ABV Chicago Craft Beer Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Episode 85 - Beer For Breakfast Sep 09, 2015

Show notes

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 feeling of syrup in the corners of your mouth and the rot of sugar in your belly after a giant stack of pancakes, he will make you feel disgusting yet oddly satisfied. Dennis shares some Pizzle updates, a sad birthday story, his thoughts on a Freegan challenge, and some helpful explanations of “Red Velvet” and ganache. But mostly we hear about his garbage life and Tinder disappointments. Other topics include continental breakfasts, the film “Independence Day” (and the eternal Paxton or Pullman debate), new CK scents, and Craig’s awful diet. Please send insulin.

Featured Glazed & Infused Donuts

Terry’s Mocha Koffee Toffee

Maple Bacon Long John

Sweet Tooth (w/Butterfinger topping and vanilla glaze)

Red Velvet

Chocolate

Rankings

Craig

1. Toppling Goliath Mornin’ Delight

2. Tree House Good Morning

3. Transient Buckley

4. Terrapin French-Toasted Wake-n-Bake Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout

5. Funky Buddha Maple Bacon Coffee Porter

Ryan

1. Tree House Good Morning

2. Toppling Goliath Mornin’ Delight

3. Funky Buddha Maple Bacon Coffee Porter

4. Transient Buckley

5. Terrapin French-Toasted Wake-n-Bake Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout

Dennis

1. Tree House Good Morning

2. Toppling Goliath Mornin’ Delight

3. Transient Buckley

4. Terrapin French-Toasted Wake-n-Bake Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout

5. Funky Buddha Maple Bacon Coffee Porter

Episode 84 - Trillium Sep 02, 2015

Show notes

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 talk about his visit to the brewery, their upcoming expansion plans, and why they should be on everybody’s radar. Also, hear us explain how your stinky ass can help you appreciate beers, the difference between bags and cornhole; our vague memory of “Good Will Hunting” quotes, a story where Craig effortlessly connects drinking syrup and Zelda, some SRM insanity, and something about a fat robot. Trill recognize trill, homie.

Craig

1. Artaic Double IPA

2. Congress Street IPA

3. Bees American Wild Ale with Honey

4. Fort Point Pale Ale

5. Stonington Barrel-Aged Wild Saison

6. Day and Night Blonde Barleywine with Coffee

Ryan

1. Fort Point Pale Ale

2. Artaic Double IPA

3. Bees American Wild Ale with Honey

4. Congress Street IPA

5. Stonington Barrel-Aged Wild Saison

6. Day and Night Blonde Barleywine with Coffee

Episode 83 - Brett Friends Forever Aug 26, 2015

Show notes

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 Craig’s specific measurements for beer success, and make at least two fart jokes. Ryan also reads a brief essay about brettanomyces he cobbled together, and Craig is angry about cucumber water. And we become better brett friends than we thought possible. Forever? Forever-ever? Forever-ever?

Ryan

1. Goose Island Clybourn - Brettanomite Sour Wheat Ale

2. Lake Effect - Session Brett Extra Pale Ale

3. Une Année - Xellensis Belgian Blonde Ale

4. Transient - Peur Saison

5. Middle Brow - Cobrastyle Saison

Craig

1. Lake Effect - Session Brett Extra Pale Ale

2. Transient - Peur Saison

3. Goose Island Clybourn - Brettanomite Sour Wheat Ale

4. Une Année - Xellensis Belgian Blonde Ale

5. Middle Brow - Cobrastyle Saison

Episode 82 - Hill Farmstead 3: Rise of the Growlers Aug 19, 2015

Show notes

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 topic to talk about cereal, movie trilogies, Crystal Pepsi, Peter Cetera, and Hollywood hunks. Craig recaps his most recent trip to Hill Farmstead and what has changed since he last visited in 2013. And things gets creepy early and carry on to Craig unleashing his most lamentable creation: Ryan’s chub scale. Sorry. Sorry sorry sorry.

Rankings

Craig

1. Susan IPA

2. Society and Solitude #1 DIPA 3. Edward Pale Ale

4. Nelson Sauvin Pale Ale

5. Works of Love Blonde Ale

6. Arthur Saison (Dry-Hopped with Styrian Golding)

Ryan

1. Nelson Sauvin Pale Ale

2. Susan IPA

3. Society and Solitude #1 DIPA 4. Edward Pale Ale

5. Works of Love Blonde Ale

6. Arthur Saison (Dry-Hopped with Styrian Golding)

Episode 81 - House of 1000 Hops Aug 12, 2015

Show notes

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 one, and we explain how Ryan almost sabotaged this show. Also, we explain why we have so many Pipeworks beers on the show, explore the troubling distance growing between the two of us, and discuss how a little Donnie Brasco can go a long way. And, as was written, only shooting stars break the mold.

Play along with the Hop Bingo © Home Edition:

Craig

1. The Lone Pint Brewery - Yellow Rose IPA

2. Lawson’s Finest Liquids - Sip of Sunshine IPA

3. Pipeworks Brewing - Square Grouper DIPA

4. Lawson’s Finest Liquids - Super Session #2 IPA

5. Half Acre Beer Co. - Navaja DIPA

6. Fat Head’s Brewery - Head Hunter IPA

Ryan

1. Pipeworks Brewing - Square Grouper DIPA

2. The Lone Pint Brewery - Yellow Rose IPA

3. Half Acre Beer Co. - Navaja DIPA

4. Lawson’s Finest Liquids - Sip of Sunshine IPA

5. Fat Head’s Brewery - Head Hunter IPA

6. Lawson’s Finest Liquids - Super Session #2 IPA

Episode 80 - Tree House Brewing Company Aug 05, 2015

Show notes

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 six growlers of the most drinkable yet complex beers we’ve had in a while, we subject these world-class beers to our low-brow drunkenness. Listen for our aggressively horrible spoken seques, an ongoing debate about fruit plates versus fruit bowls, an appearance from Craig’s alter ego Greg, Ryan’s take on why barrel-aging is overrated — and if you stay until the end, you’ll hear a story about how a magician ruined Craig’s trip to the Basketball Hall of Fame. There’s also an ACTUAL limited time special offer for listeners, so get your decoder rings ready*.

Ryan

1. Julius IPA

2. Alter Ego IPA

3. Curiosity 19 DIPA

4. Double Shot Stout (with Sumatra Mandheling coffee)

5. That’s What She Said Milk Stout

6. Trailbreaker Kellerbier

Craig

1. Julius IPA

2. Double Shot Stout (with Sumatra Mandheling coffee)

3. That’s What She Said Milk Stout

4. Alter Ego IPA

5. Trailbreaker Kellerbier

6. Curiosity 19 DIPA

*Decoder rings not necessary for the special offer - a working email address will do.

Episode 79 - CAN You Feel The Love Tonight? Jul 29, 2015

Show notes

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, and determining the appropriate number of scarves needed to enjoy absinthe. And Craig sings - BEAUTIFULLY. Can you believe it?!?

Craig

1. DESTIHL Lynnbrook Raspberry Berliner Weisse

2. Spiteful God Damn Pigeon Porter

3. Half Acre Vallejo IPA

4. Atlas Farmhouse Wheat

5. Mikerphone Vinyl Frontier DIPA

6. Slapshot Tripel Deke

Ryan

1. Half Acre Vallejo IPA

2. Spiteful God Damn Pigeon Porter

3. DESTIHL Lynnbrook Raspberry Berliner Weisse

4. Atlas Farmhouse Wheat

5. Mikerphone Vinyl Frontier DIPA

6. Slapshot Tripel Deke

Episode 78 - The MN Show Jul 22, 2015

Show notes

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 and infuriating baseball team (for two White Sox fans). We also let our inner fat kids loose and rage about Oreo Thins a little bit. Craig shares his extensive research. Ryan does a bad Craig Finn impression. Boof Bonser has a pipe made from a Pringles can.

Rankings

Ryan

1. August Schell Dawn of Aurora Berliner Weisse

2. Dangerous Man Peanut Butter Porter

3. Indeed Let It Ride IPA

4. Bent Paddle Cold Press Black Ale

5. Bauhaus Stargrazer Schwarzbier

6. Steel Toe Size 7 IPA

Craig

1. August Schell Dawn of Aurora Berliner Weisse

2. Dangerous Man Peanut Butter Porter

3. Bent Paddle Cold Press Black Ale

4. Bauhaus Stargrazer Schwarzbier

5. Indeed Let It Ride IPA

6. Steel Toe Size 7 IPA

Episode 77 - Wild Chicago Jul 15, 2015

Show notes

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’ Parade, and visit the last Russian bathhouse in Chicago! Or they’ll complain about heartburn and wax, discuss childhood television, and describe things as “lemony” a lot. Either way, you’ll want to strap on your safari hat and join them on this episode. And f’ your wax!

Ryan

1. Off Color/Jester King Radiolaria

2. Transient/Fountainhead Brutus

3. Une Année Esquisse

4. Lake Effect Vielle Blond

5. Marz Duchesse de Bridgeport

6. Penrose Wild XI

Craig

1. Transient/Fountainhead Brutus

2. Off Color/Jester King Radiolaria

3. Une Année Esquisse

4. Marz Duchesse de Bridgeport

5. Lake Effect Vielle Blond

6. Penrose Wild XI

Episode 76 - Pils Pils Pils Jul 08, 2015

Show notes

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 of us realize how drunk we’ve become by the end. We also say “balls” three times in the first fifteen minutes, which isn’t like us, so, sorry about that. And listen for Ryan’s very special, limited time offer for free stuff. This episode is dedicated to our homie, Herb Wurzig.

Matchups:

Baderbrӓu Chicago Pilsener vs. Kӧnig Pilsener

Metropolitan Flywheel Bright Lager vs. Weihenstephaner Pilsner

Local Option Outlawger vs. Kaiserdom Pilsener

Half Acre Pony Pils vs. Wolters Pilsener

Rankings:

Craig

1. Weihenstephaner Pilsner

2. Metropolitan Flywheel Bright Lager

3. Half Acre Pony Pils

4. Baderbrӓu Chicago Pilsener

5. Local Option Outlawger

6. Kӧnig Pilsener

7. Kaiserdom Pilsener

8. Wolters Pilsener

Ryan

1. Half Acre Pony Pils

2. Metropolitan Flywheel Bright Lager

3. Weihenstephaner Pilsner

4. Local Option Outlawger

5. Baderbrӓu Chicago Pilsener

6. Kaiserdom Pilsener

7. Kӧnig Pilsener

8. Wolters Pilsener

Local Music Featured:

Meat Wave - “Brother”

Rat Hammer - “Don’t Care”

Twin Peaks - “Flavor”

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

ABV Chicago Craft Beer Podcast

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected