ABV Chicago Craft Beer Podcast

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Episode 55 - Ryan's Choice Feb 11, 2015

Show notes

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To celebrate the birth of his daughter, Ryan got to assemble his show his way, and he did a hell of a job. Six local beers are reviewed, and all are pretty great. Both men drink for the first time in a while, so expect to hear the following: Ryan shares his love for Waka Flocka Flame’s cough drop commercials; Craig forgets about oatmeal and words in general; BCBS is Kanye, and we realize that we are jumping the shark. Also, Ryan learns how to curse again after a few weeks off, and Craig shares a story about how he was rejected by a rising star brewer. Sadly, no Derk Lerd.

Craig

1. Goose Island Bourbon County Stout (2009)

2. (tie) Pipeworks Crimson Snapper and Arcade Winter Slayer

4. Off Color Dino S’mores

5. Une Année/DryHop The Devil’s Reign

6. 18th Street Rise of the Phoenix

Ryan

1. Pipeworks Crimson Snapper

2. Goose Island Bourbon County Stout (2009)

3. 18th Street Rise of the Phoenix

4. Off Color Dino S’mores

5. Arcade Winter Slayer

6. Une Année/DryHop The Devil’s Reign

Episode 54 - Dark Horse Disaster Feb 04, 2015

Show notes

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We finally release this much-ballyhooed old episode, and it’s one for the books. Back in the Spring of 2014, we drank seven Dark Horse special release beers, and things did not go well. Sometimes the expectations we have for certain episodes do not match the outcome. And in this one, what starts as steadily-growing disappointment ends in a profane crescendo of anger-filled rankings. We do have a hell of a time along the way, and Ryan finally stumps Craig in a game: “Real Dark Horse Beer Name or Something I Just Made Up.” Bask in our suffering!

Craig

1. Bourbon Barrel Plead the 5th (2013)

2. Sarsparilla 666 Bourbon Barrel Root Beer Stout

3. Bourbon Barrel Plead the 5th (2012)

4. Brandy Barrel-Aged 4 Elf

5. Louie’s Long Polymer John Donut Ale

6. Beer is Dark XIII Anniversary Ale

7. Bourbon Barrel 3 Pairs of Legs

Ryan

1. Bourbon Barrel Plead the 5th (2013)

2. Louie’s Long Polymer John Donut Ale

3. Bourbon Barrel Plead the 5th (2012)

4. Sarsparilla 666 Bourbon Barrel Root Beer Stout

5. Brandy Barrel-Aged 4 Elf

7. (tie) Bourbon Barrel 3 Pairs of Legs/Beer is Dark XIII Anniversary Ale

Episode 53 - 2nd Shift Brewing Jan 28, 2015

Show notes

It’s no secret that we love Missouri breweries, and we’re delighted to try four beers from 2nd Shift Brewing. In this short show we manage to cram in our usual beer reviews, a thorough discussion of yellow candy, a few songs from Craig, and a sneaking suspicion that we have been drugged. This one ends with a tingle!

Ryan

1. Liquid Spiritual Delight

2. Art of Neurosis

3. Albino Pygmy Puma

4. Mullineaux

Craig

1. Liquid Spiritual Delight

2. Art of Neurosis

3. Mullineaux

4. Albino Pygmy Puma

Episode 52 - Revolution Deep Wood Jan 21, 2015

Show notes

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We’re clearing out Craig’s cellar on this episode by drinking the first five beers Revolution Brewing released under their Deep Wood series. We learn valuable lessons about aging barrel-aged beers, distinguishing dark fruits, and drinking five high-ABV beers before attempting to make sense of rankings. Craig pulls back the curtain on some of our recording secrets, and Ryan does stuff with prunes. This episode is not for suckers, fools, or ho-hum emcees.

Ryan

1. Very Mad Cow (2012)

2. 3rd Year Beer

3. Straight Jacket (2012)

4. Bean Gene (2013)

5. Mean Gene (2013)

Craig

1. Very Mad Cow (2012)

2. Straight Jacket (2012)

3. Bean Gene (2013)

4. 3rd Year Beer

5. Mean Gene (2013)

Episode 51 - Cantillon Jan 14, 2015

Show notes

Now that we’re a year old, we can finally drink like grown-ups, while still behaving like children. So we attempt to class up the joint by drinking six fancy beers from Cantillon and inviting Ken Getty to join us. Listen in as Craig handles some actual research while trying not to fumble his lambic basket (literally and figuratively). Ken explains why Cantillon’s brewing methods are so hard to reproduce, and why these fruited lambics are so important to drink fresh. Ryan mostly gets heartburn. Oh, and you might not want to listen if the term “Fou’ Foune” offends you. Happy birthday to us!

Ryan

1. Fou’ Foune

2. Lou Pepe Kriek

3. Iris

4. Lou Pepe Framboise

5. Lou Pepe Gueuze

6. Cuvée St-Gilloise

Craig

1. Fou’ Foune

2. Lou Pepe Gueuze

3. Lou Pepe Kriek

4. Cuvée St-Gilloise

5. Iris

6. Lou Pepe Framboise

Ken

1. Fou’ Foune

2. Lou Pepe Gueuze

3. Iris

4. Cuvée St-Gilloise

5. Lou Pepe Kriek

6. Lou Pepe Framboise

Episode 50 - Hill Farmstead II: Back 2 The Farm Jan 07, 2015

Show notes

For this milestone episode, we revisit the inimitable Hill Farmstead by drinking and reviewing seven more beers. We reminisce on some of our favorite beers and episodes from the first 49 and reach an unprecedented level of, uh, professionalism by the end of the show. The beer is as good as the content is ribald. Here’s to another 50 episodes of craft beer irreverence!

Ryan

1. Arthur

2. Damon (Bourbon Barrel Aged)

3. Damon (Port Barrel Aged)

4. Beyond Good and Evil

5. Vera Mae

6. Jimmy

7. Everett

Craig

1. Arthur

2. Damon (Bourbon Barrel Aged)

3. Beyond Good and Evil

4. Vera Mae

5. Damon (Port Barrel Aged)

6. Jimmy

7. Everett

Episode 49 - Wintry Mix Dec 31, 2014

Show notes

Winter is awful, and usually, so are winter seasonal beers. So we’re surprised to have some great ones on this episode with a few standout locals. We share our New Year’s resolutions and then take a lot of strange diversions along the way. There’s also an announcement of an exciting home brew contest with Middle Brow. Then, Ryan eschews traditional “research” by “making stuff up” and Craig admits he doesn’t know smells from flavors. Grab a beer, turn us on, and join us on our polar bear rug by the fire. (Clothing optional.)

Ryan

1. Upland Bourbon Barrel Warmer

2. Anchor Winter Wheat

3. Middle Brow A Hundred Miles Off

4. Slapshot White IPA

5. Anderson Valley Winter Solstice

6. Bell’s Winter White Ale

Craig

1. Slapshot White IPA

2. Anchor Winter Wheat

3. Upland Bourbon Barrel Warmer

4. Middle Brow A Hundred Miles Ooff

5. Anderson Valley Winter Solstice

6. Bell’s Winter White Ale

Episode 48 - Holiday Special Dec 24, 2014

Show notes

As a gift to you, we brought back almost all of our guests from the first year for a holiday party recording. But since Ryan was absent, Craig took his one mic and brought people together to review some beers. In this episode, we sit down to share some of the audio from the party while tasting some new local stouts. There will be beer reviews and drunken talk of broken Prius locks, slash fiction, Kermit impressions, and Craig’s hatred of nature. The guest list includes Chris Betts (Transient Artisan Ales), Nick Burica (Middle Brow Beer Co.), Marie Cummins (Down the Hatch), David Sullivan (Supple Knuckles Massage Parlor), Matt LaFleur (LaFleur Illustration), Dennis Lee (ThePizzle), Kim Leshinski (Hail to the Ale), and Ken Getty (CHAOS Brew Club).

Beers Had By Craig and Ryan:

Une Annee Feats of ********

Half Acre Big Hugs (2014)

Holiday Party Beers:

Transient Whiskey Barrel Presque

Mystic Chardonnary Barrel Fermented Saison

de Garde Cran Bu

de Garde Kiwi Bu

St. Bernardus Christmas Ale

Pipeworks Santa Vs. Unicorn

Oxbow Synthesis

Slapshot McLaughlin’s Red Eye Coffee Porter

Transient Sporadic #2 (Wine)

Episode 47 - Firestone Walker Anniversary Ales Dec 17, 2014

Show notes

We unbox five Firestone Walker anniversary ales and try to dissect these complex barrel-aged beer blends through our arbitrary reviews. We also experiment with our own beer blends and feel the effects of these potent potables before we even hit our third pour. Thus, at some point, we make it our mission to raise awareness of...something I’d rather not type (or Google image search). Prick up your ears!

Beer Rankings (with personal blend percentages)

Ryan

5. XVI (10%)

4. XVII (15%)

3. 14 (20%)

2. XV (20%)

1. XVIII (35%)

Craig

5. XVI (5%)

4. XVII (15%)

3. XV (20%)

2. 14 (25%)

1. XVIII (35%)

Episode 46 - The Art of Beer Dec 10, 2014

Show notes

In this episode, we discuss the fine art of craft beer labels with artist and homebrewer Matt LaFleur. We each bring a few beers to taste based on their label art, and Matt shares the stories behind the labels he has created for Arcade, Transient, and Middle Brow. We hit other topics like marketing, the overlap of art and craft beer, and homebrewing as an excuse to make beer labels. Our tastes in artwork and beer vary wildly, but by the end Craig gets mad about art and announces that he’s a lumbersexual. Just like always.

(Beer Rankings)

Craig

6. Arcade William Wallace Wrestle Fest

5. Solemn Oath Ravaged By Vikings

4. Pipeworks Cherry Truffle Abduction

3. Firestone Walker/Three Floyds Ol’ Leghorn

2. Off Color Le Predateur

1. Transient Wayward

Ryan

6. Solemn Oath Ravaged By Vikings

5. Firestone Walker/Three Floyds Ol’ Leghorn

4. Arcade William Wallace Wrestle Fest

3. Pipeworks Cherry Truffle Abduction

2. Off Color Le Predateur

1. Transient Wayward

Matt

6. Arcade William Wallace Wrestle Fest

5. Pipeworks Cherry Truffle Abduction

4. Solemn Oath Ravaged By Vikings

3. Off Color Le Predateur

2. Firestone Walker/Three Floyds Ol’ Leghorn

1. Transient Wayward

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