Abv Chicago Craft Beer Podcast

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)  

In this first round of what will become an ongoing arbitrary competition, we conduct a blind tasting of five Chicagoland breweries’ go-to, year-round, flagship hazy IPAs to determine our favorites - and to move the top beer(s) onto the championship round. For this one, we start with two newer flagships, a top award winner, and two of the original local hazies - and the results catch us totally off guard. Also, Ryan’s got a new swear word to consider thanks to his six year-old, we’re expanding our merchandising brand, and Craig’s Mosaic blindness actually comes in handy for once. Stay tuned for Round 2 in a few weeks, as we scour the shelves for more flagship hazy IPAs to toss into the ring.  Beers Reviewed Blindly Old Irving Brewing - Beezer Hubbard’s Cave - Fresh IPA Solemn Oath Brewery - Small Wave City Club Half Acre Beer Co. - Waybird Maplewood Brewing Company - Son of Juice  

Even without a proper cask engine, we sample five Chicagoland interpretations of centuries-old English styles to appreciate what is hopefully a still-growing trend. The beers sometimes overlap in style but none are done exactly the same way, which makes this a nice little learning experience. Also, Ryan lets the AI script a few scenes for the podcast, we’re trying hard to find a suitable replacement for “mouthfeel,” and Craig’s ready to go pro with his vape tricks for ESPN7. Plus, there’s a Jack Bauer mission, greasy digits, crewneck tattoos, hard corn, a crazy game of UNO, and a good morning at the White Castle. So basically, the least English episode ever. Beers Reviewed Miskatonic Brewing Company (w/ MobCraft) - Gled Tae Meet Ye, My Name Is English-Style Mild Roaring Table Brewing - Warbler Vivant (Dark Mild) Illuminated Brew Works - Her Majesty’s Satanic Request (ESB) Soundgrowler Brewing Co. - Butcher Bird (ESB) Midwest Coast Brewing Co. - English Sporting Beer (ESB)  

St. Patrick’s Day in Chicagoland is a whole season, and thanks to that more local breweries are making the curiously not-traditional Irish Red Ale. To learn more about this style (and give ourselves a nearly-impossible guessing challenge), we do a blind tasting of the five beers on this show. Also, we let the AI bots tell us more about ourselves, we’re dancing in the aisles over that joyous romp The Banshees of Inisherin, and we’re looking for new partners for our Glass Wavy™ line. So, whether you’re a seasoned beer enthusiast or just starting out on your craft beer journey, ABV Chicago is definitely a podcast worth listening to for its lively discussions, informative interviews, and engaging content. Cheers! Beers Reviewed Blindly Midwest Coast Brewing Co. - Irish Tommy Funkytown Brewery - Cuffin’ Season Begyle Brewing - Dicey Riley Old Irving Brewing Co. - Lucky Linny BuckleDown Brewing - Good Times  

Listener and friend Don Kasak conceptualized this show around five Illinois breweries that are practically suburbs of St. Louis, and we are more than happy to drink through a lineup from this mostly unfamiliar-to-us territory. We also can’t get over Smokey Robinson’s new album and song titles, Craig discovers that side-of-the-tongue flavor, and Ryan’s got some hot tips on pretzel investments.  Beers Reviewed Millpond Brewing & Incubator [Millstadt, IL] - Lawrence (German-style Pilsner) Excel Brewing Company [Breese, IL] - Lefty’s Lager (Helles Lager) Stubborn German Brewing Company [Waterloo, IL] - Stubbornfest (Märzen) White Rooster Farmhouse Brewery [Sparta, IL] - Syllables (Foeder-aged Mixed Fermentation Saison) The Old Bakery Beer Company [Alton, IL] - 7th Anniversary Imperial Stout (Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout w/ chocolate, coconut, caramel, and peanuts)  

We’re taking our taste buds on a trip down south thanks to listener Crystal Nguyen we get to sample five unique and tasty beers from the Dallas area. There’s a beer that’s even better when sipped, one that might be made with “Skittlemalt,” and one that inspires the singing of “SkaMan.” Also, we’re thinking big for our eventual Texas show; we look for new innovations in leather pants (and stray cat storage); and we’re putting sippy-cup lids on snifters. Beers Reviewed Celestial Beerworks [Dallas, TX] - Murphy’s Law (Dark Lager) Turning Point Beer [Bedford, TX] - Dangerouser Salad (Berliner Weisse w/ blueberry, vanilla, coconut, almond, and granola) Community Beer Company [Dallas, TX] - Hop Unity: Green Edition (Double IPA) Bitter Sisters Brewing Company [Addison, TX] - Family Trip (Belgian Tripel) Peticolas Brewing Company [Dallas, TX] - The Usual (Barleywine w/ cherries, fresh orange peel, bitters and whiskey soaked American oak chips)  

We’re flipping to Side B of the 2022-2023 Deep Wood releases for this episode, and it’s a whole lineup of immaculate bangers. It’s two ryewines, one stout, and two barleywines with a bigger emphasis on special barrels and extended wood-aging to create the magic in these 12 ounce cans. Plus, Craig’s looking for new ways to trick his Apple Watch; Ryan will trade you half of an open can of DBVSOJ for a Switch controller; and we get to hear the syrup-drinking story again. Beers Reviewed (2022-2023 releases) Ryeway to Heaven (Ryewine aged in bourbon barrels) Boss Ryeway (Ryewine aged in WhistlePig The Boss Hog VIII: LapuLapu’s Pacific barrels) V.S.O. Dark Mode (Imperial milk stout aged in bourbon barrels) Straight Jacket (English Barleywine aged in bourbon barrels) D.B.V.S.O.J. (Cuvée of barrel-aged English Barleywines aged 1-3 years and rebarreled and aged in Templeton Rye barrels)  

More breweries are embracing malt-forward easy-drinking options as an essential part of a seasonal lineup, and the Schwarzbier may be one of the styles seeing the most taplists these days. For this show, we put five locally-made Schwarzbiers through a blind tasting to help us better understand the style and see how subtle variations can make all the difference for our arbitrary rankings. Also, we fit Chicagoland breweries into boy band archetypes; Craig’s going hard on the Schwarz puns; and Ryan tries to assert himself as the young/cheeky one.  Schwarzbiers Reviewed (Blindly) Soundgrowler Brewing Co. - No Ice Skeleton Key Brewery - 7th Evil Ex Half Acre Beer Company - Schwarzbier Riggs Beer Company - Schwarzbier Pipeworks Brewing Company - Select Schwarzbier

Since throwing open the doors to their Lincoln Ave. taproom just a few months back, Hop Butcher has worked to offer some draft variety by stepping outside of the style(s) for which they’re most recognized. For this episode, we got our hands on four cans that are not IPAs to see how well one of the country’s best haze producers can make something for the hop-averse. Also, we say hello (and goodbye) to Winter Break Ryan which opens an unclosable rift between the hosts over crewneck sweaters and turtlenecks. We also consider the missed opportunity of an Italian Pilsner show; Ryan bores the bartender with his old man shit; Craig’s got a bizarre preference with beer and pizza; and we have a bold new marketing plan for HBFTW and the White Sox.  Beers Reviewed Cricket Hill (ESB) Supreme Being (German-Style Pilsner) Double Saaz (Italian-Style Pilsner) Magic [Collaboration with is/was brewing] (Saison)

To commemorate our 9th year of this podcast, we celebrate local breweries that opened since we first started broadcasting our shabby little beer reviews. Craig and Ryan each bring three blind beers to the table for the other to guess with a focus on years and a few additional mystery themes. It’s also one of those shows where you get to hear Craig fall head-over-heels in love with a beer, which is always a treat. Also, we’re angling to take that Girl Scout cookie taster position; Ryan’s just completely flummoxed by a bomber; and Craig is Raging Against A Thin Stout.™ We want to thank everyone who has ever listened or supported the show in any way for making nine years a possibility - it feels truly surreal. Beers Reviewed Half-Blindly One Allegiance Brewing [opened 2020] - Double Vanilla Rambler (Imperial Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels w/ vanilla beans and cocoa nibs) Werk Force Brewing Company [opened 2014] - Genuine Authentic (Black Pilsner) Miskatonic Brewing Company [opened 2015] - Rye Bell Witch (Imperial

After two years of selling bottles from what is essentially his front porch, Rob Brennan opened the doors to his Milwaukee taproom in 2022 - and his rustic farmhouse beers are absolutely worth a trip. For this episode, we drink through four funky and beautiful Supermoon bottles that show artistry beyond what you might expect from such a young brewery. Also, Craig has a bounce in his step (and not just because of the house cultures); Ryan shares some moon facts and comes up with the perfect collaboration; and we’re both aching for that Yanni/Bootsy/McD collab to drop.  Beers Reviewed Saison Bay View (Farmhouse style saison brewed w/ pilsner, malted spelt and oats) Oaxen (Abbey Style Pale Ale brewed w/ aged hops & fermented w/ Brettanomyces Bruxellensis in neutral French Oak) Epitope (Bière de Coupage - Young saison blended w/ French oak fermented saison aged for 3 years) Marbelle (A blend of mixed culture saisons fermented in French Oak aged 12 months, refermented on Petite Pearl wine grapes & Tart Mon

We were just as surprised as anyone to find five beers that are made to mimic a briney jar of pickles, and it’s certainly something you have to be really into - or just brace yourself and gulp. Both are true for us on this episode, as one host might have some major life regrets after going through all five of these puntastic pickle beers. Also, we play a short original dice-rolling RPG called “Pickle Me This, PickleMan”; Craig is trying to define that “classy energy”; and Ryan is just holding on for dear life. Beers Reviewed Mikerphone Brewing - Slick Pickle Rick (Golden Ale w/ dill pickle juice) Noon Whistle Brewing - Pickle Someone Your Own Size (Berliner Weisse w/ pickles) Three Blondes Brewing - Dill With It! (Cucumber Dill Berliner Weisse) DESTIHL Brewery (& Suckerpunch Pickles) - Dill Pickle Sour Beer Prairie Artisan Ales - Spicy Pickle Monster (Sour Ale w/ dill pickles, orange, lemon, and lime)

It’s always a good idea to welcome a new year with good vibes, and we’d be hard pressed to find a brewery better than New Glarus to fit that bill. For this show, we have five seasonal or speciality release beers from Wisconsin’s premier craft brewery, and the excellence unsurprisingly holds for the duration. Also, nothing beats a car full of jerky smells; Craig embraces the Live Más mentality; and Ryan’s bloodlust is finally explained. Side effects of this episode may include sour throat, time traveling, and rabble-rousing. Beers Reviewed R&D Vintage 2021 (Gueuze-style Ale) Black Currant ‘22 (Fruit Beer) R&D Champ Rosé (Belgian Strong Ale w/ grapes) Weizen Doppelbock R&D Bourbon Barrel Stout (Bourbon barrel-aged sweet stout w/ cocoa nibs, vanilla, and coffee beans)

It’s not just stouts, barleywines, and sours that should receive the benefits of wood-aging. For our final episode of Barrel-Aged December, we try five beers from breweries brave enough to take their drinkable cold-fermented beers and let them rest in different types of wood for any matter of time. The results are truly unique and enlightening as to how wood can transform a lager, and we bend our elbows with almost too much confidence for the night. Also, there’s motorized-cart mayhem in the grocery aisles, weather-based clothing gets a rebranding, and we play a soundbite-based game of Name That Wood. Happy New Year to all - and thanks for listening to us at any point in this past one.  Beers Reviewed Forbidden Root Brewing Company - Hoodie Weather (Oak-Aged Vienna Lager) Werk Force Brewing Company - Rip Cut (Oat Lager aged in oak puncheons) Solemn Oath Brewery - Foederface (Foeder-Aged Märzen) Begyle Brewing - Foeder Doppelbock (Oak-Aged Dopplebock) Waypost Brewing Co. - Keptwell (Bourbon Barrel-Aged Lager)

Focusing on drinkable lagers, pales, and IPAs has already carried Half Acre to legend-status locally, but their barrel program has developed into an undeniable force over the last few years - and we’re not even talking about Benthic for this one. We have five big barrel-aged beers from this year that are an impressive ode to one of Chicago’s best breweries. Also, Ryan has developed a whole new family of app-based apps that’ll revolutionize the dining industry. Plus, Craig dives deep into Half Acre’s cosmic gumbo writeups; we get our Glass Wavy on; and there’s a building nitro twist ending to this one.  Beers Reviewed Vim (Barrel-Aged Baltic Porter) Orin (Blended Barrel-Aged Strong Ale) Before Land Shook (Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels w/ marshmallow, vanilla, and sea salt) Sickle Through Sable (Barrel-Aged stout w/ cocoa nibs) World of Bog (Bourbon Barrel-Aged Barleywine)

Throughout this year we’ve been collecting barrel-aged stouts from different states without a real purpose for them: until now. From five states we have three straight barrel-aged stouts and two that are pastrified - and all are in the running for top spots in our rankings. Also, we engage with some AI-generated characters for their opinions about which states make the best barrel-aged beers; we push for more BA brown ales in 2024; and we make a few dirty boy snack confessions. Big thanks to Aaron Carlson for a few of the beers, and Dolphin Man for his valuable perspective.  Beers Reviewed Ethereal Brewing [Lexington, KY] - Baba Yaga (Russian Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels) Warrior Brewing Company [Duluth, MN] - Barbarian (Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels) Denton County Brewing Company [Denton, TX] - Night Witch (Bourbon barrel-aged Imperial Stout) Toppling Goliath Brewing Co. [Decorah, IA] - Term Oil S’mores (Imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels with natural and artificial flavors) WeldWerks

As winter barrel-aged beer releases expand into more adjunct variants and special barrels, you can’t overlook the base. For this show, we blind sample six barrel-aged local stouts that are part of a seasonal release lineup - but without any of the added gimmicks. We base our opinions only on the liquid in the glass, and we continue our rich tradition of being terrible at guessing the beers. There are more twists and turns than a high-occupancy vehicle-based action thriller, and we try not to be swept away by the relative viscosity. Hop on board. 2022 Beers Reviewed Blindly (in order of appearance) Goose Island Beer Co. - Bourbon County Brand Stout Revolution Brewing - Deth’s Tar Old Irving Brewing - Krampus in the Buff  Temperance Beer Co. - Might Meets Right  Werk Force Brewing Co. - Sleepy Bear Single Barrel Cruz Blanca Brewery - Rey Gordo

We kick off Barrel-Aged December a little early with a six pack of mostly locals who took home medals at this year’s Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beers. Unsurprisingly, this lineup is all killer with no filler, but there are a few style surprises from some familiar breweries that steal the show. We stumble into covering a whole category’s winners while running through an updated FoBAB “by the numbers.” Also, we consider how much wood a beer must touch to qualify for an entry; Craig is gonna get so yelled at during rankings; and we implore someone at ICBG to let Randy Mosher check his coat.  Medal-Winning Beers Reviewed Off Color Brewing - Tequila Barrel-Aged Beer for Tacos (Gose style beer aged in oak tequila barrels with lime juice and salt added) - Bronze in Other Pale Beer Forbidden Root Brewery [Columbus ] & Derive Brewing Company - Well Positioned (Oak-fermented Saison) - Silver in Other Pale Beer Ravinia Brewing Company - Spanish Cedar-Aged Steep Ravine (IPA aged w/ Spanish Cedar) - Gold in Othe

In this return to one of our favorite Colorado brewery’s beers, we find some of the more offbeat and odd offerings from Weldwerks. Also, Craig catches up with co-founder and head brewer Neil Fisher to chat about how they’ve decided to grow within Greeley, why their concept of collaborations has evolved, and what makes a Medianoche so dang thick. These five flavorful beers bring out 15 barrels of bad impressions, the duality of man, and the possibility of Canned Cocktail January. Also, why is Ryan’s 6 year-old suddenly talking about Simon and Garfunkel? All that and more on this week’s…ABV CHICAGOOOOOO. Beers Reviewed Root Beer Float Stout (Milk stout w/ sarsaparilla, birch bark, milk sugar, vanilla, and natural flavors) Smoke & Peaches (German-style smoked lager w/ smoked malt and smoked peaches) Wild Mountain Mint Mojito (Imperial sour ale w/ mint, lime, Turbinado sugar, and natural flavors) Trade Secrets (Double IPA) Collaboration with Cerebral Brewing Midnight Magick 3: Last Barrel on the Left (Barrel