It took us almost a dozen years to catch on that Heavy Riff Brewing out of St. Louis is an absolute treasure, and we are more than happy to open a little vertical of their signature barrel-aged stout series, Dear Agony. Crafted from a lactose mistake, this rich and creamy imperial milk stout sees yearly release with multiple variants representing different barrel picks or adjuncts - and the only agony on this show comes from the beer’s name. Also, Ryan’s son has created a superhero with surprising powers; Craig is experiencing his 44th year molting; and neither of us can recall anything about Breaking Benjamin. 

Beers Reviewed

Dear Agony 2021 (Imperial Milk Stout aged in Willett bourbon barrels)

Dear Agony 2022 (Imperial Milk Stout aged in Old Forester bourbon barrels)

Dear Agony 2023 (Imperial Milk Stout aged in George Dickel bourbon barrels)

Dear Agony Breakfast Stout 2023 (Imperial Milk Stout w/ coffee beans aged in bourbon and maple barrels)

Pride of the Fox River and St. Charles, Illinois, Riverlands Brewing is approaching six years with a refreshed love of their own lagers, thanks to their U.S. Beer Open Championship gold-winning pilsner, Kayak. We sit down with co-founder and head brewer Eric Bramwell along with assistant brewer Brianna Levi to chat all things Riverlands - not limited to their horizontal tanks. Eric and Bri tell their stories about influential local brewers that helped them learn how to move from homebrewers to the commercial space and what inspires them to play with different ingredients and endlessly tinker with recipes. Also, there are stories about unexpected collaboration partners, lager advice from the experts, secret burrito accounting, amazing shark facts, and majestic heads of hair - all while we sip through a stellar lineup of beers. 

Beers Sampled

Tri-City Black (Session Stout)

Kayak Pils (German-style Pilsner)

Dean Street (Hazy IPA)

All Night Revival (DDH Hazy DIPA) - Collaboration w/ Toppling Goliath

Parallel Rivers (Hazy DIPA) - Collaboration w/ Hop Butcher

Orbital Velocity (Chocolate Peanut Butter Imperial Stout)

Splitting Rivers (Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels w/ wild Thai bananas and cinnamon) - Collaboration w/ Whiskey Hill

Brothers in Barleywine (Bourbon barrel-aged barleywine) - Collaboration w/ Brothership

Back in August, we had the great fortune to drink through an entire lineup from Decorah, Iowa’s Pulpit Rock Brewing (thanks to listeners Benji and Suzanne) and this resulting episode is sounding great out of the cellar, thanks to some interview snippets with co-head brewer Bob Slack from the Great Taste of the Midwest. It doesn’t take long until we go a little nuts over nuts, but we also learn to appreciate long written-off desserts, rank the gorgeous can art, and stand in bewilderment over ice cream truck music. 

Bob Slack Interview (00:09:06 - 00:15:50)

Beers Reviewed

Whatever (West Coast-style Pilsner)

Saftig (New England-style IPA)

Tingles, Vol. 1 (Hard Seltzer w/ pineapple juice, lemonade mix, grenadine, and passionfruit puree)

Church Salad (Sour w/ toasted walnuts, marshmallows, coconut, and pineapple juice)

Haywire (Pastry Imperial Stout w/ malted milk balls, peanuts, cashews, and almonds)

It may not be the main course, but we make a meal out of this four bottle Side Project lineup, gifted to us by listener and friend Don Kasak. We may think we know where things are going with these four barrel-aged beers of differing styles - but we quickly get swept up in some surprising flavors. Also, we are adjusting to some of the new holiday traditions, we make some New Year’s fruit resolutions, and after this episode we’re heading down to our shift at the Farm Barn to check out Beyond Tart’s set. 

Beers Reviewed

Merci 2024 (Blended oak-aged American wild ale)

SpontanFermier - Blend #2 (Missouri saison blended with Belgian lambic - collaboration with Mikkeller)

Calamansi (Brett pale ale aged in oak with Calamansi limes, Tanzanian and Madagascar vanilla, and toasted coconut)

A Long Time Ago (Blend of Oregon Adambier [2014 Adam and 2018 Adam] and Missouri bourbon barrel-aged Adambier [2022 Längst] - collaboration with Hair of the Dog)

The Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beers came in late November this year, and we have another episode to add to our wall-to-wall coverage of Chicago’s best beer fest. As has become a delicious tradition, we have gathered medal winning beers from this year - but with a totally sessionable twist. Three gold medal winners, one bronze, and one Best in Show gives us a lineup of 4 that’ll go down as one of the best we’ve done. Also, we break down FoBAB winners by the numbers, recap our festival highlights, and replace the Elf on the Shelf with Craig on the Keg. 

Beers Reviewed

Milieu Fermentation - smol. (Barrel-aged mixed culture table beer)

Off Color Brewing - Funky Beer for Tacos (Gose fermented with wild yeast aged in lime gin barrels)

Cruz Blanca Brewpub - Tepache Cowboy (Mexican lager aged in añejo mezcal barrels with pineapple and spices)

Half Acre Beer Co. - Orin (Bourbon and brandy barrel aged strong ale)

It’s always wine o’ clock somewhere, especially when you’re opening up the finest barleywines and ryewines Revolution has to offer. This episode features three different ‘wines and a special release stout as part two (or three?) of their barrel-aged Deep Wood series for this year, and at least one of us deems this the best set of four Rev has ever done. Also, we don’t think we really want to smell our TVs; someone is in need of a little Halloween costume inspiration; and we get to know Captain Check (and his alter ego, Captain Czech). 

2024 Deep Wood Beers Reviewed

Straight Jacket (Bourbon barrel-aged barleywine)

Ryeway to Heaven (Bourbon and rye barrel-aged ryewine)

Double Barrel V.S.O.R. (Bourbon and rye barrel-age ryewine)

D.B.X.O.D. Le Troncais (Bourbon barrel-aged imperial oatmeal stout with French oak)

Even though Black Friday doesn’t mean what it once did, Bourbon County is still an event - and we have Ryan Tracy with us at Beer on the Wall to help us taste through this year’s lineup of six from Goose Island. Sure we were banned from the official media tasting, but we assess the whole group fairly - and find some surprises that are real standouts in the history of BCBS. Also, shenanigans may be afoot at FoBAB in regards to our Fantasy League; Ryan T. and Craig have a proposed wardrobe swap; we discuss BCBS variants that “don’t exist”; Tracy shares a Rare Day story that can only lead to bias; we can’t help but fondle the box; and we are finally sponsored by Jazz, the style of music. And don’t miss out on our annual trip through Bourbon Country.

Beers Reviewed

Bourbon County Stout 2024 (Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels)

Bourbon County Brand Bardstown Cask Finish Stout (Imperial Stout aged in Bardstown Rye and Cherry Wood Oak Barrels)

Bourbon County Brand Rare Stout 2024 (Imperial Rye Stout aged in King of Kentucky Bourbon Barrels)

Bourbon County Brand Vanilla Rye Stout 2024 (Imperial Rye Stout aged in Rye Whiskey Barrels w/ Madagascar vanilla beans)

Bourbon County Brand Macaroon Stout (Imperial Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels w/ cocoa nibs, sweet candied ginger, and toasted coconut)

Bourbon County Brand Proprietor’s Barleywine (Barleywine aged in Bourbon Barrels w/ tamarind, lime, whole Guajillo chiles, and piloncillo)

It’s been 8 years since we last did a whole lineup of ciders, and this was just the re-evaluation we needed to fall back in love with these well-crafted non-beer drinks. But it’s not just apples this time: each cider brings something else to the mix - to consistently surprising results. Also, Craig has created a glitter problem he can’t solve, Ryan learns of a surprising cidery connection to the beer world, and we’re both forced to put on the oversized blazer before being let inside. 

Ciders Reviewed

The Northman - Hopped Cider

Stem Ciders - Apricot Haze

Eris Brewery & Cider House - Strawbarbarella

Wölffer Estate Vineyard - No. 139 Peach Cider

Obscurity Brewing and Craft Mead - Pumpkin Hard Cider

Not content with waiting for one single day to stuff ourselves with our favorite traditional foods, we just had to drink our way through a feast of Thanksgiving-adjacent beers to get us hyped for what might be our favorite holiday. We see how many of this lineup of five Illinois beers would make a nice addition to the table while also playing a full game of Personal Preference: Thanksgiving Foods. Plus, Ryan tries to make sense of a possibly inappropriate teacher costume, Craig takes a hardline stance against mixing foods, and we both have a few sides we like better than turkey. Loosen that belt and bring on the post-show couch nap.

Beers Reviewed

Werk Force Brewing Company - Soup Season (Hazy IPA w/ Simcoe, Superdelic, and Citra)

Bent River Brewing Company - Sweet Potato Ale (Wheat ale w/ sweet potato & spices)

Midwest Coast Brewing Co. - Friendsgiving (Strong ale w/ cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, and orange peel)

Energy City Brewing - Bistro: Apple & Cranberry Crumble (Berliner Weisse w/ apples, cranberry, brown sugar, and cinnamon)

Maplewood Brewing Company - Lil’ Pumpkin Cakes (Blonde ale w/ pumpkin spices)

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)