Beer of the Day: Big Bad Baptista

BOTD: Big Bad Baptista
Epic Brewing, Salt Lake City. UT
https://www.epicbrewing.com/

Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout with Vanilla, Cinnamon, Mexican coffee and cacao nibs
2018 Special Release
Available in 22oz. bombers.
11.8% ABV

An Unconventional Christmas Ale?
At this time of year, as the days grow short, the shadows long, and anticipation of holiday goodness prevails, we often turn to those richer, sweeter ales. Christmas specialty ales make their appearance, winter lagers are on the shelf, and spices not sen the rest of the year intrude on our palates. 

I say break the mold. Declare independence from traditional Christmas spiced ales and cozy up to a snifter of Big Bad Baptista. Building on the solid base of their Big Bad baptist Imperial Stout, this big beer adds just the right amount of  Vanilla and  Cinnamon, softened by its long winter's nap in whiskey barrels. Extra spices makes it a Christmas Ale, no?

Poured from the bomber into a 12 oz snifter at ~ 50 deg. F or warmer, and only half full - let it warm and breathe - you first encounter the cacao and vanilla aroma as it pours black with a dark brown head, and little residual carbonation, as you would expect for a dark BA ale.

Taking that first sip reveals the stout malt base layered with coffee, cacao, and cinnamon, slightly sweet, and subtle oak touches. It is viscous but not oily, with a rich mouthfeel. It seems slightly warming after a few sips. 

...and then I found myself in my easy chair pouring the last drops into the snifter...

While this is the season of Sharing, don't be surprised if you find yourself finishing this yourself. Not overly filling, but beware its 10+% ABV. Better yet, invite a friend over to share.

Just not too much ;-)..

Untappd Rating - 4.35
My Rating - 4.25

Prost! and a very Merry Christmas and blessed New Year of Great Beer to you all.

Do you like your Bourbon County? Read on....

Always up for some BCBS News:
lhttps://mybeerbuzz.blogspot.com/2018/07/goose-island-adding-2018-bourbon-county.html

Illinois Craft Beer Week

News You Can Use: Illinois Craft Beer Week.

Be fearless. Go out and do some Research.

And remember, "The difference between screwing around and science is writing it down." (Adam Savage)

http://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/ct-food-illinois-craft-beer-week-picks-2018-story.html

Prost!

Beer Of The Day: Short Fuse Bee-33

BOTD: Short Fuse Bee-33
Short Fuse Brewing Company (Schiller Park, IL)
( https://www.shortfusebrewing.com/ )

"Triple" IPA
11% ABV

Triple IPA? I have seen this label pop up more, recently. According to the BJCP* officially as a style...it doesn't exist./ A Double IPA"....Bigger than either an English or American IPA in both alcohol strength and overall hop level (bittering and finish). Less malty, lower body, less rich and a
greater overall hop intensity than an American Barleywine...."

So if by it's measurable and observable characteristics, why the "Triple" label? If double is 10%, wouldn't triple be 15? Shouldn't the hop nose and flavor be powerful enough to require a biohazard protocol?

Well, as in other Triple experiences, prepare for disappointment if your expectations are for a  Lupulin Overdose leading to a Transformative Hop  Experience.

That doesn't mean it's not a good beer.....

In this case, the team from Schiller Park has done a nice job on what is essentially a DIPA in a way that is unique and enjoyable.

Poured from a can into a 16 oz pint glass, the beer pours clear golden with an average white foamy head. The aroma is not particularly hoppy, and has some notes I can only ascribe to the honey component of the "malt" bill. The flavor is surprisingly light, slightly sweet, with a mildly bitter finish. Not currently listed on the Short Fuse web site, Beer Advocate says the ABV is 11%, which is either incorrect, or it hides its gravity quite well. There is no noticeable alcohol burn, and the body is light. Far from being the malt+hop bomb I expected, it is actually quite a nice thirst quenching beer with modest DIPA character. If you see it, pick up a four pack and tell me what you think. Perhaps "Lawnmower IPA" will be picked up as an official style by the BJCP.....

My Rating: 4 / 5
Untapp[d: 3.76 / 5

Prost!

*Beer Judging Certification Program, a body that trains tasters and tracks and documents "official" beer styles. Like the dictionary and new words, something that becomes common enough for long enough will eventually be adopted as "official" and its expected characteristics documented.

Science: Newton's third law made this inevitable

http://beerstreetjournal.com/against-the-grain-any-ipa/

Beer Of The Day: B.A. Lord Humongous

BOTD: B.A. Lord Humongous
Imperial Oak Brewing (Willow Springs, IL)
( http://www.imperialoakbrewing.com/ )

Barral-Aged Barleywine
11 % ABV
$15/22oz Bomber - taproom only.

"Barleywine aged for 1 year in Woodford Reserve Bourbon barrels. The base beer brings malty, toffee and dark fruit flavors that blend with vanilla, oak, and tropical fruits from the barrels"

Admit it. You hear Lord Humungus, this is where you go......

Licensing being what it is, they went here:

A fat dude with a snifter. Whatevs.....

Don't let that put you off the beer. It is totally worthy of the top photo....if you can get one. Thanks to my loving and faithful beer mule / spouse, I was able to get at least one (or more bottles of this year old, Woodford Reserve Bourbon Barrel Aged barley wines. This is the beer equivalent of a bacon cheeseburger with extra bacon, if done right. And it was.

Pours dark brown, cloudy, very little tan head, quickly dissipates like most barrel-aged beers.

Modest carbonation.  Nose is bourbon barrel, a good sign, oak and rich malt. Tastes caramel-ly, good balance of sweetness and bitterness for an X-treme style. Medium bodies, rich mouthfeel. Starts sweet and finishes slightly bitter.

If you can find a bottle, invite a friend and have some. It is worth your investment. And if the wasteland warriors find you and demand your beer rather than your guzzeline, drain it and flip them off. Max would.

My Rating: 4.5 / 5

Untappd: 4.25 / 5

Prost!

Venue: Plymouth Brewing Company (Plymouth, WI)

I had the unplanned opportunity to explore a new-to-me taproom in Wisconsin over the past weekend. Although I had been in Plymouth Wisconsin once or twice a year for the last ten years or so, it seems this venue had escaped my attention, as we wandered in on their fifth anniversary party....

( https://www.facebook.com/plymouthbrewing/ )

A small (nano) storefront operation, this small taproom has  12 taps currently serving:
Cheddarhead Amber/Red
Nutt Hill Nutbrown
HubCity Hefe
Stone Blu Blueberry Belgian
'Sconsin Belgian
Dairyland Dark Milk Stout
Murdered Out Coffee Stout
Ardellia Passionfruit Belgian
American Pale Ale w/Azacca Hops
DeerCamp Smoked Ale
Sworn To Avenge Russian Imperial Stout w/Cherries
Condemned To Hell Russian Imperial Stout w/Raspberrys and Habanero.

and two Guest Taps. 

Your Brew Review Crew was able to try the Murdered Out Coffee Stout, Sworn To Avenge Russian Imperial Stout, Bearded Coconut, and Condemned to Hell Russian Imperial Stout. All were competently prepared and served, hitting the right style marks. I was particularly happy w/ the Condemned To Hell, having distinct but not overpowering raspberry notes and just enough habanero heat to know it was there without turning a good stout into a dare. If the list seems rather brown, it is simply the season. Looking at their back catalog on Untappd reveals plenty of lighter and hoppier treats in store, depending on when you visit.

The ambience is comfortable, dominated by the bar and the ubiquitous chalkboard listing the available libations, with high tops, couches, and no sports screens. That night it was packed for the afforementioned Anniversary. This is a BYOF location, and there are a few reasonable choices within walking distance (go to DeOMalley's across and down the street and pick up the 7 Meat Delight Pizza - you can thank me later.)

If you find yourself in the area, hiking the Ice Age trail in the Kettle Moraine, watching auto or motorcycle racing at RoadAmerica, taking in some living history at the Old Wade House historic site, visiting nearby Kohler for R&R at the American Club, or just passing through on your way to other points on the compass, a stop here will not be wasted.

Recommendation: 


Prost!


The Scale:

- Wow! Drop everything and go. It's a Destination - plan a trip.


- Add this to your beer journeys in this region.

- Stop if you're in the neighborhood.

- Skip it.

Prost!

Beer Of The Day: Barrel-Aged Amen!

BOTD: Barrel-Aged Amen!
Cahoots Brewery (Chicago, IL)\
( http://www.cahootsbrewing.com/home )

Barleywine; barrel-aged
11.1% ABV

Its two, two, two beers in one!

So what's with the Barleywine thing? If you've been reading this blog for a bit, you know I like higher gravity beers. A barleywine is simply two-beer's worth of ingredients boiled into one batch. The BJCP style guidelines says this, in terms more about the end result than the ingredients:

" A showcase of malty richness and complex, intense flavors. Chewy and rich in body, with
warming alcohol and a pleasant fruity or hoppy interest. When aged, it can take on port-like flavors. A wintertime sipper."

So we should expect rich, complex flavors. Chaoots says "this well-rounded beer was aged in bourbon barrels, which add sweet, complex notes to the flavor profile."

If your typical beer has the word "-lite" attached to it, this has become unbeerlike in flavor, mutated into some sort of hangover-inducing malt-infused nightmare. Call Uber now.

DISCLAIMER: I had a cold when I sampled this. Actual results may vary. No warranties, written or implied. Please refer to experienced service personnel. May contain BHA or BHT to preserve freshness.

Poured from a 22oz bomber into a goblet. Pours brown and cloudy, modest tan head, dissipating quickly (typical of stronger barrel-aged beers). Aroma is of malt sweetness, caramel-like in character, with Oaky overtones. Tastes of caramel, with a slight bitterness from the hops, medium bodied, it starts slightly sweet with a lingering, mildly bitter finish.  Did not show as much barrel-aging character as I favor, but still a solid example of barrel-aged goodness. Pick one up at your local stockist and enjoy it with a friend.

My Rating: 4 / 5
Untappd: 3.84

Prost!

Beer Of The Day: Hofbrau Dunkel

BOTD: Hofbrau Dunkel
Hofbräu München brewery (Munich, Germany)

( https://www.hofbraeuhaus.de/en/welcome.html )

"In honor of Beer Day in Germany...."

For most of us in the U.S. , what we think of when we think of beer started here, with German and German-inspired lagers. The Reinheitsgebot established in 1516 in Bavaria codified beer as water, malt, hops, and yeast, and the most popular beer style in the world are lagers, developed by storing (lagering) beer in cool caves, and the unique strains of yeast that work best in that environment. 

The Hofbrauhaus in Munich has been serving their version of these beers since 1589, and in its current location somewhat later. They may be responsible for preventing the sack of Munich when, in 1632, when King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden invaded Bavaria during the Thirty Years' War, he threatened to sack and burn the entire city of Munich. He agreed to leave the city in peace if the citizens surrendered some hostages, and 600,000 barrels of Hofbräuhaus beer......

After WWII, when GIs came home with mugs bearing the HB logo, demand increased internationally, and today we find scions of the Hofbrauhaus in cities across the globe, and their beers widely imported and available in the U.S. 

When last I visited my local Binny's Beverage Depot, I wanted some good "table beers" and grabbed a sixer of Hofbrau Dunkel, and made one of these the subject of this evening's BOTD in honor of German Beer day, a sentiment I suspect even Gustavus Adolphus would have understood, particularly since Dunkel is reported by HB itself as their first beer style brewed.

5.5% ABV

Poured from a bottle into a pilsner glass, this beer pours clear, dark brown, with a firm and prominent light tan head. The aroma is of malt as you expect from a Dunkel (meaning, simply, "dark" in German) It is light-bodies, the flavor is full of more caramel-ly malt than a Hofbrau Original (lager) which paired better with the stronger flavors of my grilled Pizza Burger. It is slightly sweet with a modestly bitter finish. This is a baseline beer for the style, other beers claiming to be a Munich Dunkel are judged in comparison to this. Great with a meal or to enjoy on a fine spring day, and low enough gravity to have more than one.

My Rating: 3.75 / 5

Untappd: 3.33 / 5

Oans, Zwei, Drei, G'suffa!

Prost!

Disclaimer: I am anything but impartial. I have visited the original Hofbrauhaus in Munch, and their satellite locations in 3 cities in the US. I enjoy their products wherever I find them!

 

Brew Near You: Fests

https://brewfestpartners.com/schedule/?inf_contact_key=13a6207b0e1e5212941ec79f7e90a1895089b17082accb2aff326a310f9e6878

Vote for your favorite watering hole

https://patch.com/illinois/chicago/patchs-best-place-get-beer-contest?utm_content=illinois&utm_campaign=blasts&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social

Beer Of The Day: Barrel-Aged Udder Madness

BOTD: Barrel-Aged Udder Madness

Imperial Oak Brewing (Willow Springs, IL)

( http://www.imperialoakbrewing.com/ )

Imperial Stout, Milk Stout

10.5% ABV

Plus

Equals

Imperial milk stout aged in George Dickel Bourbon Barrels

We've done the math, so you don't have to.

Our second bit of Science on National Beer Day involves a nifty bit of zymurgy, as lactose, the naturally occurring sugars found in milk, are not fermentable by our industrious little yeast. It's addition changes the sweetness and mouthfeel of a beer, typically in stouts, making it sweeter and fuller-feeling. Double up on everything, then throw it in a Tennessee whisky barrel for a year or so, and magic happens.

Draft, Poured into a snifter, pours black with little head, typical of BA stouts. The aroma calls up memories of bourbon and oak over a dark roasted malt & coffee like aroma. To the taste you will notice it's medium body, sweetness, a hint of oak char, and molasses-y character. This is quite good. A balanced (is that a misnomer?) Imperial Stout that hits all the marks.

Available on site draft AND in 22oz. Bombers to go.  Go. Visit. Try it. Bring one home.

My Rating: 4.5 / 5

Untappd: 4.22 / 5

Prost!

Beer Of The Day: Imperial Pain!

BOTD: Imperial Pain!
Imperial Oak Brewing (Willow Springs, IL)
( http://www.imperialoakbrewing.com/ )

DIPA
13.4% ABV



(Beer Advocate) " ....blend of malts and hops (equinox, Simcoe, mosaic) ... intense and strong but is surprisingly smooth and dangerously drinkable for its strength."

To celebrate National Beer Day, your intrepid Brew Review Crew headed out to beautiful, bucolic Willow Springs, Illinois (in the shadow of the overpass, across from the commuter tracks / parking lot) to sample and tour Imperial Oak Brewing. A small batch brewer specializing in double-strength, barrel-aged beers? Sign us up. (Note - they only distribute from their tap room - you need to visit to buy it)

As I c=scanned the ubiquitous Brewery Chalkboard, I spied an Imperial IPA clocking in at 13.4%. Intrigued, they poured me one...

Draft, poured into a snifter, a clear, golden brew with a modest white head. Immediate and potent citrus/hop nose. You now have my FULL attention. It sips slightly sweet, fruity, medium bodied for such a high gravity. The hop blend clearly leans to the citrus /fruit over the resin/pine side of the spectrum. Just a touch of bitterness in the finish. I have to agree with Beer Advocate on this one, it masks its High Gravity well. Enjoy it, but if you hang around for two, call Uber. A very good example of a citrus DIPA that doesn't cater to the cloudy/grapefuity New England Thing. (Not that they don't have those on tap as well..... ;-) )

If it was distributed, I''d tell you to go get it. If you're local, go try it!

My Rating: 4.75 / 5

Untappd: 3.96 / 5

Prost!

Beer Of The Day: Necessary Evil

BOTD: Necessary Evil
Illuminated Brew Works (Chicago, IL)
( http://www.ibw-chicago.com/ )

Imperial Stout
11% ABV

It must be some kind of conspiracy. And if you say it's not, it just confirms that there is, and you are part of it.....

This beer has no presence on Illuminated's website. A search on their blog turns up zero results. Zip. Nada. Zilch. A big goose egg. A Beer advocate entry exists, but it has received No Reviews.....

I'll post one here, but I can't guarantee it will remain here, nor our safety in sharing it....

Served from a 25 oz. Bomber into a heavy glass liter mug.
Pours brown/black with a modest head & carbonation. The aroma is rich with cocoa and cinnamon, like something uncovered in a Mayan temple after being invaded by the ancient Indo-Chinese.
The mouthfeel tends toward the rich side, cocoa and especially the cinnamon overwhelm the dark malts. Some sweetness but not overly so, low in bitterness. On reflection, it is a liquid Truffle, a confection of the darkest chocolates and select spices. I would have like the malt to come through a bit more strongly, and I suspect this would do well if left in a barrel for 12 or more months; but if you want a dessert beer to share with a few friends, you could do worse.

My Rating: 4 / 5
Untappd: 3.81 / 5

Prost!

Beer Of The Day: Backyard IPA

BOTD: Backyard IPA
Saugatuck Brewing (Saugatuck, MI)
( https://saugatuckbrewing.com/ )

IPA, Session
4.5% ABV

"...a light body and an enormous hoppy burst of flavor."

Sez You.

OK. I'll admit, I like Big Flavor. Give me a Triple Imperial Whatzit and I'm probably happy, Barrel Age it and I'll stand in line at 3 a.m. for it.  That said, I occasionally like to grab a cold one during the day, after some yard work, as a snack, wash down lunch etc. etc. etc. and not need a nap.  A sessionable IPA? As a confirmed hophead, color me interested. If it can live up to the style.

Pours golden into a standard pint glass, with a slight haze, effervescent with a modest white head. Modest aroma, not potent in either the malt or hop direction, like a pilsner with a tad more hops.

Light mouthfeel consistent with the low gravity, somewhat dry with a touch of bitterness. 

Is it an IPA? Well, it has some IPA ingredients, but it's not meeting my IPA expectations. Perhaps I want to eat my cake and have it too. But in summary, I would have to say this of Backyard IPA:

Too hoppy for Lite people, and too lite for hoppy people.

I would recommend you pass it by and get a Founder's All-Day IPA,

My Rating: 3.25

Untappd: 3.54

Prost!

National Beer Day - Saturday, April 7th, 2018

The Brew Review Crew will be dedicating itself to some onsite research in honor of National Beer Day. In our crosshairs for Saturday: Imperial Oak Brewing in Willow Springs, IL.
http://www.imperialoakbrewing.com/

Imperial Strength. Barrel Aging. If they have bacon, I'll never leave....

Keep following for an in depth report.

Prost!

Barrel-Aged Stouts - Which is Best?

March Beer Madness occurs in April, no fooling.

Welcome back my friends. Rest assured your Brew Review Crew was not ignoring Cervisiarus Mundus over the Easter weekend, rather, we brought out The Crew to do some important research, and share the results with you. 4 Barrel Aged Stouts to choose from but only one can be called The Best. 

This was to be a blind test, where most testers were unaware of the beer's true identity until after the test was complete. 4 Tasters, four blind samples. At the end, there could be Only One.

All samples poured into 4 oz snifters at the same temperature.

Beer # 1  

Drago

Wild Onion Brewery (Lake Barrington, IL)

( http://onionbrewery.com/ )

Russian Imperial Stout; Barrel-Aged

9.2% ABV

"...Brewed with boatloads of roasted malt and Sumatra coffee beans."

Taster 1 Review: 

Pours black, impenetrable. No lasting head, minimal carbonation. Smells of oak and dark roasted malts. Rich, not too thick. Strong, slightly bitter finish, the oak tannins lingering. No alcohol burn. Barrel charred oak and roasted malts dominate. Rated 4.25 / 5

Taster 2 Review: Dark color, minimal almost non-existent head,  warmy boozy aftertaste, chocolate-y bourbon flavor, smooth mouthfeel, almost cake-like.

Taster 3 Review: Dark color, tan head, sticks to glass, warmth, bitterness, tingling in throat.

Taster 4 Review: No head, coffee dark smell - coffee beans / taste, dark taste, some fizz, slight burn going down. Low ABV for a stout.

Beer # 2

Islay

Goose Island (Chicago, IL)

( http://www.gooseisland.com/ )

Imperial Stout; Barrel-Aged

13.4% ABV

" ...brimming with aromas of peat and roast. Its opaque, jet-black color heralds intense flavors of smoke, earth, and tobacco"

Tester 1 Review:Pours viscous, black, no head. Prominnent "barrel" nose - very peat-y and smoked, salty - vert "Scotch-Barrel-like", like a good Scottish single malt. Definitely a sipper. If you like a good Scotch, you'll like this. Probably a love/hate for most people. I like it.

Rated 4.5 / 5

Taster 2 Review: Very Strong Scotch smell and taste. Peaty flavor, dark color, minimal head. Coats the glass, somewhat bitter

Taster 3 Review: Dark color, brown head, very thick. Smoky notes.

Taster 4 Review: Look? absolutely no head, dark smell? burnt tire, smokey taste - very bitter burnt tasting, hard liquor really shines through.

Beer #3

Bourbon County Brand Stout (2017)

Goose Island (Chicago, IL)

( http://www.gooseisland.com/ )

Imperial Stout; Barrel-Aged

14.1% ABV

"...an intense mix of charred oak, chocolate, vanilla, caramel and smoke"

Taster 1 Review: Dark, dark red, no head, smells of dark, molasses-y roasted malts, alcohol notes, oily, coats the glass, rich mouthfeel, sweet finish. Almost candy-like molasses/caramel taste. Rich and dessert-y, I'll take as scoop of vanilla, please....

Rated 4.75 / 5

Taster 2 Review:

Very sweet, chocolate flavor, oily, coats glass, smooth and dark / vanilla? Very little head, Dessert-like, no burn.

Taster 3 Review: Dark color, no visible head. Sweet, tingles too.

Taster 4 Review: Dark, no head. Smell? Sweet. Taste? Chocolate, soft burn going down, smooth, malty

Beer #4

Bourbon County Brand Stout - Rare (2015)

Goose Island (Chicago, IL)

( http://www.gooseisland.com/ )

Imperial Stout; Barrel-Aged

14.5% ABV

Taster 1 Review: Brown/Black color, no carbonation evident, coats the glass. Dark, malty, boozy flavor. Dark fruit & alcohol emerge, crossing over from Imperial Stout to aged barleywine/belgian quad flavors in a very good way. Drink slowly and enjoy, there's lots going on here.

Rated: 5 / 5

Taster 2 Review: More coating, boozy nose, slight boozy flavor, smooth, more complex. Dark.

Taster 3 Review: Dark Color. Thick. Burns. Rich.

Taster 4 Review: Brown color, little transparency, aroma boozy, oily and shiny in the glass, more of a burn going down, distinct liquor flavor 

So which is Best?

Drum Roll Please .....

By a majority ruling of the empanelled tastes we recommend Goose Island BCBS Rare (2015)

Naturally, this is the most expensive and hard to come by. Now you can't go wrong with a BCBS, and some retailers still have a few bottles stashed but it comes at a price;  Islay is currently easy to come by but there's that love/hate factor; if you just want a good stout without paying the premium, go for a Drago.

Breaking News-Founders KBS tapping events

https://www.handfamilycompanies.com/kbs

Beer Of The Day: 2017 Barrel-Aged Darkness -

BOTD: 2017 Barrel-Aged Darkness
Surly Brewing Company ( Minneapolis, MN)
( http://surlybrewing.com/ )

Russian Imperial Stout
12% ABV
Barrel-Aged

"...This massive Russian Imperial Stout brings waves of flavors; chocolate, cherries, raisins, coffee, and toffee. Barrel-Aged Darkness is a limited edition variant that spent over three months aging in Woodford Reserve Rye Whiskey barrels"

So what's with all the Stouts? 

-----------------

This is an Epic of Discovery. Like the first human to explore a trackless jungle, I don't know what I'll find around each bend in the river, each clearing, what makes a previously unheard noise or unseen image as it comes into view. I can only journal what I find at each step of the journey, wherever it leads....

This day it lead to Darkness. One of my faithful Brew Review Crew members unearthed this particular sample and shared it with me before we descended into a spell of Lovecraftian madness...

The black container, covered with arcane graphics was intriguing; opened and poured into a waiting snifter, it offered up a viscous black liquid topped with stiff brown foam. This impenetrable liquid was scented with molasses, dark malts, and oak. Consumed, it felt rich, almost syrupy, sweet with a subdued bitterness. Dark roast malts predominate, the very essence of Stout-ness. It showed a very intentional, and seductive, combination of Barrel Aging and Imperial Gravity to create a draught fit for a barbaric king, glowering down at his kneeling subjects from the top of his jungle pyramid throne, their fate and his inextricably entwined, determined by his ability to consume this otherworldly brew and Live....

(once my head cleared, the purple prose vanished quickly, like the foam on a cheap Lite beer)

Find It. Buy it. Try it.

No. Buy two, drink one, save one.

My Rating: 4.75

Untappd: 4.47

Prost!

Beer Of The Day: Apollo. The Beer, not the Program

BOTD: Apollo
Wild Onion Brewery (Lake Barrington, IL)
( http://onionbrewery.com/ )

" bourbon barrel aged small beer/stout."

6.5% ABV

Stout; Barrel aged

I have had encounters with Wild Onion beers before, and was particularly impressed by their Drago Russian Imperial Stout. Another Stout from the Onion, and barrel-aged to boot? Let's see how it stacks up.

In full disclosure, I do like barrel-aging. Done right, it is the Bacon of Brewing - it makes everything better. Almost Always. Stouts aged in Bourbon barrels are a fantastic combination and have proven to be some of my perennial favorites, right at the pinnacle of the Beer-a-mid.

This one was served draft, in a snifter. The pour was black, with a modest tan head. Inhaling does not reveal many secrets. Not highly carbonated, not too warm, and not too high an ABV. This was not revealing much more than a modest dark roasted grain aroma. It took the first draught to find out what was going on. Bourbon and malt predominate, not overly bitter, smooth, not syrupy - it is after all a "single-strength" stout. The barrel-aging was right on, and makes an "ordinary stout" into a "BCBS-lite", with much of that oaky stout goodness without the high ABV. You get much of the flavor without the need for a taxi. I like this. If you see it, buy it, and keep it in front. Don't save it, enjoy it!

My Rating: 4.5 / 5

Untappd: 3.9 / 5

Prost!

Beer Of The Day: Brickstone Anniversary X - Sad Trombones

BOTD: Brickstone Anniversary X
Brickstone Brewery (Bourbonnais, IL)
( http://www.brickstonebrewery.com/ )

Barleywine
10.5% ABV
Out of Production / Limited Availability

Having recently enjoyed the Brickstone After World, the chance to get a now-aged Barleywine from this spunky Bourbonnais Brewery was rife with anticipation. And at process approaching $1/oz, expectations run high.  I had had it once before when it was new, and draft, and had given it a 4 / 5 at that time. How would it have aged?

Poured from a 22oz. Bomber into a snifter. Pours amber, with a firm, tan head. Heavy accumulation of yeast on the bottom stirred up in the pour.

Light in flavor and aroma for a strong / barleywine style ale. On reflection, it seemed like there was some wheat added somewhere, or a sanitation problem, with some spicy clove notes in the background. Mouthfeel was more like a bock or doppelbock, malty, not fruity, and not heavy as one would expect for a beer of this age and gravity. You end up with a lingering, bitter finish, so the Hops haven't given up the fight.

I like a good barleywine, and this was, when new and draft. Not a bad beer, just not as good as it needed to be. As a now shelf-aged $18.00 bomber, I would pass. Cue the sad trombones....

My Rating: 3.75 / 5
Untappd: 3.71 / 5

Prost!

Beer Of The Day: Coffee End Of Days - Is this The One?

BOTD: Coffee End OF Days
Pipeworks Brewing (Chicago, IL)
( http://pdubs.net/ )

Imperial Milk Stout
10.5% ABV

22oz Bombers
Available at Binny's Beverage Depot, 11.99
Oddly, not listed on Pipeworks' web site.....

"Imperial Milk Stout brewed with chili peppers, cinnamon, vanilla, chocolate and Dark Matter Coffee"

After finding the Prairie Bomb! not peppery enough, and the Cappuccino Stout not Coffee enough, how about THIS stuff?

Well, I'm guessing that it has been a while since Pipeworks brewed this, as it's not listed on their website currently (caveat - may not have the same flavor as when "fresh". Doesn't mean worse, or better. Just different). And it's an Imperial, meaning I expect more. Of everything.

Poured black into a tulip glass, getting a nice brown head that dissipates quickly. Aromas are understated, roasted malt and some dark coffee predominate, along with....something else. The chilis?

A tasty coffee stout flavor, a little sweet, with a warm chili finish. The labelled Vanilla is not obvious, blending with the milk stout malt sweetness.

If you are a Stout fancier, if you find one, buy one. If you hate All Things Spicy, pass. Enjoy.

My rating: 4.25 / 5

Untapped: 4.03 / 5

Beer Of The Day: Lagunitas Cappucino Stout - Coffer or Beer? Why choose?

BOTD: Lagunitas Cappucino Stout
Lagunitas Brewing Company (Petaluma, CA / Chicago, IL )
( https://lagunitas.com/ )

Coffee Stout
9.1% ABV
22oz Bombers
Widely Available "in season"



"Brewed with boatloads of roasted coffee in each batch for that extra Krunk… "

Well, I didn't ask for an Krunk. Sounds like something I'd scrape off my boot. (Just another chance to demonstrate my non-hipster-ness). I was interested in a good coffee stout. So on receipt of this bounty, I poured it into a Pint glass and watched the nice tall, firm tan head form; took a whiff of the roasted-malty-aroma; and took a sip. Hmmmm. Mostly malt is evident, the coffee seeming to impart more a dark roast bitter edge to the beer rather than overt coffee flavors. The beer off the top benefited from extra creaminess due to the nice foam layer. If you like your beer like you like your coffee, black & bitter, give it a try. A great value for the price, but probably not the Coffee Stout you've been waiting for all your life.

My Rating: 3.75 / 5
Untappd: 3.83 / 5

Prost!

Saturday Science: Barrel Aging

Why does it cost so much and taste so good?

https://companyweek.com/company-profile/brewing-report-the-economics-of-barrel-aging

Beer Of The Day: Skull Hammer - Where On the Beer-A-Mid?

BOTD: Skull Hammer
Finch Beer Company
( https://www.finchbeer.com/ )

DIPA; 8% ABV

"...New England Style IPA that is more sweet than bitter, this head banger hammers down with the juicy blend of everyone’s favorite hops including Citra, Mosaic, & Simcoe. "

I like IPAs. I really like DIPAs. Many craft beer nerds agree, to the extent that some people are SOOOO OVER IPAs and bitterness. Yeah, whatever. Drink what you like, and ignore the trends.

So here we go with another DIPA. Where does it fall on the scale? Should I run out and buy it, hoard it, savor it, ignore it? 

Imaging if you will a Pyramid of Beers. A Beer-A-Mid, if you will.

The base is broad, and as perceived goodness goes up, the Beer-A-Mid narrows, only a rarefied few can be at the peak. In the golden age  of craft beer, many are tried but few are truly chosen. I would place this entry in the top third of the Beer-A-Mid, in good company, but not go-out-and-buy-some-amazing. Why?  Read on.....

Served from a can, chilled, poured into a snifter. Pours golden, slightly hazy, with a firm white head, good carbonation. Nice, citrusy hop nose, and a hop blend of fruity and piney in the first  and subsequent, with a slight but not unpleasant acidic tang at the back of you mouth. It finishes grapefruit-bitter. Hop-forward, light in character for a DIPA, not as citrus and cloudy as most NEIPAs, this is a solid but not "Ooh....Aah....." example entry in the DIPA Derby. I would place it in the upper third of the Beer-A-Mid. If you're into hops, give it a try. Just don't go too far out of your way to get it.

My Rating: 4.0 / 5

Untappd: 3.73 / 5

Beer Of The Day: Prairie Bomb!

BOTD: Prairie Bomb!
Prairie Artisan Ales (Tulsa, OK)
( http://prairieales.com/ )

Imperial Stout; 13% ABV

"Bomb! is an imperial stout aged on coffee, chocolate, vanilla beans, and ancho chili peppers. The peppers add just the right amount of heat to complement the intense coffee and chocolate flavors"

This is a Bomb!, but is it Da Bomb, or will it bomb?  Let's do some research and find out which of my Trite appellations apply.

Imperial stouts pair well with other string dark flavors, and I've reviewed a few infused or brewed with coffee, cocoa nibs, vanilla beans and others that complement dark roasted malts. This will be the first with the addition of Ancho chilis. Adding "hot" spices can be a boon or a bane depending on your tolerance for and liking of, peppers. How will it balance out here?

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a snifter. Pours black with a brown head. First whiff and the coffee aroma comes through with....something extra...the chilis? Just a hint, mind you. It has a rich mouthfeel you expect from an Imperial Stout, full with coffee and dark chocolate flavors and bitter edge to balance out the malty sweet. I did not get any overt chili flavor however, and even on repeated sips, no real heat came through, a relief to the spice-averse, but surprising given its bill of ingredients. I think it is "in there", just far enough in the background but not enough to call attention to itself, smelled more than tasted.

A solid entry in the strong stout derby, and one that would go nicely in the beer fridge. If you see one, try one.

My Rating: 4.25 / 5

Untappd: 4.33 / 5

Prost!

Beer Of The Day: After World

BOTD: After World
Brickstone Brewery (Bourbonnais, IL)
( http://www.brickstonebrewery.com/ )

Barleywine; Barrel-aged. Limited Reserve Series (2017)
14.2% ABV

Barrel Aging is the Bacon of the Beer world. It makes good things better. A barrel aged barleywine? I'm game.  Give me a long and unstructured winter evening, a comfy chair, a remote control, and my notebook, please.....

Served from a 22oz. bomber, poured into a 33cl goblet. Pours dark amber, with little head that disspates quickly, not uncommon for stronger, aged beers. Modest aromas make me think I should have let it warm a bit before I poured it, but you do get a whiff of barrel and rich malt. Feel is rich but not syrupy. Flavors are characteristic of a barleywine, caramel/toffee-like, starting slightly sweet, with a little alcohol warmth from the high gravity, and finishing with a lingering bitterness. Barrel aging has allowed the taste to mature without adding too much oak. Overall a respectable but not amazing example of an American barleywine.  With the price of a bomber nearing $20  at some retailers, you might want to try others first.


My Rating: 4.0 / 5
Untappd: 4.02 / 5

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Beer Of The Day: Fimbulvinter - Another Great Gold Top

BOTD: Fimbulvinter
Avery Brewing Co. (Boulder, CO)
(https://www.averybrewing.com/)

Belgian Strong Ale
16.9% ABV

"A Rum barrel-aged Belgian-style strong ale, our rendition of a “Quintupel” with spiced rum flavor"

I am a big fan of Avery Brewing, and their tap room in Boulder is one of my Happy Places. I've had the pleasure of being served by Adam Avery at their GABF booth for a tapping, so when I saw a new Gold Top bottle on the shelf I had to do some Science right away.

It didn't disappoint. If you see it, buy it. Maybe save it for a year or 5. If you can wait that long. I couldn't.

Self-described as a Belgian "Quintuple" (Nerd Alert - Belgian beer categories include Dubbel, Tripel, Quadruple, but no Quintuple....) that was aged in Rum Barrels. For good strong beers, barrel-aging almost always makes it better.

Poured from a bottle into a snifter. Pours dark golden with an aggressive carbonation forming a tall light tan head - be patient. Aroma has hints of rum, caramel, and vanilla which form into a rich, complex flavor. When you say Belgian Strong ale, I expect to note the unique belgian yeast dark fruit flavors to some extent, but here they are sublimated into the high gravity and rum barrel aging. A 16.9% ABV indicates a hefty malt bill in the brew, and the flavor backs that up, more like a good barleywine in its profile. After several sipps you can finish the pour, and you will feel the warming notes of this high ABV ale. For a barrel aged brew it was not too "oaky" - barrel tannins were nor prominent, and overall there was a nice balance between Barrel and Barley. Sip and Enjoy.

My Rating: 4.5 / 5
Untappd: 4.17 / 5

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Beer Of The Day: Villanous (IPA)

BOTD: Villanous IPA
Around The Bend Beer Company
(http://atbbeerco.com/)

6.3% ABV

FOUR yeast strains? Alrighty then.

I am openly hopophiliac - and I rarely find an IPA that I can't appreciate. This one was in cans in the cooler section of my local stockist and seemed a suitable candidate for both science and refreshment. It was also from a local brewery whose products I'd not yet sampled.

Ensconced in my easy chair, I poured it into a tulip glass and was greeted with a modest hop aroma on the piney side, and a flavor that was not as hop-forward as many - more malt character than may in this crowded segment, characterized by lingering sweetness and a bitter finish. Their website indicates that they use multiple yeast strains in this brew, but what effect was intended or achieved remains a mystery. It really came across as unremarkable, not nearly the hopcentric Villain it claimed to be. I wonder, were it's best days behind it? Or was I just hoping for more.

My Rating: 3.75 / 5
Untappd: 3.72 / 5

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Beer Of The Day: Son Of Juice - A chip off the old Hop block?

BOTD: Son Of Juice
Maplewood Brewing and Distilling (Chicago, IL)
(http://www.maplewoodbrew.com/home/)

IPA; 6.3% ABV

"...A hazy IPA dripping with fruit juice notes. Pilsner malt and oats make a perfect canvas for loads of mosaic, simcoe and nugget hops"

Poured from a can into a tulip pint glass.  Pours a cloudy light yellow with a firm white head.  A pleasant light citrusy nose is followed by a nice mild (modest IBU) IPA flavor, not high in bitterness. The mouthfeel is light and refreshing and finishes on the sweet side. A solid entry in the cloudy / New England IPA derby, this is refreshing and grapefruity. I hope I can still find it when the weather warms up and it really shines. Available in cans in Chicago area retailers.

Apparently this is derived from Maplewoods "Juice Pants" IPA, which reportedly changes its hop bill with each brewing. More research required ....

My rating: 4.0 / 5

Untappd: 4.05 / 5

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Beer Of The Day: Escape From Stateville - but not until after you've finished this beer.

BOTD: Escape From Stateville
MyGrain Brewing (Joliet, IL)
(http://www.mygrainbrewing.com/)

Milk Stout; 8% ABV

"...Chocolate Stout with Walnut and Marshmallow"

(Photo of Tommy Touhy, beer bootlegger, Capone rival, and actual escapee from Stateville. Which has nothing to do with this post)

Served in a snifter (as part of a flight). Pours black, with a light tan head.

The marshmallow sweetness comes first, part of a rich, creamy, sweet draught. This is a good build on their Stateville Stout base, with the added elements blending neatly to create a more distinctive and richer beer than a garden variety Milk Stout. This is a standout on their tap list. Go get some - available draft onsite and in carry-out Crowlers. Take one home with you, invite a friend, and have it for dessert, you won't regret it. With a scoop of good vanilla, perhaps? ;-)

Now, when will they release the barrel-aged variant? We're waiting......

My Rating: 4.25 / 5
Untappd: 3.98 / 5


Prost!

"A is for Ale....."

The Beer Fan's ABCs

It all begins with Ale.

If you grew up in the United States prior to 1990, ale was something consumed warm by people in the UK, and by costumed characters in black and white adventure movies shown late at night on high-numbered TV channels. Beer meant lager, and lager meant beer, and in terms of total percentage of US market share, that is still more true than not. But in the large and diverse craft beer segment, the opposite is true. If you've had any craft beer at all, you've more than likely had an Ale, and if you are the kind of person who is likely to be reading content like this, more than a few.

So what's the difference, and should I care?

Short answer is no, shouldn't matter, drink for the flavor. If that satisfies your curiosity, go ahead and skip to the next Beer Of The Day Review. If, as I suspect, you've gotten this far because you want to know, read on.

It's all about that yeast, 'bout that yeast, 'bout that yeast...

All brewing depends on the action of yeast in converting sugars to alcohol and CO2. The effect of this magical process was understood long before the science of it. When brewers began propagating yeast to use in brewing these early strains they would find that they did their job at "room temperature", creating a large foamy head in the fermenter and when it's sugary meal was consumed, the yeast fell to the bottom and laid dormant. These strains are referred to as "top fermenting". Somewhere in the 1400s, brewers in what is now Germany 

made popular the practice of storing (lager means, roughly, to store) their beer in cool caves. This practice led to the development of strains of yeast that fell to the bottom (You guessed it, "bottom fermenting") but kept working in these cold conditions, producing the style now familiar to millions. Tradition dictates that certain styles of beer be produced as Ales , and others as Lagers. And while it does affect the flavor profile, it is entirely possible to produce an Ale with many of the flavor characteristics of a good lager, and vice-versa. Try a nice chilled Kolsch or Cream Ale sometime and put this to the test. Better yet, don't get it too cold, and enjoy the flavor more ;-).

Homebrewers produce far more Ales than lagers due to the comparative simpilicty of Ale production, being produced without the need for special refrigeration - warmer than your refrigerator but cooler than that corner in your basement - and as a side benefit, it is also ready to consume in less time.

At the end of the day, whether the yeast works best on top in the warm or on the bottom in the cold is only one of dozens of factors determining how you enjoy the final product. While there are significant differences in the biology of the yeast and the details of production, both can be enjoyed within the broad spectrum of craft beer.

Prost!

Saturday Science

https://beerconnoisseur.com/articles/17-must-try-beers-whiskey-advocates

Beer Of The Day: Bourbon County Brand Stout (2017) - Find It. Buy It. Save it for later.

BOTD: Bourbon County Brand Stout (2017)
Goose Island (Chicago, IL)
(http://www.gooseisland.com/our-beers/bourbon-county/bourbon-county-brand-stout-2017)

Imperial Stout; 14.1% ABV

(Bourbon-Barrel-Aged)

"A liquid as dark and dense as a black hole with thick foam the color of a bourbon barrel. The nose is an intense mix of charred oak, chocolate, vanilla, caramel and smoke."

(Released November 2017). Poured from a bottle. Pours black, with a modest brown, quickly dissipating head.

Nose of Bourbon and Oak. Thick, rich, slightly alcohol on the first sip, with oak tannins at the finish. Reminds me of an imported high cacao dark chocolate or a rich espresso coffee served black, in all the right ways.

Superb.

This is worth about 3 of our regular beers in ABV, and serves a full 16 oz. pint, so tread lightly. But Oh So Worth It.  Pout it into your favorite snifter and savor it. This is dessert in a glass.

Your local stockist might still have one or two of these stashed behind the counter. Buy it.

If you imagine a pyramid of beers - let's call it the beer-a-mid - this would occupy one of the spots in that pyramidal peak.

I once had a friend tell me "I've got a fridge full of beers you recommended and they're all awesome, but I have nothing to drink tonight, because I'm saving these...

This is one of those beers. Let it mature, and save it for a special occasion. Like Thursday.

My Rating: 4.75 / 5
Untappd: 4.52

Beer Of The Day: Stateville Stout. It is precisely what it is...

BOTD: Stateville Stout
MyGrain Brewing (Joliet, IL)
(http://www.mygrainbrewing.com/)

Milk Stout; 7.4% ABV

"A sweeter addition to our lineup, Stateville Stout is brewed with Dutch chocolate malts and just a touch of hops, then finished off with Lactose to give it that extra kick of sweetness."

Served in a snifter (as part of a flight). Pours black, with a light tan head.

Modest nose of roasted malts; A rich, sweet stout with a silky mouthfeel. A good example of what a milk stout should be, displaying the lactose (and therefore unfermentable) sweetness you expect. A very competent entry in the Milk Stout Stakes. Try it. Available draft onsite and in cans locally. Check your Binny's.

My Rating: 4.0 / 5

Untappd: 3.83 / 5

Prost!

Beer Of The Day: Freudian Spell Check - Sometimes a beer is just a beer

BOTD: Freudian Spell Check
MyGrain Brewing (Joliet, IL)
(http://www.mygrainbrewing.com/)

Black IPA; 6.9% ABV

"Freudian Spell Check is hopped with a combination of Hüll Melon and Palisade hops to give it a unique, fruity aroma and flavor backed up by a malt bill filled with a generous helping of chocolate and roasted malts."

Served in a snifter (as part of a flight). Pours black, with a light tan head.

The predominant aroma is of roasted malts, appropriate to being Black; but not much in the way of Hops, as one would expect of all things IPA. They become more prominent after the swallow, when a lingering bitterness takes over. There is....something else going on here...not sure if it is intended or not; hop-selection-related or not. Hmmmmm. An unremarkable brew.

My Rating: 3.75 / 5

Untappd: 3.66 / 5

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Beer Of The Day: Bavarian Destroyer - "Do it!, Do it now!!!"

BOTD: Bavarian Destroyer
MyGrain Brewing (Joliet, IL)
(http://www.mygrainbrewing.com/)

Weizenbock; 8% ABV

"Just when it starts to get cold outside, The Bavarian Destroyer comes to town to heat things up! A beast of a beer, our flagship Weizenbock is brewed with a rich blend of European malts, a touch of traditional hops, and German yeast. The result is a smooth, satisfying beer, with notes of banana, vanilla, and clove."

Served in a snifter (as part of a flight). Pours very dark, with little head.

There are a number of good imported hefeweizens available these days, characterized by their light and spicy flavor, light golden hazy character. A refreshing summer brew. There are also any number s of doppelbocks available, with their strong ale character and corny (but required, at least in Germany) -ator names. This is both, and neither.

If a hefewiezen and a doppelbock had relations, this would be the product. Kudos to MyGrain for exploring a rare style, and executing it successfully. You get some of the expected hefe clove & spices with a darker, stronger malty character. It is not what you're used to, but I think you'll enjoy it.

And forgive me if I read the name of the beer but hear it in the voice of a famous Austrian-American. And now you will too......

My Rating: 4.0 / 5

Untappd: 3.68 / 5

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Inquiring Minds Want To Know...The Price of Beer

Planning on international travel this year? Vacationing on another continent? Business travel to a foreign home Office?

Read before you go:

http://www.businessinsider.com/how-much-beer-costs-around-the-world-2017-11

Science Day!

The Brew Review Crew is practicing a little unlicensed Zymurgy today in the kitchen. Stand by for updates....

I have had about half of these brews but not posted any reviews. This must be rectified...

THE BEST COLORADO STOUTS TO KEEP YOU WARM UNTIL SPRING

https://303magazine.com/2018/02/best-colorado-stouts/

Beer Of The Day: When I Have Time

BOTD: When I Have Time
MyGrain Brewing (Joliet, IL)
(http://www.mygrainbrewing.com/)

Belgian Quad

"Fall and Winter are the perfect time to sit back and relax with friends and family with a big, strong beer. When I Have Time has just the right amount of kick balanced with a caramel and toffee sweetness to make any get-together memorable."

Served in a snifter (as part of a flight). Pours dark amber, with little head and a slight haze.

I like a good quad, Belgian ales are noted for their unique flavor profiles based on their unique yeast strains and brewing techniques, and a good quad is deceptively strong and fruity, almost winelike.

Not this one.

I was expecting more than it had to give. Instead of plum and currants, I tasted a stronger but not quite barleywine-level ale with a slight lingering bitterness but little to no dark fruit flavors.

If you're on site, try it in a flight, but pass on the pint.

My Rating: 3.5 / 5

Untappd: 3.75 / 5

Prost!

Beer Of The Day: Where Have You Bean - "A Coffee and a Beer? Yes, Please"

BOTD: Where Have You Bean
MyGrain Brewing (Joliet, IL)
(http://www.mygrainbrewing.com/)

"What is better than the weather beginning to break, than a nice cup of joe, and a bold* beer? How about a combination of both! Where Have You Bean, is a combination of dark roasted malt & locally used Ten Drops Coffee. They blend together to give a bittersweet dark chocolate and caramel flavor that will make you all kinds of warm and fuzzy inside."

Coffee Stout. Served in a snifter. Pours, Very Dark (Espresso Roast) Brown, with a light tan head. Approaching the glass the beer reaches out with tasty coffee notes over the expected roasted malts. Nice but not overly rich mouthfeel, it drinks easily like that first cup in the morning (sigh). Very nice coffee-forward coffee stout, above average entry in the field. If you are a stout fan or a coffee fan (preferably both), getcha some.... I would buy some for the beer fridge if I saw it at my local retailer (as crowded with stouts as it already is....).  A very solid entry. Try it.

My Rating: 4.25 / 5
Untappd: 4.03 / 5

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Beer Of The Day: Iron & Steel

BOTD: Iron & Steel
MyGrain Brewing (Joliet, IL)
(http://www.mygrainbrewing.com/)

"A big, bold beer named for the iron and steel workers that built Joliet into the city it is today. A generous grain bill with plenty of Munich malt and flaked wheat give this beer a pillowy mouthfeel, while the heaping portions of Azzaca, Mandarina Bavaria, and El Dorado hops throw a bomb of citrus on the back end."

Served in a snifter. Pours clear amber with a thin white head. Hops clearly evident on closer olfactory exploration, as one would expect. Hop varieties tend to the resiny/piney side of the spectrum. The first sip hits you with a tough of malt sweetness quickly overwhelmed by hoppy bitterness. Not a trend follower, this is not cloudy or citrusy - points for going their own way here. A solid if unremarkable entry in the DIPA Derby, well suited to those of us who enjoy high IBU flavors. MyGrain has hit this style profile dead-center.

Avaialable onsite (draft), and carry-out as Crowlers and Kegs. MyGrain is just getting their Chicago area distribution going, so keep an eye out or ask you stockist to get some on the shelf. Located in the Joliet Union Station building, it can be easily reached by commuter train, so take you time and try a flight. ;-) (See separate venue review for full report)

My Rating: 3.75 / 5

Untappd: 3.66 / 5

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Beer Of The Day: Sweetwater Hatchery Series #4: Chocolate Milk Stout - "meh"

BOTD: Sweetwater Hatchery Series #4: Chocolate Milk Stout
Sweetwater Brewing (Atlanta, GA.)

( http://sweetwaterbrew.com/brews/ )

"We used lactose and flaked oats to create a silky smooth, sweet and creamy chocolate brew that will remind you of your younger days"

Served draft in a pint glass. (In fairness, it tapped out as it was poured. How this affected the overall experience can not be precisely determined)

Pours nearly black, with a light brown head. 

It sounded like a great dessert beer the wash down the last of the burger, something with enough flavor and substance to fill in the cracks and induce a nice food coma.

It did not.

I did not pick up either the chocolate or the lactose sweetness one would expect from a beer so made. A stout to be sure, with overtones of roasted malt (rather than hop) bitterness, like an espresso, but I struggled to detect more. A casualty of being literally bottom-of-the-barrel? We may never know. As served, it was ordinary. If offered, I'd pass.

It's not bad, it's just not what you'd expect.

My Rating: 3.5/5

Untappd Rating: 3.6/5

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Beer Of The Day: Warpigs' Foggy Geezer - "Danish Delight"

BOTD: Foggy Geezer
Warpigs Brewing (Copenhagen, Denmark)
(http://warpigs.com/)

"Style: A hazy, fruity and heavily dry-hopped IPA"

If you're not familiar with the story, Warpigs Brewpub in Copenhagen is a product of unnatural relations between 3 Floyds and Mikeller, and it carries the DNA of both in what it does. The upside of that relationship for those of us in The States is that we can often get some really good Danish beer here. Or is it? (Danish)...Now I'm confused.

But don't be confused about the beer. Foggy Geezer (served draft at a Bulldog Alehouse nearby - see separate review) pours hazy golden, with a light white head. Definite but not overpowering hoppy aroma. You will be hit with bitter, no sweet, no, bitter as you work your way through each sip. Hops are a mix of citrusy and piney/resiny. Fairly light in body, it does not betray it's published 8% ABV until you've finished your pint. Fruity? Maybe when freshly brewed, not now. But that's not a detractor as you can't miss what you never had. Hopheads will like it. A solid entry in a crowded field. If you see it on tap, don't be afraid to try it.

My Rating: 4.0/5
Untappd Rating: 4.0/5

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Beer Of The Day: Citra Ass Down - Mmmm Tasty

Beer Of The Day: Citra Ass Down
Against The Grain Brewery & Smokehouse (Louisville, KY)
http://www.atgbrewery.com/

"Double IPA?  Must....try....beer....can't ....resist..." I was in the Lupulin Tractor Beam, no choice but to take home a 4-pack and see if it was any good. For Science, of course.

(From the website) "This is a very hop forward American style IPA. Brewed with Pale, Vienna, Munich and wheat malt for a solid base for all American hops, focusing mainly on the variety “Citra.” Citra hops are a relatively new variety introduced in 2008."

Poured from a 16 oz. can

Potent but not overwhelming Citrus hop nose, pours golden with a light white head. Great for those among you who are citrus / dry hop lovers.. Both the malt character and bitterness at finish are modest for a beer of this type. At 8.2% ABV it is on the lower end of DIPAs but still worth two of your buddy's "lite" beers so proceed with caution. Scratch that. It is worth far more than a case of Milwaukee's Best Light. If you're a Hop Lover....."getcha some...."

My Rating: 4.0/5

Untappd rating: 3.94/5

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Beer Of The Day: Shotgun Wedding "I wanted to like this more"

It called to me from across the aisle...."Brown Ale Aged On Vanilla Beans"....the siren song, alas, irresistable.

Like most fever dreams, the reality falls short of expectations.

BOTD: Shotgun Wedding
Country Boy Brewing (Georgetown, Kentucky)
http://countryboybrewing.com/

(From the website) "A malty brown ale conditioned with real vanilla beans."

True confession: I waited until the second can to write this up (the first draft trapped in my LBB, until it returns, but that is another story). I thought that the thin white head had dissipated because my glass still held a hint of soap; that its flavor might have been impacted by something I had consumed prior.

But no. What we have is in effect a very sessionable brown ale, light tasting and feeling, with but a hint of something not malty (the promised Beans?) but only because I am looking for it.

Sorry, Shotgun Wedding, I gave you every chance, but you just didn't deliver.

And if I ever see you again, as an imperial, aged on oak, you know we'll dance again.

My Rating: 3.75/5

Untappd Rating: 3.75/5

Prost!

So many breweries, so little time. Make your time count.

http://thehopreview.com/blog/chicago-brewery-list

Venue: Kuma's Corner (Schaumburg, IL)

Kuma's Corner (Schaumburg, IL)
(https://kumascorner.com/location/kumas-schaumburg/)
Gourmet Burger Bar

Address: 1570 E Golf Rd, Schaumburg, IL 60173
Phone: 847.240.1200

Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/3BKTDVxHuW32

The suburban branch of it's Belmont Ave flagship, Kuma's has a well-deserved and wide-ranging reputation for awesome burgers, and this visit did not disappoint. A scion of the original Kuma's in Chicago, this location is perforce, larger, newer and cleaner than its namesake in the city, but the menu, meals, and beer selection do an admirable job of capturing the original. Metal music on the PA and the video screens, and tattooed servers helps convey the Kuma's KMA attitude. They are what they are, no apologies. As they so delicately put it, "come f_(#ing eat".  While not necessarily suited to younger or more sensitive restaurant patrons, Kuma's will provide a delicious gut-busting litany of entrees. For this visit, a Friday lunch visit, after being quickly seated and served,  it was a "Plague Bringer - Crushed Garlic, Housemade Hot Sauce, Pepperjack, Jalapenos, Tortilla Strips, Roasted Garlic Mayo, Lettuce, Tomato, Red Onion" served at the requested medium temp, juicy, spicy and sweet, accompanied by some excellent food-coma-inducing fries.

Their beer selection is quite good, and features many excellent local marques, covering 32 taps and an additional 32 bottle selections.

X-Factor - If you find the metal subculture off-putting, stay away. If you like it, or are at least willing to risk it, it will pay off handsomely. Don't plan on eating again for 12 hours or so....

Recommendation:

Dig out that black concert t-shirt, get hungry, and go f'###ing eat.  You won't regret it.

Prost!


The Scale:

- Wow! Drop everything and go. It's a Destination - plan a trip.


- Add this to your beer journeys in this region.

- Stop if you're in the neighborhood.

- Skip it.