ABV Chicago Craft Beer Podcast

As this year’s Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beers approaches, we dive deep into FoBAB topics while drinking through four barrel-aged beers from breweries featured at this year’s fest. Our jumbled attempts to look back at previous year’s memories notwithstanding, we look ahead to new and returning breweries we can’t wait to try, old favorites and dependable options to seek out for a first pour, our general tips for navigating FoBAB, and a little mock Fantasy FoBAB draft to round things out. Plus, Craig encounters a real life Air Bud, our time machine is broken, and we wonder why we only hit like five breweries every year.

Beers Reviewed

Off Color Brewing - Whiskey Barrel-Aged Beer for Pizza [2022] (Malt beverage w/ dark candi syrup, kola nut, lime juice, vanilla, lemon zest, orange zest, cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg, and citric acid aged in Tennessee whiskey barrels)

More Brewing - Barrel-Aged Doppelbock (Doppelbock aged in Elijah Craig bourbon and Old Elk barrels)

Mikerphone Brewing - I Believe In A Thing Called Lager (Imperial dark lager aged 21 months in Peerless Straight Rye Whiskey barrels)

WeldWerks Brewing & Toppling Goliath Brewing - Asesino De Medianoche (Imperial stout aged in Templeton Rye and Blanton’s barrels w/ Madagascar bourbon vanilla beans)

The warmest thing about the colder months is that we have three different Deep Wood releases to look forward to, and we start the season with four stouts - three as variants of their annual Deth’s Tar line. We talk about what makes this year’s lineup unique while Revolution supports its case as one of the most dependable barrel-aged programs anywhere. Also, Craig waited in a line only to learn about bad dog names; Ryan has basically forgotten the last two years of beer releases; and we get a little carried away with the tactile experience.

Beers Reviewed

Deth’s Tar (Imperial oatmeal stout aged in bourbon barrels)

Café Deth (Imperial oatmeal stout aged in bourbon barrels w/ coffee)

Deth by Bramble (Imperial oatmeal stout aged in bourbon barrels w/ blackberry, boysenberry, and marionberry)

V.S.O. On & On Pt. 3 (Blended stout aged in bourbon barrels)

The horrible tradition continues for an eighth year as we try to outdo one another in a test of our ability to withstand liquid torture - and this year might be the most spiteful, mean-spirited collection of all. Seizing upon our known flavor aversions, each of us hosts finds something to attack our insecurities and threaten our actual livelihood through a half-blind tasting - all leading to an unimaginable Cuvée of Doom in the end. Also, we live out some mundane horror situations, we raise a few torture legends’ jerseys to the rafters, and I’m pretty sure someone is getting sued by the end of this one. 

Beverages Endured

Untitled Art & Speciation Artisan Ales - Michelada (Berliner Weisse-style w/ lime juice, Tabasco sauce, and sea salt)

Unpossible Mead Inc. - Pickle-Ӧrt (Bread & butter pickle-inspired mead aged in a Malört barrel)

Energy City Brewing - Bistro Strawberry Pineapple Habanero (Flavored Berliner-style Weisse)

450 North Brewing - Bananafinger (Smoothie-style sour w/ banana, candy bars, peanut butter & milk chocolate)

Beak & Skiff Orchards - Double Double Toil & Trouble (Candy Corn Hard Cider)

Rar Brewing - Out Of Order: Mmm-hmm (American sour w/ cheesecake, butter pecan, pastry cream, and lactose)

Twelve5 Beverage Co. - Rebel Berry Crisp Latte (Hard coffee w/ mixed berries)

Twisted Pine Brewing Co. - Ghost Face Killah (Chili beer w/ ghost pepper, serrano, jalapeno, habanero, fresno, and anaheim peppers)

After a long, arduous Brat Summer, we be-sweater ourselves for a little Farmhouse Fall by opening five autumnal saisons from some of the best in the rusticity business. Whether it’s due to ingredients, barrels, or aesthetic, each saison here is the liquid equivalent of jumping into a pile of crunchy leaves, and we have some wildly divergent rankings by the end. Also, Craig immediately destroys our attempts at having a classy show for once; we define what we mean when we say “rustic”; and we consider what we expect fall to taste like. (Thanks to Don Kasak and the folks at Hold Out for providing two of these beers.)

Beers Reviewed

Scratch Brewing Company - Wild Carrot and Nettle (Farmhouse ale w/ wild carrot leaves & stinging nettle)

is/was brewing - Saison Effrayant (Autumnal Rye Saison w/ sage)

Side Project Brewing - Loam: Vidal Blanc Orange Wine Process 2023 (Wheat saison aged w/ Vidal Blanc grapes)

Waypost Brewing - Saison Du Bois (Oak-lagered Saison)

Hold Out Brewing & Keeping Together - No Moon Tonight (Dark Saison w/ cinnamon, cocoa nibs, dried chiles & honey aged in Sotol barrels)

This year’s Great American Beer Festival brought some new energy (with a small pour of confusion) to the four decade-old fest and competition, and we were out in Denver to cover it all. Though the theme areas were a bit disorienting at times, this year’s GABF felt like more of a party than ever. We report back on the amazing beers we drank while sharing some top-notch festival floor interviews with new friends and industry-influencing vets alike. We also open three stellar Denver lagers in the hotel while recapping four days of beer-fueled fun. Plus, we weigh in on the local radio station’s attempt to rank 1,055 songs from the 21st century, and find out that a brewing legend is a listener to this very podcast.

Interviews

Rob Tod of Allagash Brewing Company (00:20:32 - 00:35:07)

Andrew Bergeron of Milieu Fermentation (00:45:45 - 00:52:04)

Hayden Winkler & Pete Knight of Hold Out Brewing (01:09:43 - 01:21:05)

Eric Salazar of Strangebird Brewing (01:29:23 - 01:36:16)

Wayne Burns and Laura Worley of Burns Family Artisan Ales (01:49:39 - 01:58:37)

Craig Neuzil of PIVO Brewery (02:00:18 - 02:07:23)

Beers Reviewed

Burns Family Artisan Ales - Midnight Czech-In (Czech Dark Lager)

Bruz Beers - Belgian Country Lager

Cohesion Brewing Company - Polotmavý (Czech Amber Lager)

We’re right at the end of hop harvest season, so now’s the time to bask in the seasonal glory that is fresh and wet hop beers. We expand our understanding of fresh and wet hop beers on this episode by sifting through the research while drinking five pretty incredible local beers using those straight-from-the-bines hops. Also, we have a little unfulfilled Chekov’s Corgi situation; we take some responsibility for getting the Conservatory slide shut down; Ryan’s got a metaphor straight from 2005; Craig’s writing his new erotica about a Hop Farm; and we explain why Three Floyds is totally normal now. 

Beers Reviewed

Solemn Oath Brewery - Kidnapped By Vikings: Fresh Hop (IPA)

Mikerphone Brewing - Defresh Mode (DIPA)

3 Floyds Brewing - Broo Doo (Harvest Ale)

Phase Three Brewing - Fresh Fresh (Hazy IPA)

Off Color Brewing - Aqua Predator (Saison)

As we plan our 11th year of covering the Great American Beer Festival out in Denver, we take this episode to preview some of the Illinois beers pouring at the fest while sharing a comprehensive list of which breweries we’re most amped to check out. We review the Illinois pour lists, find many exciting “new-to-us” breweries, revisit some “familiar face” breweries, and put our total faith in those “steady hands” that still crank out essential beers. Also, we discuss t-shirts that aren’t exactly getting the joke across, point out one style that Illinois has dominated as of late, embody both “High” and “Stinky,” and get punished by one beer in particular. 

Beers Reviewed

Sketchbook Brewing Co. - Grodziskie

DESTIHL Brewery - Deadhead IPA

More Brewing - Mango Double Marbles (Milkshake IPA w/ mango, lactose, and vanilla)

Hubbard’s Cave/Une Année Brewery - El Zacatón (Imperial stout w/ almond flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon sticks, vanilla, ancho chilies, guajillo chilies, and habanero chilies)

IPA can be a whole lot of things, but when we were cutting our teeth on hoppy beers, the West Coast style dominated. Appreciation of the style never really died off, but it’s regaining a bit of ground on the still more-popular hazy IPAs. So we turn to the actual source - the West Coast - for five beers that are somewhat varied in their interpretation. And because we love this style so much, it doesn’t take us long to have too good of a time. Also, we deem 90s music safe for professional development meetings with some caveats; we motion for a “C” Change; and there’s an almost unhealthy amount of beer nostalgia to wash it all down. 

Beers Reviewed

Pure Project Brewing (San Diego, CA) - Pure West

AleSmith Brewing Company (San Diego, CA) - IPA

The Lost Abbey (Vista, CA) - The Right Side of Happiness

Beachwood Brewing (Huntington Beach, CA) - Citraholic

Great Notion Brewing (Portland, OR) - Easy Lift

Using rice as a fermentable in an adjunct lager has been common in Japanese brewing for a long time, and recently more American craft brewers have made their own versions with an emphasis on the remarkably dry finish of the style. We try two icons of Japanese Rice Lagers before sampling three from the Chicagoland area, and we’re surprised with how much rice really does make the difference. Also, Craig’s such a sucker for certain I.P. that he bought his first ever coffee, Ryan would be down with some rice pizzas, and we have maybe the best ramen-based business pitch we’ve come up with yet. 

Beers Reviewed

Sapporo Breweries - Sapporo Premium Beer

Asahi Breweries - Asahi Super Dry

Phase Three Brewing - Japanese-Style Rice Lager

Pollyanna Brewing Company - In the Glow

Maplewood Brewing Company & Piece Brewery and Pizzeria - Arroz By Any Other Name

Just a short drive north from Chicago, a land of interesting breweries awaits across the Wisconsin border, so we drink through five beers that’ll hardly cost you a quarter tank of gas to pick up yourself. The beers bring up a lot of interesting discussion about beer styles loved and lost, and we even have a brief chat with G5 Brewing’s head brewer Tim Goers about anchovy hops, gluten-free smoothie sours, and calling in for a little advice from Stone Brewing. Also, Ryan finally experiences the Dog Surfing National Championships and has a lot of questions; and Craig is still really hung up on the amount of lime flavor that constitutes a “hint.” 

G5’s Tim Goers interview (00:27:32 - 00:36:56)

Low Daily [Burlington, WI] - Snacker (Session IPA)

Public Craft Brewing Co. [Kenosha, WI] - Sweet Colleen’s Irish Red Ale

G5 Brewing Company [Beloit, WI] - Joanie (Gluten-Free Strawberry Shortcake Sour)

Faklandia Brewpub [Saint Francis, WI] - NPC Cal (Imperial Lime Cream Ale)

Second Salem Brewing Company [Whitewater, WI] - Bone Orchard (IPA)