ABV Chicago Craft Beer Podcast

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 questions at them during FoBAB. Some of the beers we drink are stellar, one is downright terrible, and the episode-long 90’s trivia game of us versus the brewers is a belligerent cabaret of fun and follies. We also talk about our new podcast project, rolled ice cream, the bomber curse, a little show history, and getting extreme. Whether you’ve been there for 2 episodes or 200, we sincerely thank you for tuning in to our show and hope we can continue to delight your beer-loving ears. And thanks to all of the brewers and industry friends for embarrassing themselves for our twisted pleasure on this show. #CARSTAB

Beers Reviewed

August Schell Brewing - North Star Collection: Tidal Disruption (Berliner Weisse w/ blackberries) Hubbard’s Cave - Fresh IIPA V8 (w/ Citra & Simcoe) Middle Brow Beer Co. - The Milk-Eyed Mender Oat Whiskey Aged (Imperial spiced milk stout with peppers, orange zest, vanilla beans, and cacao nibs, aged in Koval oat whiskey barrels) Casey Brewing & Blending/Side Project Brewing - Jammy (Barrel-aged saison w/ blackberries) Epic Brewing - Triple Barrel Big Bad Baptist (Imperial stout aged in whiskey and rum barrels with cacao nibs, barrel-aged coffee, and barrel-aged coconut)

90’s Trivia Game Subjects (in order of appearance)

Jacob Sembrano (Cruz Blanca Brewery & Taqueria) Dave Dahl (Lo Rez Brewing) Brian Krajack (Forbidden Root Brewing) Chris Betts (Transient Artisan Ales) Matt Johnsen (Horse Thief Hollow) Matt LaFleur (@DoodleMatt) Claudia Jendron (Pipeworks Brewing) & Karina Shimkos (Blue Island Beer Co.) Chris Kingston (Metropolis Coffee) Peter Anderson & Doug Hurst (Metropolitan Brewing) Roger Cuzelis & Brent Banks (Corridor Brewery & Provisions) Neil Fisher (WeldWerks Brewing) Mike Pallen (Mikerphone Brewing) Shaun Berns (More Brewing) Josh Noel (Chicago Tribune) Brad Pulver (Smylie Brothers Brewing) Ryan Jacobs & Brent Banks (Saint Errant Brewing)

We put four Chicago barrel aged beers to the test. Plus our first contest and the debut of our theme song!

Rankings

Ryan and Craig (same)

1. Haymarket Clare's Thirty Ale (crowler)

2. Revolution Deth's Tar

3. Local Option Morning Wood

4. Two Brothers/Solemn Oath Brotherhood of the Barrel

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. For this part one of two episodes, we sit down with Spiteful Brewing’s Jason Klein and Half Acre’s Gabriel Magliaro. We also sip through their cellar selections, and open up one more in the ABV West Bunker for a small but mighty lineup. Plus, Craig has discovered a potential Malort cure, and Ryan struggles through an ABV By The Numbers game. Stay tuned for Part Two.

Jason Klein Interview (00:09:16 - 00:53:26)

Gabriel Magliaro Interview (01:01:26 - 01:25:52)

Beers Reviewed

Hair of the Dog Brewing Company - Don 2023 (Double Barleywine aged over four years in rye, bourbon, port, calvados and maple barrels)

Sante Adairius Rustic Ales - West Ashley Cuvée (A blend of four consecutive years of West Ashley, aged in Pinot Noir oak barrels with apricots)

Hanabi Lager Company - Hanabi Lager White Apron (Pilsner)

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 the worst possible colors for mayonnaise, we consider the best brown for the Thanksgiving table, Ryan shares his true feelings about the apple orchard, and Craig am become Cronch, destroyer of dry ramen.

Beers Reviewed

Spiteful Brewing - Bowmanville Brown

Phase Three Brewing - Midst

Maplewood Brewing Company - Brownie Points

Werk Force Brewing Company - Axis: As Bold As Beer

Around the Bend Beer Company - Puffing Billy

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 and future of his brewery that was recently named Craft Beer & Brewing magazine’s top Small Regional brewery in the country. We dive into formulating recipes, developing a lager program, releasing periodic barrel-aged stouts, and giving a defined purpose to every hazy beer they release. We also reminisce about the early days and what it means to take over such a legendary Chicago beer location. In addition, we also review four Hop Butcher beers of different styles, get curious about that kief, and somehow fall into old sitcoms. All that and a shout out to the late Stas Bulanda. #BringBackFirkinFridays

(Hit the GoFundMe for Nick Segura if you can help in any way.)

Jude La Rose interview (00:07:34 - 0:1:18:56)

Beers Reviewed

The Origins of Polka (Saaz-hopped Czech-style Pilsner)

Symbols of Math (Vic Secret, Sabro, and Simcoe-hopped [clear] Double IPA)

The Adventures of Strata and Peacharine (Strata and Peacharine-hopped [hazy] Double IPA)

Lincoln Anniversary Stout (Bourbon Barrel-aged Imperial Stout)