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!

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

Prost!