Abv Chicago Craft Beer Podcast

We can give a lot of credit to Half Acre co-founder Gabriel Magliaro for helping awaken the craft beer scene in Chicago. And more than 16 years later, Half Acre is still a leader in craft in the city and all over the country, so we’re thrilled to sit down with Gabriel for a deep dive into the history of his legendary brewery. We talk about how he was strongly advised against putting beer in 16-ounce cans, how opening a retail shop exposed the brand to a new audience, the evolution of their barrel program to its esteemed current status, and why the Lincoln taproom sale was the best of all outcomes. Then, Craig and Ryan open four Half Acre beers across a variety of styles to review, and it’s kind of a cosmic gumbo. Also, we’re trying hard to make Slowdem a real thing. Gabriel Magliaro Interview (00:07:29 - 01:09:02) Beers Reviewed Green Torch (Lime Lager) Bodem (IPA) Slow Wink (West Coast IPA) Double Barrel Benthic 2022 (Double arrel-aged imperial stout with toasted coconut and cinnamon)  

It’s another show about highly drinkable summer styles, and this minor trend of local breweries releasing hopped-up wheat beers caught our attention enough to put five beers in front of us for review. The styles differ despite their shared ingredient, and we’re as excited about the big hops as we are comforted by the soft wheat. Also, we blue-sky some product design for Impractical Packaging Brewing Co.; Craig might drizzle some honey on that dry ramen snack; and Ryan’s just looking for a little extra fiber. Beers Reviewed Riverlands Brewing Company - Lazy Fox (Hazy Pale Wheat Ale) Brothership Brewing - Citra Crop Circles (Hoppy Wheat Ale) Keg Grove Brewing Company - Vacation Haze (Hazy Wheat New England-Style IPA) Miskatonic Brewing Company/Seldom Beer Co. - Silver Sun (Hoppy Wheat Lager) DryHop Brewers - Shark Meets Hipster (Wheat IPA)  

Brad Clark is the man behind the highly sought-after blended barrel-aged beers of Private Press, and Craig sat down with him over some decanted barleywine to talk about the history and future of his members-only brewery. Brad shares how his background at the renowned Jackie O’s in Ohio led to some of the more daring experiments at his current Santa Cruz brewery, and how peaceful running led to him inventing an entire style. Also, he shares details about his meticulous blending process, how his barrels travel treacherous terrain to reach their destination, where the inspiration for his labels and beer names originate from, and why he once had to set a barrel on fire in an attempt to save it. If that wasn’t enough, we also open four of his beers that are just about unmatched in quality, and Craig talks about an unexpected visitor while dining at The French Laundry. Brad Clark Interview (00:10:02 - 00:55:28) Beers Reviewed Life is Round (Blend of barleywine ales aged in bourbon barrels) A Silent Pursuit (Blend o

After six episodes and 25 beers, we’re finally putting our top 6 choices for best Chicagoland/Illinois hazy IPA to one last blind test. This showdown features four GABF gold medal-winners and two “underdogs” - and each beer impresses in its own way. Which brewery do we think is making the best cloudy juice utilizing Citra and/or Mosaic (and maybe like one or two other hops)? We’ll have a definitive arbitrary answer by the end of the show. Also, Ryan is excited about his Goop Dupe, Craig’s out there waiting for fruit to be thrown at him, and someone might just guess so good that they’ll dab into the sun.  Beers Reviewed Blindly DESTIHL Brewery - Deadhead: TourBus Alarmist Brewing - Le Jus Alter Brewing Company - Ambigram Riverlands Brewing Co. - Dean Street Penrose Brewing Company - Goofy Boots Old Irving Brewing - Beezer  

We’ve been admirers of Sante Adairius Rustic Ales for a decade now, and Craig’s recent trip to California brings us back the gift of SARA saisons - and a wonderful conversation with owner and co-founder Adair Paterno. The four barrel-aged saisons on this show are about as good of a lineup of beer we’ll drink all year, so get ready for the lovefest on this episode. But the real highlight is Adair and Craig’s talk which covers the early days to their now three-location status; how the house yeast culture came to be and has had to be resurrected; why so many taproom regulars have ended up joining the staff; and the time when they almost created yeast monsters underground. Also, Craig accidentally finds himself in the middle of parkour practice, and Ryan opts for opulence with the ultimate episode-ending Saison Cuvée. Adair Paterno Interview (00:09:10 - 00:50:38) Beers Reviewed Eye of the Needle (Saison aged in Venus Spirits’ gin barrels w/ passionfruit, mango, and guava) Intentional Invitation (Saison aged in Ve

Summer Craig is starting off strong this year by bringing back five fantastic beers from California’s Bay Area (and beyond) for us to fawn over and attempt to recreate those vacation vibes. We learn the backstories of these breweries and their unique approaches and cover other beer-ish topics like the follies of berry beers, aggressive bread, trad saisons, and the royal need for hop names. Also, Craig has discovered a new traveling superpower and parlor trick; Ryan has picked a winner in an East Coast vs. West Coast IPA battle; and we flip through the Sam Goody poster stand for a while. It’s better than Semi-OK. Beers Reviewed Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing [Santa Cruz] - Hello Pretty (Organic blonde ale w/ strawberries) Wondrous Brewing Company [Emeryville] - Rote Augen (Franconian-style Rotbier) HenHouse Brewing Company [Santa Rosa] - Saison (Saison w/ black pepper and coriander) Fox Tale Fermentation Project [San Jose] - No Más (Gose w/ Persian lime, pink pepper leaf, and lacto-fermented honey) Ghost Town Bre

Ryan’s a University of Iowa graduate, and in the 15 years since his last visit, a few breweries have popped up and thrived in the area. After a weekend with the family in Iowa City, Ryan brought back five beers from the area to talk about what’s been happening with beer in the decade-and-a-half since. Also, Craig’s aghast to share Tom Emanski with an uninterested party, we’re both a bit confused over TMNT villains, and Ryan’s not mad about the algorithm figuring out he likes Mortal Kombat videos. We hope you like nostalgia with your beer reviews, this week.  Beers Reviewed Big Grove Brewery - Tailwind (Golden Ale) ReUnion Brewery & John’s Grocery - Thrilla in Amarilla (Hoppy Wheat) Backpocket Brewing - Slingshot (Dunkel) Lion Bridge Brewing Company - Compensation (English-Style Mild) Iowa Brewing Co. - Cookie Oja (Baltic Porter w/ chocolate sandwich cookies)  

Another somewhat recent trend in the world of local lagers is the Italian Pilsner, a style with only about a 30-year history that adds a bit more noble dry-hop character to something close to the Czech-style pilsner. It’s all winners on this show, except for the hosts who have to do rankings without the assistance of a large sandwich. Also, we welcome in Hot Grimace Summer, Craig’s empty hand is ever-reaching for an IPL, and Ryan’s got that soon-to-be-viral oyster cracker hack.  Beers Reviewed Mikerphone Brewing - Hey Mambo, Mambo Italiano! Riverlands Brewing Company - Picchi Pils Pipeworks Brewing Company (& J.P. Graziano) - Alla Salute Art History Brewing - Bella Strada Half Acre Beer Co. - italian Pilsner  

In our penultimate round before the championship, we have one spot up for grabs with these fan favorite hazy IPAs from Chicagoland breweries. Bringing our grand total of hazy IPAs blind-tasted up to 25, this episode still manages to bring some surprising sights and smells - and the show’s winner isn’t exactly what we expected. Also, we workshop a brewer’s new brand concept, Ryan is dreaming of dunking on some suckers, and Craig just wants a banana shaped like a dolphin in his drink.  Beers Reviewed Blindly Roaring Table Brewing - Tuba Solo Art History Brewing - Major More Brewing Company - Morever Short Fuse Brewing Company - Loosey Juicy Alter Brewing Company - Ambigram  

As we open our arms to embrace the start of summer, our empty glasses are going to need something flavorful yet refreshing. Luckily, Chicagoland breweries have been cranking out the hoppy lagers and pilsners lately, so we assemble five for this episode that are so good that they almost completely break the show. Also, Ryan speculates on banana pudding restaurants, The Queen’s death is really holding up new hop names, and Craig’s dry ramen-chomping has officially entered the canon. Beers Reviewed More Brewing Company & Beer on the Wall - Take One Down (German-style Pilsner) Dovetail Brewery/Revolution Brewing - Thank You, Friends (Hopfenlager) Roaring Table Brewing - Melts Into Air (California-style Pilsner) Old Irving Brewing Co. - Doji* (Hoppy Lager) Mikerphone Brewing - Lager & Lace (West Coast-Style Lager)   *At the time of this recording the beer was known as Oni, but is now renamed Doji  

  We’re just about halfway to FoBAB, so we are once again doing battle with the barrel featuring a roundup of beers we’ve been saving for this very episode. These four barrel-aged beers jostle around in our arbitrary rankings as we just luxuriate in their decadence for about an hour and fifteen minutes. Also, we explain why you (and Billy Corgan) just have to pay your hackers sometimes; Ryan’s got those Dairy Queen Blizzard flavor exclusives; and Craig gets called out for the snickerdoodle, again. More barrel-aged beers? We can never get enough.  Beers Reviewed Revolution Brewing Company - V.S.O. Gravedigger (Imperial Scotch Ale aged two years in bourbon barrels) Old Irving Brewing Co./Phase Three Brewing - Barrel-Aged Migration 2023 (Bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout w/ coconut, vanilla, and Ecuadorian cocoa nibs) Half Acre Beer Company - Catch Hell 2023 (Bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout w/ cinnamon and Madagascar vanilla) Wax Wings Brewing Company - Mezcal Barrel-Aged Sweet Eddy (Imperial stout w/ vanill

Our quest to find the best flagship hazy IPA from Chicagoland breweries enters its fourth round, as we blindly sample through a fresh set of five to pick a winner that best fits our own personal preferences. And though our ability to guess blind beers is as bad as ever, our taste buds are finely tuned and finally ready to deliver a surprising upset on this episode. Also, we dream up some 80s-centric unexpected sports and celebrity pairings; we’re reaching for the purple stuff over the Sunny D; and we might just let a fly determine the overall winner of this whole dang competition. Beers Reviewed Blindly Begyle Brewing - No Tomorrow DESTIHL Brewery - Deadhead: TourBus Horse Thief Hollow Brewing Co. - Spoonful Hopewell Brewing Co. - Lightbeam Riverlands Brewing Co. - Dean Street  

In our 31st installment of our decade-long State Show Series, we are sampling a hop-heavy lineup from North Carolina courtesy of listener Rodney Knox. We learn about these five breweries from across the state while appreciating how difficult they make the rankings segment, in more ways than one. Also, Craig shares tales of drive-thru beer stores; Ryan’s got a weird robot obsession, and we’re sold on the idea of the Sweltzer based on name alone.  Beers Reviewed Swells’a Brewing [Kill Devil Hills, NC] - Pea Island Parks Pilsner  Southern Pines Brewing Company [Southern Pines, NC] - Man of Law (IPA) Raleigh Brewing Company [Raleigh, NC] - Coffee Hidden Pipe (Coffee Porter) Hopfly Brewing Company [Charlotte, NC] - Unity (IPA) Foothills Brewing [Winston-Salem, NC] - Jade IPA  

Though they’re maybe not the first brewery that comes to mind when you think of Kalamazoo, Michigan, Wax Wings Brewing (est. 2018) flourished during the pandemic with their fresh hazies and complex barrel-aged beers gaining a ton of word-of-mouth momentum that saw many a beer fan traveling just for the opportunity to take home some of their lineup. Count Craig as one of those folks, as he went to Kalamazoo to snag an interview with owner Rob Hopkins and bring back a fun (and boozy) lineup of fresh beers. The highlights here are about as good as anything we’ve had all year, and thanks to that the rankings are as joyfully inebriated as we’ve been in a while. Also, Craig’s got your Guide to Purchasing a Kazoo in Kalamazoo; Ryan’s gonna buy anything that’s “rustic”; and a certain someone has just discovered that “fruit leather” exists. (And thanks to listener Benji for one of the bottles!) Interview with Rob Hopkins (00:08:08 - 00:26:20) Beers Reviewed Cut ‘Em All Down (Rustic American Ale) Knows Not What It Mean

A new set of five hop warriors enter the extremely flimsy ring for another blind tasting to lead us to our favorite Chicagoland flagship hazy IPA. This one features many more hops than just Citra and Mosaic, so it leads to the widest range of flavors yet. Will we agree on who moves to the championship, and will any beer make it on the bubble? Listen to find out that but also which brewery could potentially be profiting big from director K*vin Sm*th, why Craig’s making a heel turn, and how we’re implementing a simplified haze SRM scale to cut through all the fog.  Beers Reviewed Blindly Revolution Brewing - Hazy Hero Around the Bend Beer Co. - Juice Trials Penrose Brewing Company - Goofy Boots Noon Whistle Brewing - Gummylicious Ravinia Brewing - Isle of Lost Hops: Medusa’s Lagoon  

If it wasn’t obvious from the totally easy to understand episode title, this show is a return for us to a whole lineup of barrel-aged beers from different breweries we love. We add a little blind twist to this one as all four are adjunct-free affairs: just delicious big stouts in world-class barrels. Also, Craig’s totally serious about the tater tots offer, Ryan has found The Cheesecake of Beers™, and we both have a lot of thoughts about ramen.  Beers Reviewed Mikerphone Brewing (w/ Beer on the Wall) - Pick of Destiny #10: Raw Power (Imperial Stout Ale Aged in a Single Weller Wheated Bourbon Barrel) Central Waters Brewing Company - Twenty Five (Blended Bourbon Barrel-Aged Stout) WeldWerks Brewing Co. - Medianoche 2022 (Imperial Stout aged in Blanton's 15-year bourbon, Thomas H. Handy 6-year rye, E.H. Taylor 6-year bourbon, and Eagle Rare 10-year bourbon barrels) Triptych Brewing - AJ’s Stout Vol. 1 2022 (Imperial Stout aged in Heaven Hill Parker Heritage Collection bourbon barrels)  

Though still somewhat unknown around these parts, Cellar West Artisan Ales out of Lafayette, Colorado became known to us as an award-winning saison brewery. This episode further proves their proficiency with a variety of styles. Thanks to a porch box from founder and brewer Zach Nichols, we sample five cans of wildly drinkable and enjoyable beers as we calculate how many chapters it’ll take us to get some beers on local shelves. Also, Craig relives his Cellar West taproom visit from last fall, we consider the advantages of wine-flavored bubblegum, and Ryan wishes he was warned about the Woodman’s robot.   Beers Reviewed Silver Stream (Helles Lager) Unfed Mind, Vol. 1 (Pale Ale w/ Simcoe and HBC 630) Single Hop Saison - Emerald Spire Bourbon Barrel Spinechiller (Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels) Bourbon Barrel Ginger Clove Spinechiller (Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels w/ ginger & clove)  

The second installment in our ongoing (and expanding) arbitrary competition to determine what we deem to be the best Chicagoland Flagship Hazy IPA continues with this murderer’s row of five eclectic and skilled breweries. There are many joyous smells and even a false lactose spotting, but at least there are no glasses of SkittleMilk on this show. See who’s moving on to the championship round, and who may find a second chance on the bubble. Beers Reviewed Blindly Open Outcry Brewing Company - Delirio Alarmist Brewing - Le Jus Phase Three Brewing - Pixel Density Sketchbook Brewing Co. - Insufficient Clearance Midwest Coast Brewing Co. - Elevator to Nowhere  

Seemingly popping up on more local taplists than ever, smoked beers are moving past being a niche brewery-only oddity. We find five beers that enlist smoked malts in their production to give off a surprising variety of flavors - and a refreshing level of nuance. Also, we role play our own Chopped appearances, spend some time living in the aftertaste, and accept that this might be one of the best top-to-bottom lineups of beer we’ve done all year. Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em. Beers Reviewed Alarmist Brewing - Bamberger (Rauchbier) Maplewood Brewing Company - Over Fire Island (Smoked Porter) Soundgrowler Brewing Co. - Burning Hill (Rauch Marzen) Dovetail Brewery - Rauchdoppelbock Art History Brewing - Good Night Bamberg (Rauchbier)  

This year marks the tenth anniversary of Savoy, Illinois’ Triptych Brewing and their creative, artfully-crafted brews, and we’re toasting to them with four of their barrel-aged beers. We went into this one expecting quality beers, but the results far exceed what we could’ve imagined - and should have every Chicago big beer lover driving south for these specialty releases. Plus we’re reaching alcohol-by-volume heights we hardly ever see, so we’re soaring by rankings time. Also, Craig’s only green t-shirt gets him into trouble, Ryan reaps what he sows re:BCBS, and we get a little sad thinking about a lonely whale.  Beers Reviewed Batch 969 [collaboration w/ Foreign Exchange] (Barleywine aged in Amburana and bourbon barrels) AJ’s Stout Vol. 2 [2022] (Blended barrel-aged imperial stout) Dearest Anna (Barrel-aged imperial stout w/ Intelligentsia coffee and Tahitian vanilla) 52.5 Hz (Bourbon barrel-aged stout w/ pistachios and Ugandan vanilla beans)