Deschutes Chainbreaker White IPA

Brewed By: Deschutes Brewing Company in Bend, Oregon

Purchased: 12oz bottle bought at Binny's in Chicago, IL; 2015 

Style/ABV: White IPA, 5.6%
Reported IBUs: 55

The best part about hosting a party is being left with a fridge full of shelf turds. 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 Chainbreaker White IPA is a White IPA brewed with Pilsner, Wheat, Unmalted Wheat malts; Bravo, Citra, Centennial, and Cascade hops; and also has some sweet orange and coriander thrown into the mix.

Deschutes Chainbreaker White IPA

I love White IPAs. This is such an underrated style, so disclaimers up front, this is maybe my favorite shelf turd beer from Deschutes. The Chainbreaker pours into a hazy, unfiltered, conditioned body that is a radiant yellow-orange color, with a firm white head. There is tons of lacing, carbonation, and all that good stuff.

The aroma is a fantastic blend of Belgian yeast, spice, and tons of white pepper, black pepper, and BOLD pink peppercorns. Bright, sweet citrus comes forth, with oranges, tangerines, pineapple, peach, and some mango. The aroma also has some wheat notes, with a little Belgian funk that leans towards clove. It's just a fantastic fusion of that pink peppercorn spice with those bright citrus hops and complex Belgian yeast aromas. 

This tastes as good as the aroma, if not better. You get blasted with tons of sweet hops that dial up pineapple, sweet lemon, and bright oranges. There's a ton of black pepper in the taste, almost drawing up Saison comparisons. There's a good amount of clove funk, pink peppercorns, bold yeast character, and some biscuity/bready malts in the background. The hops are the main character, and they keep the beer bold and refreshing. The peppery spice rides the mids and back part of the beer, and help to dry everything out.

This is an impressively tight package. At 5.6%, this is super drinkable, and a lot of that is thanks to the impressive hop package. This is medium-light bodied, with good palate depth and good duration. This actually ratchets up the complexity beyond the usual 1-Dimensional Deschutes' approach. Up front: tons of delicious citrus, pineapple, bright hop notes; the mids roll into fantastic peppery spice, pink peppercorns, Belgian funk, some clove, more juicy hop goodness; the back end trials off with clean hops, lingering black pepper, and then it dries out with this Saison-like finish. It's just a well-done beer. 

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average here. This is an awesome beer, and maybe the only Deschutes beer I would seek out regularly and by the 6-pack. Fantastic stuff, really. It's veering into the land of a Saison...and to me....this is better than many of the Belgian IPAs. Really though, I would pair this with some peppery chicken/turkey. Or anything rustic. 

Random Thought: Shelf turds ftw. 

Jackie O's Pub & Brewery Mystic Mama

Brewed By: Jackie O's Pub & Brewery in Athens, Ohio  

Purchased: 12oz CAN from a 6-pack bought at And Beer in Athens, Ohio; 2014 

Style/ABV: American India Pale Ale, 7.0%

Reported IBUs: 130

When in Rome...about Jackie O's Pub & Brewery:

Jackie O's is a brewery and brewpub based out of Athens, Ohio. The brewery was founded in 2007 by Art Oestrike and his friend, and brew master, Brad Clark. In 2012 when the production facility expanded, brew master Sean White joined the company. For more info, check out their website or Facebook.

The Mystic Mama IPA is a West Coast inspired IPA, brewed with a blend of 5 hops and punching in at an aggressive 7.0% and 130 IBUs. This beer features a dry hop addition of Citra and Simcoe, because why not.

Typical to the style, this pours into a golden-yellow/amber/orange body that is dependent on lighting and camera quality. There's a finger of golden, hop-fueled head that is as Cali as California girls and California beaches. There's lacing, and all that good shit that no one cares about except the ceasaroni judges at FOBAB that can't tell between Lacto and Brett. 

Jackie O's Mystic Mama

On the aroma: OH MY. This is pungent and citrusy straight up, but that quickly gives way to 130 IBUs worth of super dank resin. This is channeling serious resin, bow rosin, candied guava, dank as hell agave, sugar dusted candy citrus, and grapefruit and orange over-the-top. It's just a nutty assault of too much hops.

This is pretty tasty, and effectively delivers that resinous blast of orange, grapefruit, sharp lemon, and then guava-agave. At 7.0%, you don't get much malt, and this leans towards an Imperial IPA. Aside from the resinous blast of citrus, agave, and resin, is some nice caramel and bread malt backings. I actually think they nailed this.

There's not much to add here...palate depth is good, complexity is good, and this is medium-bodied thanks to good carbonation and the hoppy bitterness. This is above-average stuff without doing anything mind blowing. Up front: resinous citrus; the mids roll into resinous lemon; the back end drops resinous agave, rosin, guava, and some bread and caramel dances in the back. Solid.

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average here. This is pretty much a West Coast IPA done Ohio style...I can respect that. Food pairings here include American bar food, spicy foods, and anything that goes well with a West Coast IPA. You know the drill.

Random Thought: Athens is a nice place.

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. 

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.

Pipeworks Unicorn Hits Rock Bottom

Brewed By: Pipeworks Brewing in Chicago, IL  

Purchased: 22oz bottle (Batch #495/496) bought at West Lakeview Liquors in Chicago, IL; 2014 (bottled 08.??.2014)

Style/ABV: Imperial IPA, 9.5%
Reported IBUs: ?

It looks like the Unicorn has finally hit Rock Bottom...pun intended. I guess it is only up from here with this "Imperial IPA brewed with honey and citra hops." 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 bottle of Unicorn Hits Rock Bottom reads: 

"(Read to the tune of the 'Cheers theme song)
Makin' this beer in the world today takes all the
Citra you've got.
Graining out with some buddies sure would help a 
lot.
Wouldn't we like to collaborate.
Sometimes the brewers at Rock Bottom want to go
Where everybody knows their name
And Pdubz is glad they came
You wanna brew where you can see
our troubles are all the same."

The bottle art here was done by Peter Wano. This pours into a deep orange body, kicking up two fingers of caramel/orange-tinted head. The body is hazy and appropriately carbonated, and the head is sticky, leaving lacing and retaining like the hop-fueled monster that it is. This is a nice looking beer, and a true testament to Pipeworks' IPA program. 

Pipeworks Unicorn Hits Rock Bottom

Let me just start off by saying that I have heard really good things about this beer. That is unusual because (1) this beer just came out a few days ago, and (2) this has really limited distribution. Anyway...I believe the hype every now and then, and this one smells like miracles. The aroma is an EXPLOSION of honey, white pepper, citrus zest, citrus spice, and huge grapefruit, tangerine, orange, mango, and tropical fruit. This is bursting at the seam with sweet citrus, resinous and zesty spice, and honey sweetness that backs this up with authority. It's like the child of Hopslam and Zombie Dust.

Like this needs a debriefing of the taste...this is a fantastic explosion of fresh Citra hops, mounted on this candy-sweet honey backbone that contrasts the juicy hops and resinous hop oils. I'm getting honey here that would make Hopslam blush, with giant waves of citrus, orange, zesty hop spice, resinous orange and grapefruit rind, and big tropical fruits and orange sweetness. This has that Lagunitas level of sticky-sweet-dank, while juicing the Citra hops like Zombie Dust. 

Never before has a 9.5% beer been so drinkable. But drink this fresh...this one is only going to drop off with time, although I doubt it will stick around on shelves for very long. I'm happy I opened this now, and not even two days later. Again, the juicy hops and honey sweetness make this incredibly crushable, even though it's sticky-sweet and slightly boozy. This is also one of the best attempts at carbonation from Pipeworks...I've had their under-carbed Citra Ninja and it really did suffer from lack of carbonation. This beer has divine palate depth, with a medium-bodied mouthfeel that is juicy and dank. This isn't exactly complex...it's basically a Citra and Honey hammer. Sometimes you just want to hit nails, though. Up front: dank and juicy Citra hops, resinous spice, tropical fruits, resinous pineapple/peach, grapefruit rind; the mids roll into more citrus, Citra bursting, honey sweetness; the back end trails with dank and resinous hops, white pepper, citrus zest, spice, and nice dryness. Wow...

Rating: Divine Brew (5.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Divine Brew on this...yup. This is the new ceiling for Pipeworks' Imperial IPAs. This is up there with Zombie Dust, is better than Hopslam, and pretty much rocks everything that Pipeworks has done in the Ninja vs. Unicorn series. I know those are fighting words, but seriously....you cannot top fresh Citra. I know it's like using cheat codes in SNES games, but still. This beer is bursting with ridiculous Citra and Honey notes, and begs to be paired with some deep dish pizza (dae Chicago?), or with some spicy boneless wings. If I see another bottle of this, I will not hesitate to pick it up, and you should do the same. But for real, drink this fresh....it's only going to drop off.

Random Thought: As a glassware whore...Pipeworks needs to replenish their online glassware shop.

Pipeworks Citra Saison

Brewed By: Pipeworks Brewing in Chicago, IL  

Purchased: 22oz bottle (Batch #463/464) bought at Binny's in IL; 2014 (bottled 07.26.2014)

Style/ABV: American Saison, 9.0%
Reported IBUs: ?

Tonight's Unofficial Pipeworks Thursday™ is all about dat Citra. In a Saison? Hmm, I'm intrigued. Seriously though, this beer better be banging. 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 Citra Saison is self-explanatory. The bottle reads:

"When you need a break from fighting life's epic battles, unwind your nunchuckus, high kick off the ol' work booties, and get a good death grip on life's simple pleasures like a saison hopped generously with Citra hops. Move swift! Move stealthily! Pour this Citra Saison into your glass, and enjoy when the summer sun is HIYA! in the sky, or during a warm, shuriken filled night. Shiken Haramitsu Daikoumyo."

Pipeworks Citra Saison

The appearance is an absolutely hazy, dark-yellow body, that almost borders a turbid brown/straw color. This one kicks up two fingers of substantial, egg-whites thick, white head. Head retention is great with a pinky lingering, and there's massive lacing on the glass. The body retains its juicy appeal in bright light, and peppery carbonation can be spotted with ease.

Oh man, if you love Citra...and let's be real, who doesn't love Citra...you are gonna like this beer's aroma. The aroma here features a HUGE blast of Citra hops right off the nose, with juicy citrus, tropical fruits, and funky apricot/mango. I'm getting orange, pineapple, and some big white pepper and zesty citrus. Beneath the Citra assault is a ton of Belgian funk, with barnyard, dry biscuit and bread notes, black pepper, clove, and a deep and dry Citra-band-aid funk that I can't really describe. This is legit, though. This is the most authentic smelling Saison Pipeworks has released to date. But will it taste the part? 

Wow, this is a pretty big departure for Pipeworks. This is knocking on the door of Allagash or any other Belgian-inspired brewery that knows how to turn out a good Saison. This is creamy, but peppery and hoppy, full of Citra notes, and has tons of backdoor funk. I'm getting big splashes of citrus: namely orange, pineapple, some grapefruit. Then the beer dials up the black and white pepper, clove, and biscuity dryness. The back end shifts into deeply funky fun, with lingering black pepper and citrus. There are shades of mango in here, and the Belgian funk veers into a weird bubble-gum/barnyard/band-aid territory. It's really good.

This is refreshing and clean, and amazingly drinkable. The dry finish cuts through all the bloat, and this is supported by nice carbonation and a creamy-smooth mouthfeel. Pipeworks has a habit of cranking up the ABV when it isn't needed, but the 9.0% is welcomed here and goes unnoticed. This has fantastic palate depth, and is very complex. I'm calling this medium-bodied, but I'm finding it to be very easy-going. Up front: sweet Citra splashes with orange, grapefruit, and pineapple against some nice cracker/biscuit malts; the mids roll into biscuit, black and white pepper, clove, barnyard, Belgian funk, bubblegum; the back end continues with the bubblegum and funk, with lingering hop notes and biscuit...it finishes dry and yeah. This is nice.

Rating: Divine Brew (4.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Light Divine Brew on this. This is probably the best non-Stout/non-IPA that Pipeworks has made. This is also the best Belgian-style Ale that Pipeworks has brewed. Far and away. This rings with some authenticity, and again, I'm reminded of bruisers like Allagash's Saison. Only with dat Citra twist and funk for days. Not only would I buy this again, but I would recommend you buy it (fresh). Pair it with a nice burger, gourmet salad, strong cheese, or a chicken dish. Good shit....yum.

Random Thought: Using Citra is like playing with wall hacks though. 

Victory DirtWolf

Brewed By: Victory Brewing Company in Downingtown, Pennsylvania 

Purchased: 12oz bottle from a 4-pack 3-pack bought at Capone's Liquor & Food in Chicago, IL; 2014

Style/ABV: Imperial IPA, 8.7%
Reported IBUs: ?

How appropriate for me to pop my Victory cherry with their filthy and raw Imperial IPA. About Victory: 

Victory Brewing Company is a brewery based out of Downingtown, Pennsylvania. The brewery was founded by Ron Barchet and Bill Covaleski, two avid brewers and lovers of beer. Although Victory opened on February 15, 1996, the duo were brewing brewing beer long before opening their own company. You can read more about their accomplishments on the brewery's about page. The brewery uses German malted barley and European and American whole flower hops (the use of whole flower hops is one unique aspect of Victory). Victory is currently working on expanding to Parkesburg. For more information about Victory, check out their website or their Facebook page. 

Today's beer, the DirtWolf, is an Imperial IPA featuring whole flower Citra, Chinook, Simcoe and Mosaic hops. This one uses a two-row malt base, and punches in at a big 8.7%. 

Victory DirtWolf

The DirtWolf pours like your quintessential American Double IPA. DIPA her, I hardly know her. Right? Amirite? Gaiz? This one is conditioned, and you even get some yeast floaters hanging around the bottom of your glass. This is a hazy yellow/straw color, juicy in appearance, and kicks up a finger or two of white head. The head is white with elegant lacing, like classical music and the US Constitution. It's a good looking beer and bottle.

The aroma here is all kinds of hops, with raw and earthy citrus, resinous orange, dank orange/tangerine/grapefruit, and just...tons of orange and grapefruit. The citrus is earthy and raw, but it's more sweet than anything. I'm not getting any iced tea or wet leaves here...just straight up dank citrus.

Props to Victory for this one, it is super clean and hop-forward with little malt interference. I'm getting raw and uncompromising citrus, bitter flowers, dandelions, grapefruit/orange, mild citrus rind, and some resinous and pithy lemon notes. This is clinging to the edge of the sweet cliff, almost falling off into something darker and less sweet. But this retains a bright citrus edge, probably thanks to the Mosaic and Citra hops. There's some mild catty notes in here, mostly in the form of dank hemp and resin, and a little spice too. Mild citrus zest and pepper. The finish is clean and dry. It's aggressive and hoppy...the DirtWolf title seems apropos. 

This is medium-bodied, and actually pretty full/heavy. I wouldn't crush more than two of these in a sitting, I think. Although I'm not getting any booze, this definitely has that 8.7% vibe. It's a big-ass American Double. Palate depth is great, with good duration. The complexity isn't far behind. Up front is a big assault of razor sharp and clean hops. We're talking about citrus, orange, grapefruit, and some nice citrus zest. The mids are where the bitterness starts to build, and you pick up some rind; it's still pretty dank in the middle. The back end drops more bitterness, with some catty Simcoe, resinous lemon, dank citrus, and a nice dry finish. It finishes clean and beckons for another sip, which is always a welcome quality. 

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average on this. This is a solid contender as far as Double IPAs go, especially @ 11.99 a 4-pack. It's probably not the most economic Imperial IPA, but it drinks so clean and refined. It's really a beer without any faults, it just seems to lack some edge to really push it into that world-class echelon of beers. At this point we are just nit-picking. Food pairings here include a pantheon of American bar foods, leafy burgers, or pizza. I'm planning on making zucchini pizza with mozzarella cheese and homemade tomato sauce -- I think this beer would pair perfectly with that.  

Random Thought: If you are wondering about the 3-pack thing, when I bought this beer I discovered that someone stole a bottle from my 4-pack and replaced it with a bottle of Southern Tier's 2XOne. I would be more pissed, but the 2XOne was pretty tasty. Still, that's a dick move. Proof that the beer community does have some bad apples. 

Maine Beer Another One

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 03/25/201) 

Style/ABV: American IPA, 7.0%

Reported IBUs: ?

The Lunch will continue to elude me, for now...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. 

The Another One is the brother/cousin/step-child of the Weez. The back of the bottle reads, "When we expanded our brewery the stress was something, to say the least. I ran out of creative juice for a minute so I decided to have another for inspiration. 

Another One IPA and Weez use the same hops but different malts. The result - Another One is very light in color and Weez is very dark. Each, however, allow the hops to shine out front."

At 7.0%, the Another One features a malt base of American 2-Row, Red Wheat, and Carapils. The hops on display here are Warrior, Cascade, Citra, and Simcoe. 

Maine Beer Another One

This one pours into a completely hazy, unfiltered, raw and juicy body. The body is yellow/straw in color. The beer kicks up a finger or two of sticky, hop-fueled head. Bright light confirms the same stuff, and you can see tiny streams of carbonation rising upwards quite violently. It's a good, juicy looking beer.

If you like fresh hops and big aromas, this beer has your fix. The aroma on this is exploding outwards with juicy tangerine, spicy orange, white pepper, watery crackers, and tons of spice. This is dank, resinous, and juicy. There's some cut grass and tropical fruits in the mix as well, and it all smells like it is being held together by an affirmative malt backbone. We can only hope. 

My first impression was non-plussed as I picked up watery tangerine, orange, white pepper, zesty citrus, and some water cracker and onion notes. As I sip on this, it's really starting to unfold with big zesty tangerines, peppery orange, resinous hop juice, cut grass, light onion/garlic, and some kisses of citrus sweetness towards the back. It never veers into tropical fruit territory, playing things pretty citrus-straight. The malts here are completely undetectable, minus the shadowy body they provide. This also has a nice growing bitterness. Just super impressive and refined. 

This is a really good take on the American IPA style. It's refined, hop-forward, substantial without being malt heavy...it's just really, really good. The beer is medium-bodied with lots of carbonation, and plenty of bitterness and attenuation to move things along. Palate depth is good, and complexity is pretty high. The only thing that's questionable is the duration, which is suspect at times. I'm not getting any of the 7.0%, and this one seems to have the bitterness expected in a hoppy beer. Up front: a wash of peppery citrus, cut grass, bright tangerine, spicy hop zest; the mids dial up more citrus, citrus rind, a little onion/garlic, catty Simcoe, refreshing hop juice; the back end trails into some welcomed bitterness, with lingering hops and a clean, dry finish.

Rating: Divine Brew (4.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'll toss this a Light Divine Brew and give it a serious recommendation, at least fresh. This is a delicious, refined, drinkable IPA that grows on you as you work your way through it. It's a fantastically spicy and citrus-forward beer, and I suspect it would pair well with American bar food, spicy wings, Mexican food, and even something more rustic like oven-baked potatoes or peppery chicken. I will be picking this one up again. 

Random Thought: Free food at work is a gift and a curse. On one hand, free food good. On the other hand, free food makes you fat. My employer made us do health screenings that included weighing ourselves and getting our blood pressure taken. So it seems totes apropos that they would then feed us doughnuts and cake and all that other waistband expanding shit. How about some birthday celery? Oh. My coworkers aren't Peter North. Oh well. 

Ale Asylum Bedlam! IPA

Brewed By: Ale Asylum in Madison, Wisconsin

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

Style/ABV: Belgian IPA, 7.5% 
Reported IBUs: ?

Friday was the release of Half Acre's Galactic Double Daisy Cutter. Apparently there was a line of people out the door. That's just cray-cray. Anyway, since I missed that Midwest Shelf Turd, I grabbed today's beer to fill that aching hole in my soul. About Ale Asylum: 

Ale Asylum is a brewery based out of Madison, Wisconsin. The brewery was founded in 2006, and brews unfiltered and natural beer using only water, malt, hops, and yeast. For more information about the brewery, check out their Facebook page or their Website. 

The Bedlam! IPA is a Belgian IPA of sorts. This is described as, "A chaotic blend of Citra hops and Belgian-style yeast give this Belgian IPA aromas of summer fruit with a bright hop presence and a plush finish." This one is available year round on tap and in 6-packs throughout Wisconsin and Illinois. Punching in at 7.5%, this should be delicious. 

Ale Asylum Bedlam! IPA

The Bedlam pours into a deep, hazy, unfiltered orange body, and kicks up two to three fingers of amber/orange-tinted head. The head is fluffy and sustaining, and it leaves lots of lacing on the edges; like an IPA should. In bright light this is a juicy orange color, with rising carbonation and a wispy head hanging around. You can't beat the appearance here, so it's a shame that how a beer looks means little to nothing at all.

The aroma here is massively citrus-forward, with huge Citra blasts of tangerine, orange, grass, and pine. Along with the blasts of citrus are tons of spicy and funky Belgian notes. I'm getting yeast, clove, pepper, barnyard, and some light non-Brett band-aid funk. It smells funky, but it also smells big and hoppy, and clean and refreshing.

The taste is a nice follow through of the nose, with huge citrus and orange notes backed up by phenolic, fruity, and spicy Belgian yeast. There's melon notes, grass, apricot, light pineapple and tropical fruit, big tangerine, orange, tons of peppery spice, and lots of Belgian fruitiness. The barnyard in the aroma comes through a bit in the finish, and the finish is grassy, peppery, and clean. 

There is an elegant simplicity to this beer, but it's also pretty bold and refreshing. Citra hops can do wonderful things to a beer. You don't get the 7.5% here, and this is clean and refreshing and drinkable. You probably want to pace yourself with this, but you could drink two or three of these in a sitting, easy. With a medium-light mouthfeel, this has tons of carbonation and hop bitterness to smooth things out. Palate depth is okay, and complexity is okay as well. This would otherwise be average for the style if not for the huge blast of citrus you get. Up front is an assault of peppery oranges, tangerine, melon, grass, apricot, light pineapple hints; the mids hit some biscuit and more tropical fruits, mixed with some Belgian funk and grass/hay; the back end dials up the grass, lingering cracker/biscuit as it warms, and a dry, spicy, hoppy finish. It's refreshing and impressionable. 

Rating: Above-Average

I'd put this on the same level as the Deschutes Fresh Squeezed IPA, so a Strong Above-Average. This isn't a game changer, and it's not mind blowing. But it's a really, really solid Belgian IPA that goes above average by using the Citra hop to its full potential. There's a lot of bold, refreshing citrus on display here...making this one of the most refreshing and enjoyable Belgian IPAs I have come across. This is the perfect beer to drink on warm Summer days, and this would pair well with white fish, grilled chicken, fruit salads, heavy "patio food" like loaded baked potato salad and brats, and anything lightly spicy. This beer isn't very bitter, so the fruity hops and low bitterness suggest NOT pairing this beer with spicy foods. Go with the sweeter and lighter pairings. I'd pick this up again: recommended. 

Random Thought: I went to a wine tasting even on Saturday at Union Station with over 200 wines (or something, whatever). It was a blast, especially since I'm not really a wine drinker. I was able to sample quite a few wines...but sadly I didn't learn too much. I still prefer a nice Cab, and I love wines that have spent time in oak. An oaky white gets me going. Anyway, we started drinking around 1:30pm, and followed the wine tasting up with dinner. At dinner I order two beers, alcoholic that I am. Needless to say, by 8pm I was ready to sleep, and by 12midnight I was feeling the full-on effects of my day of drinking. I had a nifty headache and mild disorientation. I guess you'd call it a hangover, but it wasn't morning. And thank goodness for that, as I was able to pop an Advil, drink some water, and jump back into bed. I woke up feeling like a champion, and here we are. I'm sure my run tomorrow will make me pay. Woo. 

Deschutes Fresh Squeezed IPA

Brewed By: Deschutes Brewing Company in Bend, Oregon

Purchased: 12oz bottle from a 6-pack bought at Friar Tuck Beverage in Urbana, IL; 2014

Style/ABV: India Pale Ale, 6.4%
Reported IBUs: 60

Oh man, tonight's beer is just fantastic. I don't even need to write this review, go buy this beer now. The Fresh Squeezed IPA is one of the most vibrant and drinkable IPAs I have had in a long time. I killed four bottles effortlessly, and will be picking this up again for the summer. 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 Fresh Squeezed IPA is a "mouthwateringly delicious IPA" that gets its flavor from Citra, Mosiac, and Nugget hops. This one also features a malt base of Pale, Crystal, and Munich malts. At 6.4% ABV and 60 IBUs, this is in the realm of fairly drinkable. And no, there is not fruit in this. "Don't worry, no fruit was harmed in the making of this beer."

Deschutes Fresh Squeezed IPA

This is your prototypical IPA: amber in color with bronze/orange tones, clean transparency, active small to mid-sized carbonation, and three fingers of off-white head that is soapy, sticky, and immortal. Bright light confirms the same stuff, and there is nice lacing. It's not standing out in a crowd, but this is definitely one of the preppy jocks.

The aroma here is all varsity. There are huge waves of citrus, mango, Citra hop goodness, tangerine, grass, and big fruity sweetness. The whole hop front is undercut by giant spice; I'm getting citrus zest, white pepper, and menthol pop. There's a grassy aspect to the hops, with some brighter melon and peach notes stringing along as well. Overall, it's a refreshing and juicy nose that's all sunshine and happiness.

The taste is also lighthearted sunshine and hugs. It's like the anti-Kurt Cobain, the one whose brains are still intact. There is huge Citra goodness with tangerines, limes, lemon-orange-resin, juicy apricots, and a pear/stone fruit thing that I can't quite figure out. The finish is slightly dank, bitter, and resinous. Some of the spice from the aroma pops up in the taste, with zest and pepper. There's also quite a bit of malt backing here, with caramel and bready notes.

I actually agree with the consensus that this could be a bit more hoppy...and for those reasons I don't think this is the ceiling for the style, but I would be hard pressed to recommend a more drinkable IPA. This is just fantastic, with a juicy, medium-light, well-carbonated mouthfeel. Palate depth is full, juicy, dank, and dry. The complexity is okay, and the beer's balance is shifted towards the sweeter, more sticky, maltier side. And that's okay. Seriously, I'm not hating on this beer at all. At 6.4%, you can roll through a 6-pack of this in one night. Up front: juicy hops, sweeter notes, tropical fruits, lime, tangerine; the mids dial up some malt sweetness, caramel, bread, lemon-orange-resin, apricot funk, pear and stone fruits; the back end hits some dank resin, lingering bread/caramel, sweet, sticky finish. Spice is present throughout in various levels. Good shit.

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average on this. Like I said, I don't think this is the best IPA in the world...but I would be okay with taking this to my deserted island. This is a great, juicy, IPA. The perfect vehicle to pair with sweeter, Spring/Summer dishes. I'm so happy that Deschutes is making this beer a year-round release, I will be picking it up again over the summer and I recommend anyone check this out. You can pair this with fruits salads, fish, pasta salad, pasta dishes, pizza, burgers, American bar food, crab, shrimp, and strawberry pound cake. 

Random Thought: Depending on how things go tomorrow, I might bust out the Abyss. 

Goose Island The Illinois

Brewed By: Goose Island Beer Company (owned by AB InBev) in Chicago, Illinois

Purchased: 12oz bottle from a 4-pack bought at Jewel in Chicago, IL; 2014 (bottled on 26 Feb 2014)

Style/ABV: Imperial IPA, 9.0% 

Reported IBUs: 95

I've been on a malty dark beer kick as of late, so I thought I would break up that delicious monotony with Goose Island's new hop bomb. 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 Illinois is a big, Imperial, hop bomb. This is one brewed with 2-Row, Special Pale, C-20, C-60, and Cara Red malts; and features Chinook, Cascade, Citra, and Meridian hops. I'm expecting big hops, so let's see what we got.

Goose Island The Illinois

This pours very typical to the style, and as described on the website. The beer pours into a slightly hazy, deeply golden-orange body, and produces three fingers of hop-fueled head. The head is soapy and sticky, and picks up some orange/amber tones. I can see large carbonation bubbles slowly popping upwards in this, and as the head drops off you get nice lacing. There is a nice centimeter of sustaining head.

On the aroma: everything I hoped for and more. I'm getting HUGE hop smells here, with resinous citrus (lemon, orange, pine, zest spice) up front. There's juicy oranges and some tropical fruit juice and fruit punch in the mix, courtesy of the Meridian hop maybe? The aroma has tons of hop spice, with citrus zest, white pepper, and big resin. There's a hint of grass in the aroma. It's just a big juicy hop-fueled aroma....good stuff.

The taste follows through with a slam dunk. You get huge Meridian hops up front, with fruit punch and an almost sugary, grape/passion fruit note. Then the beer hits you with tangerine, orange, sugary lemon, and some resinous pine and citrus/grapefruit, and crushable grassy notes. The back malt end leans towards biscuit/cracker. 

This is a very simple Imperial IPA with top-notch execution. The mouthfeel is medium-bodied, with good carbonation and tons of juicy hops to move things along. I feel like this is on the lighter side of 95 IBUs, but you do pick up tons of hops in the taste. There's pleasant drying in this, and the beer is nicely attenuated. There's no residual sugars to get you down. So...it drinks very easy for 9%. It also had good palate depth and decent complexity. Up front: a blast of sweet fruit punch, tangerines, sugary lemons, and tropical candies. I'm going to guess that is the Meridian hops in full assault. The mids dial up some resinous lemon, orange, citrus, pine, and grapefruit. The back end gets a bit more resinous and dry, with lingering lemon and grapefruit, a hint of onion, and lingering cracker/biscuit malt character. The finish is professional and dry, like a happy ending.

Rating: Above-Average (3.5/5.0 Untappd)

Like the Grapefruit Slam IPA, I'll toss this a Light Light Above-Average here. This is a very delicious beer showcasing a unique hop. If you like your Imperial IPAs on the sweeter, more balanced side of life...I would recommend this beer. The Meridian hops (and Citra hops) provide big juicy, fruity notes that are easy to wrap your palate around. Food pairings here include your typical American bar food, Mexican food, spicy wings, and on my menu tonight, fish tacos. I easily recommend this at $10 a 4-pack.

Random Thought: At some point, I'll try to get the 312 Pale Ale up in here.

Stone 17th Anniversary Götterdämmerung IPA

Brewed By: Stone Brewing Co. in Escondido, California

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

Style/ABV: American Double Stout, 9.5% 
Reported IBUs: 102

Has it really been 17 years since Stone first showed up on the scene? I don't even know what to say to that. About Stone:

Stone Brewing are one of the more prominent breweries in the American craft brewing scene. They were founded in 1996 in San Marcos, California, and moved to Escondido, California where they recently expanded their operations. Stone was founded by Steve Wagner and Greg Koch. Koch has a reputation among the craft beer community for voicing his opinion, not putting up with shit, and standing behind his beer. 

Götterdämmerung, or Twilight of the Gods, is the last cycle in Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen (some German opera shit, look it up). The title is a translation of the Old Norse phrase Ragnarök, which refers to a prophesied war among various beings and the gods that results in the destruction and then renewal of the world. This is some epic shit, so of course Stone named their beer after it.

Stone's 17th Anniversary Götterdämmerung IPA is brewed using all-German malts and hops. This beer features Pilsner malts, and Strisselspalt (noble hop), Herkules, Hersbrucker, Magnum, Merkur, Opal, Smaragd, and Sterling hops. The beer is dry-hopped with the Sterling hops. Dubbed a "German IPA," this beer pushes the envelope with its unique list of ingredients. Let's waste no more time, and glass this up.

Stone 17th Anniversary Götterdämmerung IPA

The beer pours into a dark, golden/yellow body, almost approaching amber or bronze. The beer kicks up three fingers of super dense, bready, golden-tinted head. The head is sticky and thick, and is made up of hop dreams. Bright light confirms the strong golden body, and the head still has a nice golden tint. The head is sustaining nicely, but leaving some lacing as it falls off. There's a stream of fat carbonation in the middle of my glass, and this beer looks to be semi or fully transparent.

Wow at the aroma on this. This beer has a bright and vibrant nose, with an explosion of Noble hop goodness. There's also quite a bit of resinous, woody, tangerine-citrus on this beer's nose, and it even hints at catty. Before I spend any more time jerking about how hoppy this beer is, I should point out that there is a nice Pilsner malt base present on the aroma. This beer kind of smells like an amped up, Imperial Pilsner. But not really. I am getting some biscuit...there's tangerine, resin, wood, BIG spices (tea/mint/evergreen/grass), and a slew of Noble hop ass-kickery. 

After the initial palate adjustment...actually, you don't really get that. This beer lays on a proper hop whoopin' right away, with a dense, resinous/woody assault of spicy and floral hops up front. There's a kiss of sweet caramel and tangerine in the mix, and then it's back to licking tree bark and stealing the moisture off your tongue. My goodness, this is pleasantly bitter. This is actually fairly sweet, with resin and sugar mixing it up in your mouth like horny teenagers exchanging saliva. I'm getting all the resin/wood, floral bitterness, and spicy, but there are punches of peach, mango, sweet citrus, tangerine, and bready caramel. The finish does reach for the spice and then punches you with bitter wood...and drying. 

At this point, I'm fairly certain that Stone simply isn't capable of making a bad IPA, and this beer is no exception. This beer is exceedingly bitter, and it even has a hint of booze, but it's still very drinkable for a 9.5%/102 IBU beer. The mouthfeel is medium-full to full-bodied, and is fairly smooth. The beer is propped up with some helpful carbonation and nice bitterness. Palate depth is outstanding, and this has moderate complexity. The finish is bone dry. I get a kiss of sweet Pilsner malts and sugars up front, followed by a blast of resin and herbal/spicy hops; that rolls into some citrus, sweetness, and more bitter; the back end is bitter, resinous, woody, and dry...there's a touch of booze on the back.

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd) 

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average on this, so prepare your fundie hole and go grab a few bottles before this expires on the shelves. At around 6 or 7 dollars a bomber, this beer is an outright good bargain. It's also a nice twist on the patented American Imperial IPA. A beer as floral, bright, and bitter as this can stand up to some impressively spicy foods. I would pair this beer with strong cheeses, strong spices, or grilled meats. Stone lists a bunch of food pairings, including blue cheese, carrot cake, cajun shrimp, and crab cakes. They also list out a bunch of cigars you could pair this beer with, but meh.

Random Thought: Dear the four people who read this shitty blog, you'll be happy to know that I am feeling a bit better. Maybe it was all the amphetamines/decongestants I took, or maybe it was the cold front that moved through...but my nose feels about a hundred times better than it did two days ago. I'm seriously looking forward to the part of Autumn where we get a cold snap and all the plants die. I'll take cold season over allergy season every time.