ABV Chicago Craft Beer Podcast

Here’s hoping that we can talk you out of attending that backyard barbecue by offering up this refreshing bowl of audio fruit salad to help your summer isolation feel a bit more festive. We have five different fruited beers that really span the range from “pleasant fruit accessory” to “chunky berry sludge” - and they honestly succeed in ways we didn’t expect. We plan some totally radical ways to break up illicit social gatherings, please the Tootsie Pop conspiracy theorists, mistake Craig for Instagram, get hostile at Jamba Juice, and eulogize a good blender. Good gorf. 

Beers Reviewed

Haymarket Beer Company - Blood Orange Blonde (Blonde ale w/ blood oranges)

Cruz Blanca Brewery - La Floridita (Sparkling rosé ale w/ hibiscus and passion fruit)

Third Space Brewing - FROG Weiss (Kettle sour w/ fig, raspberry, orange, and ginger)

Trillium Brewing Company - Daily Serving: Raspberry (Berliner weisse w/ raspberry)

More Brewing Company - Frooted 3riberry (“Smoothie ale” w/ blackberry, strawberry, and raspberry)

Direct download: ABV_Chicago_329_Fruit_Salad.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:30am CDT

When you’ve been around as long as Stone, you’re bound to take some lumps. And lumps we have delivered in the past by subjecting Stone beers to undeserved spots on our Torture Test episodes. Thanks to Lizzie at Stone, we are finally able to give the brewery its first proper set of arbitrary reviews, and we only ignore one “enjoy by” date in this episode. The beers on the show are mostly pretty great, but all the talk of redemption arcs has us reflecting on past bad beers. We do a comprehensive reflection on six-and-a-half years of the (subjectively) worst beers we’ve ever had on the show, because, well, we’re quarantined and bored. Craig wants his MTV, Ryan just wants the commercials, and we’re both missing the in-person sexual tension. There’s also talk of slamming pogs, rough pours, ᴁon Flux nightmares, flavor descriptor shirts, and a long-held Eufórqestra grudge. 

Stone Beers Reviewed

Buenaveza (Salt & lime lager)

Notorious P.O.G. (Berliner weisse w/ passion fruit, orange, and guava)

Fear.Movie.Lions (Unfiltered double IPA)

Soaring Dragon (Imperial IPA w/ white tea)

Xocoveza (Imperial milk stout w/ cocoa, coffee, pasilla peppers, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg)

Direct download: ABV_Chicago_328_Stone_Redemption.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:30am CDT

We were already becoming very good at staying home and drinking copious amounts of lager before this whole mess, so it’s only natural that we shelter-in-place with a rich lineup of bottom-fermenting beers.  Featuring six different lager styles from six Midwestern breweries, this episode highlights impressive flavor and mouthfeel variations so we actually, like, have stuff to talk about. Ryan takes unforeseen risks to increase contact with the outside world, Craig ponders, “What is cornbread?”, and we show love for the legend himself Willi Becher. Other topical quarantine talking points include sourdough starter dread, Elon Musk is a douche, 3-word beer reviews, and schwarzbier horniness. 

Beers Reviewed

Pollyanna Brewing Company - Lite Thinking (American Lager)

2nd Shift Brewing - Technical Ecstasy (Czech-style Pilsner)

Kinslahger Brewing Company - Prohibition Pilsner 

Third Space Brewing - La Cocina (Dark Mexican Lager)

Pipeworks Brewing Company - Select Schwarzbier

Maplewood Brewing Company - Gold Noise (Dortmunder-style Lager)

Direct download: ABV_Chicago_327_SIP_Lagers.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:30am CDT

This week, we celebrate the resilience of local breweries and bottle shops that are still finding a way to keep getting hazy IPAs into the begloved fans of the juice. Though not necessarily the most hyped haze producers in the area, the five breweries on this show prove to be absolutely worth your contact-free dollar. We have a rare first-timer on the show, share our drunk online shopping stories, give out orange slices to the whole soccer team, argue best milkshake flavors, and admire Craig’s beach bod. Thicc pale daddies are welcome.

Beers Reviewed

Illuminated Brew Works - Junior Astronaut Juice (DDH IPA)

Foreign Exchange - Foreign Chemistry: Citra & Amarillo (DDH IIPA)

Around the Bend Beer Co. - Lost Words (Hazy IPA)

Marz Community Brewing Co. - Crazy Straws (NE-style IPA)

Riverlands Brewing Company - Gilded King (New England IPA)

Direct download: ABV_Chicago_326_Curbside_Haze.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:30am CDT

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