ABV Chicago Craft Beer Podcast

In a time before hazy, there once was the Double IPA: malty, boozy, bold, and bitter. While some trends suggest the days of haze are a bit behind us, will we see a resurgence of the old school DIPAs of yesteryear? Or will it just be more of the same pale and fruity modern "West Coast" versions? We drink five classic examples that we hope separate themselves from the current trends, and find that some hit that nostalgic target just right. Also, Craig faces a hospital TV dilemma; we remember when breweries kept hop recipes a secret; and Ryan needs a big train beer just for himself.

Double IPAs Reviewed

Dogfish Head Brewery - 90 Minute IPA

Bell's Brewery - HopSlam

Pipeworks Brewing - Ninja vs. Unicorn

3 Floyds Brewing - Arctic Panzer Wolf

Great Lakes Brewing Company - Chillwave

We know from various beer festivals that Ohio has a pretty incredible craft beer scene, and this show courtesy of listener Ryan Lamb focuses on Cincinnati beers that take it easy on the ABV. We try six beers from three different breweries - including one now-closed legend - and find ourselves mapping out a road trip by the end of the episode. We also get our minds (and appetites) freaked by the Criss Angel Breakfast Lunch and Pizza (CABLP) menu, comment on those Arnold Palmer rumors, appreciate the art of the subtle pastry, and try not to lose that grain feeling.

Beers Reviewed

Listermann Brewing Company - Losantiville Pre-Prohibition Lager

Sonder Brewing - Voss (Kölsch)

Sonder Brewing - Divot (Lemonade & Iced Tea Ale)

MadTree Brewing Company - Legendary Lager

MadTree Brewing Company - Queen City Pale Ale

MadTree Brewing Company - Dreamsicle (Orange & Vanilla Ale)

Being stuck in the winter that will never end isn't so bad when you've got some dark and roasty beers, so for this show we get five different dark styles from some of our local favorites to warm us up. This set of nourishing beers has us wishing for a hot pokin' while considering our blanket fort construction tactics. Also, we try to decide on two arcade cabinets for our own imaginary pizza joints; Ryan's not afraid to throw some things during playground basketball; and Craig imagines a glass girthier than has ever been.

Beers Reviewed

Brother Chimp Brewing - Novia (Schwarzbier)

Goldfinger Brewing Company - Chela Negra (Dark Mexican Lager)

Flipside Brewing - Blanket Fort (Oatmeal Stout)

Dovetail Brewery - Czech-Style Dark Lager

Blind Corner Brewery - Boreal Dawn (Black IPA)

The painful reality of 2026 craft beer is seeing great breweries make the decision to close, and this episode is a tribute to two of those that we admired greatly: Miskatonic and Alarmist. We drink up three beers from each brewery as a way to show appreciation to their contributions to Illinois craft beer - and for making all those weird styles that helped us plan many a podcast episode. In addition to sharing some nostalgia to help us reckon with these huge losses, we also talk about why the roller rink is so dangerous; we briefly join the Lace Gang; and Craig's looking for lactose and cosplaying a milkman. Cheers to over a decade of great beers courtesy of the fine folks at Miskatonic and Alarmist - your beers (and taprooms) will be sincerely missed.

Miskatonic Brewing - Vox Pilsner (German-Style Pilsner)

Miskatonic Brewing - West Coast Wizard (West Coast-Style IPA)

Miskatonic Brewing - Goblin Couch (Smoked Porter)

Alarmist Brewing - Crispy Boy (German-Style Pilsner)

Alarmist Brewing - Le Jus (Hazy IPA)

Alarmist Brewing (w/ Old Irving Brewing) - Runemaster (Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout)

The West Coast is still best when it comes to hoppy beers, and this episode provided to us by listener, Patreon supporter, and Californian Dave Adams has us considering the past and future of hops through a variety of IPA styles. Recorded back on Halloween in 2025, the only thing spooky about these five breweries' beers is just how quickly they decimate our sobriety. Also, Ryan's found a new hill to die on that involves Bruce Springsteen and jorts; Craig tries (and fails) to guess the number of locations each of these breweries operate; and we are inspired to establish Pellets & Cones Brewing (a subsidiary of Schwimmer Vintage Ales) - now hiring.

Beers Reviewed

Societe Brewing Company - The Coachman (Session IPA)

Pure Project Brewing - Noc-Turtle (Murky IPA)

North Park Beer Company - Stratacadabra (West Coast IPA)

Pizza Port Brewing Company - Mongo (Double IPA)

Duck Foot Brewing - Duckzilla (White Double IPA)

To close out the most recent season of Revolution's Deep Wood series, we have quite an array of barrels in this foursome that - once again - has us smitten. With two 12-ounce cans and two big old pipes, we're staring down a blend for the ages once we can successfully reckon with our arbitrary rankings. Also, we're looking to get deep into the Bread Rave scene; Ryan's going to piss off a lot of folks in the cognac Facebook group; and Craig dons a new persona (and an old hat) to stir things up. We're going to need our moms to pick us up after this one.

Beers Reviewed

Dethurana (Imperial stout aged in bourbon and Amburana barrels)

Mineshaft Gap (Barleywine aged in Cognac barrels)

Sur Lie [collaboration with Surly Brewing] (Imperial stout aged in bourbon and red wine barrels)

Barleywinery D.B.X.O.J. La Cerise (Barleywine aged in bourbon and French cherry liqueur barrels)

We're celebrating a dozen years of providing our arbitrary craft beer opinions through a half-blind episode focused on six different styles (out of a possible twelve) that include both long-made stalwarts and brand-new (to us) Chicago brews. Craig and Ryan try to guess each other's blind beers while also attempting to solve some hidden themes - with some surprising results. Also, we hold our first ever Cheese Draft (vote in the comments of our social media posts, please!); we say hello to 10 Sack Craig; and we relive memories of infected beers we drank for the podcast. Thanks for listening and helping us get to 12 years.

Beers Reviewed, Half-Blindly

Crushed by Giants/DryHop Brewers - Patio Padre (Mexican-style Lager)

Brasserie Dupont - Saison Dupont

Adams Street Brewery - Open Czech (Czech-style Pilsner)

Revolution Brewing - Eugene (Porter)

Burning Bush Brewery - Broken Pillar w/ Raspberry (Imperial Chocoalte Milk Stout w/ raspberries)

Central Water Brewing Co. - Brewers' Reserve Bourbon Barrel Stout

Compared to the pace at which Hop Butcher releases IPAs, their barrel-aged offerings might as well be Halley's Comet. But when they do release a big beer aged in barrels, it's absolutely worth tracking down, just like the four beers on this episode. We continue our Barrel-Aged Winter with these Hop Butcher for the World beers that saw limited release from their taproom over the last year or so and try not to get yelled at by bourbon Facebook groups in the process. Also, we consider walking a mile in condiment shoes; Craig somehow still has faith in ice cream beers; and Ryan's on the lookout for a Beefy Boy.

Beers Reviewed

Lincoln Anniversary Stout II (Applewood Rye & Bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout)

Lost In The Tropics (Rum, Banana Mead, & Bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout w/ toasted coconut, Madagascar vanilla and pineapple soft serve)

Resplendence (Barleywine aged in Old Rip Van Winkle bourbon barrels)

Lincoln Anniversary Stout III (Double Barrel bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout)

We settle for no less than the best when it comes to choosing beers for our semi-regular hop roundups, and these five locals more than rise to the occasion. With our white gloves on, we're sampling some of the finest hops known to man, and sometimes we're surprised where we find the bitterness (or don't). Also, Craig needs grocery store advice, we touch on a brewery location rumor, Ryan's got some hot tips on curds (and nugs), and we both know now that we should've gone thick cut.

Beers Reviewed

Saint Errant Brewing - Lonely Negatives (West Coast IPA)

Maplewood Brewing Company & Breakside Brewing - Wave Pool (West Coast IPA)

Foreign Exchange - Keeping Secrets (Hazy Double IPA)

Hop Butcher for the World & Madame ZuZus - Twilight to Starlight (Hazy Double IPA w/ tea)

Suncatcher Brewing - Suncatcher ONE (Double IPA)

Aging beer or spirits in the wood from the Amburana cearensis tree native to South America can add noticeable cinnamon spice and vanilla - and brewers have been more than happy to experiment when they can find (and afford) a barrel. But FDA regulations keep Amburana-aged beers in some sort of weird limbo for competitions, so we tap our good friend and guest expert Neil Fisher from Colorado's WeldWerks to drop in and school us on this Amburana-factoid. Then for the rest of the show, we just get our socks completely blown through our shoes by this lineup of 4 beers of various ages. Plus, Craig reminds Ryan of his very few strengths, we pick sides in the train versus boat debate, we dig up an early podcast slogan for appropriate use, and Craig has an interesting relationship with his DreamCast that takes things off the rails a bit.

Neil Fisher Interview (00:09:45 - 00:17:02)

Beers Reviewed

Foreign Exchange - Back to the Start (Amburana wood-aged English Brown Ale)

Half Acre Beer Company - Uakari (Imperial stout aged in bourbon, apple brandy, and Amburana barrels with Madagascar vanilla)

Revolution Brewing - 15 Year Beer Cherry Amburana (Barleywine aged in bourbon and Amburana barrels with cherries)

Mikerphone Brewing - One Hit Wonder #3 (Double barrel-aged triple mash imperial stout aged in bourbon and Amburana barrels)