Angry Orchard Strawman Farmhouse Hard Cider

Brewed By: Boston Beer Company in Boston, Massachusetts 

Purchased: 750ml bottle bought at Binny's in IL; 2013 

Style/ABV: Cider, 10.0%

Reported IBUs: ?

After reviewing the Angry Orchard Iceman, it seems only appropriate to review the Strawman. I've actually already had a bottle of this, and I've already rated. But I was a bit tipsy at the time, and I didn't take any real notes. So let's see how things stack up this time around. About Angry Orchard/Boston Brewing Company:

Angry Orchard launched nationally sometime around 2012, after the Boston Brewing Company killed their Hardcore Cider brand. Angry Orchard is the Boston Brewing Company's response to the growing demand for and rising popularity of ciders. Unlike local breweries making ciders, Angry Orchard utilizes bittersweet apples from France and culinary apples from Italy. They also use some apples from the Pacific Northwest and Northeast of the United States. To learn more about Angry Orchard's brewing process, check out their brewing/process page.  

The Boston Brewing Company/Sam Adams is, of course, the brain child of Jim Koch (and Harry M. Rubin and Lorenzo Lamadrid). Founded in 1984, Jim Koch got the ball rolling after college when he decided to resurrect and brew his favorite family recipe. That recipe belonged to his great-great grandfather, Louis Koch, and dates back to the 1870s (where it was brewed in a St. Louis brewery). That infamous family brew is the Sam Adams Boston Lager, of course. You can read more about the history of the Boston Brewing Company HERE, or check out their website HERE.  

The Strawman is is made from a blend of juices from culinary and bittersweet apples. The cider is then aged on oak. Punching in at 10%, this is probably more comparable to a wine than a cider.

Angry Orchard Strawman

The cider pours into a vibrant, bright orange body. On the initial pour you kick up some tan/orange-tinted head, but that rapidly dissolves into tepid placidity. In bright light, the cider has a nice golden/orange body, with plenty of effervescent carbonation doing its thing. This looks to be mostly clear, with maybe a little haze.

You get A TON of cider and apple on the aroma. The apple is sweet, and fades in and out of apple and grape vibes. There's a lot of white wine character on the aroma, with hints of gooseberry and sweet Riesling vibes. There's definitely some oak and tannin goodness on the aroma as well.

This cider is surprisingly dry with lots of woody and oaky tannins. It reminds me of an oak-aged Chardonnay, with lots of apples, grape, hints of citrus and melon, and some tart and dry gooseberry. It tastes surprisingly better than I remembered, though it it somewhat subtle.

The mouthfeel is fairly full-bodied and vinous for a cider. The mouthfeel is still pleasant, with lots of supportive carbonation and nice dryness. At 10.0%, this is super crushable (as DDB would say). You get sweet apples up front, followed by big oak/apple goodness, that dries out into some white wine, tart/dry gooseberry; the finish is oaky and dry. Good stuff.    

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average on this. That's actually an upgrade from the 3.5/5.0 I originally gave this. This is solid stuff, with a nice oaky, white wine complexion, and lots of subtle notes of grape, apple, and gooseberry. I would buy this again, but it is a bit pricey at around 15 dollars a bomber. I'm enjoying this as a sipper, but if I had to pair it with food, it would be with apple desserts, or savory meats and rustic potatoes/veggies.

Random Thought: Tomorrow is Halloween, the bestest holiday. Unfortunately, it looks like it's going to rain all day tomorrow. 

Boulevard Bourbon Barrel Quad (2013 BBQ)

Brewed By: Boulevard Brewing Company in Kansas City, Missouri

Purchased: 750ml bottle (2013 Vintage) bought at Fischman Liquors and Tavern in Chicago, IL; 2013

Style/ABV: Quadrupel, 11.8%

Reported IBUs: 26

With the recent news that Boulevard is being sold to Duvel, people have been freaking out, man. And I don't know why. Duvel hasn't fucked up Ommegang, and Duvel itself is an awesome beer. With that said, about Boulevard:

Boulevard Brewing Company hails out of Kansas City, Missouri. They have a very nice website that is cleanly formatted, informative, and is not loaded with Java and Flash scripts. The company was founded officially in 1989, but began in 1988 when founder John McDonald began construction of the brewery. In 2006 the brewery had a major expansion, which allowed for additional brewing capacity. You can find more info on the brewery's history HERE. According to Wikipedia, Boulevard is the largest craft brewer in Missouri, and the 10th largest craft brewery in the United States.

This Bourbon Barrel Quad is part of Boulevard's Smokestake Series, and is a Limited Release beer. Punching in at 26 IBUs and 11.8% ABV, this beer is loosely based on the Smokestack Series' The Sixth Glass. This beer is aged in oak bourbon barrels for up to three years, and then cherries are added for some extra flavor and kick. The beer is then blended (16% Ale, 84% Ale Aged in Bourbon Barrels with Cherries) to perfection. This one features your usual trimmings: a base of Pale Malt, Cara 300, Munich, and Malted Wheat; Magnum and Styrian Golding hops; and Dextrose, Brown Sugar, Dark Brown Sugar, and Candi Syrup. I'm excited so let's glass this up.

Boulevard Bourbon Barrel Quad

The beer pours into a murky, effervescent, swamp-red-brown MAROON color. I kicked up two fingers of tan, off-white head. Initially, the head wasn't sustaining, but now a pinky's worth is just hanging around. In bright light the beer is a juicy/swampy orange color, with lots of streams of tiny carbonation rising upwards. There's lacing and some glossy alcohol legs. When you get into three-year-old-barrel-aged-beer territory, you're not going for looks. And looks can be deceiving. That girl with some road ware? Way more fun than that shiny Escalade straight off the lot.

There's a lot of Bourbon and cherry on the aroma. Maybe I shouldn't be surprised at the amount of cherry on the nose...the cherry does work in tandem with the dark fruits and overripe Quad-fruit aromas. You definitely get some Belgian yeast and spice-perfume on the aroma, with some clove, hints of white sugar, and banana. There's a lot of sugar on this beer's aroma: candi sugar, hints of a darker brown sugar, and lots of fruity/cherry sweetness. 

So...this beer is pretty much what it advertises. A shot of thin Bourbon with lots of cherries. The cherries themselves are not artificial or medicinal, but rather bright and acidic, playing off the Quad and the barrel. You get plenty of cherry, overripe dark fruits, some Bourbon, a little booze and even a hint of burn, and plenty of hints of brown sugar and Belgian spice. As I swish this around in my mouth, I pick up on some of the candi sugar and dark fruits, and some woodiness pops up here and there.

I can't help but compare this offering to the Ommegang Three Philosophers. That beer is the epitome of Belgian Quad excess, and what delicious excess it is. This beer right here, the 2013 BBQ, is very good. But is it divine? The mouthfeel here is medium-full, thinned out a bit by the Bourbon/barrel, and supported by lots of carbonation. For 11.8%, this beer is stupid drinkable. Also consider that this is aged in bourbon barrels, and has lots of heat on the back end. This is like the anti-Deth's Tar, which became a bit cloying and boozy in the final stretch. Palate depth is okay, and complexity is good. There's some heavy hitters in this category/style, what can I say. You get a blast of perfumey sweetness and cherries up front; that rolls into heavy sugars, brown sugar, and bourbon; the back end layers in some vanilla, oak, wood, and more cherry sweetness. There's some bourbon and alcohol burn on the back, and it's welcomed. The finish is boozy and dry. Belgian spices/dark fruits come and go. 

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average on this. The slightly thinner mouthfeel coupled with the above-average complexity leave me wondering how something like the Three Philosophers or Rochefort 10 would taste if aged in a bourbon barrel on cherries. But hey! At least his beer has me dreaming. Let me clarify: this is not a bad beer by any means. It's above-average. It's worth buying, at least once, even if the 15-20 dollars per bottle is kind of pricey. I would pair a beer like this with dessert. Dry chocolate cake...yum. You could also pair this with grilled meats and cheeses, or anything that plays off of chocolate and cherries. Really good stuff, not divine.

Random Thought: I opted to get some stuff done tonight rather than watching the Bulls game. I know, I know, "I guess I'm not a true Bulls fan." Whatever. It's game one after a whole lotta hype. And D Rose is just getting back into the swing of things. We have a long way to go.

Founders Harvest Ale

Brewed By: Founders Brewing Company in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Purchased: 12oz bottle from a 4-pack bought at Walgreens in Chicago, IL; 2013 
Style/ABV: India Pale Ale, 7.6%
Reported IBUs: 70

With all the hoppy, American beers out there, it's nice to see a fresh (literally) gimmick. These harvest ales brewed with wet hops are a tasty treat. Last year I had Sixpoint's Autumnation, tonight we try the offering from Founders. About Founders:

Founders is the holy grail of Michigan brewing. Based out of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Founders was founded in 1997 by Mike Stevens and Dave Engbers, and produces some of the best beer in the world. If you haven't heard of Founders...well, what are you doing? Get on that, now.

The Harvest Ale is part of Founders' Limited Series of beers. Brewed in October, this beer features fresh, wet hops. There's not much else to add...listed at 7.6% and 70 IBUs, this is a fairly substantial beer.

Founders Harvest Ale

On the pour: a juicy, golden/yellow beer with one or two fingers of fluffy, white head. Bright light confirms the lovely, slightly hazy, golden-yellow body. The head is sustaining quite nicely, and picks up some of the golden tones in bright light. There's some moderate carbonation activity in this beer, and some nice lacing.

Ah, hops, my friend. This beer is like hop's apartment. Dank and resinous, but familiar and inviting. And damn, that strobe light is bright. There's a ton of resinous and floral hop aromas here, bouncing between resinous pineapple, lemon, melon, passion fruit, and grass...and a floral/spicy mint, and other cabinet spices I can't quite place. There's a dash of grain or biscuit in the mix as well.

This is really, really good. The beer is super juicy and fresh, with tons of resinous and sweet pine, grapefruit rind, light tropical notes, mango, melon, and some grass/biscuit. The finish is bitter and woody, but retains just a hint of a sweet edge. 

The finish is perfectly dry and clean, with good attenuation and lots of bitterness. For 7.6%, this is medium-to-full-bodied, with great drinkability. The carbonation is spot on. This beer is surprisingly simple. It plays the American IPA pretty straight. And yet, I'm really enjoying this. Complexity is alright, but the palate depth is off the charts. You get a blast of sweet, bread/biscuit malts up front, followed by some passion fruit and grass; then you get the sweet pine, grapefruit rind, some hints of mango and tropical fruit; the bitter, woody, spicy finish kicks in towards the end, and grows as you drink this. What differentiates this beer from the slew of hoppy, resinous brews out there is the fact that this beer is so juicy and so fresh. This has that Green Flash/West Coast vibe, with a slightly more earthy and spicy twist. Really fantastic stuff.

Rating: Divine Brew (4.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Light Divine Brew on this. This is a fantastic, juicy IPA. This has all the dank, juicy, resinous goodness of a West Coast IPA...but it has a slightly earthy and gritty edge that seems very #MidWest. Or something, shit, I don't know. I just know that 4-packs of this sell for around 10~12 dollars, and I would buy this again. I'm about to pair this with a quesadilla, but this beer would go well with any aggressively spiced dish.

Random Thought: I hate personal statements. I know I'm awesome, you know I'm awesome, so what's the beef, Arby's? 

Pipeworks Reaper vs Unicorn Ryewine

Brewed By: Pipeworks Brewing in Chicago, IL  

Purchased: 22oz bottle (Batch #221/222/223) bought at Binny's in IL; 2013 (bottled 10.[7/8/9].13)

Style/ABV: Ryewine/Barleywine, 10.0%
Reported IBUs: ?

In this week's Unofficial Pipeworks Thursday™ we are looking at the Reaper vs. the Unicorn. I'm not sure who to root for this time around, but my hunch is the unicorn. About Pipeworks:

Pipeworks has humble roots. The brewery was founded in Chicago in 2011 by Beejay Oslon and Gerrit Lewis. The duo were both homebrewers that met while while working at West Lakeview Liquors. In 2011, they began to raise money for their brewery using the online Internet site, Kickstarter. Olson and Lewis were both educated at De Struise Brewery in Oostvleteren, Belgium. With that knowledge, and the money from their kickstarter, Olson and Lewis created a unique brewery that is smaller in size, and intended to brew smaller batches of beer. The company's motto is "small batches, big beers." And indeed, since the brewery has been around, they've been releasing a lot of one-offs and small batch releases. The goal is to release a new beer every week. You can read more about the brewery at their website HERE.

The Reaper vs Unicorn is a Ryewine/Barleywine thing. The bottle reads:

"The unicorn may have finally met its match in Death Incarnate. But hold your horned horses, because the unicorn lives to rye another day! What a sickle joke! But, we aren't tricking you, this barleywine is a real treat, with a rich malt skeleton and a more than paranormal amount of hops. If you're going to harvest soul-y one beer this season, don't fear the Reaper..."

Pipeworks Reaper vs Unicorn Ryewine

The beer pours like an Imperial Red Ale, which makes a lot of sense if you've had the Sam vs Unicorn or Santa vs Unicorn. Barleywine? More like an Imperial Red. In lower light, this beer's body is a dark red/muddy brown color, and kicks up two to three fingers of super dense, bready, caramel-amber head. The beer dons a juicy, murky, reddish-orange body in bright light. The head is all caramel/amber, with hints of orange. It's an Imperial Red! There's tons of sticky lacing on this, and some glossy legs.

I'm getting big resinous pine, resinous citrus, and woody resin. There's a lot of rye spice on the aroma as well, with some bready rye, rye bread, and lots of peppery rye. There's some caramel as well. The nose is super hoppy, but it's resinous hops...resinous grapefruit, citrus, and orange.

This reminds me more of the Santa vs Unicorn than the Sam vs Unicorn. For whatever reason, this one doesn't have any assertive carbonation helping things along (which is weird because the beer still has a big, lively head and lacing). The malt is blunted here, and there's a lot of it. You get big rye, caramel, and sweet malt sugars (brown sugar?). There's a lot of rye spice in the mix, and lots of resinous hops. I'm getting resinous/woody pine, citrus, grapefruit rind, and tangerines. There's some peppery-rye-booze on the finish.

The lack of carbonation doesn't hurt the drinkability here, even at 10.0%. But I find myself pining for it a bit. This is a medium-full to full-bodied beer, with lots of sweet malt body and tons of resinous hops. Palate depth is okay, and complexity is also okay. You get lots of sweet, rye-forward malt up front; that rolls into big resinous/woody hops; the back end features peppery spice and some booze. 

Rating: Average (3.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Light Average here. I don't know if this beer was intentionally supposed to feature this little carbonation, or if it didn't attenuate far enough, or the conditioning didn't go right. Who knows. Either way, this isn't a bad libation. You get lots of the Rye and malt sweetness. It drinks like an Imperial Red Ale. I would pair this beer with a burger, wings, or other aggressive American foods. You could pair this with anything spicy as well. This one was okay, the Sam vs Unicorn was much better.

Random Thought: TGIF, bitches! 

Angry Orchard Iceman Hard Cider

Brewed By: Boston Beer Company in Boston, Massachusetts 

Purchased: 750ml bottle bought at Binny's in IL; 2013 

Style/ABV: Ice Cider, 10.0%

Reported IBUs: ?

Tonight's beer isn't actually a beer. It's a cider...and an Ice Cider at that. Ice Cider is cider made from the juices of frozen apples. The apples are usually harvested late in the season and stored until December, and the extracted juices are left to freeze naturally. Or, the apples are left on the tree until December or January, and then picked when it is cold out, and then pressed and left to cold ferment. The Iceman is made by Angry Orchard, who happens to be owned by the Boston Brewing Company. About Angry Orchard/Boston Brewing Company:

Angry Orchard launched nationally sometime around 2012, after the Boston Brewing Company killed their Hardcore Cider brand. Angry Orchard is the Boston Brewing Company's response to the growing demand for and rising popularity of ciders. Unlike local breweries making ciders, Angry Orchard utilizes bittersweet apples from France and culinary apples from Italy. They also use some apples from the Pacific Northwest and Northeast of the United States. To learn more about Angry Orchard's brewing process, check out their brewing/process page.  

The Boston Brewing Company/Sam Adams is, of course, the brain child of Jim Koch (and Harry M. Rubin and Lorenzo Lamadrid). Founded in 1984, Jim Koch got the ball rolling after college when he decided to resurrect and brew his favorite family recipe. That recipe belonged to his great-great grandfather, Louis Koch, and dates back to the 1870s (where it was brewed in a St. Louis brewery). That infamous family brew is the Sam Adams Boston Lager, of course. You can read more about the history of the Boston Brewing Company HERE, or check out their website HERE.  

Tonight's cider, the Iceman, is inspired by the traditional Ice Ciders of Quebec. The Iceman uses the above process I outlined earlier, where the juice from the apples is frozen to produce a unique, crisp cider. This cider is also oak-aged, to provide some additional depth of flavor. Punching in at an impressive 10.0%, and coming in a sexy bottle (with a cork, cage, and all)...let's see how this stacks up.

Angry Orchard Iceman Hard Cider

The cider pours into a radiant gold/bronze body that has wine-like transparency, and visible streams of tiny carbonation. There was a little head formation during the pour, but it rapidly fizzled out. This cider really has great depth of color, as can be seen in bright light. It looks like an IPA or Vienna or something, with rich golden-amber tones. A white ring of head has settled around the top of the cider.

Wow. The aroma on this is super vinous and instantly reminds me of a nice, fruity white like a Pinot or a Riesling. But you get some hints of oak on this cider's aroma as well, which is reminiscent of a Chardonnay or something. I'm getting grapes, apples, fruit skins, gooseberry, jammy apricot, hints of light melon/lemon/citrus, and your usual lighter, white wine aromas. There's also a hint of oak and wood on the aroma, with lots of sugary sweetness.

This tastes really good. This is dense, rich stuff...with glossy apple cider that is somewhere between a cider and wine, with vinous, Port/Dessert Wine qualities. Actually, this is drinking very warm, if that makes any sense. If you've ever had warm or hot apple cider...imagine that. That's what this cider drinks like, only it's cold. The oak, wood, and caramel are all quite subtle in the mix...you mostly get big apples, grape, hints of gooseberry and white wine complexity, and some pleasant warming on the back. The finish is surprisingly dry and champagne-like, with some tart apple rounding things out.

As this warms and I drink more of it, I'm starting to pick up on a little more of that "caramel apple" flavor. I'm assuming the caramel comes from the oak and the sugars. It's actually really impressive. At 10.0%, this is super quaffable. The booze shows up mostly as warming on the back, and this cider balances deep, rich sweetness with vinous qualities and a big, warming body. The depth and complexity are both good. This is really medium-full to full-bodied stuff, but drinks like champagne thanks to all the carbonation and the dry tart finish. You get honey, caramel, and apples up front; that rolls into more caramel apples, some vinous white wine, grapes; the back end kicks in some dry/tart apples, and finishes champagne dry and boozy.

Rating: Divine Brew (4.5/5.0 Untappd)

I plan to buy this again. I'll afford this a Light Divine Brew. I haven't had many Ice Ciders, but this is a fantastic little riff. This is the perfect sipper for a cold Winter day, or even an Autumn night. I'm thinking about pairing this with a burger, but this would go very well with dessert. This and apple pie...I don't know if it would be too sweet, or hit the perfect spot. Either way, I can give this a strong recommendation if you are looking for a cider, or something that just kicks the apple flavor up to 11. 

Random Thought: I'm too tired for random thoughts. TIT. Tomorrow is Thursday. 

Milwaukee Brewing Sasquash

Brewed By: Milwaukee Brewing Company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Purchased: 12oz bottle from a 6-pack bought at Binny's in IL; 2013

Style/ABV: Porter / Spice/Herb/Vegetable, 5.6% 

Reported IBUs: 12.5

The story behind tonight's beer is that I put a big dent into my Autumn beer supply. I went to the liquor store to replenish said drained supply, and spent a few minutes contemplating which 6-pack of Pumpkin/Spice beer to roll the dice on. There are too many pumpkin beers out there, and most of them come in the 6-pack format. I'm not hating, I love having options. But I'm riding the line between Fall and Winter. I ended up grabbing a 6-pack of tonight's beer, which is from the Milwaukee Brewing Company. About the Milwaukee Brewing Company:                             

The Milwaukee Brewing Company was started as a brewpub with a 15bbl brewery. Founded by Jim McCable, the brewery produced its first beer in October, 1997. Due to increased demand and popularity, the company kegged their first beer in 2007 at the 2nd Street Brewery in, a 50bbl packaging facility. For more info, check out the brewery's website.

The Sasquash deviates from the standard pumpkin beer a bit, in that it is a Porter. Punching in at 5.6% ABV and 12.5 IBUs, the beer is brewed with Tettnang hops, a Pale/Special Roast/Honey/Chocolate malt base, and features pumpkin and sweet potatoes. In fact, the beer uses an impressive 700 pounds of pumpkin and sweet potato, straight to the wort. The beer also features some cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. 

Milwaukee Brewing Sasquash

The beer pours a dark brown, almost-black color in low light, and kicks up a finger of dark tan/khaki head. The head is creamy, and departs with some nice lacing, and settles into a nice hazy, cauldron effect. Bright light betrays the beer's ruby red body, but you can see brown tones even in lower lighting. The beer is hazy and features some floating sediment (yay, bottle conditioning!), and you can see some nice carbonation. Nothing looks amiss...onto the aroma.

Whew. This has a nice, sweet, malty aroma. I'm getting a lot of toast, some roast, sweet molasses and sugars, and malty sweetness typical to a Brown Ale, Porter, or malty Bock. I'm also getting some nice pie crust, with some cereal graininess. Actually...the aroma on this beer channels the same aromas you get on the Pumking or Warlock. I'm getting pie crust, meaty pie filling, meaty sweet potato, some cinnamon and nutmeg, graham cracker, and some slight canned corn. The aroma on this beer is really solid, here's to hoping it carries over into the taste. 

This is a nice, subtle beer. You get a lot of roast, toast, and hints of coffee and dark malts. In fact, the roasted flavors have quite a bit of depth. There's hints of cinnamon and pumpkin spice in the taste, with some subtle pumpkin pie, and hints of pumpkin pie/sweet potato towards the back of the beer. For the most part, the pumpkin and spice in this beer is very subtle compared to the roast.

If you want a pumpkin beer that isn't overly assertive with the pumpkin and spice, this beer might do the trick. At 5.6%, this beer is super quaffable, with a nice medium-light to medium-full body, and good palate depth. Complexity could definitely reach a bit further, but there is nice depth with the roasted flavors. You get a blast of pumpkin spice up front, followed by coffee, roast, toast; the middle rolls into more roast, with some earth, more coffee, some pumpkin spice and cinnamon; the back end has subtle hints of sweet potato and pumpkin, and more roast. It tastes like a Porter with a hint of that Pumpkin/Sweet Potato twist.

Rating: Average (3.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Average on this. I commend this beer for the depth of the roast. And for 5.6%, this beer packs a lot of flavor and punch. It's a good Porter...just not a mind blowing Pumpkin Beer. So, you're gonna love this beer if you hate overly assertive pumpkin brews. It also is a nice dark beer twist to the somewhat cliched Pumpkin Ale style. You can pair this beer with hearty pumpkin dishes, pumpkin soup, sweet potatoes, any Autumn pie (apple, pumpkin, sweet potato, etc.), or just drink it with a burger. It's light enough at 5.6% to pair well with a wide range of foods. Good stuff from Milwaukee.

Random Thought: Deep Ellum became the subject of controversy with their "Dallas Blonde Ale." It goes down easy. The controversy is a bit convoluted, but word on the street is that Deep Ellum was participating in the drama. Not cool. Even worse is the "Apology-that-is-NOT-an-apology" issued by the brewery, basically saying they're not sorry for offending people. It's a whole lotta bullshit, but the non-apology is a classless move on the same level as douche nuggets like Daniel Tosh. When will people learn.

Revolution Deth's Tar

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

Purchased: 22oz bottle bought at Binny's in IL; 2013 (2013 Vintage)

Style/ABV: Imperial Stout, 11.4%

Reported IBUs: ?

I've heard that tonight's beer is hot and Bourbon-y. That sounds perfect, because it is cold as shit out (it's supposed to snow tomorrow! in October! fuck!), and I'm in one of those moods. Hooray, alcoholism! /Archer

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! 

The Deth's Tar (not to be confused with the much cooler, Death Star) is an Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels. Named after "our exalted leader," Emperor Deth, this beer is aged in four different types of bourbon barrels (Old Fitzgerald, Old Forester, Elijah Craig, and Evan Williams), and then blended to perfection. This one comes in a fancy box, which has some fancy words on it that read: 

"Deth's Tar Imperial Stout is aged six months in four different varieties of bourbon barrels and then blended for bottling. Both flaked oats and oat malt in the mash impart a rich, silky mouthfeel that sets this beer apart. Witness the firepower of this fully operational Imperial Stout." 

This beer is part of RevBrew's Deep Wood Series. There's probably a joke in there somewhere. On that, the box states: "Every once in a while you need to get lost in the woods. We brew our Deep Wood Series beers to show off the interplay between wooden barrels and the liquid they hold. Seasonal temperature changes in our brewery send the beer in and out of the wood, exchanging flavors and developing rich character allowing you to taste the history of the barrel. These beers can be enjoyed immediately or cellared for months or years to savor when the time is right."

Revolution Deth's Tar

After taking the bottle out of the sexy, Firestone Walker-esque box, I was happy to hear a loud "hisssss" when I popped the cap. This beer pours out with oil-like consistency into a dark black body, kicking up three fingers of dark brown/coffee-colored head. The beer is opaque and impenetrable. I'm surprised by the dark brown head that is retaining, and the head coats the glass with tons of dark brown lacing and glossy alcohol legs. It's just a Stout, but it looks good. 

The aroma on this beer is awesome. I popped a bottle of the 2012 Bourbon County Stout last night, and I'm happy to report that this beer has shades of that. I'm getting rich bourbon, vanilla, brown sugar, chocolate/coffee, and brownie explosion on the nose. There's that big, baked brownie, with sweet coconut, shredded coconut, and some toasted coconut. Mmm, coconut. You also pull out some hints of wood/barrel on the aroma, as you'd expect. I'm not getting a ton of booze on the aroma...mostly bourbon.

I'm drinking this fairly warm, but this still has a way to go. There's a lot of bourbon in this, but the booze (11.4%) is surprisingly tempered. That's not to say this doesn't have a little boozy punch...but the illusion is the bourbon. Speaking of bourbon, I'm getting a lot of wood, barrel, and bourbon punch. You pick up on some nice oak and vanilla, and the finish is surprisingly creamy and velvety. You get lots of brown sugar, molasses, hints of raisins, brownie/chocolate, hints of coffee, and some vanilla/oak/coconut. Honestly, there's a lot of complexity lurking beneath the bourbon, despite the fact that this is so aggressively bourbon-y.

This is my type of brew. An amicable sipper for those cold, shitty, Autumn nights. I really don't know how I feel about this beer. This isn't boozy, especially for 11.4%. YES, you get lots of the bourbon, but bourbon =/= booze. The flavor is strong, so if you don't like bourbon stay clear. Try as you might, this one has low drinkability. It's supposed to. Complexity is high, though not BCBS high, and palate depth is good. I heard some reports that this beer is too thin. Bullshit. I heard reports that it's too bourbon-y. Bullshit. I'm calling bullshit on a whole lotta complaints. I guess I'll run through the palate: You get bourbon/wood/vanilla/oak up front, with some chocolate/brownie/brown sugar; that rolls into big vanilla, with hints of raisins, some bourbon-whiskey alcohol, and fusel kick/burn; the back end is lingering roast 'n' toast, some coffee, coconut...shit, each sip at each new temperature is a different experience. This has a lot going on.

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm going to go with a Decent Above-Average for this beer. I'm pining for a bit of the nuance (and sweetness) you get in a BCBS. This beer is aggressively bourbon-forward, and the booze catches up with you. Then again, I don't really want to drink 22oz of BCBS. I think that's the killer here. The 22oz format is a bit much, so share this with a friend. As far as food pairings...dry chocolate desserts come to mind, vanilla ice cream, a cigar, or no food. I guess you could pair this with grilled meats. I don't remember the damages, but this is not a cheap beer. This one should age gracefully, but I didn't pick up two bottles. Hmm.

Random Thought: We are two weeks out from Halloween and we are already supposed to get snow. I don't understand. 

Pipeworks Big Smokey P

Brewed By: Pipeworks Brewing in Chicago, IL  

Purchased: 22oz bottle (Batch #201) bought at Binny's in IL; 2013 (bottled 9.5.13)

Style/ABV: Smoked Beer/Imperial Porter, 10.5%
Reported IBUs: ?

Welcome to Unofficial Pipeworks Thursday™. It's cold out tonight, and the perfect evening to enjoy a big, bold, robust, smoked beer. About Pipeworks:

Pipeworks has humble roots. The brewery was founded in Chicago in 2011 by Beejay Oslon and Gerrit Lewis. The duo were both homebrewers that met while while working at West Lakeview Liquors. In 2011, they began to raise money for their brewery using the online Internet site, Kickstarter. Olson and Lewis were both educated at De Struise Brewery in Oostvleteren, Belgium. With that knowledge, and the money from their kickstarter, Olson and Lewis created a unique brewery that is smaller in size, and intended to brew smaller batches of beer. The company's motto is "small batches, big beers." And indeed, since the brewery has been around, they've been releasing a lot of one-offs and small batch releases. The goal is to release a new beer every week. You can read more about the brewery at their website HERE.

Tonight's beer is an "Imperial Porter" that will likely feature Imperial Stout-like boldness. I guess we're splitting hairs here, but what can you do. The bottle reads:

"Bold, rich, and smokey. This is how the Big Smokey P Rolls. A deep malt base combining both Cherrywood and Beachwood smoked malts, this imperial smoked porter is Big. Get up on this Big Smokey P and enjoy the ride."

Pipeworks Big Smokey P

This beer pours into a black body with ruby red tones, and kicks up a pinky's worth of lightly tanned head. The head retention consists of a tan ring along the edge of the glass, and a hazy cauldron effect on top. Swirling the beer coats your glass with dense, dark lacing, and leaves some residual alcohol legs/tears behind. Bright light confirms much of the same: a dark beer with brown/ruby tones. 

This has a rich, velvety aroma, with lots of beachwood/cherrywood, caramel/molasses/brown sugar sweetness, hints of creamer or lactose, and tons of suggestive chocolates and meaty notes. There's a hint of butterscotch/diacetyl that comes and goes, but with the amount of UMPHH this beer has, I doubt it will be an issue. 

You do get a lot of beachwood, cherrywood, and smoked malts (with some hints of meat and campfire and the usual trimmings), all wrapped up in a delightful, full-bodied, malty package. I'm pulling out earthy notes, hints of coffee, chocolate, even some hints of sweeter sugars and fruits, and lots of molasses and caramel. But the smoked malts are pervasive throughout. 

This is full-bodied, dense, and big...it's also somewhat sugary, and leaves some residual sugars and stickiness on your lips. Nevertheless, for 10.5% this is drinkable. Palate depth is good...complexity is okay....and the beer promises what it advertises, which is nice smoked malt throughout. You get beachwood/cherrywood/smoked malt and cacao with some earthy notes hinting at coffee and roast up front; that rolls into chocolate, hints of fruit, some bitterness (hops???), and more smoked malts; the back end is lingering smoked malts with sugar/caramel/molasses sweetness. The finish is sticky sweet, and a touch smokey. 

Rating: Above-Average (3.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm going to go with a very Light Above-Average here. I almost feel like the gravity boost here isn't as big of an improvement over Pipeworks' regular Smoked Porter as it could be...maybe if you take the bigger ABV and throw in some more cocoa or something, I don't know. It's a solid B/B+ beer, and the promised smoked malts are consistent throughout. This would be a great beer to pair with barbecue, grilled meats, a burger with bacon, ice cream, or dry chocolate cake. This is another solid brew from Pipeworks, and more proof that they have Stouts and IPAs down.

Random Thought: I had a cavity drilled and filled today. I rarely get cavities, and believe that tonight was number two or three. Getting the Novocaine shot is fucking weird, but it's kind of a cool sensation. The worst part is having the needle in your mouth for that extended period of time. I should probably harden the fuck up, so I'm gonna peace out. 

Val-Dieu Grand Cru

Brewed By: Brasserie de l’Abbaye du Val-Dieu in Aubel, Belgium 

Purchased: 750ml bottle bought at Binny's in IL; 2013

Style/ABV: Belgian Dark Strong Ale, 10.5%

Reported IBUs: ?

I'm excited for tonight's beer...Dark Strongs/Quads are among my favorite styles of beer, and the bottle of tonight's beer states: "This authentic Abbey Ale is based on the recipe perfected centuries ago by the monks of Abbey du Val-Dieu." You can't argue with that. About Val-Dieu:

The Cistercian Abbey “Notre Dame du Val-Dieu” was founded in 1216 by monks from Hocht, near Maastricht (the capital city of the Dutch province of Limburg) and the county of Dalhem. The legend goes that the uninhabited valley into which they settled was so hostile the locals called it the "valley of the devil." The monks renamed it "Valley of God," or Val-Dieu in French. Val-Dieu was the only Belgian abbey to survive the French Revolution. Today, the abbey is still linked to the Cistercian Order, and the abbey of Lérins.  

According to Wikipedia, the abbey's original church was destroyed in 1287 during the War of Limburg Succession, and again in 1574 during the Eighty Years' War, and again in 1683 by the armies of Louis XIV. Under Abbot Jean Dubois, from 1711 to 1749, the abbey flourished, until the church was destroyed again in the French Revolution. 

The brewery (Brasserie de l'Abbaye du Val-Dieu) was established in 1997 at the abbey farm. Originally, the monks of Val-Dieu brewed beer to make the water drinkable and to avoid diseases like dysentery, cholera, and typhoid. The beers brewed at the abbey today are inspired by the original recipes of the monks. The abbey emphasizes basic ingredients, a rigorous brewing process, and straight up legit water from the regional Gileppe dam. For more info, check out the abbey's website, or the Val-Dieu website.

The Val-Dieu Grand Cru doesn't have a webpage, but this Dark Strong Ale punches in at 10.5%, and should be delicious.

Val-Dieu Grand Cru

The beer pours into a cola black/purple body, and kicks up one to two fingers of dense, creamy, Strong Ale-inspired head. The head is creamy and foamy, like beaten egg whites. When you shine a bright light through the beer, you can see that the body is a dark ruby red color. There's a storm of carbonation violently erupting upwards off the nucleation point on my glass, and the head is soaking up the red tones. It's a good looking beer, with all the stuff in the right places. 

As I popped the cork off this, I was greeted with lots of funky yeast aromas. I'm getting a lot of raw yeast. Underneath that is a ton of dark fruits and stone fruits. I'm getting grapes, apples, pears, and raisins. There's some wheat/raisin/straw, ala an aged wheat beer. Honestly, for better or worse, it smells a lot like the other Val-Dieu beers I've had.

At 10.5%, this beer is going to have body. And it does. I'm reminded of a lighter version of the Rochefort 10, with tons of malt density, boozy dark/stone fruits, powdery rum, sugar cookies, perfume, sweet candy sugar, and lots of dark fruits. I'm pulling out grape, prunes, plums, figs, and some wheat/apple. The whole thing has lots of must/dust and perfume, and you get some seductive boozy warming on the back, with some spicy/phenolic pepper and clove; rum, dark fruits.

This is a dense, full-bodied beer...but it's also quite creamy and smooth, and supported with lots of carbonation. Like most Belgian Strong Ales, despite the huge ABV, drinkability is very high. That's a problem, because you want to sip on something like this, preferably on a chilly Autumn/Winter evening. Fortunately, this beer has some nice complexity, and the palate depth is divine stuff for the style. You get powdery/perfumed dark fruits up front, with some nice spices; that rolls into dense sugars, spices, sugar cookies; the back end is boozy (in a good way), with more dark fruits, rum, pepper/clove...the whole thing is very nice. 

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average on this. While the palate depth and mouthfeel are off the charts (rivaling the Rochefort 10), I feel like this isn't the most complex Dark Strong I've had. At this point, I'm pretty much nitpicking. Go ahead and buy this beer with confidence. In fact, this is probably the best offering from Val-Dieu, so if you are going to try their beers make sure to pick this one up. This beer will pair well with strong/dry cheeses, meats, grilled meat, hearty starches with fat (Poutine? mmm), glazed ham, duck, turkey, savory potatoes, or a nice hearty bread pudding. I enjoy this style more in the Winter months. 10.5% will get you drunk and warm you up.

Random Thought: I've decided that home brewers and guys who go fishing on the weekend have a strong overlap. Maybe I've made this observation before, but in case you missed it: both fishing and home brewing are an excuse to isolate yourself away from your family and go drink beer all day. It's not a bad thing at all, but it explains why most home brewers are middle-aged dads who play shitty, nostalgic music in their garage and hammer beers while their wives do whatever. Not a bad gig. 

Timmermans Pumpkin Lambicus

Brewed By: Timmermans/Brouwerij John Martin in Dilbeek-Itterbeek, Belgium

Purchased: 1 Pint, 9.36 Fl. Oz (750ml) bottle bought at Binny's in IL; 2013 (Bottled On: 07/24/2013)

Style/ABV: Fruit Lambic, 4.0% 

Reported IBUs: ?

I was very hesitant to pick up tonight's beer, which is a pumpkin "Lambic" brewed with natural flavors. We'll see how this one stacks up. About John Martin and Timmermans:                                                                

Timmermans brewery/Anthony Martin was founded in 1909 by British brew master, John Martin. Since then, Timmermans has been making a variety of beers. However, it also appears that the Timmermans Brewery dates back to 1702 (over 300 years), when the Timmermans started brewing Gueuze Lambics under the brewery name of "Brasserie de la Taupe." You can read more about the history of the brewery here.  

Tonight's beer is so OG there isn't even a webpage for it. Punching in at 4.0%, this "Lamic" is brewed with natural flavors, and spices (I'm assuming). 

In lower light, this beer pours into a nice dark brown/orange body, and kicks up two to three fingers of off-white head. The head wastes no time settling into a nice centimeter size, but the beer has tons of violent carbonation. Surprisingly, the beer looks about the same in bright light...ever so hazy, with a vibrant dark orange body that has some hints of brown/amber. The head soaks up the orange, and is leaving nice lacing. Head retention is nice, with tons of effervescent carbonation.

Timmermans Pumpkin Lambicus

On the aroma: lots of sweet, sweet pumpkin spice and pumpkin soda. I'm reminded of Shipyard's Pumpkinhead. I'm getting sweet cinnamon, pumpkin spice, pumpkins, and apples. There is some lemony straw and grass on the nose as well, with a hint of cereal grains and grain-funk ala a Saison or Wild Ale. There's some damp funk on the aroma...just tons of "damp." 

Not shockingly, the taste follows through with the nose...you get a lot of sweet, pumpkin spice/cinnamon soda, with big blasts of apples, apple pie, and cinnamon. This beer tastes a lot like apple pie. There is a slight oaky/woody edge to this, with some hints of tartness on the edges, and a little of that patented Sour Brown/Oud Bruin dark malt. And the sweet pie/apple/cinnamon flavors are actually held together quite nicely. This reminds me of a pumpkin wine or mulled wine. I'm going to let this warm up and add a few more tasting notes...as this warms, you get a whole lot more damp, slightly tart, pumpkin soda meets apple pie. The tart edge remains, and there's a hint of underlying wood/oak.

At 4.0%, this is very drinkable. I was worried that this was going to be watery, but this works out. Palate depth and complexity are alright. The mouthfeel is light-bodied, with good carbonation. Everything is mild. You get mild tart/oak that immediately gives way to sweet apples, apple pie, pumpkin spice, cinnamon; that rolls into apples, sweet spice; the back end is lingering sweetness, apples, and a finish that is damp and not dry.  

Rating: Average (3.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Decent Average on this. This isn't bad...in fact, it's very drinkable for what it is, and if you're looking for apple pie soda you'll be in business. I would pair this beer with light cheeses/hors d'oeuvres, a light pumpkin soup, or pumpkin desserts. This one was kind of pricey...around 16 or 17 a bottle, I believe. For those reasons, you definitely want to pair this with food. This is by no means a must-have Pumpkin Beer, but it's a fun twist for a fruited/sugared "Lambic" thing.

Random Thought: I can't believe it's only Tuesday night.

Redd’s Strawberry Ale

Brewed By: Miller Brewing Company (MillerCoors) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin 

Purchased: 16oz CAN bought at Jewel-Osco in IL; 2013 

A Cider that is actually an Ale? 

Style/ABV: A Cider that isn't actually a Cider, but is an Ale??? (don't care), 5.0%

Reported IBUs: ?

I'm unapologetically drinking tonight's Cider. Or is it an Ale. I guess it's a Cider..."brewed like an Ale." What will the geniuses at MillerCoors think of next. Redd's Apple Ale is also unapologetic about being a MillerCoors product. The website is stripped down with flashy images for bros and bimbos, and features a frequently asked questions section with gems such as: "Do you have 30-packs?" 

I'm hesitant to say that I'd rather let a gorilla fuck my face before I go out and buy a 30-pack of this, but you never know. This "Ale not a Cider" is made with "natural apple & strawberry flavors." Oh, the flavors! I love apples, I love ciders, and I especially love strawberries. I'm also a sucker for advertising, and my girlfriend expressed interest in trying this. For those reasons, here we are. I assure you, it's likely all downhill from here. 

The Cider Ale pours out...fucking red! No...I'm just kidding. This stuff looks like Miller Lite, with a light golden body, a ridiculous amount of carbonation, and a head that lasted as long as one of Kim Kardashian's boyfriends husbands. Strikethroughs are fun. Bright light confirms this transparent and yellowish libation. Why isn't this red? 

Redd’s Strawberry Ale

The Kool-Aid Man showed up here. You get big, artificial strawberry sweetness, strawberry cough syrup, strawberry suckers/candy, strawberry Big League Chew, etc.. There's some sweet, Kool-Aid fruit punch and apples on the aroma too, but mostly that fake candy strawberry.

In the land of MillerCoors, things are simple. When stuff is just the right coldness, the mountains turn blue. Everything is hopped not once, not twice, but three times. Guys with purses are hunted down and harassed and shamed, because they need to man the fuck up. And Redd's Strawberry Ale tastes exactly like it smells. The only thing aside from the Kool-Aid strawberry sweetness that drives this carbonated soda is a hint of apple in the background. But it's like Waldo: he's hard to find and fuck that hipster douche bag.

For 5.0% this is stupid drinkable, and the sugar doesn't exhaust you like a Bud Lite Lime. Still, I bet you get a nice hangover if you drink more than three of theses. The mouthfeel is like soda: spritzy carbonation and refreshingly light fake strawberry. This is one-dimensional in all the best ways, and cynical as I am, I can't really hate this for what it is. 

Rating: Average (3.0/5.0 Untappd)

Yarrrr a Light Average this be. This shit is one-dimensional, sugary, and basically drinks like Kool-Aid soda. But there's a time and a place for this...the beach, the ballpark, at a frat party. Or, on a Thursday night after drinking a beer and watching the Bears game. I don't have to apologize for drinking this. Sometimes I like simple, sugary gimmicks. Take your Heady Topher and your fancy craft beer and cram it, crammy cramster face. Anyway, I'm gonna peace out then jet to the weed house.

Random Thought: 4-packs of the Redd's was selling for 6 or 7 bucks. Can you handle 64oz of this in one evening? Take the MillerCoors drink responsibly challenge tonight and find out, you sissy ladyboy. Need an Ale? Don't worry, our mountain climbers have you covered. They will pop out of your cooler so you can man the fuck up!