Pipeworks Cinnamon Beer-D Os

Brewed By: Pipeworks Brewing in Chicago, IL  

Purchased: 22oz bottle (Batch #515/516) bought at Fischman's Liquors and Tavern in Chicago, IL; 2014 (bottled 09.??.2014)

Style/ABV: "Cereal Milk Inspired" Imperial Cream Ale, 10.0%
Reported IBUs: ?

I'm super excited to be jumping on tonight's beer. Pipeworks has apparently decided to start rolling out breakfast cereal inspired beers, and I am totally okay with that. The Cinnamon Beer-D Os is a "cereal milk inspired Imperial Cream Ale." I don't even know. This one is brewed with lactose, cinnamon, vanilla, cereal grains, cinnamon cereal, and brown sugar. Not Pipeworks Thursday™. 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 Cinnamon Beer-D Os bottle reads (and as you can guess, has a crossword puzzle): 

"Can you find...aline, beardo, beer, cinnamon, sugar, kitten, ninja, epic battle, unicorn, kwing, pdubz, pipeworks, weirdo."

This pours into a hazy, dark orange/amber body, kicking up several fingers of caramel-tinged head. As the head drops off, you are left with webs of Spider-Man worthy lacing. There's some alcohol legs, and all that jazz. It kind of "looks like cinnamon," said Rorschach. 

The aroma of this insanely stupid beer is reminiscent of another insanely stupid Pipeworks beer: Hey, Careful Man, There's A Beverage Here! Both beers are overpoweringly sweet, with lactose, vanilla, and assertive milk sugars. I'm getting fudge like sweetness on the nose, with white chocolate and cocoa fudge. There are also some assertive cereal grains on the nose, for sure. What is missing from the nose/aroma is the big cinnamon I was expecting. There is some faint, nondescript spice on the nose, but it isn't quite dialing up the cinnamon intensity.

This is malty sweet...it tastes boozy and big, with big lactose, cereal grains, and tons of vanilla. There's a lot of milk sugar in here, and this has an acrid and burnt sugar note that reminds me of burnt caramel. This is boozy and big. In a lot of ways, this is just a remix of the Hey, Careful Man. However, I felt like that beer was a little bit more nuanced and complex. I'm not getting a ton of breakfast cereal in here. I'm also not getting as much breakfast cereal as I had hoped for...this definitely has suggestions of Golden Grahams or Cinnamon Toast Crunch, but it never quite brings the flavor home. I think the overt lactose-vanilla-burnt sugar punch acts as a detractor, and the booze doesn't help.

I rarely say this about anything Pipeworks, but I think this beer is kind of average and/or needs some time to age. Right now the lactose and sugars are really dialing up aggressive sweetness and astringency. Furthermore, this is kind of boozy. I'm feeling the weight of the alcohol, and tasting a little bit of it too. At 10.0% you'd maybe expect that...but then when you add in that this is full-bodied without a ton of complexity, and yeah. Up front: lactose sugars, milk, vanilla, fudge sweetness; the mids roll into more sugars, with some cereal grains, hints of Golden Grahams and Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and burnt sugars; the back end fades into a mess of sweetness, sugars, and lingering cereal. 

Rating: Average (3.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Decent Average on this. I was expecting a lot more cinnamon and cereal from this. This is mostly a one-note, sugary-sweet, lactose adventure. Yeah, there are hints of cereal, but when you crank a beer up to 10% and throw a bunch of lactose and vanilla into it...you better deliver. Having said that, this one might mellow out and improve with some age. For future batches I hope they add a little more cinnamon and cereal. Food pairings: none you fool. This beer is diabetes in a bottle. 

Random Thought: Beer reviews and homework done concurrently...what could go wrong. 

Two Brothers Atom Smasher [REDUX]

Brewed By: Two Brothers Brewing Company in Warrenville, Illinois

Purchased: 12oz bottle from a 4-pack bought at Jewel-Osco in Chicago, IL; 2014 (2014 vintage)

Style/ABV: American-Style Oktoberfest, 7.7%
Reported IBUs: 22.6

Holy shit. I can't believe my review of this beer from 2011. That's right...back in 2011, back when I thought I was hot shit, I reviewed the Atom Smasher. And at that time, I thought this beer was pretty solid. Since then, I have been seeking this beer out every year. I figured it was time to give my updated thoughts on it. About Two Brothers:

Two Brothers are based out of Warrenville, Illinois, a town not far from Chicago. Two brothers was founded in 1996 by brother Jason and Jim Ebel. Their brewery and Tap House Restaurant are both located in Warrenville. Their distribution and production seems to be increasing with each year, and along with their beer you can buy home brewing equipment and supplies at the Tap House Restaurant. If you get the chance, swing by and check out their Roundhouse. It's an awesome joint, and needs all the love it can get. For more information, check out their about page/website.

The Atom Smasher is part of the Two Brothers' "J Series" of beers. This Oktoberfest-style beer has a unique twist: it is aged in Oak Foudres. 

You're probably wondering why I'm doing a redux review of this beer, or why I even care enough to review it twice. After all, the Oktoberfest style is one of the most boring styles of beer. Well, I'm here to tell you...this is probably the best Oktoberfest available in the Midwest. Or at least in Chicago and the state of Illinois.

Two Brothers Atom Smasher [REDUX]

I mean, just look at that dark orange/copper body. Look at that caramel head. This beer is several shades darker than most Oktoberfests, and deposits brilliant alcohol legs which hint at the 7.7% lurking beneath. 

The aroma here is equally intriguing. The oak foudres contribute very subtle notes on the nose with gentle vanilla, oak, and wood coming through in the aroma. You also get huge caramel sugars, toast, and big nuttiness. This beer is exceptionally nutty, and it does veer into weird pork/sausage aromas. The whole aroma is backed by dried berries and suggestive fruity notes. It's a complex aroma, it's sweet, it's nutty, it's fruity, it's oaky...it smells fucking amazing. And it's just an Oktoberfest!

This also tastes incredibly complex...and not just for the style. As a beer, in general, this is very complex. There are molasses, dark sugar, oak, vanilla, caramel, berries, nuts, and dried berries at work in this beer. The beer lingers for a while, driven by some bitter hops and toasted notes, and then lingers with sweet sugars and lingering barrel. The main characters here are -- of course -- sweet and malty. And there's plenty of that; big caramel, oak, vanilla, and malty sugars. There are also nice bready notes in here. But this is really a big, flavorful beer. And it better be at 7.7%.

I'd call this beer medium-full bodied. It's not quite Stout, but it is thick and it is sweet. You might not guess this is 7.7%, and you might not guess this is barrel-aged. But in terms of the style, this is "off." The barrel-aging compromises the Oktoberfest character just slightly, and for the better. The barrel adds complexity, and this beer is definitely complex. It also has great palate depth. Up front are sugar, caramel, oak, vanilla, and barrel; the mids roll into dried berries, hops, dark fruits, toast, nuttiness; the back end trails with nuttiness, lingering oak/vanilla, and sugary sweetness. If all Oktoberfest beers were this good, the style would be more popular. This is my desert island Oktoberfest.

Rating: Divine Brew (5.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Divine Brew on this. This is probably the best Oktoberfest I have had. It is certainly the best Oktoberfest in the Midwest, or at least in Illinois. Maybe you are thinking to yourself: "But wait! This beer is aged in oak foudres! That is cheating." Well, you know what? Fuck you. Seriously. If the Germans want to start aging their Oktoberfest in oak barrels, I support that decision. This is a style that bores me to tears, and here we find Two Brothers injecting some new life into it. This is a blissful, fantastic beer. I literally buy a 6-pack of this every Fall. This beer pairs well with cooler weather, football, and any German meal you can throw at it. I'm talking about sausage, bratwurst, sauerkraut, pretzel bun sandwiches...anything. It's also cheap at around $10 a 6-pack. So good. 

Random Thought: Dear Two Brothers, please continue to make this beer forever. It is one of your best beers, by a long shot. Regards. 

Dogfish Head / Stone / Victory Saison Du BUFF

Brewed By: Dogfish Head Brewery in Milton, Delaware (in collaboration with Stone and Victory Brewing)

Purchased: 12oz bottle single bought at West Lakeview Liquors in Chicago, IL; 2014 

Style/ABV: American Saison, 6.8% 
Reported IBUs: ?

Who doesn't love a good collaboration? About Dogfish Head:

Dogfish Head is a craft brewery based out of Milton, Delaware. The brewery was founded by Sam Calagione back in 1995.The brewery began as a brewpub (the first in Delaware) called Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, and was originally located in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. The initial brewing setup included three kegs and propane burners. They brewed 12-gallon batches of beer three times a day, five days a week. In 1996 the brewery began bottling their beer, and by 1999 they had distribution to around a dozen different states. In 2002 the company outgrew their Rehoboth location, and moved to Milton, Delaware. More info can be found HERE.

The Saison Du BUFF, is a collaboration between Dogfish Head, Stone Brewing, and Victory Brewing. The beer was first brewed at Stone Brewing back in 2010, and then replicated at the other breweries respectively. This Saison is brewed with parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme. 

Dogfish Head / Stone / Victory Saison Du BUFF

This pours into a pale, hazy, orange-gold body, kicking up a finger of white head. Head retention is very good, with lacing and sustaining foam. It's well carbonated and all that. Oh yeah look at that appropriate seasonal glass. Awww yeah.

I'm not really sure what Victory's function or interest is in this Saison, but I am getting lots of hops and spices. This smells very characteristic of Stone and DFH. The first thing on the aroma is fennel, rosemary, thyme, and peppery spice. That gives way to big wheat notes, apples, slaw salad, and bright sage. Finally, once you settle into the aroma, you get big citrus hops, with orange, lemon, and some nice resin. 

Hmmm...this is light, refreshing, and spicy. And by spicy, I don't mean like Stone's Saison spicy. I mean like...balanced and constrained. This actually tastes like a classic Belgian Saison fused with some spice. I'm getting refreshing wheat, apples, grapes, sage, clove, and some nice orange/lemon. There are nice yeast esters in here. This has banana, black pepper, bubblegum, and some farmhouse notes. This is actually really nice. I think the operative word her is "rustic." This beer reminds me of food, the countryside, and Summer. The fennel, rosemary, thyme, and peppery spice are all remarkably balanced by refreshing apples, grape, clove, orange, and lemon. 

This is complex, layered, and frankly....pretty good. It's spicy, but at the same time light and refreshing. I'd call this light to medium-light bodied. It masks the 6.8% beautifully, but it also warrants that high ABV. This is a beer that needs body to deliver the complex spices and fruity notes. The palate depth here is very nice, and this is surprisingly complex. I'd really call this a beer that unfolds in two parts; up front is big spice, fennel, thyme, pepper, rosemary, clove; that gives way to juicy apple, sage, grapes, winey note, bananas and yeast esters, wheat; the back end drops some hops, and the finish is dry and citrusy. Really...really nice.

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average on this. A lot of reviews are dogging this beer...but why? I don't get it. This is solid stuff. In some ways I think you could call this a foodie beer. Maybe that is true, maybe that is fair. I think this beer would pair well with grilled potatoes, lamb, grilled meats, a rustic stew, or a leafy burger. I'd serve this in the late Summer. Just...yum.

Random Thought: Two out of the three of the breweries in this collaboration are loud, controversial, and fun. I still don't understand how Victory got roped into this one.

Stillwater Cellar Door

Brewed By: Stillwater Artisanal at Dog Brewing Co. in Westminster, MD  

Purchased: 750ml bottle (1 Pt, 9.4oz) bought at West Lakeview Liquors in Chicago, IL; 201?

Style/ABV: American Farmhouse Ale/Saison, 6.0%

Reported IBUs: ?

Tonight's beer is a bit of a mystery...this one has spent some time in my cellar, for no reason other than I shoved it in my cellar, forgot about it, and never got around to drinking it. I realize that this makes me one of "those beer nerds." The guy who puts beer in his cellar, and then forgets about it. I'm not really proud about that fact. The funny part is I never had any intentions to age this beer....I think I picked this one up in 2013? I dunno. About Stillwater Artisanal Ales: 

Stillwater Artisanal Ales are a Gypsy Brewery based out of Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 2009-ish, the beer is brewed by Brian Strumke. You can find more info at the brewery's blog or their website. 

My bottle of Cellar Door reads: "Starting with a base of German wheat & pale malts this crisp slightly hazy foundation was then accented with a blend of Sterling & Citra hops that provide notes of herbal grass & tangerine citrus. To pull this all together and to complete the 'cleansing' aspect of my vision, I gently finished the ale off with a touch of white sage, lending a mild earthy spice character to the blend." I'm not sure if this one is finished with Brett, but I hope. 

Stillwater Cellar Door

As you'd expect, especially with Stillwater: this pours into a hazy, cloudy, golden-yellow body, kicking up two to three fingers of dense, cloudy head. The head settles into a nice centimeter coating, and this is well-carbonated.

The aroma here is spicy and floral. After as long as this has been sitting in my basement, I expect the hops to be dropped off. This smells a little bit like a Witbier, and I'm reminded of Stone's Saison. I'm getting cardamon, clove, sage, banana, wheat, faint lemon, and some fennel. The aroma preferences the spicy aromatics, with a little perfume sweetness as well.

Oh wow....so this non-wild ale has held up fantastically well. This tastes like a Belgian Witbier, with bright orange, coriander/lemon, refreshing wheat, clove, banana, and big apple slaw salad. This is juicy, and punches in this apple and grape note that I can only guess is coming from the sage. The sweetness in here is very toned down, and the spices are also surprisingly mild. This really is all about the grape/apple note, with those faint Witbier backings. 

Wow...this is just refreshing and awesome. I really have to hand it to Stillwater, I don't think Brian Strumke is capable of brewing something not delicious. At 6.6%, this drinks more like a Witbier than a Saison. This is refreshing, clean, attenuated, and well-carbonated. I'm impressed that this has held up in terms of age. This is medium-light bodied with a substantial mouthfeel, courtesy of the wheat malt, and has great complexity. Up front: apple, sage, slaw salad, cardamon; the mids roll into peppery spice, cardamon, clove, coriander, lemon, wheat, faint orange and hops; the back end trails with wheat, and drops lingering sage on your palate. The finish is clean and attenuated. Seriously, this is fantastic.

Rating: Above-Average

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average on this. Fantastic. This could give Unibroue a run for their money, and those guys know a thing or two about making Belgian Ales. This is just incredibly delicious, with apple, grape, and slaw salad notes for days. The subtle clove, cardamon, and coriander spice ices the cake. This is a beer that I would pair with grilled lamb, hummus, a leafy burger, or potatoes with fennel. Sweet... 

Random Thought: Belgian beer....my first true love.

Founders Mosaic Promise

Brewed By: Founders Brewing Company in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Purchased: 12oz bottle from a 6-pack bought at Binny's in Chicago, IL; 2014 

Style/ABV: American Pale Ale, 5.5%

Reported IBUs: 50

Have you heard? Mosaic is the new Citra. 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 Mosaic Promise is is a single malt, single hop beer. "Proceeds from the sale of this new ale will benefit ArtPrize, the world’s largest art competition that takes place annually in Grand Rapids, Mich." The Mosaic Promise is brewed with Golden Promise malts, and Mosaic hops, and is a limited release beer for September 2014. 

Founders Mosaic Promise

This pours into a juicy, hazy, yellow-gold body. This actually looks like a tropical fruit explosion, and the haze is my bag. I swear, this beer is trying to win me over. The beer kicks up a finger of white-tinged head that is surprisingly short lived but gives way to a great cauldron effect. The lacing and carbonation is spot on.

This beer is a grower not a shower...I was underwhelmed upon first sniff, but this is growing on me as I open the second bottle. It is clean, with watery and refreshing hops...much like a Pale Ale. I'm getting passion fruit, tropical fruits, and huge citrus. The citrus goes into dank and resinous orange...but without the peel. I'm also getting some light blueberry notes, which is a thing for Mosaic hops. There is some lemon zest in here as well.

Taste: This is watery, clean, and refreshing. The malts aren't assertive, and I appreciate that. This reminds me of Zombie Dust, and it also reminds me of Maine's Lunch and Another One. That's good company to keep. This rolls out sharp and resinous/dank lemon, cut grass, lemon zest, orange, and big tropical fruit. I'm getting some pineapple in the taste that I wasn't getting in the aroma. The finish is surprisingly bitter, but it's clean and dry. The malts give hints of cracker and stale biscuit, which is a nice backbone for this fantastic hop.

It's too bad this is a limited release, because this is a super delicious Pale Ale. It's light and refreshing at 5.5%. Light bodied, good palate depth, and good complexity for a two-note beer. This is refined: up front you get resinous citrus, tropical fruit, lemon zest, pineapple; the mids roll into more of the same, with some grassy notes and burgeoning cracker; the back end dials up the cracker/biscuit and finishes dry. This has a fairly dry/bitter/hoppy finish for just 50 IBUs, and I like it.

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average here. This could rival your Zombie Dusts or Lunches, so it's too bad it is a limited release. I don't think it is quite as good as Another One, but yeah. This is a cute little banger, I'd recommend pairing it with a leafy burger or some rustic spinach pizza. Pretty solid shit, if you see a sixer pick this up while it's hot/fresh/etc.

Random Thought: DAE sours are the new IPA? 

Arcade Grapefruit IPA

Brewed By: Arcade Brewery in Chicago, Illinois

Purchased: 22oz bomber bought at West Lakeview Liquors in Chicago, IL; 2014 (batch #2) 

Style/ABV: American India Pale Ale, 6.3%

Reported IBUs: 65

These Midwest shelf turds keep growing!! About Arcade Brewery: 

The Arcade Brewery is another new Midwest brewery based out of Chicago, Illinois. They had a successful Kickstarter launch back in 2012, and opened their doors officially sometime in 2014. The brewery is owned by Chris Tourre and Lance Curran, and the current Brewmaster is Jay Eychaner who formerly interned at Metropolitan Brewing. For more info, check out the brewery's Twitter or Website.

The Grapefruit IPA is described on the bottle as "a heroic, citrusy IPA, brewed with grapefruit juice." This one pours into a really dark and murky body...I'm really surprised at how dark this beer is. It takes on an almost maroon or brown color, kicking up two fingers of hop-fueled, brown/maroon-tinted head. If you told me this was an IPA, I'd tell you the swamp called and they want it back. It does leave nice lacing and some glossy alcohol legs.

Arcade Grapefruit IPA

On the aroma: caramel malts, orange, heavy candied grapefruit and orange, and dank hops. The hops are coated with sugars and smell dense. There is a secondary character of pine, and it is also pretty dank. This smells dank and heavy more than sweet and citrusy...I'm curious how this is going to taste.

Whew...this actually tastes pretty good. I was worried this would be a malty-intense beer like Finch's IPA, but it isn't. This isn't overly complex, but it is solid in its execution. I'm getting big grapefruit, grapefruit juice, Mimosas, and dank hops that sort of chill in the back. Actually, the hops mostly just provide some bitter resin and dankness on the finish, helping to dry out the fairly juicy and sweet front end. This really is a grapefruit juice ride, with maybe a little rind or citrus from the hops. Nice.

This is medium-light bodied, well carbonated, and way more refreshing in the taste than the aroma suggests. From the aroma alone, you'd probably be cautious about this beer. But it ends up keeping everything together thanks to the grapefruit juice. Palate depth is good, the complexity is low. This goes down smooth at 6.3%. Up front: grapefruit juice, mimosas, citrus hops, light lemon/rind; the mids roll into more grapefruit, with some bitter and dank hop character taking shape; the back end goes dark drying things out. 

Rating: Average (3.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Average on this. This is pretty solid as far as fruit juice plus an IPA goes...BUT, it doesn't really do anything more than give you what is advertised. I'm not really blown away by the complexity or nuances of this. As it warms the malts start to come out, and you get some nice caramel, but the hops don't really stand out and the juice doesn't really stand out. I'm about to pair this with an omelette...I think that will be nice. Not bad at $7.99 or whatever I paid.

Random Thought: Tomorrow is the first day of class. Woo.

Boulevard Hibiscus Gose

Brewed By: Boulevard Brewing Company (Moortgat) in Kansas City, Missouri

Purchased: 12oz bottle from a 6-pack bought at Binny's in Naperville, IL; 2014 (best by 2014/02/15)

Style/ABV: Gose, 4.2%

Reported IBUs: 11

When you gots to Gose you gots to Gose. 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.

The Hibiscus Gose is part of Boulevard's Backroads series. This one is brewed with coriander and sea salt during the boil, and steeped in dried hibiscus flowers during the whirlpool. 

Boulevard Hibiscus Gose

If you like radioactive and bright pink beers, this beer is for you. The beer pours into a reddish-pink body, kicking up two to three fingers of long-lasting, pink-tinged head. The beer is slightly hazy, and well-carbonated, and the lingering head leaves lacing. It looks fun, like mimosas and Fridays.

This has a distinctly light aroma, similar to a Berliner, with wet rain and mild lactic sourness. Unique to the aroma here is the hint of sea salt, along with deep floral notes that are fruity and bright. I wouldn't peg coriander in a blind tasting, but the coriander plays off the hibiscus and the sea salt, adding some zest and character to the aroma. There are also some wheat notes backing the whole thing up.

This is respectively tart, with lactic character that leans towards the yogurt side of things. I'm getting a lot of yogurt in the taste, with lemon Greek yogurt coming to mind. The sourness is actually enough to make me pucker so slightly, and this definitely has a salty character. Once you get past the salt and sourness, you find bright floral notes, including hibiscus and rose petals, melon, cherry, wet rain, lemon tea, and some gentle wheat. The coriander is again muted in the taste, but plays off the sour and salty notes subtly.

This is light...refreshing...bright. Really, the perfect Summer brew. This is maybe peaking in terms of the season, but it was drinking good a few weeks ago when it was much warmer out. I'm not getting any alcohol here, and this is fairly complex, with a carbonated and light-bodied mouthfeel. Honestly, I hope Boulevard rolls this one out again, because it's a solid beer. Up front: lactic funk, wet rain, Greek yogurt, sea salt; the mids roll into creamy wheat and more Greek yogurt, with some lemon, hibiscus, rose petals; the back end trails with salt and coriander, and finishes pretty dry. 

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Decent Above-Average on this. This is tart and enjoyable, and way better than 99% of the crappy fruit beers available during the Summer. Seriously, this blows your Lincoln-doodles Lemon Candy or whatever out of the water. I'd recommend this for Summer patio adventures. Pair this with Dave Matthews Band, getting rapey, and fruity salads. 

Random Thought: If this beer represents a trend in the future of American brewing (or beers available to the American market), I like it.

Goose Island Oktoberfest

Brewed By: Goose Island Beer Company in Chicago, Illinois

Purchased: 12oz bottle from a 6-pack bought at Jewel-Osco in Chicago, IL; 2014 (bottled on 30JUL14 aka 7/30/14)

Style/ABV: Oktoberfest, 6.4% 

Reported IBUs: 17

I can't believe they brewed this one back in July. About Goose Island:

Goose Island is a Chicago-based brewery that began as a brewpub on Clybourn, which opened on May 1988. The actual brewery opened on 1995, and is located on the Southwest side of Chicago. The second brewpub, located in Wrigleyville by the Chicago Cubs, was opened in 1999. On March 28, 2011, Goose Island sold 58% of the brewery to Anheuser-Busch. The remaining 42% of the brewery is supposed to be acquired by A-B InBev in the future, and there has been much discussion about the brewery's takeover. On November 16th, founder and CEO, John Hall, announced he would be leaving Goose Island. On January 1st, 2013, Anheuser-Busch "veteran" Andy Goeler will take over Goose Island. Additionally, around the same time as John Hall's departure, resident barrel-program leader John Laffler also announced his departure from Goose Island. There have been many changes regarding Goose Island...so we will see what the future has in store for Goose Island. 

The Goose Island Oktoberfest is a seasonal release made available between August and September. This one is brewed with Hallertau hops, and Carapils, Munich 10, 2-Row, C-20, C-40, and C-120 malts. 

Goose Island Oktoberfest

This pours into a pretty gorgeous reddish/orange/caramel body. I swear this beer is slightly hazy, but I could be wrong. This also yields two fingers of caramel-tinted head, and there is good retention and lacing. 

The aroma here goes for those sweet malt notes...typical of the style. This isn't the most intriguing Oktoberfest in existence (I think I need to re-review Two Brother's Atom Smasher), but there is pretty ample amounts of caramel, some nuttiness, dried fruits, raisin/apple sweetness, and bready aromatics. There is a faint toastiness in here as well.

If you like sweet beer, the Oktoberfest style, or bready notes...you are in the right place. This is malty with bright and fruity caramel, raisins, dried berries, and huge bread notes. I'm talking about whole grain bread...the stuff you make sandwiches with. Only sweeter. This veers into some honey notes, with slight nuttiness, and finishes with a touch of grassy hops. It's aggressive and big.

Considering the InBev acquisition, you'd be concerned that something as simple as an Oktoberfest would be dialed down and neutered. But that's not the case here. This beer extends beyond its 6.4% in terms of body, delivering a full-bodied mouthfeel that is dense and malty. This is incredibly sweet. I mean you could probably recommend this to your non-drinking friends. The hops do make a late appearance, with caramel, dried berries, and bread up front; more bread and honey in the mids, with some hints of toast; and clean grassy hops on the back. This isn't very complex but it has good depth and duration. It's actually a fairly good take on the style.

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average on this. Fuck yeah, American Oktoberfest! This might be the second best readily available American Oktoberfest in the Chicagoland area...after Two Brother's Atom Smasher. This is fantastically constructed, with bold caramel malts and lots of interesting fruitiness that elevates this otherwise "meh" style. This is great as far as Autumn beers go...I'd pair this with football, hot soup, a stew, chili, or some traditional German food. I'm talking about wieners. 

Random Thought: Seriously...this style of beer doesn't warrant no crazy review.

Goose Island The Muddy Imperial Stout

Brewed By: Goose Island Beer Company in Chicago, Illinois

Purchased: 12oz bottle from a 4-pack bought at Binny's in Chicago, IL; 2014 (bottled on 28AUG14 aka 8/28/14)

Style/ABV: Imperial Stout, 9.0% 

Reported IBUs: 32

I'm really happy to take a break to review a beer...I've been busy. This should be a good one though. About Goose Island:

Goose Island is a Chicago-based brewery that began as a brewpub on Clybourn, which opened on May 1988. The actual brewery opened on 1995, and is located on the Southwest side of Chicago. The second brewpub, located in Wrigleyville by the Chicago Cubs, was opened in 1999. On March 28, 2011, Goose Island sold 58% of the brewery to Anheuser-Busch. The remaining 42% of the brewery is supposed to be acquired by A-B InBev in the future, and there has been much discussion about the brewery's takeover. On November 16th, founder and CEO, John Hall, announced he would be leaving Goose Island. On January 1st, 2013, Anheuser-Busch "veteran" Andy Goeler will take over Goose Island. Additionally, around the same time as John Hall's departure, resident barrel-program leader John Laffler also announced his departure from Goose Island. There have been many changes regarding Goose Island...so we will see what the future has in store for Goose Island. 

The Muddy is a brand new beer that Goose Island just rolled out. The bottle reads: "Amplified sweetness with licorice notes." This one is part of Goose Island's classic ales imperial series, and will be made nationally available in September. This one is brewed with molasses, brewer's licorice, and Belgian dark rock candi sugar, for that intense diabeetus sweetness inspired by dead Chicago blues artists. The hops include Nugget, Mt. Hood, and EKG; malts include 2-Row, C-40, C-120, Dark Chocolate, and Midnight Wheat.

Goose Island The Muddy Imperial Stout

I realize in advance that Bourbon County and Bourbon County's base beer is the beer that everyone is going to hold The Muddy to. I think that is fair to some extent. I think it is also worth pointing out that Goose Island's other Stouts -- namely Big John and Night Stalker -- aren't even in the same country that houses the realm that Bourbon County resides in. Having said that, The Muddy pours out into a respectable dark brown body. This isn't an opaque, black affair. The beer does yield two fingers of lightly tan-brown head, and there is good retention, lacing, and alcohol legs. It doesn't matter though, because unlike online dating, looks really don't matter.

On the aroma: things that smell like stuff. This is actually surprisingly complex. Actually, it's not surprising because look at that grocery list of ingredients. I'm getting a lot of meaty roast, chocolate, and dark Belgian candy sugars on the nose. The candy sugar sort of melds into melted Hershey bars...yeah it is that kind of sweet affair. There is some cocoa and cream in here, and maybe a little faint anise. Swirling the beer also reveals some hints of dark fruits, namely raisins. This smells incredibly sweet, but there is good depth of aroma. 

At cooler temps, this dials up big roast, iced coffee, and anise/candy sugar. The candy sugar is probably what is adding the raisins, dark fruits, and honest-to-Sagan, grape drink notes. It has a Kahlua character that I can't shake, and I really want to add some vodka and cream to this for that authentic White Russian experience. I'm going to shower so I'll come back in 20 minutes and hopefully this will have warmed up. Alright...I'm back. This actually does unravel some nuances as it warms. I'm getting less fruity candy sugar and more toffee, burnt sugars, caramel, and some alcohol to boot. The molasses really start to come out, and the whole thing is backed by this ghostly melted Hershey bar note. It's incredibly sweet, but to Goose Island's credit, it is also incredibly layered and complex.

Like I said, this is aggressively sweet...and with this style, that's OKAY. This is full-bodied and dense with lazy carbonation and big sweetness...it feels a bit boozy. Honestly, it feels just right at 9.0%. Palate depth is on the thinner and lighter side for the style, but the complexity is really dialed up. All this beer is missing is a barrel. Not even a spirit barrel...just a barrel. I think aging this beer in a barrel would add that extra layer of flavor that would really push it into that divine territory of brews. Up front: dark fruits, raisins, sweet molasses, anise; the mids roll into big Kahlua, iced coffee, toffee, and alcohol; the back end features lingering anise/fruits, with melted Hershey bars sweetness, and some booze. The finish is quite sweet and sticky.

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Decent Above-Average on this. I think this is a very good, complex beer...that is maybe too sweet. But this is also a 9.0% Imperial Stout, so being too sweet isn't exactly a problem. I think the beer could maybe be a little bigger, but I dunno. It's still a fantastic Imperial Stout, and I'm excited to buy more of this on the regular and to age for a bit. I hope they take my advice and throw some of this in a barrel. Food pairings here: chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream.

Random Thought: I have a handful of beers I need to review, so hopefully I can power through a few within the next two days.

Against the Grain Kentucky Ryed Chiquen

Brewed By: Against the Grain Brewery (and Smokehouse) in Louisville, Kentucky   

Purchased: 750ml (1 pint 9.4oz) bottle bought at Friar Tuck in Urbana, IL; 2014 

Style/ABV: Rye Beer, 8.6%

Reported IBUs: 27.4

When life gives you lemons, buy that tarred and feathered beer...seriously, this bottle is obnoxious! I've seen waxed beers, I've seen foiled beers, but I haven't seen a beer that is tarred and feathered. About Against the Grain Brewing: 

The Against the Grain Brewery and Smokehouse is a brewery (and smokehouse) that was founded back in October 2011. The brewery is located in the southeast corner of Louisville Slugger Field at the corner of Jackson and Main Street, in Kentucky, and is run by four dudes who are cooler than you. For more information, check them out on Facebook or check out their website. 

Tonight's beer, the Kentucky Ryed Chiquen, is a "rye beer aged in rye whiskey barrels." The bottle reads: "Cluck Cluck. The Chiquen has come home to roost! You asked for anything but chicken...so here you go! An original rye amber ale recipe aged in rye whiskey barrels hatched right here in Kentucky! Kentucky Ryed Chiquen is malty and mellow, but has quite the barrel-aged bite." This one is described as an amber ale brewed with rye malt. And, of course, the rye whiskey barrels. This features Marris Otter malts, rye malts, caramel rye malts from Germany, and English Nugget and Kent Goldings hops. The barrel used here is a Redemption Rye barrel from Strong's Spirits. Let's see what we got...

Against the Grain Kentucky Ryed Chiquen

This pours into a really nice, two-tone, amber-orange body, with some nice rounded brown and orange tones. I got a couple of fingers of caramel-tinted head, and there is nice lacing and head retention at work here. This also appears to be appropriately carbonated. The feathered bottle wasn't too hard to work with either...no harder than wax, and less annoying than glued on wax.

On the aroma: a lot of funky sweetness. I'm getting the wood and barrel, which is reminiscent of oak...but I'm also getting a funky note that reminds me of Brett. I wonder if this was infected, intentional or otherwise. If this was infected, I doubt it will be to the beer's detriment...but we will see. I'm also getting a lot of nutty notes on the aroma, with some caramel, and some weird pineapple sweetness. Again...Brett? This smells big...let's see how it tastes. 

Yup...dat Brett infection. Again, the Brett actually works with the barrel and the whiskey, and provides some funky balance to the malt sweetness and gentle oak/wood notes I am getting in the back. It reminds me of something from the Prairie wheelhouse, with Brett notes that play off the oak and also drop some fruity hints. I'm getting pear, pineapple, caramel, oak, wood, nice gentle barrel, sweet toasted grains and coconut, and some hints of cane sugar. There are some complex shades of darker sugars in here, and lots of grain/coconut. The rye notes in here mostly come across with the grain and the barrel....I'm not really getting a ton of rye in here. In that regard, this beer fails to deliver. But it's still pretty damn tasty...

I'm really conflicted, because I think this is good and laid back...it actually reminds me of a nice Belgian Ale, or something like Orval...only with a tropical island vibe. This is medium-light bodied with good levels of carbonation. Things move along smoothly here, and you would never guess this is 8.6%. The Brett probably helped clean up some of the residual sweetness...notably absent here is the big rye spice, but you do get some rye barrel, and you do get some nice wood/oak/barrel notes. The whiskey in here is a faint afterthought, but that's not problem. This has good depth and complexity. Up front: caramel sweetness, some hops, pineapple, fruit, Brett; the mids roll into really nice grain, coconut, oak, caramel sugars, wood, barrel, faint rye, and some oak/Brett funk; the finish mellows out into really nice grain/coconut/wood/oak/Brett, with lingering caramel and whiskey sweetness...and then fade to dry. Just...really laid back and nice.

Rating: Above-Average (3.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Light Above-Average on this. I really like this, despite the fact that it doesn't quite deliver on its promise of rye. Okay...so maybe that's a deal breaker for other people. I'm an opportunistic beer drinker. I love the fact that this was infected by Brett. I think the Brett + Barrel + base beer here = winner winner, chicken dinner. That's where your chicken is. So whether this is an accidental success or not...it's a good beer. Fruity, malty sweet, and mild barrel/spirit character make this both palatable and easy going. I want this on my tropical island to pair with some mango salsa chicken, or my sweet barbecue ribs. I think this would go great with a nice pork dish. Maybe even spam. Yum.

Random Thought: I <3 ATG

Deschutes Black Butte XXVI (26th Birthday Reserve)

Brewed By: Deschutes Brewing Company in Bend, Oregon

Purchased: 22oz bottle bought at Binny's in Naperville, IL; 2014 (2014 Vintage - "Best after 06/16/15")

Style/ABV: American Porter, 10.8%
Reported IBUs: ?

I have been busy!!! Who knew that graduate school orientation could be so time consuming. I'm ready to crack into a beer. This one is dubbed an "ale brewed with pomengranate molasses with 50% aged in bourbon barrels blended with ale with cocoa nibs and cranberry added." About Deschutes:

The Deschutes Brewing Company was founded by Gary Fish on June 27th, 1988, when they opened the doors to their Bond Street Public House pub. The brewery has since expanded, growing to be one of the top craft beer producers in America. The brewery also operates a pub in Portland, and has a dedicated brewing facility overlooking the Deschutes river. For more information, check out the brewery's website; their Facebook page; their Twitter; or Wikipedia. 

The Black Butte is an ongoing release/series: this 26th anniversary Imperial Porter was aged in bourbon barrels and dry spiced with "Theo Chocolate's" cocoa nibs. This also features pomengranate molasses and Oregon cranberries. The malt bill includes: Pale, Wheat, Midnight Wheat, Chocolate, Crystal; the hops are Millennium, Cascade, US Tettnang. Special ingredients include the Theo Chocolate Cocoa Nibs, Pomegranate Molasses, and Cranberries. This was blended with 50% beer barrel-aged for 6 months in bourbon barrels.

Deschutes Black Butte XXVI 

This one pours into an opaque, but cola-black body, kicking up two fingers of tan head. There is nice lacing here, along with some alcohol legs...and head retention is pretty good. It looks pretty much how'd you expect...so Zzzzz

On the aroma: chocolate-bourbon, wood, bourbon, some whiskey-raisin sweetness, big molasses, and cherry-chocolate/cranberry-chocolate/pomengranate-chocolate. There are some silky vanilla undertones on the aroma, along with coffee, and lots of cranberry.

This is most definitely thrown for a loop by the fruit...I can't agree with the reports calling this sour -- I think acidic or tart-fruity are better descriptors. This has big notes of cranberry, cherry, and pomengranate, with overtly fruity and sweet notes that play off the whiskey-raisin sweetness, bourbon, wood, and chocolate/coffee. You get some nice coffee notes in here, whiskey-raisin, and chocolate covered pomengranate candies. I wouldn't exactly call this subtle.

If you like overtly sweet beers...this is going to make you happy. This is medium to full-bodied, with a substantial palate duration and very little in the way of complexity. You'd think this would unravel with more mystery given the barrel and fruit additions, but this mostly just dials up fruity sweetness, molasses, and faint chocolate/bourbon/coffee notes. Honestly, the porter base here really takes a back seat. This does mask the alcohol well, and I'm not getting booze. I am, however, getting sugar. Up front: pomengranate, cherries, sweet candies, molasses, cranberries; the mids roll into chocolate-pomengranate, chocolate-cranberries, and more sweet notes, with some whiskey-raising sweetness; the back end hits a little bourbon, oak, coffee, chocolate, but mostly finishes with more sweet candy notes. This is like the exact opposite of the Abyss. 

Rating: Above-Average (3.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Decent Above-Average here. I actually don't mind the tart and fruity notes here, what is throwing me for a loop is the intense candy sweetness. I guess this beer would work as a dessert drink, and maybe that was the intention. I'm curious how this will taste with a few years of age on it, and I wonder if next year they should let the porter base stand out a little bit more.

Random Thought: It's cold out! For the first time all year, it really feels like Autumn outside.

Lost Abbey Red Poppy Ale

Brewed By: Port Brewing/The Lost Abbey in San Marcos, California 

Purchased: Single 12.7oz bottle (375ml) bought at Friar Tucks in Urbana, IL; 2014 

Style/ABV: Flanders Red Ale, 5.0%
Reported IBUs: ?

This beer hurt my wallet. Hopefully it will also hurt my enamel. About the The Lost Abbey: 

The Lost Abbey is part of the Port Brewing Company, and is located in Stone Brewing's old brewery location. The Port Brewing Company/Lost Abbey emerged from Pizza Port in 2006, and now operates independently. There is a lengthy history page on The Lost Abbey's website. The main story goes: back in the day, Vince Marsaglia (owner and co-founder of Pizza Port) was interested in brewing American-made Abbey style beer. In 1997, Vince joined forces with brewer Tomme Arther who worked to brew some awesome Belgian beer at Pizza Port. In 2005, when Stone Brewing moved from their San Marcos location, Vince, Tomme, Vince's sister Gina, and Jim Comstock founded the Port Brewing Company. Port Brewing opened in May of 2006, and the rest is history.

Today's beer, the Red Poppy Ale, is a "celebration of sour cherries." This beer is brewed from a brown ale base, and is aged in oak barrels for over 6 months. This American-Style Flanders Red is released in limited amounts, and costs an arm and a kidney.

Lost Abbey Red Poppy Ale

On the pour: a rich and hazy, dark brown, red-tinged body. This one kicks up two fingers of deeply brown-tinted, reddish head. The head has good retention, with a pinky's worth hanging around. This beer is also appropriately carbonated. It looks like it has had that barrel clinic, and this would fit right in among a lineup of Flemish Reds. 

There is great scratch and sniff action here, with deep layers of oak, sour cherries, and wood barrel on the nose. There are deep malts in here, with caramel sugars, cola, and cherry sweetness. The deep malts play off Brett funk, weird band-aid funk, and acidic pop. I'm getting red apple cider vinegar, acidic wood, and tart cherries. There are cherry tannins in here, with cherry skin, and some light jammy fruit notes. This aroma is actually quite complex, and surpasses some recent sours I've had, including the Love Child No. 4.

Hmmm...this is, all things considered, kind of a restrained beer. I'm getting nice lactic sourness, with some apple cider vinegar, sour cherries, and granny smith apples. There are some nice oak and Brett notes that round things out, with good wood in the mix. The back end is actually quite soft and malty, with more wood, Brett funk, oak, cherries, cola, and even some caramel sugars. At this point, this isn't the enamel-ripping monster I expected to get it. It's kind of balanced and constrained with the fruit maybe adding some sour notes and sweetness to the overall mix.

All things considered...this is light and drinkable for the style, with a medium-light mouthfeel. At 5.0% this is basically non-intrusive and non-alcoholic. Palate depth is okay and complexity is pretty high. This isn't overtly sour or aggressive...it's kind of balanced and constrained. Up front: tart cherries, sour cherries, lactic acid, sour wood, apple cider vinegar and sour apples; the mids roll into sour cherries, jammy fruits, growing malt sweetness; the back end drops oak, band-aid funk, wood, sweet caramel, and a nice dry finish that leans on the malts. Nice.  

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd) 

I'm feeling a Light Above-Average here. This is really good and has nice complexity...I just wish it was a little more assertive. It could even benefit from more overt fruit notes. I think in that respect, this beer falls short compared to something like...Goose Island's Madame Rose. Or even their Juliet or Gillian. If you are going to go with the cherries...really embrace the fruit. This beer's maltier leanings mean it will pair well with grilled meats, duck, and maybe even a slice of cherry pie to really bring that cherry flavor home.

Random Thought: As a Bears fan, I am concerned right now. That is all.