ABV Chicago Craft Beer Podcast
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 at all. Also, we explore different foodstuff cafe possibilities; we try not to promote *clown horn*; and we practice the ancient art of the Soul Burp. Beers Reviewed Central Waters Brewing Company (w/ Binny’s) - 12 Seasons of Slumber (Stout aged 3 years in Binny’s hand-picked Weller...
info_outline Episode 528 - Heavy Riff BrewingABV Chicago Craft Beer Podcast
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 of five standout beers. Also, Ryan takes us down the Robin Williams Quotes Facebook page rabbit hole, Craig is getting spoiled by all the lactose, and we agree that there’s a lot going on in here. Rick Hagen Interview (00:13:20 - 00:32:50) Beers Reviewed Love Gun...
info_outline Episode 527 - Local West Coast DIPAsABV Chicago Craft Beer Podcast
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 the mix, while others attempt to throw it back to the classics. For this episode, we enthusiastically drink through five locally made West Coast Double IPAs and can’t really agree on anything other than the beers taste too dang good. Also, Craig’s hyped about the...
info_outline Episode 526 - AshevilleABV Chicago Craft Beer Podcast
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 is absolutely giddy about a secret Chicagoland connection to one. Also, Craig has found a secret bag that is oddly fortuitous; Ryan’s taking a week off to put on bread weight; and we’d like a spritz of that Red Vine Perfume, please. Beers Reviewed Hillman Beer - Old Fort...
info_outline Episode 525 - Baltic LocalABV Chicago Craft Beer Podcast
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 slow pour. Plus, Craig becomes Greg, Ryan keeps trolling the Young Sheldon podcast, and one brewery has made us almost entirely forget about a ska band. Beers Reviewed Old Irving Brewing Co. - Ursa Major Goldfinger Brewing Company - Baltic Porter...
info_outline Episode 524 - San DiegoABV Chicago Craft Beer Podcast
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 every step. Also, there’s a lukewarm take on POGs from our youth; one brewer profile is seemingly inviting potential suitors; hop kief gets its introduction; and the path from Flavor Utopia is followed to meet Smokey Robinson at ‘Gasmville. Beers Reviewed Burgeon Beer...
info_outline Episode 523 - Stout Me UpABV Chicago Craft Beer Podcast
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 Dog Surfing Championships, discover that The Alley is still around, and speculate that one brewery must’ve put a chip in Ryan’s brain. Beers Reviewed Roaring Table Brewing - Baby You Don’t Know (Oat Stout) Revolution Brewing Company - Repo Man (Rye...
info_outline Episode 522 - Deep Wood: On Heavenly JacketABV Chicago Craft Beer Podcast
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 best barrel-aged beers in the city and state. Plus, we’re doing our part to stop the TV game show idea shortage; Craig shares his Deep Wood release party recaps (with some glaring consequences); and Ryan gets to test out his Doug Veliky impression. Deep Wood 2023-2024 Beers Reviewed Straight Jacket (Bourbon...
info_outline Episode 521 - The SC ShowABV Chicago Craft Beer Podcast
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, Craig needs to bail someone out of the hellscape that is a community Facebook group, Ryan has stern words of warning about ranch delivery methods, and we’re attempting to flex our marketing muscles again. Beers Reviewed Munkle Brewing Co. [Charleston,SC] - Saison Holy City Brewing...
info_outline Episode 520 - 10 Beers for 10 YearsABV Chicago Craft Beer Podcast
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 start in 2014. The twist is that Craig and Ryan both present their five beers to the other as a blind tasting, forcing some surprising brewery, style, and “secret theme” guesses. Also, we spend a little time on memory lane, rank some celebrity hunks, and do what we do best: talk...
info_outlineTo 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 those shows where you get to hear Craig fall head-over-heels in love with a beer, which is always a treat. Also, we’re angling to take that Girl Scout cookie taster position; Ryan’s just completely flummoxed by a bomber; and Craig is Raging Against A Thin Stout.™ We want to thank everyone who has ever listened or supported the show in any way for making nine years a possibility - it feels truly surreal.
Beers Reviewed Half-Blindly
One Allegiance Brewing [opened 2020] - Double Vanilla Rambler (Imperial Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels w/ vanilla beans and cocoa nibs)
Werk Force Brewing Company [opened 2014] - Genuine Authentic (Black Pilsner)
Miskatonic Brewing Company [opened 2015] - Rye Bell Witch (Imperial Stout aged in Rye Whiskey Barrels)
Skeleton Key Brewery [opened 2016] - Indomitable (Double Rye IPA)
On Tour Brewing Company [opened 2017] - Apres (Black Lager)
Double Clutch Brewing Company [opened 2021] - Helles Rauchbier Lager