Revolution Anti-Hero IPA

Brewed By: Revolution Brewing Company (Revolution Beer LLC) in Chicago, IL 

Purchased: 12oz CAN from a 6-pack bought at West Lakeview Liquors in Chicago, IL; 2013 

Style/ABV: India Pale Ale, 6.5%

Reported IBUs: 70

Happy 'America, Fuck Yeah!' day. I hope you grilled lots of food, ate too much, drank too much, fired your gun, and shot off some freedom works. About Revolution:

Revolution Brewing is a brewery and brewpub based in Chicago. Revolution's roots are tied to founder Josh Deth, a homebrewer who began working at Golden Prairie Brewing. A few years later, while working at Goose Island, Josh dreamt up the idea for Revolution Brewing. In 2003, Josh and his wife opened Handlebar, while Josh worked as an Executive Director of Logan Square Chamber of Commerce. While working for the Chamber of Commerce, Josh found an old building on Milwaukee Avenue, and the wheels began to spin to open up a brewery. After three years of raising funds, Revolution Brewing opened its doors on February 2010. In July of 2011, Revolution added a 2nd floor Brewers' Lounge. And in 2012, the company opened a new production brewery and tap room. The brewpub is located in Logan Squre on 2323 N. Milwaukee Ave; the brewery is located on Kedzie Avenue at 3340 N. Kedzie Ave. For more information on Revolution, check out their history page here!  

'Merica

Tonight's beer is a staple of Chicago, of America. Tonight's beer literally saved Baby Jesus and fueled the workers that built the Freedom Tower. I'm talking about Revolution's Anti-Hero IPA. This beer is brewed with four hop varities, and punches in at 6.5% and 70 IBUs. It comes in cans. Cans, mother fucker. I don't see the French people at Cantillon putting their beer in cans.

The beer pours an orange color, with one finger of soapy, off-white head. The body is slightly hazy, with fat carbonation lazily popping upwards. I can't think of a better metaphor for Texas. There's some clingy lacing, and a centimeter of sustaining suds.

The aroma showcases grass, pine, sweeter citrus, herbal citrus, and strong floral aromas. There's an underlying toffee/cracker thing, and some underlying sweetness. There's a hint of resinous pine/citrus in the backdrop.

Revolution Anti-Hero IPA

The taste echoes the nose, with big iced tea, citrus, pine, resinous citrus/pine, herbal kick, and floral pungency. There's an underlying toffee/cracker thing, and some hints of wheat bread.

At 6.5%, this is stupid drinkable. The can format conjurs up images of Bald Eagles slinging back this drink at backyard barbecues, or "barbeques" as us 'Mericans would call them. Palate depth is like a nuclear submarine, but this is about as complex as Sarah Palin. Once you get past the great sex and quips about Russia, she's just another republican MILF. Iced tea and pine up front; citrus, herbal hop kick, and resin in the middle; fades to citrus and cracker. Uncle Kracker. Lil Wyte. America. 

Rating: Average (3.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Average on this. This is a classic, readily available to drink while you fire your gun, grill meats, or bang your overweight partner. It's also nice that this beer is available EVERYWHERE in Chicago. As far as IPAs go, there are so many of them...this one certainly displays ideal qualities in the style, but never goes beyond that. Which is fine. Can't a brewery make a solid IPA, put it in a can, and make it widely available? That's what I thought. Pair this beer with Freedom, "barebeques," post-Republican MILF coitus, and Baby Jesus.

Random Thought: Happy Anniversary, America.