ABV Chicago Craft Beer Podcast

Some might say that using lactose is antithetical to good beer, but there's some distinct purpose in using milk sugar in certain beers despite it causing all us 40-and-ups some real tummy troubles. For this episode, we try four lactose-enhanced beers to see how it impacts mouthfeel and sweetness, and we are a little surprised by the all-bangers lineup that results. But also, Craig's got a new dog-walking mystery, we're trying to find the right pairing for meat crepes, Ryan's SNL audition was a little one-note, and we're popping those bungs through the ceiling with some Lemon Milk™. Beers Reviewed Hop Butcher for the World - Blazed Orange Milkshake (IPA w/ oranges, vanilla, and lactose) Pipeworks Brewing Company - Cow vs. Unicorn (Double IPA w/ lactose) The Explorium Brewpub - Carver's Peanut Butter Stout (Imperial stout w/ peanuts, chocolate, and lactose) More Brewing Co. - Rye Tide (Rye milk stout w/ lactose aged in rye whiskey barrels)

Back from a brief IPA supply-based hiatus, we resume our quest to review and rank as many long-tenured and well-regarded flagship IPAs as possible - and this ragtag bunch is adding some unexpected twists to the results. Acquired while in Wisconsin, these five IPAs span the map and keep us guessing long past the end of the episode. Also, we continue our secondary purpose of being a CostCo podcast by talking about large backyard games; Craig's story about running into a bike is slightly exaggerated; and you get the pleasure of experiencing a blind show where the more convinced we get, the wronger we become. Beers Reviewed 3 Sheeps Brewing - Waterslides Odell Brewing Co. - IPA 4 Hands Brewing Company - Incarnation IPA Terrapin Beer Company - Hopsecutioner Lakefront Brewery - IPA

After a few months of recovery from Barrel-Aged December, we're back in the wood groove with four big beers from a Mt. Rushmore of Chicago's best breweries. Two stouts and two barleywines make the lineup here, and we're going to get a little extra sticky for the end-of-show cuvée. Also, Craig is ready to help someone discover the wonders of magnets; Ryan is angling for a little promotion bonus from a big streamer; we finally talk about that big local craft beer merger; and we are surprised by the shots being poured at Dave & Busters. Beers Reviewed Half Acre Beer Co. (w/ The Bruery) - Blue Morning (Bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout w/ blueberries, maple syrup, and vanilla) Maplewood Brewing Company - Barrel-Aged Cuppa Neat: WT15 (Imperial stout aged in Wild Turkey 15 barrels) Revolution Brewing - Peach Brandy Barrel D.B.V.S.O.J. (Barleywine aged in bourbon, rum, and peach brandy barrels) Old Irving Brewing Co. - 28 Months Later (Barleywine aged in bourbon barrels)

We can't overstate the importance of the Amber beer on early craft beer culture, as just about any brewpub worth its malt back then would have a shaker pint of a rusty red-ish ale or lager ready to pour at all times. But is it possible that ambers are back? Either way, they're back in our glasses in a major way with this downright impressive lineup that teaches us how to love again. Also, we are wondering why so many comedy sequels are forgettable; Craig has been holding out on his impressive flavor descriptors until now; and Ryan would've been insufferable if he'd discovered barleywines in high school. Call the Amber-lance - there's no dim, red floppers to be found here. Beers Reviewed Phase Three Brewing Company - P3 Amber (Amber Ale) Pollyanna Brewing Company - Amber Pines (Amber Ale) New Glarus Brewing Company - Tailwagger Amber (Amber Ale) Hopewell Brewing Co. - Shaker (Amber Ale) Supermoon Beer Company - Commonbier (Amber "Steam"-style Lager)

Knoxville's Xul Beer Company first opened their taproom in 2020, and in under six years they've made a big name for themselves mostly on the back of their PB&J sour beer series. Craig had a chance to visit the taproom on PB&J Mixtape Day, and managed to catch co-founders Brad West and Seth Thacker for a quick interview. Then we sample a lineup of their most-loved beers, including a lineup of PB&J variants that lead to Ryan's atomic dream cuvée. Also, Craig faces down a food-based disappointment, Ryan shouldn't be huffing toys, and we both are brought back to a time when beer was fun. Brad West & Seth Thacker Interview (0:08:50 - 0:18:41) Beers Reviewed Toro y Oso (Mexican-style Lager) Paper Crowns (Hazy IPA) PB&J Mixtape (Gluten-free Sour w/ peanut butter & Concord grape) PB&J Mixtape: Strawberry (Gluten-free Sour w/ peanut butter & strawberry) Fit For A King (Gluten-free Sour w/ peanut butter & banana)

When a batch of out-of-state breweries start showing up on local shelves, it doesn't get us as "hot" as it used to - but there's no shortage of warm and happy feelings with this lineup of five that'll make your next trip to the bottle shop hit different. We drink a variety of styles from some mostly familiar non-local names, and at least one of us is struggling not to put every single beer at the top of their rankings. Also, Craig needs to know more about the struggle of refried beans (or really anything that'll increase his food I.Q.); Ryan's throwing down those youth pastor vibes; and we are both ready for the Extreme Mild.  Beers Reviewed Forest + Main Brewing Company & Human Robot - Fellow (Mild) Outer Range Brewing Co. - Cool Cool (American Lager) Bottle Logic Brewing - Recursion (West Coast IPA) Supermoon Beer Company - Yesteryiers (Red Rye IPA) New Image Brewing - Penjamin Danklin (Double Red IPA)

A proper British Bitter actually exists on a spectrum of Ordinary, Best, and Strong - or as we mostly know them in the U.S., Extra Special. We try to make sense of this moving target of a style by trying five pretty varied examples - and yes, some are very special. Also, we appeal to the Girl Scout Cookie subreddit by testing out a Thin Mint theory; we're only a little worried about boat rot; and we wait a full 20 minutes before bringing up Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. Beers Reviewed Greene King - Morland Old Speckled Hen Goose Island Beer Co. - Honkers Ale Noon Whistle Brewing - NWB ESB Off Color Brewing - Beer For Bowling 3 Floyds Brewing - Lord Rear Admiral  

When you spend any amount of time in Wisconsin, you'd better leave room in your trunk for a whole lot of delicious beer - and that's exactly what Craig did on a recent stop in Madison. We throw caution and care to the WI-nd, as we open five beers from New Glarus and Madison's Working Draft with a range of styles that all do what we'd hope for - and better. Also, Craig accidentally stumbles into some stolen valor thanks to some brewery apparel; Ryan's ready to whip up that Matzo Ball Soup Sorachi Ace beer; some beers get poked that should never have been poked; and one host discovers that his jowls are not where he thought they were. Beers Reviewed New Glarus Brewing Company - Coffee Stout New Glarus Brewing Company - Back 40 (Bock) Working Draft Beer Company - Serpent's Blood (Irish Dry Stout) Working Draft Beer Company - Hello, My Name Is: Simcoe (IPA) Working Draft Beer Company - Defrostinator (Maibock)  

Though beer has long lived in wine's shadow as a prestige drink, it can do an impressive job of borrowing flavors or even mimicking them from the grape-based beverage. We open four very different takes on wine-inspired beers, some that have aged gracefully, and some that go places with styles in a way we haven't experienced. Also, Craig discovers a new innovation in frozen pizza technology; we re-examine the arch of sour programs in the U.S. over the last decade; Ryan's trying his hand at being a Zoom-based magician; and we try to avoid the crash of flabby sweetness. Beers Reviewed Maplewood Brewing Company - Softcore Mutation: Foeder Pinot Noir 2022 (Mixed culture sour aged in oak foeders w/ Pinot Noir grapes) Mikerphone Brewing Company - Red Grape Supernova (Italian Red Wine Sangria-inspired fruited sour w/ Italian Sangiovese grape juice, Sicilian lemon puree, and tangerine puree) New Glarus Brewing Company - Champ Du Blanc 2023 (Bière de Champagne spontaneously aged in oak on white grapes) Half Acre Beer Company - Bazalt Wilderness of History (Double Barrel Barleywine aged in bourbon barrels & finished in Tokaji wine barrels)  

In a time before hazy, there once was the Double IPA: malty, boozy, bold, and bitter. While some trends suggest the days of haze are a bit behind us, will we see a resurgence of the old school DIPAs of yesteryear? Or will it just be more of the same pale and fruity modern "West Coast" versions? We drink five classic examples that we hope separate themselves from the current trends, and find that some hit that nostalgic target just right. Also, Craig faces a hospital TV dilemma; we remember when breweries kept hop recipes a secret; and Ryan needs a big train beer just for himself.  Double IPAs Reviewed Dogfish Head Brewery - 90 Minute IPA Bell's Brewery - HopSlam Pipeworks Brewing - Ninja vs. Unicorn 3 Floyds Brewing - Arctic Panzer Wolf Great Lakes Brewing Company - Chillwave  

We know from various beer festivals that Ohio has a pretty incredible craft beer scene, and this show courtesy of listener Ryan Lamb focuses on Cincinnati beers that take it easy on the ABV. We try six beers from three different breweries - including one now-closed legend - and find ourselves mapping out a road trip by the end of the episode. We also get our minds (and appetites) freaked by the Criss Angel Breakfast Lunch and Pizza (CABLP) menu, comment on those Arnold Palmer rumors, appreciate the art of the subtle pastry, and try not to lose that grain feeling.  Beers Reviewed Listermann Brewing Company - Losantiville Pre-Prohibition Lager Sonder Brewing - Voss (Kölsch) Sonder Brewing - Divot (Lemonade & Iced Tea Ale) MadTree Brewing Company - Legendary Lager MadTree Brewing Company - Queen City Pale Ale MadTree Brewing Company - Dreamsicle (Orange & Vanilla Ale)  

Being stuck in the winter that will never end isn't so bad when you've got some dark and roasty beers, so for this show we get five different dark styles from some of our local favorites to warm us up. This set of nourishing beers has us wishing for a hot pokin' while considering our blanket fort construction tactics. Also, we try to decide on two arcade cabinets for our own imaginary pizza joints; Ryan's not afraid to throw some things during playground basketball; and Craig imagines a glass girthier than has ever been.  Beers Reviewed Brother Chimp Brewing - Novia (Schwarzbier) Goldfinger Brewing Company - Chela Negra (Dark Mexican Lager) Flipside Brewing - Blanket Fort (Oatmeal Stout) Dovetail Brewery - Czech-Style Dark Lager Blind Corner Brewery - Boreal Dawn (Black IPA)  

The painful reality of 2026 craft beer is seeing great breweries make the decision to close, and this episode is a tribute to two of those that we admired greatly: Miskatonic and Alarmist. We drink up three beers from each brewery as a way to show appreciation to their contributions to Illinois craft beer - and for making all those weird styles that helped us plan many a podcast episode. In addition to sharing some nostalgia to help us reckon with these huge losses, we also talk about why the roller rink is so dangerous; we briefly join the Lace Gang; and Craig's looking for lactose and cosplaying a milkman. Cheers to over a decade of great beers courtesy of the fine folks at Miskatonic and Alarmist - your beers (and taprooms) will be sincerely missed.  Miskatonic Brewing - Vox Pilsner (German-Style Pilsner) Miskatonic Brewing - West Coast Wizard (West Coast-Style IPA) Miskatonic Brewing - Goblin Couch (Smoked Porter) Alarmist Brewing - Crispy Boy (German-Style Pilsner) Alarmist Brewing - Le Jus (Hazy IPA) Alarmist Brewing (w/ Old Irving Brewing) - Runemaster (Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout)  

The West Coast is still best when it comes to hoppy beers, and this episode provided to us by listener, Patreon supporter, and Californian Dave Adams has us considering the past and future of hops through a variety of IPA styles. Recorded back on Halloween in 2025, the only thing spooky about these five breweries' beers is just how quickly they decimate our sobriety. Also, Ryan's found a new hill to die on that involves Bruce Springsteen and jorts; Craig tries (and fails) to guess the number of locations each of these breweries operate; and we are inspired to establish Pellets & Cones Brewing (a subsidiary of Schwimmer Vintage Ales) - now hiring. Beers Reviewed Societe Brewing Company - The Coachman (Session IPA) Pure Project Brewing - Noc-Turtle (Murky IPA) North Park Beer Company - Stratacadabra (West Coast IPA) Pizza Port Brewing Company - Mongo (Double IPA) Duck Foot Brewing - Duckzilla (White Double IPA)  

To close out the most recent season of Revolution's Deep Wood series, we have quite an array of barrels in this foursome that - once again - has us smitten. With two 12-ounce cans and two big old pipes, we're staring down a blend for the ages once we can successfully reckon with our arbitrary rankings. Also, we're looking to get deep into the Bread Rave scene; Ryan's going to piss off a lot of folks in the cognac Facebook group; and Craig dons a new persona (and an old hat) to stir things up. We're going to need our moms to pick us up after this one. Beers Reviewed Dethurana (Imperial stout aged in bourbon and Amburana barrels) Mineshaft Gap (Barleywine aged in Cognac barrels) Sur Lie [collaboration with Surly Brewing] (Imperial stout aged in bourbon and red wine barrels) Barleywinery D.B.X.O.J. La Cerise (Barleywine aged in bourbon and French cherry liqueur barrels)  

We're celebrating a dozen years of providing our arbitrary craft beer opinions through a half-blind episode focused on six different styles (out of a possible twelve) that include both long-made stalwarts and brand-new (to us) Chicago brews. Craig and Ryan try to guess each other's blind beers while also attempting to solve some hidden themes - with some surprising results. Also, we hold our first ever Cheese Draft (vote in the comments of our social media posts, please!); we say hello to 10 Sack Craig; and we relive memories of infected beers we drank for the podcast. Thanks for listening and helping us get to 12 years. Beers Reviewed, Half-Blindly Crushed by Giants/DryHop Brewers - Patio Padre (Mexican-style Lager) Brasserie Dupont - Saison Dupont Adams Street Brewery - Open Czech (Czech-style Pilsner) Revolution Brewing - Eugene (Porter) Burning Bush Brewery - Broken Pillar w/ Raspberry (Imperial Chocoalte Milk Stout w/ raspberries) Central Water Brewing Co. - Brewers' Reserve Bourbon Barrel Stout   

Compared to the pace at which Hop Butcher releases IPAs, their barrel-aged offerings might as well be Halley's Comet. But when they do release a big beer aged in barrels, it's absolutely worth tracking down, just like the four beers on this episode. We continue our Barrel-Aged Winter with these Hop Butcher for the World beers that saw limited release from their taproom over the last year or so and try not to get yelled at by bourbon Facebook groups in the process. Also, we consider walking a mile in condiment shoes; Craig somehow still has faith in ice cream beers; and Ryan's on the lookout for a Beefy Boy. Beers Reviewed Lincoln Anniversary Stout II (Applewood Rye & Bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout) Lost In The Tropics (Rum, Banana Mead, & Bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout w/ toasted coconut, Madagascar vanilla and pineapple soft serve) Resplendence (Barleywine aged in Old Rip Van Winkle bourbon barrels) Lincoln Anniversary Stout III (Double Barrel bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout)  

We settle for no less than the best when it comes to choosing beers for our semi-regular hop roundups, and these five locals more than rise to the occasion. With our white gloves on, we're sampling some of the finest hops known to man, and sometimes we're surprised where we find the bitterness (or don't). Also, Craig needs grocery store advice, we touch on a brewery location rumor, Ryan's got some hot tips on curds (and nugs), and we both know now that we should've gone thick cut. Beers Reviewed Saint Errant Brewing - Lonely Negatives (West Coast IPA) Maplewood Brewing Company & Breakside Brewing - Wave Pool (West Coast IPA) Foreign Exchange - Keeping Secrets (Hazy Double IPA) Hop Butcher for the World & Madame ZuZus - Twilight to Starlight (Hazy Double IPA w/ tea) Suncatcher Brewing - Suncatcher ONE (Double IPA)  

Aging beer or spirits in the wood from the Amburana cearensis tree native to South America can add noticeable cinnamon spice and vanilla - and brewers have been more than happy to experiment when they can find (and afford) a barrel. But FDA regulations keep Amburana-aged beers in some sort of weird limbo for competitions, so we tap our good friend and guest expert Neil Fisher from Colorado's WeldWerks to drop in and school us on this Amburana-factoid. Then for the rest of the show, we just get our socks completely blown through our shoes by this lineup of 4 beers of various ages. Plus, Craig reminds Ryan of his very few strengths, we pick sides in the train versus boat debate, we dig up an early podcast slogan for appropriate use, and Craig has an interesting relationship with his DreamCast that takes things off the rails a bit. Neil Fisher Interview (00:09:45 - 00:17:02) Beers Reviewed Foreign Exchange - Back to the Start (Amburana wood-aged English Brown Ale) Half Acre Beer Company - Uakari (Imperial stout aged in bourbon, apple brandy, and Amburana barrels with Madagascar vanilla) Revolution Brewing - 15 Year Beer Cherry Amburana (Barleywine aged in bourbon and Amburana barrels with cherries) Mikerphone Brewing - One Hit Wonder #3 (Double barrel-aged triple mash imperial stout aged in bourbon and Amburana barrels)  

For the first time in Barrel-Aged December history, we have a whole show of gin barrel-aged beers - and we'll tell you why that's something of a rarity. With an all-star lineup of breweries, nothing here is a letdown - but there are still plenty of flavor surprises to be had. Also, we're drawing up some jukebox strategies given unforeseen circumstances; we're ready to bring back the horse blanket; and we're letting the gin make us more poetic. And then there's the introduction of GinBot 3000, the worst character we've ever created.  Beers Reviewed Afterthought Brewing - Bière de Pieces #50 (Blend of saisons aged in neutral oak and gin barrels) is/was brewing - Tree Tipper Aged in Gin Barrels [2024] (Saison w/ spruce tips & honey aged in gin barrels) Third Space Brewing - Gin Barrel-Aged Cranberry Gose Werk Force Brewing Company - Gin Barrel-Aged Farmhouse Vultures (Saison aged in gin barrels) Supermoon Beer Company - Gin Barrel Sensitive King (Belgian-style Tripel aged in gin barrels)  

We're hot on the case of the Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beers 2025's best medal recipients (that we have access to), and we'll solve the mystery of whether or not the gold medal winner in this bunch will actually top our rankings. For this year's roundup of decorated beers, we run the Specialty/Experimental category and throw in a bonus beefy adjunct stout for fun. But also, we're wondering what we can learn from the Lyric Opera Detectives to become Dicks at FoBAB; we run through all sorts of FoBAB By-The-Numbers breakdowns from this year' results; we recap some Fantasy FoBAB results; and we're angling hard for our chance to judge certain FoBAB categories next year.  Beers Reviewed Lakefront Brewery - Brandy Barrel-Aged Pumpkin Imperial Ale [Bronze in Specialty/Expermental] Cruz Blanca Brewery - La Dama Catrina (Barleywine aged in bourbon barrels w/ Mexican cocoa, ancho chiles, Mexican vanilla, and canela) [Silver in Specialty/Experimenta] Black Horizon Brewing - From Earth to You (Gin barrel-aged Mexican lager w/ hibiscus, rosehips, and orange peel) [Gold in Specialty/Experimental] Old Irving Brewing - Barrel-Aged Champurrado Coffee Krampus (Bourbon barrel-aged Imperial stout w/ vanilla, cocoa nibs, Saigon cinnamon, Hexe coffee, and chilis) [Bronze in Specialty Strong Porter/Stout]  

Taking a break from our usual Barrel-Aged December, we round up five festive beers that'll help make the holidays go down a lot easier. We span styles to appreciate the mostly-local lineup and their different seasonal inspirations while narrowing down our picks for what to bring to that work holiday party or extended family gathering. Also, we're learning language from musicians, we find a beer more rare than King Henry II, Ryan's inventing the next red hot beer gift, and Craig becomes a sometimes-seasonal Beer'd Al. Beers Reviewed Goldfinger Brewing - Winter Beer (Rye Lager) Art History Brewing - Wenceslas (Bohemian-Style Dark Lager) Hop Butcher for the World - Holiday Train (IPA w/ Rooibos tea, ginger, cinnamon, almonds, pistachios, and orange peel) Brouwerij St.Bernardus - Christmas Ale (Winter Ale) Pipeworks Brewing Company - Rudolph vs. Unicorn (Imperial Stout w/ peppermint, vanilla, cacao nibs, and lactose)  

Two things are absolutely certain when it comes to Revolution's yearly Deep Wood releases: one is that all the beers are going to be slightly varying levels of excellent, and the second is that we will find any excuse to drink them for the podcast. For this round of releases, a few old favorites return alongside the steadiest barleywine currently released, plus a new variant enters the fold as one of the best we've had yet. But also, we explore some surprising examples of the younger generation's borrowed nostalgia; we enter the fantasy factory for future Deep Wood releases; and our spirits ignorance is showing. My hat is like a shark's fin.  Beers Reviewed Gravedigger Billy (Scotch Ale aged in bourbon barrels) Apple Brandy Barrel Ryeway (Rye Ale aged in apple brandy barrels) Straight Jacket (Barleywine aged in bourbon barrels) Rum V.S.O.J. (Barleywine aged in rum barrels)  

Just in time for another Black Friday, we sat down with our good friend Ryan Tracy at his Beer on the Wall shop out in Elmhurst to sample through this year's somewhat uninspiring (but very well made) Goose Island Bourbon County Stout lineup. We ponder what's missing this year while also recognizing where the barrels are doing the heavy lifting, the impressive use of nuts (now that we're fully in the NutZone), and a surprising lean towards more subtlety than expected. Also, Craig is almost literally exuding Red Vines, we finally are pandering to the 10 year olds, Ryan is a surprising defender of a much-maligned Prop, and we take a little time to address the bear in the room. This is premium boxed content - and it all leads to our inevitable trip to Bourbon Country.  2025 Beers Reviewed Bourbon County Brand Original Stout Bourbon County Brand Reserve Stout Bourbon County Brand Double Barrel Stout Bourbon County Brand Cherries Jubilee Stout Bourbon County Brand Chocolate Praline Stout Bourbon County Brand Proprietor's Stout  

This episode is a tribute to the great 1840 Brewing out of Milwaukee and a celebration of the beers and memories they made during their years of operation.  If you can help the Vetter family during this period of unimaginable grief, please consider donating to the GoFundMe that has been established in Stephanie's memory: https://gofund.me/b54fb2f25 Beers Tasted Saaziwaka (Table Beer w/ Saaz and Riwaka hops) TBD (Dry-hopped Saison) Muumuu (Milk Stout) Sea Foam [2020] (Sour Ale w/ pineapple, passion fruit, blue spirulina, and lactose)  

The latest installment in our journey to discover America's best IPA, we're going coast-to-coast for a pretty special lineup that'll help us further define what makes an IPA both an "all star" and, uh, "very good." We're getting pretty good at this guessing thing, and we might have the first IPA in this series that loses points in the appearance category. Also, we are pushing hard for an all Pure Moods stage at Riot Fest, we are haunted by that ridiculous thumb, and we want to know if a slice from Sbarro will fit in a Jnco jean pocket.   Beers Reviewed Blindly   Russian River Brewing - Blind Pig Goose Island Beer Co. - IPA The Alchemist - Focal Banger Lawson's Finest Liquids - Sip of Sunshine Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. - Celebration  

At the tail end of summer, we recorded this little gem when we knew we'd need it most to help keep us thinking warm thoughts as the temperature falls faster than the leaves. When our friend Aaron Keefner was in town, he dropped a heavy case of Pittsburgh goodies on us, and we use this episode to sip through an exciting lineup of lagers and hops. Also, Craig has found the perfect exclusive club for a first date (and bulk goods), Ryan wants to see a brewery who is dedicated to kicking ass, and we'll take that time machine straight back to a Wendy's SuperBar. Beers Reviewed Coven Brewing - River Knight (Lager) Coven Brewing - Honed Blade (Pale Ale) Dancing Gnome - West Coast Lustra (IPA) Grist House Craft Brewery - Technicolor Treetops (New England IPA) Lolev Beer - Prismatic (IPA)  

The barrel storm that is Revolution's Deep Wood series rages on throughout the Fall and Winter months, so we're catching up on the last release of their Deth's Tar stout and its variants - and this year's batch is better than they've ever been. We try to place these in the context of past years' releases and try not to overanalyze the calculated magic that comes out of Rev's barrels. But also, we are living for Dumpkin Spice season, we try to name a Skele-Boy, and we're sorry for all the talk about…well, you'll figure it out.  Beers Reviewed 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) Vanilla Deth (Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels w/ vanilla) Cocoa Vanilla Deth (Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels w/ cocoa and vanilla)  

Unnecessarily crammed with junk, this year's spooky six-pack is an adjunct party that no one ever wanted to be invited to, as we're on to our ninth iteration of the infamous Torture Test. We both try to outdo one another by attacking our flavor weaknesses - or just finding straight-up old catastrophes of beers that were probably never good in the first place. The goal is to avoid the Cuvée of Doom, but we can't avoid descriptors like "rancid piña colada," "wet basement cardboard," dirty old pennies," "liquified grandma's candy," and "diet medicine." But also, you can find out what keeps Ryan awake at night, and Craig realizes he can't coast on last year's domination anymore. (Thanks to Joe for helping wreck our night by providing one of the beers!) Beers Endured 450 North Brewing Company - Jellied Pumpkin Swirl (Sour DIPA w/ pumpkin, pumpkin pie, pralines, vanilla & vanilla soft serve) Stone Brewing/Bear Republic/Fat Head's - TBA [2012] (Extra hoppy brown ale w/ molasses and brown sugar) Energy City Brewing - Mango'Rine Sorbet IPA (Sour NEIPA w/ mango & tangerine puree) DESTIHL Brewery - Spicy Pickle Sour Beer (Gose with spicy pickle brine) O'Fallon Brewery - Salted Caramel Pumpkin Beer (Pumpkin beer w/ lactose, Himalayan sea salt, and pumpkin puree) Rogue Ales - Voodoo Doughnut Grape Guerilla [2016] (Fruit beer w/ grape flavors)  

In our annual leadup to Chicago's best beer fest, we're talking all about the Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beers as it is set to return early in November this year. Along with drinking and reviewing four barrel-aged beers from a few FoBAB regulars (and one new to the fest), we look over the new and returning breweries, share our picks for brewers not to miss, rattle off a few general festival tips, and conduct a mock draft of our Fantasy FoBAB teams. Also, Craig devises a plan for packing future festivals, Ryan keeps pushing that coffee bean, a girthsome and titan beer write-up is read, and we might actually have a reason to walk the awards stage this year - listen to find out why! Beers Reviewed Werk Force Brewing - Waylon (Bourbon Barrel-Aged Black Barleywine) River North Brewery - Barrel-Aged Nightmare Fuel (Imperial Stout w/ coffee and vanilla aged in whiskey barrels) Half Acre Beer Co. - Ancho, Ancho Catch Hell (Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout w/ vanilla, cinnamon, and ancho peppers) The Lost Abbey - Peach Afternoon [2021 Vintage] - (Wood-aged Sour Ale w/ peaches and white tea)  

Denver is the closest to Heaven that we'll ever be, and we don't want to go home right now. Broadcasting amongst the Rocky Mountains (from our very cushy hotel room), we file our annual report on America's largest beer festival and competition: the Great American Beer Festival. We open three Colorado beers over two nights and relive our extended weekend celebrating beer and the people who make it by running through our Denver-area highlights, recapping the festival and awards results, and sharing from our long lists of favorite beers. Plus, we snagged some interviews with brewers from all over the country that share stories of crazy adjuncts, surprising medal wins, and faux-coctions. We also get into how to properly stress out hops and share a story of how we crashed a black tie concert featuring a 90s hitmaker band - but I won't tell you their name.  Interviews Joe Short of Short's Brewing [Bellaire, MI] - (00:25:25 - 00:36:31) Rachael Hudson of Pilot Brewing [Charlotte, NC] - (00:46:02 - 00:54:21) Amos Lowe of The Austin Beer Garden Brewing Co. [Austin, TX] - (01:02:02 - 01:09:58) Jacob Sembrano of Cruz Blanca Brewery [Chicago, IL] - (01:22:20 - 01:25:22) Jaron Anderson of Helper Beer [Helper, UT] - (01:31:27 - 01:39:48) Matt Malloy of River North Brewery [Denver, CO] - (01:50:44 - 01:55:35) Beers Reviewed  WeldWerks Brewing - Gyro Gose (Sour Ale w/ Pita Bread, Yogurt, Cucumber, Lemon, Dill, Mint, Garlic & Sea Salt) Westbound & Down - Infinity Pils (West Coast Pilsner) River North Brewery - White (Witbier)  

One of Illinois' best breweries rarely makes it up to Chicagoland shelves, so when Craig had a chance to go down to Savoy for a visit to Triptych Brewing, he loaded up for our fourth featured show in our history. We have five beers that represent what Triptych does best: from immaculate lagers to hop-driven ales to a roasty delight, this show does not disappoint. But also, we may have stumbled upon a secret bus of jugglers; Ryan explains how not all scented candles are created equal; and Craig revisits some dark days when he was addicted to the Dew. Beers Reviewed  Herp Slurp (Pale Lager) Tiny Magic (Session IPA) Citra Pilsner  And I Think My Spaceship Knows Which Way To Go (Hazy DIPA) Camp Coffee Break (Imperial Stout w/ coffee)  

In our seemingly endless quest to find the best long-made IPA that America has to offer, we are a little all over the map on this one with a mix of Wisconsin and Western U.S. offerings to run through the blind scoresheet wringer. It's a study in contrasts, as each clear IPA brings a little something different to the table - and then one just blatantly steals the show. Also, we imagine if GABF allowed us to curate their experience areas, we recall the days of IBU bombs, Craig is born anew yet again for this episode, and we invent cheese jibbets (and SlimJim-bets) for when you need a snack from those Crocs.  Beers Reviewed Blindly Stone Brewing - IPA Karben4 Brewing - Fantasy Factory Central Waters Brewing - Rift New Belgium Brewing - Voodoo Ranger IPA La Cumbre Brewing Company - Elevated IPA  

Our favorite time of year approaches again, but we can't set off for Denver without doing a ridiculous amount of prep work and research. So to celebrate the oncoming Great American Beer Festival for 2025, we drink four GABF-adjacent beers while sharing our picks for what to drink from local breweries, our most dependable steady hands, the ever-exciting new-to-us names, and the familiar faces that are always worth a pour. Grab a pen and paper, because this episode is chocked full of almost a hundred damn solid recommendations (if we must say so ourselves.) Plus, Craig has an extremely surprising new role at his job, we find one experience area we'll be camping out in a while, and we get a little lost in Taco Bell memories.  Beers Reviewed Pollyanna Brewing Company - Lexical Gap (American IPA) Bow & Arrow Brewing Co. - Besos (Fruited Gose w/ raspberry, dragonfruit, orange zest, and vanilla) Boxing Bear Brewing Co. - Chocolate Milk Stout La Cumbre Brewing Company - Malpais Stout (Foreign Extra Stout)  

Just like most good things in life, the beers we so love can be quite taxing on the planet before even getting to our glasses. But some breweries are taking the lead on exploring more sustainable practices, whether it's using regenerative grains, organic ingredients, or even solar-powered farms. The five beers on this show represent different ways breweries can make a difference for the sake of the planet - and we're glad to report that none of that comes at the cost of delicious tasting beers. Also, we call in the experts to help get us out of a regatta, we have our reservations about The L*nd Institute, Craig has to explain why he was buying rare Tickle-Me-Elmos, and we no-scope a Best By date like we never have before. Beers Reviewed Deschutes Brewery/Patagonia Provisions - Kernza Lager Off Color Brewing - Beer For The Future (Belgian Blonde w/ Kernza grain) Brooklyn Brewery - Fonio Rising Pale Ale Riggs Beer Company - Pilsner Giant Jones Brewing Company - Barrel-Aged Adambier  

There are many essential ingredients for a successful Oktoberfest celebration, but none is more important than the beer. But which style is going to fill your massive stein: the younger, bright Festbier or the old-school, bready Märzen? We found four breweries making both styles to have a side-by-side of each to help determine our personal preference - and the only thing missing is the lederhosen. Also, we explore the world of Christian pirate shanties, consider acceptable adjuncts for Oktoberfest styles, and try not to piss off MC Hammer.  Beers Reviewed Paulaner Brauerei - Oktoberfestbier Paulaner Brauerei - Oktoberfest Märzen Moderne Dune - Fezzbier Moderne Dune - Monte Marzen Brothership Brewing - Festbier Brothership Brewing - Märzen Kinslahger Brewing - Festbier Kinslahger Brewing - Märzen  

The last few months have seen a steady number of big anniversary parties from suburban breweries - and some even released a beer to commemorate it. This show consists of 5 different beers brewed to mark an anniversary, all by brewers who work out of the suburbs of Chicago. We also face some style-based fears, greet the new Mayor of the Beach, develop new slow pour Pilsner techniques, and we meet Mr. No Coco.  Beers Reviewed Flipside Brewing - Double Stop Double IPA Goldfinger Brewing - Fifth Anniversary Bock Brother Chimp Brewing - Cheers to Five Years (Imperial Coffee Porter) Soundgrowler Brewing - Day Walker Triple IPA Miskatonic Brewing Co. - X Gon' Brew It To Ya (Barleywine w/ cocoa nibs)  

When one of our oldest friends and beer industry vet, Aaron Keefner, came back into town from his adopted city of Pittsburgh, we knew we were going to have to throw down - with a blind hazy IPA tasting, of course! We each chose three of the top examples of hazy beers from our respective cities and enlisted the help of the excellent staff at Beer on the Wall in Elmhurst to arrange a blind tasting of all six to determine whose juice is the juiciest. Surprises abound! But also, we talk a lot about Aaron's experience as a Chicago expat adjusting to life in Pittsburgh - mostly in the areas of beer and food. Also, there's a few gooballs floating around; we discuss the perils of eating grapefruit; and we learn perhaps the most shocking fact about Pennsylvania Costcos.  Beers Reviewed Blindly Old Thunder Brewing Company - False Kingdom Maplewood Brewing Company - Son of Juice Old Irving Brewing - Beezer Dancing Gnome - Lustra Lolev Beer - Lupula Riverlands Brewing Company - Dean Street  

For the last few years, Revolution Brewing has tried convincing us that barrel-aged stouts and barleywines can indeed be enjoyed on 90-plus degree days - and gosh darnit, they make a convincing case. On this episode, we dive into the first three 12-ounce Deep Wood beers for the release season and find some very pleasant surprises. We also let things get a bit wavier than usual as we have our first on-air THC beverage, which instantly switches on Craig's snack detectors. Also, we try to make sense on an anachronistic pizza place; Craig's chugging sixteen percenters at C2E2; and Ryan reluctantly befriends his local Pop Tart guy to get those rare drops. The beers are as good as two guys playing three guitars. Beverages Reviewed Reverb Splash: Black Cherry Lime (THC & CBD drink w/ fruit juice) Thundertaker (Imperial Rye Stout aged in bourbon barrels) Strawberry Jacket (Barleywine Ale aged in bourbon barrels w/ strawberries) XV - Fifteen Year Beer (Blend of Barleywine Ale & Ryewine double barrel-aged in bourbon barrels w/ cherries)  

Miskatonic has been a western suburban outpost for great beer with an extremely loyal following for a decade now - and it's due time they get the recognition they deserve. We sit down in Darien with head brewer Cory Davidson and production brewer Mik Dempsey to talk all things Miskatonic, including how they approach brewing such a wide variety of styles with laser-like focus, how branding updates help reflect the beers themselves, what obscure styles they'd like to brew one day, and how they find collaboration partners in both the brewing and music worlds. Also, we talk about contract brewing through their full production brewery, making seltzers for the first time, and both Cory and Mik's picks for their essential Chicagoland six packs.

Matt Gallagher has been instrumental to Chicago's craft beer scene for almost two decades as a co-founder of Half Acre, but it's his new brewery Suncatcher that has had us hooked from the very first visit. Suncatcher Brewing is a relatively unique concept in this time, as they are essentially a bar that serves their own streamlined and immaculate classic craft styles right from the tank with absolutely no designs on packaging or distribution - you have to be there to experience it. We talk with Matt about how this project came to him in a dream before being forced into a years-long hibernation, long before their fall 2024 opening. We also talk about how he found the perfect space, who was instrumental in getting the brewery off the ground, and what influences his stunning recipes. In addition, there's some loving on pale ale, jumping into hop piles, adjusting to collaborations, opening up to low-gravity wood-aging - and us learning Matt's picks for his Chicagoland essential six pack.

In our ongoing series that seeks to find the best IPA we can get our hands on, we keep this one  a bit more regional with five long-beloved and well-decorated beers from Indiana and Ohio. We taste one Hoosier beer and four Buckeye brews blindly using our much more focused scoring method - and we may just have our very first perfect score on this episode. Also, Craig's Ohio trip leads him to question weed deals; we add some new terms to our beer descriptor lexicon; and Ryan invents the million-dollar idea of a Walking Deep Dish Pizza.™* It's getting pretty propulsive around here.  Beers Reviewed Blindly The Brew Kettle - White Rajah Upland Brewing Company - Dragonfly IPA Great Lakes Brewing Co. - Commodore Perry Rhinegeist Brewery - Truth Fat Head's Brewery - Head Hunter * = trademark pending  

During a particularly sweltering summer, no beer style has come through in the clutch as much as the lime lager. The sheer number of available options is a testament to the ultimate refreshing combo - and with these, there's no need to shove a questionably dirty lime wedge down your longneck. We have five mostly-local lagers of varying styles that all contain lime - and it's not long before we're dreaming of food pairings. Also, Ryan gets stuck in nightmarish balloon duty; Craig is still angry about being promised only a "hint" of lime in his tortilla chips; and we consider becoming the first sommeliers for microplastics. Beers Reviewed Pipeworks Brewing Company - Cold Crispy Lime (Rice lager w/ Key lime juice) Werk Force Brewing - Lima (American lager w/ fresh lime juice) Flipside Brewing w/ The Open Bottle - Frogger Lager (Helles lager w/ lime) Cruz Blanca - Chelada: Lime + Sea Salt (Mexican lager w/ fresh lime juice and sea salt) Old Nation Brewing Co. - Tranquilas (Mexican lager w/ lime)  

It seems like it's been far too long since we've extended a hearty "hello" to some new breweries in Chicagoland, so we're psyched to gather five that have opened locations or started releasing beer into the world relatively recently. We learn about some new-to-us breweries and a few that have been long in the works here, and there are plenty of reasons to be excited about the future of beer locally. But also, Craig is training for the new Speed Showering event at the Olympics; Ryan is reliving his teenage years in Homewood; and we rely on some surprising sources for our background information. Beers Reviewed Brutalist Brewing Cooperative - Industry Plant (American Lager) Somos Monos Cervecería - Chica Fresa (Strawberry Blonde Ale) Homewood Brewing Company - H.B.C.: Head Beer In Charge (American Pale Ale) Monochrome Brewing w/ More Brewing - South East Side (Hazy Double IPA) Foreign Exchange - Between Two Parallels (Imperial Stout conditioned on Madagascar vanilla, Tahitian vanilla, and marshmallow)  

Although he might use the term "silly little beers," Mike Schallau's is/was brewing is making some of the most thoughtful and impressive saisons anywhere in the country right here in Chicago. We travelled up to his Ravenswood brewery and taproom to talk about those beers and how he transitioned his nearly six year-old brewing project from using other people's spaces to his own in the last year and how that's allowed him to dive deeper into the wide range of interesting ingredients and experiments he's become known for. We get into the idiosyncrasies of saison from the outside perception of the drinkers of the style, to changing people's perceptions of Brettanomyces, why people are more important than the concept of "terroir," and how he develops his impressive restaurant and brewery collaborations. But also, there's some throwback talk to his Pipeworks days, a long tangent on Fantôme, a dive into the prison hooch subreddit, some risky urban foraging, and Mike's picks for his essential Chicagoland 6-pack.  Beers Sampled Will Be Always Zag Long Thai Double Rainbow (collaboration with Half Acre)  

Newly adopted as its own category for this year's GABF competition, the West Coast Pilsner has the hoppy influence of its namesake locale while also retaining much of what makes German Pilsners so repeatedly drinkable. We gather five locally-made examples from some of Illinois' top names in hops, and they help us build a case for the style's existence. Also, Craig has a new BFF through his new obsession; Ryan doesn't want to let go of his beloved goo pillow; and we outline exactly when it's okay to put cheese on a hot dog.  Beers Reviewed Hop Butcher for the World - Francheezie Brothership Brewing - Retrograde Maplewood Brewing - My Cousin Binny, Vol. 4 Phase Three Brewing - Geo Old Irving Brewing - Doji  

In just 5 years, Goldfinger Brewing Company has made Downers Grove, Illinois a true destination for lager-lovers and much of that is to the credit of founder, co-owner, and head brewer Tom Beckmann's tireless quest to make the most interesting lagers you'll ever drink. Tom sits with us for a while to sample through some new and upcoming beers while discussing why telling the stories of his lagers is a key part to reshaping the perception of the category. We also talk about his recent Polish medal for a Polish-style beer, how his first brewing jobs set him up to start his own business, what moves a brewery into the "CollabZone", which brewers he admires the most, and what specialty serving events could be in Goldfinger's future. Plus, get the exclusive on his first Citra and Mosaic beer, and marvel at the fact that I don't think we ever said the word "decoction" once. (No lies told here.) Check out Goldfinger's Fifth Lagerversary on July 18th, 19th, and 20th! Beers Sampled Grodziskie Summer Beer Sparkling Lager  

In our second of our quarterly "random hoppy things" episodes wherein we gather notable hop-driven drinks from local breweries, we have a murderers' row lineup to lead us into the warmer months - and we even include one non-beer. The high quality of the beverages leads to steadily sloppier discussions of Craig's first Magic: The Gathering tournament, Ryan's transition into erotic craft beer fiction novelist, our desire for unique taproom experiences, and the assembly of a Hop Conclave to give these experimental varieties an identity. It's girthy - yet grippable, so grab an earful of this.   Beers Reviewed Hop Butcher for the World - Tropical Hop Water for the World (Sparkling Hop Water) Werk Force Brewing - Formerly Light (Session IPA) Suncatcher Brewing - MI Pale Ale (American Pale Ale) Mikerphone Brewing & Saint Errant Brewing - Pale Pauper 2025 (American Pale Ale) Half Acre Beer Company & Firestone Walker Brewing - Daisy Cutter Union (West Coast IPA)  

In our continuing quest to find the best legacy IPA (that also happens to be widely available), we blindly taste and rate a set of five here that represent four from the West Coast and one extremely familiar local. Are we grading more harshly on this episode than last? And what blind surprise catches us the most off guard? All this will be answered, along with how we can more effectively lie about having seen movies, and why Craig's Mosaic blindness is going to flip the whole episode on its head.  Beers Reviewed Blindly Sierra Nevada Brewing - Torpedo Extra IPA Revolution Brewing - Anti-Hero IPA Lagunitas Brewing - IPA Deschutes Brewing - Fresh-Squeezed IPA Firestone Walker Brewing - Union Jack IPA  

It's been over a month since we last drank barrel-aged beers, so to reward our tremendous restraint we're throwing another MoBAB: a show that features more barrel-aged beers! In an unofficial "halfway to FoBAB" show, we sample four pretty distinctive styles and one collaboration pair built for blending. But also, we're speculating about the injection boutique, translating for velociraptors, struggling to understand some fruits, and establishing an elite safe word. Come and experience The Joy of MoBAB. Beers Reviewed Off Color Brewing - Pomegranate Fox (Foedre-fermented wild ale double barrel aged in imperial stout barrels refermented w/ pomegranate) Milieu Fermentation - Bruce (Double barrel-aged Scotch ale) Goose Island Beer Co. - Cordial Rye (Rye stout aged in red wine barrels w/ cherries, boysenberries, cocoa nibs, and black currants) Old Irving Brewing Co. - Cordial Rye (Willett Bourbon Barrel-Aged Rye Wine Ale with blackberries)