beer Co. - Ghost of ‘lectricity Kolsch

Motor Row Brewing - New Phenix Lager

Alarmist Brewing - Phobophobia Patersbier

Maplewood Brewing - Crushinator Session IPA

Hop Butcher For The World - Watch for Falling Coconuts Tropical Pale Ale

Illuminated Brew Works - Kallisti Golden Ale

Local Bands/Artists Featured:

Blizzard Babies, Meat Wave, Twin Peaks, The Brokedowns, Yoko and the Oh Nos, Lil Tits, Chance the Rapper

Sometimes the show is about what we don’t drink, and on this one, we have No IPAs. It’s really just a cute name for a random beer show we recorded while already drunk late on a Friday. There are five beers from a few locals and a few others, and at least for some, we’re happy we didn’t say “No” to them. And hopefully you won’t refuse us as we sloppily pitch movies, scrutinize our own similes, and visit Pen Island. We also find one of the best deals in beer currently. There’s also about four minutes of the drunkest blather Ryan has ever not edited from the show at the end. Go ahead and listen - we’ll just be over here, covering our NIPAs.

Beers Reviewed

Une Anneé Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien (American Wild Ale w/ lime zest & dry-hopped w/Citra)

Sketchbook Turbulence (Imperial Stout)

Lindemans Oude Kriek Cuveé René (Kriek Lambic)

Blue Island Beer Co. Lost Weekend (Barleywine)

Central Waters Cassian Sunset (Bourbon Barrel-Aged Stout w/coffee, vanilla, & cinnamon)

Other Half Brewing is the latest small East Coast operation churning out heavily-hopped (and hyped) beers that are increasingly in demand. We scrutinize five of these Brooklyn-born ales on this show, trying to determine if their growing reputation is well-deserved. And because it’s us, we also do some “NBA Jam” trivia, drink Sea Monkeys, ruminate on JNCO jeans, and stick our fingers in beer. We also respond to a few listeners and acknowledge our almost aggressive lack of hipness. Boom shakalaka.

Beers Reviewed:

Forever Ever (Session IPA)

Hop Showers (IPA)

All Citra Everything (DIPA)

Green Diamonds (DIPA)

Peachwood-Aged (Sour farmhouse w/peaches)

At the foot of the Appalachian mountains just outside of Asheville, Fonta Flora embraces local ingredients while honoring the history of a flooded sharecropping community. For some reason, reviewing four of their beers brings out our feisty side - and the most violent reaction to a beer we’ve ever had. We hope you also want to hear about Spanish Yoda, Craig’s cartoon hands, a little spooning, Byron Allen, sharecropping, and Nazi Fanta. The apology list might be long on this one. But at least most of the beers were good.

Beers Reviewed

Sun Gold Appalachian Grisette

Land Trust Appalachian Apple Saison

Vestige Bloom Wild Ale (aged in wine barrels w/kiwi)

Sal De Gusano Imperial Stout (aged in Mezcal barrels with sea salt & cacao)