ABV Chicago Craft Beer Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Episode 105 - Casey Brewing and Blending Jan 27, 2016

Show notes

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 reviews to create a fever-dream of a podcast. In addition to our take on these finely-crafted ales, there’s bits about Craig’s garbage mouth, overzesting your lemons, spaghetti sauce beers, and a long discussion of what styles of beer pair with certain weather and/or clothing. Because why the hell not.

Beers Reviewed

East Bank Saison (with honey)

Apricot Fruit Stand Saison

Oak Theory Wild Ale

The Cut: Montmorency Cherry Wild Ale

Episode 104 - Beers for Bowie Jan 20, 2016

Show notes

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, fear “target character drift”, defend Elisabeth Shue’s honor, and recall Quantum Leap. And there’s more conclusive evidence that Craig is our greatest living beer poet. Thank you, David Bowie.

Beers:

Bayerischer Bahnhof - Berliner Style Weisse

Marz Community Brewing - Marzcal Kolsch

Half Acre Beer Co. - Space IPA

Revolution Brewing - Blue Gene BA Porter

Uinta Brewing - Labyrinth Quadruple Black Ale/Imperial Stout (2013)

Episode 103 - Mother's Jan 13, 2016

Show notes

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 moms, and Craig’s eHarmony profile. One beer brings out the 15 year-old in both of us (take a wild guess), and then there’s a little coffee talk - no big whoop.

Ryan

Winter Grind Coffee Stout
Vanilla Winter Grind Coffee Stout
MILF Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout
Foggy Notion Barleywine
Raspberry Imperial Three Blind Mice Brown Ale
Three Blind Mice Brown Ale

Craig

Winter Grind Coffee Stout
MILF Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout
Vanilla Winter Grind Coffee Stout
Foggy Notion Barleywine
Raspberry Imperial Three Blind Mice Brown Ale
Three Blind Mice Brown Ale

Episode 102 - Yet Another Beershow Jan 06, 2016

Show notes

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 show is soundtracked by the music of Steven Seagal. It’s like we’re challenging you not to listen - so thanks if you do!

Craig

Anchorage Brewing Company - A Deal With The Devil (Cognac Barrel-Aged Barleywine)
Grimm Artisanal Ales - Double Negative (Imperial Stout)
The Alchemist - Petit Mutant (American Brett Ale with Cherries)
Stone/4 Hands/Bale Breaker - Sorry Not Sorry (DIPA with Peaches)
Prairie Artisan Ales - Brett C.

Ryan

Grimm Artisanal Ales - Double Negative (Imperial Stout)
Anchorage Brewing Company - A Deal With The Devil (Cognac Barrel-Aged Barleywine)
Stone/4 Hands/Bale Breaker - Sorry Not Sorry (DIPA with Peaches)
The Alchemist - Petit Mutant (American Brett Ale with Cherries)
Prairie Artisan Ales - Brett C.

Episode 101 - Winter Warm-Up Dec 30, 2015

Show notes

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, Spiteful, Pipeworks, Pollyanna, and Une Annee; but some of the best beers of the year came from out East thanks to Tree House, Trillium, and Voodoo. Also experience a magically truncated rant on bottle release lines, weird homophone problems, a baby dinosaur Craig (awwww!), and a generally unpleasant walk-up we’ll call Fart Wars. No, Star Farts. No, Star Wars: The Farts Awaken. Yeah, that’s the one.

Ryan

Transient/The Beer Cellar Neckbeard Nectar (imperial stout w/vanilla, cinnamon, coconut, and molasses)
Brickstone Barrel-Aged Dark Secret (imperial stout aged in 12-year Elijah Craig barrels)
Half Acre Big Hugs (imperial coffee stout)
Ballast Point Peppermint Victory at Sea (porter w/coffee, vanilla, and peppermint)
Funky Buddha Last Snow (porter w/coffee and coconut)

Craig

Brickstone Barrel-Aged Dark Secret (imperial stout aged in 12-year Elijah Craig barrels)
Transient/The Beer Cellar Neckbeard Nectar (imperial stout w/vanilla, cinnamon, coconut, and molasses)
Funky Buddha Last Snow (porter w/coffee and coconut)
Half Acre Big Hugs (imperial coffee stout)
Ballast Point Peppermint Victory at Sea (porter w/coffee, vanilla, and peppermint)

Episode 100 - Holiday Party 2015 Dec 23, 2015

Show notes

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 Ale), Ken Getty (from CHAOS Homebrew Club), Nick Burica (of Middle Brow Beer Co.), Chris Betts (of Transient Artisan Ales), Marie Cummins (Down the Hatch beer blog), Dennis Lee (of The Pizzle), MC Johnsen (Worth 1000 Beers) and Matt Johnsen (of Horse Thief Hollow and The Beer Cellar). In addition to thrilling excerpts from Secret Agent Santa (Harlequin 2015), we talk about kettle sours, sensuous languor, the troubles with opening a brewery, fingerless gloves, and much more. Thanks for listening and happy holidays!

Beers Reviewed:

Kane Brewing - Cortijo (Agave Nectar Saison Aged in Tequila Barrels)

OEC Brewing - Malefactus (Wine Barrel-Aged Stout)

Transient Artisan Ales - Black Raspberry Maigre (Berlinner Weisse)

Lake Effect Brewing - Imperial Stout (Bourbon Barrel-Aged)

BrainDead Brewing - Bent De Garde (Wine Barrel-Aged Biere de Garde)

de Garde Brewing - L’Hiver Melange No. 2

Episode 99 - Spiteful Barrel-Aged Ballers Dec 16, 2015

Show notes

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, preview Ryan’s “Goonies 2” script, and drink some semi-legal absinthe. It’s gross. But it’s all worth it in the end, trust us.

Craig

Barrel-Aged Malevolence Chocolate Caliente
Barrel-Aged Malevolence (2014)
Barrel-Aged Belligerent Bob Barleywine
Absinthe Barrel-Aged G.F.Y. Stout

Ryan

Barrel-Aged Malevolence Chocolate Caliente
Barrel-Aged Belligerent Bob Barleywine
Barrel-Aged Malevolence (2014)

4. Absinthe Barrel-Aged G.F.Y. Stout

Episode 98 - Pipeworks: The Quest For Cans Dec 09, 2015

Show notes

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 new game (temporarily) titled “Beer Carnac,” and it goes off better than expected. We also give advice about Beer of the Month clubs, Ryan joins the “Smells Creamy” movement, and Craig is terrible at animals. And we tell a story about the Worst Trivia Prize ever. Caw-caw!

Craig

Lizard King Pale Ale
Ninja vs. Unicorn Double IPA
War Bird Session Ale
Close Encounter Stout
Blood of the Unicorn Red Ale

Ryan

Ninja vs. Unicorn Double IPA
Lizard King Pale Ale
War Bird Session Ale
Blood of the Unicorn Red Ale
Close Encounter Stout

Episode 97 - Bourbon County 2015 Dec 02, 2015

Show notes

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 if these were worth waiting in line for on a cold Black Friday morning. In addition to our unique take on these most-desired beers, you’ll get to sup upon our sordid stew of nail polish remover, Charo, porns, Juggalos, David Lynch, Arby’s, salt sticks, and banjos. We also do some crappy improv, talk about Dennis’ tiny hands and Craig’s muppet voice, and spoil some movies. Thanks to Goose Island for providing a few of the beers to help make this vulgar trainwreck possible.

Rankings

Ryan

Bourbon County Brand Stout
Bourbon County Brand Barleywine
Rare Bourbon County Brand Stout
Bourbon County Brand Coffee Stout
Bourbon County Brand Regal Rye Stout
Proprietors’ Bourbon County Brand Stout

Craig

Bourbon County Brand Stout
Bourbon County Brand Barleywine
Bourbon County Brand Regal Rye Stout
Rare Bourbon County Brand Stout
Bourbon County Brand Coffee Stout
Proprietors’ Bourbon County Brand Stout

Dennis

Bourbon County Brand Stout
Rare Bourbon County Brand Stout
Bourbon County Brand Barleywine
Bourbon County Brand Coffee Stout
Bourbon County Brand Regal Rye Stout
Proprietors’ Bourbon County Brand Stout

Episode 96 - FoBAB Hangover & Craft Sodas Nov 25, 2015

Show notes

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, Goose Island Clybourn Brewpub, Spiteful, Brickstone, The Lost Abbey, Metropolitan, Moody Tongue, August Schell, Half Acre, Temperance, Hardywood, and more. But there’s a lot of craft soda information packed in here too, and you’ll learn why we’re so grateful for Prohibition. We also work on Craig’s arts-and-crafts-based standup routine. Come for the FoBAB, stay for the sodas, leave with a gut full of sugar.

FoBAB Moments:

(00:11:30 - 00:18:18) Overall festival talk: organization, glassware gripes, expedited lines, strip club music, and more.

(00:26:20 - 00:32:27) Ryan’s top five beers of FoBAB, plus a drunk volunteer story

(00:34:44 - 00:38:22) Craig’s top five beers of FoBAB

(00:42:10 - 00:50:16) Other beer highlights

(00:54:29 - 00:59:19), (01:00:38 - 01:04:14) The beer lowlights

(01:06:59 - 01:11:02) What we missed

(01:14:12 - 01:15:45) Ranking previous FoBABs

Craft Sodas Reviewed:

WBC Chicago-Style Root Beer

Virgil’s Black Cherry Cream Soda

Green River