Revolution Unsessionable Imperial IPA

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

Purchased: 12oz CAN from a 6-pack bought at Sheridan 'L' Lounge in Chicago, IL; 2014

Style/ABV: American Imperial IPA/Strong Ale, 10%

Reported IBUs: 100

Let's be real, the session beer fad sucks. Most session beers are American Pale Ales rebranded using the popular but equally obnoxious "IPA" tag. They are nothing new, and more often than not, incredibly predictable. Tonight's beer is a big fuck you to all the session IPAs...a big ass, all-American, Imperial IPA brewed with 6 hops, that punches in at 10%. Suck on that. 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 Unsessionable IPA is pretty ridiculous, and honestly, I am surprised this came in a 6-pack. This beer is brewed using 6 hops, including: Centennial, Chinook, Amarillo, Galaxy, Citra, and Cascade. Punching in at 10% and 100 IBUs, this beer rides that line between a Strong Ale, Barleywine, and American Imperial IPA. 

Revolution Unsessionable Imperial IPA

The appearance is everything you'd want: hazy orange, with a finger of caramel-tinged head that lasts forever thanks to the hops fueling it. This is clearly well-carbonated, and looks the part of the best American Imperials. It's like California girls and sunsets. Totally, Hollywood.

I can't remember the last time I smelled something this good coming out of Chicago. This challenges The Unicorn Hits Rock Bottom with ease, and makes Zombie Dust look like the mid-ABV IPA that it is. This smells like fat oranges, giant tangerine candies, and I shit you not: gummy peach orange ring candies. The sweet peach and tangerine notes flirt with peach iced tea, dank West Coast vibes, and tropical fruits...but it's all grounded in that sweet peach goodness.

This hits with your tongue with honey-like sweetness. The hops gloss over your palate leaving traces of orange, tangerine, and sweet peaches. This is insanely sweet, with hints of caramel sugars between the aggressively dank and resinous hop punch. This rides the imaginary line between an American Strong Ale or Barleywine...I'm reminded a bit of Dogfish Head's 120 Minute IPA. I'm also reminded of the Pipeworks/Rock Bottom collab, Unicorn Hits Rock Bottom. This is just an insane fusion of intensely sweet hops propped up against a huge malt profile. The hops are equally fruity as they are bitter and dank. The bitterness provided much needed contrast to the sweetness. But this keeps things cool and sweet. It's very West Coast, and reminds me of Florida. 

Soak these in alcohol and walla

At 10%, this beer is way too fucking drinkable. I'm serious, I killed 12oz of this in like ten minutes. That's how you get wasted. Despite being drinkable, this is till heavy-handed and full-bodied. The carbonation and hops cut through a lot of the fat, but this is a curvy beer in every way possible. The palate depth here is outstanding, and this is about as complex as something like this is going to get. It's not quite the 120 Minute...but it's flirting with that Unicorn Hits Rock Bottom. I mean really, this unfolds with sweet orange, peach gummy rings, and tangerine up front; that gives way to intense caramel sweetness, rich sugars, and dank as hell hops lurking beneath; the back end trails with intense hop sweetness, resin, and a sticky-sweet finish. This is truly an aggressive, big, over-the-top interpretation of an American Imperial IPA. A true "fuck you" to all the session bitch beers out there.

Rating: Divine Brew (4.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Light Divine Brew on this. If Revolution can keep this around on a regular basis, well, then Chicago is going to finally have a coveted Imperial IPA. For all the good work that Pipeworks is doing, they aren't releasing beers on the regular. Chicago is seriously lacking in the Imperial IPA category, and this beer right here has potential. I'd also love to see this barrel-aged. Food pairings: spicy foods. Seriously. Get this beer to go with some over-the-top wings, and thank me later.

Random Thought: At 100 IBUs and 10%...you'd expect this beer to hold up to spicy foods. And it does! I've now paired this beer with homemade taco salad and nachos. In both situations, I piled on the hot salsa (homemade, with fresh habaneros, baby!). This beer cuts through the spice with ease. 

Maine Lunch

Brewed By: Maine Beer Company in Freeport, Maine

Purchased: 1 pt .9 fl. oz (16.9oz) bottle bought at West Lakeview Liquors in Chicago, IL; 2014 (bottled on 07/29/2014) 

Style/ABV: American India Pale Ale, 7.0%

Reported IBUs: ?

Yo dawg, we heard you like whales, so we brewed a beer named after a whale that is a whale so you can whale whales while whaling whales. About the Maine Beer Company:

The Maine Beer Company is a brewery based out of Freeport, Maine, founded in 2012. The brewery focuses on American-style ales, with an emphasis on fresh beer intended to be consumed fresh. For more info, check out the brewery's website. 

If you haven't heard about Lunch already, well, fuck you. I'm just kidding! Ha. Ha. DAE Maine humor? DAE the East Coast? The bottle says: "Lunch is a special whale that has been spotted off the Maine coast since 1982. She has what looks like a bite taken out of her fin which adds to her unique character. We dedicate this beer to her determination and persistence." This one is brewed with Warrior, Amarillo, Centennial, and Simcoe hops; and uses a malt base of American 2-Row, CaraPils, Caramel 40L, Munich 10L, and Red Wheat. Let's glass and bang.

This epic whale crashes into the sea like my wife jumping into the swimming pool at Orlando Florida. It pours with spray tan orange tones, kicking up three fingers of just off-white head that is foamy and soapy and has mad hop action. This is hazy like kiddie pool water and has carbonation like Captain Nemo's submarine. From here on out the nautical references are gonna be nuts, yarrrr.

Maine Lunch

I've never smelled a whale until today, and I have to say I would happily smell one again. This smells like pirate grundle, oranges, tangerines, resinous peaches and strawberries, zesty citrus and white pepper, and big kisses of tropical fruits (think mango and pineapple). This whale has beached in paradise, or something. The aroma does meet all the desired criteria in a top notch IPA: pungent, juicy, and just resinous enough that you could use this to chase your bong water.

This is fantastic, with a clean and crisp body that just hints at some cracker and biscuit grain. The main note here is an arrow of straight up orange-citrus and tangerine, straight across your tongue. The trailing aftermath includes some white pepper spice, citrus zest, mild resin, and nice growing hop bitterness. This throws shades of white peaches, sweet strawberries, and resinous lemon/pineapple at you as well. I've never seen a whale juggle that many tropical fruits until I played charades mom. #rekt

Whales in space, this be some low-G whale with little in the way of substantial body. This is light, is what I'm saying. Keep in mind that this is an IPA, not a Double IPA, and things make a little more sense. This is still light to medium-light bodied. It reminds me of....Zombie Dust? It also reminds me of Half Acre's Heyoka!, but I think that beer is better (hold your gasps for a moment). This is really, really good. I mean that. This beer works the hops to their fullest, extracting bold citrus fruit notes that are clean and clear. The 7.0% is nonexistent, and this beer is refreshing and drinkable...which is such a tease, because finding this beer is hard! The palate depth is outstanding, but leans towards the lighter sides...this is like a crushable Pale Ale. Again, I'm reminded of Zombie Dust. This also has a fairly straightforward execution (and look at the ingredient list...it's not a straightforward beer at all). Up front: orange fruit, tangerine, white pepper, citrus zest; that cuts into some nice pineapple resin, tropical fruits, strawberry, white peach, more peppery kick, some hints of cracker/biscuit; the back end trails with clean hops, and finishes nice and dry. I see why this beer is so popular....it's like an IPA Lite. The Lite beer of IPAs. It has clean lines, and it offers all the hoppy punch of a West Coast IPA without the raw aggression of an Imperial IPA. Hmm...

Rating: Above-Average (4.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average here. I'm giving this beer the exact same rating I gave Half Acre's Heyoka! Fucking checkmate, all you Midwest haters. That's not a slight against Maine or Lunch...actually I have loved everything I have had from Maine Brewing so far. These guys are legit. I think my favorite so far has been the Another One. That beer is just fantastic...I would honestly maybe take Another One over Lunch. And as an added bonus: you can find Another One. That beer sits on shelves because it isn't an epic whale. Anyway...Lunch. Good stuff. I would pair this beer with a nice sandwich, maybe a club sandwich. You could also pair this beer with a nice leafy burger, lightly spiced foods, potatoes and chicken, a nice fish dish, and perhaps even a pasta dish. The light citrus and peppery spice define this beer, and while it has clear cut citrus lines it isn't overly aggressive or bitter or malty. It's delicate but drinkable...finessed and refined. Good job, Maine Brewing. I'd buy this again.

Random Thought: I actually saw this beer on tap in Chicago this weekend...my only regret was not stopping at the bar to try it.

Bell's Two Hearted Ale

Brewed By: Bell's Brewery, Inc. in Kalamazoo, Michigan  

Purchased: 16oz CAN from a 4-pack bought at Binny's in IL; 2014 

Style/ABV: American IPA, 7.0%

Reported IBUs: ?

DAE like drinking dat classic Midwest IPA in the can. About Bell's:

Bell's Brewery is one of the biggest names in craft beer. Once you get past the Sierra Nevada, New Belgium, and Stone phase, you start hearing about breweries like Bell's. Bell's began as a home-brewing supply shop, founded by Larry Bell, back in 1983. Bell's sold its first beer in September 1985. The brewery has humble roots like many of the first craft breweries, and the beer was originally brewed in a 15-gallon soup kettle. The beer was originally self-distributed, bottled, and delivered by hand during the company's first four years. In 1993, Bell's became the first brewery in Michigan to open an onsite pub. The brewery currently has two facilities, one in Kalamazoo, and one in Comstock Township, Michigan. For more info, check out their website. 

At this point, everyone knows that the Bell's Two Hearted Ale is amazing. But whatever. Says the can: "An American India Pale Ale with intense hop aroma and malt balance. Well suited for adventurous trips anywhere." This unfiltered IPA punches in at 7.0%, and is hopped exclusively with Centennial hops from the Pacific Northwest. 

Bell's Two Hearted Ale (shill's glassware)

Being unfiltered and all, this one pours into a hazy/cloudy dark-orange body, and kicks up a couple of fingers of dense, fluffy, hop-fueled head. In brighter light, this takes on a hazy orange color, and the head retains mad caramel tones. Tiny dots of peppery carbonation are elevating up in this club, and there's lacing like spider-man crime scenes. I don't even know. It's an IPA.

The aroma here is an explosion of vibrant spiced orange, crushed citrus, grapefruit and orange rind, piney resin, and the smell of forest. There is resinous and dank punch to these hops, and this doesn't hide the orange and grapefruit spice.

It seems like these days everyone is making either a Pale Ale or an Imperial Pale Ale. This one rides the thin line between the two, with giant hops turning out blissful citrus spice. There's huge waves of orange and grapefruit rind, with big peppery (white pepper and even a little black pepper) orange, peppery fruit salad, hints of watermelon and peach and mango, resinous pine, and gentle dankness on the back. This is appropriately bitter, never going beyond the call of duty. It's refreshing and clean and frankly -- pretty fucking good.

This is medium-bodied with just a hint of caramel malts and bready malt backbone, but the big thing here are those delicious hops. The 7.0% is completely undetectable and within some reason. I probably would limit my session to two or three of these cans. Palate depth here is blissfully perfect for the style, but the complexity is somewhat limited. This IPA is a hammer...and sometimes you just want to hit nails. Up front: big citrus with peppery spice, citrus rind, pine; the mids roll into pine, rind, peppery spice, some hints of the earthy mango and black pepper watermelon; the back end gets increasingly piney and bitter with some hemp, and then the caramel/bready malts rear their ugly mug. 

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

This is a Strong Above-Average. Not much to say here. This is up there with the great India Pale Ales...this is something to stock in your fridge and keep on hand when you want a good IPA. The can travels well so now you can go mobile with this beer. Sweet.

Random Thought: Reviewing classics...why.