Generated by All in One SEO v4.9.7.2, this is an llms.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site. # ABV Chicago A podcast about beer and life. But mostly about beer. ## Sitemaps - [XML Sitemap](http://www.abvchicago.com/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website. ## Posts - [Episode 653 - U.S. Open Beer Championship Illinois Winners 2026](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-653-u-s-open-beer-championship-illinois-winners-2026/) - The U.S. Open Beer Championship, started in 2009, is the third-largest competition that recognizes and rewards beers from all over the world - and this year, Illinois brewers collected a considerable amount of hardware. We drink through five medal-winning beers while talking about the competition itself and looking back on some past years' winners as - [Episode 652 - Wheat Hot American Summer](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-652-wheat-hot-american-summer/) - Summer still has some heat to beat, so we're drinking wheat. We round up five interesting wheat beers from five different states to quench our thirst and remember why the style got so many people into craft beer in the first place (and how it can go terribly wrong at times, too). Also, we work - [Episode 651 - Beer Tropics](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-651-beer-tropics/) - Who says you need a cocktail to drink tropical in the hot heat of summer? We found five different styles of beer that all fit nicely under a (miniature paper) tropical umbrella, and no one will have to call the TropCops on you for bringing them to the beach. Also, we meet Mr. America and - [Episode 650 - Revolution Summer of Wood](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-650-revolution-summer-of-wood/) - These annual Revolution Deep Wood summer releases seemed to start off as fun little experimental takes on some of their core beers, but these days, they are truly bringing the heat with some of the best stuff they'll release all year. This lineup of four is just outstanding - with more than one that could - [Bourbon County 2026: Rankings At First Sight](http://www.abvchicago.com/bourbon-county-2026-rankings-at-first-sight/) - To our surprise, we were contacted for the first time in years regarding the 2026 Bourbon County lineup news from Goose Island, and even though our honesty probably explains the first part of this sentence, we figured we owed it to our followers to break down this year’s release and arbitrarily rank them on first - [Episode 649 - IPA All-Stars Blind, Round 7](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-649-ipa-all-stars-blind-round-7/) - The IPA will NEVER DIE, and neither will this series of blind tasting podcasts if we can successfully find more beers that fit our criteria. Thankfully, listeners Benji & Suzanne went to California and brought back some all-West Coast, long-made IPAs to deepen our ongoing quest to find the country's best, and our scoresheets are - [Episode 648 - Saint Errant Brewing (with Brent Banks and Roger Cuzelis)](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-648-saint-errant-brewing-with-brent-banks-and-roger-cuzelis/) - As a brewery whose name acknowledges their wandering ways, Saint Errant has finally laid some roots in a familiar spot in Evanston - and we are excited to sit down with our old friends (and co-owners) Brent Banks and Roger Cuzelis to talk about their new taproom and expanded production. We dip a little into - [Deep Wood Summer 2026 | Revolution Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/deep-wood-summer-2026-revolution-brewing/) - It’s July and that means Revolution Brewing “surprises” everyone with a Deep Wood drop in the dead of heat. This summer drop does what Revolution always does - a couple that are fruit forward and a couple of mainstays (or a new take on a mainstay). Supermassive Café Deth and D.B.S.J. show up in 12 - [Episode 647 - Red, White, and Blue: Two Ways](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-647-red-white-and-blue-two-ways/) - With the impending 250th anniversary of this country of ours (AMERICA), we celebrate the only way we know how: by drinking three IPAs and three Belgian Trappist beers that are only united by three common colors. We sample the Reds, Whites, and Blues of Lombard, Illinois' Noon Whistle Brewing and Chimay, Belgium's Brasserie de Chimay - [Episode 646 - Hot Days, Cold Times](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-646-hot-days-cold-times/) - You can thank the lager renaissance for allowing this nerdy and delicious mixed 12-pack to exist, and Revolution absolutely knocks it out of the park with this one. Along with the four different lagers under the "Cold Time" brand, we add in a throwback Wit just for kicks - and we can anticipate many coolers - [Episode 645 - Tales From The Kettle](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-645-tales-from-the-kettle/) - While more and more craft breweries streamline their releases to reflect what's popular and marketable, we're happy to see when others make weirdo quick sours that include unconventional ingredients - and we're here to celebrate four of those types of beers. For this one, we try to abandon our fears and embrace the tart while - [Episode 644 - Hop Roundup: Taste The Summer](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-644-hop-roundup-taste-the-summer/) - Bare knees and tight tees on patio dads call for some hopped-up brews to pair with that carefully-curated summer vibes playlist, and we're here sampling a half dozen interesting locals. We're also considering what makes warm weather food vs. cold weather food; we're having a hell of a time ranking our favorite hops; and we - [Episode 643 - Supermoon Cellar Society 2025](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-643-supermoon-cellar-society-2025/) - It takes a certain level of trust in a brewery to join a membership program - and we have full faith in everything Milwaukee's Supermoon does, so Craig's re-upping every year he can. We get to sample the four quarterly, limited releases for members of Supermoon's Cellar Society from last year, and it's downright spooky - [Episode 642 - London Pouring](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-642-london-pouring/) - While American craft breweries are cycling back to showing English appreciation, what's going on with craft beer from England? Thanks to friend & listener Ryan Lamb, we get to sample beers from five London breweries that prove that there's no loss of quality across the pond. We get the stories behind each of these producers - [Episode 641 - Tennesseein’ is Tennedrinkin’](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-641-tennesseein-is-tennedrinkin/) - It's been a long while since we've celebrated some of the great breweries of Tennessee, but thanks to Craig's Dollywood trip we have a lineup of solid and surprising options here from The Gulch and beyond. We study up on the breweries, which includes a "World's First…", and then we learn more about chestnuts than - [Beer Under Glass 2026](http://www.abvchicago.com/beer-under-glass-2026/) - Returning again to Millennium Park, Beer Under Glass landed on another perfect Spring-to-Summer transition weather day, with temperatures hovering around 60 under clear skies - with the help of some weather-ready tenting this year just in case. Outside of some construction-related extended routes to the bathrooms and a bit more cramping amongst brewer stations, it - [Episode 640 - Lactose Tolerance](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-640-lactose-tolerance/) - Some might say that using lactose is antithetical to good beer, but there's some distinct purpose in using milk sugar in certain beers despite it causing all us 40-and-ups some real tummy troubles. For this episode, we try four lactose-enhanced beers to see how it impacts mouthfeel and sweetness, and we are a little surprised - [Episode 639 - IPA All-Stars Blind Rd. 6](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-639-ipa-all-stars-blind-rd-6/) - Back from a brief IPA supply-based hiatus, we resume our quest to review and rank as many long-tenured and well-regarded flagship IPAs as possible - and this ragtag bunch is adding some unexpected twists to the results. Acquired while in Wisconsin, these five IPAs span the map and keep us guessing long past the end - [Episode 638 - MoBAB 6: Back In The Groove](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-638-mobab-6-back-in-the-groove/) - After a few months of recovery from Barrel-Aged December, we're back in the wood groove with four big beers from a Mt. Rushmore of Chicago's best breweries. Two stouts and two barleywines make the lineup here, and we're going to get a little extra sticky for the end-of-show cuvée. Also, Craig is ready to help - [Episode 637 - Amber-Dextrous](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-637-amber-dextrous/) - We can't overstate the importance of the Amber beer on early craft beer culture, as just about any brewpub worth its malt back then would have a shaker pint of a rusty red-ish ale or lager ready to pour at all times. But is it possible that ambers are back? Either way, they're back in - [Episode 636 - Xul Beer Company](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-636-xul-beer-company/) - Knoxville's Xul Beer Company first opened their taproom in 2020, and in under six years they've made a big name for themselves mostly on the back of their PB&J sour beer series. Craig had a chance to visit the taproom on PB&J Mixtape Day, and managed to catch co-founders Brad West and Seth Thacker for - [Peach Brandy Barrel DB V.S.O.J. | Revolution Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/peach-brandy-barrel-db-v-s-o-j-revolution-brewing/) - The original Deep Wood release - way back in 2012 if I remember correctly - featured one bomber a month, typically starting in October and ending in January. While those months haven’t changed, the number of beers released per month has, now sitting at about 4. Then in 2019, Revolution surprised everyone by releasing Strawberry - [Episode 635 - Warm Drops](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-635-warm-drops/) - When a batch of out-of-state breweries start showing up on local shelves, it doesn't get us as "hot" as it used to - but there's no shortage of warm and happy feelings with this lineup of five that'll make your next trip to the bottle shop hit different. We drink a variety of styles from - [Episode 634 - ESBs](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-634-esbs/) - A proper British Bitter actually exists on a spectrum of Ordinary, Best, and Strong - or as we mostly know them in the U.S., Extra Special. We try to make sense of this moving target of a style by trying five pretty varied examples - and yes, some are very special. Also, we appeal to - [Episode 633 - WI Not?](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-633-wi-not/) - When you spend any amount of time in Wisconsin, you'd better leave room in your trunk for a whole lot of delicious beer - and that's exactly what Craig did on a recent stop in Madison. We throw caution and care to the WI-nd, as we open five beers from New Glarus and Madison's Working - [Episode 632 - Wine, Not](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-632-wine-not/) - Though beer has long lived in wine's shadow as a prestige drink, it can do an impressive job of borrowing flavors or even mimicking them from the grape-based beverage. We open four very different takes on wine-inspired beers, some that have aged gracefully, and some that go places with styles in a way we haven't - [Episode 631 - DIPA Nostalgia](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-631-dipa-nostalgia/) - 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 - [Episode 630 - ‘Nati Lights](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-630-nati-lights/) - 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 - [Episode 629 - On The Dark Side](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-629-on-the-dark-side/) - 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 - [Episode 628 - A Goodbye Toast](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-628-a-goodbye-toast/) - 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 - - [Episode 627 - SoCal Hops](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-627-socal-hops/) - 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' - [Episode 626 - Deep Wood: Gap Year](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-626-deep-wood-gap-year/) - 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 - [Episode 625 - 12 Year Blind: Feels Like The First Time](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-625-12-year-blind-feels-like-the-first-time/) - 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 - [Episode 624 - Barrel-Aged Hop Butcher](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-624-barrel-aged-hop-butcher/) - 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 - [Deep Wood 2025: Part 3 | Revolution Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/deep-wood-2025-part-3-revolution-brewing/) - Revolution thankfully gave everyone’s wallets December off but now they’ve returned with their last Deep Wood release of the 2025-2026 season! Four beers - Dethurana and Mineshaft Gap in 12 ounce cans and Sur Lie (collaboration with Surly) and Barleywinery D.B.X.O.J. La Cerise in 19.2 ounce cans. Let’s dig into two of them! Dethurana - - [Episode 623 - Hop Roundup: Premium Hops](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-623-hop-roundup-premium-hops/) - 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). - [Episode 622 - Amburana Aged](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-622-amburana-aged/) - 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, - [Craig's 30 Most Memorable Beers of 2025](http://www.abvchicago.com/craigs-30-most-memorable-beers-of-2025/) - As has been discussed in my previous two years’ lists, breweries again were closing faster than they were opening. It seems to have slowed down when compared to 2024 (and maybe even 2023) but it’s still happening at an alarmingly fast rate. If you like a brewery, support them. But the beer from those opened - [Episode 621 - Let The Fun Be Gin](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-621-let-the-fun-be-gin/) - For the first time in Barrel-Aged December history, we have a whole show of gin barrel-aged beers - and we'll tell you why that's something of a rarity. With an all-star lineup of breweries, nothing here is a letdown - but there are still plenty of flavor surprises to be had. Also, we're drawing up - [ABV Chicago: Ryan's Top 40 Beers of 2025](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-ryans-top-40-beers-of-2025/) - Of course there are plenty of stories of contractions and closings in the current reality of craft beer, but I truly believe this one thing: the best beer in history is being made right now. There’s never been greater technical skill, advanced ingredients, and assistive technology at any point, but the true MVP is that - [Episode 620 - FoBAB Winners 2025](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-620-fobab-winners-2025/) - We're hot on the case of the Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beers 2025's best medal recipients (that we have access to), and we'll solve the mystery of whether or not the gold medal winner in this bunch will actually top our rankings. For this year's roundup of decorated beers, we run the Specialty/Experimental category - [Episode 619 - Decembeers](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-619-decembeers/) - Taking a break from our usual Barrel-Aged December, we round up five festive beers that'll help make the holidays go down a lot easier. We span styles to appreciate the mostly-local lineup and their different seasonal inspirations while narrowing down our picks for what to bring to that work holiday party or extended family gathering. - [Episode 618 - Deepest Woodest](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-618-deepest-woodest/) - Two things are absolutely certain when it comes to Revolution's yearly Deep Wood releases: one is that all the beers are going to be slightly varying levels of excellent, and the second is that we will find any excuse to drink them for the podcast. For this round of releases, a few old favorites return - [Episode 617 - Bourbon County 2025](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-617-bourbon-county-2025/) - Just in time for another Black Friday, we sat down with our good friend Ryan Tracy at his Beer on the Wall shop out in Elmhurst to sample through this year's somewhat uninspiring (but very well made) Goose Island Bourbon County Stout lineup. We ponder what's missing this year while also recognizing where the barrels - [Episode 616 - 1840 ‘Til Infinity](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-616-1840-til-infinity/) - This episode is a tribute to the great 1840 Brewing out of Milwaukee and a celebration of the beers and memories they made during their years of operation. If you can help the Vetter family during this period of unimaginable grief, please consider donating to the GoFundMe that has been established in Stephanie's memory: https://gofund.me/b54fb2f25 - [Episode 615 - IPA All-Stars Blind Rd. 5](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-615-ipa-all-stars-blind-rd-5/) - The latest installment in our journey to discover America's best IPA, we're going coast-to-coast for a pretty special lineup that'll help us further define what makes an IPA both an "all star" and, uh, "very good." We're getting pretty good at this guessing thing, and we might have the first IPA in this series that - [Best of FoBAB 2025](http://www.abvchicago.com/best-of-fobab-2025/) - At this point, the Festival of Wood & Barrel-Aged Beers is such a well-oiled machine you'd think they're lubing the gears with 16% stouts, but none of that happens by accident. Though this write-up will put the focus on the best beers we drank at the fest, all credit goes to the Illinois Craft Brewers - [Deep Wood 2025: Part 2 | Revolution Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/deep-wood-2025-part-2-revolution-brewing/) - It’s November so that means it’s the biggest month for barrel-aged beers. FoBAB, Black Friday, special releases - November has it all barrel-aged. Revolution, of course, releases their next round of Deep Wood beers this month (they give you December off but come back hard in January). This time around it’s the perennial Straight Jacket, - [Episode 614 - Pitt Fall](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-614-pitt-fall/) - At the tail end of summer, we recorded this little gem when we knew we'd need it most to help keep us thinking warm thoughts as the temperature falls faster than the leaves. When our friend Aaron Keefner was in town, he dropped a heavy case of Pittsburgh goodies on us, and we use this - [ABV Chicago's Fantasy FoBAB League: 2025 Draft Results](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicagos-fantasy-fobab-league-2025-draft-results/) - With the Festival of Wood and Barrel-aged Beers returning this weekend for the 23rd time and the awards set for Saturday afternoon (which you can stream from the FoBAB website at 2PM), we will be in attendance with our scoresheets in hand to see who will win the 7th Annual ABV Chicago Fantasy FoBAB League. The League: Seven years back, - [Episode 613 - Deth Proof](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-613-deth-proof/) - The barrel storm that is Revolution's Deep Wood series rages on throughout the Fall and Winter months, so we're catching up on the last release of their Deth's Tar stout and its variants - and this year's batch is better than they've ever been. We try to place these in the context of past years' - [How to Run Your Own Fantasy FoBAB League 2025 + Power Rankings](http://www.abvchicago.com/how-to-run-your-own-fantasy-fobab-league-2025-power-rankings/) - The 2025 edition of the Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beer is just around the corner. And just as a beer can be enhanced by barrel-aging, a festival can be enhanced by friendly wagering! For the past seven years, we’ve run a Fantasy FoBAB league with some of our beer loving friends – and with - [Craig's GABF 2025](http://www.abvchicago.com/craigs-gabf-2025/) - Another year, another Great American Beer Festival (GABF). Regardless of what’s going on the beer world at the time, GABF is always a bucket-list beer item that you should go to at least once. We’ve been fortunate enough to go multiple years (this was my 10th). I’ve seen this fest expand and blossom, then contract, - [Episode 612 - Torture Test 9: Circles of Adjunct Hell](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-612-torture-test-9-circles-of-adjunct-hell/) - Unnecessarily crammed with junk, this year's spooky six-pack is an adjunct party that no one ever wanted to be invited to, as we're on to our ninth iteration of the infamous Torture Test. We both try to outdo one another by attacking our flavor weaknesses - or just finding straight-up old catastrophes of beers that - [GABF 2025: Ryan's Top 40 Beers](http://www.abvchicago.com/gabf-2025-ryans-top-40-beers/) - For a more detailed breakdown of this year's Great American Beer Festival, along with interviews from a few select brewers that caught our attention (and appear on this list), be sure to check out our GABF 2025 podcast episode. Ryan's Top 40 Beers at GABF 2025 40. Oktoberfest | Märzen | von Trapp Brewing | - [Episode 611 - FoBABlin’: 7th Barrel Heaven](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-611-fobablin-7th-barrel-heaven/) - In our annual leadup to Chicago's best beer fest, we're talking all about the Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beers as it is set to return early in November this year. Along with drinking and reviewing four barrel-aged beers from a few FoBAB regulars (and one new to the fest), we look over the new - [Episode 610 - GABF 2025](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-610-gabf-2025/) - Denver is the closest to Heaven that we'll ever be, and we don't want to go home right now. Broadcasting amongst the Rocky Mountains (from our very cushy hotel room), we file our annual report on America's largest beer festival and competition: the Great American Beer Festival. We open three Colorado beers over two nights - [Episode 609 - Triptych Quadriptych](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-609-triptych-quadriptych/) - One of Illinois' best breweries rarely makes it up to Chicagoland shelves, so when Craig had a chance to go down to Savoy for a visit to Triptych Brewing, he loaded up for our fourth featured show in our history. We have five beers that represent what Triptych does best: from immaculate lagers to hop-driven - [GABF 2025: 50 Can't Miss Breweries at the Fest](http://www.abvchicago.com/gabf-2025-50-cant-miss-breweries-at-the-fest/) - The Great American Beer Festival returns to Denver from October 9th to October 11th this year, and though everyone will be talking about the competition medal winners for months to come, the biggest highlight for us is the festival itself and the 400-plus beverage makers pouring. Even going into our 10th year of attending the - [Episode 607 - Road to GABF 2025](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-607-road-to-gabf-2025/) - Our favorite time of year approaches again, but we can't set off for Denver without doing a ridiculous amount of prep work and research. So to celebrate the oncoming Great American Beer Festival for 2025, we drink four GABF-adjacent beers while sharing our picks for what to drink from local breweries, our most dependable steady - [Episode 556 - Road to GABF 2024](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-556-road-to-gabf-2024/) - 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" - [Episode 558 - GABF 2024](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-558-gabf-2024/) - 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 - [Deep Wood 2025: Deth's Tars | Revolution Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/deep-wood-2025-deths-tars-revolution-brewing/) - In the beforetimes, there was barrel-aged stout season. It typically began with Goose Island’s Bourbon County release (before it was on Black Friday) and ended with Founders’ KBS release in March. While barrel-aged stout season is celebrated year-round now, some still observe the seasons like the old days. For those, barrel-aged stout season now begins - [Episode 608 - IPA All Stars Blind, Rd. 4](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-608-ipa-all-stars-blind-rd-4/) - In our seemingly endless quest to find the best long-made IPA that America has to offer, we are a little all over the map on this one with a mix of Wisconsin and Western U.S. offerings to run through the blind scoresheet wringer. It's a study in contrasts, as each clear IPA brings a little - [Episode 606 - Earth-Friendly Beers](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-606-earth-friendly-beers/) - Just like most good things in life, the beers we so love can be quite taxing on the planet before even getting to our glasses. But some breweries are taking the lead on exploring more sustainable practices, whether it's using regenerative grains, organic ingredients, or even solar-powered farms. The five beers on this show represent - [Episode 605 - Festbier v. Märzen](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-605-festbier-v-mrzen/) - There are many essential ingredients for a successful Oktoberfest celebration, but none is more important than the beer. But which style is going to fill your massive stein: the younger, bright Festbier or the old-school, bready Märzen? We found four breweries making both styles to have a side-by-side of each to help determine our personal - [Episode 604 - Suburbaversary](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-604-suburbaversary/) - The last few months have seen a steady number of big anniversary parties from suburban breweries - and some even released a beer to commemorate it. This show consists of 5 different beers brewed to mark an anniversary, all by brewers who work out of the suburbs of Chicago. We also face some style-based fears, - [Episode 603 - Pittsburgh vs. Chicago: Blind Hazy Throwdown (with Aaron Keefner)](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-603-pittsburgh-vs-chicago-blind-hazy-throwdown-with-aaron-keefner/) - When one of our oldest friends and beer industry vet, Aaron Keefner, came back into town from his adopted city of Pittsburgh, we knew we were going to have to throw down - with a blind hazy IPA tasting, of course! We each chose three of the top examples of hazy beers from our respective - [Episode 602 - Rev Heat Wave](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-602-rev-heat-wave/) - For the last few years, Revolution Brewing has tried convincing us that barrel-aged stouts and barleywines can indeed be enjoyed on 90-plus degree days - and gosh darnit, they make a convincing case. On this episode, we dive into the first three 12-ounce Deep Wood beers for the release season and find some very pleasant - [Episode 601 - Miskatonic Brewing (with Cory Davidson and Mik Dempsey)](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-601-miskatonic-brewing-with-cory-davidson-and-mik-dempsey/) - Miskatonic has been a western suburban outpost for great beer with an extremely loyal following for a decade now - and it's due time they get the recognition they deserve. We sit down in Darien with head brewer Cory Davidson and production brewer Mik Dempsey to talk all things Miskatonic, including how they approach brewing - [Episode 600 - Suncatcher Brewing (with Matt Gallagher)](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-600-suncatcher-brewing-with-matt-gallagher/) - Matt Gallagher has been instrumental to Chicago's craft beer scene for almost two decades as a co-founder of Half Acre, but it's his new brewery Suncatcher that has had us hooked from the very first visit. Suncatcher Brewing is a relatively unique concept in this time, as they are essentially a bar that serves their - [Episode 599 - IPA All-Stars Blind, Rd. 3](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-599-ipa-all-stars-blind-rd-3/) - In our ongoing series that seeks to find the best IPA we can get our hands on, we keep this one a bit more regional with five long-beloved and well-decorated beers from Indiana and Ohio. We taste one Hoosier beer and four Buckeye brews blindly using our much more focused scoring method - and we - [Episode 598 - Lime Lagers](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-598-lime-lagers/) - During a particularly sweltering summer, no beer style has come through in the clutch as much as the lime lager. The sheer number of available options is a testament to the ultimate refreshing combo - and with these, there's no need to shove a questionably dirty lime wedge down your longneck. We have five mostly-local - [Summer 2025 Deep Wood | Revolution Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/summer-2025-deep-wood-revolution-brewing/) - It’s July and that means Revolution starts with their Deep Wood shenanigans again. Ever since 2019, they’ve released a few Deep Wood beers to get people excited for the lineup. Now it’s part of the lineup. Revolution’s summer Deep Wood drop includes Thundertaker, Strawberry Jacket, XV, and XV Cherry Amburana, the variant of the bunch. - [Episode 597 - An Overdue Welcome](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-597-an-overdue-welcome/) - It seems like it's been far too long since we've extended a hearty "hello" to some new breweries in Chicagoland, so we're psyched to gather five that have opened locations or started releasing beer into the world relatively recently. We learn about some new-to-us breweries and a few that have been long in the works - [Episode 596 - is/was brewing (with Mike Schallau)](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-596-is-was-brewing-with-mike-schallau/) - Although he might use the term "silly little beers," Mike Schallau's is/was brewing is making some of the most thoughtful and impressive saisons anywhere in the country right here in Chicago. We travelled up to his Ravenswood brewery and taproom to talk about those beers and how he transitioned his nearly six year-old brewing project - [Episode 595 - West Coast Pilsners](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-595-west-coast-pilsners/) - Newly adopted as its own category for this year's GABF competition, the West Coast Pilsner has the hoppy influence of its namesake locale while also retaining much of what makes German Pilsners so repeatedly drinkable. We gather five locally-made examples from some of Illinois' top names in hops, and they help us build a case - [Episode 594 - Goldfinger Brewing (with Tom Beckmann)](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-594-goldfinger-brewing-with-tom-beckmann/) - In just 5 years, Goldfinger Brewing Company has made Downers Grove, Illinois a true destination for lager-lovers and much of that is to the credit of founder, co-owner, and head brewer Tom Beckmann's tireless quest to make the most interesting lagers you'll ever drink. Tom sits with us for a while to sample through some - [Episode 593 - Hop Roundup: Heating Up](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-593-hop-roundup-heating-up/) - In our second of our quarterly "random hoppy things" episodes wherein we gather notable hop-driven drinks from local breweries, we have a murderers' row lineup to lead us into the warmer months - and we even include one non-beer. The high quality of the beverages leads to steadily sloppier discussions of Craig's first Magic: The - [Episode 592 - IPA All-Stars Blind, Round 2](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-592-ipa-all-stars-blind-round-2/) - In our continuing quest to find the best legacy IPA (that also happens to be widely available), we blindly taste and rate a set of five here that represent four from the West Coast and one extremely familiar local. Are we grading more harshly on this episode than last? And what blind surprise catches us - [Episode 590 - How Low Can You Go?](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-590-how-low-can-you-go/) - Who says you need a lot of alcohol to have fun? Well, a lot of people, I'm sure. But this show sets out to prove beers that are under 4% alcohol by volume (ABV) can be surprisingly flavorful and ultimately satisfying. This "IPA sandwich" lineup is met with enthusiasm and a tighter grasp on sobriety - [Episode 591 - MoBAB 5: Barrels Alive!](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-591-mobab-5-barrels-alive/) - Halfway to FoBAB means it's time for MoBAB! Barrel-aged beers from Old Irving, Goose Island, Off Color, and milieu fermentation help us to celebrate! - [Episode 589 - Czech Dark Lagers](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-589-czech-dark-lagers/) - In our second exploration of Czech styles made locally, we sample five Czech Dark Lagers - a style that has slowly grown into a dependable stand-by for many brewers. We get into what makes a beer like this that perfect balance of dark malt and clean lager drinkability while drinking more of these than we - [Beer Under Glass 2025](http://www.abvchicago.com/beer-under-glass-2025/) - The official kickoff for Illinois Craft Beer Week and the unofficial kickoff for drinking outside nearly everyday for the next four months, Beer Under Glass moved to the Harris Theater rooftop at Millennium Park for 2025 - and it was a welcome improvement over the Union Station location. We may still have a soft spot - [Episode 588 - IPA All-Stars Blind, Round 1](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-588-ipa-all-stars-blind-round-1/) - With this episode, we kick off our new ongoing blind tasting series with a focus on the IPAs that made craft beer what it is today. Periodically over the next few months, we'll be gathering up five IPAs that represent well-known, influential, or otherwise significant IPAs from all over, looking to find our pick for - [Episode 587 - Czech Light Lagers](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-587-czech-light-lagers/) - The lighter beers produced in the Czech Republic have inspired a bevy of lighter lagers stateside, so we get as Bohemian as we can with five different beers - four from the Chicagoland area. We brush up on our definitions of Czech pilsners and Czech pale lagers while finding some surprising local examples. Plus, we're - [Episode 586 - Mosaic Immersion Therapy](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-586-mosaic-immersion-therapy/) - For as long as we've been reviewing beers, Craig has struggled with perceiving the Mosaic hop's aroma and flavors to the point that we've diagnosed him with the first-ever case of Mosaic Blindness. So Ryan set out to cure (or torment) his friend by tracking down five all-Mosaic beers to learn what makes this complex - [Episode 585 - Minneapolis Lagers](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-585-minneapolis-lagers/) - During his recent trip to the Land of 10,000 Lagers™, Ryan snagged five Minneapolis-made clean and crispy beers from five different breweries to extend our lager love further north than ever before. We learn about some of these great (and medal-winning) Minneapolis spots in our lager quest, and there's a little more interesting equipment employed - [Episode 584 - Helles Lagers](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-584-helles-lagers/) - We're taking another style deep dive ABV-style with the pride of Munich: the Helles Lager. We try a German classic before exploring four local interpretations of the unfussy easy-drinking style, but as always, it's the variations that make it interesting. Also, Ryan is in desperate need of some Inception Pants, Craig won't even stand up - [Episode 583 - A Progression of Adjuncts](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-583-a-progression-of-adjuncts/) - Adding non-essential components to a brew - ingredients sometimes referred to as adjuncts - can evoke strong dessert flavors and even a heavy dose of nostalgia. But does adding more and more adjuncts actually make a beer better? We test it out on this episode by drinking four barrel-aged stouts, with each successive beer adding - [Episode 582 - A Progression of Barrels](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-582-a-progression-of-barrels/) - A decade ago, if a beer spent a few months in a single bourbon barrel, its release would cause fanfare amongst craft beer obsessives. These days, beers are blended from an increasing number of different barrels for extended periods of time, so we decided to sample beers that represent an increasing number of different barrels - [Episode 581 - Doppelbocks](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-581-doppelbocks/) - Whether you're preparing for a fast or a feast, Doppelbocks are the German-born strong lagers you need if "liquid bread" is what you seek. We explore this style with one German version and four from Chicagoland to fine tune our expectations and enhance our overall appreciation of this malty wonder. Also, Craig gives sound advice - [Episode 580 - Cellar West, Chapter 3](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-580-cellar-west-chapter-3/) - It's been about two years since we last checked in with one of our favorite small breweries in America, and this lineup of five from Lafayette, Colorado's Cellar West is a real flavor ride. We talk about the medal-winning beers sent courtesy of founder Zach Nichols while trying to narrow down which we'd most like - [Episode 579 - Local & Historical](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-579-local-historical/) - We get unreasonably excited when local breweries make historical and international styles that are infrequently brewed, so we jumped at the opportunity to bring five examples together. These suburban Chicago beers serve as tributes to centuries of brewing across three different countries, and we couldn't be happier about the results. We dive into the history - [Episode 578 - Werk Force Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-578-werk-force-brewing/) - Amanda and Brandon Wright of Werk Force Brewing have been in business out in Plainfield for over a decade, but their story and influence goes far beyond that. We spend a good long time talking with the Wrights and sampling through a lineup of their excellent beers, from lagers to IPAs to barrel-aged stouts. Just - [Episode 577 - Hop Roundup: Winter ‘25](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-577-hop-roundup-winter-25/) - We love hoppy beers, and truthfully, we need to find an excuse to try more local releases that catch our attention. Introducing the Hop Roundup: a quarterly series of episodes focused on notable hoppy releases in a general timeframe. For this Winter 2025 edition, we have a brand new brewery with a resurgent style; a - [Episode 576 - The UT Show](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-576-the-ut-show/) - We're going behind the curtain for our 36th state show, as listener Jeremy hooked us up with five beers from Utah. The beers represent a pretty wide variety and offer a few real standouts as we try and make sense of some pretty…interesting beer laws. Also, there's valuable jorts advice, heavy eye-contact cocktails, barrel-aged flashbacks, - [Episode 575 - Deep Wood: Now and Later](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-575-deep-wood-now-and-later/) - To close out the 2024-2025 Deep Wood release lineup, Revolution somehow finds a way to do some new things with barleywine while retaining the spirit of their barrel program we've all come to know and love. It's all about interesting woods here (and a little help from some friends) as we've hardly been so happy - [Episode 574 - Supermoon Cellar Society](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-574-supermoon-cellar-society/) - At a very reasonable price, Craig joined the exclusive Cellar Society for Milwaukee's Supermoon Beer Company so we could get our hands on a full lineup of exclusive releases from one of our favorite breweries in the whole world. And this lineup still finds ways to surprise us - from style to barrel to the - [Episode 573 - 11 Year Blind: Old Faves](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-573-11-year-blind-old-faves/) - To recognize our 11th year of releasing this weekly podcast, we're putting a new spin on our annual half-blind shows by…going old. We each divvied up the past years of the podcast and selected one favorite from a year until we ended up with seven to try and stump one another while we dig through - [Episode 572 - Singles in Your Area](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-572-singles-in-your-area/) - In an ill-advised experiment almost 4 years in the making, this episode is our style exploration of the Belgian Single - sometimes called Patersbier, sometimes Enkel, and definitely rarely made stateside. Even most of the Trappist breweries keep them in house and rarely send them overseas. With a glacial pace of local Belgian single releases, - [Deep Wood: More Barleywines | Revolution Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/deep-wood-more-barleywines-revolution-brewing/) - We’re nearing the end of another Deep Wood season, but three beers remain. Revolution’s going out on a barleywine kick with Lumberstruck (black barleywine), Oakpocalypse Later (triple-oaked barleywine), and Barleywinery Double Barrel V.S.O.J. (DB V.S.O.J.). This lineup should definitely keep you warm during the cold January and February days. Lumberstruck | 13% ABV Lumberstruck returns - [Episode 571 - Heavy Riff: Dear Agony](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-571-heavy-riff-dear-agony/) - 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 - [Episode 570 - Riverlands Brewing Company](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-570-riverlands-brewing-company/) - 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 - - [Episode 569 - Pulpit Rock](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-569-pulpit-rock/) - 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 - [Ryan's Top 40 Beers of 2024](http://www.abvchicago.com/ryans-top-40-beers-of-2024/) - The criteria for the list is simple: these are the best beers that I had this year that were (mostly) released this year. I undoubtedly left off many other great beers I had this year because I’m not a very good record-keeper and don’t use Untappd. But I hope some of these beers resonate with - [Craig's 30 Most Memorable Beers of 2024](http://www.abvchicago.com/craigs-most-memorable-beers-of-2024/) - At the beginning of last year’s listicle, I warned about breweries starting to close. We lost some ones close to us in 2023, but that paled in comparison to 2024. It seemed like every week another brewery announced its closure. We lived in fear of the black-and-white Instagram post or the “Dear Friends…” intro. While - [Episode 568 - A Side of Side Project](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-568-a-side-of-side-project/) - 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 - [Episode 567 - FoBAB Winners 2024](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-567-fobab-winners-2024/) - 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, - [Episode 566 - Deep Wood: Wine O’ Clock](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-566-deep-wood-wine-o-clock/) - 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 - [Episode 565 - Bourbon County 2024](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-565-bourbon-county-2024/) - 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 - [Episode 564 - Ciders N’ Stuff](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-564-ciders-n-stuff/) - 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 - [ABV Chicago's Fantasy FoBAB League: 2024 Draft Results](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicagos-fantasy-fobab-league-2024-draft-results/) - With the Festival of Wood and Barrel-aged Beers returning this weekend for the 22nd time and the awards set for Saturday afternoon (which you can stream from the FoBAB website at 2PM), we will be in attendance with our scoresheets in hand to see who will win the 6th Annual ABV Chicago Fantasy FoBAB League. The League: Six years back, - [Episode 563 - Thanksgiving Beer Feast](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-563-thanksgiving-beer-feast/) - 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 - [How to Run Your Own Fantasy FoBAB League & 2024 FoBAB Power Rankings](http://www.abvchicago.com/how-to-run-your-own-fantasy-fobab-league-2024-fobab-power-rankings/) - The 2024 edition of the Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beer is just around the corner. And just as a beer can be enhanced by barrel-aging, a festival can be enhanced by friendly wagering! For the past six years, we’ve run a Fantasy FoBAB league with some of our beer loving friends - and with - [Deep Wood 2024: The 'Wines | Revolution Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/deep-wood-2024-the-wines-revolution-brewing/) - And we’re back again. Revolution continues with their 2024 Deep Wood series, this time mostly featuring their barleywines and ryewines. Straight Jacket and Ryeway to Heaven return yet again, while Double Barrel V.S.O.R. makes its first appearance. For their Twenty Ten Variant release, Revolution went with D.B.X.O.D. Le Tronçais (which I’ll explain below). Let’s get - [Episode 562 - FoBABlin’ 6: FoBAB Time Machine](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-562-fobabln-6-fobab-time-machine/) - 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 - [Episode 561 - Mega Deth](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-561-mega-deth/) - 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 - [Episode 560 - Torture Test: The Hateful 8](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-560-torture-test-the-hateful-8/) - 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 - [Episode 559 - Farmhouse Fall](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-559-farmhouse-fall/) - 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 - [GABF 2024: Ryan's Top 40 Beers](http://www.abvchicago.com/gabf-2024-ryans-top-40-beers/) - Most of our thoughts on this year’s Great American Beer Festival in Denver are contained in our podcast episode (along with interviews from a few folks responsible for some of the beers below), but I’ll sum it up here: the new layout was a bit chaotic and not optimized for quickly locating any brewery, but - [Deep Wood 2024: The Deth's | Revolution Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/deep-wood-2024-the-deths-revolution-brewing/) - How do you know it’s barrel-aged beer season? Despite it being a year-round thing now, the true concentration of barrel-aged beer typically starts in the fall, which typically coincides with Revolution’s Deth’s Tar release. And, just like every other year, you should get pumped. This release features two constants in the Deep Wood lineup - - [Episode 557 - So Fresh, So Wet](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-557-so-fresh-so-wet/) - 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. - [GABF 2024: Illinois Pour List Preview](http://www.abvchicago.com/gabf-2024-illinois-pour-list-preview/) - The Great American Beer Festival (GABF) is back again and with it the Illinois Pour List! Illinois will have 10 breweries pouring this year, including one that’s pouring there for the first time (Sketchbook). While the number of Illinois breweries might not be as many as previous years, the breweries that are pouring are bringing - [GABF 2024: 50 Can't Miss Breweries at the Fest](http://www.abvchicago.com/gabf-2024-50-cant-miss-breweries-at-the-fest/) - As the 42nd iteration of the Great American Beer Festival gets underway in the second week of October, there’s no possible way to sample something from all 500-plus breweries, cidermakers, and beverage producers at the fest. With this year being our 11th straight year of covering GABF and 9th year of attending the fest out - [Episode 555 - West Coast West Coast IPAs](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-555-west-coast-west-coast-ipas/) - 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 - [Episode 554 - Rice Lagers](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-554-rice-lagers/) - 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 - [Episode 553 - Wisconsin Borderlands](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-553-wisconsin-borderlands/) - 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 - [Episode 552 - BA Coconutz](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-552-ba-coconutz/) - Like some sort of softball-sized, hairy drupe falling from a tree to knock us on the head, within this lineup of four beers is a surprise that almost completely brings the show to a grinding halt. But otherwise, it's a fun little exploration of our relationship with coconut as an adjunct in barrel-aged stouts, and - [Episode 551 - Holy Toledo](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-551-holy-toledo/) - The titular exclamative comes thanks to Craig's unexpected finds during a recent trip to Toledo, Ohio. This lineup of five Toledo-area beers is almost total adjunct bacchanalia - and one that surprises us at every step. We get into the geography of Toledo while shouting out most of the bartenders that made this one possible. - [Episode 550 - Weekend Warriors: WI vs. MI](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-550-weekend-warriors-wi-vs-mi/) - At the start of August, Craig and Ryan took extended weekend getaways to Wisconsin and Michigan, returning with a sweet little haul highlighting some favorite spots along the way. Whose weekend three-pack turns out the best? We gladly sip through these six to report back with our arbitrary opinions. Plus, we both share some recent - [Episode 549 - Hoppy Reds (Directors’ Cut)](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-549-hoppy-reds-directors-cut/) - Though this was recorded in the early summer months, this episode explores a broad style designation that’s seeing a bit of a resurgence - and hopefully more so with the coming colder temperatures. We open five red ales to see what makes a good one and learn quite a bit about the broad variance that - [Great Taste of the Midwest 2024](http://www.abvchicago.com/great-taste-of-the-midwest-2024/) - As I walked near the entrance of the 2024 Great Taste of the Midwest, I came to the realization as to how well the whole festival is run. Every year I have the same expectations of the festival and each year they not only meet but exceed them. Time to start calling it the Greatest - [Episode 548 - Flipside Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-548-flipside-brewing/) - The story of Flipside Brewing begins and ends with Erik Pizer, the owner and head brewer whose career has led him back to Tinley Park with his now 2-year old brewpub. This conversation is a long-time coming as we've been fortunate to follow Erik's brewing career over the last decade - and we must concur - [Wisconsin IPA Festival 2024 | Third Space Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/wisconsin-ipa-festival-2024-third-space-brewing/) - PEOPLE’S CHOICE Unfortunately the announcement of the winners happened really close to the end of the festival and I was not able to get to try Amorphic’s DDH Fluffy Logic Galaxy. But here’s the info. DDH Fluffy Logic Galaxy | Hazy IPA with Citra and 2023 Galaxy | Amorphic Beer | Milwaukee, WI | 6.3% - [Episode 547 - One Crazy Rev Summer](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-547-one-crazy-rev-summer/) - These summer Deep Wood releases keep getting bigger and bolder, so we sample the three barrel-aged beers Revolution released in July (alongside a little leftover Springtime coffee pick-me-up) to once again fawn over the results. Craig puts on his silly sun hat while we sip through all 55.2 ounces, and Ryan lets his Revolution truth - [ABV Chicago's Late Summer Beer Guide](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicagos-late-summer-beer-guide/) - We may be on the other half of it, but there’s still plenty of summer left - and you have a lot more beers to drink. Summers don’t have to be all about mass-produced hard seltzers and macro lagers. If you’re willing to spend a little more and want to diversify the flavors coming out - [ABV Chicago 10th Anniversary Party | Beer on the Wall Park Ridge](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-10th-anniversary-party-beer-on-the-wall-park-ridge/) - We can't believe it either. We've been doing this podcast for 10 years now and figured it was time to celebrate that! Join us at Beer on the Wall in Park Ridge as we take over the store taps, pour some bottles, and just have a blast. (Note: This list will be updated as we - [Episode 546 - APA Style](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-546-apa-style/) - For all the high concept shows we've done over the past decade, we were shocked to learn that we've never just focused on the American Pale Ale - those clear, approachably hoppy styles of old. We have five Chicagoland examples here (well, two Lake Zurich and three Chicago, oddly) that are all impressive in their - [Episode 545 - Icy Treats: Italian Ice & Bomb Pops](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-545-icy-treats-italian-ice-bomb-pops/) - We’ve covered a lot of summer-friendly light drinking beers on the podcast lately, but this one goes right for the freezer aisle. Taking inspiration from a few popular icy treats, this lineup is summer fun in a glass, for the most part, even if said “fun” isn’t, like, “beer.” We have two beers inspired by - [Episode 544 - Hop Water Revisited](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-544-hop-water-revisited/) - Since we last sampled a batch of non-alcoholic sparkling hop waters in November, we assumed the market would be flooded with new options from local and non-local breweries alike. That growth has proven to be a lot more gradual, but we hope the dam bursts sooner than later because this lineup of five hop-enhanced sparkling - [Episode 543 - The Beers of Summer](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-543-the-beers-of-summer/) - We can tell you that our love for these breweries will still be strong even after these beers of summer are gone, but heck, we'll enjoy them now while they're here. We drink through five beers marketed as easy Summer drinkers - three lagers, and two ales - to determine what's stocking our coolers for - [Episode 542 - Pineapple Fever](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-542-pineapple-fever/) - These sweltering summer days have set off our symptoms that can only be diagnosed as a serious case of Pineapple Fever. For this show, we're as surprised as anyone that we have a swinging good time cruising through a whole set of pineapple beers in defiance of our usual fruit show disappointments. Also, we're finding - [Episode 541 - Maplewood At 10](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-541-maplewood-at-10/) - In the 10 years since Maplewood started producing beers in Chicago, the brewery and distillery has become one of the most recognizable, available, and consistent craft brands in the city. We sit down with the crew of Roger Cuzelis, Adam Smith, and Adam Cieslak to talk about how the company has evolved over the last - [Episode 540 - The Half Acre Report](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-540-the-half-acre-report/) - CHICAGO (ABV) - With the 15th anniversary of the American Pale Ale that changed craft brewing in Chicago - Daisy Cutter - we file an urgent report on Half Acre beers recently released and break some news about the potential beer of the year (already). Expect to hear memories of early Daisy Cutter experiences, some - [Episode 539 - Blinded by the Light Lagers](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-539-blinded-by-the-light-lagers/) - After years of pushing boundaries with flavor, craft beer has come all the way back to banking on uncomplicated light lagers built for summer coolers. For this episode, we test out five local versions of lighter lagers in a blind tasting, finding ourselves surprised by the amount of variation contained within. Also, Craig is reaching - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: May 2024](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-may-2024/) - At the end of each month, we like to highlight twelve drinks we found personally interesting, delicious, or exciting from (mostly) local sources with the hopes of passing on our recommendations to those that are interested in reading arbitrary reviews. Some of these were reviewed on the podcast, some were for Patreon-only Low ABVs, and some are - [Episode 535 - The Hop Butcher Report](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-535-the-hop-butcher-report/) - CHICAGO (ABV) - The folks at Hop Butcher have released some beers of note over the last few months, and we are on the scene (at home) to sample four of these newsworthy beers. A hazy IPA tribute to a beloved Chicago weatherman? That’s here. A collaboration with one of our favorite flavor masters working? - [Episode 538 - MoBAB 4: Barrels in Space](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-538-mobab-4-barrels-in-space/) - Our fourth installment of drinking more barrel-aged beers (MoBAB) at about the halfway point to FoBAB lifts off into orbit with four different styles aged in bourbon and whiskey barrels. Sipping these leads to talk about length of barrel stays, some cocktail inspirations, and the hopeful regular return of a once-mighty barrel program. Also, Ryan’s - [Episode 537 - Clearly Hazy](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-537-clearly-hazy/) - Science beckons us to drink these side-by-side versions of similar IPA recipes: one hazy and one clear. We want to know how much difference the yeast makes in the flavor, whether bitterness levels will be noticeably changed, and how the mouthfeel transforms the experience. We also want to know why we got so drunk by - [Episode 536 - Live Oak](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-536-live-oak/) - Austin, Texas' Live Oak Brewing has been making world-class lagers and traditional styles through step-mashing and decoction mashing going back to 1997, and their regionally-available beers have inspired brewers worldwide to embrace not taking any short cuts. Thanks to Craig's Austin trip, we have five stellar beers here, a lineup bookended by their other speciality: - [Episode 534 - High Gravity Half Acre](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-534-high-gravity-half-acre/) - In somewhat sporadic drops over the last few months, Half Acre has released some highly-desired cans of barrel-aged beer that push the ABV further than ever before. We sample four of these special beers while turning half of this into a tribute to the writer of Half Acre’s Instagram beer release posts. It’s not often - [Episode 533 - Jester King](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-533-jester-king/) - For over ten years we've wanted to do a full lineup of Jester King's beers, and thanks to Craig's recent Austin trip, we get to open five unique styles from the farm. We're happy as a bunch of grazing goats (except for Gary) as we sample through this lineup and Craig revisits his experience visiting - [Supermassive Deep Wood | Revolution Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/supermassive-deep-wood-revolution-brewing/) - It must be Hot Stove Deep Wood season, as Revolution just keeps releasing Deep Wood beers outside of their usual time frame. While the Supermassive Café Deth release usually falls as this off season release (the first two were summer releases), Revolution has an ace up their sleeve to drum up some interest in this - [Episode 532 - Carolina Sauce](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-532-carolina-sauce/) - As the third in our recent unplanned trilogy of Carolina shows, this one proves that sometimes the B-sides are better than the album. We have five beers from various Carolina locations, thanks to listeners Benji & Suzanne, and each drink finds a way to impress us in unexpected ways. What else could inspire talk of - [Episode 531 - Straight Barleywine](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-531-straight-barleywine/) - Believe it or not, there was a time when breweries would release barleywines that were not aged in any sort of barrel, and the biggest choice you had to make was American-style or English-style. For this episode, we have four local takes on the barleywine, two of each style, none with any barrel or adjunct - [Episode 530 - The TX Show](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-530-the-tx-show/) - Because we heard that things tend to be bigger down in Texas, our 35th State Show features six beers from Craig's recent travels. We try our best to span the Lone Star state (despite being a little Austin-heavy), and the focus on perfect execution and maximum drinkability is clear. Also, Craig tests out how to - [Episode 529 - Back to the Barrel 5](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-529-back-to-the-barrel-5/) - Just as the season can't decide if it's going to get warm or stay cold, we choose to get nice and toasty with four barrel-aged stouts we've gathered over the past few months from local sources. The four beers on this show ascend in adjuncts, and Craig and Ryan don't see eye-to-eye on the rankings - [Episode 528 - Heavy Riff Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-528-heavy-riff-brewing/) - St. Louis' Heavy Riff Brewing has built a strong local following since 2013, and their mix of experimental styles, barrel-aged beers, and rock-n-roll sensibility has started to make its way up the state of Illinois. Craig talks with co-owner Rick Hagen about the past and future of the brewery before we try through a lineup - [Episode 527 - Local West Coast DIPAs](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-527-local-west-coast-dipas/) - A decade-and-a-half ago, West Coast DIPAs were changing the craft beer curious into full-on obsessives, and breweries were in an IBU arms race to melt faces with hop bitterness. Recently, now that some of the haze has settled, breweries are returning to the aggressive style again - with some bringing newer juicy hop varietals to - [Adventures on the East Coast: Waterbury, VT](http://www.abvchicago.com/adventures-on-the-east-coast-waterbury-vt/) - Part two (of four) of Craig and Ed's journey around the Northeast. Part one is here. by Craig Expectations Surpassed Hill Farmstead Brewery Ratebeer’s number one brewery two of the last three years, Hill Farmstead should be on any beer geek’s bucket list. About an hour away from anything (usually), it is both the only - [Episode 526 - Asheville](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-526-asheville/) - The city of Asheville may not even be in the top ten most-populated cities in North Carolina, but it might be the state's capital for breweries. Thanks to the generosity of listeners Benji and Suzanne, we drink five beers from Asheville (and the surrounding area) that represent a wide amount of styles - and Craig - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: February 2024](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-february-2024/) - At the end of each month, we like to highlight twelve drinks we found personally interesting, delicious, or exciting from (mostly) local sources with the hopes of passing on our recommendations to those that are interested in reading arbitrary reviews. Some of these were reviewed on the podcast, some were for Patreon-only Low ABVs, and some are - [Episode 525 - Baltic Local](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-525-baltic-local/) - The Baltic Porter is making some more regular appearances in breweries' seasonal lineups, so we find five local examples of the robust lager style to sample for this episode. We also ponder the benefits and drawbacks of barrel-aging this particular style, throw around the word "creamy" a lot, and admit we don't always want the - [Episode 524 - San Diego](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-524-san-diego/) - It's been over a decade since Craig and Ryan have been out to beautiful San Diego, and thanks to listener Dave Adams, the podcast gets a lovely flavor vacation with beers from five of the city's breweries. The lineup is stylistically diverse, the rankings deviate in the middle, and at least one beer surprises at - [Episode 523 - Stout Me Up](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-523-stout-me-up/) - Sometimes you want a stout that's not sweet, adjunct-free, and stripped down to just the base style interpretation, and we were so excited to find five readily-available local examples. (No barrels, coconuts, vanilla beans, or cacao nibs were harmed in the making of this episode.) In addition to our straight stout sippin', we marvel at - [Episode 522 - Deep Wood: On Heavenly Jacket](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-522-deep-wood-on-heavenly-jacket/) - Episode 522 - Deep Wood: On Heavenly Jacket Donning our heavenly jackets for this one, we drink the final set of Revolution’s Deep Wood lineup for the 2023-2024 season. Three ‘wines and a stout make up this unsurprisingly spectacular four pack, and even through all of our nit-picking we can’t deny who is making the - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: January 2024](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-january-2024/) - At the end of each month, we like to highlight twelve drinks we found personally interesting, delicious, or exciting from (mostly) local sources with the hopes of passing on our recommendations to those that are interested in reading arbitrary reviews. Some of these were reviewed on the podcast, some were for Patreon-only Low ABVs, and some are - [Episode 521 - The SC Show](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-521-the-sc-show/) - Our 34th state show is just as sweet as it is sour, as we tackle five beers from South Carolina courtesy of listeners Benji & Suzanne. Even though it's a bit heavy on the tart beers, we learn about five breweries that represent a pretty good cross section of the South Carolina brewing scene. Also, - [Episode 520 - 10 Beers for 10 Years](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-520-10-beers-for-10-years/) - Ever since January 22nd of 2014, the ABV Chicago podcast has released a new episode every single week - and nobody could be more stunned about this fact than us. To commemorate a decade of arbitrary beer reviews, brewer interviews, and tipsy shenanigans, we open ten beers from ten breweries that all also got their - [Deep Wood 2023 Finale | Revolution Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/deep-wood-2023-finale-revolution-brewing/) - Our sponsor Beer on the Wall will be one of the places to have the V.S.O.R. Select and On and On: Part 3 on draft a day early during their Revolution Deep Wood Preview Party! Both the Park Ridge and Elmhurst locations will be participating with some possible cool surprises along with the previews from - [Deep Wood 2023 Part 2 | Revolution Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/deep-wood-2023-part-2-revolution-brewing/) - It feels like we’ve just done this. Revolution is (quickly) back again with their next Deep Wood release for the 2023-2024 season. Much like the October release, it features two yearly stalwarts (Straight Jacket, Ryeway to Heaven) and one beer that hasn’t been released since 2020 (DB V.S.O.D.) How does a review of these beers - [Episode 519 - Hop Butcher: Taproom Edition](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-519-hop-butcher-taproom-edition/) - It's been almost three years since the announcement that Hop Butcher for the World would be taking over the original Half Acre brewery space, and it's been a year since the rebranded taproom opened. So we take time to sit down with co-founder and co-owner Jude La Rose for a long chat about the present - [Episode 518 - Cereal Beers](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-518-cereal-beers/) - You don't turn to us for advice on a balanced breakfast, but we're happy to spoon up five cereal-inspired beers so good that even Mikey likes it. Through clever use of ingredients (or just throwing the cereal right in the beer), these beers really test the nostalgia influence of sitting a foot from the TV - [Episode 517 - Brandy, You’re A Fine Barrel](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-517-brandy-youre-a-fine-barrel/) - We fetch another round of barrel-aged beers for this episode, but with a twist: all four beers are aged in different kinds of brandy barrels. We explore the world of sweet brandy barrels and how they work on different styles, and we are totally surprised by our takeaways. Also, we talk mixed drinks, New Year - [Top 40 Beers of 2023](http://www.abvchicago.com/top-40-beers-of-2023/) - The criteria for the list is simple: these are the best beers that I had this year that were (mostly) released this year. I undoubtedly left off many other great beers I had this year because I’m not a very good record-keeper and don’t use Untappd. But I hope some of these beers resonate with - [Episode 516 - Bourbon County 2023](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-516-bourbon-county-2023/) - Recorded on Black Friday (and previously released a month ago for our Patreon subscribers), this episode is our return to the Bourbon County lineup - after managing to get ourselves uninvited from the Goose Island media tastings. Luckily, we have our own beer sherpa in Beer on the Wall owner Ryan Tracy as he joins - [30 Most Memorable Beers of 2023](http://www.abvchicago.com/30-most-memorable-beers-of-2023/) - We started this podcast almost ten years ago. The following ten years have been a “best of times, worst of times” situation. Personal things, elections, and, you know, a global pandemic will do that. But throughout that span breweries have opened and thrived. There were more openings than we knew about and that continued unabated - [Episode 515 - WeldWerks Medianoches](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-515-weldwerks-medianoches/) - In what is likely our most decadent Barrel-Aged December™ episode yet, we sample four enormous stouts from WeldWerks' Medianoche series that are as complex as they are thick (or thicc, as the kids say). Co-founder Neil Fisher gave us some mic time back during GABF that is shared here, and he helps us understand how - [Episode 514 - Marked For Deth](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-514-marked-for-deth/) - There's no escaping Deth, so we gather up four of the barrel-aged Revolution stouts from this year's Deep Wood lineup and drink with reckless abandon. It's no shocker that Revolution is still running the best barrel program in the city, but even with the bar raised as high as it is, the beers on the - [Episode 513 - Metropolitan Forever](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-513-metropolitan-forever/) - For over 15 years, Metropolitan blessed this great city with high quality lagers and traditional German styles. They ushered in a second wave of Chicago craft brewing back when there were next to no options available. It's safe to say that without Metropolitan, the Chicago craft beer scene wouldn't have grown the way it did. - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: November 2023](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-november-2023/) - At the end of each month, we like to highlight twelve drinks we found personally interesting, delicious, or exciting from (mostly) local sources with the hopes of passing on our recommendations to those that are interested in reading arbitrary reviews. Some of these were reviewed on the podcast, some were for Patreon-only Low ABVs, and some are - [Episode 512 - FoBAB Winners 2023](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-512-fobab-winners-2023/) - Earlier in November, the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild put on the 21st Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beers to recognize some of the breweries making the finest wood-aged beers around. We got our hands on five (out of the eleven) Illinois medal winners - and our first-ever Best of Show beer - to help us - [Episode 511 - Chicago Browntown](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-511-chicago-browntown/) - Hop on the Brown Line straight to Browntown with us, as we discover a hopefully-growing local resurgence of the brown ale with five examples from Chicagoland breweries on this episode. Adjunct or not, these brown ales all have a unique angle on the style - and most would absolutely kill on cask. We also discuss - [Episode 510 - Hop Waters](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-510-hop-waters/) - Carbonated water treated with hops is pretty simple in concept, but these five breweries prove that there's a lot of variation and skill that goes into making these "zero/zero" drinks. And it shows that no matter how well non-alcoholic beers have progressed, some drinkers looking for a dry spell just can't quit the hops - - [Episode 509 - The DE Show](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-509-the-de-show/) - Though it might be one of the smallest states, the brewing scene in Delaware is mighty, and we're ushering in our 33rd State Show with a lineup of five flavorful beers from five different breweries. Thanks to Ryan Tracy (and family), we're able to live vicariously through his travelogue while sipping these delectable beers, just - [ABV Chicago's Fantasy FoBAB League: 2023 Draft Results](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicagos-fantasy-fobab-league-2023-draft-results/) - With the Festival of Wood and Barrel-aged Beers returning this weekend for the 21st time and the awards set for Saturday afternoon (which you can stream from the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild YouTube page at 2PM), we will be in attendance with our scoresheets in hand to see who will win the 5th Annual ABV Chicago Fantasy FoBAB League. - [ABV Chicago's Fantasy FoBAB League: 2022 Draft Results](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicagos-fantasy-fobab-league-2022-draft-results/) - If you want to run your own Fantasy FoBAB league, check last year’s post with simple instructions on how to set up your own - but you better act fast! With the Festival of Wood and Barrel-aged Beers returning this weekend for the 20th time and the awards set for Saturday afternoon (which you can - [Episode 508 - FoBABlin’ 5: Return to FoBABlin’](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-508-fobablin-5-return-to-fobablin/) - Chicago’s biggest, baddest and most-barreled festival is back in its 21st year, so we’re eager to FoBABble about it for the first time in four years as a lead-up to the competition. We also open four barrel-aged beers from breweries that have been FoBAB staples (and previous medal winners) to lubricate our discussions of new - [Episode 507 - Cruz Blanca Luchadors 2023](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-507-cruz-blanca-luchadors-2023/) - The seven barrel-aged beers that comprise this year's Luchador lineup feature styles and ingredients we have rarely - or never - seen in the past, and no local "special release" lineup is getting as experimental as this one. Flavor master Jacob Sembrano is at it again, and we're here to drunkenly rave over the barrel-aged - [Deep Wood 2023, Part 1 | Revolution Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/deep-wood-2023-part-1-revolution-brewing/) - Barrel-aged season has begun. While that concept has become outdated with barrel-aged beer being released every week of the year, their typical concentration occurs during the last 3 months of the year (and continues through the first 3 months of the year). A long time ago, the season started with Goose Island’s Bourbon County Brand - [Episode 506 - Torture Test: Seven Deadly Beers](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-506-torture-test-seven-deadly-beers/) - We're indulging in our capital vices for our yearly attempt to destroy each other over bad beers, and this one features some of the most unexpected pours we've ever seen. There's at least one beer here that unexpectedly brings out an extra large dose of wrath for one podcaster, and it's not even the mystery - [Episode 505 - Lager Heads: Welcome to Chi-Taste-O](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-505-lager-heads-welcome-to-chi-taste-o/) - Chicagoland is pretty gifted in lager-centric breweries, but now that trends have shifted back towards the more drinkable, almost every brewery is featuring more and more lagers. This is an extremely good thing. For this show, we do a blind tasting wherein we match a local lager-focused brewery's beer against a local "everything" brewery's beer - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: September 2023](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-september-2023/) - At the end of each month, we like to highlight twelve drinks we found personally interesting, delicious, or exciting from (mostly) local sources with the hopes of passing on our recommendations to those that are interested in reading arbitrary reviews. Some of these were reviewed on the podcast, some were for Patreon-only Low ABVs, and some are - [Episode 504 - Amberama](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-504-amberama/) - Now somewhat relegated to an occasional fall seasonal from breweries, the Amber style is essential to the history of American craft beer as we know it. So we're pumped to see five local breweries dabble in amber ales and lagers, and we fall in love all over again (with the beers, not each other). Also, - [GABF 2023: Ryan's Top 40 Beers](http://www.abvchicago.com/gabf-2023-ryans-top-40-beers/) - After taking a week or so to gather my thoughts and review my notes, I came up with this (extremely arbitrary) top 35 list of the best beers I had on the GABF floor. Following this list, I’ve also highlighted the five best beers I had at Denver taprooms during another fantastic weekend celebrating beer - [GABF 2023: The Recap](http://www.abvchicago.com/gabf-2023-the-recap/) - The Great American Beer Festival (GABF) returned once again for its 41st year in 2023. About 9,300 beers were judged from 2,033 breweries for the awards portion and more than 500 breweries poured on the festival floor. While some interesting changes happened, at its core it remained the GABF we all know and loved. But - [Episode 503 - GABF 2023](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-503-gabf-2023/) - We were just back in Denver for the 41st Great American Beer Festival, and we've got an episode chock full of interviews and beer highlights that's as good as gold (medals). Catch up on our beer-y travels as we hit the festival floor for about 14 total hours and stop into several great Denver taprooms - [Episode 502 - Barrels Out West](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-502-barrels-out-west/) - In the week that we're heading out west for a certain fest, we gather up four barrel-aged beers from West Coast breweries that are pretty well-known for their wood-aged offerings. Expectations are flipped on their head and a ringer is challenged as we pop a few actual corks for this one. Also, Craig wants in - [GABF 2023: Top 40 Breweries at the Fest](http://www.abvchicago.com/gabf-2023-top-40-breweries-at-the-fest/) - With over 500 breweries pouring at the 41st Great American Beer Festival, you’re going to need a plan. Well, you’re going to need a ticket to the fest, travel, lodging, food before the fest, lots of water, comfortable walking shoes…and a plan. So we put together a list of the 40 breweries we are most - [GABF 2023: Illinois Pour List Preview](http://www.abvchicago.com/gabf-2023-illinois-pour-list-preview/) - The Great American Beer Festival returns for its 41st year in 2023 and back in the main event area of the Colorado Convention Center. The event was scaled back a bit (in terms of breweries) last year due to construction in that main hall but it has rebounded a bit (500 breweries pouring on the - [Episode 501 - Road to GABF: Far Flung IL Medals](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-501-road-to-gabf-far-flung-il-medals/) - The Great American Beer Festival is right around the corner, and since we're attending again this year, we're providing an audio guide to what to drink at the fest while also sipping on some previous medal winners. These aren't just any Illinois medal winners; our four choices here are a good drive from Chicago while - [Episode 500 - Part Two, with Josh Deth](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-500-part-two-with-josh-deth/) - For the second part of our big 500, we sit down with Revolution Brewing founder Josh Deth and talk about the last ten years of his brewery while sharing a rare beer from Craig's cellar. It's a fitting interview for this milestone, as no brewery has been featured on the podcast more - and it's - [Episode 500 - Part One, with Jason Klein and Gabriel Magliaro](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-500-part-one-with-jason-klein-and-gabriel-magliaro/) - 500 episodes is a long time to do arbitrary beer reviews, so we reach out for some help in reviewing a few beers from Craig's cellar. We chose brewers that have been around longer than the podcast to reflect on the last ten years in craft beer, and they chose a beer from our list. - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: August 2023](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-august-2023/) - At the end of each month, we like to highlight twelve drinks we found personally interesting, delicious, or exciting from (mostly) local sources with the hopes of passing on our recommendations to those that are interested in reading arbitrary reviews. Some of these were reviewed on the podcast, some were for Patreon-only Low ABVs, and some are - [Great Taste of the Midwest 2023](http://www.abvchicago.com/great-taste-of-the-midwest-2023/) - I attended my first Great Taste of the Midwest in 2013. I was immediately hooked and have gone every year since. Due to the pandemic, the Madison Homebrewers Guild canceled the 2020 Great Taste making the 2023 edition my tenth. From what I remember over my last ten attendances, I kept uttering one word over - [Episode 499 - Blind Oktoberfests](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-499-blind-oktoberfests/) - Every 4 years we gather 9 Oktoberfests and judge them blind; featuring Mikerphone, Off Color, Sketchbook, More, Maplewood, Spiteful, Temperance and more! - [Episode 498 - The AZ Show](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-498-the-az-show/) - We're bringing the dry heat with our 32nd State Show, drinking through five beers from five different Arizona breweries, courtesy of listener Ryan Lamb. There's a lot to like from this set with some essential Arizona ingredients and a few beers with heavy medal pedigree. But also, Craig's recent Disney trip has him looking at - [Episode 497 - Deep Wood Summer 3-Pack](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-497-deep-wood-summer-3-pack/) - Revolution is back at it this summer with a threesome of barrel-aged delights for an early kickoff to the Deep Wood series, and we take our time breaking down these complex blends to find our results to be pleasantly surprising. Also, Craig ruins going to the mall; Ryan's having breakfast with Velveeta; and we let - [Episode 496 - Half Acre Beer Co.](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-496-half-acre-beer-co/) - We can give a lot of credit to Half Acre co-founder Gabriel Magliaro for helping awaken the craft beer scene in Chicago. And more than 16 years later, Half Acre is still a leader in craft in the city and all over the country, so we're thrilled to sit down with Gabriel for a deep - [Episode 495 - Hoppy Wheats](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-495-hoppy-wheats/) - It's another show about highly drinkable summer styles, and this minor trend of local breweries releasing hopped-up wheat beers caught our attention enough to put five beers in front of us for review. The styles differ despite their shared ingredient, and we're as excited about the big hops as we are comforted by the soft - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: July 2023](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-july-2023/) - At the end of each month, we like to highlight twelve drinks we found personally interesting, delicious, or exciting from (mostly) local sources with the hopes of passing on our recommendations to those that are interested in reading arbitrary reviews. Some of these were reviewed on the podcast, some were for Patreon-only Low ABVs, and - [Artifacts of Sound - Private Press](http://www.abvchicago.com/artifacts-of-sound-private-press/) - Brad Clark’s been doing this beer thing for quite some time now. Previously of Jackie O’s, he went out to the coast to brew some beer, throw it in barrels and sell it in a membership-only club. (For more on that, listen to our Private Press episode featuring an interview with Clark.) He understands beer - [Episode 494 - Private Press Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-494-private-press-brewing/) - Brad Clark is the man behind the highly sought-after blended barrel-aged beers of Private Press, and Craig sat down with him over some decanted barleywine to talk about the history and future of his members-only brewery. Brad shares how his background at the renowned Jackie O's in Ohio led to some of the more - [25 of Chicagoland's Best Hazy IPAs Blind-Tasted](http://www.abvchicago.com/25-of-chicagolands-best-hazy-ipas-blind-tasted/) - After almost 10 years of reviewing beers weekly for the podcast, we remember the time before the hazy IPA became a dominant force. It was just this thing weirdo farm breweries on the East Coast were doing, and when we were lucky enough to try them, their appeal was undeniable. In early 2017, we finally - [Hot Deep Wood Summer | Revolution Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/hot-deep-wood-summer-revolution-brewing/) - It’s that brewery again. Revolution has made a habit of releasing a portion of their Deep Wood beers over the summer and this one is no exception. Seemingly the release for first time Deep Wood beers - last year had two of three (Coconut Deth and Lumberstruck) - this year’s lineup again features two completely - [Episode 493 - Hazy Flagship IPA Blind Battle Royale: Championship Edition](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-493-hazy-flagship-ipa-blind-battle-royale-championship-edition/) - After six episodes and 25 beers, we’re finally putting our top 6 choices for best Chicagoland/Illinois hazy IPA to one last blind test. This showdown features four GABF gold medal-winners and two “underdogs” - and each beer impresses in its own way. Which brewery do we think is making the best cloudy juice utilizing Citra - [Episode 492 - Saisons of SARA](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-492-saisons-of-sara/) - We've been admirers of Sante Adairius Rustic Ales for a decade now, and Craig's recent trip to California brings us back the gift of SARA saisons - and a wonderful conversation with owner and co-founder Adair Paterno. The four barrel-aged saisons on this show are about as good of a lineup of beer we'll drink - [Revolution Freedom Fest 2023](http://www.abvchicago.com/revolution-freedom-fest-2023/) - Revolution is no stranger to staging an event. Typically they focus on two - their yearly Deep Wood releases (which are actually four separate events with only one in the summer months) and their Oktoberfest Block Party on Milwaukee Ave. outside of the brewpub. What Revolution really needed was a summer event that didn’t focus - [Episode 491 - Bay Area Brews](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-491-bay-area-brews/) - Summer Craig is starting off strong this year by bringing back five fantastic beers from California's Bay Area (and beyond) for us to fawn over and attempt to recreate those vacation vibes. We learn the backstories of these breweries and their unique approaches and cover other beer-ish topics like the follies of berry beers, aggressive - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: June 2023](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-june-2023/) - At the end of each month, we like to highlight twelve drinks we found personally interesting, delicious, or exciting from (mostly) local sources with the hopes of passing on our recommendations to those that are interested in reading arbitrary reviews. Some of these were reviewed on the podcast, some were for Patreon-only Low ABVs, and some are - [Episode 490 - Hawkeye Homecoming](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-490-hawkeye-homecoming/) - Ryan's a University of Iowa graduate, and in the 15 years since his last visit, a few breweries have popped up and thrived in the area. After a weekend with the family in Iowa City, Ryan brought back five beers from the area to talk about what's been happening with beer in the decade-and-a-half since. - [Episode 489 - Chicago Italian Pilsners](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-489-chicago-italian-pilsners/) - Another somewhat recent trend in the world of local lagers is the Italian Pilsner, a style with only about a 30-year history that adds a bit more noble dry-hop character to something close to the Czech-style pilsner. It's all winners on this show, except for the hosts who have to do rankings without the assistance - [Episode 487 - Hoppy Lagers](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-487-hoppy-lagers/) - As we open our arms to embrace the start of summer, our empty glasses are going to need something flavorful yet refreshing. Luckily, Chicagoland breweries have been cranking out the hoppy lagers and pilsners lately, so we assemble five for this episode that are so good that they almost completely break the show. Also, Ryan - [Episode 488 - Hazy Flagship IPA Blind Battle Royale: Round 5](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-488-hazy-flagship-ipa-blind-battle-royale-round-5/) - In our penultimate round before the championship, we have one spot up for grabs with these fan favorite hazy IPAs from Chicagoland breweries. Bringing our grand total of hazy IPAs blind-tasted up to 25, this episode still manages to bring some surprising sights and smells - and the show’s winner isn’t exactly what we expected. - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: May 2023](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-may-2023/) - At the end of each month, we like to highlight twelve drinks we found personally interesting, delicious, or exciting from (mostly) local sources with the hopes of passing on our recommendations to those that are interested in reading arbitrary reviews. Some of these were reviewed on the podcast, some were for Patreon-only Low ABVs, and some are - [Sprucette | Maplewood Brewing & Distillery](http://www.abvchicago.com/sprucette-maplewood-brewing-distillery/) - Winter coats have been put away in the back of the closet. Boots have returned to their corner of the floor. Long sleeved shirts go unused. Summer must be getting close in Chicago! Finally! While that won’t change your drinking habits too much, I know I personally reach for lighter offerings more during the hot - [Episode 486 - MoBAB 3: Barrel Warriors](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-486-mobab-3-barrel-warriors/) - We're just about halfway to FoBAB, so we are once again doing battle with the barrel featuring a roundup of beers we've been saving for this very episode. These four barrel-aged beers jostle around in our arbitrary rankings as we just luxuriate in their decadence for about an hour and fifteen minutes. Also, we - [Episode 485 - Hazy Flagship IPA Blind Battle Royale: Round 4](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-485-hazy-flagship-ipa-blind-battle-royale-round-4/) - Our quest to find the best flagship hazy IPA from Chicagoland breweries enters its fourth round, as we blindly sample through a fresh set of five to pick a winner that best fits our own personal preferences. And though our ability to guess blind beers is as bad as ever, our taste buds are finely - [Episode 484 - The NC Show](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-484-the-nc-show/) - In our 31st installment of our decade-long State Show Series, we are sampling a hop-heavy lineup from North Carolina courtesy of listener Rodney Knox. We learn about these five breweries from across the state while appreciating how difficult they make the rankings segment, in more ways than one. Also, Craig shares tales of drive-thru beer - [Double Barrel Prison of Mezcal | Wax Wings](http://www.abvchicago.com/double-barrel-prison-of-mezcal-wax-wings/) - The double barrel treatment. When that phrase first showed up it was typically reserved for one-off tap-only beers or limit 1 per-person membership-only bottles. Over time, as with most things, it became far more commonplace. Go into any beer store and something double barrel-aged is probably sitting on the shelf. At certain times, you might - [Episode 483 - Wax Wings Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-483-wax-wings-brewing/) - Though they're maybe not the first brewery that comes to mind when you think of Kalamazoo, Michigan, Wax Wings Brewing (est. 2018) flourished during the pandemic with their fresh hazies and complex barrel-aged beers gaining a ton of word-of-mouth momentum that saw many a beer fan traveling just for the opportunity to take home some - [Episode 482 - Hazy Flagship IPA Blind Battle Royale: Round 3](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-482-hazy-flagship-ipa-blind-battle-royale-round-3/) - A new set of five hop warriors enter the extremely flimsy ring for another blind tasting to lead us to our favorite Chicagoland flagship hazy IPA. This one features many more hops than just Citra and Mosaic, so it leads to the widest range of flavors yet. Will we agree on who moves to the - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: April 2023](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-april-2023/) - At the end of each month, we like to highlight twelve drinks we found personally interesting, delicious, or exciting from (mostly) local sources with the hopes of passing on our recommendations to those that are interested in reading arbitrary reviews. Some of these were reviewed on the podcast, some were for Patreon-only Low ABVs, and some are - [Benthic Sunken Ghost | Half Acre](http://www.abvchicago.com/benthic-sunken-ghost-half-acre/) - Extended barrel-aging in beers is nothing new. Goose Island’s first Rare Bourbon County Brand Stout in 2010 sat in Pappy Van Winkle 23-year barrels for 2 years and might have been the first “mass produced” example of it (emphasis on might have been). Currently, Revolution has a stranglehold on this, with their V.S.O. beers (aged - [Episode 481 - B4ck to the B4rrel](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-481-b4ck-to-the-b4rrel/) - If it wasn't obvious from the totally easy to understand episode title, this show is a return for us to a whole lineup of barrel-aged beers from different breweries we love. We add a little blind twist to this one as all four are adjunct-free affairs: just delicious big stouts in world-class barrels. Also, Craig's - [Episode 480 - Cellar West, Chapter 2](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-480-cellar-west-chapter-2/) - Though still somewhat unknown around these parts, Cellar West Artisan Ales out of Lafayette, Colorado became known to us as an award-winning saison brewery. This episode further proves their proficiency with a variety of styles. Thanks to a porch box from founder and brewer Zach Nichols, we sample five cans of wildly drinkable and enjoyable - [White Sox Craft Lodge 2023 | Guaranteed Rate Field](http://www.abvchicago.com/white-sox-craft-lodge-2023-guaranteed-rate-field/) - Baseball’s back so that means a new year of craft brews at the Leinenkugel Craft Lodge! Some things have changed a bit since the beginning of last year - most notably in the look of the place. At least one of those changes streamlines the process and makes for a quicker experience so you can - [Episode 479 - Hazy Flagship IPA Blind Battle Royale: Round 2](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-479-hazy-flagship-ipa-blind-battle-royale-round-2/) - The second installment in our ongoing (and expanding) arbitrary competition to determine what we deem to be the best Chicagoland Flagship Hazy IPA continues with this murderer’s row of five eclectic and skilled breweries. There are many joyous smells and even a false lactose spotting, but at least there are no glasses of SkittleMilk on - [V.S.O. Gravedigger | Revolution Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/v-s-o-gravedigger-revolution-brewing/) - With the release of Boss Ryeway and DB V.S.O.J. in January, Revolution’s Deep Wood season concluded for 2022-2023 until at least July. Or did it? Revolution surprised everyone with a one beer Deep Wood drop in April (like the original Thundertaker’s pre-COVID release date). And it’s not just a variant on an existing Deep Wood - [Episode 478 - The Smoke Shop](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-478-the-smoke-shop/) - 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 - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: March 2023](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-march-2023/) - Each month, we like to highlight twelve drinks we found personally interesting, delicious, or exciting from (mostly) local sources with the hopes of passing on our recommendations to those that are interested in reading arbitrary reviews. Some of these were reviewed on the podcast, some were for Patreon-only Low ABVs, and some are just things we bought - [C2E2 2023 Do's and Don'ts](http://www.abvchicago.com/c2e2-2023-dos-and-donts/) - I’ve been to my fair share of pop culture conventions over the years. I started back in the late 1990s (back when they were mainly called comic book conventions) attending my first Wizard World at the Rosemont Convention Center. Since then, I’ve been to Wizard World the most (it was the only big game in - [Episode 477 - Barrel-Aged Triptych](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-477-barrel-aged-triptych/) - 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 - [Shamrock Stout | Goose Island](http://www.abvchicago.com/shamrock-stout-goose-island/) - It appears that this time of year brings out a fair amount of seasonal beers. Irish red ales, scotch ales, and dry stouts (or serf stouts if you’re Off Color) show up in force in late February and then disappear by the end of March. We’ve done a pretty good job covering all those aspects - [Episode 476 - Hazy Flagship IPA Blind Battle Royale: Round 1](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-476-hazy-flagship-ipa-blind-battle-royale-round-1/) - 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 - [Of Lochs and Monsters | Old Irving Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/of-lochs-and-monsters-old-irving-brewing/) - Even so often, we here at ABV Chicago manage to time things up just right. Case in point - March 2023. We’ve done an Irish Red show and I’ve reviewed Off Color’s Drowning Shamrock, all in honor of March’s only holiday St. Patrick’s Day. If it were up to us, we’d definitely continue that trend - [Episode 475 - English-Style Chicago](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-475-english-style-chicago/) - 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 - [Zombie Ice | 3 Floyds](http://www.abvchicago.com/zombie-ice-3-floyds/) - It seems like when you make a smash IP - whether it be a movie, video game, or even a beer - you run it into the ground. Jurassic Park? Six movies have been released in the series (I honestly thought it was five!) and it probably should’ve stopped at two (or at worst three). - [Episode 474 - Irish Reds Blind](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-474-irish-reds-blind/) - 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 - [Drowning Shamrock | Off Color Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/drowning-shamrock-off-color-brewing/) - March brings many things. The hope for better, nicer weather. Baseball spring training. March Madness. Irish red ales and Irish stouts. And the dreaded green. It absolutely overtakes the month of March, being dumped into libations at an exceeding rate. Joining that aspect of March (and late February as it were) is the always anticipated - [Episode 473 - St. Louis, Illinois](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-473-st-louis-illinois/) - 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 - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: February 2023](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-february-2023/) - Each month, we like to highlight twelve drinks we found personally interesting, delicious, or exciting from (mostly) local sources with the hopes of passing on our recommendations to those that are interested in reading arbitrary reviews. Some of these were reviewed on the podcast, some were for Patreon-only Low ABVs, and some are just things we bought - [Splash of Red | Temperance Beer Co.](http://www.abvchicago.com/splash-of-red-temperance-beer-co/) - Some beer styles have a long brewing history attached to them. Like hundreds of years. Shockingly, the Extra Special Bitter (ESB) isn’t one of them. First brewed in 1969 in London by Fuller, Smith & Turner, their Fuller’s ESB subsequently went on to win numerous awards, including Champion Beer of Britain three times. Naturally, American - [Episode 472 - Dallas](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-472-dallas/) - 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 - [Experimentalis with Raspberries | OEC Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/experimentalis-with-raspberries-oec-brewing/) - OEC Brewing out of Oxford, Connecticut is a name that gets beer people excited, myself included. I visited Bad Apple to try an OEC beer they had on tap, only to find out it kicked. This was the last time I was legitimately pissed at a beer kicking. They recommended something else but it wasn’t - [Episode 471 - Deep Wood: VSoooo Good](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-471-deep-wood-vsoooo-good/) - 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 - [Viper | Black Project Spontaneous & Wild Ales](http://www.abvchicago.com/viper-black-project-spontaneous-wild-ales/) - Unfortunately this was promised. Between COVID restrictions and repercussions and rising costs in the beer industry, everyone predicted breweries would start closing. A few that made some questionable moves like expanding too quickly or spending money they didn’t have folded, but we could see that coming. (I’m honestly surprised an additional few didn’t close, especially - [Episode 470 - Schwarzs Unseen](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-470-schwarzs-unseen/) - 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 - [Bourbon Barrel Barleywine (2014) | Central Waters](http://www.abvchicago.com/bourbon-barrel-barleywine-2014-central-waters/) - It really doesn’t hit you how long 25 years is until you sit back and think about it. I’ve been going to Central Waters’ anniversary parties since the release of Fifteen in 2013 (with the exception of 2021 due to the pandemic). I honestly think naming their beers after their anniversary takes some oomph away - [Episode 469 - Hop Butcher: No IPAs](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-469-hop-butcher-no-ipas/) - 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 - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: January 2023](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-january-2023/) - Each month, we like to highlight twelve drinks we found personally interesting, delicious, or exciting from (mostly) local sources with the hopes of passing on our recommendations to those that are interested in reading arbitrary reviews. Some of these were reviewed on the podcast, some were for Patreon-only Low ABVs, and some are just things we bought - [WayBird | Half Acre](http://www.abvchicago.com/waybird-half-acre/) - I honestly can’t remember the last time I got hazy drunk. I would guess around 2017, as that’s when hazy beers really started blowing up in my mind. Over the years, the style has finally settled into something definitive - typically higher sweetness and “juiciness,” while lower on bitterness, malt and carbonation. After a few - [Episode 468 - 9 Year Blind](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-468-9-year-blind/) - 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 - [Episode 467 - Supermoon Beer Company](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-467-supermoon-beer-company/) - 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 - [Deep Wood 2022: New Era, Part 4| Revolution Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/deep-wood-2022-new-era-part-4-revolution-brewing/) - It’s finally here. The Deep Wood 2022 (in 2023) moment we’ve all waited for. Sure, the new beers (Coconut Deth, Lumberstruck, VSO Dark Mode) and some anticipated re-releases (Thundertaker, Deth by Currants) kept the people satiated. But we circled this on our calendars. Boss Ryeway and Double Barrel Very Special Old Jacket (DB V.S.O.J). Start - [Beatrice | Off Color Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/beatrice-off-color-brewing/) - It’s all in the name. WIth over 9,000 breweries in the United States and over 200 in Chicago alone, a brewery usually has to do something interesting to get me to immediately buy a bottle. Even with Off Color’s reputation as a brewery that certainly does unique things I infrequently grab a beer of theirs - [Episode 466 - License to Dill](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-466-license-to-dill/) - 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 - [Episode 465 - New Year, New Glarus](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-465-new-year-new-glarus/) - 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, - [Ryan's Top 40 Beers of 2022](http://www.abvchicago.com/ryans-top-40-beers-of-2022/) - The criteria for the list is simple: these are the best beers that I had this year that were (mostly) released this year. I undoubtedly left off many other great beers I had this year because I’m not a very good record-keeper and don’t use Untappd. But I hope some of these beers resonate with - [30 Most Memorable Beers of 2022](http://www.abvchicago.com/30-most-memorable-beers-of-2022/) - After what seemed like forever, we finally reached something very close to normal in 2022. Festivals returned in their pre-2020 form (for better or worse) while people wanted to get out again. Breweries were more than happy to oblige, having tap takeovers, events, beer releases and mini-festivals all throughout the year. While some market factors - [Episode 464 - Lagers In Wood](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-464-lagers-in-wood/) - 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 - [Minted | Hop Butcher For the World](http://www.abvchicago.com/minted-hop-butcher-for-the-world/) - Hop Butcher is noted for two things - new beers and hoppy beers. A typical week for them sees two to three beers being released with one to two being entirely new; returning beers just come out whenever. As for hoppy beers, let’s just say we’ve been tracking their released this year and, pre-taproom opening, - [Episode 463 - Barrel-Aged Half Acre (Non-Benthic Edition)](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-463-barrel-aged-half-acre-non-benthic-edition/) - 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 - [Episode 462 - Barrel-aged Stout Grab Bag](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-462-barrel-aged-stout-grab-bag/) - 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 - [Vixen | Around the Bend](http://www.abvchicago.com/vixen-around-the-bend/) - Around the Bend has had a few bumps on their way to stability. They opened in 2014, brewing out of Ale Syndicate’s space before they closed (RIP Arcade as well). They subsequently contract brewed until 2019, when they became one of the three breweries involved in the District Brew Yards space (along with Burnt City - [Episode 461 - Chicago BA Base Stouts Blind](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-461-chicago-ba-base-stouts-blind/) - 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, - [Episode 460 - FoBAB 2022 Winners](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-460-fobab-2022-winners/) - 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 - [Episode 459 - Weldwerks 3: Weirdwerks](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-459-weldwerks-3-weirdwerks/) - 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 - [Deep Wood 2022: New Era, Part 3 | Revolution Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/deep-wood-2022-new-era-part-3-revolution-brewing/) - Just like that, 3/4ths of the Deep Wood releases for the season will be coming up. As typical, Revolution releases their stouts early in the season, then brings on the barleywines to close it out. This release features a bit of everything, with the brand new V.S.O. Dark Mode joining perennial stalwarts Straight Jacket and - [Deep Wood 2021 Part 3 | Revolution Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/deep-wood-2021-part-3-revolution-brewing/) - evolution continues its assault on my wallet with their third Deep Wood release of the season. This release features - for the first time this year - two new, never released before and never tapped before (as far as I can tell) beers - [Episode 458 - The New OR Show](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-458-the-new-or-show/) - As we brace ourselves for an extended Barrel-Aged December, we dip back into the summer archives for this final Oregon-centric show from Craig's trip to highlight these Pacific Northwest breweries that are around a year old. And if you think new Oregon breweries can't live up to those legacy ones we all know, then you - [Off the Deep (Wood) End: Revolution's 'Wines](http://www.abvchicago.com/off-the-deep-wood-end-revolutions-wines/) - Revolution’s not taking a break. Hot on the heels of its first stout-focused release, Revolution switches gears to satiate the malt-worshipping among us - a barleywine and a “very special” ryewine (plus a new batch of a fan favorite released earlier this year). These next two releases also carry some weight with them, namely all - [FoBAB 2022: Highlights and Fantasy League Results](http://www.abvchicago.com/fobab-2022-highlights-and-fantasy-league-results/) - FoBAB is almost legal to drink its own beers. The 20th year of the Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beer returned to the Credit Union 1 Arena (Go Flames!) and went off without a hitch. Breweries participating in the fest and competition climbed above 190 this year with over 350 beers poured for attendees (not - [Episode 457 - Cruz Blanca Luchadors 2022](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-457-cruz-blanca-luchadors-2022/) - We're just going to come out and say it: this is the best lineup in the history of this series, and it might be the best complete lineup of barrel-aged beers to come out of Chicago this year. Cruz Blanca's playfully-conceptualized yet artfully-crafted Luchador series goes in directions many barrel-aged brewers don't - and all - [Episode 456 - Deth Becomes Them](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-456-deth-becomes-them/) - With one summer and one fall release, Revolution has already put six cans of this year's Deep Wood series out into the world, and we're eager to have them all side-by-side. We sample five stouts and a black barleywine aged in a variety of barrels, and nothing here is threatening their title of best barrel-aged - [Pre-FoBAB 2022 Events Guide](http://www.abvchicago.com/pre-fobab-events-guide/) - The Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beers celebrates its 20th year in 2022, returning to the Credit Union 1 Arena for its second year. But something else is returning this year as well with a vengeance - the FoBAB pre-party. FoBAB has always been about the main event with very little pre-festival festivities. That seems - [Episode 455 - Torture Test 666: Beer of the Beast](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-455-torture-test-666-beer-of-the-beast/) - Unknowable horrors await us on our sixth annual Torture Test show, wherein we try to find weird, old, and terrible beers to blindly afflict one another, and this one's crawling with impossible-to-guess styles and shapeshifting ABV. We try to avoid adding ounces to the simmering Cuvée of Doom by guessing whatever we can about these - [Denver Rare Beer Tasting 2022](http://www.abvchicago.com/denver-rare-beer-tasting-2022/) - The Denver Rare Beer Tasting. The one event I’ve heard about but never had the foresight to purchase tickets before they sold out. This year's, their Lucky 13th, did not sell out, which I’ll attribute to the after effects of the pandemic. After attending for the first time, I will say that this event should - [Episode 454.2 - GABF 2022 Part Two](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-454-gabf-2022-part-two/) - For the 40th year of GABF - and the first festival in three years - we had to go bigger than ever, so much so that we couldn't fit it into one episode. Even though Ryan stayed behind in Illinois, Craig succeeded in drinking all the beers Denver had to offer and bringing back some - [GABF 2022: The Recap](http://www.abvchicago.com/gabf-2022-the-recap/) - After what feels like forever, the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) held the “beer festival” portion of its name for the first time since 2019. And just like that almost everything was back to the way it was. Volunteers pouring samples, brewers and owners chatting behind the booths, the silent disco - everything I remembered - [Episode 454.1 - GABF 2022 Part One](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-454-1-gabf-2022-part-one/) - For the 40th year of GABF - and the first festival in three years - we had to go bigger than ever, so much so that we couldn't fit it into one episode. Even though Ryan stayed behind in Illinois, Craig succeeded in drinking all the beers Denver had to offer and bringing back some - [Deep Wood: New Era - Deth's Tars | Revolution Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/deep-wood-new-era-deths-tars-revolution-brewing/) - Even though the first Deep Wood release came and went in July, October officially starts Deep Wood season. For three of the next four months, Revolution will release parts of their most anticipated yearly release. This year formally brings a new era in Deep Wood as the can art has dramatically - and impressively - - [Episode 453 - The NM Show](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-453-the-nm-show/) - The 30th installment in our State Show series takes us to the Southwest thanks to listener Don Kasak's recent trip to New Mexico. To beat that dry heat, things stay pretty light on alcohol with five beers from four breweries that fortunately aren't light on flavor. Also, Craig runs into a surprising t-shirt at a - [Episode 452 - Waypost Brewing Company](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-452-waypost-brewing-company/) - Just off the Lake Michigan shoreline sandwiched between popular vacation beach towns, there's a little farmhouse brewery in Fennville, MI called Waypost. Opened in 2018, the folks at Waypost make a variety of styles exceptionally well (and even have a GABF Gold for Saison in their recent history). Ryan brought back five beers from his - [GABF 2022: Illinois Pour List Preview](http://www.abvchicago.com/gabf-2022-illinois-pour-list-preview/) - For the first time in 3 years, the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) returns to an in-person beer event! While they did cut the number of breweries from about 800 in 2019 to about 381 this year, it’s still an absurd number of breweries pouring at the festival. That said, you’ll need some guidance, especially - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: September 2022](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-september-2022/) - Each month, we like to highlight twelve drinks we found personally interesting, delicious, or exciting from (mostly) local sources with the hopes of passing on our recommendations to those that are interested in reading arbitrary reviews. Some of these were reviewed on the podcast, some were for Patreon-only Low ABVs, and some are just things we bought - [Table Beer | Away Days/nebuleus](http://www.abvchicago.com/table-beer-away-days-nebuleus/) - There’s just something about table beers. Well, good table beers. While not the sexiest or most boundary pushing beer on the list, the table beer gets the job done. As I said on our Just Tables show, I typically drink water (or something not beer) rather than the beer in front of me with food. - [Fudge | Tree House Brewing Co.](http://www.abvchicago.com/fudge-tree-house-brewing-co/) - People love fudge. If you have a sweet tooth, fudge is the next step up from a candy bar or brownie. I think of it as concentrated chocolate. How do I know people love fudge? Every tourist place in America seems to have a fudge shop (Navy Pier does). Heck, people make a point of - [Episode 451 - Maximum Minneapolis](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-451-maximum-minneapolis/) - Further expanding our recent slew of city-centric shows, Craig took a brief trip to the Twin Cities area and scored five killer beers from Minneapolis breweries. In addition to learning about weird Minnesota beer laws and Ryan trying to imagine Feather Bowling, Craig snagged an interview with Dan Herman and Tom Berg of Falling Knife - [Episode 450 - Saison is the Reason](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-450-saison-is-the-reason/) - Who says you need a reason to saison? Saison is all the reason you need. On this landmark episode, we again drink five different takes on our favorite style of beer - but we pepper this one with some interviews. You'll hear from Sarah Flora from Flora Brewing on how she ended up releasing a - [Fruit Melange | New Glarus](http://www.abvchicago.com/fruit-melange-new-glarus/) - Fruit beers have come a long way. Used sparingly during the early days of craft brewing, fruit beers have seeped their way into almost all different styles of beer, ranging from saisons to IPAs to stouts. Now certain fruit beers are sought out and sometimes valued over their unfruited brethren. And New Glarus leads this - [Episode 399 - IL GABF Winners 2021](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-399-il-gabf-winners-2021/) - In a record year at the Great American Beer Festival, Illinois breweries captured 16 medals across a wide variety of styles. We ran all over Chicagoland to assemble six of the medal winning beers to sample while sharing a pretty comprehensive history of Illinois beers at GABF in the 21st century. Also, we pitch some - [CaramelCrisp | Revolution/Garrett's Popcorn](http://www.abvchicago.com/caramelcrisp-revolution-garretts-popcorn/) - As craft beer has become more popular and visible, other companies and entities have taken notice and allowed their brands to collaborate with breweries. Locally, Hop Butcher appears to lead the charge, featuring collabs with Frango Mints (Minted stout), The Smashing Pumpkins (Soul Head) and, unofficially, Portillo’s (The Dog House, featuring like 6 of their - [Episode 449 - The OR Show](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-449-the-or-show/) - For our 29th State Show in our decade-long intermittent series, Craig's travels reward us with beers from one of the great beer states in the nation: Oregon. This impressive lineup of five different styles from five breweries put this one high on our all-time State Show list, and our rankings are more difficult than ever. - [Episode 448 - Just Tables](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-448-just-tables/) - It’s our job to bring together five local table beers (and deal with Eddie Munster), so we seek to further understand this lighter cousin of saison by talking with Mike Thorpe of Afterthought Brewing about the style and his TableFest™ on September 11th. Also, Ryan finds the perfect work night beer; Craig says the brewery - [Spaced Out | Temperance Beer Co.](http://www.abvchicago.com/spaced-out-temperance-beer-co/) - It seems to be a thing now that if a brewery sponsors or hosts a concert series or festival, they brew a beer for it. Goose Island kicked things off (at least in the Chicago area) with their yearly beer for the Pitchfork Music Festival. Goose Island takes it a step further by collaborating with - [Episode 447 - BlackStack Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-447-blackstack-brewing/) - BlackStack Brewing has built quite a reputation off of exceptionally well-crafted hazy IPAs, and we have three of them in this lineup to prove it's true. Craig also managed to find two other styles to help us better understand this five year-old brewery out of St. Paul, MN. You gotta love a show that challenges - [Great Taste of the Midwest 2022](http://www.abvchicago.com/great-taste-of-the-midwest-2022/) - The Great Taste of the Midwest - a rite of passage during the summer for a beer drinker - returned to Olin Park on August 13, 2022. Due to it being an outdoor affair, the Great Taste managed to only skip one year due to COVID precautions (2020) but has continued much the same as - [Episode 446 - The Peach Pit](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-446-the-peach-pit/) - Unlike a usual episode where we rub our fuzzy faces and gaze at our navels, this peach beer show comes with a twist. Certainly we review five local beers under a shared theme of "beer with peaches," but we also foray into a dice-rolling RPG-style podcast with a whole game based around a popular mustachioed - [Episode 445 - Portland, Oregon](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-445-portland-oregon/) - Known as Beervana for a reason, Portland, Oregon is maybe the premier beer destination city in the United States. Summer Craig recently spent some time getting to know the beers of the Pacific Northwest, and he got some help from accomplished beer writer Jeff Alworth. The Beer Bible author gives us the story of Portland's - [Tynt Meadow | Mount Saint Bernard Abbey](http://www.abvchicago.com/tynt-meadow-mount-saint-bernard-abbey/) - It’s not everyday that a new Trappist beer appears on the shelf in Chicago. In fact, the number of Trappist breweries worldwide has recently shrunk, with the closing of Spencer in Massachusetts this year (due to it not being viable for them) and the loss of Achel last year due to the brewing monks retiring. - [Episode 444 - Local Hefes](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-444-local-hefes/) - The hefeweizen is a pretty universally appreciated summer beer, and we’ve amazingly never dedicated an entire show to the style. But thankfully a bunch of cool local brewers have put their best non-hoppy hazies in cans for us to consider, as we rise from 5% ABV all the way up to 5.4% ABV in this - [Citraweizen | Riggs Beer Co.](http://www.abvchicago.com/citraweizen-riggs-beer-co/) - Hefeweizens don’t get the love of some other beer styles. Lagers and pilsners have made a comeback, and IPAs (in various forms) and stouts are possibly over-produced at this point. If a brewery releases a hefeweizen, it usually is a strict traditional one with no variations on the style. No unique hop additions, definitely not - [Episode 443 - The Bend Show](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-443-the-bend-show/) - Though it may not be many people's pick for Oregon's best beer city, it's hard to ignore the quality beers produced in Bend. From Craig's trip, we have five diverse beer styles from five different Bend breweries that both impress us with new flavors and stir up some nostalgia. Also, Craig talks about his trip - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: July 2022](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-july-2022/) - Each month, we like to highlight twelve drinks we found personally interesting, delicious, or exciting from (mostly) local sources with the hopes of passing on our recommendations to those that are interested in reading arbitrary reviews. Some of these were reviewed on the podcast, some were for Patreon-only Low ABVs, and some are just things we bought - [Bourbon County 2022: Rankings at First Sight](http://www.abvchicago.com/bourbon-county-2022-rankings-at-first-sight/) - Craig:Goose Island just released their Bourbon County lineup for 2022 so of course we’re going to put out our snap judgements on them. In our first two years of doing this - 2020 and 2021 - we were kind of prescient with our rankings. For the most part we nailed it, minus a few outliers, - [Wherein Time And Space | Is/Was and Supermoon](http://www.abvchicago.com/wherein-time-and-space-is-was-and-supermoon/) - I always have questions about collaborations. Who provided what for the beer? Does where it was brewed have any effect on the final product? Did one brewery just hold a mash paddle? Sometimes the breweries give you answers for the first question but the other two - who knows. I think where it’s brewed does - [Episode 442 - Mixed Culture Cooler](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-442-mixed-culture-cooler/) - Plunge that hand deep into the slushy depths of that beach-ready cooler and help yourself to a cold and refreshing serving of…lactobacillus, saccharomyces, and brettanomyces?! That's right - we are packing our coolers with refreshing and fruity mixed culture sour beers from local breweries to bring some new energy to our summer gatherings. These are - [Deep Wood 2022: Summer Wood | Revolution Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/deep-wood-2022-summer-wood-revolution-brewing/) - From when the last release happens in January, beer foks wait for the next season of Deep Wood beers. For a long time, that season would start in October. For the last 4 years, however, Revolution has decided to do a summer Deep Wood release. The first two releases featured variants of existing beers, usually - [Episode 441 - Hair of the Dog](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-441-hair-of-the-dog/) - For almost 30 years, Alan Sprints and his Portland, Oregon brewery Hair of the Dog pioneered American craft beer through some of the earliest barrel-aging experiments and developed potent beers built for aging, creating some of the original "whales" in the process. Once Alan decided to retire and close his legendary brewery in June of - [Be Sweet | Goose Island/Japanese Breakfast](http://www.abvchicago.com/be-sweet-goose-island-japanese-breakfast/) - Summertime in Chicago means one thing - music festivals. Lollapalooza remains the biggest one every year but, depending on the acts the bill, the Pitchfork Music Festival sometimes has the better lineup. (I would argue that case this year.) With another Pitchfork Music Festival on the horizon, Goose Island once again created a beer specifically - [Episode 440 - Saison Death Match: Chicago vs. Milwaukee](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-440-saison-death-match-chicago-vs-milwaukee/) - The time has finally come to pit the world's premier saison producing cities - Chicago and Milwaukee, obviously - against one another in an arbitrary competition to determine once and for all whose farmhouses rule the I-94 corridor. We have six saisons, three from each city, going head-to-head in specified categories to help determine a - [Episode 439 - pFriem pForever](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-439-pfriem-pforever/) - We've long loved Hood River's Pfriem Family Brewers, and thanks to Craig's recent travels, we are able to drink through five of their impressive beers. For this one, we experience a wider array of styles, and a few challenge the best of style available locally. Also, we dream of having our own Streisand-like underground malls, - [Bavarian Hefeweizen | Conrad Seipp Brewing Company](http://www.abvchicago.com/bavarian-hefeweizen-conrad-seipp-brewing-company/) - Summer has finally arrived! Which means you’re gonna need some lighter beers to crush while being outside on patios, beaches, and trails. Something flavorful and low gravity that you can possibly enjoy multiples of and not get drunk or tipsy. Lagers and pilsners and pale ales are a given, but what about a hefeweizen? I - [Technical Challenge | Bottle Logic](http://www.abvchicago.com/technical-challenge-bottle-logic/) - Finding something you didn’t expect on the shelf does not happen anymore. Thanks to social media most people know everything going on with bottle shops. When the hot drops hit. When Easter Eggs hit the shelves. Everything. So when I recently stopped at Orange and Brew and saw a Bottle Logic beer on the shelf, - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: June 2022](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-june-2022/) - Each month, we like to highlight twelve drinks we found personally interesting, delicious, or exciting from (mostly) local sources with the hopes of passing on our recommendations to those that are interested in reading arbitrary reviews. Some of these were reviewed on the podcast, some were for Patreon-only Low ABVs, and some are just things we bought - [Cassis | Hermit Thrush](http://www.abvchicago.com/cassis-hermit-thrush/) - Seeing as how we just drank a whole lotta resurrected beers, I felt it was a fine time to possibly tackle another R word - redemption. Last year on my east coast swing, I traveled to Vermont and assembled what would become the VT Show. Trying to grab beers from a diverse area of Vermont, - [Episode 438 - Necromancer Resurrections](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-438-necromancer-resurrections/) - Pittsburgh's Necromancer has just crossed over a year in operation, and we're already onto our second show featuring only their beers. Why? Kuit beer is the reason. We catch up with head brewer Lauren Hughes about five of her "Resurrection" releases - beers that were previously "dead" or so obscure that there's almost no example - [Pied De Cuve | Sundial Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/pied-de-cuve-sundial-brewing/) - Somehow breweries keep opening without me knowing ahead of time. The last one I remember being really excited about (after I found out about it) was Odious Cellars. But for a brewery like Sundial, I had to rely on beer Instagram to do the legwork for me. Beermiscuous was one of only a handful of - [Episode 437 - Midwest Pils](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-437-midwest-pils/) - No matter how much trends fluctuate, one of the steadiest beers to bank on is the pilsner. Everyone who loves beer loves a great pilsner, and in our opinion, no beer list is complete without one. So we pick five pilsners from five midwestern states to taste through and appreciate while trying very hard to - [Episode 436 - MoBAB 2: Dark Territory](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-436-mobab-2-dark-territory/) - It is once again time for us to drink more barrel-aged beers (MoBAB), with Craig and Ryan as the only two heroes that can withstand this lineup of sinister and imposing stouts. Because it’s a sequel, we brought in ALL RINGERS for this one, and capping it at four beers was the best decision we - [Episode 425 - Ethereal Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-425-ethereal-brewing/) - Craig's recent travels brought him to Ethereal Brewing who have been bringing a wide variety of bold styles to Lexington, Kentucky for the better part of a decade. We hear from co-founder and head brewer Brandon Floan on the brewery's evolution, the real fifth element, the ease of barrel access in actual bourbon county, how - [Summer Nights | Central Waters](http://www.abvchicago.com/summer-nights-central-waters/) - Ah summer. For the majority of your early years, summer was the only time you were really able to cut loose and do what you want with as little responsibility as possible. Stay up late, go out late, eat late - all about staying up late and those summer nights spent doing whatever. Central Waters - [Episode 435 - Giant Jones Brewing Company](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-435-giant-jones-brewing-company/) - Based in Madison, Wisconsin, Giant Jones is a woman-run, certified organic brewery specializing in big beers and obscure styles - a few of which are completely new to us. So we have on co-owner and brewer Jessica Jones to talk about how Giant Jones gets creative within the limits of organic ingredients, why some of - [Episode 434 - Kuhnhenn Brewing Company](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-434-kuhnhenn-brewing-company/) - Established in 1998, Kuhnhenn remembers a simpler time for craft beer. But Kuhnhenn also remembers that there were big and flavorful beers done differently - to emphasize style while also honoring drinkability - in the early part of the 21st century. This lineup of five beers from the Detroit suburb-housed brewery gives us a lot - [Raspberry Eisbock | Kuhnhenn Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/raspberry-eisbock-kuhnhenn-brewing/) - Breweries follow a unique life cycle. Usually a brewery opens, gets some hype and rides that hype for some time. Then it can just settle in as a reputable and consistent brewing force. Too many times those breweries get overlooked. At the Chicago level that doesn’t seem to have happened naturally (buyouts don’t count), but - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: May 2022](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-may-2022/) - Each month, we like to highlight twelve drinks we found personally interesting, delicious, or exciting from (mostly) local sources with the hopes of passing on our recommendations to those that are interested in reading arbitrary reviews. Some of these were reviewed on the podcast, some were for Patreon-only Low ABVs, and some are just things we bought - [Episode 433 - Smooj](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-433-smooj/) - Hard seltzers are starting to see a bit of a dip in sales, but it's probably because they're not all loaded up with chunky fruit and 250-plus calories per can. Last year's "phenomenon" of the smoothie hard seltzer was kicked off by an offshoot of Ann Arbor's HOMES Brewery that goes by the name of - [Sorry for the Racket | Young Blood Beer Co.](http://www.abvchicago.com/sorry-for-the-racket-young-blood-beer-co/) - When you say certain breweries names, you immediately think of certain styles. Russian River - West Coast IPAs and wine barrel-aged sours. 3 Floyds - aggressive hoppy beers and Dark Lord. You get the point. When I think of Young Blood, I think of dank and drippy IPAs (thanks Young Blood social media team) and - [M-43 Tart Strawberry | Old Nation](http://www.abvchicago.com/m-43-tart-strawberry-old-nation/) - Since being “invented” in 1971, 4/20 has taken a life well beyond five high school students in San Rafael, California. Now standardized as the number or time for smoking marijuana and legal in a wide swath of states in the US, companies are quick to associate themselves any way they can with anything to do - [Episode 432 - Azadi Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-432-azadi-brewing/) - Currently operating out of Pilot Project, Azadi Brewing may be small at the moment, but their flavors are big and inspired by ingredients from regions all over India. We talk with co-founders Bhavik Modi and Gator Schrand about their unusual collaborative process that results in a rich lineup of beers that seek to tell a - [Barb Attacks | Dutchbag Beer Co.](http://www.abvchicago.com/barb-attacks-dutchbag-beer-co/) - I think it has finally happened. Summer may just have arrived in Chicago. At least the temperatures did! For me that means putting away the barrel-aged things and reaching for something light, flavorful, and refreshing. (Not that I still won’t reach for those barrel-aged things; it will just be less frequent.) Things like goses, lagers, - [Episode 431 - Bocks of Spring](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-431-bocks-of-spring/) - Malt-forward and flowery, the bock-style lager most made for the Spring season is typically a maibock, though not all breweries embrace the confines of that title. We collect five local bocks made with Spring in mind to help Craig make up his mind about this style that once literally saved a city. We also meet - [Three Year Bourbon Barrel Barleywine | Central Waters](http://www.abvchicago.com/three-year-bourbon-barrel-barleywine-central-waters/) - Ah yes, Central Waters Bourbon Barrel Barleywine (BBB). Back when they were teenagers, Central Waters would release BBB during their anniversary party in late January along with their anniversary beer. Apparently that hasn’t been the case in the recent past, as it seems to come out around April. In February 2021 (apparently, the pandemic has - [Episode 430 - Cream Team](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-430-cream-team/) - One of America's few original styles also happens to be a commonly misunderstood one. The Cream Ale has no dairy or lactose (much to Craig's chagrin) but is instead much more similar to the flavorful and easy-drinking Kölsch. We drink through five examples of the style to better grasp its nuances and are once again - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: April 2022](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-april-2022/) - Each month, we like to highlight twelve drinks we found personally interesting, delicious, or exciting from (mostly) local sources with the hopes of passing on our recommendations to those that are interested in reading arbitrary reviews. Some of these were reviewed on the podcast, some were for Patreon-only Low ABVs, and some are just things we bought - [Whole Lotta Wonderful | Lil Beaver](http://www.abvchicago.com/whole-lotta-wonderful-lil-beaver/) - Ah, the festival pour. The not-so-mythic libation that towers above all other libations at a beer festival. Very, very flavorful, the festival pour slays at the two to three ounces you get at the festival but wears you down with its excessiveness when an entire 12 or 16 ounce can is involved. But sometimes the - [Episode 429 - Haze Court](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-429-haze-court/) - We've been summoned to do our civic duty in Haze Court, giving five hazy beers their due process through our arbitrary…arbitration. We're ready to be convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that we should drop the charges against haze, and sentence our taste buds to about an hour of hop service. Also, we imagine adding a - [Bâtisserie Mint Chocolate Chip | Energy City](http://www.abvchicago.com/batisserie-mint-chocolate-chip-energy-city/) - Come with me, if you will, on my mint stout journey. I love Thin Mints and Andes Mints (Thin moreso than Andes) so I would naturally gravitate towards mint stouts. The first one I can remember having was Perennial Artisan Ales’ 17 which was fine but didn’t wow me. Barrel-aged 17, however, hit the spot. - [Episode 428 - Atrium Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-428-atrium-brewing/) - In less than two years, Atrium Brewing already has folks claiming them as the best brewery in Louisville - so Craig had to visit and find out for himself. Head brewer Spencer Guy hops on for an interview to talk about the brewery's origins, being known for kettle sours but having a penchant for clean - [White Sox Craft Lodge 2022 | Guaranteed Rate Field](http://www.abvchicago.com/white-sox-craft-lodge-2022-guaranteed-rate-field/) - The White Sox really put in some work during the 2016 offseason. While completely tearing the team down with the trades of Chris Sale, Adam Eaton and (in 2017) Jose Quintana, the White Sox decided to open the Craft Kave. Sale, Eaton, and Quintana turned into Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez, Eloy Jimenez, Dylan Cease, Michael - [Episode 427 - Hot Drops, Part Deux!](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-427-hot-drops-part-deux/) - As if the Chicago shelves couldn't be more saturated with tantalizing options, a whole new round of hot drops has hit recently that got us out to the bottle shops to see if they'll take valuable fridge space away from our local faves. We have five very different beers from some notable out-of-state breweries - - [Arise (Batch 2) | Butchertown Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/arise-batch-2-butchertown-brewing/) - While searching to find some of the best breweries in Louisville, a few names kept popping up. Mile Wide. Monnik. Atrium. One that kept coming up in mentions was Butchertown Brewing, which I had little knowledge of. I found out they brew out of a space in the Mellwood Art Center, protected by not one - [Episode 426 - The Louisville Show](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-426-the-louisville-show/) - Well ahead of Derby Day, Craig trotted down to Louisville, Kentucky to check out their beer scene and bring back a five-pack, along with an interview. The range is wide on this one with easy-drinkers to adjunct-crammed sippers all fighting for the top spot in our arbitrary rankings. Also, Craig chats with Andy Cobb from - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: March 2022](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-march-2022/) - Each month, we like to highlight twelve beers we found personally interesting, delicious, or exciting from (mostly) local sources with the hopes of passing on our recommendations to those that are interested in reading arbitrary reviews. Some of these drinks were reviewed on the podcast, some were for Patreon-only Low ABVs, and some are just things we - [Candy Bar Baba Yaga | Ethereal Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/candy-bar-baba-yaga-ethereal-brewing/) - When traveling to a state (or city) I’ve never been to before, I try to gather as much knowledge and information about the local beer scene as possible. That will definitely lead to some damn good upcoming shows (Louisville and Atrium Brewing in the near term) but that also led me to Ethereal Brewing. I - [Sleeping Prophet | Odious Cellars, Duneyrr, and Dutchbag](http://www.abvchicago.com/sleeping-prophet-odious-cellars-duneyrr-and-dutchbag/) - Reeve Joseph of Odious Cellars really has been putting in the work. Officially launched a year and a half ago, Odious brewed and released out of Pilot Project. Sometime last year, he moved in with his former co-worker Tyler Davis at the Duneyrr Artisan Fermenta Project space (formerly Motor Row Brewing). Sometime soon (hopefully really - [Episode 424 - Dubbel Play](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-424-dubbel-play/) - Inching ever-closer to our Belgian cycle, we finally reach for the Dubbel on this show by drinking the style-originator and several American examples - including one big-time medal winner. With such wide variety on the style that are mostly good in their own way, we try to examine what makes a Dubbel such a beloved - [Episode 423 - Grape Expectations](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-423-grape-expectations/) - We don't always have the best luck with fruit feature shows, so we hand our expectations over to some of our most trusted local brewers to give grapes a chance. All five bottles on this show feature unique grapes from the rest, so Craig schools us off the vine. Also, we have a therapeutic conversation - [Aeolian | Counter Weight Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/aeolian-counter-weight-brewing/) - Ah the winds of change. While provided a memorable example of a wine/beer hybrid long ago (Funk Factory’s Cervino), everything else I have had hasn’t lived up to that beer. In fact nothing has even come close. It seemed like most beers that added grapes (or the dreaded grape must) drank heavier and boozier than - [Episode 422 - Fruit Stupid](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-422-fruit-stupid/) - Sometimes you just gotta say, “What the f***?” and open five cans absolutely crammed full of fruit slurry and let the whole notion of beer just leave your mind. We’re down with the thiccness for this episode, watching our glasses become opaque with a pulpy sludge while measuring the detritus on each glug-glug pour. So - [Walk in the Woods | Radix Fermentations](http://www.abvchicago.com/walk-in-the-woods-radix-fermentations/) - As I’ve repeated many times over these reviews, finding a brewery new to you rocks. Sometimes there’s some hype, but mostly you get to try the beers and they stand on their own merit. There was a little bit of hype with Supermoon (which I was able to finally try in November) but really I - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: February 2022](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-february-2022/) - Each month, we like to highlight twelve beers we found personally interesting, delicious, or exciting from (mostly) local sources with the hopes of passing on our recommendations to those that are interested in reading arbitrary reviews. Some of these drinks were reviewed on the podcast, some were for Patreon-only Low ABVs, and some are just things we - [Episode 421 - Back to the Barr3l](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-421-back-to-the-barr3l/) - For the third straight year, we return to the type of enormous barrel-aged beers that destroyed us throughout December…and fall in love all over again. This lineup of five is going down in the history books, as they not only compete for rankings on this show but several are also in the very early running - [Deep Wood 2021 Pt. 2 | Revolution Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/deep-wood-2021-pt-2-revolution-brewing/) - ittle sampler of releases of sorts - a beer returning for the first time, a yearly release, and a first timer. It's Revolution's Deep Wood 2021 second release! - [King Cake | Pipeworks Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/king-cake-pipeworks-brewing/) - Celebrations of holidays can sometimes vary depending on location. In Chicago, Fat Tuesday is celebrated with paczki, the delightful Polish pastry with filling. I assumed that was what you did for Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras. Until I actually went to Mardi Gras in 2010 and discovered the king cake. A coffee cake/cinnamon roll hybrid, the king - [Cellargeist | Supermoon Beer Company](http://www.abvchicago.com/cellargeist-supermoon-beer-company/) - Sometimes it really doesn’t take much to get me psyched about a place. Supermoon Beer Company out of Milwaukee mainly produces small batch saisons in an awesome space - a house converted into a brewery. (Listen all about it here.) They’re a stop whenever I hit Milwaukee now, provided they’re open and pouring beers. So - [Episode 420 - Dark Lagers 2](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-420-dark-lagers-2/) - Yeah we know what episode this is, and truthfully, the pressure of somehow delivering The Funny Weed Number Show was too much, leading us to sip on five delicious dark lagers instead. We explore some of the range a "Dark Lager" can have while finding ourselves in a real rankings-based bind. Also, we have run-ins - [Launchdown | Supermoon Brewing Co.](http://www.abvchicago.com/launchdown-supermoon-brewing-co/) - Supermoon began when Rob Brennan moved back to Milwaukee from Chicago. You might recognize Rob (as I did) from his time at Penrose Brewing in Geneva, IL. He helped start the brewery, acting as the sales manager for its first four years. Supermoon focuses on mixed fermentation farmhouse-style beers. Located in the Bay View area of Milwaukee (like a four minute drive from 1840 Brewing), the former general store-style building will eventually become Supermoon’s taproom. Beers are released when they’re ready and typically there’s a release every month or so. Launchdown is one of those releases. - [Plum | Pips Meadery](http://www.abvchicago.com/plum-pips-meadery/) - A few years ago (I can’t remember how far back, thanks pandemic) I was in Madison, Wisconsin for the Great Taste of the Midwest. The day before the main event on Saturday - Great Taste Eve - always starts at New Glarus for their R&D release. After picking up bottles and getting a pour of - [Episode 419 - Grave Jacket to Heaven](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-419-grave-jacket-to-heaven/) - We're finishing off this season's Deep Wood series from Revolution by doing all the non-stouts - and in many ways we've saved the best for last. Though the barrels deservedly get top-billing, it's hard to ignore how dialed-in the base beer recipe is in all of these - and somehow they get better every year. - [Lots of Beers Are Good: The GABF 2016 Story](http://www.abvchicago.com/lots-beers-good-gabf-2016-story/) - Each year I’ve visited the Great American Beer Festival in Denver, I try to come back with some sort of story for my recap that’s more than just “beer good, this one lemony” for 2,000 words. But as it slips further into the past and my life gets busier each day, I completely lose any - [Heavy In the Air | Half Acre](http://www.abvchicago.com/heavy-in-the-air-half-acre/) - When you hear Half Acre’s name, you immediately think pale ales, IPAs, and double IPAs. And for good reason. Beers like Daisy Cutter, Gone Away, and Vallejo are institutions in Chicago craft beer, right by beers like Anti-Hero and (a long time ago) 312. But Half Acre has started branching out into other styles considerably. - [Episode 418 - Tripel Threat](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-418-tripel-threat/) - Once brewed as a "superbier" to push the limits of ABV in a Belgian Blonde ale, the Tripel has almost a century of history with many American breweries embracing its fruity and spicy barrage. We try five Tripels, including the style standard, to better familiarize ourselves with this Belgian staple - and to help us - [Ms Beauregard | 1840 Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/ms-beauregard-1840-brewing/) - The Beer Ms Beauregard pours brown with a purple-ish color tint. Two fingers of head dissipate to about a half of finger, then even further disappear to a thin layer. That purple hue shows up again on the highlights of the beer. A film resides on top of the beer, most likely from the mead - [Episode 417 - Crazy 8th](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-417-crazy-8th/) - Ushering in our 8th year of the podcast, this anniversary episode is a surprisingly sessionable trip down memory lane. Each host blindly leads the other through three beers of their choosing with the caveat being that all breweries must be Chicagoland local and would have already been open in 2013. Then, there are other connecting - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: January 2022](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-january-2022/) - Each month, we like to highlight twelve beers we found personally interesting, delicious, or exciting from (mostly) local sources with the hopes of passing on our recommendations to those that are interested in reading arbitrary reviews. Some of these drinks were reviewed on the podcast, some were for Patreon-only Low ABVs, and some are just things we - [Deep Wood 2021: The Final Chapter | Revolution Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/deep-wood-2021-the-final-chapter-revolution-brewing/) - Another year, another outstanding Deep Wood season from Revolution. Just like every other Deep Wood season, there have been high and lows. The highs hit very high while the lows weren’t quite that low. - [30 Most Memorable Beers of 2021](http://www.abvchicago.com/30-most-memorable-beers-of-2021/) - Last year was god-awful. Restrictions, lockdowns, and an unchecked virus led to a very tense and exhausting year. While some of those things happened in 2021 (and may be coming back right now), the vaccine brought about brief moments of normalcy throughout the year. We were able to return to beer festivals for the first - [Episode 416 - Beers For Podcasting](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-416-beers-for-podcasting/) - For the past two years, Off Color's line of Beer For… beers have been a steady source of creative pairings executed immaculately, so we talk with co-founder Dave Bleitner about the project he heads up. Dave shares some of his process for conceptualizing these beers, why it was the right time to do his first - [Episode 415 - Keeping 2gether](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-415-keeping-2gether/) - A sequel to one of our favorite shows of 2021 might seem rushed, but Keeping Together's time in Chicago is limited. For this one, we drink five more of Averie Swanson's artful creations in an exercise that honestly feels shamelessly self-indulgent due to how good the beers are. Also, we speculate on a provolone problem, - [Coffee Bear | Hop Butcher](http://www.abvchicago.com/coffee-bear-hop-butcher/) - hen you hear the name Hop Butcher, you immediately think IPAs. And you’d be right to think that. A vast majority of their output comes in that form, whether a milkshake, double, triple, single, or pale ale. - [Abraxas (2021) | Perennial Artisan Ales](http://www.abvchicago.com/abraxas-2021-perennial-artisan-ales/) - Abraxas and I have a nice little history together. I tried it for the first time and subsequently purchased bottles way back in 2012, the same day of the first Revolution Deep Wood release of Very Mad Cow and the Friday of FoBAB. I headed over to West Lakeview Liquors, picked up two bottles and - [30 Most Memorable Beers of 2020](http://www.abvchicago.com/30-most-memorable-beers-of-2020/) - In 2016, I titled my year-end beer round-up “A Beer to Remember, A Year to Forget.” Our last show of 2017 was called F*** Off 2017. Little did we know. There aren’t even words to describe 2020, since the last time something like this happened was 102 years ago. Hopefully you and yours were able - [Forces Way Beyond Our Control | Triptych Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/forces-way-beyond-our-control-triptych-brewing/) - It honestly feels like we feature Triptych Brewing more than we do. The variety of styles they produce typically match what a brewery like Revolution puts out. Only difference is Triptych is about two hours south in Savoy, IL and their beer infrequently makes it up to Chicago - [Episode 414 - Non-Alcoholic Adventure](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-414-non-alcoholic-adventure/) - Though our very existence denies it, we love the idea of Dry January - a time when people can re-evaluate their habits around beer and explore more sober and healthy options. But we never really intended on doing this show - not until Ryan got Covid. So to keep this weekly show going amidst that - [Episode 413 - Cold IPAs](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-413-cold-ipas/) - The Cold IPA itself is an oxymoron. So is it a hopped-up lager, or a lagered-down IPA? Or is it neither? We speak with Doug Veliky, CFO of Revolution Brewing and industry trend-spotter, about why the Cold IPA could be a legitimate trend, and what could keep it stuck in fermentation. Then we examine the - [Ryan's Top 50 Beers of 2021](http://www.abvchicago.com/ryans-top-50-beers-of-2021/) - The criteria for the list is simple: these are the best beers that I had this year that were released this year. I undoubtedly left off many other great beers I had this year because I’m not a very good record-keeper and don’t use Untappd. But I hope some of these beers resonate with you, - [Episode 412 - Double Barrel Blast](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-412-double-barrel-blast/) - As if barrel-aging alone wasn't enough, breweries these days are taking beers that have already experienced an extended oak rest and dumping them into another barrel to age even further. We sample five beers that result from this process (or something similar) to see if all that patience pays off in the end. This final - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: December 2021](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-december-2021/) - Each month, we like to highlight twelve beers we found personally interesting, delicious, or exciting from (mostly) local sources with the hopes of passing on our recommendations to those that are interested in reading arbitrary reviews. Some of these drinks were reviewed on the podcast, some were for Patreon-only Low ABVs, and some are just things we - [Episode 411 - Faces of Deth](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-411-faces-of-deth/) - This is Deep Wood Stout Edition 2021 for our fourth Barrel-Aged December episode, as we drink through the five Revolution stouts in their fall/winter specialty release series. Each year, this lineup finds a new way to step forward - and there's one beer in particular here that surprisingly leaps to the top of our lists. - [Jingle Balls | Spiteful Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/jingle-balls-spiteful-brewing/) - Time really flies. Somehow Spiteful Brewing - which I still think of as the young, upstart brewery - recently turned nine. Like the brewery would be in 4th grade. Wow. They grow up so fast. I ventured to the taproom over the weekend to celebrate with them and some nice barrel-aged offerings as well as - [Episode 410 - Barrel-Aged Saisons](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-410-barrel-aged-saisons/) - An oasis in a month of enormous beers, this episode resets our palates to ready us for the remainder of Barrel-Aged December. But that's not to say that saisons don't have quite a few tricks up their sleeves, like the five on this show certainly do. We also are introduced to Milwaukee's Supermoon Beer Company, - [Episode 409 - FoBAB 2021 Winners](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-409-fobab-2021-winners/) - No matter what your strategy is at the fest, it’s almost impossible to avoid FoBAB FOMO. We were lucky to attend the 19th edition of FoBAB, but we also felt like we missed out on trying some of the exciting medal winners - until now. For our second Barrel-Aged December show, there are five medal - [Grisé | Kent Falls Brewing Co.](http://www.abvchicago.com/grise-kent-falls-brewing-co/) - Breweries existing on a farm are not new. Usually it was a farm at some point that has been repurposed into a brewery. Rarely does that brewery exist on a working and sustainable farm (although that is becoming increasingly more common). - [Episode 408 - Half Acre Benthic 2021](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-408-half-acre-benthic-2021/) - Rising from the depths of an obsidian sea to bring about an experience both conceptual and elemental that bends past the traditional, or something: Benthic 2021. To kick off Barrel-Aged DecemberNFT we wade through the cosmic gumbo for this show on Half Acre's big adjunct stout release for 2021. Five variants of the barrel-aged coconut - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: November 2021](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-november-2021/) - Each month, we like to highlight twelve beers we found personally interesting, delicious, or exciting from (mostly) local sources with the hopes of passing on our recommendations to those that are interested in reading arbitrary reviews. Some of these drinks were reviewed on the podcast, some were for Patreon-only Low ABVs, and some are just things we - [Episode 407 - The Cincinnati Show](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-407-the-cincinnati-show/) - We take on five beers from the great city of Cincinnati for this episode, courtesy of listener Andrew who picked out an exceptionally fun variety of styles and odd ingredients. It's not every week we get beers with juniper berries, paw paw, and tayberries. Also, we discuss a tweet about which famous old people could - [ABV Chicago’s Fantasy FoBAB League 2021 Results](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicagos-fantasy-fobab-league-2021-results/) - The return of the Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beers in its 19th year brought many changes, and almost all of them were for the better. Utilizing the main floor and concourse of the Credit 1 Arena allowed for much more space, though some crowded areas still remained. Still, it was much easier to quickly - [Episode 406 - Cruz Blanca Luchadors 2021](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-406-cruz-blanca-luchadors-2021/) - Add a 2021 FoBAB Gold Medal to the many reasons why Cruz Blanca's seasonal barrel-aged beer release is not to be missed, but you hopefully already knew that anyways. For this one, we chat with head brewer Jacob Sembrano before opening up all eight of these grapplers in the Luchador series. Jacob talks with us - [ABV Chicago's Fantasy FoBAB League: 2021 Draft Results](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicagos-fantasy-fobab-league-2021-draft-results/) - (If you’re interested in running your own Fantasy FoBAB league, check out our setup and Power Rankings in this post. But you might want to hurry...) With the Festival of Wood and Barrel-aged Beers returning this weekend and the awards set for Saturday afternoon (which you can stream from the FoBAB website at 2PM), we - [Episode 405 - Barreled Souls](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-405-barreled-souls/) - We’re finally caught up on Craig’s summer Northeast trip which took him to Barreled Souls, who do 100% oak-fermented beers out of their Maine location. The flavors are big and bold, and some work much better for us than others. But the standouts are incredible, and we’re even getting some slushie vibes. Also, Craig considers - [Jaago | Azadi Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/jaago-azadi-brewing/) - I remember having a certain debate about bands back when I was in high school in the late 90s. Did you like slower songs or the faster songs? When was this band at their best in your opinion? Some common bands debated - Nine Inch Nails (faster), Smashing Pumpkins (slower), Soundgarden (faster), Pearl Jam (even). I like Nine Inch Nails’ slow stuff (see Hurt, Something I Can Never Have, La Mer), but I think they’re at their best when it's a faster song. And so I’ve arrived at Azadi Brewing’s Jaago. - [Episode 404 - Bourbon County 2021](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-404-bourbon-county-2021/) - It's the episode where we drink all the Bourbon County beers being released on Black Friday this year, and give you our honest reactions to this eight-bottle lineup. Whatever we say probably won't influence your purchasing decisions whatsoever, but we had fun and got drunk while doing it. Honestly, we try to run our podcast - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: October 2021](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-october-2021/) - Each month, we like to highlight twelve beers we found personally interesting, delicious, or exciting from (mostly) local sources with the hopes of passing on our recommendations to those that are interested in reading arbitrary reviews. Some of these drinks were reviewed on the podcast, some were for Patreon-only Low ABVs, and some are just things we - [Fantasy FoBAB 2021: Power Rankings](http://www.abvchicago.com/fantasy-fobab-2021-power-rankings/) - It’s kind of hard to believe, but FoBAB is back! Even though the venue has changed, and there will be a heightened focus on safety protocols both for Covid-related reasons and for improving the safety of all attendees through the use of the #NotMe platform (read more here), the list of breweries is giving us - [Deth's Tar 2021 | Revolution Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/deths-tar-2021-revolution-brewing/) - Leaves are changing colors. Some days (not all) are a bit chilly. There’s less sunlight during the day. Must be time for Revolution’s Deep Wood beers! Revolution really nailed it this past year with their Deep Wood releases. The online ordering and pickup process might be the best in the city, they crowlered off their party-specific one-offs and sold them online, and, oh yeah, they released what could arguably be the best Deep Wood lineup ever. And it all starts with the barrel-aged oatmeal stout, Deth’s Tar. - [Morbidly Obese Pug: Cookies & Cream | Maplewood Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/morbidly-obese-pug-cookies-cream-maplewood-brewing/) - the beer world, October usually means a few things. Oktoberfests abound, sometimes the Great American Beer Festival, and Maplewood Brewing’s Pug Day. Now going strong in its fourth year, Pug Day celebrates pugs everywhere, but specifically the namesake of Maplewood’s Fat Pug beer Otto. And every year, on Pug Day, they release a new version of Morbidly Obese Pug. For this year, that means Morbidly Obese Pug: Cookies and Cream. - [Episode 403 - Torture Test V: Crypt Fever](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-403-torture-test-v-crypt-fever/) - In another tale of the macabre (beers), our palates are attacked and our bodies shake with that unmistakable burn: it can only be Crypt Fever! We once again try to outdo one another by picking beers we think are going to be revolting for a blind test of our tolerance for bad - and most - [Episode 402 - The SD Show](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-402-the-sd-show/) - For the 28th installment of our State Show series, our friend Don Kasak brought us back a nice (IPA-less) lineup from South Dakota. We have five different beers from five different breweries, although one host's personal curse seems hellbent on lowering that number. But in addition to these enjoyable brews, we construct five different nostalgia/pop - [Episode 401 - Duneyrr/Moderne Dune](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-401-duneyrr-moderne-dune/) - With Duneyrr Artisan Fermenta Project, Tyler Davis wants to explore the ways wine and beer fermentation can cross over into styles that defy traditional categorization. And with Moderne Dune, he is using newer ingredients and techniques with IPAs and lagers in thoughtful and artful ways. We talk with Tyler about his many projects and upcoming - [Renaissance | Dancing Gnome](http://www.abvchicago.com/renaissance-dancing-gnome/) - gations. Dancing Gnome, when I visited Pittsburgh, suffered that fate. Try as I might, I never made it to the brewery. Fortunately, I met up with Nick Adams from The Weekly ReCap to talk about Pittsburgh beer. We swapped local beers and he gave me this Renaissance. - [Episode 400 - Barrel-Aged Chicago Stouts](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-400-barrel-aged-chicago-stouts/) - To recognize the improbable 400th episode of this show, we take it all the way back to the beginning - with a little added age. We revisit the same five local breweries from "Episode 1 - Chicago Stouts" - but this time, there are barrels involved. We take stock of all that has changed along - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: September 2021](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-september-2021/) - Each month, we like to highlight twelve beers we found personally interesting, delicious, or exciting from (mostly) local sources with the hopes of passing on our recommendations to those that are interested in reading arbitrary reviews. Some of these drinks were reviewed on the podcast, some were for Patreon-only Low ABVs, and some are just things we - [Honey Pot | Barreled Souls](http://www.abvchicago.com/honey-pot-barreled-souls/) - hen planning a vacation, I always check to see what breweries I’ll be around. It usually becomes a combination of obvious choices and asking friends and the internet for help. For Portland, ME there were obvious choices (Allagash, Bissell Brothers, Oxbow) that I knew I was going to hit. Between interneters and locals, I managed to hit a few that I otherwise wouldn’t have, resulting in many of the breweries featured on our Portland, ME show. One brewery that kept getting mentioned, even though not in Portland, ME, was Barreled Souls. - [Zenith | Odious Cellars](http://www.abvchicago.com/zenith-odious-cellars/) - Sours do not do well in Chicago. I’ve been fortunate enough to speak to many brewers on the subject and that’s been their consensus opinion. They sit on the shelves and don’t sell through fast enough or at all. Other markets like Florida and Missouri embrace the sour, but not Chicago. Because of this, there - [Episode 398 - The VT Show](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-398-the-vt-show/) - From the rolling green hills of Vermont, we have five beers that span the state for our 27th installment in our State Show series. All five breweries included are new to the show with a wide variety of styles, and at least one beer elicits the strangest divergent reactions we've had in quite some time. - [Better Distractions | Goose Island](http://www.abvchicago.com/better-distractions-goose-island/) - Goose Island has a long history with the Pitchfork Music Festival. Before they were bought out by AB InBev in 2011, Goose Island supplied beer for the festival. Starting in 2011, Pitchfork switched over to Heineken for their beer needs. As detailed in Josh Noel’s Barrel Aged Stout and Selling Out, Goose Island was not - [Episode 397 - Grocery Store IPAs](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-397-grocery-store-ipas/) - This week, we're perusing the aisles of three of the most popular grocery store chains who contract brew their own IPAs so they can sell them at a steep discount, all to determine if it's okay to skip your trip to Beer on the Wall every now and then. (It's not.) We have some, uh, - [Episode 396 - Allagash Brewing Company](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-396-allagash-brewing-company/) - We've long been spoiled to have Allagash beers in the Chicagoland market, considering they still only distribute to about a third of the country, if that. But this show celebrates the brewery differently, with five brewery-only beers from Craig's recent travels to Portland, Maine. And yes, even when they're getting experimental, Allagash is as adept - [The King | Tree House Brewing Company](http://www.abvchicago.com/the-king-tree-house-brewing-company/) - It’s good to be the king. Tree House knows a thing or two about that. From its humble beginnings in Brimfield, MA, Tree House has done nothing but explode in popularity and size. They move to Monson, MA, where I visited them in 2015 and brought some growlers and cans back for the show. They’ve - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: August 2021](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-august-2021/) - Each month, we like to highlight twelve beers we found personally interesting, delicious, or exciting from (mostly) local sources with the hopes of passing on our recommendations to those that are interested in reading arbitrary reviews. Some of these drinks were reviewed on the podcast, some were for Patreon-only Low ABVs, and some are just things we - [Episode 395 - Portland, ME](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-395-portland-me/) - In a state where there's a brewery for about every 8,000 people, Portland is the ultimate beer-lovers' destination in picturesque Maine. Craig's travels bring us five unique and winning beers from five different Portland, Maine breweries. The beers are as charming as the coastal town that bore them, which leads to a little strokin' of - [Episode 394 - The Alchemist](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-394-the-alchemist/) - Stowed away in Northern Vermont, The Alchemist has been a world-renowned brewery for almost two decades thanks to its tremendously popular and influential Heady Topper. Craig's recent travels to the area secured us that precious Heady along with four more beers of substantial quality that have us dreaming of green mountains. Also, Ryan resurrects the - [Great Taste of the Midwest 2021](http://www.abvchicago.com/great-taste-of-the-midwest-2021/) - It’s been at least 16 months by my count since my last traditional beer festival. (FoBAB 2019 for me I believe.) Despite the Delta variant wrecking havoc on the nation, the Great Taste of the Midwest took place again in Madison, Wisconsin’s Olin Park. It felt normal again for a brief few hours. While I’ve - [Episode 393 - Oxford Comma Stouts](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-393-oxford-comma-stouts/) - If you’re going to toss the whole pastry shelf into your stout, we better see some proper punctuation. For this episode, we’ve gathered five stouts that are on a three-adjunct minimum, and we sacrifice our daily calorie count by bringing you our arbitrary reviews. We also consider T-shirts for songs, recommend three flavors for that - [Episode 392 - Haze Suburbia](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-392-haze-suburbia/) - On some episodes, we just wanna act stupid and have some fun, so for this one we’re doing an all suburban, all haze, all blind show to prove that we don’t give a sh*t about tomorrow. Will these five hazy Double IPAs help break Ryan free from his Low Haze Enthusiasm? Will either host hit - [Bourbon County 2021: Rankings at First Sight](http://www.abvchicago.com/bourbon-county-2021-rankings-at-first-sight/) - By now you’ve likely read up on Goose Island’s Bourbon County 2021 lineup, making a mental priority list for your Black Friday shopping based on your snap judgement of this eightsome of barrel-aged beers. We are just like you, reader, but we have a podcast where for almost eight years we’ve arbitrarily reviewed and ranked - [Episode 391 - Hot Rev Summer](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-391-hot-rev-summer/) - Revolution Brewing's mission is to dominate your whole calendar. They release one of the most coveted barrel-aged beers in the last few years as a surprise for the summer along with two returning favorites, but they also let you wash it all down with exquisite lighter-drinking beers like the pair from this episode. So we - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: July 2021](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-july-2021/) - Each month, we like to highlight twelve beers (or meads) we found personally interesting, delicious, or exciting from (mostly) local sources with the hopes of passing on our recommendations to those that are interested in reading arbitrary reviews. Some of these drinks were reviewed on the podcast, some were for Patreon-only Low ABVs, and some are just - [Episode 390 - Quad Goals](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-390-quad-goals/) - The Belgian Quadrupel is a style one might associate with decades of Trappist-brewed tradition, when in actuality, it was first coined a style in 1991 in the Netherlands. History lesson aside, these strong dark Belgian-style ales have their American fanatics too, and we try to explore multiple facets of the style through this episode. Also, - [Red Currant Mead | Tree Hive](http://www.abvchicago.com/red-currant-mead-tree-hive/) - Mead has had a resurgence over the last five or so years. With Schramm’s leading the way, new meaderies pop up with a fair amount of regularity. Chicago has a handful of meaderies, including Second City and Wild Blossom. But now meaderies seem to be coming to more rural areas. While the Champaign-Urbana area has three breweries, there hasn’t been a meadery until now. Tree Hive recently started releasing their meads in the area from their Rantoul, Illinois home, including the Red Currant mead. - [Kelsmas | 1840 Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/kelsmas-1840-brewing/) - I love when breweries take chances and do weird things. Not necessarily putting weird or an excessive amount of things into the mash tun, but trying different things with traditional styles. My eyes light up and it makes me want to try it. Breweries like Off Color do this exceedingly well. 1840 Brewing in Milwaukee - [Episode 389 - Pitt Stop](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-389-pitt-stop/) - Summer Craig's travels brought him to the Steel City of Pittsburgh for a Pitt stop to explore their vibrant beer scene and bring back five beers for the podcast. We have an unusual mix of styles from five different Pittsburgh breweries, but they impress in ways that make us want to wave our Terrible Towels. - [Episode 388 - Keeping Together](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-388-keeping-together/) - Keeping Together, the saison-focused project from Averie Swanson, has brought world-class mixed culture farmhouse-style beers to Chicago - if even for all too short of a time. We catch up with Averie about the future of Keeping Together as its time in Chicago comes to a close, but we also talk with the Master Cicerone - [Midsummer Deep Wood Classic | Revolution](http://www.abvchicago.com/midsummer-deep-wood-classic-revolution/) - Revolution Brewing continues to attempt to take over the calendar with their barrel-aged Deep Wood releases. This year’s summer release happens only once but comprises three beers including one of - if not the - most desired beer in their portfolio. With all due respect to the MLB, I’m calling this release the Midsummer Deep Wood Classic. - [Episode 387 - Necromancer Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-387-necromancer-brewing/) - The good folks at Necromancer Brewing in Pittsburgh want to bring dead beer styles back to life, learning from the past while also using modern techniques and ingredients to reinvigorate these long-dormant styles for a new audience. On the first day that their taproom opened, Craig happened to be in town and was lucky to - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: June 2021](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-june-2021/) - Each month, we like to highlight twelve beers we found personally interesting, delicious, or exciting from (mostly) local sources with the hopes of passing on our recommendations to those that are interested in reading arbitrary reviews. Some of these drinks were reviewed on the podcast, some were for Patreon-only Low ABVs, and some are just things we - [Episode 386 - The LA Show](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-386-the-la-show/) - In our 26th installment of our State Show Series, we get surprised with a box from listener Andrew F. and try to turn this admittedly New Orleans-heavy show into a loving exploration of Louisiana beer. Appropriately, the five beers are about as oddly different as they can be, and we have at least one thing - [Episode 385 - Blind Kölsch](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-385-blind-kolsch/) - Though the only true kölsch can be found in Cologne, Germany, the broad appeal of the style is an obvious draw for brewers and drinkers alike. We find six local examples of kölsch-style beers and sample them in a blind tasting, while trying unsuccessfully not to embarrass ourselves. We also share strange yet optimistic signs - [Episode 384 - Single Hop Butcher](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-384-single-hop-butcher/) - If only there was some relevant reason to do our first Hop Butcher show in a year...oh yeah! They released four single-hopped hazy beers! Well, there's that and the whole "purchasing the Half Acre Lincoln taproom to convert into their own space later this year" thing. We talk with our friend Jeremiah Zimmer from Hop - [200 | Hightower Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/200-hightower-brewing/) - Traveling has returned! After a year-plus of staying home, getting out of the house and seeing the outside world and people (I guess) is very much welcomed. My first big travel stop happened to be Pittsburgh, mainly to visit family on my wife’s side. So of course breweries were on my list of things to do. Upon contacting some Pittsburgh people about what breweries to hit, one that wasn’t on my radar kept coming up - Hightower Brewing. - [Colorful Noise | Milk Money Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/colorful-noise-milk-money-brewing/) - I always get excited when new breweries open up. A new take on beers, sometimes a new and different area, and possibly some food thrown in there. Milk Money Brewing recently (December 2020 or February 2021 depending on who you ask) opened as the first brewery in La Grange, IL. They combine craft beer with some Michelin-starred firepower backing the food side of things. But we’re here to talk about the beer, and given my current proclivity towards non-hazy IPAs, I naturally chose to get Milk Money’s Colorful Noise IPA. - [Saison Meer: Lilac (Wine Barrel Aged) | Afterthought](http://www.abvchicago.com/saison-meer-lilac-wine-barrel-aged-afterthought/) - It has finally happened. After some delay (mainly due to the pandemic), Afterthought finally has a taproom to call their own. Featuring an extensive tap and bottle list, saison lovers in the area have their home. Mike Thorpe has been saving beer from each of his releases since 2019, so there’s no shortage of bottle options available for consumption. With so many options available, go for the wine barrel-aged beer. This guidance has led me to picking Saison Meer: Lilac (Wine Barrel Aged). - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: May 2021](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-may-2021/) - Each month, we like to highlight twelve beers we found personally interesting, delicious, or exciting from (mostly) local sources with the hopes of passing on our recommendations to those that are interested in reading arbitrary reviews. Some of these drinks were reviewed on the podcast, some were for Patreon-only Low ABVs, and some are just things we - [Episode 382 - West Coast-Style Chicago](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-382-west-coast-style-chicago/) - Trends with IPAs come and go, but the West Coast-style IPA is foundational for what craft beer is today. So when a bunch of awesome local breweries set aside their hazy tendencies to deliver something more bitter and clear, we're ecstatic to drink through five of them. Also, we mount up for Michael McDonald, admire - [Episode 383 - Mikerphone Unplugged](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-383-mikerphone-unplugged/) - Mikerphone has become notorious for being willing to toss anything edible (and usually sweet) into a beer, but they're not all style with no substance. For this episode, we tried to sample a more stripped-down version of Mikerphone, choosing five beers without much added (except for the occasional dry hop or barrel treatment). There are - [Mikerphone Smells Like A Beer Fest 2021](http://www.abvchicago.com/mikerphone-smells-like-a-beer-fest-2021/) - [Milk of the Murder Hornet - Peach | Hubbard's Cave](http://www.abvchicago.com/milk-of-the-murder-hornet-peach-hubbards-cave/) - I can’t believe I have a favorite milkshake IPA. Heck, I also have a favorite milkshake IPA series. (For those wondering, Hop Butcher’s Blazed Orange Milkshake (BOM) and Maplewood’s Mr. Shakey series, respectively.) I don’t really go crazy for the newest milkshake IPA release or even think to order one when I’m at a brewery. I’d sooner go with a West Coast IPA or something light, I guess. So it was divine providence that I even got to try Hubbard’s Cave Milk of the Murder Hornet. - [Episode 381 - The Collab Lab](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-381-the-collab-lab/) - More than just a mash paddle photoshoot for Instagram, these brewery collaborations focus on how their own pre-existing strong recipes can complement those of another. Enter the collab lab with us, as we taste through five inspired collaborations from local breweries, featuring a few medal winners to boot. Also, we pimp our windbreakers, break our - [Episode 378 - Madison Beers](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-378-madison-beers/) - Ticking off another Midwestern hotspot for beers, we try out five different beers from Madison, Wisconsin breweries this week. We drink as a badger does and uncover the surprisingly long and decorated histories of a few of these breweries, while we have a diverse lineup of tasty beers. Also, we jump on the video game-to-live - [Episode 379 - B-Sides](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-379-b-sides/) - This show is a tribute to when the b-side is even better than the a-side, as we drink through five beers that for random reasons didn't make the cut for recent episodes of the podcast. The styles and breweries are all over the place, which inspires us to dip into a slew of random topics - [Plasma Wave: Berry Rainbow | Brothership Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/plasma-wave-berry-rainbow-brothership-brewing/) - Ah, childhood. Some of us have fond memories of our childhood, usually focusing on the things we did or experienced. One of the more fond memories for some (read: brewers) focus on things that we ate or, in some cases, still eat. This trend started simply enough with things like Hunahpu’s Imperial Stout from Cigar City, Abraxas from Perennial, and Proprietor’s 2013 from Goose Island. Soon enough things shifted from making beer taste like that food or candy to just simply adding it to the beer. And so we land on Brothership Brewing Plasma Wave. - [Episode 380 - MoBAB](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-380-mobab/) - Not to be confused with FoBAB (Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beers) or MOBAB (Missouri's Board of Anime Bookstores), this episode simply promises more barrel-aged beers. Five dark beers with a few adjuncts and unique barrels thrown in, this lineup has more than one beer that'll be on our best of the year list. Also, - [Honour | More Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/honour-more-brewing/) - Join me, if you will, on a trip a decade prior. Before items in the bakery aisle started appearing in beer. When, in a sign of things to come, the highest rated beer was Trappist Westvleteren 12, a Belgian Quadruple one could only get at the monastery. A beer slowly climbed up the ratings, eventually eclipsing Westy 12. I found this out at a bottle share after generously being offered this beer by Beer Me Fitz. That beer was, of course, Heady Topper by The Alchemist and it would eventually lead to a new style of beer - the hazy IPA. Oft imitated years ago, few breweries release Heady Topper-like beers nowadays. More Brewing, however, has decided to give it a go with their recent release of Honour. - [Rule 5 Draft/Yerminator | Goose Island/Fabulous Freddie's](http://www.abvchicago.com/rule-5-draft-yerminator-goose-island-fabulous-freddies/) - I think it was Spring Training 2020, before the pandemic closed everything and changed the way we live. I was preparing for what I thought would be a full season of fantasy baseball, figuring out who to draft and where. The White Sox’s lineup started coming together and was tagged as being one of the better one in baseball. The White Sox had signed Yasmani Grandal over the winter and still had 2019 All-Star James McCann on the roster to back him up or split starts with. - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: April 2021](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-april-2021/) - Each month, we like to highlight twelve beers we found personally interesting, delicious, or exciting from (mostly) local sources with the hopes of passing on our recommendations to those that are interested in reading arbitrary reviews. Some of these drinks were reviewed on the podcast, some were for Patreon-only Low ABVs, and some are just things we - [Brunch Punch Bramble Berry | Maplewood Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/brunch-punch-bramble-berry-maplewood-brewing/) - April has arrived and so has warmer weather (on most days) for Chicago. That means outdoor/patio dining can be a thing again, which means more opportunities to brunch (I guess, not a brunch guy). Maplewood has created a line of beers to help get you through brunch, their Brunch Punch series. - [Episode 377 - Baseball Beers](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-377-baseball-beers/) - In our minds, there's hardly a better combination than drinking beer and appreciating baseball - a pastime as wholesome as apple pie milkshake IPAs. So we step into the box, looking to square up five tasty beers from Midwestern breweries that certainly want you to think about baseball. We cram this one with baseball miscellany: - [Deconstructed Dessert Mocha Pie | Third Space](http://www.abvchicago.com/deconstructed-dessert-mocha-pie-third-space/) - Third Space Brewing, at least for me, has become a must stop whenever I go to or through Milwaukee. They brew a range of styles and almost all hit their intended mark. Things like Happy Place and Unite the Clans win awards and are sold at Brewers’ games. Their stouts, on the other hand, currently sit at a .333 batting average with me, with only Mystic Knot being a home run. (The other two being Double Barrel Nexus and Haunted Barrel 2019.) I’m hopeful their Deconstructed Dessert Mocha Pie can get that batting average to .500. - [Episode 376 - Young Blood Beer Company](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-376-young-blood-beer-company/) - Looking to provide an "oasis for life and leisure," Madison, Wisconsin's Young Blood Beer Company had to bring the oasis to the people in their first year of operation. For this episode, Craig talks with co-founder Tom Dufek about rewriting business plans, adding a twist to every beer, and cultivating those dank and drippy vibes. - [Episode 375 - Fox River Five](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-375-fox-river-five/) - Head about 45 minutes west of Chicago to the Fox River area, and you'll find a cluster of fresh craft beer options that are certainly destination-worthy. Ryan took a weekend to check out breweries in St. Charles and Geneva, and he brought back five different beers that'll have you planning a day trip. The background - [Cuvée de Grâce 2021 | Revolution Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/cuvee-de-grace-2021-revolution-brewing/) - The first release of this year’s Off Season Deep Wood happens to be a beer released during the 2019-2020 Deep Wood season - Cuvée de Grâce. The blend changes each release, so this year’s isn’t the same as the last one. Revolution has a fair stock of barrels to choose from for each year’s blend and this one does not lack ambition. (It’s better to have Revolution explain the blend, so click here for full details on it.) Let’s get at it! - [African Drinking Chocolate | 1840 Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/african-drinking-chocolate-1840-brewing/) - Brewers take inspiration for their beers wherever they can find it. Regional specialties, something from their youth, or food and drinks from other cultures (Mexican cake remains a popular one) come tumbling into the bottle and mash tun. Early on, those beers demanded drinking. Today that landscape has changed, with beers like that released every - [Episode 374 - The CT Show](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-374-the-ct-show/) - In our triumphant return to our state series, we venture into the beers from the great state of Connecticut (CT) for our 25th state show installment. And we do so in a big way - with six beers of (mostly) very different styles that span all corners of the state. Thanks to Spenser for the - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: March 2021](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-march-2021/) - Each month, we like to highlight twelve beers we found personally interesting, delicious, or exciting from (mostly) local sources with the hopes of passing on our recommendations to those that are interested in reading arbitrary reviews. Some of these drinks were reviewed on the podcast, some were for Patreon-only Low ABVs, and some are just things we - [Episode 373 - Around the Bend](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-373-around-the-bend/) - From their first batch of beer released in 2015, Around the Bend has been committed to an unconventional take on traditional styles. The brewery's trajectory has also been anything but conventional, and we have founder Dan Schedler on to talk about the brewery's history and future. Dan also shares what led to his midlife career - [Goose Island StoutFest 2021](http://www.abvchicago.com/goose-island-stoutfest-2021/) - Scheduled for Sunday, March 15th, 2020, Goose Island’s Stout Fest was maybe the first beer fest to be cancelled last year. I recall being saddened, but not that surprised. I also recall that at that exact point, I owned no masks and hoped we’d be back to normal by mid-April. Thank god I make no - [Episode 372 - Baltic Porters](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-372-baltic-porters/) - Despite the allure of warmer temperatures, we're not quite ready to be done with stout season. So we grab the next-closest seasonally appropriate alternative: baltic porters! In our latest episode in our Prestige Styles Series, these five beers challenge what we know about both porters and lagers, but they are no challenge to drink. We - [Gir | Azadi Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/gir-azadi-brewing/) - Going into having my first Azadi beer on our Local News show, I had no preconceived notion of what to expect from them. Upon opening and drinking Kadak, my expectations have been set. The balance between the chocolatey, roasty stout and the chai spices exceeded any notions that I had about this new brewery. It never got to be too much. So with that in mind I had to try at least one of Azadi’s other two offerings available in the market - either their Kavi golden ale or Gir IPA. I felt like some hops, so I opted for Gir, their Kesar Mango IPA. (Just checked their Instagram - Bhogate, a grapefruit gose, is also currently available.) - [Cordial Terms | Forbidden Root](http://www.abvchicago.com/cordial-terms-forbidden-root/) - Ah yes, the “holiday”-specific beer. It started out with seasonal beers, then expanded to Christmas Ales, pumpkins beers and the like. Now every event on the calendar can get its own specific release. Some really stretch to make it work (hey! Green beer!), but other holidays lend itself nicely to certain beers. Case in point - Valentine’s Day. Stouts or things with chocolate in them can naturally go with it. Forbidden Root takes this one step further by collaborating with an actual chocolatier for their Cordial Terms chocolate stout. - [Episode 371 - Back 2 The Barrel](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-371-back-2-the-barrel/) - Finally ready to recover from Barrel-Aged December™, we assembled a star-studded sequel to last year’s episode, bringing on five barrel-aged beers presented without additional adjuncts. The plethora of bourbon barrels and base beers make for some flavorful variations, and they leave us practically - and almost literally - floored. Also, we adjust to our new - [Epoch | Narrative Fermentations](http://www.abvchicago.com/epoch-narrative-fermentations/) - Last year I won a fantasy baseball league where the prizes consisted of boxes of beer. In the same box as the Private Press Beyond Forever, I also received a beer from Narrative Fermentations. I had never heard of this brewery and am always willing to try out new things, so I decided to give Epoch a go. - [Episode 370 - Russian River](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-370-russian-river/) - It's always been exciting to drink Russian River - every bottle opened feels like an event, and it has felt that way for us for well over a decade. On this show we celebrate the brewery that changed the way we both drink beer. Though this episode seems to be about Pliny the Younger (and - [Episode 369 - Black IPAs](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-369-black-ipas/) - Either through public demand or divine intervention, the Black IPA has made an unexpected comeback in 2021, and We. Are. Here. For. It. We snagged the first five Black IPAs we could to tap into the cultural zeitgeist, and Craig learns to stop worrying and love the style. We discuss why the style lost favor - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: February 2021](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-february-2021/) - Each month, we like to highlight twelve beers we found personally interesting, delicious, or exciting from (mostly) local sources with the hopes of passing on our recommendations to those that are interested in reading arbitrary reviews. Some of these drinks were reviewed on the podcast, some were for Patreon-only Low ABVs, and some are just things we - [Church for Brewers | Triptych Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/church-for-brewers-triptych-brewing/) - When we started the podcast in 2014, we set a goal that we quickly realized. Get some of the best double IPAs from across the county and put them on a show. That became our fourth episode, one in which we pushed the limits of how much alcohol we could drink (that includes pre- and between-beer-break-drinking). Then in late 2016/early 2017 we could not contain our excitement over getting seven local New England-style Double IPAs (and one IPA) for our Chi NEIPA show. We didn’t think we’d ever be able to pull it off. Things have now changed and I’m beyond excited to be having Triptych’s Church for Brewers, a West Coast-style Double IPA. - [Fraise | Dovetail Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/fraise-dovetail-brewing/) - It was June of 2016. A new brewery opened its doors in Chicago, focusing on continental European styles. Only a lager, hefeweizen and rauchbier were on tap then. They would continue to put other styles on throughout the rest of the year, but there was something brewing on the second floor of this brewery. Dovetail Brewing began brewing their lambic-style beers from the get-go, but it would be sometime before things like Fraise became available. - [Episode 368 - Local News](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-368-local-news/) - Tonight, we have the story of five breweries local to Chicagoland who opened amidst a global crisis, and the five beers that lifted the spirits of two weary beer reviewers. It’s ABV Chicago with your Local News - new breweries and new beers with your old friends, Ryan and Craig. First, we open with a - [Episode 340 - Barrel Heat](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-340-barrel-heat/) - Our passion for barrel-aged beers doesn't disappear in August - it achieves a steady simmer below the surface, always ready to unleash itself when the opportunity arises. For this episode we have five barrel-aged beers - all different styles of beer and all from local breweries, four of which we interviewed when they were just - [Episode 182 - Dovetail and Riggs: Crossfire](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-182-dovetail-and-riggs-crossfire/) - Two Illinois brewing traditionalists inspired us to dig deeper into lagers and hefeweizens, so we pitted a bunch against each other in a goofy Crossfire showdown. Riggs Beer Co. from Urbana and Dovetail Brewery from Chicago know the German way and have expertly paid homage to tradition at their year-old breweries. But that wasn’t enough - [Pressed Tiramisu | Phase Three Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/pressed-tiramisu-phase-three-brewing/) - Sometimes you get tired of all the big stouts. Big alcohol that makes you groggy afterwards, sometimes too sweet, and containing too many adjuncts. That causes me to seek things out - especially after barrel-aged December - that have those stout characteristics without all the baggage. We’ve had brown ales and I’ve reviewed a baltic porter and a more traditional oatmeal stout. So why not get crazy and try Phase Three’s Pressed Tiramisu Imperial Porter? - [Episode 367 - Bock to Basics](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-367-bock-to-basics/) - The bitterly cold winter months call for rich and bready lagers, and the bock beer is ready to swaddle you in warming flavors. For this show, we try five very different bock beers that speak to the diversity of the style and contribute to the sudden inebriation of the hosts. We uncover the history of - [Woodline | Fox Farm Brewery](http://www.abvchicago.com/woodline-fox-farm-brewery/) - How do we get some of the beers for the show? I trade for them. Back when I started beer trading, it focused more on trying beers that did not get distributed to your area. Yes, it usually involved festival and/or brewery only barrel-aged beers, but they were attainable (basically) as long as you attended the festival. No F5-ing or being part of a beer membership. One of the nice regular things about trading happens when you expand the trade. - [Episode 366 - OEC Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-366-oec-brewing/) - We've long sought out the strange and elusive beers of Connecticut's Ordinem Ecentrici Coctores - or OEC Brewing, informally - so we have a ritualistic orientation with six beers from their little secret society. There's a lot to love from this diverse lineup - not the least of which is that one of them comes - [Peppermint Hot Cocoa Might Meets Right | Temperance Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/peppermint-hot-cocoa-might-meets-right-temperance-brewing/) - Temperance Brewing’s Might Meets Right series always seems to fly under the radar. Their first two entries in the series still remain unique to this day - one aged in High West Manhattan barrels and the other in Boulevardier barrels. The Boulevardier even won a bronze at the 2014 FoBAB (the first at the UIC Forum). - [Episode 365 - Revolution: Straight to the Ryeway](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-365-revolution-straight-to-the-ryeway/) - We send off this season of Revolution's Deep Wood series by opening up some of their finest 'wines. Big on barrel variation, this lineup of barleywines and ryewines features a few of the best things Revolution has ever done with these styles - and our rankings diverge quite a bit. We speculate on the next - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: January 2021](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-january-2021/) - Each month, we like to highlight twelve beers we found personally interesting, delicious, or exciting from (mostly) local sources with the hopes of passing on our recommendations to those that are interested in reading arbitrary reviews. Some of these drinks were reviewed on the podcast, some were for Patreon-only Low ABVs, and some are just things we - [Praamzius, Ruler of Time | Elder Pine Brewing & Blending](http://www.abvchicago.com/praamzius-ruler-of-time-elder-pine-brewing-blending/) - Though limited to non-existent now, it’s always nice to see your beer friends. Jack Muldowney (formerly of The Hop Review and currently of Studio Malt) wound up winning second place in our annual FoBAB Fantasy Tournament. Upon dropping off his winnings, he hit me with this Elder Pine Baltic Porter, Praamzius, Ruler of Time. Since - [Episode 364 - 7 Year Surprise](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-364-7-year-surprise/) - This year is our seventh as a podcast, and because we couldn't throw a party like we usually do, we're bringing the drunken fun inside your head holes. It's certainly a nostalgia fest at times here as we relive our epic anniversary parties at Beermiscuous, but we made this one more interesting by dropping off - [Episode 363 - Brown Ales](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-363-brown-ales/) - Though it may not be considered all that popular, the brown ale is resilient. Craft brewers have been making them for decades, and even now it's more common to see a hyped-up brewery release a brown as a change-of-pace. To dig deeper into English and American Brown Ales, we drink a mix of five from - [Deep Wood 2020 Part 4 | Revolution Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/deep-wood-2020-part-4-revolution-brewing/) - Well it’s finally here. The end of it all. With Apple Brandy Ryeway and On & On: Part 1 releasing this Friday, January 22, 2021, Revolution ends its 2020/2021 Deep Wood series. What did you think I was talking about? Let’s jump right into it, with rankings of the entire Deep Wood lineup for the year at the end. - [Barrel-aged Black Pit of Hatred (Coconut) | Burnt City](http://www.abvchicago.com/barrel-aged-black-pit-of-hatred-coconut-burnt-city/) - Black Pit of Hatred serves as Burnt City’s yearly imperial stout. As with most breweries nowadays, they’ve both barrel-aged it and threw in some adjuncts to vary things a bit. - [Episode 362 - Odious Cellars](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-362-odious-cellars/) - Starting a sour-focused brewery comes with a unique set of challenges, especially when you enter the market in the midst of a pandemic. But Odious Cellars founder and head brewer Reeve Joseph forged ahead, lucking upon the facility at Pilot Project to help accelerate his beer-school dreams of producing exquisite sour and mixed culture beers. - [It's Always Hazy (Mosaic) | Swinging Bridge](http://www.abvchicago.com/its-always-hazy-mosaic-swinging-bridge/) - Finally made it to 2021 and, lo and behold, we’re in the 2020 Director’s Cut/Extended Edition. I should have just purchased the VHS copy of 2020. There is still beer being made, so that means there is still beer to review! I’ll come out of the gate swinging in 2021. How about an all-Mosaic beer - [Episode 361 - Cellar West](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-361-cellar-west/) - In a city called Lafayette, somewhat between Denver and Boulder, Zach Nichols runs his farmhouse-focused brewery, Cellar West Artisan Ales. In under five years, the brewery has won two GABF medals, moved to a new location, and expanded their operation, including a side-label focused on trendier styles. Zach was kind enough to send us five - [Ryan's Top 50 Beers of 2020](http://www.abvchicago.com/ryans-top-50-beers-of-2020/) - The criteria for the list is simple: these are the best beers that I had this year that were released this year. In the past, I had included festival and draft pours that obviously were not much of an option for this year, so much of what you see here reflects what I was picking - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: December 2020](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-december-2020/) - Each month, we like to highlight twelve beers we found personally interesting, delicious, or exciting from (mostly) local sources with the hopes of passing on our recommendations to those that are interested in reading arbitrary reviews. Some of these drinks were reviewed on the podcast, some were for Patreon-only Low ABVs, and some are just - [Episode 360 - Exciting! Barrel-Aged Stouts!](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-360-exciting-barrel-aged-stouts/) - We might as well send off 2020 on an upbeat note and just get wild with the ingredients, so we let it all hang out on this mixed five pack of barrel-aged variant stouts from local breweries. Each of these releases represents a fun little twist on its barrel-aged base, and we're going to need - [Episode 318 - Peanut Butter Cup Stouts Blind](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-318-peanut-butter-cup-stouts-blind/) - Three great tastes that taste great together: peanut butter, chocolate, and stout combine in all six beers on this blind tasting - and a few prove that there is a wrong way to drink a Reese's. Otherwise, we are lavishing in decadence throughout this show with six local-ish peanut butter cup stouts that help us - [Episode 343 - Double Your Fun](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-343-double-your-fun/) - When a brewery releases a double dry-hopped version of one of their go-to hoppy beers, it's often a surefire hit with consumers. Though it has somehow become synonymous with hazy beers, double dry-hopping has a longer history of adding bombastic hop aromas to beers as far back as the 1970s in the U.S. But does - [Episode 359 - Revolution: Deth Wish](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-359-revolution-deth-wish/) - The imperial oatmeal stout at the heart of it all, Deth's Tar may have seemed like a fun little pun back when it first came out of barrels in the early part of the decade, but now it's clearly the centerpiece of the best barrel-aged series in the city. We enlist the help of Revolution's - [Bourbon County X: The People's Choice Survey Results](http://www.abvchicago.com/bourbon-county-x-the-peoples-choice-survey-results/) - Although Goose Island’s Bourbon County Brand Stout has been made since 1995 (or was it 1992?), the celebrated release has moved beyond just a big beer aged in bourbon barrels in a lot of ways. 2020 marks the 11th year that the brewery has released variants of their Bourbon County brand, which has added ingredients, - [Vanilla Bourbon Dosvidanya | DESTIHL Brewery](http://www.abvchicago.com/vanilla-bourbon-dosvidanya-destihl-brewery/) - Much like most barrel-aged stouts these days, DESTIHL’s Dosvidanya has returned in November! DESTIHL has seized on recent trends by releasing five variants of its award-winning barrel-aged stout in 16 ounce cans, half of which received the limited “Brewery Only” tag. Dosvidanya Vanilla Bourbon is one such variant. - [Episode 358 - Barrel-Aged Coffee Stouts](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-358-barrel-aged-coffee-stouts/) - Coffee was once the only adjunct a good stout needed, until recent years has brought the entire pastry case with it. So finding five barrel-aged stouts with just coffee added was a bit of a challenge - but it's a welcome reminder that sometimes all you need is coffee. (And love? Probably love, too.) These - [Episode 357 - FoBAB 2020 Winners](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-357-fobab-2020-winners/) - Barrel-aged December is now officially underway, and we're delighted to crack open four medal-winning Illinois beers from this year's Festival of Wood and Barrel Aged Beers. Appropriately enough, the barrels are the star of the show, as these four very different styles are presented without additional adjuncts - just wood-made magic. Also, we have our - [Deep Wood 2020 Part 3 | Revolution Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/deep-wood-2020-part-3-revolution-brewing/) - The third (or fourth or sixth, depending on how you count it) Revolution Deep Wood 2020 of the season has arrived. The biggest variety of any release so far, this drop includes Ryeway to Heaven (ryewine), Mineshaft Gap (barleywine) and Double Barrel V.S.O.D (stout). Something for everyone! - [Form of the Destructor | Revolution Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/form-of-the-destructor-revolution-brewing/) - Revolution, like many businesses during this time, has had to adapt and adjust their business model. Typically, Deep Wood releases would have a big party on the Friday of the release. With the pandemic shutting down the taproom and closing the brewpub until further notice, those parties will not happen for the foreseeable future. But they were still planned in advance. Marty Scott (head barrel dude and #1 Van Halen fan) had some special things lined up for them. So in order to not have the beer just sitting in barrels or kegs, Revolution decided to crowler them off and sell them. Form of the Destructor was one of those recently released. - [Episode 356 - Sweet Treats](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-356-sweet-treats/) - If there's ever been a month for careless indulgence, it would be December of 2020, so we're going full-on dessert and pastry beer with some sweet treats for this episode. These five entries have us nostalgic for vacation ice cream shoppes, cozy breakfast diners, and gourmet popcorn stores - despite some initial fears. Also, we - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: November 2020](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-november-2020/) - Each month, we like to highlight twelve beers we found personally interesting, delicious, or exciting from (mostly) local sources with the hopes of passing on our recommendations to those that are interested in reading arbitrary reviews. Some of these drinks were reviewed on the podcast, some were for Patreon-only Low ABVs, and some are just - [Bourbon County X: The Top 10 BCBS Variants](http://www.abvchicago.com/bourbon-county-x-the-top-10-bcbs-variants/) - Things happen over the course of 10 years. I won’t shock/humor you with some “This is what it was like in 2010” list, but yes, it’s been 10 years since Goose Island both released their first Bourbon County variants and released them on Black Friday. That release, I’ve read, was fraught with questions of, “Are - [Episode 355 - Triple IPAs](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-355-triple-ipas/) - Once more of a niche taproom-only style, the Triple IPA has become a more common sight on the shelves thanks to craft beer customers who never say no to more. Hazy or not, these five beers are aiming for the target between too sweet or too strong, and a few veer a bit off course. - [Bourbon County X: The People's Choice Survey](http://www.abvchicago.com/bourbon-county-x-the-peoples-choice-survey/) - Although Goose Island's Bourbon County Brand Stout has been made since 1995 (or was it 1992?), the celebrated release has moved beyond just a big beer aged in bourbon barrels in a lot of ways. 2020 marks the 11th year that the brewery has released variants of their Bourbon County brand, which has added ingredients, - [Deep Wood 2020 Part 2 | Revolution Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/deep-wood-2020-part-2-revolution-brewing/) - Round 3 of Revolution’s Deep Wood 2020 pulls into the station! This drop features three brews that Revolution has released before, some more recent than others. There’s a little more variety here, as the previous two rounds featured only stouts, while this one brings a stout and two barleywines. Let’s get hammered! - [Episode 354 - American-Made Mexican-Style Lagers](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-354-american-made-mexican-style-lagers/) - We're on flavor sabbatical for a week, so we're looking around for minor trends to cover that we haven't properly explored. As a twist on the traditional German lager, Mexican-Style lagers usually use maize or corn as part of the grain bill, but we find that no two American-made takes on this style are the - [ABV Chicago's FoBAB Fantasy League 2020: Final Results](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicagos-fobab-fantasy-league-2020-final-results/) - If there’s any positive to not having the best Chicago beer festival (and Illinois Brewers Guild fundraiser) this year, it was much easier to score the FoBAB Fantasy League, not having to juggle a tasting glass sloshing over with sticky brown liquid or a can of dented pilsner smuggled downstairs from the brewers’ lounge. And - [ABV Chicago's FoBAB Fantasy League 2020: Draft Results](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicagos-fobab-fantasy-league-2020-draft-results/) - (If you’re interested in running your own Fantasy FoBAB league, check out our setup and Power Rankings in this post.) With the livestream of the Festival of Wood and Barrel-aged Beers happening this Saturday at 3PM CST on the FoBAB website, we will have our scoresheets at the ready to see who will win the - [Beyond Forever | Private Press](http://www.abvchicago.com/private-press-beyond-forever/) - Brad Clark should be a name that rings a bell. I’m pretty sure you’re familiar with Jackie O’s, for which he was head brewer and director of brewing operations since 2005 (basically the beginning of Jackie O’s). He recently left, but there was no animosity in the split - Clark simply wanted to be closer to his then fiancé (now wife) Adair Paterno (of Sante Adairius Rustic Ales). Naturally, he decided to start a new brewery called Private Press. - [Episode 353 - Cruz Blanca Luchadors 2020](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-353-cruz-blanca-luchadors-2020/) - For a few years running, Cruz Blanca's Luchador series has been perhaps the most inspired and creative lineup of the holy trinity of Chicago barrel-aged beer special releases. We get a mouthful on this episode, as we drink through all eight of these big and burly beers aged in a seemingly endless number of different - [FoBAB Fantasy Draft: Power Rankings 2020](http://www.abvchicago.com/fobab-fantasy-draft-power-rankings-2020/) - One of the best beer fests in the world is going virtual this year. And though we’re already feeling the absence of endless rows of barrel-aged beers at FoBAB, we here at ABV Chicago recommend starting a Fantasy FoBAB 2020 League. (Quickly, because the awards will be livestreamed on November 14th.) Want to run your - [Grisly Reaper | Old Irving Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/grisly-reaper-old-irving-brewing/) - Stout season is here. The weather agrees with the coming of this season (recent past notwithstanding), bringing with it wind chills and, at the very least, jackets. I typically say stout season starts with Revolution’s Deep Wood series and usually ends in March when KBS tends to be released. But stout season is also a - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: October 2020](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-october-2020/) - Each month, we like to highlight twelve beers we found personally interesting, delicious, or exciting from (mostly) local sources with the hopes of passing on our recommendations to those that are interested in reading arbitrary reviews. Some of these drinks were reviewed on the podcast, some were for Patreon-only Low ABVs, and some are just - [Episode 352 - Bourbon County 2020](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-352-bourbon-county-2020/) - In preparation for a Black Friday like never before, we got a chance to sample through this year's full lineup of Goose Island's Bourbon County to help you decide exactly how many online lotteries to enter. Though there are no headline-grabbers like Double Barrel or Rare this year, the seven beer lineup is impressively consistent, - [Phase Three | A Bushel of Apples](http://www.abvchicago.com/phase-three-a-bushel-of-apples/) - Beer stores receiving countless phone calls per day. People who have never stepped into a small beer store before asking for it. Moms bringing in their kids wondering about when it’ll be out. Grown men reminiscing about when they would pick up their Affy Tapples as kids. Yeah, this one was going to be difficult to get your hands on. - [Episode 351 - Torture Test IV: Zoom of Doom](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-351-torture-test-iv-zoom-of-doom/) - As if this year hasn't been cruel enough, we once again try and assemble a tapestry of nightmares out of old and bad beers. Each host brings the three worst beers they could find to this modified remote version of our yearly late October tradition, and the results are not at all what we would've - [Episode 350 - Bless This West](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-350-bless-this-west/) - In need of a haze hiatus but unwilling to give up our hop addiction, we are ISO IBUs as we sample through five West Coast-style IPAs to travel back to a time of malt, bitterness, and clarity. It was exactly what we needed, as this lineup becomes one of the best front-to-back that we've had - [Revolution Deep Wood 2020 (Part 1)](http://www.abvchicago.com/revolution-deep-wood-2020-part-1/) - Revolution’s Deep Wood finally returns! While Thundertaker can be considered the first release, the release of Deth’s Tar (and variants) typically signals the beginning of both Deep Wood and stout season. As with all years canned, this release features the base Deth’s Tar and the caffeinated Café Deth and a new, never before canned variant of Maple Deth. - [Maplewood Brewing | Morbidly Obese Pug Banana Split](http://www.abvchicago.com/maplewood-brewing-morbidly-obese-pug-banana-split/) - Leaves are changing color. Temperatures drop to where a light coat is necessary. Football and schools begin again. Maplewood hosts Natioanl Pug Day and releases Morbidly Obese Pug. Must mean autumn! - [Episode 349 - GABF Memories](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-349-gabf-memories/) - For the first time since this podcast started almost seven years ago, there's no trip to Denver to drink beer at the Great American Beer Festival - and we're feeling a little sad about it. So we embark on a gleefully nostalgic and self-indulgent episode, wherein we revisit some favorite memories (and interviews) from the - [Drekker Brewing | Peach Passionfruit Braaaaaaaains](http://www.abvchicago.com/drekker-brewing-peach-passionfruit-braaaaaaaains/) - Over-fruited sours. Smoothie sours. Whatever you want to call them, they sell amazingly well and make great for great Instagram filter pictures. No matter whether you think these creations are beer or not, they remain very tasty and potentially dangerous if not kept cold. So it makes perfect sense that these types of sours have - [Third Space Brewing | Double Barrel Nexus](http://www.abvchicago.com/third-space-brewing-double-barrel-nexus/) - Third Space has been around for 4 years this month! Feels like forever ago we found out about them on our Brew City trip (it was July 2019), but they’ve been a constant presence in my house since then. The trip up isn’t that bad (Transient and Triptych - two of my other close but not really brewery faves - are a bit farther time-wise) and the beers are always solid at worst. So in honor of Third Space’s 4th anniversary, here’s Double Barrel Nexus! - [Episode 348 - Chill Pils](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-348-chill-pils/) - It's as good a time as ever to take time to chill with some simple and refreshing pilsners, so we try to lower our resting heart rates through a little lager love. We drink five different pilsners that offer a surprising amount of variation for the style, and we try not to let the prospect - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: September 2020](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-september-2020/) - Each month, we like to highlight twelve beverages we found personally interesting, delicious, or exciting from (mostly) local sources with the hopes of passing on our recommendations to those that are interested in reading arbitrary reviews. Some of these drinks were reviewed on the podcast, some were for Patreon-only Low ABVs, and some are just - [Episode 347 - Illuminated Brew Works](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-347-illuminated-brew-works/) - Enshrouded in a dark and mysterious energy, Illuminated Brew Works has become a cult favorite in Chicago - because they are probably an actual cult. Our initial apprehension becomes open-armed acceptance as we ingest Five Sacraments of IBW, and dabble in the mystic arts. (Actually, we just use a really bad online Ouija board, but - [Episode 346 - More vs. Phase Three Blind](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-346-more-vs-phase-three-blind/) - In a state chock full of great hazy IPA producers, More and Phase Three still stand amongst the best and most-revered. The fact that they have an intertwined history adds to the stakes of our totally arbitrary blind battle of the haze wherein one brewery will be crowned winner, and the other will be crowned, - [Odious Cellars | Rubied Perspective](http://www.abvchicago.com/odious-cellars-rubied-perspective/) - It’s always exciting to find a new brewery. Even though I had heard of Odious Cellars in passing, I had completely forgotten about them until I recently heard of their launch at Pilot Project on September 12. 2020. Needless to say, I was excited to get some sour beer from them. - [Revolution Brewing | Thundertaker](http://www.abvchicago.com/revolution-brewing-thundertaker/) - Revolution wants your money. All of it, every month of the year. Their year-rounds are outstanding, but the real hurt to the wallet comes when the Deep Wood beers get released. Taking a page from the NFL playbook, Revolution has expanded their Deep Wood program and releases gradually. It started off as one-to-two bombers being released each month from November to January/February. Not too bad on the ol’ bank account. - [Episode 345 - Old Irving Brewing (ft. Trevor-Rose Hamblin)](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-345-old-irving-brewing-ft-trevor-rose-hamblin/) - Soon to be celebrating their 4th year in business, Old Irving Brewing has established itself as one of the best brewpubs in the city - with the hardware to prove it. This episode features an interview with owner and head brewer Trevor Rose-Hamblin, who tells the story of OIB, his culinary background and its influence on - [1840 Brewing | Forgotten Not Lost](http://www.abvchicago.com/1840-brewing-forgotten-not-lost/) - It’s always nice to feel like you discovered a brewery. Even though 1840 Brewing had been around since 2017, even though people recommended that we stop there on our Great Milwaukee trip of 2019, even though we actually didn’t discover 1840 Brewing, it feels like you did because you enjoy their beer so much. When - [Episode 344 - Craft Seltzers](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-344-craft-seltzers/) - We held out so long on seltzers, until the exact moment when we saw some of our favorite breweries releasing their takes on the flavored malt beverage craze. Are they any more refined or impressive than the tacky trendsetters filling a million Yeti coolers and frat house fridges? (And we would know, because we drank - [Lo Rez | Circuit Bender](http://www.abvchicago.com/lo-rez-circuit-bender/) - Ah, the Berliner Weisse. A tart wheat beer that was too tart for some so they added Woodruff and fruited syrups to cut down some of that tartness. Still too tart for some, brewers started putting in so much fruit that the Berliner Weisse became a vessel for exploding cans and basically fruit juice/puree. What - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: August 2020](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-august-2020/) - Each month, we like to highlight twelve beers we found personally interesting, delicious, or exciting from (mostly) local sources with the hopes of passing on our recommendations to those that are interested in reading arbitrary beer reviews. Some of these beers were reviewed on the podcast, some were for Patreon-only Low ABVs, and some are - [Foreign Exchange | Aliena](http://www.abvchicago.com/foreign-exchange-aliena/) - Foreign Exchange is Ricky Cervantes. Starting out in 2016 in his 18th floor Aurora apartment, Cervantes currently brews Foreign Exchange beers out of Church Street Brewing in Itasca, IL (but that will change at some point in the near future). Foreign Exchange generally brews hazy IPAs, stouts, and pastry-whatever (and an occasional pilsner), so there’s - [Episode 342 - The KS Show](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-342-the-ks-show/) - After delousing in quarantine for 14 days, our Kansas (KS) show is ready to bring our State Show series up to #24, with the help of loyal listener Don Kasak. We traverse the state via quaffable liquid as we review five beers from five Kansas breweries - and no IPAs or stouts are in sight! - [Hop Butcher for the World | Monster Cave](http://www.abvchicago.com/hop-butcher-for-the-world-monster-cave/) - I always wonder where Hop Butcher comes up with the names for their beers. Monster Cave has nothing to do with the hop combo or a pop culture reference. I’d like to think it’s closer to something like a man or woman cave, just filled with your favorite monsters. Dracula. Frankenstein. Loch Ness. My Pet - [Around the Bend | Kinetic Repulse](http://www.abvchicago.com/around-the-bend-kinetic-repulse/) - Craig tries the fourth beer in Around the Bend's #science series, their Kinetic Repulse double IPA. - [Episode 341 - Off Color IPAs](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-341-off-color-ipas/) - Quite possibly Chicago's best brewery, Off Color still doesn't make any IPAs - nor do they have any plans to. And that's quite alright. Seven years in, this little critter-lovin' brewery continues to build one of the best brands around while furthering a stellar collection of esoteric small batches and inspired flavor combinations. We catch - [Bourbon County 2020 Too Soon Variant Rankings](http://www.abvchicago.com/bourbon-county-2020-too-soon-variant-rankings/) - The Bourbon County 2020 lineup has finally been revealed! Although it feels like the announcement was made later than usual (but then again, everything feels later than usual nowadays), it still brought about the usual fervor and blog posts and articles (including this one). But this one will be a little bit different. You’re more - [Metal Monkey | Cherry Balloon Head](http://www.abvchicago.com/metal-monkey-cherry-balloon-head/) - Remember going to arcades? A few still exist. You always wanted to strike a balance between the video games and the redemption games (like skee-ball). You knew you were never going to get enough tickets to get those high value items (or never had the patience to do so) but you’d still play them anyways. - [Episode 339 - Chicago Hop Leaders](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-339-chicago-hop-leaders/) - Recent years have seen a surprising emergence of Chicago as one of the top destinations for hop enthusiasts, bolstered by a few well-publicized national medals and hype-inducing haze makers. But there were those that helped reshape our palates in the early days: the local leaders of hops. For this show, we review five hoppy beers - [Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Midwest](http://www.abvchicago.com/sierrra-nevada-beer-camp-midwest/) - Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Midwest by Ryan Initially I was going to recap the Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Festival Midwest stop by mimicking a child’s letter home from camp. But I never went to camp, and that’s a hacky writing device, so instead watch this video of Allan Sherman and we can all move on - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: July 2020](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-july-2020/) - Each month, we like to highlight twelve beers we found personally interesting, delicious, or exciting from (mostly) local sources with the hopes of passing on our recommendations to those that are interested in reading arbitrary beer reviews. Some of these beers were reviewed on the podcast, some were for Patreon-only Low ABVs, and some are - [Narrow Gauge | Meersalz (Raspberry/Lemon)](http://www.abvchicago.com/narrow-gauge-meersalz-raspberry-lemon/) - Narrow Gauge makes more than just hazy hoppy beers and their Meersalz is a GABF award-winning beer. How does a fruited version of it shake out? Candy-like! - [Episode 338 - So It Gose](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-338-so-it-gose/) - So, was anyone going to tell us that gose puns weren't cool anymore? Well, at least the beers are better than they've ever been as we sample five enhanced goses from local breweries that only leave us feeling a little salty. Pineapples, coconuts, lavender, lactose - what won't these crazy breweries put in a gose - [Afterthought Brewing | Tradition: Double Gin Barrel Aged](http://www.abvchicago.com/afterthought-brewing-tradition-double-gin-barrel-aged/) - Very quietly and unassumingly, Afterthought has grown. They began with only their Blended Barrel membership program and being available only at The Beer Cellar in Glen Ellyn. They have expanded (limitedly) to other beer stores and eventually signed with Do Right Distribution. A taproom is coming soon. Things are happening. - [Episode 337 - Saisonathon at Home](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-337-saisonathon-at-home/) - Once we accepted the cancellation of beer fests for the foreseeable future, we knew we had a hole to fill. A farmhouse hole. So, we do our best to recreate one of our favorite annual events - our annual Illinois Craft Beer Week event, Saisonathon - by drinking a wide array of saisons from the - [Revolution Brewing | Mixed Berry Ryeway](http://www.abvchicago.com/revolution-brewing-mixed-berry-ryeway/) - Revolution’s at it again. Last year, they decided to release Strawberry Jacket and Honey Jacket during the summer heat - and it worked. This year Revolution did the same thing, albeit all online due to the pandemic. Supermassive Café Deth came out a month ago and sold out very quickly. Now Mixed Berry Ryeway comes - [Episode 336 - Fruited Berliners](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-336-fruited-berliners/) - If it seems that the string of 90-degree days will never end, well have we got a beer style for you. Berliner weisses experienced a considerable rejuvenation in the last five years, but they've also recently become synonymous with overfruited slurry beers that buck any sense of tradition. On this show, we seek five local - [Half Acre | Sunset Vallejo](http://www.abvchicago.com/half-acre-sunset-vallejo/) - Half Acre releases a lot of variants of their beers now. For a while it seemed like the only two variants that would come every year without fail were Double Daisy Cutter (usually a spring and fall release) and Galactic Double Daisy Cutter (during Chicago Craft Beer Week). Now there seems to be a new - [Episode 335 - New Local Cans](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-335-new-local-cans/) - If it's been a while since you've last visited a craft bottle shop, you'll likely encounter a whole new slew of labels from local breweries to explore. We pick up five beers from a few breweries we know and from a few we don't to hopefully help you navigate those crowded shelves. Meanwhile, Ryan's tenure - [Keeping Together | I Am Because We Are](http://www.abvchicago.com/keeping-together-i-am-because-we-are/) - Chicago has been undergoing a saisonissance recently. Including the 2017 debut of Afterthought Brewing (at our Saisonathon), three dedicated saison breweries that have opened in and around Chicago. While that’s not many compared to breweries that have opened in that time frame, it represents a big jump from the zero Chicago breweries solely dedicated to - [Episode 334 - 5new2us](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-334-5new2us/) - After months of curbside-only beer shopping, craft bottle shops have opened their doors to customers looking to pluck some single cans off the shelves in hopes of discovering a few new favorites. We did just that at The Open Bottle in Tinley Park, finding five beers from out-of-state breweries to check out, leading us to - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: June 2020](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-june-2020/) - Each month, we like to highlight twelve beers we found personally interesting, delicious, or exciting from (mostly) local sources with the hopes of passing on our recommendations to those that are interested in reading arbitrary beer reviews. Some of these beers were reviewed on the podcast, some were for Patreon-only Low ABVs, and some are - [Maplewood Brewing & Distillery's Tiger Mountain](http://www.abvchicago.com/maplewood-brewing-distillerys-tiger-mountain/) - Maplewood has slowly been brewing up some hype and demand. Their Cuppa series sells out extremely fast - sometimes before I wake up - and their hazy offerings are not that far behind. But their secret weapon are their lagers. They don’t sell out as fast nor do they get those sexy untappd ratings, but - [Episode 333 - Meeting Beers](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-333-meeting-beers/) - By the time you hit that third Zoom meeting of the day, you're likely thinking about a beer to drink discretely that won't get you in trouble. On this episode, we have five very different beers that all land under 6 percent, which should keep you out of trouble with HR. Craig seeks out some - [Revolution Brewing Supermassive Café Deth](http://www.abvchicago.com/revolution-brewing-supermassive-cafe-deth/) - Revolution’s releases have always been events. Their early releases (Very Mad Cow, Straight Jacket, the Genes) were more focused on the beer being released with a generous helping of some delicious Revolution brewpub bites. With the recent move to cans, the release parties have been more focused on crazy barrel experimental beers and one-offs (dubbed - [Episode 332 - Hop Butcher for the Quarantine](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-332-hop-butcher-for-the-quarantine/) - Even though people are chasing pre-orders instead of trucks these days, Hop Butcher is still as hot as ever thanks to their consistent schedule of mostly hoppy - and mostly hazy - releases. The variation amongst these six beers is surprisingly significant, despite all being some sort of play on IPA. This episode is a - [Episode 331 - Milkshakes Not Handshakes](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-331-milkshakes-not-handshakes/) - Soothing that early summer heat with big ol' glasses of lactose and hops, we're sharing shakes from afar this week with the hopes of better understanding our complicated relationship with this popular style. We have five very different milkshake IPAs from some local favorites and - GASP - there may be a grifter in our - [Episode 330 - Café a la Maison](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-330-cafe-a-la-maison/) - Since you won't find either of us sitting on some coffeehouse patio anytime soon, we're bringing the coffee home in the form of five stouts. While they all deliver the caffeine and the booze, each beer stands on its own unique merits - or is a victim of context. But we're also here to get - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: May 2020](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-may-2020/) - As I sit here assembling this post, taproom patios in the suburbs are preparing to open for the first time in months. Chicago won’t be far behind. While I’m excited for a return to somewhat normalcy, I’m also hesitant to embrace those feelings, as I’m sure many are. And you know what? It’s okay if - [Episode 329 - Fruit Salad](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-329-fruit-salad/) - Here's hoping that we can talk you out of attending that backyard barbecue by offering up this refreshing bowl of audio fruit salad to help your summer isolation feel a bit more festive. We have five different fruited beers that really span the range from "pleasant fruit accessory" to "chunky berry sludge" - and they - [Episode 328 - Stone Redemption](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-328-stone-redemption/) - When you've been around as long as Stone, you're bound to take some lumps. And lumps we have delivered in the past by subjecting Stone beers to undeserved spots on our Torture Test episodes. Thanks to Lizzie at Stone, we are finally able to give the brewery its first proper set of arbitrary reviews, and - [Episode 327 - SIP Lagers](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-327-sip-lagers/) - We were already becoming very good at staying home and drinking copious amounts of lager before this whole mess, so it's only natural that we shelter-in-place with a rich lineup of bottom-fermenting beers. Featuring six different lager styles from six Midwestern breweries, this episode highlights impressive flavor and mouthfeel variations so we actually, like, have - [Episode 326 - Curbside Haze](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-326-curbside-haze/) - This week, we celebrate the resilience of local breweries and bottle shops that are still finding a way to keep getting hazy IPAs into the begloved fans of the juice. Though not necessarily the most hyped haze producers in the area, the five breweries on this show prove to be absolutely worth your contact-free dollar. - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: April 2020](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-april-2020/) - The pivot to curbside and delivery service for breweries, bars, and bottle shops has given something of a second life to many businesses and has redefined beer buying for the consumer. It won’t solve everything, and out-of-work employees of these establishments still need as much support as they can get. But it’s been a relief - [Episode 325 - Third Space Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-325-third-space-brewing/) - Craig extends his curbside to wherever he may roam, and after a month of quarantine, he hit up Milwaukee, carbound and down to score some more Third Space. After our visit last July, we've been thirsting for more from this brewery that's just a Christian Yelich homerun away from Brewers' stadium. We have a nice - [Episode 324 - SIP Dark](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-324-sip-dark/) - As we continue our shelter-in-place recordings, this time we've got a somewhat random mix of dark beers to distract us from *gestures broadly* and get us nearly incoherent by rankings time. Whether teeming with adjuncts or not, these five Midwestern porters and stouts compete in the Pretty Head Competition while the show becomes robust with - [Episode 323 - SIP Hops](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-323-sip-hops/) - We're sheltered-in-place (SIP) and slamming way more of some killer hoppy beers than normal, because we don't actually have to share. In our first remotely-recorded episode, we overcome a brief technical glitch before returning to what feels very normal: Craig and Ryan fumbling through flavor descriptors while distracting each other with random stories from our - [Episode 322 - The KY Show](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-322-the-ky-show/) - In lieu of, you know, actual travelling, we're taking our tastebuds down to Kentucky thanks to our good friend Sarah Rehmer. As our last in-person recording for a while, we couldn't have expected that a show with five different Kentucky beers would have so many standouts - along with one just hateful beer. We're building - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: March 2020](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-march-2020/) - Well, a lot has changed since our last monthly sampler. Most obviously, Ryan drank a lot more stouts than IPAs this month. Ok, ok, sorry. In reality, this monthly roundup was meant to highlight beers we either had together on the podcast, or out at taprooms, or alone in our separate residences. And now only - [Episode 321 - 3 Floyds](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-321-3-floyds/) - We can all use a heaping helping of beer-based nostalgia right now, so we spend an hour drinking and talking about one of the most significant craft breweries Chicagoland has ever known: 3 Floyds. For the first time ever, we have five different beers from the Munster, Indiana-based brewery represented, including three that really get - [Episode 320 - Girl Scout Cookie Press](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-320-girl-scout-cookie-press/) - Because, what else are we going to do? A while back, Ryan bought three French presses and was determined to make an absolute mess of some good beers for your entertainment. Craig picked out six beers from local breweries in a range of styles, and we drink and review those beers as normal before cramming - [Drink Your Cellar, Tip Your Tender](http://www.abvchicago.com/drink-your-cellar-tip-your-tender/) - Help out Chicago-area bars, restaurants, and breweries by donating to their fundraising campaigns and win beer from us! Drink Your Cellar, Tip Your Tender! - [The French Press Beer Experiment: Girl Scout Cookie Edition](http://www.abvchicago.com/the-french-press-beer-experiment-girl-scout-cookie-edition/) - Back in December of 2019 while holiday shopping at IKEA, I came across the UPPHETTA - specifically, the 13.5 oz. model of their French press selling for an absurdly-low $6.99. (The 34 oz. model is only a buck more, by the way.) Thinking specifically about how I could torture my podcast cohost in new and - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: February 2020](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-february-2020/) - For the month of February, Craig and Ryan’s lists are heavily local, though that’s mostly where the similarities end. Apparently, Ryan spent the most of the month drinking IPAs in his basement (it’s true), and Craig went looking for sours and adjunct-enhanced malt experiences. If you think we missed something, let us know by emailing - [Episode 319 - Jersey? Sure!](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-319-jersey-sure/) - It's good to have friends back East, as listener Mike Bobal sent us a box of New Jersey delights to reacquaint us with beers of the Garden State. And yeah, we snuck a ringer on. But there are many great beers to celebrate on this show, as we ponder many important questions. What kind of - [Episode 317 - Single Hop Blind](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-317-single-hop-blind/) - With most blind shows, we aim to learn more about how our biases impact our perception of beer styles, and we are often surprised and enlightened by the results. But not this episode. Our attempts to try and determine hop varietals through a blind sampling of five single-hop beers ends disastrously, so listen and enjoy - [Episode 285 - Phase Three vs. Hop Butcher Blind](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-285-phase-three-vs-hop-butcher-blind/) - The two great local conquests of the haze-chasers in Chicagoland for 2019, Phase Three and Hop Butcher have built a hype train of hops that has no signs of slowing down. So we do some blatant pandering to the beer geeks by having three double IPAs from each brewery in a blind tasting to finally - [Off The Deep (Wood) End: The Final Chapter](http://www.abvchicago.com/off-the-deep-wood-end-the-final-chapter/) - Review of the final two Revolution Deep Wood beers for the 2019-2020 season - Cuvée de Grace and Ten Year Beer. - [Episode 316 - Revolution: Deeper and Woodier](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-316-revolution-deeper-and-woodier/) - The second half of Revolution's most recent Deep Wood series is all about the barrels, with beers featuring ambitious blends and extended aging to close out the brewery's tenth year on a high note. We sample five beers from the city's best barrel program, and we celebrate the man who makes it all possible: David - [More Brewing - Huntley](http://www.abvchicago.com/more-brewing-huntley/) - After what seems like at least a year since it was announced, More Brewing is finally opening their production facility in Huntley, Illinois on February 29, 2020. Their production will grow significantly, resulting in possible distribution and availability beyond their Villa Park brewpub. We were able to get a preview of the More Production Brewery - [ABV Chicago's 6th Anniversary Party](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicagos-6th-anniversary-party/) - Join us at Beermiscuous on Saturday February 8th to celebrate our 6th anniversary! - [Episode 315 - 1840 Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-315-1840-brewing/) - Back in July, we were lucky enough to spend a little time with Kyle Vetter at his 1840 Brewing in Milwaukee (which you can hear on our Brew City episode), and since then we've been dreaming about getting five bottles to the bunker for review. Craig's recent travels bring us a wide variety of styles - [Episode 314 - More Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-314-more-brewing/) - Villa Park's More Brewing made a big splash from the moment they opened their doors in 2017, due to their hiring of a rising star brewer and their embrace of big flavor beers. Much has changed in a few short years, with a different (yet equally talented) head brewer at the helm, a gigantic new - [Episode 313 - Back to the Barrel](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-313-back-to-the-barrel/) - After taking a month to recover from our Barrel-Aged December, we hop right back in the wood with five big beers from Illinois breweries. It leaves us feeling pretty spoiled to have so many great Winter barrel-aged options that don't rhyme with Bevolution and Bruce Guyland. Craig starts things off a bit morbid, but we - [Goose Island Sox Golden Ale](http://www.abvchicago.com/goose-island-sox-golden-ale/) - A preview of the upcoming Sox Golden Ale from Goose Island, available at Guaranteed Rate Field and on Chicago shelves starting in March. - [ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler: January 2020](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-monthly-sampler-january-2020/) - We’re starting off 2020 with a new feature for our website: the ABV Chicago Monthly Sampler. Each month we will each pick our six favorite beers we had and write about them, presenting them without any specific ranking. They could’ve been featured on the podcast, on a Low ABV, or just something we came across - [Episode 312 - Goose Diaspora](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-312-goose-diaspora/) - The complex story of Goose Island extends far beyond their innovations and acquisition, because throughout their history, they've cultivated a truly impressive brewing team. This appropriately-numbered episode is a tribute to all the brewers who developed under Goose's tutelage and moved on to start or brew at other impactful breweries. (Somebody should write a book - [Friday Night Flights at the Chicago Auto Show 2020](http://www.abvchicago.com/friday-night-flights-at-the-chicago-auto-show-2020/) - The Chicago Auto Show. It’s as February as Valentine’s Day and President’s Day. Two weeks of checking out concept cars so advanced that they’ll never be made, cars you may only hope you can afford, and generally taking stupid pictures of yourself driving or in said cars. So much has changed about the auto show - [Episode 311 - Danks for Legal Weed](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-311-danks-for-legal-weed/) - The start of legalized marijuana in Illinois has been a real mixed bag with massive lines and product shortages dominating the headlines. So rather than feeling empty-handed, why not head to the beer aisle for a taste of the dank? We sample six IPAs that are united under the simple idea of "heh heh, weed" - [Episode 310 - Under the Table and Drinking](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-310-under-the-table-and-drinking/) - It's flavorful yet restrained. It's refreshing and sessionable. And it's loosely bound by any real style designation. It's the table beer! We explore five Chicago-area takes on this non-style that seems to borrow a little magic from Belgian farmhouses before going in a variety of flavorful directions, all while staying under 5% ABV. With this - [Episode 309 - Beer on the Wall Collabs](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-309-beer-on-the-wall-collabs/) - We're quite transparent about two things on this podcast: we genuinely enjoy supporting our sole long-time sponsor, and we love getting free beer to review. So when Beer on the Wall had their 3rd Anniversary party featuring a wide array of interesting collaborations with great local breweries, they saved us five to review. We also - [Episode 308 - middle brow.](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-308-middle-brow/) - Following the story of middle brow has been a privilege for us, as their generosity and selflessness has been pretty well-documented during years of limited production and no actual brewery to call home. But within the last year or so, middle brow has won a gold at FoBAB, bought a few foeders, and opened their - [Ryan's Top 50 Beers of 2019](http://www.abvchicago.com/ryans-top-50-beers-of-2019/) - The criteria for the list is simple: these are the best beers that I had this year that were released this year. Most of these were packaged but some were from draft pours or at festivals (if I had multiple experiences with it – not just a single 2-ounce pour.) This list is incredibly tilted - [30 Most Memorable Beers of 2019](http://www.abvchicago.com/30-most-memorable-beers-of-2019/) - The Year in Beer 2019 featured some well-tread areas - shocking (and some not-so-shocking) brewery sales, cramming your grocery store shopping cart in the mash tun - along with some that we didn't see or expect, such as hard seltzer becoming a huge thing and not being able to calculate your ABV correctly. But 2019 - [Episode 307 - Bourbon County 2019](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-307-bourbon-county-2019/) - Wherein we consume over a gallon of Bourbon County, this episode attempts to balance detailed reviews with what is basically stunt drinking. We enlist the help of Beer on the Wall's Ryan Tracy to try all eight variations under Goose Island's 2019 Bourbon County brand. We spend a lot of time dissecting the annually most-argued-over - [Episode 306 - FoBAB Winners](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-306-fobab-winners/) - To continue Barrel-Aged December, we track down five beers that brought home medals from this year's Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beers. (We swear this isn't a month-old FoBAB recap show.) We put on our judges' hats and try to find the secret to what makes a beer medal-worthy at Chicago's premier beer competition. Craig - [ABV Chicago's Arbitrary Decade-End Survey (and Raffle!)](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicagos-arbitrary-decade-end-survey-and-raffle/) - Being teachers, we value feedback, revision, and "teachable moments" even when it comes to our silly beer podcast. So, we're gathering feedback about our show, in addition to some outside perspective about the last ten years in beer. To encourage your patience in filling out this survey, you may enter a raffle by including some - [Episode 305 - Cruz Blanca Luchadors 2019](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-305-cruz-blanca-luchadors-2019/) - At some point, these guys can't stay "underrated" or "under the radar" with the ridiculous blends and adjunct-enhanced beers from barrels they release every year. The Cruz Blanca Luchador series may still be young in the Chicago specialty release annual tradition, but the resulting beers are outpacing their seasoned competitors in quality and accessibility. In - [Off the Deep (Wood) End: Variety Pack!](http://www.abvchicago.com/off-the-deep-wood-end-variety-pack/) - Revolution’s been flying high after their previous two Deep Wood releases. The first release of all stouts featured one of the best beers I’ve had all year, while the second release saw the anticipated debut of another V.S.O. beer that will also end up in my year end ranks. (Then we did all of them - [Episode 304 - Deep Wood 2019 Part 1](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-304-deep-wood-2019-part-1/) - The best yearly barrel-aged release series has hit its halfway point, so we're using that as an excuse to drink through the five newest releases in Revolution's Deep Wood 2019 series. It takes some real nitpicking to find flaws in any of these beers, so we mostly just talk about why they are all awesome - [Episode 303 - Hot Drops](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-303-hot-drops/) - When a beer festival with national interest comes through Chicago, beer consumers are met with a whole new array of options at their favorite bottle shops, even if only for a short time. For this episode, we take advantage of some FoBAB-influenced "hot drops" of out-of-distribution breweries ending up on local beer store shelves. Is - [Episode 302 - Listener Supported](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-302-listener-supported/) - We took last week to recover from FoBAB, so this week we dip into our short-storage vault for this episode we recorded back in May with five listener supported beers. This beer lineup features both minor misses and absolute hits, but we're feeling genuinely warmed by the listener love. Impending summer makes us looser than - [Episode 301 - Dark Lagers](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-301-dark-lagers/) - With winter approaching, one might feel it necessary to lament the passing of lager season. But dear listener, never fret! Brewers from all over the world have got your back! On this show, we salute our schwarz as we drink seven different dark lagers, with four coming from our own backyard of Chicago. We learn - [ABV Chicago's FoBAB Fantasy League Results 2019](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicagos-fobab-fantasy-league-results-2019/) - Here are how the teams fared, in draft order. Each number preceding the brewery represents their overall pick number. (And all multiple location breweries have been combined, as is explained in our fantasy league draft post.) Team: The Blowfish Team Manager: Nik White (@nkosio) IL Medals Tiebreaker: 12 1 - Revolution Brewing (Chicago, IL)Gold - - [Maplewood Barrel Aged Cuppas](http://www.abvchicago.com/maplewood-barrel-aged-cuppas/) - Maplewood has finally joined the barrel-aged can game with their first two releases happening - coincidentally - the weekend of the Festival of Wood and Barrel Aged Beers. Whereas as breweries like Revolution and Mikerphone release theirs in a 12 ounce format, Maplewood’s going the Goose Island-like route with 16 ounce cans (Bourbon County is - [Episode 300 - 3 Fonteinen](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-300-3-fonteinen/) - We're celebrating our big 300 by treating ourselves to the exquisite (and expensive) beers from one of Belgium's longest-running gueuze producers, Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen. Despite the occasion, we just do it like we have for the last 300 by reviewing carefully crafted beers as sloppily as possible, only diverting to mini-tangents about Craig's assassin dog, - [ABV Chicago's FoBAB Fantasy Draft 2019](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicagos-fobab-fantasy-draft-2019/) - As if drinking barrel-aged beers from 229 breweries, cideries, and meaderies from all over the country (and the world) was not exciting enough, we’ve come up with a simple way to make the Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beers (FoBAB) a fun competition amongst friends - the FoBAB Fantasy League. Running a FoBAB Fantasy League - [FoBAB Fantasy Draft: Power Rankings 2019](http://www.abvchicago.com/fobab-fantasy-draft-power-rankings-2019/) - If you’re playing along at home with your own FoBAB Fantasy Draft for the 2019 season, we the non-experts at ABV Chicago have drafted up our Double-Barrel Power Rankings for your draft preparation. (Check out the results of our very own 10-team draft.) The list was prepared by two people using their arbitrary opinions and - [Episode 299 - Torture Test III: Pain Train](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-299-torture-test-iii-pain-train/) - The most terrible tradition - the Torture Test - returns with our third annual gauntlet of gore as we try and outdo each other with the absolute worst-tasting beers we can find. Throw in some Zombie Skittles, and you have a profane exhibition of freakishly-bad flavors. We also try to avoid adding ounces to our - [Episode 298 - FoBABlin' 4 The People](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-298-fobablin-4-the-people/) - In our yearly tribute to Chicago's best beer fest, we continue our tradition of giving our recommendations for the Festival of Wood and Barrel-aged Beers while drinking from a distinguished lineup of attendees - but that's not all. We introduce the FoBAB Fantasy Draft into the world, give you instructions on how to run your - [Bourbon County 2019 Lineup Preview](http://www.abvchicago.com/bourbon-county-2019-lineup-preview/) - We get a preview of the 2019 Bourbon County lineup, rank 'em, and have a long lost surprise given to us. - [GABF 2019: Ryan's 40 Best Beers](http://www.abvchicago.com/gabf-2019-ryans-40-best-beers/) - Still the biggest and best beer fest around, this year’s Great American Beer Festival featured over 800 breweries, which is roughly 10 percent of the breweries operating in the U.S. at this point in time. Over 2,000 beers were poured, and roughly 14,000 pretzel necklaces were crushed into dust beneath the feet of revelous drinkers. - [Off the Deep (Wood) End 2019: Deth's Tar](http://www.abvchicago.com/off-the-deep-wood-end-2019-deths-tar/) - I’m wearing a jacket everyday outside, which means it’s time for Revolution’s Deep Wood series to start up again (also, fall). Ten beers are included in this year’s lineup that is heavy on stouts (their Deth's Tar beers) and barleywines (four of each, plus two blended beers). I have heard from people at Revolution that - [Episode 297 - Craig's Choice](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-297-craigs-choice/) - It's a joyous time in the ABV bunker as we celebrate Craig's engagement by letting him pick a lineup of seemingly incongruous beers that are as significant as they are interesting. With a mix of cellar dives and recent finds, Craig imbues this episode with a certain personal resonance while also napalming Ryan's esophagus. Craig - [Episode 296 - GABF 2019](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-296-gabf-2019/) - For three whole days, we are the masters of our domain - which is the expansive festival hall in Denver, Colorado for the Great American Beer Festival. We're double dipping on this episode as we combine interviews from the festival floor with beer reviews and a weekend recap from the comforts of our hotel room. - [GABF 2019: Top 40 Breweries](http://www.abvchicago.com/gabf-2019-top-40-breweries/) - Here at ABV Chicago, we deal heavily in arbitrarity. Weekly, we review and rank beers as they wrap around our particular personal preferences, so we acknowledge that our opinions shouldn’t be taken too seriously. When it comes to narrowing down 800 breweries to a reasonable number to be able to tackle in one session, we - [Episode 295 - Rev Against the Machine](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-295-rev-against-the-machine/) - Already an established force in IPAs, Revolution was curiously slow to embrace the hazier varieties. Not rushing in has afforded them the ability to learn from others and perfect their approach, starting over the last year through wildly popular test batches at the brewpub. But since this summer, Revolution has jumped in head first by - [GABF 2014: Craig's Thursday](http://www.abvchicago.com/gabf-2014-craigs-thursday/) - The Great American Beer Festival. GABF. Craft beer’s Mecca, Holy Grail, Citizen Kane – whichever superlative you wish. For three days every year, usually in October, craft beer creators, consumers and others interested descend upon Denver, Colorado to try and soak in as much beer as they humanly can. Not simply limited to the fest - [Episode 38 - GABF](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-38-gabf/) - false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 After three straight days of drinking at the Great American Beer Festival, we open a few beers in the hotel and play back a bunch of interviews with brewers that all won gold medals (in our hearts.) You’ll hear interviews with brewers from Yazoo, Wicked Weed, Comrade, Almanac, - [Ryan's GABF 2014](http://www.abvchicago.com/ryans-gabf-2014/) - Ryan’s favorite beers and a few festival notes from GABF 2014. I admit it. Being a member of my particular generation, I have used snark and cynicism as some kind of holier-than-thou attempt at humor. It feels safer than just barefaced appreciation. But, damn it, the 2014 Great American Beer Festival was one of those - [Episode 88 - GABF 2015](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-88-gabf-2015/) - Once again, we concluded our extended weekend of drinking and chafing in Denver at the Great American Beer Festival by recording an episode chock full of interviews and arbitrary beer reviews. You’ll hear interviews with Jonathan Wakefield (J. Wakefield Brewing, Miami, FL); Sean Lawson (Lawson’s Finest Liquids, Warren, VT); James Howat (Black Project Spontaneous and - [GABF 2015: The ABV Awards Edition](http://www.abvchicago.com/gabf-2015-the-abv-awards-edition/) - Always a fun and drunken time, the 2015 Great American Beer Festival provides any beer fan with the opportunity to try beers from all across the United States in one room. While that room is usually skewered towards the western part of the United States (not including the Meet the Brewer and Brewpubs sections, 9 - [The Greatest Beers I Had at the Great American Beer Festival 2015](http://www.abvchicago.com/the-greatest-beers-i-had-at-the-great-american-beer-festival-2015/) - by Ryan I. It’s been a few weeks since the 2015 Great American Beer Festival - the 29th edition of the fest and its largest to date - and I’m finally ready to write about it. To be a proper member of the media, it’d have been responsible of me to write up my list - [GABF 2016: ABV Awards Edition Returns!](http://www.abvchicago.com/gabf-2016-abv-awards-edition-returns/) - Craig is back again with his GABF ABV Awards for 2016. While still stacked with Mountain and Pacific breweries, there was enough at the festival to get a taste of what the USA was doing in brewing. These beers and events were the best of the best. Be sure to check out our GABF wrap-up - [Episode 188 - Around the World in 5 Beers](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-188-around-the-world-in-5-beers/) - Taking a much-needed vacation from hops, we let our taste buds travel to five different continents to sample beers from around the world. In addition to an interview with Pete from Garage Project, this episode contains a valuable lesson about getting out of America every once in awhile. How long can we keep up a - [Episode 194 - GABF 2017](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-194-gabf-2017/) - Our Fourth Annual GABF Recap Spectacular is bursting with content, as we gathered more interviews and drank more beer than ever before! Recorded from our Denver hotel room, this show - featuring MC Johnsen - serves as our recap of the 36th Great American Beer Festival, as we share our overall highlights, favorite beers, and - [GABF Roundup 2017: Ryan’s Quest for Gold](http://www.abvchicago.com/gabf-roundup-2017-ryans-quest-gold/) - For the first time I was able to attend the Saturday evening session of the Great American Beer Festival, long after awards had been announced and little medal stickers were slapped up on beer signs throughout the hall. So I made a big list of all of the 2017 GABF Gold Medal winning beers and - [GABF 2018 - The Unofficial Strategy Guide](http://www.abvchicago.com/gabf-2018-the-unofficial-strategy-guide/) - Going into our fifth year attending the Great American Beer Festival in Denver, we feel like we're starting to get better at it. With over 800 breweries pouring more than 4,000 unique beers, it's necessary to make a pre-fest plan to ensure you avoid that potentially ego-threatening FOMO. So we took the list of 800 - [GABF 2018: Thursday Night Quick Hits](http://www.abvchicago.com/gabf-2018-thursday-night-quick-hits/) - We (barely) made it through Thursday one night of the 2018 Great American Beer Festival, and in the case you're attending Friday or Saturday, here are some quick recommendations on things not to miss. (And to be honest, our "How didn't we go there?!?" list is longer than the list of breweries we actually did - [Episode 243 - GABF 2018](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-243-gabf-2018/) - For our fifth straight year at the Great American Beer Festival, we drank all of the beers in Denver so you didn't have to. This episode is our full recap of this year's fest, including discussions on the medal winners, our favorite beers at the fest, the hazy IPA takeover, and our inability to navigate - [GABF 2018: Ryan's Favorite Beers](http://www.abvchicago.com/gabf-2018-ryans-favorite-beers/) - The 37th edition of the Great American Beer Festival is notable for many reasons. Founder Charlie Papazian gave out his final fist bumps on the awards stage for his last GABF. Colorado Governor (and prospective 2020 presidential candidate) John Hickenlooper was awarded with some sort of beer glass statue that will look really nice in - [GABF 2019: Illinois Pour List Preview](http://www.abvchicago.com/gabf-2019-illinois-pour-list-preview/) - For the first time in its 38 year history, the Brewers Association has decided to reveal the list of beers pouring at the festival long before the festival app drops a day or two before the festival. This allows for maximum planning and efficiency for all attendees, as well as some overwrought and really in-depth - [Episode 294 - Road 2 GABF](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-294-road-2-gabf/) - In this long-awaited sequel, we are filling our meters with GABF excitement as we talk about the upcoming fest while drinking some local medal winners. We sample four Chicagoland beers that have previously earned medals - and deservedly so. There's also a lot of tips for the Great American Beer Festival for 2019, including our - [GABF 2019: Thirsty For Gold](http://www.abvchicago.com/gabf-2019-thirsty-for-gold/) - Here at The ABV Chicago Podcast, Global Corporation, and Profitarium Ⓡ, we enjoy a certain level of luxury that can often be hard to find at gigantic beer festivals. We demand only the finest liquids be poured into our diamond-encrusted custom taster glasses, yet we are often disappointed by a lack of distinguished beers. But - [ChiSox Craft Beer Fest 2019](http://www.abvchicago.com/chisox-craft-beer-fest-2019/) - The Chicago White Sox are no strangers to craft beer. They installed the Craft Kave in the Bullpen Sports Bar for the 2017 season which, at the time, featured at least 75 different options. That was successful enough, so they put one on the 500 level/upper deck concourse - dubbed the Craft Kave Express - - [Episode 293 - New Chicagoland Sampler](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-293-new-chicagoland-sampler/) - The number of breweries in or around Chicago has surpassed 200 at this point, deflating the opinions of those that speculated about a major bubble bursting in the last few years. But that market density means that breweries must start strong to gain their footing with consumers. On this episode, we're sampling five beers from - [Kveik Fest 2019](http://www.abvchicago.com/kveik-fest-2019/) - Far more important and intelligent words have been said about kveik yeasts, like Claire Bullen’s beautiful, thorough piece for Good Beer Hunting, or Kate Bernot’s expertly concise explanation on The Takeout. And of course Larsblog. Then there’s Milk the Funk, and Kveik World Order and (to a ridiculously lesser extent) our very own Kveik Beers - [Episode 292 - Oktoberfest Blind](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-292-oktoberfest-blind/) - Like hooded sweatshirts and nutmeg-dusted coffee drinks, Oktoberfests make the impending colder temperatures much more bearable. Is it beer's most popular seasonal? Probably! We had no problem finding nine different Oktoberfest/Märzen beers, most of which were brewed right here in Chicagoland. So we put them into a big blind tasting to determine which malty lager - [Episode 291 - The NH Show](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-291-the-nh-show/) - Our state show journey reaches New Hampshire, courtesy of listener and friend David Leshinski, who sent us a state sampler box with *record scratch* no hazy IPAs?!? We enjoy this welcome and scenic diversion from our usual (lactose) fare with five different beers from five different New Hampshire breweries, and we're livin' free. Also, Craig - [Episode 290 - Kveik Beers](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-290-kveik-beers/) - The *ahem* hot new yeast on the scene for both homebrewers and professionals alike is actually an ancient and pastoral tradition, propagated by Norwegian farmers and evolved by necessity. Kveik yeast offers undeniable positives for brewers: it ferments fast and clean at unusually hot temperatures, often infusing the resulting beer with a welcome fruitiness that - [Oak Park Micro Brew Review 2019](http://www.abvchicago.com/oak-park-micro-brew-review-2019/) - If your only experience with beer fests is attending the Oak Park Micro Brew Review each year, you’d think they were all run smoothly, with plentiful water, reasonably clean and available port-o-potties, and smiling brewery employees pouring a great mix of standard and specialty beers. That is not always the case. So the 12th year - [Episode 289 - Triptych Diptych](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-289-triptych-diptych/) - Though it's been three years since their last feature on the podcast, Triptych has remained one of our favorite downstate breweries while continuing to grow into fine purveyors of all things hazy and beyond. For this one, we sample six different beers from the Savoy-based brewery (and "Memery") to try and make an arbitrary case - [Great Taste of the Midwest 2019](http://www.abvchicago.com/great-taste-of-the-midwest-2019/) - Back for a 33rd year, the Great Taste of the Midwest always signals the beginning of the end of summer (for myself at least). But it goes out with a bang. Between the events the day prior, the bottle releases at various breweries and the fest itself, the Great Taste of the Midwest should be - [Episode 288 - Gaga for GA](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-288-gaga-for-ga/) - In the three years since we last drank five Georgia beers on the show, there have been significant law changes allowing breweries to sell directly to consumers, resulting in another wave of craft beer growth in the Peach State. Listener Brandon Ramirez sent us a box of tasty treats for our review, and none are - [Episode 287 - Brew City](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-287-brew-city/) - Milwaukee's great reputation as the home of brewers (and The Brewers) was long built on cheap adjunct lagers. But in three years time, the Brew City has been reborn as a craft beer destination. Ryan and Craig had a torrid affair with Milwaukee's beer scene in 24 hours, gathering beers and interviews along the way - [Episode 286 - Eagle Park Brewing Company](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-286-eagle-park-brewing-company/) - Even though they're not even three years old, Eagle Park Brewing Company has already acquired its third location to brew their top-tier beers to serve the Milwaukee area. We chat with co-owners Max Borgardt and Jake Schinker about their explosive growth while sipping through a taproom lineup of flavorful show-stoppers. Everything about the business' past, - [Midlife Crisis: Revolution's Deep Wood summer release](http://www.abvchicago.com/midlife-crisis-revolutions-deep-wood-summer-release/) - ‘Tis the season! Revolution has started to release their Deep Wood series of barrel-aged beers, with long lines out in the cold for those eager to get a taste of what Revolution is doing this year. With their Strawberr… Wait a minute. It’s summer. What the hell Revolution? 13% plus barleywines in the 100 degree - [Episode 284 - Rabid Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-284-rabid-brewing/) - Founded in 2017 as the first brewery in Homewood, Rabid Brewing combines mythical lore with artistic passion to bring a diverse and delicious beer menu to their taproom. We sit down with co-owners and co-founders Raiye Rosado and Tobias Cichon, along with brewer Max Sterbenc, to taste through the whole taplist while talking about how - [Episode 283 - The TN Show](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-283-the-tn-show/) - We're taking a liquid voyage to the great state of Tennessee for our 21st state show, thanks to listener Matt Milam. There are five beers from four breweries for us to sample, and at least one of us gets injured in the process. We learn a bit about these great breweries, even if one of - [Episode 282 - Untitled Art](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-282-untitled-art/) - Born from a union of Funk Factory's Levi Funk and Octopi Brewing's Isaac Showaki, Untitled Art was launched in late 2016 to bring exciting new styles to Wisconsin before everyone was doing them. Now that everyone is doing them, how has Untitled Art grown to establish itself? Well, it certainly helps to have really cool - [Episode 281 - Diet Beers](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-281-diet-beers/) - Though we'd all like to pretend Hazy IPAs or pastry stouts represent the most significant trends in beer over the last decade or so, the real big money game-changer is the astronomical growth of Michelob Ultra. So how does craft (or "craft") beer respond? We find out by drinking a lineup of low-calorie, low-carb beers - [Summer Craig Summer Passport Contest](http://www.abvchicago.com/summer-craig-summer-passport-contest/) - Summer Craig is coming. Summer Craig is what we all look forward to in life. It’s not only a yearly reawakening, but also a state of mind. An ethos. The nectar that is life. Summer Craig is everyone that gets a chance to let loose, even if only for a night. Summer Craig is both - [Episode 280 - School of Brett](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-280-school-of-brett/) - For decades, brewers have been harvesting the funk from brettanomyces yeast strains for a variety of purposes. Whether it's to add some phenolic funk to a sour beer or some fruity depth to an IPA, brett has become a household name in brewing. Chicago's Lake Effect Brewing and Omega Yeast Labs collaborated on a mixed - [Episode 279 - Farm to Podcast](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-279-farm-to-podcast/) - More sustainable and definitely more rustic than your city brewery, these five beer producers also operate in conjunction with a farm, using ingredients grown on their lands for a uniquely artisanal experience. We have a range of styles from Illinois, Tennessee, and Vermont that teach us a lot about ingredients and just basic vocabulary, to - [Episode 277 - Haze Buds](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-277-haze-buds/) - What's better than hanging with your buds and sipping on some murky hop suds? We don't know because everyone's preferences are subjective! On this episode, we drink five hazy IPAs that happen to be collaborations between local breweries and their cool friends. We start this Sweeps Week out right with the three P's; we try - [Episode 278 - The OK Show](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-278-the-ok-show/) - For our 20th State Show, listener and friend Jim Plachy offered to round up five Oklahoma beers, and we said that'd be alright with us. And with a lineup this flavorful, we wish we would've done this state sooner. Fill your ears with some word jazz as we talk about movie tropes, melty faces, weird - [Episode 276 - Saisonathon 2019 Live](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-276-saisonathon-2019-live/) - For the third straight year - and our first at Forbidden Root - we celebrated Illinois Craft Beer Week by bringing together some of the area's best saisons and saison brewers. On this episode recorded (mostly) live at Forbidden Root, we sample a wide variety of the style with some of our best friends in - [Episode 275 - Angry Chair Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-275-angry-chair-brewing/) - The folks from Angry Chair are not shy to admit that non-locals are likely most familiar with their heavily-hyped stouts. We try and do right by this Tampa brewery by sampling a few other styles from Craig's recent visit - but of course we didn't forget about the stouts. We propose a more weather-appropriate spinoff - [Saisonathon 2019](http://www.abvchicago.com/saisonathon-2019/) - Join us as we celebrate saisons with our third annual Saisonathon event during Illinois Craft Beer Week! We're switching things up a bit this year. Same amount of interesting and diverse saisons - many brewed locally - but at a new location! It's all happening Tuesday, May 14, 2019 at Forbidden Root beginning at 5 - [Episode 274 - Tampa Bay Beers](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-274-tampa-bay-beers/) - When Craig vacations, we all win. This show is the result of Craig's recent trip to Florida for a week of Harry Pottering and beer hopping on the Bay as we drink five different beers from five breweries local to the Tampa & St. Petersburg areas. There are many questions addressed on this show: Why - [Best of Low ABV 4: Flavor Adventures](http://www.abvchicago.com/best-of-low-abv-4-flavor-adventures/) - For more than three years, we've been releasing weekly one-shot episodes - Low ABVs - exclusively for our Patreon Patrons. In addition to interesting beers reviewed, these short shows are home to some of our goofiest asides, weirdest games, and hysterical disasters. This week we've compiled four of our very favorites from the last year - [Episode 273 - Blind Saisons](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-273-blind-saisons/) - It's that magical time of year again where the warm weather and budding flowers necessitate the enjoyment of saisons - and it's also when we have our annual Saisonathon event during Illinois Craft Beer Week on Tuesday, May 14th at Forbidden Root! Outside of a few other shameless plugs for the event, this show is - [Episode 272 - Mikerphone Duets](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-272-mikerphone-duets/) - Mike Pallen and his crew at Mikerphone are some of the most prolific collaborators in the business, and each year they expand their Cool Beer Friends Club by throwing an invitational they call Smells Like A Beer Fest. So to ready ourselves for this year's shindig on April 27th, we drink five collaboration beers between - [Episode 271 - Cellar Roulette](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-271-cellar-roulette/) - It's a high concept week in the bunker as we gamify our cellars by letting a roll of the dice determine the show's lineup. Both Craig and Ryan dug deep into their closets to offer up a range of twelve interesting offerings that go from forgotten oddity to valuable rarity. Each host rolls a six-sided - [Episode 270 - Forager Brewery](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-270-forager-brewery/) - Though the name suggests a more rustic approach, Forager Brewery out of Rochester, Minnesota is finding an audience with their adjunct-laden stouts and mixed-culture sours. We get our hands on four dark beers and one barrel-aged sour to learn more about this brewery that wowed us at GABF in 2017. Succumbing to the fudge giggles, - [Episode 269 - SARA Revisited](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-269-sara-revisited/) - A sequel almost five years in the making, this episode reunites us with the beers of Sante Adairius Rustic Ales thanks to listener Mike Rousseau. Recognized by RateBeer as the 10th best brewery in the world, SARA may have built its legacy on oak-aged saisons, but here we get to sample some of their recent - [Episode 268 - The Legend of the Seven Sierras](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-268-legend-seven-sierras/) - An ancient prophecy foretold of a legacy brewery that would make a baffling number of IPAs to be available all at the same time, and that those IPAs would remind two lowly podcasters about why they fell in love with beer in the first place. Yeah, the Sierra Nevada love is strong on this one, - [StoutFest 2019](http://www.abvchicago.com/stoutfest-2019/) - For the second year in the renovated Goose Island Brewhouse, over 30 breweries came to ruin your Monday by pouring a heavy set of adjuncted stouts on a Sunday at Stoutfest 2019. The biggest news from StoutFest came during the week-long hangover that we likely weren’t alone in experiencing. In less than five days after - [Episode 267 - The HI Show](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-267-the-hi-show/) - To help push us through the last bits of this awful Chicago winter, we drink beers from paradise to tackle our 19th state show. This episode features five beers from five Hawaiian breweries, and they taste pretty great even without the tropical background. We also introduce our extremely on-brand Sweet 16 bracket challenge, give you - [Episode 266 - Cherry On Tap](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-266-cherry-tap/) - Like a lucky slot machine pull, we have a winning lineup of cherries on this show as we try five different styles of beer from five breweries, all featuring cherry. We learn quite a bit about these versatile drupes while we rank this group that has a few transcendent flavor experiences. This one is also - [Episode 265 - BA Vanilla Stouts Blind](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-265-ba-vanilla-stouts-blind/) - With a secondary price tag higher than our mortgage payments, this show is an embarrassment of riches in flavor and in rarity. But will we be embarrassed by our blind rankings of eight barrel-aged vanilla stouts released in 2018? You bet your sweet tooth we will. We are joined by Ryan Tracy at his Park - [Episode 264 - Flagship February](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-264-flagship-february/) - Whether you see it as beer's #version of Record Store Day or as a viral marketing ploy to drive sales for struggling brands, we here at ABV Chicago embrace these classics with open arms. And our arms are very open on this episode as we sample 12 of the most important beers in American craft - [Episode 263 - Central Wisconsin Craft Collective](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-263-central-wisconsin-craft-collective/) - Deep in the heart of Wisconsin, there exists a not-so-secret society of like-minded artisans - specializing in beer, liquor, and wine - that have formed a collective to bring more tourists to the area. And for some reason, they thought that giving us a bunch of booze would be a good idea to promote their - [Episode 262 - Black Project Spontaneous & Wild Ales](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-262-black-project-spontaneous-wild-ales/) - Since our first encounter with James and Sarah Howat's Black Project back at GABF in 2015, we've wanted to dedicate a show to their spontaneously-fermented wild ales. So we're understandably jazzed about this whole deal, and the lineup of five beers on this show go beyond our expectations. In addition, Craig does the following things: - [ABV Chicago 5th Anniversary Party](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-5th-anniversary-party/) - We've been doing this for half a decade, so we decided to throw a party! On Groundhog Day, so it will never end, right? Details: Date: February 2, 2019 Where: Beermiscuous, 2812 North Lincoln Avenue, Chicago IL 60657 Time: 6-11 PM Featuring beers from: Afterthought - Saison Meer: Honey Maplewood Brewery & Distillery - Mexican - [Episode 261 - Afterthought Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-261-afterthought-brewing/) - Now that bottles of Afterthought beers are starting to leave Lombard to reach more drinkers in the Chicagoland area, we celebrate by popping five elegant saisons from Mike Thorpe's small-yet-acclaimed brewery. Using mostly Midwestern ingredients, Afterthought's saisons are about as diverse as they come, while being mistakable for some of the bigger-name farmhouse-made beers from - [Episode 260 - Deep Wood Deeper Dive](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-260-deep-wood-deeper-dive/) - After the first five Deep Wood releases, Revolution Brewing could've taken the rest of the season off and enjoyed a victory lap. Instead, they drop five more barrel-aged beers that might be collectively better than the first half. We taste through this colorful - and strong - array of styles with an early appearance from - [Episode 259 - Cruz Blanca Brewery](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-259-cruz-blanca-brewery/) - In almost three years, Cruz Blanca has quietly become one of the city's best breweries, churning out everything from lagers that pair perfectly with a smokey tlayuda to wild ales that will captivate even the nerdiest bottle share. Now with 6-pack cans of three crowd-pleasing beers out in the market, Cruz is poised to build - [First Impressions: Revolution's Final Deep Wood Release](http://www.abvchicago.com/first-impressions-revolutions-final-deep-wood-release/) - The end is nigh. With the release of the last two beers - Straight Jacket and Boss Ryeway - Revolution closes out its 2018 Deep Wood series run. This ends an impressive year for the Deep Wood series, as Revolution had successfully added six never before canned beers to the lineup and sellouts - usually - [Craig's 30 Most Memorable Beers of 2018](http://www.abvchicago.com/the-30-most-memorable-beers-of-2018/) - This year in beer was unlike any other in recent memory. The Hazy IPA finally got recognized with its own BJCP and GABF category and spawned two similar styles that became popular - the sour IPA and the Brut IPA. The pastry stout didn’t get its own category, but the candy, cereal and even produce - [Ryan's 30 Best Beers of 2018](http://www.abvchicago.com/ryans-30-best-beers-of-2018/) - The criteria for the list is simple: these are the best beers that I had this year that were released this year. Most of these were packaged but some were from draft pours or at festivals (if I had multiple experiences with it - not just a single 2-ounce pour.) This list is incredibly tilted - [Episode 258 - Blind Bruts](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-258-blind-bruts/) - Opinion on Brut IPAs seems to be passionately divided between love and hate. But many brewers are banking on it gaining traction with the hopes that their version of this wildly inconsistent style will come to define the Brut as we know it. On this episode, we attempt to find out exactly what makes a - [Episode 257 - The CA Show](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-257-the-ca-show/) - We're truly in Beer Country now as our States Series takes us to the home of the most breweries in the nation: California! We have six beers on from six breweries, split evenly between the halves of the state, and we are shook by the unfaltering quality. Craig makes an impossible sacrifice for 2019, Ryan - [ABV 2018 Listicle Series: Our Ten Favorite Episodes](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-2018-listicle-series-our-ten-favorite-episodes/) - It’s weird enough for us to put together a “greatest hits” list of our podcast episodes, so I won’t make it any weirder by ranking them in some sort of order. This is just a chronological list of the ten episodes that were our favorite to record, and most of the time, the beer is - [Episode 256 - The Full Vermonty](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-256-the-full-vermonty/) - When you are gifted a mix of beers from Hill Farmstead and The Alchemist, you stop everything and drink them. Thanks to listener/Patreon supporter/forever friend Josh Sissman we have five canned beers from both nü-classic Vermont breweries, and we review them with a tactical precision unseen for nigh on 50 episodes. But we still find - [Episode 255 - WeldWerks 2.0](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-255-weldwerks-2-0/) - When Neil Fisher crushes your porch with a big box of WeldWerks beer for sampling, you don't hesitate to revel in the flavorful delights contained within. Recorded in October, this 2nd edition (in ten episodes) of us marvelling at the expertly-crafted hype-machine beers from the Colorado brewery includes likely the best beer either of us - [Episode 254 - Bitter Pops Advent Calendar](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-254-bitter-pops-advent-calendar/) - Adults have proven time and again that all childhood nostalgia is better with booze, so beer advent calendars became a thing. Bitter Pops makes one of the best surprise 24-packs of beers, and they've outdone themselves this year. So we're outdoing ourselves by reviewing and ranking the first 12 beers of the calendar. Yes, there - [Episode 253 - Beer Gifts](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-253-beer-gifts/) - Have a fellow beer lover in your life that you want to spoil during the holidays? Or are you heading to some ugly sweater, ornament-decorating, cookie-binging holiday party and need a beer to bring that'll help you make it through? We enlist the help of Ryan Tracy from Beer on the Wall to suggest some - [First Impressions: Revolution Deep Wood 2018 Release 3](http://www.abvchicago.com/first-impressions-revolution-deep-wood-2018-release-3/) - Revolution is back again with their third release of Deep Wood beers to assist you in destroying your liver this stout season. It’s the home stretch, as there’s only one more Deep Wood release in January and it’s only two beers. Wallet save! This release is the most eclectic of the four, featuring Vanilla Deth - [Episode 252 - Deep Wood Deep Dive](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-252-deep-wood-deep-dive/) - Revolution has taken some serious steps towards becoming THE barrel-aged beer producer in the city of Chicago by churning out varied, high-quality product in an accessible format over a fairly casual release schedule. Simply put, they are killing it. So we couldn't be more eager to line up the first five releases of 2018's Deep - [ABV Chicago's Bitter Pops Advent Calendar 2018 Raffle](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicagos-bitter-pops-advent-calendar-2018-raffle/) - We’ve teamed with Bitter Pops to throw a raffle revolving around their 2018 Bitter Pops Advent Calendar! So how exactly do you enter this raffle? 1. Get the Bitter Pops Advent Calendar. (Use the code abvchi-bpadvent to get $10 off.) 2. Starting on December 1st, drink the day’s beer from the advent calendar and take - [Episode 251 - BCBS 2018 with Mike Siegel](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-251-bcbs-2018-with-mike-siegel/) - Every Black Friday, Goose Island strives to deliver on a year-plus promise of bringing together consistent quality and technical innovation for a Bourbon County lineup that succeeds in besting the previous year's. We sat down with Mike Siegel, head of Brewery Research & Development, to walk us through a tasting of some of this year's - [Episode 250 - Gueuz'n USA](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-250-gueuzn-usa/) - For our big 250, we bring together a show that's been over four years in the making about beers that take at least three years to produce. It's all American-style gueuzes - er, Méthode Traditionnelle, in some cases - from six sour beer makers. We're joined by Doug Veliky of Revolution Brewing, just because we - [First Impressions: Revolution Deep Wood Deth's Tars](http://www.abvchicago.com/first-impressions-revolution-deep-wood-deths-tars/) - Revolution’s Deep Wood series began in November 2012 with their Very Mad Cow release. That year, they only released 5 Deep Wood beers (Very Mad Cow, Straight Jacket, Mean Gene, Bean Gene, 3rd Year Beer) and all in 22 ounce bombers. That Very Mad Cow release happened at about the same time Revolution releases 3 - [The FoBAB 2018 Unofficial Strategy Guide](http://www.abvchicago.com/fobab-2018-unofficial-strategy-guide/) - ABV Chicago’s Unofficial Strategy Guide to the 2018 Festival of Wood and Barrel Aged Beers. The Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beers is about to turn 16, so you know it's going to be a Super Sweet party (and not just because of all the adjuncts). Though a few favorites and crowd-pleasers are not returning - [Episode 249 - FoBABlin' 3: Season of the Barrel](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-249-fobablin-3-season-of-the-barrel/) - The 16th annual Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beers is almost upon us, and we continue our yearly tradition of geeking out about our favorite Chicago festival. We have five beers from brewers who will be pouring at this year's fest while we also share some festival tips and breweries to seek out. Ryan also - [Episode 248 - The Torture Test II: Craig's Revenge](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-248-the-torture-test-ii-craigs-revenge/) - What horrors abound in this blind gross-out tasting challenge, wherein we try to inflict suffering on each other through liquid terrors? After the inaugural Beer Purge we did last year, Craig's hungry for sweet and sickening revenge. We pour six of the worst beers we could find while challenging one another to guess what's in - [First Impressions: Energy City Batisserie S'mores Stout](http://www.abvchicago.com/energy-city-batisserie-smores-stout/) - While once a very special treat that was reserved for a few breweries, s’more stouts are now coming out with increased regularity. Hell, we were even able to do an entire show just from releases from Chicago-area breweries. Batavia brewery Energy City has decided to get into the pastry stout game with their first entry - [Episode 247 - The IN Show](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-247-the-in-show/) - Our 50 States Quest continues as we take on our fireworks-selling neighbors to the East: Indiana! Recorded over the summer after Craig returned from a jaunt around the Indianapolis area, this episode features five diverse Hoosier beers that show Indiana beer is much more than that one metal brewery on the border. And because this - [Episode 246 - Pumpkin Chuckin'](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-246-pumpkin-chuckin/) - The proliferation of pumpkin-flavored everything has slowed significantly compared to five years ago, and that seems to be the case in beer as well. Even in a year's time, pumpkin beer entries at GABF dropped from 66 in 2017 to 38 in 2018. Are pumpkin beers on their way to the porch to be picked - [Episode 245 - WeldWerks Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-245-weldwerks-brewing/) - When we first met Neil Fisher from WeldWerks back in 2016, we couldn't help but root for him: an affable guy making outstanding beers that were poised to reach a larger audience. Fast forward to the present, and WeldWerks is making some of the most exciting beer in all of Colorado, and the growing demand - [Half Acre's Far And Away: Beer List Breakdown](http://www.abvchicago.com/far-and-away-beer-list-breakdown/) - This past Friday, Half Acre released the beer list “as we know it” for their first invitational beer fest, Far and Away. The festival, which takes place on Saturday, October 13th atop the Harris Theater in Millennium Park, is comprised of all non-Illinois breweries and features over 40 breweries who are pouring beer in Illinois - [First Impressions: Bourbon County 2018](http://www.abvchicago.com/first-impressions-bourbon-county-2018/) - We were fortunate enough to be invited by Goose Island to try their upcoming 2018 Bourbon County Brand lineup, featuring the most Bourbon County beers ever released by Goose Island in one year (a big thanks to Goose Island and all that were involved for this). With the increased amount of options, some people might - [Episode 244 - Hops! We Did It Again](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-244-hops-we-did-it-again/) - Taking three New England-made hoppy beers and pitting them against three Chicago ones in a blind taste test would seem like a novel idea, if we hadn't already done it like 11 months ago. But here it's a fresh crop of hops from some big names in IPA, and our blind assumptions prove to be - [GABF 2018: Craig's Awards](http://www.abvchicago.com/gabf-2018-craigs-awards/) - This GABF was full of some firsts and last. First time there were hazy categories and medals. First time with food trucks and two new sponsored booths - Jameson caskmates and Buffalo Wild Wings. Last with Charlie Papazian as head of the Brewers Association. And the last with John Hinkenlooper as Colorado's brewpub owning governor. - [Episode 242 - Milkshake IPAs](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-242-milkshake-ipas/) - As IPA further becomes a parody of itself, we stare down the ultimate challenge to our perception of what hoppy beers could - or should - be. Milkshake IPAs are a newer variation on the fruit-forward and bitterness-free take on the IPA that features lactose and/or vanilla to raise sweetness while incorporating wheat or oats - [Episode 241 - Road to GABF 2018](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-241-road-to-gabf-2018/) - We're counting down the days to the 37th annual Great American Beer Festival, and going into our fifth year attending, we finally feel like we're qualified to give advice for those attending, or provide escapism for those that would like to be. Also, we drink five beers from five Illinois breweries we've never had on - [GABF 2018 - Illinois Breweries Pour Lists](http://www.abvchicago.com/gabf-2018-illinois-breweries-pour-lists/) - There are a fair amount of Illinois breweries attending the 2018 Great American Beer Festival (GABF), so who better than us (um, a lot of people!) to provide a list of what the Illinois breweries are pouring and our recommendations. Clicking on the brewery name will take you to all our content on that brewery, - [Episode 240 - Belgian Sour Starter Pack](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-240-belgian-sour-starter-pack/) - Years ago, before every other American brewery had a koelschip or a "sour program," the options to foster a love for sours was mostly limited to shelf-available Belgian beers. As Ryan's long-gestating audio lovechild, this episode represents a time when exploration of sour styles meant green-bottled imports and hard-to-pronounce names. But our reverence for these - [Episode 239 - The WI Show](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-239-the-wi-show/) - From the Stüssy of craft beer podcasts, this episode focuses on five Wisconsin breweries that aren't that one you were just thinking about. Along with four interviews Craig gathered at the Great Taste of the Midwest, this show features five stellar beers that reach across the Badger State. Craig recaps some of his experience from - [Oak Park Microbrew Review 2018](http://www.abvchicago.com/oak-park-microbrew-review-2018/) - The Oak Park Microbrew Review is the unofficial End of Summer Beer Festival Season festival, in my mind. (Which is great because we all need to start preparing for Fall Beer Festival Season, which starts next weekend.) In its 11th year, the OPMBR remains one of the most consistently well-run fests in or around the - [Episode 238 - 450 North Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-238-450-north-brewing/) - Situated on a farm that also serves as a winery and restaurant, among other things, this unassuming Indiana brewery has made a name for itself through the perfect combination of eye-catching packaging and well-executed, in-demand beer styles. Craig visited the brewery and brought back a few interviews to help shed light on this growing operation - [Great Taste of the Midwest 2018](http://www.abvchicago.com/great-taste-of-the-midwest-2018/) - The Great Taste of the Midwest has long been a staple of the Madison beer scene. Always taking place the second weekend in August on the banks of Lake Monona, the fest brings in breweries from all over the Midwest - as far away as Kansas and Kentucky - to pour in Olin Park. Is - [Episode 1 - Chicago Stouts](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-1-chicago-stouts-3/) - We try 5 Chicago Stouts (with Bee's Knees nuts) and rank 'em. Simple. Plus Ryan goes on a small rant and we air our grievances. ABV Chicago Episode 1 - Chicago Stouts The list: Spiteful I Hate My Boss Coffee Stout Solemn Oath Combat Marshmallow Half Acre Big Hugs Pipeworks Hey, Careful Man, There's a - [Episode 3 - Chicago Barrel Mix](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-3-chicago-barrel-mix/) - We put four Chicago barrel aged beers to the test. Plus our first contest and the debut of our theme song! ABV Chicago Episode 3 - Chicago Barrel Mix Rankings Ryan and Craig (same) 1. Haymarket Clare's Thirsty Ale (crowler) 2. Revolution Deth's Tar 3. Local Option Morning Wood 4. Two Brothers/Solemn Oath Brotherhood of - [Episode 4 - Double India Pale Ales](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-4-double-india-pale-ales/) - Six of the most beloved double IPAs are on the menu for this show, and we drunkenly try to make sense of how to rank them. Also, we talk about Craig’s traveling philosophy, and Dennis stops by the microphone to do the only two impressions he can. Plus, Ryan gets really drunk and lets Craig - [Episode 5 - Pipeworks Ninja Retirement Party](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-5-pipeworks-ninja-retirement-party/) - We send off the Pipeworks Ninjas (in name) in style by throwing them a retirement party for the ages. Additionally, we taste two varieties of delicious Bee’s Knees nuts and play the new beer reviewing game that we invented that’s rapidly going viral: Beers Against Humanity. By the way, there’s some cake left in the - [West Coast Bias: San Francisco - Sante Adairius Rustic Ales](http://www.abvchicago.com/west-coast-bias-san-francisco-sante-adairius-rustic-ales-2/) - Sometimes the experience is the journey. With an estimated two and a half hour drive to Capitola, I head out during the late aftermoon into the rain yet again. Not having had rain for quite some time, I was repeatedly told other drivers in San Francisco had issues with driving in the rain. I would - [Episode 8 - Central Waters Brewer's Reserve](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-8-central-waters-brewers-reserve/) - In January, we sat down with Central Waters' Brewers Reserve beers to commemorate their 16th anniversary. No infections here! We fawn over 6 bourbon barrel aged beers, Craig shares his account of the 16th anniversary party, and we invent more band names. Hear our thoughts on 2014 Peruvian Morning and what should have been. ABV - [Episode 9 - Half Acre](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-9-half-acre/) - Half Acre Beer Company is a Chicago craft beer luminary, and we invite Dennis to try 6 of their beers with us. Dennis brings his experience as a food writer to the show and makes us eat a Subway Flatizza and drink Boone’s Farm Fuzzy Navel. It was horrible. But the show is great, and - [Hunahpu's Imperial Stout Raffle (Complete)](http://www.abvchicago.com/hunahpus-imperial-stout-raffle/) - ABV Chicago is proud to bring you our next contest. Craig recently braved Hunahpu’s Day 2014. For what, you ask? Our next contest. We will be raffling off a bottle of Hunahpu’s Imperial Stout 2014! This sold out during Hunahpu’s Day and is an imperial stout aged on cacao nibs, ancho and pasilla chiles, cinnamon, - [Episode 10 - Crooked Stave](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-10-crooked-stave/) - Things get funky with Crooked Stave in our 10th episode. We try six of their barrel-aged offerings - many with that funky Brettanomyces leading the flavor train. Hear why Denver-based Crooked Stave is one of the best artisan breweries going, and let the funk take you over. Big thanks to our friend Marek for the - [Episode 11 - Une Annee](http://www.abvchicago.com/une-annee/) - C'est une célébration de Une Année ! We drink 5 beers from one of Chicago’s best new breweries. Ryan tells his car accident story, and Craig drops some Remedial French 101 on us. There’s also a Bee’s Knees Food Company appearance as we snack on some of their Curry Curry Peanuts. Écouter avec joie! ABV - [Episode 12 - Alpine Beer Co.](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-12-alpine-beer-co/) - Four hoppy delights from Alpine Beer Company star in this episode, as Craig and Ryan try to rank them from best to less-than-best. Also, Craig shares some tips for beer trading and other ways of acquiring hard-to-get releases. Ryan finds a way to get really drunk on four relatively lower alcohol beers. Join us as - [Episode 13 - Chicago Saisons](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-13-chicago-saisons/) - Spring has sprung and saisons are the beer of the season! We drink 6 different saisons from Chicago-area breweries and talk baseball and flowers and bunnies and shit. We also share some listener feedback and hold a little saison history lesson. And be prepared to be moved by Craig's delicate and beautiful singing voice. Taste - [Episode 16 - Tired Hands](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-16-tired-hands/) - We’re staying up late with four Tired Hands Brewing Company growlers, near-fresh from PA! After a day of drinking at the Mash Tun New Wave Brewer’s Bash - which we reminisce on throughout - we pull it together long enough to review and rank beers from RateBeer’s #2 top new brewery in 2013. We’ll talk - [Episode 17 - Bee's Knees and Chicago Brews](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-17-bees-knees-and-chicago-brews/) - We kick off Chicago Craft Beer Week with Chris Ferguson from Bee’s Knees, a food company specializing in craft beer snacks. Along with five nut varieties, we open five local beers based on pairing suggestions provided by Bee’s Knees. Chris answers a lot of our questions about his business and helps us understand why his - [ABV Chicago's Totally Awesome CCBW Round-Up!](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicagos-totally-awesome-ccbw-round-up/) - Saturnalia was a festival in ancient Rome celebrating the agricultural god Saturn. Gift-giving, role reversal, and general merriment was had by all Roman citizens and slaves. What once started out as a single day celebration eventually expanded to three (wacky Julian calendar reforms) and eventually into (at its peak) seven days. Chicago Craft Beer Week - [Episode 18- DIPAs 2](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-18-dipa-2/) - Everyone loves a sequel! We drink 6 more double imperial pale ales in this episode, reaching new levels of palate destruction and inebriation. We jump in our own Mystery Machine and try to solve the hop secrets in some of these brews, Ryan unleashes a little Three Floyds rage, and Craig reveals to us all - [Episode 19 - Pipeworks Gets Weird](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-19-pipeworks-gets-weird/) - Pipeworks does a lot of things well, and weird beers are near the top of that list. We try five of their unique brews with unusual ingredients or unexpected style crossovers and discover that they’re all pretty awesome. Relive our cautious whiffs and relieved sips! Craig gives us the highlights of his busy Chicago Craft - [Episode 20 - 4 Hands Brewing Co.](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-20-4-hands-brewing-co/) - It’s a frenzy of 4 Hands beers as we tackle eight unique offerings from the St. Louis-based brewery. We have our first threeway (of beer) and we try not to make eye contact. We talk a little Pipeworks (of course), Craig rants about the Esquire network, and Ryan speaks ill about the sacred cow that - [Episode 21 - Chicago Growlers](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-21-chicago-growlers/) - Some of Chicago’s best new breweries don’t bottle yet, so we went to five of them and brought back growlers! Marie Cummins joins us from the Down the Hatch beer blog and Chicago Craft Beer Enthusiasts. She comes through with much-needed food-pairing help, recaps her Kegs for Kidneys experience, talks about her favorite Chicago brewery, - [Episode 22 - Blind Session IPAs](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-22-blind-session-ipas/) - The current demand for “session” IPAs is high, and breweries are practically tripping over themselves to release their version of the hoppy longdrinker. We make our way through nine beers under the 5% ABV cap from nine different breweries, tasting each blindly - without the benefit of knowing the brewery of origin. There are many - [Episode 23 - Hoppy Chicago](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-23-hoppy-chicago/) - Like everyone else, we love hoppy beers, especially when fresh and local! We have five young pales from area breweries while playing our newest game, Hop Bingo. (Play along at home by downloading the card from our website!) Craig talks about his CHAOS Homebrew event experience, Ryan tries to make “Chic-hop-go” happen (It’s not going - [Episode 24 - Side Project Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-24-side-project/) - Cory King wasn’t satisfied with just brewing amazing beers at one brewery, so he opened another one. We craft an audio love letter (with moderate profanity) to five of his barrel-aged saisons and wild ales. To no one’s surprise, it’s one of the best tasting episodes we’ve done. David Sullivan joins us and vies for - [Episode 25 - Chicago Fruit Basket](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-25-chicago-fruit-basket/) - We’ve picked five different fruited beers from local breweries for this one, and then we went and tossed a bunch of fresh fruit in the beers just because we can. It doesn’t always work out. Craig shares a little BCBS news he got from Brett Porter, Ryan gives a bonus review of Coors’ Summer Brew, - [Episode 26 - Goose Island with Brett Porter](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-26-goose-island-with-brett-porter/) - Brewmaster Brett Porter sits down with us at the Goose Island Brewery to drink beer and discuss a variety of subjects, focusing on the exciting things happening at his rapidly expanding brewery. He talks about this year’s Pitchfork beer, why Madame Rose is the best wine barrel beer they’ve done, and the secrets behind why - [Episode 27 - Toppling Goliath](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-27-toppling-goliath/) - It’s Iowa or bust on this one, and we have the help of Marie Cummins of the Down the Hatch beer blog to drink several Toppling Goliath brews. Once again, Marie brings the spot-on food pairings and superior research, we ruminate on how TG would fit in to the Chicago market if they ever expanded - [Episode 28 - The MO Show](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-28-the-mo-show/) - To celebrate St. Louis Craft Beer Week, we review six Missouri beers that aren’t distributed to Illinois. And they’re all mighty fine beers, we concur, but one totally blows us away. We try really hard to make Missouri our sister state, infusing this episode with tons of Missouri trivia and a MO-themed “Who said it?” - [Episode 29 - Beermiscuous](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-29-beermiscuous/) - For this show, we’re at Beermiscuous in Lakeview, and we “drink around” with owner Paul Leamon to review some great tap offerings and learn about his unique beer café concept. Paul gives us a thorough background on the business, from finding inspiration internationally to overcoming licensing headaches and finding the perfect location. We’ll learn about - [Episode 30 - Sante Adairius Rustic Ales](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-30-sante-adairius-rustic-ales/) - CHAOS reigns as we open five “Rustic Ales” from Sante Adairius in Capitola, California. We enlist the help of Ken Getty, president of the CHAOS Brew Club, and he drops knowledge bombs all over us about brewing techniques and why CHAOS is doing truly unique things for homebrewers. But we also talk about the Beer - [Low ABV 1 - Great Taste of the Midwest 2014](http://www.abvchicago.com/low-abv-1-great-taste-of-the-midwest-2014/) - Craig spent a long, drunken weekend at the Great Taste of the Midwest in Madison, Wisconsin, and he brought a microphone. So we’ve assembled a “Low ABV” show around a few clips from his experience, and we open two incredible New Glarus beers while wading through the alcohol-induced fog of Craig’s memory. Here’s what you’ll - [Episode 31 - Transient Artisan Ales](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-31-transient-artisan-ales/) - Brewer Chris Betts brings some of his Transient Artisan Ales for us to sample, and we couldn’t be happier. Humble and soft-spoken, Chris is one of the only brewers in Chicago focused on handcrafted barrel-aged sours, and the buzz that has followed is rightfully earned. We’ll learn about Chris’ history at Witch’s Hat and One - [Oak Park Microbrew Review 2014](http://www.abvchicago.com/oak-park-microbrew-review-2014/) - There’s that old joke about Chicago having only two seasons - winter and construction - but there’s one that may be even lengthier than either: craft beer festival season. If you include every city or town within a radial hour from the city proper, you can basically fill seven months worth of weekends on your - [Episode 32 - Horse Thief Hollow](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-32-horse-thief-hollow/) - Horse Thief Hollow is a South Side neighborhood brewpub that is churning out quality brews and delectable food, and we were invited to sample a whole lot of it. Head brewer Dave Williams and owner Neil Byers share a mic and their craft with us. Neil discusses some of the thoughtful choices made in distinguishing - [Episode 33 - Chicago Berliner Weisse](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-33-chicago-berliner-weisse/) - Ich Bin Ein Berliner Weisse episode! We review five local takes on the style and try some with traditional raspberry and woodruff syrups. We start with a table-setting traditional Berliner Weisse and end with Ryan putting crushed-up Skittles in his beer. And there's the long-awaited meeting of Upton Sinclair and Nicki Minaj. For such a - [Episode 34 - The Hoppening](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-34-the-hoppening/) - This week, we resist the bacteria-born urge to kill ourselves by downing six random hoppy beers! We’ll regale you with stories of our trip to Decorah, Iowa, and then get off topic a lot as the beer tastes better and better. Then we spend half of the time insulting each other, and Ryan explains to - [Episode 35 - Abraxas](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-35-abraxas/) - Perennial Artisan Ales’ Abraxas is Craig’s favorite beer, so we drink it four times. Actually, we have a mini-vertical and experience two variants - one far superior to the other. Our third different guest named Chris joins us to drink our beer and chat about 80’s “extreme sports” movies and Santana. We also pair the - [Episode 36 - Chicago After Dark](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-36-chicago-after-dark/) - Turn the lights down low, because we’re drinking six dark Chicago beers of varying styles. We attempt to eloquently marvel at dark malts and their multiple applications, but then we play another filthy round of Beers Against Humanity. Aside from our usual reviews, topics include cat huffing, actresses named Emma, Robot Dong, proper cookie pairings, - [Episode 37 - The Great Pumpkin Beer Show!](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-37-the-great-pumpkin-beer-show/) - We try to have the most sincere show in hopes of a visit from The Great Pumpkin Beer, as we try 8 of them. Kim Leshinski of Hail to the Ale and Chicago Beer Gals is our guest. As a BJCP Judge and a homebrewer, she carves up some serious knowledge on the intricacies of - [Episode 39 - What's New, Chicago?](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-39-whats-new-chicago/) - We have five beers new to bottles from Chicago-area breweries and find that you don’t need a lot of experience to impress us. Five unique styles are up for our review, and we unsurprisingly get hammered in the process. There’s a few GABF remnants, Ryan consults his Urban Dictionary, and Craig talks about Mega Man - [Episode 40 - Founders Brewing Co.](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-40-founders-brewing-co/) - Founders Brewing Company has been influencing the way Midwesterners drink for almost two decades, so we show our appreciation by drinking their beers to excess. We review eight diverse 12-ounce offerings from the Grand Rapids brewery, only pausing briefly to play a little Founding Fathers trivia. Well, actually, the beers are so good that we - [Episode 41- Goose Island Clybourn](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-41-goose-island-clybourn/) - The brewers at the Goose Island Clybourn brewpub embrace experimentation, and they take on their riskiest one yet when they invite Ryan and Craig into the brewhouse to record. Brewmaster Nick Barron and brewers Jacob Sembrano and Jon Naghski share five of their incredible one-off beers and the inspiration, experimentation, and technique that went into - [Episode 42 - Russian River: The Tioning](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-42-russian-river-the-tioning/) - This compilation of appreciation for Russian River’s wild, sour, and funky “-tion” beers ends in much exultation. We drink eight different beers, many aged in wine barrels, and experience much elation, with some acidification. We share some listener feedback, Ryan gives tips for vegetarian craft beer drinkers, and Craig plays a few rounds of “Name - [Episode 43 - Barrel Aged Pipeworks](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-43-barrel-aged-pipeworks/) - Pipeworks has rolled out more barrel-aged beers, and we invite general public nuisance Dennis Lee to drink them with us. In addition to reviewing the beers, we let Dennis talk about his blog, depression food, black truffles, and the term “foodie.” There’s also a cogent discussion of how experimentation could be impacting Pipeworks brand loyalty - [Low ABV 2 - FOBAB Hangover](http://www.abvchicago.com/low-abv-2-fobab-hangover/) - On the day after FoBAB, we muster up the strength to recap our night of sampling barrel-aged beers at one of the country’s premier beer events. We also load up on electrolytes and review some common hangover remedies. We’ll share some of the positives and negatives about the new venue and discuss our favorite beers - [Episode 44 - Bourbon County 2014](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-44-bourbon-county-2014/) - With another Black Friday approaching, we sat down to sample most of this year’s Bourbon County lineup, and things get soulful. If you’re looking for divisive opinions or a contrarian stance on the corporate-owned hype machine that is Bourbon County, then you’ll be disappointed. These beers are delicious. And Goose Island gave them to us - [Episode 45 - BCBS Alternatives](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-45-bcbs-alternatives/) - It’s been a long, stupid week in craft beer thanks to Bourbon County madness, so we wanted to find some substitutes to feed those cravings on a budget and a whim. We review five bourbon barrel-aged beers that are pretty easy to find. It mostly doesn’t work out well. We talk about other barrel-aged beers - [Episode 46 - The Art of Beer](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-46-the-art-of-beer/) - In this episode, we discuss the fine art of craft beer labels with artist and homebrewer Matt LaFleur. We each bring a few beers to taste based on their label art, and Matt shares the stories behind the labels he has created for Arcade, Transient, and Middle Brow. We hit other topics like marketing, the - [Episode 47 - Firestone Walker Anniversary Ales](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-47-firestone-walker-anniversary-ales/) - We unbox five Firestone Walker anniversary ales and try to dissect these complex barrel-aged beer blends through our arbitrary reviews. We also experiment with our own beer blends and feel the effects of these potent potables before we even hit our third pour. Thus, at some point, we make it our mission to raise awareness - [Episode 48 - Holiday Special](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-48-holiday-special/) - As a gift to you, we brought back almost all of our guests from the first year for a holiday party recording. But since Ryan was absent, Craig took his one mic and brought people together to review some beers. In this episode, we sit down to share some of the audio from the party - [ABV Chicago's 1st Anniversary Party](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicagos-1st-anniversary-party/) - We've made it one year, so we figure it's high time to kick back and celebrate! (It's also Ryan's birthday...) Details: Date: February 7, 2015 Where: Beermiscuous, 2812 North Lincoln Avenue, Chicago IL 60657 Time: 6-11 PM We're going to be taking over as many taps as we can and finishing off the kegs! Why? - [Episode 49 - Wintry Mix](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-49-wintry-mix/) - Winter is awful, and usually, so are winter seasonal beers. So we’re surprised to have some great ones on this episode with a few standout locals. We share our New Year’s resolutions and then take a lot of strange diversions along the way. There’s also an announcement of an exciting home brew contest with Middle - [Episode 50 - Hill Farmstead II: Back 2 The Farm](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-50-hill-farmstead-ii-back-2-the-farm/) - For this milestone episode, we revisit the inimitable Hill Farmstead by drinking and reviewing seven more beers. We reminisce on some of our favorite beers and episodes from the first 49 and reach an unprecedented level of, uh, professionalism by the end of the show. The beer is as good as the content is ribald. - [Episode 51 - Cantillon](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-51-cantillon/) - Now that we’re a year old, we can finally drink like grown-ups, while still behaving like children. So we attempt to class up the joint by drinking six fancy beers from Cantillon and inviting Ken Getty to join us. Listen in as Craig handles some actual research while trying not to fumble his lambic basket - [Episode 52 - Revolution Deep Wood](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-52-revolution-deep-wood/) - We’re clearing out Craig’s cellar on this episode by drinking the first five beers Revolution Brewing released under their Deep Wood series. We learn valuable lessons about aging barrel-aged beers, distinguishing dark fruits, and drinking five high-ABV beers before attempting to make sense of rankings. Craig pulls back the curtain on some of our recording - [Episode 53 - 2nd Shift Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-53-2nd-shift-brewing/) - It’s no secret that we love Missouri breweries, and we’re delighted to try four beers from 2nd Shift Brewing. In this short show we manage to cram in our usual beer reviews, a thorough discussion of yellow candy, a few songs from Craig, and a sneaking suspicion that we have...been drugged. This one ends with - [Episode 54 - Dark Horse Disaster](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-54-dark-horse-disaster/) - We finally release this much-ballyhooed old episode, and it’s one for the books. Back in the Spring of 2014, we drank seven Dark Horse special release beers, and things did not go well. Sometimes the expectations we have for certain episodes do not match the outcome. And in this one, what starts as steadily-growing disappointment - [Episode 55 - Ryan's Choice](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-55-ryans-choice/) - To celebrate the birth of his daughter, Ryan got to assemble his show his way, and he did a hell of a job. Six local beers are reviewed, and all are pretty great. Both men drink for the first time in a while, so expect to hear the following: Ryan shares his love for Waka - [Episode 56 - Voodoo Brewery](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-56-voodoo-brewery/) - It’s Mardi Gras time, and we’re tasting a carnival of Voodoo Brewery beers. We review six (plus one) beers from the Meadville, Pennsylvania brewery, and we end up having one of our best drinking experiences ever recorded. In this episode, you’ll also hear about Craig’s trip to Voodoo, why Ryan might be leaving the podcast, - [Episode 60 - Transient: Bindle of Fun](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-60-transient-bindle-of-fun/) - We sure drink a lot of Chicago’s own Transient Artisan Ales, and now that some of his beers are being distributed for non-reserve society members, it’s a fine occasion to drink some more! We review five of Chris Betts’ beers of varying styles, and we don’t pull any punches. Well, we don’t have to. This - [Episode 57 - Middle Brow Chocolate Homebrew Contest](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-57-middle-brow-chocolate-homebrew-contest/) - Chocolate is the subject of Middle Brow Beer Co.’s latest homebrew contest, and for some reason, they let us help pick a winner. Joined by Nick and Bryan from Middle Brow, we taste and talk about five of the best beers out of the 23 submitted by local homebrewers. While deciding on which beer will - [Episode 58 - The MA Show](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-58-the-ma-show/) - For too long we’ve neglected beers from the Eastern seaboard, so we’re dedicating this episode to The Bay State. We sample beers from three Massachusetts breweries, and everything is coming up great (like the mid-aughts Toronto music scene, according to Craig). We pitch a few beer concepts and a show idea for the real “Uppers - [Episode 59 - Barrel-Aged What's New Chicago?](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-59-barrel-aged-whats-new-chicago/) - With an award nomination under our belts and a pocket full of new money, we skip the lines and haul in some barrel-aged Chicago-area brews. We review five beers and, occasionally, get distracted! Ryan checks out Exit Strategy in Forest Park, Craig struggles with wax, and Josh Deth does a...uh, nevermind. There’s Tinley Park stories, - [Stout Fest 2015 - The Crotchee Awards Recap](http://www.abvchicago.com/stout-fest-2015/) - Ryan recaps Goose Island Clybourn's annual Stout Fest by doling out the ABV Chicago Crotchee awards. by Ryan Ingwersen Don't forget to vote for us for the Podcast Awards in the Food and Drink category! A lot has changed for Goose Island (the company) and Goose Island Clybourn (the brewpub) since last year’s Stout Fest: - [Episode 61 - Anything Gose!](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-61-anything-gose/) - Things get a little salty as we open up nine different Goses, and good Gose do we overload this episode with crappy puns. But we also talk a little history, embrace Bahl Hornin' (whatever the hell that is), decant some peppers, and get surprisingly sauced on 4 percent alcohol beers. And Ryan wishes Craig was - [Episode 62 - Cookie Drunk](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-62-cookie-drunk/) - We get our inner fat kid hammered on beer and cookies. In this episode, we’re looking for the right local beer pairings with Girl Scout cookies. We have six pairings to review, but thankfully, Ryan has edited out all the chewing and moaning. We test out some new characters, call for year-round cookie sales, and - [Episode 63 - 51st Ward Beer Co.](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-63-51st-ward-beer-co/) - The founder of 51st Ward Beer Company, Tim Hoerman, hooked us up with six of his beers, and we find many surprises, mostly pleasant! We occasionally veer away from our reviews to talk brewing with vanilla beans, Jesus' hygiene, and Knuckles from Sonic the Hedgehog - and that's just one segment. We also say "Doody" - [Episode 64 - Welcome to Chicago](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-64-welcome-to-chicago/) - With so many new arrivals to the Chicago market, we make sure our audio welcome basket is stuffed with goodies. We drink five beers that are new to Chicagoland (and one that is a return), and try to advise on whether or not they’re worth the shelf space - or your money. We discuss whether - [Episode 65 - The Open Bottle](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-65-the-open-bottle/) - The south suburbs have exploded with options for great beer, and The Open Bottle is the right beer store for the right time. We sit down with owners Patrick and Julie to talk about their Tinley Park bottle shop and tap room, and we review six delicious local beers. They share what inspired the concept, - [Episode 66 - Cafe Au Craig](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-66-caf-au-craig/) - Craig hates coffee, but he loves coffee beers. Ryan makes Craig taste and smell coffee, and then we drink five high alcohol coffee beers. With the help of massive amounts of caffeine, we answer all of your questions about coffee and coffee beers. What are the best coffee beers out there? How do brewers add - [Saisons and Sours - Our CCBW Event](http://www.abvchicago.com/saisons-and-sours-our-ccbw-event/) - Chicago has long been known to make world-class stouts and IPAs, but recently many brewers have turned their attention to some oft-neglected styles in the area – saisons and sours. Come celebrate Chicago’s up-and-coming farmhouse and funk producers. We've teamed up with Beermiscuous to host this event on Thursday, May 21st starting at 6:30 PM. - [Episode 67 - Mexican Hot Chocolate Blind](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-67-mexican-hot-chocolate-blind/) - It’s adjunct stout hour featuring chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon, and peppers - all tasted and reviewed blind! We review and rank six “Mexican hot chocolate” style beers, and only you - the listener - will know what we are drinking. Get ready for some Telenovela-sized plot twists in this one, as we ruin Craig’s favorite beer - [Episode 68 - Imperial Oak Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-68-imperial-oak-brewing/) - Imperial Oak Brewing is approaching their first anniversary, and we visit them at their Willow Springs brewpub to sample their beers and talk about their operation. Brewers and owners Grant Hamilton and Brett Semenske are getting the most out of their 7-barrel brewery through constant experimentation with post-fermentation additions and barrel treatments. Owner Chris DiBraccio - [Episode 69 - Temperance Beer Company](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-69-temperance-beer-company/) - Temperance Beer Company is churning out medal-winning beers from their Evanston brewery, and brewmaster Claudia Jendron invited us up to try most of their portfolio. Turns out that spending an afternoon drinking ten beers with Claudia makes for pretty great conversation. In addition to plenty of brewing notes, Claudia talks about the experience of winning - [Episode 70 - Night Shift Barrel Society](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-70-night-shift-barrel-society/) - Ed from Boston brought us beers from Night Shift Brewing’s 2014 Barrel Society, and we all review five of them with the “assistance” of Dennis. This solid lineup from the Massachusetts brewery includes many brettanomyces-enhanced sours and barrel-aged goodies. In addition, Dennis provides his expertise on dog food and how the food industry uses specific - [Episode 71 - Crooked Stave 2: Crookeder Stave](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-71-crooked-stave-2-crookeder-stave/) - We acquaint ourselves with six more of Chad Yakobson’s fine funky brews from his Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project in this episode. These 2014 Cellar Reserve offerings are all oak-aged and brettanomyces-fermented with fruits added, so rankings become difficult. Ryan is prepared this time with a few homemade heartburn remedies, so hear him experiment and - [Episode 72 - The Mostly ME Show](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-72-the-mostly-me-show/) - We bust into some beer mail from Maine and New Hampshire, thanks to our new best friend Dave. We review six beers of varying styles with the help of our most regular and precious guest, Dennis. In addition to our typically eloquent aroma and taste descriptors, we bring a veritable symphony of randomness and small - [Episode 73 - The Beerists Cellar Invasion](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-73-the-beerists-cellar-invasion/) - The Beerists swept through this city like a drunken typhoon, and they stopped by to wreak some havoc on Craig's cellar. John Rubio, Anastacia Kelly, and Mike Lambert join us to do what they've been doing for longer than us: review delicious beers. We talk about their Austin-based award-winning podcast, highlights of their Chicago trip, - [Episode 74 - New Glarus Fruit Beers](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-74-new-glarus-fruit-beers/) - The fine folks of New Glarus brewing in Wisconsin have been brewing the highest quality fruit beers around for longer than just about anyone in the U.S. We invite Marie Cummins back to the show to help us review and rank eight of these outstanding brews. We pair all of the beers with Wisconsin cheeses - [Episode 75 - The Rare Barrel](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-75-the-rare-barrel/) - We’ve been planning this one for a while, and we finally get to drink a lineup of delicious beers from The Rare Barrel. We review five beers from these young fermentation and blending experts out of Berkley, CA. Ryan did his research, so you’ll learn a lot about the brewery, including the somewhat unusual process - [Episode 76 - Pils Pils Pils](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-76-pils-pils-pils/) - Achtung Chicago! On this episode, it’s a pilsner face-off between Germany and Chicago as we review eight of these pale-malted and lightly-hopped lagers to determine the definitive LAND OF PILSNERS. We choose somewhat predictably. In addition, you get a taste of Pilsner history from Craig and a healthy dose of distractions from Ryan. Also, neither - [Episode 77 - Wild Chicago](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-77-wild-chicago/) - Join Ryan and Craig, your guides to the urban beer jungle, as they experience the eccentric, offbeat, and unexpected Wild beers of Chicago! They imbibe six different ales fermented with wild yeasts and bacteria and review them for your listening pleasure. They’ll also visit with a singing cab driver, check out the 14th annual Contortionists’ - [Episode 79 - CAN You Feel The Love Tonight?](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-79-can-you-feel-the-love-tonight/) - We can hardly believe the number of local breweries canning beers these days, and in this episode we barely scratch the aluminum surface. We review six diverse styles in our attempt to arbitrarily decide who can kick it. Sidebars and distractions ensue, and we end up doing the sour mash, testing Craig’s local can knowledge, - [Episode 78 - The MN Show](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-78-the-mn-show/) - We continue our mission to drink the United States with a little help from listener Jeb who provided six Minnesota beers for this episode. And we’re positively blown away by some of the beers coming from the North Star state. In addition to our reviews and arbitrary rankings, there’s much discussion of Minnesota’s cultural contributions - [Episode 80 - Tree House Brewing Company](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-80-tree-house-brewing-company/) - Craig’s recent travels took him to the town of Monson, Massachusetts where a small, growing brewery is producing some of the best beer in the world. Not only do we drink and react to six stunning Tree House Brewing Company beers, but Craig shares a conversation he recorded with co-founder and co-owner Dean Rohan. With - [Episode 81 - House of 1000 Hops](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-81-house-of-1000-hops/) - Simply put, we had a bunch of fresh, hoppy beers and needed an excuse to drink them - but then we go all meta on you. We have six beers from all over and play a game of Hop Bingo © to hopefully invigorate our limp descriptors. Craig takes control of the music on this - [Episode 82 - Hill Farmstead 3: Rise of the Growlers](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-82-hill-farmstead-3-rise-of-the-growlers/) - Craig's East Coast excursion continues to provide a bounty of spectacular beers for us to review, and we couldn't resist doing a third Hill Farmstead show. We drink five growlers and one bottle from RateBeer's top brewery in the country, and it’s all Vermontastic. And whenever the beer is this good, we get gleefully off - [Episode 83 - Brett Friends Forever](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-83-brett-friends-forever/) - This episode goes out to our BFFs in Chicago beer as we open five brettanomyces-enhanced bottles. And despite our fully-disclosed amicable relationships with these brewers, we manage to be brutally honest in our reviews. You’re welcome, buds! Mostly though, you’ll hear us analyze our own friendship through some light reminiscing, reflect on being held, articulate - [Episode 84 - Trillium](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-84-trillium/) - The spoils of Craig’s epic East Coast trip come to an end here, and boy are we spoiled! Trillium Brewing Company out of Boston is making a variety of beers better than pretty much everyone, we discover. Six beers of varying styles get our unequivocal praise here, which leaves plenty of time for Craig to - [Episode 85 - Beer For Breakfast](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-85-beer-for-breakfast/) - In the annals of ABV Chicago, this one will certainly go down as Craig’s masterpiece. We have five maple syrup and coffee breakfast beers and pair them with five doughnut creations from local baking geniuses Glazed & Infused. Once again we are joined by Chicago Reader’s 2015 Best Food Writer Dennis Lee, and like the - [Episode 86 - de Garde Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-86-de-garde-brewing/) - The brewers from Oregon’s de Garde Brewing use a coolship to ferment their beers year-round before aging them in oak, and we taste five of the resulting beers. Despite moments of oppressive heartburn, we find that the Oregonian Coast is blowing some sweet pixie farts into these wonderful beers. We try not to be too - [Episode 87 - Oktoberfest](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-87-oktoberfest/) - Prost! This week, we put nine Oktoberfest/Märzen-style beers into an ultraviolent cage match of arbitrary opinions. Beers from Germany, the U.S., and Chicago all enter, and a lot of them are kind of the same, but it’s the small differences that are amplified. We give a real informal history of the style, ponder what - [Episode 89 - Saisons Across America](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-89-saisons-across-america/) - We load up the wagon for a cross-country tour of saisons, and we go all ‘Murica on you anyways despite drinking delicate Belgian-style beers. On this episode, we review five saisons from five different states all over this great land. You’ll hear some talk of serving temperatures, food pairings, and off flavors as we lazily - [Episode 90 - Door County Brewing Co.](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-90-door-county-brewing-co/) - Before the weather all goes to shit, we look to the north for a flavor vacation with beers from Door County Brewing Co. We try almost everything they make while helping you plan your next vay-cay on Wisconsin’s Prehensile TailⓇ (Segway Tours are highly recommended.) We talk about beers with an eco-conscience, the Doors, fish - [Episode 91 - Night of the Hunter](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-91-night-of-the-hunter/) - 18th Street Brewery from Gary, Indiana is just over halfway through their Hunter variant series, and we round up five beers to review for this one. Colin Joliat from Boozist joins us to knock back this vertical of Hunter beers and to help us not end up horizontal. Craig is the game master on this - [Episode 92 - Gueuze Crueuze](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-92-gueuze-crueuze/) - For this episode, we blend with the Johnsens - MC and Matt - for this special trip on the Gueuze Crueuze™. We taste-tour five Belgian gueuzes and attempt to rank them, which is mixed in with some lambic education, brewery history, Belgium travel stories, and more diversions than usual. Here’s a small sampling of non-beer - [Episode 93 - Wicked Weed](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-93-wicked-weed/) - Listener Keef Debonzo sent us a box of treats from Wicked Weed Brewing, and we sat down on Halloween night to taste ‘em. We’re downright giddy to find out that this Asheville brewery is doing just about everything right. To add to the wickedness of this show, we play our favorite game, Beers Against Humanity, - [Episode 94 - West Coast Shelf Takeover](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-94-west-coast-shelf-takeover/) - Man, it’s a hot one. We try five West Coast beers that have started popping up on Chicagoland shelves to determine if they’re worth your all-important dollar with our arbitrary reviews. Learn about these new entries to the Chicago market while we pay tribute to a song that defined a generation. Plus, we rant about - [Episode 95 - The Other Illinois](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-95-the-other-illinois/) - On Craig’s day off, he went due south to central and southern Illinois to check out their burgeoning beer scene. He brought back five beers for us to review, and we’re all over them like Abe Lincoln on a steamin’ stack of corn cakes. Amidst the beer talk, we touch on such provincial topics as - [Episode 96 - FoBAB Hangover & Craft Sodas](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-96-fobab-hangover-craft-sodas/) - For our brief, annual sabbatical, we drink ten different craft sodas while recapping our experience at this year’s Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beers. We attempt to review the sodas, with five produced locally, but spend a lot of time reliving our favorite FoBAB moments. Our highlights include beers from Perennial, Off Color, 2nd Shift, - [ABV Chicago 2015 Holiday Shopping Guide](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicago-2015-holiday-shopping-guide/) - Every year, most websites give you their picks for the best holiday gifts. Since we're a beer site, we thought we'd chime in with our list. From the intellectual to the functional; the practical to the absurd, we have everything (and everyone!) covered. Ryan's Picks The Audacity of Hops - Tom Acitelli Despite a title - [Episode 97 - Bourbon County 2015](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-97-bourbon-county-2015/) - No tents were pitched in the making of this episode as we review the 2015 lineup of Goose Island’s signature special release stout. And we went extravagant on this one, pairing all six Bourbon County beers with special chocolates and the scandalous commentary of one Dennis Lee from The Pizzle. Find out if we think - [Episode 98 - Pipeworks: The Quest For Cans](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-98-pipeworks-the-quest-for-cans/) - 2015 might as well be deemed “The Year Pipeworks Came to Cans”, because as this show proves, it’s one of the best things to happen to Chicago beer in a while. We review the five currently available canned beers from Pipeworks because we were too impatient to wait for the sixth. Additionally, we unveil a - [Episode 99 - Spiteful Barrel-Aged Ballers](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-99-spiteful-barrel-aged-ballers/) - On this episode, we sit in the sticky lap of luxury and sip on some premium barrel-aged offerings from Spiteful Brewing. We review four beers: two of which rightfully won gold medals at FOBAB, and one that leaves us speechless (and hallucinating). In addition to all the beer and brewery talk, we audit Craig’s purchases, - [Episode 100 - Holiday Party 2015](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-100-holiday-party-2015/) - For the big 100, we threw a little holiday party and invited our friends - and to our delight, they came bearing gifts of beer! On the show, we drink with them and give our usual reviews while catching up with them and taking many topical detours. Joining us are Kim Leshinski (Hail to the - [Episode 101 - Winter Warm-Up](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-101-winter-warm-up/) - It’s sweaters and stouts season again, and we bask in the warmth of five dark beers on this episode. We also look back on the year in beer by reminiscing on some of our favorites beers and events of 2015. There’s a lot of love for local favorites like Middle Brow, Temperance, Transient, Imperial Oak, - [Episode 102 - Yet Another Beershow](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-102-yet-another-beershow/) - Who says a little danger can’t be a lot of fun? Well on this show, we drink five random beers we had around and give them the ol’ arbitrary review treatment. Ryan shares his complete pitch for Yet Another Stakeout, the prospective third film in the Stakeout Trilogy. And for some godforsaken reason, the whole - [ABV Chicago's 2nd Anniversary Party](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicagos-2nd-anniversary-party/) - We're in our terrible twos now (just now?!?!?), so we're throwing a party to celebrate! Details: Date: February 6, 2016 Where: Beermiscuous, 2812 North Lincoln Avenue, Chicago IL 60657 Time: 6-11 PM Featuring beers from: Middle Brow Beer Co. - Miner with Chamomile (grisette/table saison) Transient Artisan Ales - Taweret (peach-apricot sour aged in wine - [Episode 103 - Mother's](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-103-mothers/) - It’s a mother-loving good time on this episode as we drink six different beers from Springfield, Missouri’s own Mother’s Brewing Company. (Thanks Jeb and Eden!) And just like our own mothers, these beers fill us with warm feelings and happiness and alcohol. So we also rattle on about resolutions, crappy candy, hard root beer, TV - [Episode 104 - Beers for Bowie](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-104-beers-for-bowie/) - To clumsily pay tribute the only way we know how, we drink some beers to honor David Bowie that have some tangential relationship to his career. And though we don’t attempt to give Bowie a proper send off, the beers turn out really damn good and silliness abounds. We talk Monster cereals, sing some Cher, - [Episode 105 - Casey Brewing and Blending](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-105-casey-brewing-and-blending/) - It’s about to get all rustic up in here with four tart beers from Casey Brewing and Blending. Troy Casey subscribes to the Old World philosophy of brewing by using local Colorado ingredients and 100% oak fermentation to create these masterful brews. We subscribe to the ABV philosophy of getting completely off-topic from our beer - [Episode 106 - Collaboration Nation](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-106-collaboration-nation/) - We dipped into our vault this week to bring you our little tribute to working together. All five beers on this show were the product of collaboration featuring at least one local brewery (or liquor store) and a brewing buddy. Recorded back in August, this episode just got buried in our release schedule, but we’re - [Episode 107 - New Glarus R&D 2015](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-107-new-glarus-rd-2015/) - From the caves and laboratories of New Glarus, these four beers undergo our own “research and development” - by which we mean we “review” them and get surprisingly “drunk.” But the beers are of the usual New Glarus quality, so it gives us a lot to talk about: if Barney Rubble smells worse than a - [Episode 108 - Side Project II: The Secret of the Booze](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-108-side-project-ii-the-secret-of-the-booze/) - Straight out of the cellar and into your earholes, five Side Project beers are on the table for this one as Steph from The Girl and Her Beer joins us to review these ridiculous works of liquid art. It’s not news that Cory King makes badass 100% barrel-aged beers, but you can live vicariously through - [Episode 109 - Cider House Rulez](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-109-cider-house-rulez/) - We enter unfamiliar territory on this one by doing our first-ever cider show. Kim Leshinski of Hail to the Ale and MC Johnsen of Worth 1000 Beers join us to educate us on these fermented apple beverages. You’ll learn a lot about how ciders are made, apple varieties, local cider sources (including Broken Nose Cider), - [Episode 110 - Just A Little Off.....Color](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-110-just-a-little-off-color/) - To celebrate the opening of their new bottle shop, Off Color has released a few unique beers that we combine with two other shelf selections for review on this episode. And because Craig spent the day acquiring cideries at the Cider Summit, we try to keep it brief and on topic - which fails quickly. - [Episode 111 - Stoneface Brewing Co.](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-111-stoneface-brewing-co/) - Since 2014, the people of Stoneface Brewing Co. have been focused on churning out a small variety of high quality brews. We drink five from the New Hampshire brewery, and there’s nary a complaint to be made about these great beers. But the diversions we take are more, uh, graphic than ever. Expect to hear - [Episode 112 - Speedway Stout Grand Prix](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-112-speedway-stout-grand-prix/) - We disengage our clutches and rev up our car metaphors for a whole show dedicated to the Speedway Stout from AleSmith. Mike Zoller from PorchDrinking joins us to taste five versions of this coffee-fueled, high-octane stout, and it’s a damn good thing we’re not actually driving. We talk about aging coffee beers, infected beers, and - [Episode 113 - Short's vs. Odd Side: Illinois Edition](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-113-shorts-vs-odd-side-illinois-edition/) - Two Michigan breweries enter Illinois; only one will be declared victorious. Well, not really, as we’re sure that both Short’s Brewing and Odd Side Ales will make a lot of new fans in Illinois. We pit six of these Michigan export beers head-to-head on this episode - and the real winner is good taste. But - [Episode 114 - Une Annee: Le Seul](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-114-une-anne-le-seul/) - Somewhat quietly, Jerry Nelson from Une Année has been making some of the best sour beers in Chicago - or anywhere, frankly. On this show, we review the first five beers from the Le Seul series of wild ales and fall in love with the solera method. We also talk about Une Année’s recent news, - [Episode 115 - Mikerphone Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-115-mikerphone-brewing/) - Check. Check. Is this thing on? Everybody wants some Mikerphone Brewing, and we find out exactly why on this episode. With a mixed 4-track of Mike Pallen’s beers, we have our asses rocked by a few of the best beers we’ve had in a long, long time. We share an update on Mikerphone’s new location, - [Episode 116 - Trillium, Again](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-116-trillium-again/) - We’re all too eager to try more from Boston’s Trillium Brewing Company as we were positively gobsmacked by their beers last time. This time around, we have MC Johnsen from Worth 1000 Beers to help us review these five offerings and steer us into some serious streams of consciousness. We talk a bit about Trillium’s - [Episode 117 - Midwest BA Stouts Blind](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-117-midwest-ba-stouts-blind/) - Nothing is certain and all of life is a lie. We drink five Midwestern barrel-aged stouts without knowing what they are to test their true quality and our very confidence in ourselves. And it is discovered that we, in fact, are terrible. But major surprises abound as we mostly play a new game we should - [Episode 118 - Dark Lord](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-118-dark-lord/) - Another Dark Lord Day approaches, so we review a vertical of 3 Floyds’ signature special release with a little help from the Chicago Tribune’s beer columnist Josh Noel. Should you ever age a Dark Lord? Is it really just a decent beer? Are the variants worth it? The answers will probably not shock you. But - [Episode 119 - Fonta Flora](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-119-fonta-flora/) - At the foot of the Appalachian mountains just outside of Asheville, Fonta Flora embraces local ingredients while honoring the history of a flooded sharecropping community. For some reason, reviewing four of their beers brings out our feisty side - and the most violent reaction to a beer we’ve ever had. We hope you also want - [Episode 120 - Other Half](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-120-other-half/) - Other Half Brewing is the latest small East Coast operation churning out heavily-hopped (and hyped) beers that are increasingly in demand. We scrutinize five of these Brooklyn-born ales on this show, trying to determine if their growing reputation is well-deserved. And because it’s us, we also do some “NBA Jam” trivia, drink Sea Monkeys, ruminate - [Episode 121 - NIPAs](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-121-nipas/) - Sometimes the show is about what we don’t drink, and on this one, we have No IPAs. It’s really just a cute name for a random beer show we recorded while already drunk late on a Friday. There are five beers from a few locals and a few others, and at least for some, we’re - [Episode 122 - Saved By CCBW: The New Class](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-122-saved-by-ccbw-the-new-class/) - It’s alright, because it’s Chicago Craft Beer Week! We mark the occasion by drinking six beers from local breweries we’ve never featured before - and we’ve been missing out. We try to give some background on these breweries, but our “research” has truly reached a new low. There’s also talk of marketing angles, bleach lambics, - [Episode 123 - Old Hops](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-123-old-hops/) - Hoppy beers are best enjoyed fresh - that’s just a fact. But what happens when you let them age well beyond their suggested shelf life? On this episode, we subject ourselves to a little experiment for educational purposes. We discuss a variety of hop-related topics like bottle dates, the insignificance of IBUs, alcohol as a - [Episode 124 - Random Acts of Hoppiness](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-124-random-acts-of-hoppiness/) - 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 - [Episode 125 - Goodbye ABV West](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-125-goodbye-abv-west/) - 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 - [Episode 126 - Maplewood Brewery & Distillery](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-126-maplewood-brewery-distillery/) - 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 - [Episode 127 - Oxbow Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-127-oxbow-brewing/) - 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, - [Episode 128 - Mikerphone Remastered](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-128-mikerphone-remastered/) - 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 - [Episode 129 - The GA Show](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-129-the-ga-show/) - 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 - [Episode 130 - Chicago in Wood](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-130-chicago-in-wood/) - 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 - [Episode 131 - IPA Plus](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-131-ipa-plus/) - 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, - [Episode 132 - Goose Island Clybourn II](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-132-goose-island-clybourn-ii/) - 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 - [Episode 133 - Hop Butcher For The World](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-133-hop-butcher-for-the-world/) - 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 Zimmer from Hop Butcher gives us the whole story - and a lot of tasty beers. Few stones are left unturned as we - [Episode 135 - NOW That's What I Call Nepotism! Vol. 1](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-135-now-thats-what-i-call-nepotism-vol-1/) - 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 - [Episode 137 - Best of Low ABV, Volume 1](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-137-best-of-low-abv-volume-1/) - 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 - [Episode 138 - The WA Show](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-138-the-wa-show/) - 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 - [Episode 139 - Funk Factory Geuzeria](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-139-funk-factory-geuzeria/) - 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 - [Episode 140 - Chicago Porters](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-140-chicago-porters/) - 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 - [Episode 141 - Triptych Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-141-triptych-brewing/) - 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 - [Episode 142 - Darkness](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-142-darkness/) - 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 lead brewer Ben Smith to talk about what makes Darkness what it is. MC Johnsen sits in with us to help us make - [Episode 143 - GABF 2016](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-143-gabf-2016/) - 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 - [Episode 144 - Wiseacre](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-144-wiseacre/) - We welcome Wiseacre to the Chicago market by sampling five of their beers and discovering that they will be a welcome addition even in this highly-competitive region. This show features three regular offerings, one seasonal release, one special release, and two slap-happy hosts. You’ll hear us threaten to Flowzie something, try to appeal to the - [Episode 145 - Bright Green Bangers](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-145-bright-green-bangers/) - Pure joy will emanate from your listening devices on this one as we taste some of the best hoppy beers on the planet. We can hardly contain our giddiness with a mixed six pack of beers from both Tree House Brewing of Massachusetts and The Alchemist from Vermont, courtesy of listener Josh Sissman. In between - [Episode 146 - FoBABblin'](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-146-fobabblin/) - The Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beers (FoBAB) enters its 14th year as one of Chicago’s premier beer fests, and we are so pumped for it that we drink four beers that’ll be pouring over the weekend. Expect some festival advice, relive FoBAB days of yore, and hear about the beer Ryan named. There’s - [Episode 147 - O'so Sours](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-147-oso-sours/) - Wisconsin’s O’so Brewing has dabbled in sour beers for a few years, and while the whole brewery grows rapidly, their “Extreme Beers” are finding a captive audience with sour beer lovers. We review five tasty barrel-aged sours and try not to turn this episode into a Tums commercial. We discover “TA” and struggle to make - [Episode 148 - FoBAB Hangover 3: Non-Alcoholic Beers](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-148-fobab-hangover-3/) - In our yearly moment of clearheadedness after the Festival of Barrel-Aged Beers, we take on four non-alcoholic beers for the sake of science. To take our minds off of these near beers, we go over all of our FoBAB beer highlights. But you’ll learn a lot about how non-alcoholic beer is made, why there are - [Episode 149 - Bourbon County 2016](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-149-bourbon-county-2016/) - In the wake of another Black Friday, we sample the four releases from Goose Island’s infamous Bourbon County line for 2016. So, was all the Friday madness worth it? That’s really subjective based on your personal experience, but we’ll do our best! At least we concur that it’s a huge step-up from 2015. Two beers - [Episode 151 - Stocking Stuffers](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-151-stocking-stuffers/) - Need a stocking stuffer or an effective mood-lifter for a family gathering? We try six different Christmas beers to help you better lubricate your holiday train. Our top beer is a huge surprise, but the whole lineup proves to be a Christmas miracle. And like two slightly tipsy yet overly productive elves, we play two - [Episode 152 - Holiday Party 2016](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-152-holiday-party-2016/) - We manage to throw a holiday party with no eggnog, ugly sweaters, or inappropriate mistletoe placement - just great friends and great beers. Actually, Craig does wear an insane gaudy suit, but it only enhances our talks with four guests over five beers. We are joined by our good friends MC Johnson (Worth 1000 Beers), - [Episode 153 - Cypress Grove Meets Chicago](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-153-cypress-grove-meets-chicago/) - Our new best friends at Cypress Grove make some of the finest goat’s milk cheeses in the country, and they sent us some to pair with local beers. Win your New Year’s party by learning from our pairing experiments, or find out which cheeses to make a staple of all your future bottle shares. We - [Episode 154 - Coffee Stouts](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-154-coffee-stouts/) - A Craig divided against itself cannot stand - especially if he’s drinking a bunch of high ABV coffee stouts. We challenge Craig’s hatred of coffee and love of stouts by opening four flavorful beers on this one. It’ll take a serious horse-breaking for Ryan to teach Craig anything about coffee, so instead we talk about - [ABV Chicago's 3rd Anniversary Party](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-chicagos-3rd-anniversary-party/) - We've made it through another year and so have you! So we're gonna do what we always do and throw a party! Details: Date: February 4, 2016 Where: Beermiscuous, 2812 North Lincoln Avenue, Chicago IL 60657 Time: 6-11 PM Featuring beers from: Middle Brow Beer Co. - White Velvet (blended witbier with black currants and cinnamon) Goose - [Episode 156 - Escape to Canada: Bellwoods Brewery](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-156-escape-to-canada-bellwoods-brewery/) - Good news to all our future expats, Toronto’s Bellwoods Brewery is making outstanding light hoppy beers that are bulging with deliciousness. Thanks to listener Christopher Nyren, we sample four fresh brews that cross-check us with flavor. Craig gives a brief overview of Canada’s confusing beer laws and liquor sales, then quizzes Ryan in a round - [Episode 157 - Central Waters Anniversary](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-157-central-waters-anniversary/) - Over the last half-dozen years, Amherst, Wisconsin’s Central Waters Brewing have released a special barrel-aged imperial stout for their anniversary at their annual party. Craig is a loyal attendee, so we have a five-year vertical to tackle with the help of Tom, Jack, and Nick from The Hop Review. Along with trying to discern the - [Episode 158 - Suburban Fruit Basket](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-158-suburban-fruit-basket/) - Summer Craig is back and ready to fire up the boat and mix up some cocktails! Actually, it’s Ryan’s stupid idea to put a bunch of fruit in these five suburban-brewed beers that were all very good before we screwed with them. We review and rank these diverse offerings, and we also get to - [Episode 161 - Deciduous Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-161-deciduous-brewing/) - We pop five beers from New Hampshire’s Deciduous Brewing, and it gets a little Gushyⓒ. But the beers are impressive all around, and we finally learn what a “pLambic” is. The tangents are frequent and our talking points include wrestling and the SLAMbic, bizarre aroma descriptors, fruit soup, the Tannic Suggestion, a blood orange crime, - [Episode 163 - Race to Juice Mountain](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-163-race-to-juice-mountain/) - It’s all about those juicy hops on this episode, as we review five beers from larger breweries looking to capitalize on the current juice obsession in hoppy beers. It’s a perilous summit to the top, but we arbitrarily agree on which beer should be on your grocery list. We go over the many other large - [Episode 164 - Rodenbach](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-164-rodenbach/) - Get ready to journey through time with a nearly 200 year-old Belgian brewery on an episode that took us two weeks to record! Rodenbach makes some of the best sour beer in the world that is often overlooked in favor of those U.S. acid bombs that garner high trade value. We try to figure out - [Episode 165 - Old Barleywines](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-165-old-barleywines/) - The general beer aging debate rages on, but barleywines have long been a staple for cellar keepers with the promise of better beer always further ahead. For this episode, we take on a murder of aged barleywines, chiefly American in style, often barrel-aged, and mostly just downright unpleasant. Perhaps we were influenced by our Bracket - [ABV Extra: Best of Low ABV, Volume 2](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-extra-best-of-low-abv-volume-2/) - As a peace offering while we ready some hot new content for this week, here’s a compilation of our favorite Low ABV episodes that were previously only available to our Patreon Patrons. We review five beers in total over four segments, and only one is included because you like to hear us suffer. As is - [Episode 166 - New Chicago Brewery Tour](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-166-new-chicago-brewery-tour/) - The show is on the road for this one as we dropped into four Chicago breweries that are all under a year old to chat with brewers and procure some beers to review. Our first stop is at Pilsen’s yet-to-open Lo Rez Brewing to talk with Dave and Kevin about how their tech background led - [Episode 167 - Half Acre & Heavy Gem](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-167-half-acre-heavy-gem/) - Chicagoans have long been lucky jerks to be able to call Half Acre their own, and now with the mysterious new Heavy Gem project between Half Acre and Tired Hands, it just got even better. We sample some newer Half Acre offerings before trying to get to the bottom of the mystifying Heavy Gem and - [Episode 169 - The OH Show](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-169-the-oh-show/) - Continuing our intermittent liquid tour of the nation, the Buckeye State is the focus of this one with five beers from five Ohio breweries. Craig regales us with tales of his recent travels through Ohio, and he nailed the lineup here with five damn tasty brews. We also share a chat Craig had with Black - [Saisonathon 2017](http://www.abvchicago.com/saisonathon-2017/) - Join us as we celebrate local saisons with our Saisonathon event during Chicago Craft Beer Week! We here at ABV Chicago are big fans of saisons, so two years ago we organized a Saisons and Sours event for Chicago Craft Beer Week. While organizing it, it became apparent that getting saisons on tap from local - [Episode 170 - Pizza Boy](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-170-pizza-boy/) - Hot and ready at your ear doors, this episode is all about the Pizza Boy - Brewing, that is. Craig delivers another tasty lineup with five beers from his visit to this Enola, PA brewery. Of course this brewery awakens our appetites and we talk a bit about pizza and breakfast, with a serious diversion - [Episode 171 - Midwestern Wheats](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-171-midwestern-wheats/) - For many, wheat beers are summer. So we get tired of waiting for the weather to turn and initiate summer on this episode with five wheat beers from five Midwestern states. Which summer wheat should be on your grocery list? Hear our arbitrary opinions! We find renewed love with some of these wheats, and at - [Episode 172 - Milky Treats](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-172-milky-treats/) - Sweet creamy delights fill our mouths on this engagement as we savor five adjunct-heavy milk stouts, and most are true to their intentions. It’s a roguish gallery of dessert flavors featuring coconut, chocolate, peanut butter, strawberry, cacao nibs, vanilla, cinnamon, peppers, and orange zest. We announce our big buyout, Craig’s bad creamer decision, proper jelly - [Episode 173 - DrippyIPAs](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-173-drippyipas/) - Bring your raincoat and galoshes as there’s bound to be some moisture as we sip six DrippyIPAs© on this episode. We’re simply sodden with delicious hoppy ales, but one beer is the biggest shocker we’ve had in a long time. We also revisit our odd time at the Chicago Beer Classic on Soldier Field, long - [Episode 174 - Can Do, Chicago!](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-174-can-do-chicago/) - We’re not quite ready to let another Chicago Craft Beer Week go, so we grabbed five new-ish canned beers from Chicago breweries to review. This show also serves as our Beer Under Glass festival recap - at least, what we can remember about it. Five highly-drinkable beers and two slightly hungover hosts - what else - [Episode 175 - The PA Show](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-175-the-pa-show/) - We add another pin on our map with a Pennsylvania show that rings our damn Liberty bells so hard that rankings have rarely been drunker. We have five beers to review from Craig’s travels, and a brief interview with East End Brewing’s Brendan Benson. The vibes are good, as we goof on podcast names, Nic - [Episode 176 - DESTIHL Brewery](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-176-destihl-brewery/) - Over the course of a decade, DESTIHL Brewery has been extending their reach from their home in Central Illinois to sending their cans and bottles to nineteen different states. On this show, we sample an array of what they do: common styles, canned sours, and award-winning stouts. Craig sets us on a path of maximum - [Episode 177 - Jackie O's](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-177-jackie-os/) - Starting back in 2005, Jackie O's has grown from a brewpub to include a production brewery, bakeshop, and farm.Recently, Craig went down to Athens, Ohio and recorded about 20 minutes with the head brewer of the production brewery, Seth Morton, before bringing back a stash of beer for us to review. We try six of - [Episode 178 - The NJ Show](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-178-the-nj-show/) - Thanks to listener Mike Bobal, we are able to drop another pin in our map as we tackle the Garden State. We review five beers from five different New Jersey breweries while trying not to offend every single person in that state. Also on the agenda, we try to refresh our tired review language, experience - [Episode 179 - Chicago Cooler Beers](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-179-chicago-cooler-beers/) - Whether it's for a barbecue or a beach, choosing the right refreshing beer for your summer outing is more daunting than ever with so many choices. So, for your benefit, we drink eight Chicago-area beers that are built to pulled from ice and crushed. (For safety purposes, we must advise against you literally crushing beers, - [Episode 180 - Mikerphone Brewing Live!](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-180-mikerphone-brewing-live/) - Mike Pallen opened the doors on the tasting room for his new Elk Grove Village brewery back in March, and the rarest thing - besides some of his beers - is finding an open seat at the bar. We sat down with Mike at the new location to dive deep into what makes Mikerphone Brewing - [Episode 181 - Narrow Gauge Brewing Company](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-181-narrow-gauge-brewing-company/) - From the basement of an Italian restaurant just outside of St. Louis, Narrow Gauge has started to gain a name in the Midwest and beyond as purveyors of great hazy IPAs - and other outstanding beers, as we find on this episode. We review four crowlers of beer that Craig schlepped back from a recent - [Episode 183 - Transient Artisan Ales](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-183-transient-artisan-ales/) - It’s been a year and some months since Chris Betts made Transient Artisan Ales not-so transient by opening up a brewery and taproom in Bridgman, Michigan. We take the short jaunt around the tip of Lake Michigan to catch up with Chris over some of his world-class beers and talk about some of the big - [Episode 184 - Hops for Downloads](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-184-hops-for-downloads/) - We love hops - and more importantly, our listening audience loves hops too. So to keep pushing those download numbers higher, we take our palates to the limit with six random hoppy beers. We talk about the wacky world of beer pricing, the shelf life of hazy beers, and the best brewery that Chicagoans aren’t - [Episode 185 - Can't Stop the Hops](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-185-cant-stop-the-hops/) - Ignoring the fact that there are plenty of beers out there that relegate hops to a simple supporting ingredient, we again indulge our insatiable appetites for chronic hop-led tonics by tasting out five super fresh local IPAs and DIPAs. Are we getting too old for this sh*t? Not likely! We do have a hell of - [Episode 186 - Carton Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-186-carton-brewing/) - From the tip of New Jersey’s elbow, Carton Brewing makes beers sometimes born of unusual inspiration that combine culinary artistry with just the right amount of whimsy. Listener Mike Bobal sent us six Carton beers for this one, and the flavors are as big as the alcohol content. We talk about Carton’s namesake leader Augie - [Episode 187 - Saint Errant Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-187-saint-errant-brewing/) - While many of their friends were starting breweries and gaining notoriety, Brent Banks and Ryan Jacobs were honing their craft as home brewers while juggling jobs in finance and the medical field. At the urging of their comrades, the pair finally decided to go pro and start Saint Errant Brewing. Currently, they contract brew out - [Episode 189 - Face/Off: WI vs. IL](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-189-faceoff-wi-vs-il/) - This episode will, once and for all, determine which state is the greatest on Earth: Wisconsin or Illinois? We find sort-of equivalent beers in pretty specific styles from each state to vie for our arbitrary love. This episode is soft dystopia for soft adults, with mentions of FroBAB, the ReinheitsgeBot, and drunken Cinnabon. One beer - [Episode 190 - The MI Show](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-190-the-mi-show/) - We’ve been smitten with The Mitten for as long as we’ve loved beer, because Michigan just might be the best beer state in the Midwest. We stick to the western coast of MI as Craig gathered four interviews and five beers for this 11th stop in our ongoing State Show series. You’ll hear from John - [Great American Beer Festival 2017 Psyche Up!](http://www.abvchicago.com/great-american-beer-festival-2017-psyche/) - It's that time of year again! Were you lucky enough to score tickets to the Great American Beer Festival? Or are you planning on taking it all in and watching the awards ceremony from home? Whatever your plans are for this week, get psyched up with our recaps from all the Great American Beer Festivals - [Episode 191 - Kane Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-191-kane-brewing/) - The third show in our own Jersey Trilogy (thanks to listener Mike Bobal), we finally get to try more from a brewery that’s blown us away at festivals in the past - Kane Brewing. We have three hoppy cans, two potent bottles, and two irreverent trivia games on this episode as we spiral towards a - [Episode 192 - Too Many SKUs](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-192-too-many-skus/) - There is a ridiculous amount of options for the Chicagoland beer buyer, but that won’t stop five more established breweries from carving out some shelf space! We try five beers from these new arrivals to try and determine how they will play to the Chicagoland consumer - and some are going to be hard to - [Episode 193 - Cali Cans](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-193-cali-cans/) - We broke our self-imposed hop hiatus in spectacular fashion, thanks to listener Mike Rousseau. Five super sexy hoppy cans from the Golden State don’t even stand a chance here, as no drop is left undrank. Thus begins a journey of pure inebriation, as we explore Craig’s doppelgangers, draw up some sick face tattoos, get largely - [Episode 195 - Vanilla Stout Bottle Share](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-195-vanilla-stout-bottle-share/) - For many years now, vanilla has been the adjunct that takes a beer’s status from gold to platinum, instantly raising its secondary value to ridiculous levels. Not wanting to waste a drop, we invited a bunch of our friends - who brought a whole lot more beer - to taste 15 (!!) vanilla adjunct beers - [Episode 197 - Blinded by the Haze](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-197-blinded-by-the-haze/) - Be cautious beer audio traveler, there’s a dense fog advisory covering this episode as we blindly taste through six New England-style hoppy beers. We pit murky IPAs and DIPAs from Illinois against the opaque juice bombs from other states in a blind faceoff-matchup-tasting thing, because we’ve run out of original ideas. Despite our presumptuous hazy - [Episode 198 - FoBABlin' 2: FoBABlin' in the City](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-198-fobablin-2-fobablin-in-the-city/) - Each fall, Chicago holds one of the best beer fests in the country, so don’t blame us for getting all giddy about it. We talk a lot about what we’re excited for at the 15th Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beers (FoBAB) and review beers from some of the better breweries set to pour.Yes, a - [Episode 199 - Metal Monkey Asmodeus](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-199-metal-monkey-asmodeus/) - As Metal Monkey Brewing in Romeoville gears up for the largest release in their almost two-year history, they decided that we should spread the word on the four barrel-aged versions of their huge Asmodeus stout. Was it a wise idea? For us, it certainly was as the beers are damn enjoyable and lead us to - [Episode 237 - BRUT by Chicago](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-237-brut-chicago/) - We finally realize our champagne wishes and IPA dreams as we gather some of the first beers released locally under the new Brut IPA style. What makes this San Francisco-born variation on IPA so special, and do we even really understand what a Brut IPA is by the end of the show?Maybe! There's some light - [Episode 236 - St. Louis Six](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-236-st-louis-six/) - This one’s for all you Breeniacs out there. Listener Don Kasak hooked us up with a mixed bunch of St. Louis goodies, and ranking them does not prove to be easy. This show reinforces why St. Louis is one of the best beer cities in the nation once you look past the Budweiser building. There’s - [Episode 200 - The 200th Episode Extravaganza](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-200-200th-episode-extravaganza/) - To commemorate our big 200, we ditched all of our high concept ideas to bring it back to the podcast’s origins by having a bottle share of random beers that interested us. But we couldn’t stop there, as this star-studded episode also features a ridiculous number of brewers and industry folks as we shout trivia - [Episode 201 - Lineless in Chicago](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-201-lineless-in-chicago/) - Did you strike out on BCBS this year? Is your Black Friday haul picture too pitiful to boastpost to that one Facebook group? Be not dismayed weary barrel-aged beer seekers - we have a whole show of beers that required waiting in no lines to obtain! We found five barrel-aged beers that were both more - [Episode 202 - The CO Show](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-202-the-co-show/) - Recorded after our return from this year’s GABF in October, we add to our State Show Series by sampling five beers from five Denver-area breweries, completely neglecting the rest of this beer-rich state. We recap our visits to four of the breweries and take our riffing to new above sea-level heights by talking about cask - [Episode 203 - Nuts 4 Stouts](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-203-nuts-4-stouts/) - Few things pair with falling temperatures, snow flurries, and holiday stress as well as big roasty and nutty stouts, so we get cracking on five beers that feature unique nut additions. We learn about the awfulness of black walnuts, give credit to the brewery that started pastry stouts, talk strategy for TMNT II: The Arcade - [Episode 204 - Holiday Party 2017](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-204-holiday-party-2017/) - A shining star led many wise men and women to our place of recording, with each bearing wondrous homages of beer as we give audio birth to this blessed baby podcast. Actually, it’s just our holiday party with a bunch of great guests and stellar beer. Between handfuls of snacks, we manage to record ourselves - [Episode 206 - pFriem Family Brewers](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-206-pfriem-family-brewers/) - The pfabulous brewery with the pfunny name, pFriem Family Brewers out of Hood River, Oregon has been perfecting styles and racking up medals since 2012. We get to try a variety of styles here thanks to head brewer Gavin Lord who sent us a generous package for our reviewing pleasure. And it’s a pleasure, indeed. - [Episode 207 - New Taproom Tour](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-207-new-taproom-tour/) - In the last six months, four hotly anticipated taprooms threw open their doors for thirsty Chicagoans, and we took a day to visit them. We brought back beers from each spot to review while sharing our early impressions of the new establishments. There’s also some necessary Podcasting 101 (for Kidz), Craig’s melty-face fears, the search - [Episode 208 - The IA Show](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-208-the-ia-show/) - Our 14th state show is with beers from all over the Hawkeye state, thanks to listener TJ Osborn. We review five beers from five different Iowa breweries and run into our first-ever CrowlerFreak.Ⓡ Ryan gets to relive a little of his college days in Iowa City by drinking too much and wearing an adult-sized onesie; - [Episode 209 - Lost Forty Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-209-lost-forty-brewing/) - Unknown to most of us Midwesterners but regarded highly in their native Arkansas, Lost Forty Brewing is canning up some stellar takes on a wide variety of styles. We taste five beers from this Little Rock-based brewery thanks to listener Chris Butler. These extremely tasty beers quickly chuck us over the hill and into one - [Episode 210 - Holy Mountain](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-210-holy-mountain/) - This Seattle brewery’s been on our wishlist for quite some time, and listener Raj Shah sent us a heavenly array of Holy Mountain beers to review. Big hops, barrels, and Brett make for some pretty flavorful beer - and almost all of it is impressive and unique. We encounter the ugliest beer we’ve seen in - [Best of Low ABV Volume 3: Hops n’ Games](http://www.abvchicago.com/best-of-low-abv-volume-3-hops-n-games/) - Each week for the past two years, we’ve released special mini-episodes for our Patreon supporters that we call Low ABVs. It’s our small way of saying thanks to those who commit even a small amount of money to us each month. To say thank you to everyone else, we’ve compiled some of our favorites that - [Episode 211 - The AR Show](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-211-the-ar-show/) - Although Arkansas is known for many important things, brewing beer isn’t exactly one of them, as it ranks near the bottom in the nation for breweries per capita. But of course a passionate few are looking to change that reputation as we sample beer from about 1/7th of the breweries in The Natural State. Thanks - [Episode 212 - German-Style Chicago Reboot](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-212-german-style-chicago-reboot/) - Four years ago, no one wanted to hear us drink German styles coming out of Chicago. Now that more local breweries are paying homage to the biers from Deutschland, we reboot the concept with a grittier lineup and go for that hard PG-13 rating. We dive into these styles by reading from a few dusty - [Episode 213 - Cigar City Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-213-cigar-city-brewing/) - About two years after a buyout from a private equity firm that joined them with crafty canning giants Oskar Blues, Cigar City Brewing is poised to make 2018 a year of expansion. Now that their world-class beers are being faithfully reproduced on a larger scale, it’s due time they entered the crowded - yet thirsty - [Episode 214 - Energy City Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-214-energy-city-brewing/) - What would you do if you were a brewer at a one barrel brewery with a family and full time job with only a handful of brew days each month? Well if you’re Energy City Brewing, you’d probably open one Saturday a month and drop some exceptional beers on the unsuspecting public of greater Batavia.Thanks - [Episode 215 - Yazoo: Embrace the Funk](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-215-yazoo-embrace-the-funk/) - Our hearts are wide open and ready to embrace the funk, but will it embrace us back? Yazoo Brewing out of Nashville, Tennessee has been brewing since 2003, but their obsession with making complex sour works of art started in 2012. We have four beers from Yazoo’s funky side thanks to listener Matt Milam, and - [Episode 216 - Top IPAs Blind](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-216-top-ipas-blind/) - The most beloved and influential American IPAs of the last decade are being churned out in record volume, yet the juicy beers are getting all the hype while diluting the meaning of the very style. We reignite our love for six of the country’s most-revered IPAs that are now all available in grocery stores all - [Episode 217 - The S'more You Know](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-217-the-smore-you-know/) - In the grand order of the pastriarchy, the s’more stout reigns supreme again and again. But are they any good when you remove the hype? We blind taste five s’more-mimicking stouts in order to determine our arbitrary, ooey-gooey rankings. And no joke - the craziest thing happens at the end of this episode when - [Episode 218 - Hop Butcher for the World](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-218-hop-butcher-for-the-world/) - Slow growth is better than no growth - and it may be even better than rapid growth, as the crew at Hop Butcher for the World proves. After nearly two years of intermittent releases of their (mostly) hoppy offerings, the demand for Hop Butcher beers has surpassed all of their local peers - and few - [Episode 219 - Spring Cleaning](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-219-spring-cleaning/) - As another dogged Chicago winter comes to a close, we have some leftover beers that need to be emptied out into our swollen hibernation tummies. For this show, we drop the high concept act and drink six random beers for enjoyment and review, with the return of a game of Beer Carnac to boot. We - [Episode 220 - Smoked Beers Everyday](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-220-smoked-beers-everyday/) - An episode we swore we would never do, it’s all smoked beers of different styles on this show as we attempt to shake our long-running distaste of drinking ashy campfire ales. Do we finally open our minds and palates to the wonders of smoked malts? Listen to find out if we safely cross the Rauch - [Episode 223 - The Science of Saison](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-223-science-of-saison/) - Few styles are as satisfying as a perfectly executed saison. It’s no wonder that the devotees of this heterogeneous style are as passionate as they are, passing on the latest fad IPA to reach for some stubby green bottle with the hard-to-pronounce Belgian name. This show is dedicated to saisons of much variation, and we’re - [Episode 224 - New Crush](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-224-new-crush/) - Stealing furtive glances from across the liquor store, you let your gaze finally fix on what could be your new summer crush - a local canned beer under six percent alcohol. We flirt with some new releases from some favorite locals, and put them on our Crushometer©™ along with our usual rankings. You’ll also hear - [Episode 225 - Halfway to Black Friday](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-225-halfway-to-black-friday/) - It’ll be another six months before the next wave of Bourbon County hits the supermarkets, so we check in on the 2017 lineup to see how they’re tasting after half a year. We are joined by Josh Noel, author of the brand new book Barrel-Aged Stout and Selling Out: Goose Island, Anheuser-Busch and How Craft - [Episode 226 - BeerCrimes](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-226-beercrimes/) - In the world of brewing, beer is brewed by two separate yet equally important groups: the independent brewers who make interesting beer, and the corporate brewers who imitate the former. On this show, we investigate six offerings, mostly brand new to the market, that big beer companies want to trick you into drinking. We try - [Episode 227 - Chicago Sour IPAs](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-227-chicago-sour-ipas/) - As an amalgamation of two styles seen as so disparate in their processes, it’s easy to call Sour IPAs a gimmick - a style that cannot nor should not exist - or simply, liquid clickbait. We put our own skepticism to the test with five of our favorite local breweries and their spin on the - [Episode 228 - Candy and Cakes](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-228-candy-and-cakes/) - It’s like an hour-long cheat day, for on this episode, we indulge in everything sweet and sugary to enrobe ourselves in stouts just in time for the summer. We review five stouts that all feature a bevy of big flavors and adjuncts to create boozy, liquid desserts. There’s also talk about this year’s Riot Fest - [Episode 229 - Lager Me Blindly](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-229-lager-me-blindly/) - Lagers still represent the most consumed style of beer in the U.S. and it’s not even close. But consumers demand more than the watered-down adjunct-laden fare peddled by the biggest brewers and have pushed slightly less-big brewers to make some tastier options. We blind taste eight lagers - four from “macro” brands, and four from - [Episode 230 - SaisOn The Shelf](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-230-saison-the-shelf/) - Our love of saisons runs deep - far deeper than our technical knowledge of them - but nevertheless, we get excited when we see new saisons filling up our local beer stores. We taste five recently released saisons that are all pretty different takes on the style, while figuring out which ones we'll add to - [Episode 231 - Still Hazy After All These Years](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-231-still-hazy-after-all-these-years/) - We were shocked to learn that it’s been 8 months since our last hazy beer/New England-style IPA-focused show - can we learn to love them again? Well, the six beers on this show certainly make a strong case, as we drink newly canned hazy offerings from a variety of local brewers.We also add to our - [Episode 232 - Just Peachy](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-232-just-peachy/) - Well this episode isn't THE PITS! Get it?!? We sample six pretty different beers that prominently feature peaches to pick our favorites. We talk about the secrets to finding the best peaches, how the lambic brewers of the world can come together, and what makes something a "festival sour." We also explore some new breakdancing - [Episode 233 - Rosé Three Ways](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-233-rose-three-ways/) - Like diamonds, we have many facets. And on this highly Instagrammable show, we explore rosé as a wine, as a cider, and as a beer. Will our complete inexperience in drinking rosé (or wine in general) skew the rankings towards our “home” style, beer? You will be surprised by the outcome on this one! We - [Episode 234 - Bearded Iris Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-234-bearded-iris-brewing/) - For the past three years, Bearded Iris has been bringing some exciting flavors to its home of Nashville, Tennessee, and thanks to listener Matt Milam, we get to indulge in some of their hazy and sweet offerings. We sample five beers on this show for our arbitrary review, and one beer is an "all-timer." Also, - [Episode 235 - American Kriek](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-235-american-kriek/) - A little background noise for your next de-stemming party, this episode has us drinking American takes on the cherry-featuring “kriek” - with four of the five produced in the style of traditional lambic. There’s also a brief chat with Bill and Hagen from Dovetail about their recently-released (but long-planned) kriek beer and some very exciting - [Saisonathon 2018](http://www.abvchicago.com/saisonathon-2018/) - Join us as we celebrate saisons with our Saisonathon event during Illinois Craft Beer Week! With last year's Saisonathon being an unbridled success (featuring an appearance by Joe Lo Truglio!), we decided to bring it back again this year better than ever! While still focused primarily on Chicago-area crafted saisons, we've expanded it a bit - [Episode 222 - Polish Beers](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-222-polish-beers/) - To commemorate everyone’s favorite early-May drinking holiday, we have six beers to celebrate Polish Constitution Day! (Thursday, May 3rd!) Though this show cost only $15 to fill, its true value lies in providing the literal worst singular beer experience either us have ever had. Seriously. But there are also some killer value finds, along with - [Episode 221 - The Old/Fresh Blind Test](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-221-the-old-fresh-blind-test/) - It’s a HIGH concept week here at ABV Labs as we determine whether certain beloved beers should or should not be aged. We have six beers to drink: two vintages of three different beers, and we approach each set blind to see if we can tell the difference. We learn quite a bit about beers - [StoutFest 2018 Remodeled - The Golden Hoagies](http://www.abvchicago.com/stoutfest-2018-remodeled-the-golden-hoagies/) - Two years is equivalent to a decade in Chicago beer, and StoutFest returned from its last appearance in 2016 to a very different Goose Island Clybourn Brewhouse with a new crop fo breweries ready to take home the coveted StoutFest cup. And to a much, much, much lesser extent, those breweries were also unknowingly vying - [Chicago White Sox 2018 - Ready to Eat (and Drink)](http://www.abvchicago.com/chicago-white-sox-2018-ready-eat-drink/) - Major League Baseball Opening Day is one of my favorite holidays. Winter should be gone (but sometimes stays around), the weather is getting warmer, the days are getting longer and, as a teacher, the school year is almost over. But it’s really about meaningful baseball. Every team is 0-0, in first place and in contention. - [Most Memorable 30 Beers of 2017](http://www.abvchicago.com/memorable-30-beers-2017/) - It's the end of the year and time to look back on the... wait a minute, it's 2018! Between the holidays, getting sick, and drinking, drinking, drinking, this list is unfortunately coming out a little late. Think of it as an etched stone tablet, so future generations will know what 2017 was like in beer. - [Ryan’s Top 50 Beers of 2017](http://www.abvchicago.com/ryans-top-50-beers-2017/) - Take a little trip with me. Come back to a time when people cared about year-end lists - approximately three and a half weeks ago, or perhaps never - and allow me to share my completely arbitrary rankings of beers released in 2017 that I enjoyed. Gather up the plush folds of this Wordpress template - [Is There Life After Deth?](http://www.abvchicago.com/is-there-life-after-deth/) - Revolution had a great 2017. They started distributing to more states, released the League of Heroes 12-packs and Cross of Gold 18-packs (at amazing price points), and canned Anti-Hero in ginormous 19.2 ounce cans. Their crowning achievement of 2017, however, might have been deciding to put their entire Deep Wood series of barrel-aged beers in - [Episode 205 - F*** Off 2017](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-205-f-off-2017/) - The perfect soundtrack to setting your 2017 calendars ablaze over your electric stove, this episode features five beers that are, like, sooooo 2017. We kiss off this s***ty year with a combination of hazy IPAs and sweet/pastry stouts before the World Premiere of our brand new parody song, “We Didn’t Start the Fire (2017 Beer - [The FoBAB 2017 Unofficial Strategy Guide](http://www.abvchicago.com/fobab-2017-unofficial-strategy-guide/) - ABV Chicago's Unofficial Strategy Guide to the 2017 Festival of Wood and Barrel Aged Beers. Tips to keep you from blacking out, what to drink, and how to get to and from the event safely. The 15th annual Festival of Wood and Barrel Aged Beers approaches, and you're going to need a plan. First of - [Episode 196 - The Torture Test](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-196-the-torture-test/) - In what will surely become a Hellish yearly tradition, we get gruesome on this show by trying to break each other by pouring the worst beers we could find. It’s a contest of depravity as we each selected three beers for the other to experience blind, and the results are horrifying.There’s a game aspect to - [First Impressions: Bourbon County 2017 Lineup](http://www.abvchicago.com/bourbon-county-2017-lineup/) - We were fortunate enough to be invited by Goose Island to their Barrel Warehouse to get a preview of this year's Bourbon County 2017 line-up.Held in the cellar of their beautiful event space - with bottles of Vanilla Rye, Rare 2015, and Proprietor’s 2014 locked up behind us - they guided us through each of - [First Impressions: Goose Island Brewhouse](http://www.abvchicago.com/first-impressions-goose-island-brewhouse/) - Craig was able to get a sneak peek of the soon-to-be-opened Goose Island Brewhouse, see the renovations, and try the beer and food. “Everything changes and nothing stands still.” - Heraclitus And so after a ten month wait, what was the Goose Island Clybourn brewpub has been remodeled, redone, renovated, re-envisioned, and re-purposed as - [Episode 168 - Left Field Brewery](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-168-left-field-brewery/) - Hailing from Toronto, Canada, Left Field Brewery makes an array of beers you can suck down alongside nine innings of baseball. The beers lead off strong and hardly let up, as we’re all too happy to bat around some bad baseball metaphors as we sample. The talk is a bit White Sox-centric at times, with - [Episode 162 - I Need A Hero](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-162-i-need-a-hero/) - Revolution has done something downright heroic for hoppy beer fans by assembling a mixed 12-pack of their Hero beers that will see variations as a year-round release. We crack into a fantastic foursome along with one rogue Hero and rank them all. We speculate on some hero backstories, imagine the Mt. Rushmore of Chicago beer, - [Episode 160 - Odell Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-160-odell-brewing/) - Made to cellar and improve with age, this episode was recorded back in 2014, and we release it now to coincide with Odell Brewing's entrance into the Chicago market. The younger version of us tastes through seven (!) different beers from the Fort Collins brewery, and we are pleasantly surprised throughout. There’s also some “interviews”, - [Episode 159 - BCBS Vertical](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-159-bcbs-vertical/) - Eight years of Bourbon County tells an interesting story about Goose Island as a brewery, so we have the guy who is literally writing the book on it join us for a vertical tasting. Josh Noel from the Chicago Tribune helps us nitpick our way through eight years of BCBS. There’s Goose info galore including - [Episode 155 - Chi NEIPAs](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-155-chi-neipas/) - Bring your bendy straw, we’re dipping into some juicy, hazy New England-style IPAs made locally. Whether it’s an actual style or not, stores can hardly keep any brewery’s NEIPA in stock - so we evaluate seven of them in a blind tasting. We share everything we know about this trend, say “creamy” a few - [2016: A Beer To Remember, A Year To Forget](http://www.abvchicago.com/2016-beer-remember-year-forget/) - 2016 is finally over (is everyone alive?), so it's high time to tie a bow on this year officially. So here is the official Top 10 list (after the clock struck midnight) and links to our 2016 Year in Beer, plus some other fun facts. 10 Most Downloaded Episodes (final) 1. Hop Butcher For the - [The Best Beers of 2016: Ryan’s Most Arbitrary Countdown Part 2](http://www.abvchicago.com/best-beers-2016-ryans-arbitrary-countdown-part-2/) - The second part of Ryan's Most Arbitrary Countdown of the best beers of 2016, covering beers 1-25. Part one, featuring 26-50, can be found here, while Craig's list can be found here. 25 | Peach Climacteric | Blended sour fermented on peaches | WeldWerks Brewing Co. (Greeley, CO) - listen I know in Michigan they - [The Best Beers of 2016: Ryan’s Most Arbitrary Countdown Part 1](http://www.abvchicago.com/the-best-beers-of-2016-ryans-most-arbitrary-countdown-part-1/) - If you’ve heard our podcast, we’re all about emphasizing how arbitrary the order is on our end-of-episode rankings, because we tend to find flaws in our beers in the scrutinizing way that Jerry Seinfeld found flaws in his fictional love interests. And sometimes, based on the night, a technically good beer tastes like an artfully - [Most Memorable Beers of 2016: Craig's Listicle](http://www.abvchicago.com/memorable-beers-2016/) - So here we are at the end of another year. And what a great year it was… to drink! We were fortunate enough to be able to try a wide variety of beers, from locally, to domestically, to internationally brewed. Since the internet loves lists (and cats), I figured why not make a list of - [Toppling Goliath and Field Musuem Collaboration](http://www.abvchicago.com/toppling-goliath-field-musuem-collaboration/) - Wow. Press release from the Field Musuem of Chicago. Does Tree House, Russian River, or Trillium make any dinosaur themed beer? Long known as a Chicago destination for lovers of science and natural history, The Field Museum is embarking on a unique partnership with Toppling Goliath Brewing Company of Decorah, Iowa. One of Toppling Goliath’s most - [Episode 150 - The Seasons](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-150-the-seasons/) - We celebrate the big one-five-oh with the most valuable lineup of beers we’ve ever put to our lips - and the bottles practically pop themselves in revelry. Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen made these four special gueuzes to save itself after a terrible mishap and released them in very limited quantities back in 2011, and we’re lucky - [Pygmalion Festival 2016 - The Music and the Beer](http://www.abvchicago.com/the-pygmalion-festival-2016/) - Craig recently attended the Pygmlaion Festival in Champaign-Urbana, IL. Along with seeing some great live performances, he also hit a few of the local breweries, most notably Triptych Brewing, creators of the Pygmalion Pilsner. Lollapalooza. Coachella. Bonnaroo. South by Southwest. When someone mentions “music festival” those are the ones that come to mind. All have - [Belgian Fest 2016](http://www.abvchicago.com/belgian-fest-2016/) - Goose Island Clybourn made you a gift, Chicago. It’s an organized and well-curated beer event with no glass boots full of märzen or live bands drawing seas of asses and elbows. It’s the type of fest that feels right on a Sunday afternoon - casual and friendly but with enough delicious beer to make four - [Episode 136 - The FLA Show](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-136-the-fla-show/) - 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 - [Episode 134 - Funky Buddha, Little Buddha](http://www.abvchicago.com/episode-134-funky-buddha-little-buddha/) - 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 - [StoutFest 2016 - The Crotchees Return!](http://www.abvchicago.com/stoutfest-2016-the-crotchees-return/) - Ryan and Craig recap their StoutFest 2016 experience by handing out the coveted Crotchees. On a miserable rainy Sunday in March of 2016, a bunch of nice people came to Goose Island Clybourn to drink stouts as if they didn’t have jobs to be at in less than 20 hours. Any gripes about scheduling this - [Cider Summit 2016](http://www.abvchicago.com/cider-summit-2016/) - Cider has been on the upswing recently. While usually neglecting to realize that cider has an entire aisle at a beer store like Binny’s, it makes sense to have an entire event dedicated to this sweet, sometimes dry, nectar. Upon hearing about last year’s event from two of our guests and friends (Kim from Hail - [Transient Artisan Ales Bottle Release Party](http://www.abvchicago.com/transient-artisan-ales-bottle-release-party/) - Finally. After 3 months of waiting and countless informative (or uninformative in terms of the beers being released) emails about it, Transient Artisan Ales released their first six bottled beers to reserve members. And what a release it was. We interviewed Chris about Transient Artisan Ales and tried 4 of his beers (2 of which - [FoBAB 2014](http://www.abvchicago.com/fobab-2014/) - Ryan attended the 12th annual Festival of Wood and Barrel Aged Beers on Friday, November 14th 2014, and he wanted to share this with you. Since the music of FoBAB got me all 90s nostalgic, remember Supermarket Sweep? It was a half-hour “game show”/extended commercial that culminated in the Big Sweep, wherein contestants frantically scrambled - [30 Most Memorable Beer Moments of 2015](http://www.abvchicago.com/30-most-memorable-beer-moments-of-2015-2/) - The end of the year. A time for family, fun, and presents. And lists. So many lists. Pictures, memes, moments, villains, most searched, selfies, sports moments, events – you name it, there’s a list for it, and beer is no exception. Best beer overall, best by style, best label art and, new this year, best - [Ryan’s 2015 Beer Listicle](http://www.abvchicago.com/ryans-2015-beer-listicle/) - Ryan recaps the best beer he had, podcast or otherwise, in 2015. Periodically I’m reminded that people listen to my opinions about beers and sometimes even let them influence their purchasing or trading decisions. This is crazy to me because A. I barely know what I’m talking about and B. beer reviews are largely pointless. - [BeerShop's Barrel-Aged Beer Class](http://www.abvchicago.com/beershops-barrel-aged-beer-class/) - Barrel-aged beer is everywhere today. Most established breweries have a barrel-aging program; even some new breweries have some beers sitting in barrels, waiting to be released as their first. With at least one barrel-aged beer on most every bar tap list, how is one supposed to decide what they like in a barrel-aged beer? To - [Zwanze Day 2015](http://www.abvchicago.com/zwanze-day-2015/) - West Lakeview Liquors has always held the Illinois celebration of Cantillon’s Zwanze Day, and at least since 2012 (the first year I attended), it was a “show up and get a ticket" event. Things have changed over the years, the biggest being the fest moving from the West Lakeview store and the bar across the - [Hop Jam 2015](http://www.abvchicago.com/hop-jam-2015/) - Guest contributor Patrick Archambault makes us Midwesterners feel like we missed out as he recounts his day drinking great New England beer at the Hop Jam 2015 festival. I feel damn spoiled—New England is a great place to live for craft beer lovers. Not only are world-class breweries all over this area, craft beer fests - [Oak Park Microbrew Review 2015](http://www.abvchicago.com/oak-park-microbrew-review-2015/) - With so many festivals going on now – seemingly one or more every weekend, especially during the summer months – it gets hard for each one to separate itself from the pack. The Oak Park Microbrew Review has been going on for eight years now, so they should have their shit together, right? Check out - [Adventures on the East Coast: Portland, ME](http://www.abvchicago.com/adventures-on-the-east-coast-portland-me/) - In mid-July, Craig took a trip to the East Coast. He picked up his buddy Ed (from the Night Shift Barrel Society show) in Boston and they hit 4 areas on their travels. This is their story. For more in depth discussion about some of the beers from the breweries below, check out our Mostly - [Great Taste of the Midwest 2015](http://www.abvchicago.com/great-taste-of-the-midwest-2015/) - In some ways, I actually hate Madison’s Great Taste of the Midwest. It’s the last huge beer event for the summer and I’ll be going back to work teaching soon. But man, do I end the summer with a bang. From bottle releases to pre-parties to the fest itself, it’s an enjoyable 3 days even - [Chicago Tea Party: The Episode That Never Was](http://www.abvchicago.com/chicago-tea-party-the-episode-that-never-was/) - Originally intended as our 71st episode, Chicago Tea Party just wasn't meant to be. Chicago Tea Party: The Episode That Never Was by Ryan Ingwersen (@thefussydad) At this point, we’ve recorded 77 episodes of Craig and I drinking beer and giving our arbitrary reviews and rankings. The first two episodes have never been released - - [33 Headlines About Beer That Are Perfect For Thrillist](http://www.abvchicago.com/33-headlines-about-beer-that-are-perfect-for-thrillist/) - To: chicago@thrillist.com From: abvchicago@gmail.com Subject: 33 Headlines About Beer That Are Perfect For Thrillist Dear Thrillist editors, I’ve recently become aware of your website, and I love it! Not long ago, I was mentioning to my wife and friends that someone should make a version of Buzzfeed for men that also sells me shoes. The - [No More a Side Project](http://www.abvchicago.com/no-more-a-side-project/) - For the longest time, beer in St. Louis meant Anheuser-Busch. Recently, however, St. Louis has seen an explosion of breweries. Schlafly, Perennial Artisan Ales, 4 Hands, 2nd Shift, Civil Life, Urban Chestnut, and countless others have begun brewing interesting, experimental, and flavorful creations. Amongst the leaders of this renaissance is Side Project Brewing, the brainchild - [GABF 2014: Craig's Friday and Saturday](http://www.abvchicago.com/gabf-2014-craigs-friday-and-saturday/) - So after drinking from noon to 10 PM Thursday, I naturally did the responsible thing on Friday. I kept drinking. With GABF starting at 6PM, I had the whole day to check out the city and the other beer events. A friend of mine saw that Falling Rock had a Cigar City tap takeover the ## Pages - [Episodes](http://www.abvchicago.com/episodes/) - 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 2025 Episode 621 - Let The Fun Be Gin Episode 620 - FoBAB Winners 2025 Episode 619 - Decembeers Episode 618 - Deepest Woodest Episode 617 - Bourbon County 2025 (w/ Ryan - [Beers reviewed](http://www.abvchicago.com/beers-reviewed/) - Wondering what specific beers we've reviewed? Look no further. List is sorted alphabetically by brewery. Click on the beer name and it will take you to the episode we reviewed it in. It's that simple! A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T - [Who We Are](http://www.abvchicago.com/who-we-are/) - Hosts Craig is a middle school teacher in Chicago, hence his "enthusiasm" for craft beer. Craig likes to travel to find the best brews around, so he is frequently at local events and breweries far, far away. Ryan is also a middle school teacher. He does not believe in trading or waiting in lines for beer, - [Low ABVs](http://www.abvchicago.com/lowabvs/) - The Bunker: Low ABVs Here you will find all the links to all of the Patreon exclusive Low ABV episodes. If you’re a donor, you’ll be able to access them. If not, donate now and get access! (We don't always update this page, so go to our Patreon page to see our latest exclusive content.) Low ABV - [ABV Store](http://www.abvchicago.com/abv-store/) - Welcome to the ABV Chicago Cream Team store! Check out everything we have below and be sure to read our ordering process and FAQ before you purchase. Ordering process E-mail us at abvchicago@gmail.com with what you'd like to purchase and your address. We'll email you back with a total, which can be paid via Paypal. ABV - [Beer Reviews](http://www.abvchicago.com/beer-reviews/) - [Donate](http://www.abvchicago.com/donate/) - We here at ABV Chicago love doing the podcast for you. We are not in the beer industry; we are both teachers. It costs money to produce, host, promote, and basically exist as a podcast. We purchase or trade for most of the beer we have on the show, and with bills and children coming - [BBQ Pit](http://www.abvchicago.com/bbq-pit/) - When we're charming enough to get a brewer to submit to an interview, it lands here, in the BBQ (Best Brewers Questioned) Pit. Tim Clifford (Sante Adairius) Cory King (Perennial Artisan Ales and Side Project) - [Contact](http://www.abvchicago.com/contact/) - Questions? Comments? 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Instagram: abvchicago ## Categories - [Uncategorized](http://www.abvchicago.com/category/uncategorized/) - [Audio](http://www.abvchicago.com/category/audio/) - [Events](http://www.abvchicago.com/category/events/) - [Contests](http://www.abvchicago.com/category/contests/) - [Travel](http://www.abvchicago.com/category/travel/) - [Interviews](http://www.abvchicago.com/category/abvbbq/) - [GABF](http://www.abvchicago.com/category/gabf/) - [Lifestyle](http://www.abvchicago.com/category/lifestyle/) - [Beer Reviews](http://www.abvchicago.com/category/beer-reviews/) ## Tags - [haymarket](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/haymarket/) - [events](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/events-2/) - [beerthday](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/beerthday/) - [Riverview](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/riverview/) - [Festibarrel](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/festibarrel/) - [central waters](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/central-waters/) - [16](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/16/) - [anniversary](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/anniversary/) - 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[Forbidden Root](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/forbidden-root/) - [DryHop](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/dryhop/) - [Cahoots](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/cahoots/) - [Lake Effect](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/lake-effect/) - [One Trick Pony](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/one-trick-pony/) - [Horse Thief Hollow](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/horse-thief-hollow/) - [Marz](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/marz/) - [Tired Hands](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/tired-hands/) - [Binge'n](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/bingen/) - [Great Lakes](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/great-lakes/) - [Three Floyds](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/three-floyds/) - [Sixpoint](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/sixpoint/) - [Victory](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/victory/) - [Bell's](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/bells/) - [Dark Horse](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/dark-horse/) - [Atlas](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/atlas/) - [Imperial Oak](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/imperial-oak/) - [Stone](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/stone/) - [Smuttynose](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/smuttynose/) - [Sierra Nevada](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/sierra-nevada/) - [Firestone Walker](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/firestone-walker/) - [Southern Tier](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/southern-tier/) - [Boulevard](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/boulevard/) - [Founders](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/founders/) - [Schlafly](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/schlafly/) - [Wine and Cheese Place](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/wine-and-cheese-place/) - [Craft Beer Cellar Clayton](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/craft-beer-cellar-clayton/) - [Baileys' Range](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/baileys-range/) - [iTAP](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/itap/) - [Civil Life](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/civil-life/) - [Side Project](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/side-project/) - [5 Rabbit](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/5-rabbit/) - [Brett Porter](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/brett-porter/) - [Toppling Goliath](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/toppling-goliath/) - [beer camp](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/beer-camp/) - [transient artisan ales](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/transient-artisan-ales/) - [3 floyds](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/3-floyds/) - [Flesk](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/flesk/) - [werk force](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/werk-force/) - [upland](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/upland/) - [smylie brothers](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/smylie-brothers/) - [haymarket. cigar city](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/haymarket-cigar-city/) - [2nd Shift](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/2nd-shift/) - [Alpha Brewing Co](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/alpha-brewing-co/) - [Mikkeller](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/mikkeller/) - [Urban Chestnut](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/urban-chestnut/) - [Charleville](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/charleville/) - [Beermiscuous](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/beermiscuous/) - [Temperance](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/temperance/) - [Moody Tongue](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/moody-tongue/) - [DESTHIL](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/desthil/) - [Buckledown](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/buckledown/) - [CHAOS Brew Club](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/chaos-brew-club/) - [Great Taste of the Midwest](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/great-taste-of-the-midwest/) - [New Glarus](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/new-glarus/) - [puppy](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/puppy/) - [Slapshot](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/slapshot/) - [Marz Community Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/marz-community-brewing/) - [Jo Snow](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/jo-snow/) - [Modern Times](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/modern-times/) - [Perennial Artisan Ales](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/perennial-artisan-ales/) - [Cantillon](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/cantillon/) - [Zwanze](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/zwanze/) - [Zwanze Day](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/zwanze-day/) - [West Lakeview Liquors](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/west-lakeview-liquors/) - [Stevens Point](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/stevens-point/) - [Ten Ninety](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/ten-ninety/) - [Lakefront](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/lakefront/) - [Dogfish Head](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/dogfish-head/) - [Pumpkins](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/pumpkins/) - [GABF 2014](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/gabf-2014/) - [Melvin Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/melvin-brewing/) - [Kane Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/kane-brewing/) - [What The Funk](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/what-the-funk/) - [Jester King](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/jester-king/) - [Lost Abbey](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/lost-abbey/) - [Port Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/port-brewing/) - [Funky Buddha](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/funky-buddha/) - [Ale Apothecary](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/ale-apothecary/) - [Casey Brewing and Blending](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/casey-brewing-and-blending/) - [Prairie Artisan Ales](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/prairie-artisan-ales/) - [Falling Rock](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/falling-rock/) - [Wicked Weed](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/wicked-weed/) - [Comrade](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/comrade/) - [Yazoo](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/yazoo/) - [Societe](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/societe/) - [Almanac](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/almanac/) - [Buffalo Bayou](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/buffalo-bayou/) - [Pinthouse Pizza](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/pinthouse-pizza/) - [Melvin](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/melvin/) - [River Dog](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/river-dog/) - [The Rare Barrel](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/the-rare-barrel/) - [Boneyard](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/boneyard/) - [Beachwood BBQ](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/beachwood-bbq/) - [Comrade Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/comrade-brewing/) - [10 Barrel Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/10-barrel-brewing/) - [Arcade](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/arcade/) - [51st Ward](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/51st-ward/) - [Goose Island Clybourn](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/goose-island-clybourn/) - [Goose Island brewpubs](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/goose-island-brewpubs/) - [Name That Russian](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/name-that-russian/) - [FoBAB](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/fobab/) - [Fremont](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/fremont/) - [New Belgium](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/new-belgium/) - [Trinity](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/trinity/) - [Supermarket Sweep](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/supermarket-sweep/) - [Pedialyte](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/pedialyte/) - [V8](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/v8/) - [Nice! Water](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/nice-water/) - [Gatorade](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/gatorade/) - [Vita Coco](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/vita-coco/) - [Hoppin Frog](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/hoppin-frog/) - [New Holland](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/new-holland/) - [FiftyFifty](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/fiftyfifty/) - [Abita](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/abita/) - [Mystic](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/mystic/) - [de Garde](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/de-garde/) - [St. Bernardus](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/st-bernardus/) - [Oxbow](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/oxbow/) - [windy city patty wagon](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/windy-city-patty-wagon/) - [Anchor](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/anchor/) - [Anderson Valley](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/anderson-valley/) - [one year](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/one-year/) - [Imerman Angels](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/imerman-angels/) - [disaster](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/disaster/) - [Thrillist](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/thrillist/) - [Voodoo](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/voodoo/) - [Mardi Gras](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/mardi-gras/) - [Homebrew](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/homebrew/) - [Night Shift](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/night-shift/) - [Tree House](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/tree-house/) - [Trillium](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/trillium/) - [bratwurst](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/bratwurst/) - [Hailstorm](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/hailstorm/) - [Penrose](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/penrose/) - [Brickstone Brewery](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/brickstone-brewery/) - [Greenstar](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/greenstar/) - [Crotchee](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/crotchee/) - [Ritterguts](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/ritterguts/) - [Westbrook](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/westbrook/) - [Leipziger](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/leipziger/) - [Against the Grain](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/against-the-grain/) - [Freigeist](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/freigeist/) - [Girl scout cookies](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/girl-scout-cookies/) - [Scorched Earth](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/scorched-earth/) - [Aquanaut](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/aquanaut/) - [Coronado](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/coronado/) - [21st Amendment](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/21st-amendment/) - [Sweetwater](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/sweetwater/) - [The Open Bottle](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/the-open-bottle/) - [Pollyanna](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/pollyanna/) - [350 Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/350-brewing/) - [Banging Gavel](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/banging-gavel/) - [Arrowhead](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/arrowhead/) - [Epic](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/epic/) - [Passion House](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/passion-house/) - [Intelligentsia](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/intelligentsia/) - [Big Shoulders](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/big-shoulders/) - [Noon Whistle](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/noon-whistle/) - [CCBW](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/ccbw/) - [ruining favorite beers](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/ruining-favorite-beers/) - [Schwimmer Vintage Ales](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/schwimmer-vintage-ales/) - [Boston](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/boston/) - [Burundi](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/burundi/) - [tea](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/tea/) - [crumpets](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/crumpets/) - [kombucha](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/kombucha/) - [Stoneface](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/stoneface/) - [Bissell Brothers](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/bissell-brothers/) - [Allagash](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/allagash/) - [Foundation](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/foundation/) - [The Beerists](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/the-beerists/) - [DeGarde](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/degarde/) - [Funk Factory](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/funk-factory/) - [fruit](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/fruit/) - [cheese](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/cheese/) - [Beers Against Humanity](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/beers-against-humanity/) - [Gattica!](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/gattica/) - [baderbrau](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/baderbrau/) - [konig](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/konig/) - [weihenstephaner](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/weihenstephaner/) - [kaiserdom](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/kaiserdom/) - [wolters](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/wolters/) - [Transient](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/transient/) - [Fountainhead](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/fountainhead/) - [Wild Chicago](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/wild-chicago/) - [Ben Hollis](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/ben-hollis/) - [August Schell](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/august-schell/) - [Dangerous Man](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/dangerous-man/) - [Bent Paddle](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/bent-paddle/) - [Bauhaus](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/bauhaus/) - [Indeed](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/indeed/) - [Steel Toe](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/steel-toe/) - [Mikerphone](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/mikerphone/) - [absinthe](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/absinthe/) - [Novare Res](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/novare-res/) - [Sebago](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/sebago/) - [Portsmouth Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/portsmouth-brewing/) - [the 90s](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/the-90s/) - [Dean](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/dean/) - [awesome](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/awesome/) - [Hop Bingo](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/hop-bingo/) - [Lone Pint](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/lone-pint/) - [Fat Head's](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/fat-heads/) - [Karben4](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/karben4/) - [Dexter's Pub](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/dexters-pub/) - [Brickhosue BBQ](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/brickhosue-bbq/) - [Ale Asylum](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/ale-asylum/) - [Odd Side](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/odd-side/) - [Kuhnhenn](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/kuhnhenn/) - [O'so](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/oso/) - [bathroom hell](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/bathroom-hell/) - [Blackback Pub](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/blackback-pub/) - [The Reservoir](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/the-reservoir/) - [Prohibition Pig](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/prohibition-pig/) - [Lawson's Finest Liquids](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/lawsons-finest-liquids/) - [Warren Store](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/warren-store/) - [Deciduous](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/deciduous/) - [Ben and Jerry's](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/ben-and-jerrys/) - [Hill farmstad](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/hill-farmstad/) - [east coast](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/east-coast/) - [growlers](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/growlers/) - [ReplicAle](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/replicale/) - [Blue Island Beer Company](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/blue-island-beer-company/) - [Village Vintner](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/village-vintner/) - [Alarmist](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/alarmist/) - [Triptych](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/triptych/) - [Oak Park Microbrew Review](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/oak-park-microbrew-review/) - [Brett Friends](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/brett-friends/) - [trill](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/trill/) - [Terrapin](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/terrapin/) - [Glazed and Infused](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/glazed-and-infused/) - [doughnuts](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/doughnuts/) - [masterpiece](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/masterpiece/) - [insulin](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/insulin/) - [AC Golden](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/ac-golden/) - [J. Wakefield](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/j-wakefield/) - [Black Project](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/black-project/) - [Rahr & Sons](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/rahr-sons/) - [Ratio Beerworks](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/ratio-beerworks/) - [Tilquin](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/tilquin/) - [Drie Fonteinen](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/drie-fonteinen/) - [food](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/food/) - [Schramm's](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/schramms/) - [Casey Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/casey-brewing/) - [Door County Brewing Co.](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/door-county-brewing-co/) - [Pfreim Family Brewers](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/pfreim-family-brewers/) - [Scratch Lawson's Finest Liquids](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/scratch-lawsons-finest-liquids/) - [Port](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/port/) - [Black Bottle](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/black-bottle/) - [Cellarmaker](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/cellarmaker/) - [Kane](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/kane/) - [Raito Beerworks](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/raito-beerworks/) - [Live Oak](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/live-oak/) - [Bleching Beaver](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/bleching-beaver/) - [Short's](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/shorts/) - [lions gate entertainment](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/lions-gate-entertainment/) - [The Last Witchhunter](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/the-last-witchhunter/) - [Boozist](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/boozist/) - [Boon](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/boon/) - [Girardin](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/girardin/) - [Austin Beerworks](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/austin-beerworks/) - [Hops and Pie](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/hops-and-pie/) - [Freshcraft](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/freshcraft/) - [Bruery](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/bruery/) - [TAPS Fish House and Brewery](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/taps-fish-house-and-brewery/) - [Lost Abbery](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/lost-abbery/) - [Small Town](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/small-town/) - [Saint Arnold](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/saint-arnold/) - [Halloween](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/halloween/) - [Cascade](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/cascade/) - [Logsdon](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/logsdon/) - [AleSmith](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/alesmith/) - [Smooth](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/smooth/) - [JT Walker's](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/jt-walkers/) - [Brickstone](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/brickstone/) - [Rolling Meadows](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/rolling-meadows/) - [Big Muddy](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/big-muddy/) - [southern Illinois](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/southern-illinois/) - [WBC](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/wbc/) - [Virgil's](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/virgils/) - [Green River](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/green-river/) - [Fentiman's](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/fentimans/) - [Deadworld](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/deadworld/) - [Cicero Beverage Co](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/cicero-beverage-co/) - [Berghoff](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/berghoff/) - [Sioux City](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/sioux-city/) - [Filbert's](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/filberts/) - [Boylan](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/boylan/) - [chocolate](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/chocolate/) - [Bourbon County](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/bourbon-county/) - [Pizzle](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/pizzle/) - [Quest for Cans](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/quest-for-cans/) - [unicorns](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/unicorns/) - [BeerShop](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/beershop/) - [Seattle Cider Co.](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/seattle-cider-co/) - [ballin'](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/ballin/) - [barrel-aged](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/barrel-aged/) - [OEC](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/oec/) - [BrainDead](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/braindead/) - [fingerless gloves](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/fingerless-gloves/) - [Ballash Point](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/ballash-point/) - [Beer Cellar](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/beer-cellar/) - [Prairie](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/prairie/) - [Anchorage](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/anchorage/) - [Grimm](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/grimm/) - [Yet Another Stakeout](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/yet-another-stakeout/) - [DESTIHL](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/destihl/) - [Hail to the Ale](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/hail-to-the-ale/) - [Down the Hatch](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/down-the-hatch/) - [worth 1000 beers](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/worth-1000-beers/) - [ABV turns 2](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/abv-turns-2/) - [ABV2](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/abv2/) - [Mother's](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/mothers/) - [moms](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/moms/) - [tv moms](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/tv-moms/) - [Bayerischer Bahnof](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/bayerischer-bahnof/) - [Uinta](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/uinta/) - [David Bowie](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/david-bowie/) - [Casey](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/casey/) - [beer and clothes pairing](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/beer-and-clothes-pairing/) - [Barney Rubble](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/barney-rubble/) - [research and development](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/research-and-development/) - [The Girl and Her Beer](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/the-girl-and-her-beer/) - [Ciders](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/ciders/) - [Shacksbury](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/shacksbury/) - [Farnum Hill](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/farnum-hill/) - [Bantam](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/bantam/) - [Vander Mill](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/vander-mill/) - [Uncle John's](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/uncle-johns/) - [Wandering Aegnus](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/wandering-aegnus/) - [Cider Summit](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/cider-summit/) - [candy](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/candy/) - [John Apple](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/john-apple/) - [French Stupid](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/french-stupid/) - [cats](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/cats/) - [Neil Breen](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/neil-breen/) - [certified beer server](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/certified-beer-server/) - [Porch Drinking](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/porch-drinking/) - [Wacky Races](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/wacky-races/) - [Ciders of Spain](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/ciders-of-spain/) - [Northman](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/northman/) - [Orchard Gate Imports](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/orchard-gate-imports/) - [Sea Cider](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/sea-cider/) - [Cider Brothers](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/cider-brothers/) - [Closer](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/closer/) - [Maplewood](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/maplewood/) - [Bed Bath and Beyond](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/bed-bath-and-beyond/) - [sandwich](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/sandwich/) - [Cruz Blanca](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/cruz-blanca/) - [Sketchbook](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/sketchbook/) - [South Loop](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/south-loop/) - [Street Fighter II](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/street-fighter-ii/) - [Illinois](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/illinois/) - [no voice](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/no-voice/) - [Nirvana](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/nirvana/) - [Gloria Estefan](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/gloria-estefan/) - [day of action](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/day-of-action/) - [elbow dancing](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/elbow-dancing/) - [White Sox](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/white-sox/) - [Wild Onion](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/wild-onion/) - [blind](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/blind/) - [Chicago Tribune](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/chicago-tribune/) - [Dark Lord](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/dark-lord/) - [Into the Abyss](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/into-the-abyss/) - [fonta flora](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/fonta-flora/) - [fanta](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/fanta/) - [spanish star wars](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/spanish-star-wars/) - [Other Half](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/other-half/) - [NBA Jam](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/nba-jam/) - [Jnco](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/jnco/) - [hip](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/hip/) - [Lindemans](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/lindemans/) - [Blue Island Beer Co.](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/blue-island-beer-co/) - [motor row](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/motor-row/) - [hop butcher](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/hop-butcher/) - [hop butcher for the world](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/hop-butcher-for-the-world/) - [illuminated](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/illuminated/) - [around the bend](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/around-the-bend/) - [saved by the bell](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/saved-by-the-bell/) - [saved by ccbw](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/saved-by-ccbw/) - [Old](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/old/) - [The Veil](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/the-veil/) - [Topling Goliath](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/topling-goliath/) - [Hoof Hearted](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/hoof-hearted/) - [Hubbard's Cave](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/hubbards-cave/) - [515 Brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/515-brewing/) - [Yaz](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/yaz/) - [The Bruery](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/the-bruery/) - [Goodbye ABV West](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/goodbye-abv-west/) - [hair](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/hair/) - [whiskey](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/whiskey/) - [Train](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/train/) - [catchphrase](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/catchphrase/) - [wax boner](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/wax-boner/) - [Burnt Hickory](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/burnt-hickory/) - [Second Self](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/second-self/) - [Orpheus](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/orpheus/) - [Three Taverns](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/three-taverns/) - [Creature Comforts](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/creature-comforts/) - [Beer Guys Radio](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/beer-guys-radio/) - [freshest dunks](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/freshest-dunks/) - [Whiner](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/whiner/) - [Nomad](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/nomad/) - [more barrels](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/more-barrels/) - [Like Minds](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/like-minds/) - [BagelFest](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/bagelfest/) - [cream bomb](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/cream-bomb/) - [ghost whales](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/ghost-whales/) - [Belgian Fest](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/belgian-fest/) - [us cellular field](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/us-cellular-field/) - [ditka](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/ditka/) - [little buddha](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/little-buddha/) - [311](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/311/) - [brewer interview](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/brewer-interview/) - [get funky](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/get-funky/) - [Inclement Weather](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/inclement-weather/) - [new theme song](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/new-theme-song/) - [3 Sons](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/3-sons/) - [Flagler](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/flagler/) - [Odd Breed](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/odd-breed/) - [Wynwood](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/wynwood/) - [Pitbull](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/pitbull/) - [low abv](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/low-abv/) - [patreon](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/patreon/) - [Cycle](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/cycle/) - [Lord Hobo](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/lord-hobo/) - [boomstick](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/boomstick/) - [hoobastank](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/hoobastank/) - [90s rock karaoke](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/90s-rock-karaoke/) - [bale breaker](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/bale-breaker/) - [urban family](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/urban-family/) - [clouburst](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/clouburst/) - [holy mountain](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/holy-mountain/) - [three magnets](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/three-magnets/) - [stoup](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/stoup/) - [blood brothers](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/blood-brothers/) - [state show](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/state-show/) - [50 states](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/50-states/) - [Gushy the Bunker Bucket](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/gushy-the-bunker-bucket/) - [coolship](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/coolship/) - [Jean Cheese](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/jean-cheese/) - [Curtis Mercer](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/curtis-mercer/) - [Dreggy Topoff](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/dreggy-topoff/) - [corridor](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/corridor/) - [twisted hippo](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/twisted-hippo/) - [band of bohemia](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/band-of-bohemia/) - [taxidermied churro](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/taxidermied-churro/) - [Sidney Poitier](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/sidney-poitier/) - [pygmalion festival](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/pygmalion-festival/) - [triptych brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/triptych-brewing/) - [car seat headrest](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/car-seat-headrest/) - [blind pig brewery](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/blind-pig-brewery/) - [alvvays](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/alvvays/) - [wolf parade](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/wolf-parade/) - [vince staples](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/vince-staples/) - [poster children](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/poster-children/) - [frightened rabbit](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/frightened-rabbit/) - [pilsner](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/pilsner/) - [pygmalion](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/pygmalion/) - [darkness](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/darkness/) - [olive garden](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/olive-garden/) - [Weldwerks](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/weldwerks/) - [Beachwood](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/beachwood/) - [Highland Park](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/highland-park/) - [Odd13](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/odd13/) - [Copper Kettle](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/copper-kettle/) - [cypress grove](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/cypress-grove/) - [RAM](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/ram/) - [TRVE](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/trve/) - [Paired](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/paired/) - [cosplay](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/cosplay/) - [FATE](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/fate/) - [Bull and Bush](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/bull-and-bush/) - [RAM Wheeling](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/ram-wheeling/) - [Wiseacre](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/wiseacre/) - [Jerry Lawler](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/jerry-lawler/) - [Sex Syrup](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/sex-syrup/) - [meaning of life](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/meaning-of-life/) - [gosse island clybourn](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/gosse-island-clybourn/) - [Ryan named a beer](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/ryan-named-a-beer/) - [39th annual illinois craft beer awards](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/39th-annual-illinois-craft-beer-awards/) - [Weekend at Bernie's](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/weekend-at-bernies/) - [tums](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/tums/) - [snl](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/snl/) - [the giving tree](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/the-giving-tree/) - [Kaliber](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/kaliber/) - [Clausthaler](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/clausthaler/) - [Krombacher](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/krombacher/) - [Buckler](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/buckler/) - [Festival of Wood and Barrel Aged Beers](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/festival-of-wood-and-barrel-aged-beers/) - [High Life](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/high-life/) - [real garlic bread](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/real-garlic-bread/) - [the gouge report](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/the-gouge-report/) - [black friday](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/black-friday/) - [150](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/150/) - [billy corgan](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/billy-corgan/) - [3 fonteinen](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/3-fonteinen/) - [armand'4 seasons](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/armand4-seasons/) - [death cork](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/death-cork/) - [flying cork](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/flying-cork/) - [field museum](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/field-museum/) - [brouwerij huyghe](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/brouwerij-huyghe/) - [wallflowers](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/wallflowers/) - [ying yang twins](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/ying-yang-twins/) - [color me badd](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/color-me-badd/) - [pillow fights](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/pillow-fights/) - [se hinton](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/se-hinton/) - [dovetail](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/dovetail/) - [gary busey](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/gary-busey/) - [beertography](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/beertography/) - [old stlye](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/old-stlye/) - [aleman](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/aleman/) - [cycle brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/cycle-brewing/) - [o'so brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/oso-brewing/) - [the alchemist](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/the-alchemist/) - [RAM brewery and restaurant](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/ram-brewery-and-restaurant/) - [suller's past](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/sullers-past/) - [cheese coma](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/cheese-coma/) - [anchorage brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/anchorage-brewing/) - [2016](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/2016/) - [listicle](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/listicle/) - [top 10](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/top-10/) - [david duchovny](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/david-duchovny/) - [cheeseballs](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/cheeseballs/) - [coffee](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/coffee/) - [ram restaurant and brewery](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/ram-restaurant-and-brewery/) - [sunny d](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/sunny-d/) - [flour](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/flour/) - [Bellwoods](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/bellwoods/) - [Canada](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/canada/) - [Toronto](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/toronto/) - [escape](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/escape/) - [hop review](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/hop-review/) - [the mosh](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/the-mosh/) - [dark lord day](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/dark-lord-day/) - [afterthought](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/afterthought/) - [summer craig](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/summer-craig/) - [vanilla locomotive](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/vanilla-locomotive/) - [odell brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/odell-brewing/) - [vault](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/vault/) - [vintage](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/vintage/) - [plastic sniffing](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/plastic-sniffing/) - [Four Loko](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/four-loko/) - [boat eating](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/boat-eating/) - [slambic](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/slambic/) - [gushy](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/gushy/) - [Tannic Suggestion](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/tannic-suggestion/) - [renfair](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/renfair/) - [heroes](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/heroes/) - [comic books](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/comic-books/) - [juice mountain](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/juice-mountain/) - [ne ipa](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/ne-ipa/) - [samuel adams](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/samuel-adams/) - [odell](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/odell/) - [musket](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/musket/) - [snowboarding](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/snowboarding/) - [costco](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/costco/) - [rodenbach](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/rodenbach/) - [time travel](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/time-travel/) - [magic eraser](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/magic-eraser/) - [mouthfeel](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/mouthfeel/) - [barleywine](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/barleywine/) - [flossmoor station](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/flossmoor-station/) - [dumpy](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/dumpy/) - [best of](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/best-of/) - [melvin alchemist](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/melvin-alchemist/) - [lo rez](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/lo-rez/) - [on tour](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/on-tour/) - [zelda](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/zelda/) - [heavy gem](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/heavy-gem/) - [chicago craft beer week](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/chicago-craft-beer-week/) - [saisonathon](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/saisonathon/) - [pub royale](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/pub-royale/) - [hawk](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/hawk/) - [left field](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/left-field/) - [craft kave](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/craft-kave/) - [yellow springs](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/yellow-springs/) - [ohio](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/ohio/) - [rhinegeist](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/rhinegeist/) - [brew kettle](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/brew-kettle/) - [black cloister](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/black-cloister/) - [saison](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/saison/) - [pale ale](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/pale-ale/) - [ipa](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/ipa/) - [blonde stout](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/blonde-stout/) - [belgian golden strong](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/belgian-golden-strong/) - [malt](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/malt/) - [saisons](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/saisons/) - [pizza](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/pizza/) - [enola](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/enola/) - [ska](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/ska/) - [wheat](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/wheat/) - [summer](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/summer/) - [pizza boy](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/pizza-boy/) - [tailgate](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/tailgate/) - [saugatuck](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/saugatuck/) - [creamer](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/creamer/) - [bubble tape](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/bubble-tape/) - [IPAs](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/ipas/) - [shared](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/shared/) - [bearded iris](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/bearded-iris/) - [hopewell](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/hopewell/) - [finch](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/finch/) - [cans](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/cans/) - [brew gentlemen](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/brew-gentlemen/) - [forest and main](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/forest-and-main/) - [forest & main](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/forest-main/) - [lavery](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/lavery/) - [east end](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/east-end/) - [bullfrog](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/bullfrog/) - [travels](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/travels/) - [trivia fail](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/trivia-fail/) - [pennsylvania](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/pennsylvania/) - [hefeweizen](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/hefeweizen/) - [gose](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/gose/) - [sour](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/sour/) - [stout](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/stout/) - [barrel aged stout](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/barrel-aged-stout/) - [fidget spinners](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/fidget-spinners/) - [jackie o's](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/jackie-os/) - [slamjam](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/slamjam/) - [doilies](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/doilies/) - [piney beers](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/piney-beers/) - [berliner](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/berliner/) - [porter](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/porter/) - [new jersey](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/new-jersey/) - [magnify](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/magnify/) - [jersey girl](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/jersey-girl/) - [carton](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/carton/) - [double nickel](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/double-nickel/) - [the boss](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/the-boss/) - [springsteen](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/springsteen/) - [garden state](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/garden-state/) - [bon jovi](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/bon-jovi/) - [jersey shore](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/jersey-shore/) - [craigbot](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/craigbot/) - [peanut tillman](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/peanut-tillman/) - [mayo](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/mayo/) - [pungate](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/pungate/) - [untappd](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/untappd/) - [ham slingshot](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/ham-slingshot/) - [easter eggs](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/easter-eggs/) - [skittles](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/skittles/) - [narrow gauge](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/narrow-gauge/) - [crowlers](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/crowlers/) - [hazy](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/hazy/) - [neipas](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/neipas/) - [perception of aquesoity](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/perception-of-aquesoity/) - [arbitrarity of rankings](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/arbitrarity-of-rankings/) - [riggs](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/riggs/) - [lagergeddon](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/lagergeddon/) - [hefeweight championship](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/hefeweight-championship/) - [heferock](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/heferock/) - [crossfire](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/crossfire/) - [lager](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/lager/) - [weihenstepaner](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/weihenstepaner/) - [ayinger](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/ayinger/) - [wild ale](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/wild-ale/) - [mead](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/mead/) - [bridgman](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/bridgman/) - [hops](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/hops/) - [hoppy](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/hoppy/) - [sun king](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/sun-king/) - [untitled art](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/untitled-art/) - [kreg tightjacket](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/kreg-tightjacket/) - [slip n' slides](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/slip-n-slides/) - [hops again](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/hops-again/) - [interboro](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/interboro/) - [run the jewels](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/run-the-jewels/) - [more](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/more/) - [more brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/more-brewing/) - [bruce candles](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/bruce-candles/) - [wit. ipa](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/wit-ipa/) - [imperial stout](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/imperial-stout/) - [triple ipa](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/triple-ipa/) - [cream ale](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/cream-ale/) - [cannibus](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/cannibus/) - [weed church](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/weed-church/) - [chupa chups](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/chupa-chups/) - [saint errant](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/saint-errant/) - [beermefitz](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/beermefitz/) - [peaches](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/peaches/) - [Vermont](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/vermont/) - [yeast](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/yeast/) - [garage project](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/garage-project/) - [olvisholt](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/olvisholt/) - [kiuchi](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/kiuchi/) - [way beer](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/way-beer/) - [tusker](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/tusker/) - [new zealand](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/new-zealand/) - [iceland](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/iceland/) - [japan](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/japan/) - [brazil](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/brazil/) - [kenya](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/kenya/) - [face/off](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/faceoff/) - [frobab](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/frobab/) - [reinheitsgeBot](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/reinheitsgebot/) - [michigan](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/michigan/) - [speciation](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/speciation/) - [beer church](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/beer-church/) - [arclight](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/arclight/) - [watermark](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/watermark/) - [perrin](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/perrin/) - [cheesecake](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/cheesecake/) - [trilogy](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/trilogy/) - [game](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/game/) - [games](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/games/) - [ghost hop](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/ghost-hop/) - [bunting](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/bunting/) - [interview](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/interview/) - [vacuum](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/vacuum/) - [skus](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/skus/) - [alaskan](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/alaskan/) - [clickbait](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/clickbait/) - [yogurt](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/yogurt/) - [twenty schwarty](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/twenty-schwarty/) - [mix six pack](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/mix-six-pack/) - [new england ipa](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/new-england-ipa/) - [amber](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/amber/) - [scottish ale](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/scottish-ale/) - [great american beer festival](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/great-american-beer-festival/) - [2017](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/2017/) - [rahr and sons](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/rahr-and-sons/) - [beachwood blendery](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/beachwood-blendery/) - [pudgy craig](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/pudgy-craig/) - [fieldwork](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/fieldwork/) - [monkinh](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/monkinh/) - [the answer](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/the-answer/) - [bottle logic](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/bottle-logic/) - [rap songs](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/rap-songs/) - [great notion](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/great-notion/) - [cerebral](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/cerebral/) - [wiley roots](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/wiley-roots/) - [pfriem family brewers](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/pfriem-family-brewers/) - [hi-wire](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/hi-wire/) - [green cheek](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/green-cheek/) - [prison city](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/prison-city/) - [forager](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/forager/) - [wolf's ridge](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/wolfs-ridge/) - [randy mosher](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/randy-mosher/) - [vanilla](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/vanilla/) - [stouts](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/stouts/) - [avery](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/avery/) - [pastry](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/pastry/) - [nintendo 64](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/nintendo-64/) - [n64](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/n64/) - [micropancakeries](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/micropancakeries/) - [tootsie roll](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/tootsie-roll/) - [wafflehouse](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/wafflehouse/) - [waffle house](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/waffle-house/) - [vsbs](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/vsbs/) - [new sarum](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/new-sarum/) - [joseph james brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/joseph-james-brewing/) - [lupulin brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/lupulin-brewing/) - [social kitchen and brewery](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/social-kitchen-and-brewery/) - [crooked lane brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/crooked-lane-brewing/) - [brink brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/brink-brewing/) - [red rock](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/red-rock/) - [second chance beer co.](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/second-chance-beer-co/) - [funkwerks](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/funkwerks/) - [2sp brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/2sp-brewing/) - [little machine](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/little-machine/) - [sly fox](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/sly-fox/) - [goose island brewhouse](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/goose-island-brewhouse/) - [first impressions](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/first-impressions/) - [bourbon county 2017](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/bourbon-county-2017/) - [first impression](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/first-impression/) - [knob creek](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/knob-creek/) - [torture test](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/torture-test/) - [camo beer](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/camo-beer/) - [rinkuskiai](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/rinkuskiai/) - [cuvee of doom](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/cuvee-of-doom/) - [punishment points](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/punishment-points/) - [happy halloween](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/happy-halloween/) - [old nation](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/old-nation/) - [strategy guide](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/strategy-guide/) - [atom brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/atom-brewing/) - [jelly](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/jelly/) - [90s teen movies](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/90s-teen-movies/) - [sours](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/sours/) - [metal monkey](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/metal-monkey/) - [asmodeus](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/asmodeus/) - [IHOP](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/ihop/) - [mexican chocolate](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/mexican-chocolate/) - [horse theif hollow](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/horse-theif-hollow/) - [matt lafleur](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/matt-lafleur/) - [metropolis coffee](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/metropolis-coffee/) - [oskar blues](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/oskar-blues/) - [nickel brook](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/nickel-brook/) - [hogshead](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/hogshead/) - [amalgam](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/amalgam/) - [4 noses](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/4-noses/) - [cask ales](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/cask-ales/) - [dubstep](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/dubstep/) - [pedicabs](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/pedicabs/) - [odd side ales](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/odd-side-ales/) - [TMNT II](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/tmnt-ii/) - [miniature horses](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/miniature-horses/) - [fecundity](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/fecundity/) - [rapsittie street kids](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/rapsittie-street-kids/) - [three penis wine](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/three-penis-wine/) - [santana](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/santana/) - [anchor brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/anchor-brewing/) - [trader joe's](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/trader-joes/) - [billy joel](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/billy-joel/) - [william joel](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/william-joel/) - [we didn't start the fire](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/we-didnt-start-the-fire/) - [we didn't start the line](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/we-didnt-start-the-line/) - [hazy ipas](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/hazy-ipas/) - [pastry stouts](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/pastry-stouts/) - [van damme milkshake](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/van-damme-milkshake/) - [pfriem](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/pfriem/) - [ja rule](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/ja-rule/) - [centrifuges](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/centrifuges/) - [taprooms](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/taprooms/) - [snackwell's](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/snackwells/) - [podcasting 101](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/podcasting-101/) - [ghoulie](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/ghoulie/) - [TCSBY](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/tcsby/) - [best of 2017](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/best-of-2017/) - [lil beaver](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/lil-beaver/) - [madtree](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/madtree/) - [new sarum salibbury](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/new-sarum-salibbury/) - [burial](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/burial/) - [franklin street](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/franklin-street/) - [barn town](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/barn-town/) - [singlespeed](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/singlespeed/) - [lake time](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/lake-time/) - [iowa brewing company](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/iowa-brewing-company/) - [name that slipknot tune](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/name-that-slipknot-tune/) - [dan gable](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/dan-gable/) - [iowa](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/iowa/) - [speciation artisan ales](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/speciation-artisan-ales/) - [barleywine is life](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/barleywine-is-life/) - [life after deth](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/life-after-deth/) - [lost forty](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/lost-forty/) - [spencer's gifts](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/spencers-gifts/) - [brazilian butts](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/brazilian-butts/) - [convertible pants](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/convertible-pants/) - [california raisins](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/california-raisins/) - [sleepovers](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/sleepovers/) - [rhymes with yuzu](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/rhymes-with-yuzu/) - [brian potion](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/brian-potion/) - [craigarmy](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/craigarmy/) - [90s trivia](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/90s-trivia/) - [90s](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/90s/) - [toilet humor](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/toilet-humor/) - [horse names](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/horse-names/) - [drums](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/drums/) - [barenaked ladies](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/barenaked-ladies/) - [urban dictionary](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/urban-dictionary/) - [arkansas](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/arkansas/) - [bike rack brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/bike-rack-brewing/) - [new province](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/new-province/) - [ozark](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/ozark/) - [john grisham](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/john-grisham/) - [duggars](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/duggars/) - [piece brewery](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/piece-brewery/) - [great central](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/great-central/) - [tighthead](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/tighthead/) - [bock puns](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/bock-puns/) - [bacon](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/bacon/) - [florida man](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/florida-man/) - [cicerone exam](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/cicerone-exam/) - [bouncy house](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/bouncy-house/) - [CANarchy](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/canarchy/) - [energy city](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/energy-city/) - [chocolate ipas](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/chocolate-ipas/) - [swella](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/swella/) - [ne ipas](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/ne-ipas/) - [state of funk](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/state-of-funk/) - [embrace the funk](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/embrace-the-funk/) - [pitchfork](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/pitchfork/) - [wet daves](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/wet-daves/) - [taco bell](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/taco-bell/) - [top ipas](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/top-ipas/) - [maine beer company](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/maine-beer-company/) - [ballast point](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/ballast-point/) - [Frasier](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/frasier/) - [baba yaga](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/baba-yaga/) - [aerosmith](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/aerosmith/) - [march madness](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/march-madness/) - [ravinia](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/ravinia/) - [gun craft](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/gun-craft/) - [burr oak](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/burr-oak/) - [miskatonic](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/miskatonic/) - [baseball](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/baseball/) - [the deacon](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/the-deacon/) - [the milkman](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/the-milkman/) - [camping trivia](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/camping-trivia/) - [bam margera](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/bam-margera/) - [kumbaya](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/kumbaya/) - [puns](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/puns/) - [90s vampire](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/90s-vampire/) - [stout authority](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/stout-authority/) - [herbs](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/herbs/) - [barrel aged stouts](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/barrel-aged-stouts/) - [tangled roots](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/tangled-roots/) - [old irving](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/old-irving/) - [elmhurst](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/elmhurst/) - [open outcry](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/open-outcry/) - [kinslahger](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/kinslahger/) - [glitter beer](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/glitter-beer/) - [spring cleaning](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/spring-cleaning/) - [suarez family brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/suarez-family-brewing/) - [the brewing projekt](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/the-brewing-projekt/) - [jack's abby](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/jacks-abby/) - [good city brewing](http://www.abvchicago.com/tag/good-city-brewing/) - 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