Abv Chicago Craft Beer Podcast

For our third annual pilgrimage to Denver, we again recorded mere hours after the closing of GABF from our hotel room to recap the fest, share some interviews, and drink even more beer. We review beers from Weldwerks, Odd13, and Copper Kettle with some help from MC Johnsen of Worth A Thousand Beers. There are also interviews with a bevy of brewers: Neil Fisher from Weldwerks Brewing, Ryan Fields from Beachwood Blendery, Eric Larken from Odd13 Brewing, Jonathan Wakefield from J. Wakefield Brewing, Jeff Stuffings from Jester King Brewery, Bob Kunz from Highland Park Brewery, James Howat from Black Project Spontaneous and Wild Ales, and Jeremy Tofte from Melvin Brewing. We discuss our personal festival highlights, Illinois medal winners, non-festival events, the Hanson brothers, Party Chapazian, Schwimmer Vintage Ales, the Tappening, and Little Lemmy & Friends. But the beer professionals we interview share knowledge on branding, coolships, mixed fermentation, the interplay of art and beer, green bottle exper

Ah, you think Darkness is your ally? Well, it is! Anticipating this year’s big release day, we drink a vertical-plus of Surly’s special release Russian Imperial Stout, and we’re briefly joined by head brewer Ben Smith to talk about what makes Darkness what it is. MC Johnsen sits in with us to help us make sense of these delectable beers and keep us from going too far off the rails. She succeeds in one of those, as we share some Darkness Lore, invent(?) chocolate Coke, describe Craig’s wild gestures, and give tips on sneaking beer into the Olive Garden. (This episode is not sponsored by Crossfit, even though MC is.) Surly Darkness “Vertical” Darkness 2012 Darkness 2013 Darkness 2014 Darkness 2015 Barrel-Aged Darkness 2015

If you haven’t heard of Triptych yet, you’re not alone - at least for now. On the edge of the University of Illinois campus, this brewery is making a variety of stellar beers - and we’ve got five to taste for this episode plus an interview with founder/owner/brewer Anthony Benjamin. Learn why you should schedule your Savoy trip soon, how they got connected with the Pygmalion fest, and what Triptych does with their beers that a lot of larger breweries wish they could. Throw in a few drunk texts from Craig, another Ryan’s Produce Minute, and the lasting impact of Stefan Urquelle, and you’ve got yourself another ABV Chicago podcast. We hope you like it. Beers Reviewed Little Secret (Session IPA) These Aren’t the Blueberries You’re Looking For (Berliner weisse) Pygmalion Pilsner Because, Chocolate (Imperial Cocoa Stout) Here Be Dragons (Imperial IPA)

  It took a surprising amount of heavy lifting to bring together five Chicago porters, and *record scratch* none of them are actually porters! Sort of! This is a deep exploration of the porter style with our usual reviews, and the variance is wide. We draw from some of the great beer books to piece together a paraphrased history of the porter, and why what’s common today is so radically different than what it used to be. The asides are similarly rich and roasty, with loose ponies, Girl Scout cookies, breakaway glass failures, Craig’s Hunger Corner, prowlers, Sidney Poitier, and Taxidermied Churro. And Ryan does the worst thing he’s ever done on the show, ever. Revolution Brewing - Eugene Aquanaut Brewing - MoonRay Moody Tongue - Carmelized Chocolate Churro Baltic Porter Arcade Brewery - Rye Resolution Cruz Blanca Cerveceria - Winnow

Levi Funk is taking the foundation laid by breweries like Russian River and Allagash and making American lambic-style beers to match the quality of Belgian masters. Or at least approach them. We have five sours from the Funk Factory Geuzeria, and we pimp that coolship. There’s a whole cast of new characters here: Gushy the Bunker Bucket, Jean Cheese, Curtis Mercer, and Dreggy Topoff. Beyond a lot of spontaneous fermentation and lambic talk, there’s also Kraig’s Kandy Korner, Ryan’s Produce Minute, and a graphic mustache experience. We ain’t funkin’ around.   Dweller on the Threshold (Blended American sour) Cassis (Blended lambic-style beer with Champagne currants) White Lodge Reserve (American Gueuze-style beer) Frampaars (Blended lambic-style beer with purple raspberries) Bosbes (Blended lambic-style beer with blueberries)

Parched after an evening of marmot spotting, we continue our 50 states quest by sipping on some Washington. We review six beers from six breweries from The Evergreen State thanks to Raj Shah and only mention grunge a half dozen times. We play a Blood Brothers-based game, do the alternating-brewery-name-pronunciation tango (the forbidden worddance), and discuss “the problem” with New England-style IPAs. Beware the mouth goblin.   Bale Breaker Brewing - Field 41 Pale Ale Urban Family Brewing - Herr Kinski’s Apricot Dream-Spiral Berliner Weisse Cloudburst Brewing - Market Fresh Saison #6: Peaches & Grains of Paradise Holy Mountain Brewing - The Goat Brett Saison Three Magnets Brewing Co. - Little Juice IPA (Smoothie Edition) Stoup Brewing - Citra IPA

It’s New Baby Hiatus time at ABV Studios, so we have gathered some of our favorite Low ABV episodes that were previously only available to our Patreon donors. Uh, sorry Patreon donors. But you’ll hear four beers reviewed, and a very loose - and edgy - Ryan & Craig on these mini shows that are sure to be the talk of Craft Beer Town. There’s an MC Johnsen appearance, SMaSH desires, 90s rock karaoke,  hot takes on some local breweries, a story about a 26-inch hot dog, and a noxious cloud of Hoobastank - all while we seemingly look to find the tag beyond “Explicit” on iTunes. To get access to a whole mess more of these types of shows, go to www.patreon.com/abvchicago and donate to help keep our show listener-supported an ad-free.   Low ABVs Compiled: Low ABV 2 - Buckledown’s Citra Clencher Low ABV 4 - Cycle Brewing’s Tuesday Low ABV 7 - Lord Hobo’s Boom Sauce Low ABV 10 - Moody Tongue’s BA Chocolate Barleywine

Our next stop on our mission to taste the whole USA brings one of the overall most satisfying lineups - and maybe Craig’s favorite beer of all time. Five Florida breweries are featured with two brief interviews with brewers poised to make a huge name for themselves. Matt Manthe from Odd Breed Wild Ales talks taproom plans and how they do spontaneous fermentation in the Florida climate. Corey Artanis from 3 Sons Brewing explains how he gets the flavors just right - and damn do we have an example of that on the show. We also mention the increased instances of brewers contracting wort and working double duty. Plus, there’s some etiquette talk with Craig, Pitbull trivia, stuff Craig saw on Twitter, being flavor-forward in Florida, and nerding out at J. Wakefield’s taproom. Dale. Beers Reviewed Wakefield Brewing - Every Gose Has Its Thorn (Gose w/ grapefruit) Odd Breed Wild Ales - Peaches (Barrel-aged wild ale w/ peaches) Wynwood Brewing - Tres Puentes (Blended saison) Cycle Brewing - Monday (Maple bourbon aged c

At one point, this show had a purpose and a modicum of decency - but this episode takes it pretty far from either. We review a bunch of our favorite (favored?) breweries’ beers and debut our new theme song. It all starts with just a shameful lead-up thanks to Craig, and ends with a whole new meaning for the abbreviation “ABV” thanks to Inclement Weather. In the middle there’s talk of can-conditioning, pizza beers, the New England IPA non-story, Joey “CoCo” Diaz, and the problem with mouthfeeling everything. Hold me closer, greasy dancer. Beers Reviewed Transient Artisan Ales - Weko (Brett Pale Ale) Maplewood Brewing - Juice Pants (IPA) Middle Brow Beer Co. - Low (Brown Gose) Mikerphone Brewing - Mad Flavor, Batch #2 (Double Dry-Hopped IPA) Une Année Brewery - Framboise (American Raspberry Wild Ale)

No one can ever accuse Funky Buddha of false advertising, but their brewing methods certainly seem unholy. We taste a few dessert beers and one IPA that are perfect executions of this Florida brewery’s intentions. And because Craig was in Florida recently, there’s a little interview with brewer Jeff Rose included here. Much more funkiness abounds as Ryan confesses a crime, Craig loses a job over khakis, and we plan a brewery sitcom. There’s also a Mario 2/Jesus connection, The Nerding Hour, “Coach” and Applebees talk, Soaky Toast, and a Hurricane of Elbows. And we play a game called “311 or Buddha?” You got to come original. Beers Reviewed Lemon Meringue Pie (Blonde Ale) Muy Bonita (Double Brown Ale) 3 Years & Brewing (IPA with mango) French Toast (Double Brown Ale) Barrel-Aged Chocwork Orange (Imperial Milk Porter)

How does a brewery that owns a single fermenter in a borrowed space with a staff of three people with other full-time jobs not only survive but thrive in the marketplace? Jeremiah from Hop Butcher gives us the whole story - and a lot of tasty beers. Few stones are left unturned as we talk about the name change (from South Loop Brewing), the brewery’s prospective growth, the importance of good artwork, the difficulty of hop contracts, and how they’ve managed to sell their beer to a few major Chicago sports institutions. We get a little sweaty, taste a very rare barrel-aged treat, and thank Jeremiah for not trolling the show as he had planned.   Beers Sampled Your Wish Is Granted (Double IPA) Alemerica the Beautiful (Mosaic-Hopped American Pale Ale) Good Ryes Wear Black (Black Rye IPA) The World’s Colombian Coffee Exposition (Imperial Coffee Stout) The World’s Colombian Coffee Exposition: Bourbon Barrel-Aged

It’s been almost two years since we first recorded in the legendary Chicago institution, and as much as things have changed, Goose Island Clybourn is still about creative small batches from some of the most passionate brewers around. Brewers Jon and Steve join us to talk about the implications of the sale to AB InBev including equipment upgrades, recipe ownership, franchising the brewpub model, and the public reaction to “selling out.” They also pour us some unbelievable beers, including maybe our first recorded experience with a “ghost whale.” Also expect to hear about their current issues with brewing sour beers, how they handle bottle releases and determine pricing, and a little teaser regarding Belgian Fest. Steve also absolutely schools us on Old Ales and Stock Ales, Jon gets to bask in his proudest beer-naming moments, and we all give some sweet love to Cory King. This one is chock full of goofs and goodies, folks, so grab a few beers and enjoy. Beers Tasted: Sara Later (Belgian pale ale) Cran-Bruin (Ou

Well dammit if we can’t just be happy with our regular ol’ IPAs, brewers have been adding all sorts of stuff to our favorite hopdrinks. This show features five IPAs...with a TWIST! Might it be possible that we built this show around a “ringer”? Perhaps. But all of the beers more than hold their own, and they bring out an unusual array of distractions: Björk, WiiKush, Offspring beers, and BagelFest. We also challenge each other to come up with a list of unusual ingredients that have yet to be used in IPAs - so brewers take note! Cream bomb: out. Beers Considered Middle Brow Beer Co. - Karin (Belgian IPA + farmhouse ale blend) Like Minds Brewing Co. - Archimedes (IPA + Brettanomyces) Burnt Hickory Brewery - Killboy Powerhead (IPA + orange & vanilla) Stone Brewing - Mocha IPA (DIPA + cacao & coffee) Other Half/Half Acre - Rainbow Never Ends (DIPA + oats, rice flakes, rice syrup, & kölsch yeast) (Producer’s Note: Like Minds now has a fancy website but did not at the time of this recording.)

Used to be that a beer aged in wood was a rare shelf find, but now you can’t throw a bottle cap without hitting one. For this episode, we have five barrel-aged “Chicago” beers, and the results are...unexpected. We have one of the most mysterious beers we’ve ever opened, experience nostalgia for the days of bottle-waxing, and try to resist the urge to jibboo. And Craig might not be hunting whales, but he sure is hunting something.   Beers Reviewed   Whiner Beer Co. - Le Tub (blended wild farmhouse aged in cabernet barrels) Nomad Brewery - Batch #1 (imperial brown ale aged in bourbon barrels) Mikerphone Brewing - Jibboo (farmhouse ale aged in wine puncheons) Off Color Brewing - Barrel-Aged Dino S’mores (imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels) Transient Artisan Ales - Kentuckley (imperial breakfast stout aged in bourbon barrels)  

Not so long ago, Craig took the midnight train to Georgia and came back with a bushel of tasty beers. Here we drink five of them and throw in a few brief interviews, including yeast talk with Ford from Orpheus, and chattin’ beer styles with Joran from Three Taverns. Craig also recaps his Georgia trip including ballpark food, his guest spot on Beer Guys Radio, and the profoundly stupid beer laws of the Peach State. We’ll also learn how Ryan continues to make the freshest dunks and the actual hotness of 98 Degrees. But then Craig refuses to take us to Stankonia. :-( :-( :-(   Beers Reviewed   Second Self - Maverick & Gose Orpheus - Atalanta Tart Plum Saison Creature Comforts - Tropicália IPA Three Taverns - Inceptus American Wild Ale Burnt Hickory Brewery - Kolb’s Farm Imperial Stout

Mike Pallen is releasing instant classics on a regular basis, and since the rabid fans demanded it, we drink some “updated” versions of his beers from our recent go-round with Mikerphone - with one bonus “track.” This one also involves a little music trivia, Craig’s new catch phrase, Ryan’s advice for winning at strip-anything, and a huge wax boner. Rock over London! Rock on Chicago! Polaroid: see what develops.   Beers Sampled Hang Me Up To Dry Dry-Hopped Sour Special Sauce (Batch #2) Double IPA Travelin’ Man Dry-Hopped Saison Imperial Smells Like Bean Spirit Breakfast Stout Stop, Collaborate, & Listen Vanilla Rice Stout  

Just a spit trail east of Cowshit Corner in Newcastle, Maine, Oxbow Brewing has been making actual farmhouse beers since 2011. We’re lucky to try five of their low-SRM ales - most of them thanks to David Leshinski - and talk about what makes them unique. Craig has an exciting update on a long-time fugitive, Ryan explains how he chooses music for the show, and we break the space-time continuum. Also: Stuff to shave into your head! Grisette addicts! Crystal IPAs! Ska talk! FrankenCraig! Listen, or tell it to Jimmy Teku. Beers Reviewed:   Farmhouse Pale Ale Loretta Grisette Cross Fade Saison Saison de Kuaska Goods from the Woods Farmhouse Ale

Only one brewery in Illinois is also in the distilling business, and we leave the bunker to record amongst those lovely vapors. Maplewood is not only crushing it in the beer department, but they’ll soon release their own small-batch spirits. Joining us are Adam Smith (brand manager/assistant brewer), Adam Cieslak (Co-founder/head brewer), and Paul Megalis (Co-founder/business manager), and they share several of their flawless beers and let us pop the bung for a little whiskey sampling. Topics include the upcoming taproom, label makeovers, unique challenges of a brewery/distillery, canning vs. bottling, the dynamics of yeast, selling to CostCo, and the (im)practicality of SMaSH beers. And because it’s our show, we also talk about the band Train, Disney sing-alongs, and who has the best hair at Maplewood. Hike up those juice pants and get ready for an adventure.   Beers Sampled:   The Charlatan Pale Ale Creepy Ginger Belgian Golden Strong Ale Mandarina Bavaria Saison Azacca Morris IPA

Get ready for a ton of nostalgia as we drunkenly bid farewell to the original recording space for the podcast. We clean out five of Ryan’s cellar beers to help reduce the load and reveal our origin story. You’ll learn about our convoluted early attempts at rankings, the many beta versions of the podcast, and why we’ve never had guests at ABV West. There’s also a ton on aging beer, Malort, the Fire sauce quota, and an excellent addition to our ever-growing list of band names. Shades up, ABV West. Shades up.   Beers Unloaded:   Founders Furniture City Stock Ale (2012) Allagash Mattina Rossa (2015) New Glarus 20th Anniversary Strong Ale (2013) The Bruery White Oak (2013) Goose Island Cherry Rye BCBS (2012)

After last episode’s penance, we are blessed with five outstanding hoppy beers on this one. United by their hop-forward nature, these beers prove that a perfectly-made IPA is no longer a rare find in the wild. And with great beer, it loosens up our conversation into all sorts of unpleasant, juvenile places. So, behold pellicle porn, a lot of wang talk, Jeff Bridges, cartoon personas, Yaz, and the drunkest rankings we’ve likely ever recorded. Good ol’ Yaz. Beers Reviewed: Toppling Goliath Citra Double Dry-Hopped PseudoSue Pale Ale The Veil Crucial Taunt DIPA Hoof Hearted Wängbär Oatmeal DIPA Hubbard’s Cave Fresh IIPA V2 515 Brewing Hopititis DIPA