Episode 552 - BA Coconutz
ABV Chicago Craft Beer Podcast
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 there’s no suntan lotion to be found here. Also, 3 Floyds is normal now, Disney is entering ill-advised music territory, Head & Shoulders should sponsor this episode, and Ryan explains why the result of this show is like checking for a cockroach in your shoe. (It’ll all...
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Episode 551 - Holy Toledo
ABV Chicago Craft Beer Podcast
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. Also, we discuss odd school fundraisers, make some major baseball and football connections, choose syrup beard as the worst possible torture, and try to make sense of the ways kids talk these days. Hey Vern, how’s about I open u a brewery? Beers Reviewed Maumee Bay...
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Episode 550 - Weekend Warriors: WI vs. MI
ABV Chicago Craft Beer Podcast
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 notable DJ experiences, Ryan has a new superpower he doesn’t want, Craig relives some Wisconsin IPA Fest highlights, and we have a brief interview with Nate Fakler of Faklandia Brewing recorded at this year’s Great Taste of the Midwest to round things out. ...
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Episode 549 - Hoppy Reds (Directors’ Cut)
ABV Chicago Craft Beer Podcast
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 exists beyond simply “red” and “hoppy.” Also, Craig recommends the horrors of MLB Rain Delay Twitter, we debunk a pretty dumb beer belief around ABV, and we make some picks for the worst candies ever made. And with the new directors’ cut, you get to hear us drink a 6th beer that...
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Episode 548 - Flipside Brewing
ABV Chicago Craft Beer Podcast
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 that Flipside is an excellent showcase for his talents. After a few handfuls of garlic cheese curds, we sip through a nice variety of his high quality beers while talking about everything that brought him back to where his professional brewing career started. Also, we dig into his...
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Episode 547 - One Crazy Rev Summer
ABV Chicago Craft Beer Podcast
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 spill out with all the subtlety of Bobcat Goldthwait in a Godzilla costume. Also, Craig gets recognized and gifted ramen, Ryan’s dreaming up the lozenge for weaning yourself off of barrel-aged beers, and we certainly aren’t looking for 50 ways to leave your...
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Episode 546 - APA Style
ABV Chicago Craft Beer Podcast
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 own way as we try to figure out what we look for in this style. Also, Craig is left with an infomercial cliffhanger, Ryan’s got your next beer trip all figured out, and we accidentally flashback to the origin of Mosaic blindness. American Pale Ales Reviewed Begyle Brewing - Sunny...
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Episode 545 - Icy Treats: Italian Ice & Bomb Pops
ABV Chicago Craft Beer Podcast
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 lemon italian ice and two beers (plus a seltzer) mimicking that blue raspberry-white lime-red cherry trio of classic American popsicle. Also, we consider what eating contests we might have an okay shot at to win, there’s a new level of cuvée happening, and Ryan’s weirdly...
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Episode 544 - Hop Water Revisited
ABV Chicago Craft Beer Podcast
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 waters has us happier than we should be while sober. Also, Ryan throws Craig into the neighborhood Facebook group cesspool, we try to find a way to make drinking hop waters at work more socially acceptable, and we hope these adaptogens and neotropics restore Craig’s ability...
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Episode 543 - The Beers of Summer
ABV Chicago Craft Beer Podcast
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 the next month-plus. Also, Craig has joined the gummy revolution, Ryan has a lot to say about CostCo, and we get a nice little Patrick Swayze story in as well. Put your Wayfarers on, baby. Beers Reviewed Goldfinger Brewing Company - Summer Beer Half Acre Beer Company - Reef Knot Sierra...
info_outlineWe 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 and bars, sharing our experiences and regrettable food decisions along the way. Plus, we talk to a bevy of fascinating brewers and brewery owners from all over the U.S. and we hear stories about an onstage proposal, a beer made with the cast of Hamilton, a terpene-infused milkshake IPA, a brewer who has won Master Distiller, and the (maybe) real original year of Bourbon County Stout. And to top that off, we open three Denver-area beers in the hotel while trying to soothe our ragged voices and heal up from a serious vapors affliction. PLUS, Craig’s going ASMR while Ryan’s recording from the chaise longue.
Beers Reviewed
WeldWerks Brewing Co. - Colorado Ale (Traditional Ale)
Burns Family Artisan Ales - Gallivant (Gin barrel-aged barleywine)
Jessup Farm Barrel House - Wheelhouse (Bourbon barrel-aged brown ale)
Interviews
Matt Brynildson of Firestone Walker Brewing Company (Paso Robles, CA) - [00:11:20 - 00:21:13]
Ryan Fields of Wild Fields Brewhouse (Atascadero, CA) - [00:26:51- 00:30:07]
Colt Carpenter of Pax Verum Brewing Company (Lapel, IN) - [00:39:03 - 00:45:42]
Leo Sawadogo of Montclair Brewery (Montclair, NJ) - [00:54:10 - 00:59:08]
Rick Hagen and Greg Meyer of Heavy Riff Brewing (St. Louis, MO) - [01:12:44 - 0:1:18:46]
Dave Lopez of Gun Hill Brewing Company (Bronx, NY) - [01:33:33 - 01:39:42]
Ryan Wibby of Wibby Brewing (Longmont, CO) - [01:50:52 - 01:57:08]