Hey, Beer Guy

Blended Beers; Or, You Won't Call This A Cocktail, Will You?

2009-05-07T17:40:00.000-07:00

Quite a few American craft brewers have come up with new beers by using nothing more than beers that already exist. Blends of varietals and styles have been used in winemaking forever, but combining already-existing beers is still something very new in craft beer.

Sure, more popular beers have been seen together in the same glass in bars for a good long time, and TBG knows of brewpubs that combine their own house brews for experimentation's sake for their own quaffing after hours. But marketing blended beers as a new, separate product has been a relatively untapped possibility (no pun intended... okay, pun intended). For microbreweries, it's a simple way to get customers interested in two (or more) of a brewery's beers at once. Sometimes, these brews have been aged in barrels, truly creating a recipe that is completely separate from the combined parts. Examples abound in American craft brewing, with more surely to come--

Southern Tier Mokah: A newly-released combination of 2 of ST's best imperial stouts, Choklat and Jahva. Though spelling fanatics probably aren't fans of this sort of literary experimentation, the beer promises to be a nice addition to the already-bursting ST portfolio. Certainly a good beer for brunch or dessert, this blend makes sense. Coffee and chocolate have played well together in plenty of profitable situations, just ask Starbucks.

Southern Tier Gemini: This is another blend of similar styles, a strong ale/extra pale ale (Hoppe) playing nicely with an imperial IPA (Unearthly). The result is an interesting twinning, especially since the final product is left unfiltered, making it a unique product from its parts. Still, there's plenty of hop bite that gets a nice compliment from a high malt and alcohol content. Just be careful opening the bottles. Instead of giving them wax coats on the cap, the first batch had a sort epoxy that made them extremely difficult to open. TBG isn't sure if the issue has been addressed, but just tread lightly. Busted bottles make a craft-beer lover cry.

Hoppin' Frog Black & Tan: Though the name makes TBG cringe, this is still a nice take on a "style" that otherwise doesn't see much experimentation. BORIS, the Akron brewery's award-winning imperial stout makes friends with Hoppin' To Heaven, Hoppin' Frog's single IPA. Hoppin' To Heaven is 2/3 of the mix, making up for the strength of the stout. This is certainly a more ambitious sort of blend, allowing roast, malt, and hops to intertwine and converse nicely. And at 7.6%, it won't kill your night.

Bell's Bourbon Barrel-Aged Double Cream/Expedition Stout Blend: Now here we go. As if Larry Bell himself were channeling TBG's private dreams, Bell's has combined their two best stouts, a fantastic milk stout and the famed Expedition imperial stout, then aged them in bourbon barrels, kegging the result. Does TBG wish he could get his hands on this highly-reviewed and hyped result? You bet your sweet bippy.

Avery/Russian River Collaboration Not Litigation Ale: Blended beers can cross state lines, sometimes, too. Most craft beer nerds know the story already, but it's an interesting tale even for those with no interest in beer. Avery and Russian River were both making Belgian-style ales called "Salvation", and instead of suing each other to high heaven, the brewmasters got together in secret and decided that releasing a combo-brew would do both sides much more good. It does the customer good, too, introducing them to not one, but two breweries. It's a good business story, and a good beer story. Everyone can get behind that. The beer's not too bad, either.

Struise/De Molen Black Damnation: Leave it to the visiting minds of Chicago's Pipeworks Brewing Company to put together perhaps the craziest collaboration of 2009. Black Damnation mashes up De Struise's famed Black Albert with Dutch brewery De Molen's own imperial stout, Hel and Verdoemenis (hell and damnation, translated). Not much, if any, will likely hit the States, but that won't stop the gray market (it's already up on eBay). If there's a will for someone to try this beer, there's certainly a way. Especially with the Internet. Early reviews are raving about insane layers of complexity, with English and Belgian sensibilities cooperating gleefully.

This Week Is Insane

2009-03-23T20:45:00.000-07:00

If you get amped over new beer releases, this is probably your week to be in Chicago.

Southern Tier Jahva is back for a 2009 version. In addition, get ready for Iniquity, a dark IPA that's been getting tons of buzz. If these upstate New Yorkers know anything, it's how to wrangle wonderful flavors from crazy hybrids of style.

Harpoon's Leviathan series sees another entry with a Belgian-style Quadrupel that's still under $12 for a 4-pack. Color me intrigued.

Goose Island drop a stunning 5 new beers on the masses. 3 Belgian-styles and 2 American-styles that I mentioned in the previous entry. All of these sound like wonderful additions to the Goose portfolio, and having tasted Juliet already, they look primed to release rivals to TBG's favorite, Bourbon County Stout, as Goose's flagship über-special brew.

Lagunitas should be bringing in a few new offerings, as well. 2009 Gnarlywine, Undercover Investigation Shutdown Ale, and Hop Stoopid are all slated to arrive late this week. Also, look for Maximus in 6-packs.

Avery Brabant, a dark wild ale aged in Zin barrels, is due at any moment. Gird yourself.

Founders Cerise, the cherry-infused answer to Rubaeus, is coming around the bend.

OH AND ONE MORE THING, Three Floyds' Rabbid Rabbit, their excellent take on a Belgian farmhouse ale, will be hitting shelves just in time for you to call it a Paasbier.

Okay, sure. Lost Abbey's Angel's Share isn't out yet, no idea when we'll be getting it. Oberon isn't out yet either, and Bell's 9000 is on its way, as are Half Acre's Baume' and Daisy Cutter. But, in the meantime, this is a hell of a week.

Liquid Reasons To Love The Change In Seasons (Chicago Version)

2009-03-15T16:07:00.000-07:00

Chicago is a funny town. Most residents treat it like an Arctic wasteland between Election Day and Easter. The rest dress like eskimos for five months out of the year and do warmth-dances at bus stops. The craziest of the crazy ride bikes all year round. TBG is the craziest of the crazy, and in pretty decent shape to boot. Also, biking is a good way to work through your buzz without getting a DUI in a car. Thankfully, the time is fast approaching where we don't have to worry about such cold-weather insanity for awhile. Let's celebrate this fact by talking about the myriad new stuff that Chicago-area breweries will be gracing us with in the coming weeks.

Half Acre: The Chicago-based company have now officially started brewing at their new location in Northcenter, after nearly two years of contract brewing in Black River Falls, Wisconsin. Locally-made Half Acre Lager and Over Ale should be available posthaste, as well as some potential bombers to commemorate the Chicago brewhouse, and bringing the long and arduous process of building and opening up the new facility to a fitting close.

Metropolitan Brewing: We have a new Chicago brewery is in our midst, as well. Based in Chicago's Ravenswood neighborhood, this little brewery is beginning by churning out a pair of German-inspired lagers just in time for barbecues and sidewalk-BYOB joints to explode all over the city. Offering #1 is Flywheel, a hopped-up "Bright" lager that goes far beyond its breadiness and pale yellow color, with a hoppy kick and hint of sweetness. Dynamo, a copper-colored lager, is their second, with a maltier backbone and hints of caramel. Get ready for more German styles as they expand to seasonal selections.

Goose Island: Now here's where things get fun and all sorts of interesting. The house on Fulton and Wood dropped their Summertime Kölsch early, in lieu of releasing a Spring seasonal (normally Kilgubbin Irish Red Ale). To sate the geeks, though, Goose will be releasing a large number of bombers, including 5 new beers. First, the year-round beers in the Reserve series (Matilda and Pere Jacques) will be seeing new labels, and packaging in both bombers and 4-packs. Next, two new Belgian-style beers are arriving in bombers. The first is Sofie, a saison that was partially aged in barrels with orange peel. The second is arguably the brewery's most adventurous offering since Bourbon County Stout, a wild ale called Juliet. The Shakespearean heroine starts as a rye beer, which then is aged in cabernet barrels with blackberries. The result is a dry, yet fruity brew that is not overwhelmed by its wild yeasts, or by alcohol (6.7%). A dry-hopped imperial stout, Night Stalker, is available on draft only, along with the Imperial IPA. Finally, the Clybourn Heritage series gives bomber releases to some brewpub favorites, a reformulated Demolition ale (Belgian pale), Naughty Goose (brown ale), and Red Felt (a hoppy red ale).

Flossmoor Station: The first brewery to get a guest tap at Goose Island Clybourn? These south-suburban heroes, with their Killer Kapowski Baltic porter. The verdict? Yummy. It's great to see local breweries propping each other like this, it only means good things for everyone as a whole. TBG hopes that the Re-Session Ale, a 3% pub ale with a ridiculous hop profile, is next.

Three Floyds: Between Dark Lord Day (25 April), Brian Boru, Rabbid Rabbit, that Dogfish Head collaboration (Popskull), and expanding into the Milwaukee and Madison markets, TBG isn't sure if anything is going on in Munster. In other words, it's crazy-busy as usual in NW Indiana.

The Chicago breweries aren't the only ones making waves in the Windy City in Spring...

Bell's: Since re-entering the market, the one beer that fans of the Michigan brewery have been clamoring for more than any other is the ubiquitous Two-Hearted. The IPA wasn't made available to the Illinois market due to the hop shortage, with no real word as to its return. Until now. It's back, you can put your foil hats away now.

Founders: Kentucky Breakfast Stout returns this week. It will be gone in approximately 12 minutes.

What Year Is This Again? (TBG's 5 Favorite New Brews of 2008)

2009-03-11T20:27:00.000-07:00

If folks decide to look back on craft-brewing history in the United States, 2008 might mark a slight turning point -- where brewers realized that they could go beyond hops to find flavor nuances. All sorts of new takes on different styles were hatched last year, with barrel-aging, added ingredients, and the use of different yeasts and bacterias making up for the hop shortage that put everyone's favorite hop-bombs in short supply. In the long run, I think it will be for the best. Beer is a liquid media (no pun intended), and being able to incorporate invention and influence will make microbrews an exciting scene for years to come.

As for the past year, let's get started...

Dark Horse Coffee Doppelbock: Though all the hype in Chicago '08 might have been about Bell's returning to the Windy City, this little brewery that could out of Marshall, Michigan was making perhaps the best brews in the Wolverine State. This one definitely took the cake -- a full-bodied, dark doppelbock with a nice kick of bitterness from some grade A java. The big malt profile of the brew meshes beautifully with the coffee, creating a perfect brew for sitting by the fire with a book, movie, computer, dog, or, if you can't find any of those, significant other.

Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron: The New Yorker was all over this one, and so am I. A gigantic brown ale from the kings of American big beers, aged in a barrel made from Paraguayan wood so heavy and dense that it sinks in water. The result? Richness and complexity like you would not believe, layers of vanilla and tobacco enveloping a smooth, chocolatey concoction that is all you need to forget about a rough day at the office. Two of them, though, and you'd forget most everything else.

Goose Island Bourbon-Aged Christmas Ale: This one almost isn't fair, I know. A stupidly-rare one-off project that was all but forgotten by the brewmasters of Goose Island, this was a batch of the Christmas Ale from 2005, placed in bourbon, bottled and released for tasting employees and brewery employees. The spiciness of the ale is smoothed over by the expansion and closing of the wood, to the point where you are left with an opaque, deep amber ale that has peaked right now, while still not being too heavy or alcoholic. If this can be produced in quantities that would enable them to retail it, Goose would certainly gain legendary status.

Stone Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout: Even the West Coast breweries got hit by the hop crisis, to the point where even the larger microbreweries had to abandon their hop-heavy plans for seasonal beers. Thank goodness. Chocolate and oats give this imperial stout a different sort of bitterness, one that isn't quite as challenging on the palate, while still providing a complex task for the drinker. BCOS is a marvelously rich brew with a pleasant touch of creaminess to it, thanks to the rich combination of chocolate and oatmeal. If Stone continue to pull tricks like this out of their sleeves, the hop dependence that many craft-brew-quaffers have developed will be eliminated with relatively little withdrawal.

Struise/Mikkeller: This sort of collaboration, an American-style Double-IPA made by the it-brewers of Belgium and Scandinavia, respectively, seems like such a train wreck on paper. However, the idea that makes this beer brilliant is deceptively simple: throw some candi sugar in there. Suddenly, the insane IBU number is rendered to a footnote. An IPA that isn't all about the hops, you say? Perish the thought. Collaborations like these will only lead to more exciting takes on styles that have been twisted beyond recognition already. There are lots of tricks left to pull, and all we can sit back and enjoy the ride. And ask for a new liver, that too.

sorry about the wait, folks...

2009-03-11T20:04:00.000-07:00

I am happy to inform all 2 of my readers that HBG is alive and kicking!

A potent combination of malt, procrastination, adjuncts, impromptu vacations, hops, holidays, viruses, water, writer's block, and yeast have prevented me from posting anything for awhile. For that, I humbly say "mea maxima culpa" a few dozen times and ask you to keep reading. TBG's best of 2008 is dropping in mere minutes, I promise. Happy 2009!

Thank you for your continued support of Hey, Beer Guy.

-tbg

Holiday Beers? Oh, Why The Heck Not.

2008-12-10T21:46:00.000-08:00

I was going to post this right after Thanksgiving. That didn't happen. It's too bad, since I had myriad jokes planned about how surviving one holiday was only like the first step of great series of ordeals involving family, friends, and stress. If you survive the first, Christmas/Hanukkah awaits you like the big boss at the end of a video game. When you defeat this monster, you get to celebrate for a solid week, until you realize that you've actually been watching bowl games continuously for 10 days. It happens to the best of us. Again, it didn't quite happen like I planned it. Let's celebrate, anyway. Beer, anyone?

The question then arises, what to imbibe during the two months of alternating revelry and stress? How about a nice holiday-style beer? What's nice about the holidays is that there are actually a few different styles that gain a bit of prominence this time of year over others, and they're all pretty fantastic. TBG digs most holiday beer styles, which is more than I can say for the last couple months (TBG can take or leave 'Festbiers, no offense). Each major brewing nation in Europe has developed their own sort of celebration brew, let's examine:

English-style Winter Warmer: The quintessential holiday beer for most American beer-drinkers is a generally yummy brew that usually isn't too heavy on the hops, relying instead on spices or unique malt characters to impart a sweeter sort of pop into the mix. Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome is probably the most traditional, and famous, of the style, though Wychwood's Bah Humbug and St. Peter's Winter Ale are also quite notable. These brews are reddish-amber to deep brown in color, and have really taken off in America, thanks to breweries like Anchor producing popular versions for decades. The style has traction worldwide, with a varying array of spices and flavors employed in various versions. Great Lakes famously uses cinnamon, ginger, and honey in their Christmas Ale, while from Japan, Hitachino Nest's Celebration Ale has been known to employ nutmeg, coriander, curacao, and vanilla. Other breweries use no spice at all, like Goose Island.

Belgian-style Christmas Ale: Generally, these are deep amber-colored ales with hefty alcohol contents (8%-13%) that can, but don't necessarily have to, employ spices. For many abbey breweries, Christmas beers are spiced-up strong darks that can smell like a less-musty version of Grandma's potpourri. They tend to age very well, due to high alcohol contents and bottle refermentation. Throwing "Noël" on the brewery's name will usually signal to the customer that they've found a lovely example. TBG's favorite of the style is probably Scaldis, but other excellent examples include Gouden Carolus (from Het Anker), Delirium (from Huyghe), St. Feuillien.

Finnish-style Sahti: One of the few pre-hop era styles that is gaining some recognition and experimentation today, the Sahti is a fascinating brew. Originating from the brewing traditions of old, this juniper-infused brew is a pale, murky concoction that can use either ale and baking yeast. Besides barley, it is not uncommon for other grains to be used in sahtis, including wheat, rye, and oats. Most Finnish versions require continuous refrigeration, so they're usually not imported to the States, but Goose Island Clybourn does produce a decent version for those of you in Chicago.

German/Austrian-style Holiday Bock: Strong lagers of all shapes and sizes have come from Central Europe for centuries. Mahr's Christmas Bock, from Bamburg, is a traditional bock that commemorates the season nicely, for example. The biggest of the big, however, come from Eggenberg, Austria, where the Samichlaus brews are made. Both a regular dark style and a Helles exist at a hefty 14% alcohol, making them the world's strongest lagers that you'll be able to find on a semi-regular basis. Tread lightly with these brews, even though they are rather delectable.

... And In America, Anything Goes: American breweries love to celebrate the holidays as well, but in whatever way they see fit. Some go with a stout (Port Brewing), others a strong lager (Southern Tier), or a Scottish-style ale (Bell's) and many more take on the Winter Warmer style to decent effect (aforementioned). Goose Island recently busted out a bourbon-aged Christmas Ale at some tastings for the new release of Bourbon County Stout. Frankly, TBG would love to see this tradition continued, since the wood and bourbon added notes of spice and vanilla that complemented the original brew fantastically.

What brews does TBG look forward to the most? Well, it's kind of a hodge-podge. This year, I can't wait to try Struise's Tsjeeses (spiced strong Belgian pale), De Dolle's Stille Nacht (spiced strong dark, though only a shade darker than Tsjeeses, from what I can tell, Jolly Pumpkin's Noel de Calabaza (oak aged holiday beer from Michigan), Nøgne Ø's Peculiar Yule (Norwegian winter warmer). Cheers!

Not Available In Chicago (So Please Stop Asking)

2008-11-25T21:34:00.000-08:00

Here's a top 5 list!

TBG works at a local retailer of fine potables, where I get asked various random questions about beer constantly. It's a fun job, unless you have to clean a busted 6-pack of Hamm's from a cooler after spraying half of it on your new jeans. Has this happened to me? Yes it has. Nevertheless, getting to discuss beer all day for pay beats sitting behind a desk at the bottom of a skyscraper (TBG's old job). Editorializing aside, the most disappointed and nonplussed customers I encounter are those that simply do not know, or do not choose to understand, the fine points of the limitations of brewery distribution. Simply put, a lot of breweries are too small to expand into a market that's as big into its craft beer as Chicago. Many are happy to keep their market share in their little area, with little incentive to transport, and attempt to sell, beer in a market with so many other existing choices. This explains why the following brews aren't in Chicago, at stores of any size, or any pub that's following the rules:

5. Dark Lord Stout from Three Floyds -- It's only sold at the brewery in Munster, IN, on the last Sunday of April, annually. Show up early in 2009, there's gonna be a line. Same goes for Surly's Darkness, though taps can be seen in Chicago in early Novmber.

4. Stone Brewing -- Rumor has it that when Stone was first peddling their wares across the midwest, looking to expand their reach, no Illinois distributor wanted to pick up their goods. Years later, they never looked back. Our loss. However, they can be found in Indiana, Wisconsin, Ohio, most anywhere else besides Illinois, really. For reference, Russian River and Deschutes also don't make it here.

3. New Glarus Brewing -- Two customers asked me for Spotted Cow today. I'm not even joking. I get asked at least a dozen times a month, easily more. Truth be told, they generally do quite decent things. The Wisconsin brewery that also has BA's #36 overall, Wisconsin Belgian Red, only distributes in its home state, and would need a brewery expansion to extend their reach. Luckily, Kenosha is close if you absolutely need to.

2. Yuengling, or, Your favorite local brewery from "back home" -- I get a lot of sad faces when I tell customers that this one is unavailable in Chicago. The "but it's soooooooo good!" argument comes up a lot, which isn't a bad one, per se, it just does nothing to change the situation. I've also heard similar arguments for brewpubs that don't bottle, other local favorites (Boulevard, Columbus Brewing, etc.), and breweries that don't exist anymore. TBG is looking forward to the holidays.

1. Westvleteren -- As fun to say as it is to drink (or pine for), the so-called "best brewery on Earth" (if you use BA as a gospel) only does retail at the brewery, so schedule an appointment, a flight, and a car. You'll need it. Also set up an eBay account, there's supposedly easy money in that if you're unscrupulous.

GOOSE ISLAND STAYING OPEN

2008-11-11T21:10:00.000-08:00

As reported in Chicagoist, Goose Island has been able to get an 11th-hour extension on the lease for their maiden Clybourn location. Instead of closing on 21 December as planned, they are staying put. This is great news for everyone who likes good pub grub and excellent beer in Chicago. As for now, Old Abe Barleywine is on tap, go enjoy it.

New To Chicago! Lost Abbey and Port Brewing!

2008-11-06T14:28:00.000-08:00

Just in time for the holidays, rumor has it that Chicago will soon be getting beers from two excellent San Marcos, California breweries, The Lost Abbey and Pizza Port (aka Port Brewing).

The brews will hopefully be hitting shelves early next week, with approximately five offerings from each brewery. Of course, this means it's time to speculate as to what in the heck The Windy City will actually be getting for this opening run.

This pure prognostication, but it is likely that year-round brews will be featured most in this initial shipment, with a winter seasonal possibly mixed in for the fun of it...

Lost Abbey:

Avant Garde - Biere de Garde made using lager yeast. In other words, don't even try to classify this beer, 7%.

Lost and Found - This "Abbey Ale" is 7.5%, quite highly-rated, and probably compares most to a Belgian-style dubbel (perhaps New Belgium's Abbey Ale is point of comparison? Who knows).

Red Barn Ale - As you could probably tell from the name, this is a farmhouse-style saison, made using a load of spices (ginger, orange, black pepper, grains of paradise), and three grains (barley, wheat, oats), 6.7%.

Judgment Day - TBG thought about drinking a 750 of this Belgian-style quadrupel on Election Night (acquired via trading), but opted instead for Scaldis Noël, since the occasion felt like Christmas. Politics aside, this is a 10.5% mother of a brew made using raisins. Also the base brew of Lost Abbey's famed Cuvee de Tomme.

Devotion - The closest that we might get to a table beer from these folks, this Belgian-style Pale clocks in at 6.25%, nice for a relaxing weeknight at home.

Other possibilities include Gift Of The Magi (Belgian strong pale) and Serpent Stout (Russian imperial).

Pizza Port: (TBG noted that the Amigo Lager is listed as a year-round, but only on draft. I'm guessing it's doubtful for Chicago)

Sharkbite Red - The flagship brew of the Port, this is a hopped-up American Amber/Red Ale that certainly would go well with the dish that is the brewery's namesake, 5.5%

WipeOut IPA - A tribute to the area's surfing population, this IPA's alcohol content puts it in between the regular and "imperial" categories, 7%

HOP 15 - An imperial IPA clocking in at 9.7%, this beer utilizes a whopping 15 hop varieties. It's also ranked #88 in the world on Beeradvocate, so it's no slouch in any sense.

Old Viscosity - This one looks delectable. A blend of 80% Old Viscosity and 20% barrel-aged Old Viscosity yields a dark beer that bears the "strong ale" style due to its complete lack of classifiability (Ed - Is that a word?). The website says it's a mix between stout, porter, old ale, and barleywine. We'll take two, please.

Older Viscosity? - The question mark indicates that TBG is less sure about this one coming, but since it's the winter seasonal, and we've run out of year-round brews, it's our best bet. Ergo, let's hope for this Russian imperial stout to hit Chicago next week.

Other possibilities include High Tide (fresh hop IPA), Santa's Little Helper (Russian imperial), and Shark Attack (double/imperial red).

BIPA?, or, Other New Style(s) On The Horizon

2008-10-14T07:30:00.000-07:00

One of the great things about the explosion of craft brewing in America is that enterprising and experimental folks will take the templates and traditions of the finest European styles, and twist and turn them into something completely new and delightful. In both American and Belgian brewing cultures, beer fans have a crop of new styles and subgenres cropping up for all to enjoy. Whether they are amalgamations of other brewing styles, amped-up versions of classic favorites, or unique takes hardened traditions, these developing styles exemplify the contant innovation in craft brewing. Here are the latest examples:

Black/Brown IPA: Here's the main subject of this post, a new trend that's been quickly developing among small-scale American brewers looking to squeeze more density of flavor out of IPAs that are continuing to feel the hop shortage. Dark IPAs/India Dark Ales/India Brown Ales (there are a ton of names for this style) are pretty self-explanatory, IPAs made using dark malts. What sounds simple in description yields a very complex result. These beers developed out of American brown ales, rye IPAs, and the inevitable experimentation of brewers either putting more hops in their darker beers, or throwing more dark malts in IPAs. These shouldn't be confused with American strong ales (aka "stock ales"), or imperial-style red ales, since the color of these ales is usually a deep brown, or even a slightly translucent black. Lots of coffee notes are inevitable from the beers that marry dark, roasted malts with an increased hop bitterness. Examples include Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale, Stone's 11th Anniversary brew, and Laughing Dog Black IPA.

Belgian-style Stout: Stouts brewed using Belgian yeasts, and sometimes even Belgian malts, impart a rather fruity character to the beer that belies the darker, more roast-y expectations for an imperial or export stout. The roastiness and malts used in these beers generally make them darker than a Belgian-style Strong Dark, Quad, or Dubbel. They're usually quite heavy in the alcohol department, but they hide that fact better than just about any style in existence. Examples include Allagash Black, De Dolle Extra Export Stout, De Regenboog Catherine The Great, and De Struise Black Albert.

Belgian IPA: This is perhaps the latest style to be added to the pseudo-official canon of accepted, separate beer styles. Breweries like De Ranke (XX Bitter) and Chouffe (Houblon Dobbelen IPA Tripel) started the trend of making stronger pale ales with increased hop contents. Nowadays, brewers in America and Belgium alike have taken to producing brews with Belgian characters and big hops. Though these beers aren't hop bombs, per se (most of them use European hops, which tend to have a little less bitterness to them), they are still able to pack a punch while maintaining a sweet-malty balance. The newer examples include Stone Cali-Belgique, Gouden Carolus Hopsinjoor, Urthel Hop-It, and Alvinne Gaspar.

Imperial/Double Pilsner: TBG just noticed this style added to Beeradvocate the other day. Either I'm going crazy or I'm losing my touch. Either way, these brews are almost all American creations, based mostly on the brews made in the United States pre-Prohibition era. Pilsner was still the style of choice for most of the planet at that point, but stronger, more potent versions of it were quite prevalent. Much like a comparison between IPAs and Imperial IPAs, expect extra bitterness from added hops, and amped up sweetness due to the extra malt needed for that imperial punch.

Goose Island Clybourn, Two Months To Live...

2008-10-12T08:34:00.000-07:00

It's official. After six months of 11th-hour-style negotiations and hand-wringing on the part of proprietors and patrons, the Goose Island Clybourn brewpub will be shuttering its doors 21 December 2008, 20 years after reintroducing craft brewing to Chicago.

After being one of the first businesses to draw people to Chicago's now-bustling Clybourn shopping district in southwest Lincoln Park, the rising costs of real estate, and the leasing thereof, have worked to drive Goose Island away from the scene they themselves helped foster and develop.

No announcements have been made with regards to possibly opening a new location, or what will be done with the brewing equipment at the Clybourn pub. The main Fulton brewing facility, where all of Goose's bottles and kegs are filled and sealed, will not be affected, nor will the Wrigleyville brewpub on Clark Street. Also housed in the brewpub facility, The Siebel Institute of Technology, America's premier brewing education school, stated in April that they would be looking for a place to relocate in 2009, while classes will continue until year's end. Nevertheless, this is a huge blow for the local brewing scene in Chicago, as the most adventurous and established brewpub in the city will be no longer.

My advice? Go enjoy a pint at Willow and Clybourn while you still can. Then go to Wrigleyville, since baseball won't be overcrowding that neighborhood again until March.

Moonshine, A New Kid On The Block

2008-09-16T21:33:00.000-07:00

For its size and beer culture, Chicago is startling low on brewpubs and breweries. Sure, there are a dozen or so out in the suburbs, but a great many are only accessible by automobile. Those of us in the city proper without cars, or those not wishing to shell $50 on gas, have to stick to the city to get our respective rocks off. Goose Island, Rock Bottom, and Piece are all fine choices, but beyond those, we are left to explore gastropubs and other places that serve you beer from somewhere else.

But lookie! There's a new entry on the local brewing scene. Strangely enough, it comes from a bar on the happening Division Street strip just east of Damen Avenue. Moonshine, a place still primarily known for its extensive whiskey selection, has been serving its own brews on draught for the last couple months. TBG finally made it out there recently to give it a go.

What struck me about the place was: 1. How nicely uncrowded it was on a Monday night, and 2. The brewing was downright adventurous. They only offered 3 house brews on tap, but the selection leads one to believe they have more good things in store. Sin City is their own unique take on an Irish dry stout, while Chronic is a mildly-cleverly named hemp beer, presumably offered now because college just got back in session. Just kidding.

TBG ended up with a pint of Alpha Dog, which the waitress kindly compared to Stone's Arrogant Bastard Ale. I was piqued that it was the first comparison that could be made to this beer. Though Alpha Dog wasn't strong enough to fall into the "strong ale" category (thank goodness), this one defied expectation and classification. A dark amber brew with little to no aroma, the taste on this beer came up front with a hint of butterscotch, not a lot of hops, and an absolutely fascinating malt profile. It's probably best described as a very flavorful mix between an Irish red ale and American pale. Whatever it is, it's enough to convince TBG to go back there again, and to recommend it to folks looking for a beer destination that's not one of the usual suspects. I'd just avoid the place on the weekend, where Moonshine tends to be overrun by yuppies and it's a bit more difficult to have a conversation or get a table.

Bourbon County Stout Release Info!

2008-09-05T12:27:00.000-07:00

As you have probably guessed at this point, TBG lives in Chicago, so any time there's news regarding the brewery's most highly-regarded brew, the ubiquitous Bourbon County Stout, we're going to get a little excited around here.

The official release date for bottles is November 1. Although there have been some samplings of cask and draft around town, no bottles have gone on sale as of yet. According to Goose, the batch for 2008 is triple the amount that came in for 2007, so the wealth can be spread around Goose's ever-expanding distribution area. BCS is on tap now at the main Goose Island brewpub on Clybourn.

Goose has a couple other treats on the way, as well. There's a new winter seasonal that's on the horizon, simply called "Mild Winter Rye". This sessionable winter brew is the first rye offering that Goose has bottled for the public, but it won't be the last. More on that in the next paragraph. Mild Winter won't be replacing Goose's Christmas Ale, not by a long shot. The winter warmer will still be offered in 6-packs, albeit in smaller quantities than the Mild Winter.

As for other wry (rye?) offerings from Goose, there's Juliet. This will rival Capital's lagered Baltic Porter for the most innovative American brew to see release in 2008. Start with a rye beer made with marionberries. Finish it with Brettanomyces yeast (it's the stuff that gives funky Belgian brews their distinctive funk, think Orval), then age it in Cabernet Sauvignon casks for a few months. The result should be stunning, and TBG can't wait to try it.

Goose Island's Anniversary Series, An Update (dates and brews)

2008-08-21T21:17:00.001-07:00

So, after visiting the Goose brewpub, I was able to snag a tentative release date schedule of all the beers in the series, including yesterday's 20th Anniversary Ale.

8 July - Midway IPA

22 July - Hopscotch Ale

6 Aug - Old Clybourn Porter

20 Aug - 20th Anniversary

3 Sept - Lincoln Park Lager

17 Sept - Beer Hunter Brown Porter

1 Oct - Oktoberfest

15 Oct - Dunkelweizenbock

29 Oct - Aviator Doppelbock

12 Nov - Golden Goose Pilsner

26 Nov - Old Abe Barleywine

10 Dec - Sahti

Last Time I Checked, It's Still Summer...

2008-08-18T21:03:00.000-07:00

But apparently we're into the fall beers now. Works for TBG. Though there's nothing wrong with a nice wheat or Kölsch brew, your friendly writer is more interested in the darker stuff that might have a little more depth to it. Something to settle into the thought of colder weather, because it's certainly not here in reality.

So, what's hitting shelves in the autumn that we've not seen much of as of late? If it's German-style, it's a Märzen (aka "Oktoberfest") nearly for sure. The potent, amber lager is the toast of most traditional German Oktoberfests, and who are we to go against the masters? That said, there are plenty of other breweries that are doing their own fun things in different styles, as well.

Great Lakes Oktoberfest - One of the best beers in the Märzen style comes, from all places, Cleveland. It shouldn't be as much of a surprise as one may think. Cleveland has a healthy German population, and the folks at GLBC have been doing tremendous lagers since their inception 20 years ago. Their flagship brew is arguably the world's best Dortmunder-style, and their anniversary brew was an imperial version of that style. In addition, Eliot Ness is one of the better Vienna-style lagers you're bound to find, so another lager isn't really a stretch for them at all. Other 'Festbiers to look for will hit your face courtesy of Ayinger, Beck's, Victory, Warsteiner, and Weihenstephan.

Goose Island Harvest Ale - Here's a nice little ESB from the people at Wood and Fulton. TBG is quickly becoming a fan of ESB's. English Special Bitters are remarkably balanced, copper-hued ales. Though they do exhibit a fair amount of hops, they aren't especially "bitter", per se. Their deep malt character usually gives the drinker a rich, flavorful ale that is still potentially modest in the alcohol department, like Goose's offering (5.6%). TBG sessioned this bad boy at the Hideout's Block Party last year. Though it doesn't mesh as well with Dan Deacon, it goes great with Art Brut.

Capital Baltic Porter - Though not necessarily an autumn seasonal (they have their own Oktoberfest, as well), this latest addition to the Wisconsin brewery's Capital Square series is quite the treat. A porter recipe fermented with lager yeast, this hefty brew is remarkably deep and complex. TBG had this on tap at The Map Room a few months back, and was very impressed with the experimentation and execution involved here. Also look for Capital's ubiquitous Autumnal Fire Doppelbock at any moment. If you can make it to their small distribution zone, these are worth trying.

Magic Hat Jinx - Though I noted this beer briefly in a post not too long ago, I want to give Jinx another shout because I think it is awesome that they make a Wee Heavy for their Fall seasonal. Scotland's styles don't get a whole of mention (maybe they need a holiday of their own), but TBG has always been a big fan of a good Scottish-style ale. These darker beers get boiled for a long time, so the wort gets caramelized. This gives you a sweet, strong beer that's excellent for the longer nights, sharp breezes, and cold temperatures that we have yet to experience...

Southern Tier Pumking - Pumpkin ales are a mixed bag if there ever was one in the beer world. Though they expose of lot of new folks to the world of craftiness in beer, the end results themselves tend to either be overwhelmingly pumpkin-y, or just simply not too great. Leave it to Southern Tier to pleasantly alter our perceptions with this perfectly wonderful brew. Smelling of pumpkin and cornmeal, it tastes, honest-to-god, like pumpkin pie with whipped cream. If pumpkin is remotely your thing, this is worth a try.

Dogfish Head Theobroma - In addition to Punkin, the Delaware brewery's own pumpkin statement, the anthro department at DFH is doing the lord's work, too. After Midas Touch and Chateau Jiahu, look for Theobroma, an ale based on the cacao-based concoctions of the Aztecs, on shelves in September.

Contingency Planning: How The Hop Shortage Just Might Benefit Craft Beer In The Long Run

2008-08-08T00:30:00.000-07:00

If you pay attention to craft beer, you probably heard about the now-infamous shortage of hops and, to a lesser extent, malt, in either late 2007 or early 2008. By Spring '08, NPR, the NYT, and even your local 11 o'clock news seemed to be treating the skyrocketing price of beer ingredients like the 4th horseman.

TBG really doesn't believe that a shortage of hops will drive craft brewing to extinction. Any examination of any entity that has stood the test of time will prove that craft brewers have the acumen, intelligence, and invention necessary to evolve and survive this crisis for a few reasons:

1. Hops will be used with less abandon.

American breweries have been using hops like water since craft brewing took off in the 1990s. The bitterness envelope has pushed beyond the limits of human perception in craft beer. With triple-digit IBUs becoming the norms in double and triple IPAs all over the place, it seems prudent that breweries will be using hops more like spices in their recipes and less like weapons. Though there are many huge IPAs that delight and wow the senses, there just as many that leave the quaffer feeling overwhelmed. If any resource suddenly becomes a rare commodity, it will be used in lesser quantities to greater effect. Simply overloading beers with hops will likely become a thing of the past, with more balanced and refined recipes being the result.

2. Less hoppy styles will receive further exploration.

If American breweries start playing with stouts, porters, and Scottish-style ales more often, please do not be alarmed. There are tons of rich, flavorful, interesting styles that don't require an overabundance of hops. From the British-style dark ales I just mentioned to Belgian-style ales to less-known international styles of brewing like kvass and sahti, brewers might start gravitating towards brews that place less emphasis on hops, and more on malt, spice, and other outside ingredients. A great example is Stone's 12th anniversary brew, Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout. This is the first time the California brewery's done a stout for their anniversary brew (and TBG, an avowed stouthead, thinks it's about time!). This is a trend that will likely continue in the face of hop rarity.

3. Beer prices will go up (and that's arguably a good thing)

Beer's affordability is at once its blessing and its curse. The finest beers on the planet can be procured by laymen that are willing to put forth the required effort. Wine? You need thousands of dollars in order to get a bottle or two. On the other side of the coin, because the best beers in the world can be had without breaking the bank, its craft and art is not taken as seriously. When the price of ingredients goes up, then obviously the price of your final product needs to follow suit, otherwise the business is going south in a hurry. An increase in the price of craft brews, especially Americans, could perhaps lend a bit of credibility to the craftiest of the craft brews. $15 for a six-pack might be a bit steep for a lot of folks that wouldn't think first to get craft beer, but it's still a fair price to pay for a great beer to take to a BYOB joint. More thought could also be given to pairings for specific types of cuisine, courses, all those things that folks tend to do with wine, you know?

New To Chicago: Beyond Bell's

2008-08-07T18:23:00.000-07:00

So, if you had perused beer shelves around your local Chicago booze retailers recently, you would have seen some stuff you've either never seen, or hadn't seen in a really long time. Here's a brief rundown:

Half Acre Over Ale -- Though the Chicago-based company's flagship beer (simply called "Lager") has been contract-brewed at the Sand Creek Brewery in Wisconsin since the company's inception, they've been flaunting their Chicago roots and civic pride handily since their first bottle was sold. They go so far as to use variations of the city's flag on their packaging and merchandise. Their brewmasters have been experimenting with various ales for awhile now, and finally they're releasing one of them to the retail market. From the company's website, "Over Ale is what we call an American Style Bitter. This deep brown beer is brewed with six varieties of malted barley and balanced with three generous hop additions." Also, look for an actual Chicago-based brewery from these guys in Chicago's North Center neighborhood, near the intersection of Lincoln and Hutchinson.

Magic Hat -- The famed New England brewery joins Harpoon in breaking into Chicago during Summer 2008. No doubt the purchase of Seattle-based Pyramid helps the purveyors of "not-quite-so-pale" #9 ease into the massive market of the Midwest's largest metro area. Also joining #9 are the autumnal seasonal Jinx (BeerAdvocate calls it a Wee Heavy, awesome), and a 12-bottle variety pack containing the aforementioned brews, as well as the ever-changing Odd Notion (this time a pre-Prohibition-style lager), and the purportedly soon-to-be-discontinued Circus Boy Hefeweizen. Why discontinue the Circus Boy? The acquisition of Pyramid means that the West Coast brewery's more-popular Hefe would, in theory, get top billing.

Bell's -- Oh yeah, these guys. Since the former distributor of Bell's in Illinois, Union, got bought out by Judge & Dolph, and since J&D are choosing not to distribute beer, Bell's were able to choose a new distributor. The "Kalamazoo Brewing" line will be discontinued in the Land of Lincoln, while the Lager, Porter, Pale Ale, Kalamazoo Stout, Oberon, Amber, and Third Coast beers will see the state's shelves again. Two-Hearted has to wait due to the hop shortage, while the more pricey Bell's offerings (like Sparkling Ale, Best Brown, Expedition, and Hopslam) will be coming in due time. Is Chicago excited for this? Let the endcaps up all over the place tell you the full story (the answer is yes).

Brewdog -- Let's not forget these formidable Scotsmen. Look for an amber ale, two IPAs, and imperial stout from these folks, in addition to some rare bottles of Scotch-whisky-aged stout.

Unibroue's Quatre-Centieme, a beer commemorating Quebec City's 400th anniversary, has also been in the Windy City for a little over a week now.

Goose Island's Anniversary Series, The Delectable Dozen

2008-07-23T20:45:00.000-07:00

So, if you appreciate beer in Chicago, then Goose Island's Clybourn brewpub is one of your primary destinations on a semi-regular basis. You probably also know that 2008 represents the 20th anniversary of the Hall family's humble beginning. A lot has happened to the Goose in the past two decades, growing from a humble, locally-oriented operation to one of the nation's largest, and most-renowned craft brewers. They currently place two beers in the Beeradvocate top 100 (Bourbon County Stout and their Imperial IPA), and routinely bring home medals from the World Beer Cup and other such competitions. Indeed, Greg and John Hall are a big reason that Chicago's culture of beer appreciation is one of the largest and best-informed in the United States.

What better way, then, to celebrate their first 20 years than releasing (in small quantities), some of the brews that haven't made it to wide distribution, brewpub exclusives that were possibly never going to see the light of day again. The program officially started 9 July, with a new bottle seeing release on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month until the end of the year. Here's a preview of the 12 beers in this anniversary series:

Midway IPA -- "Mid-way" between Imperial and normal IPA territory (Midwesterners love their puns), this is a brew that generally shows up at the pub once a year or so, during the warmer months that lend themselves well to IPA appreciation.

Hopscotch Ale -- American-style pale ale, generously-hopped while not being too high in the alcohol department.

Old Clybourn Porter, Beer Hunter Brown Porter -- For a brewery that does the English-style brews so well (stout, IPA, pub ale, Irish red), it's amazing that they've not put a porter out for wide consumption. They make up for it here with a couple examples of the London-style dark stuff.

Sahti -- This is a tremendously involved and unique brew of Finnish origin, infused with juniper instead of hops. This cloudy brew is the one The Beer Guy is looking forward to trying more than any other. Sahtis are rather rare brews, with only 13 listed on Beeradvocate, most made in Finland. According to Wikipedia, the yeast varieties used in sahtis, which can either be of ale or baking varieties, impart a banana-esque flavor to the brew. Excited? Yes, we are.

20th Anniversary Ale -- Lord only knows what we're going to have in store here. If it's anything like the Celebration Red they had on cask at the Wrigleyville Brewpub last week, expect a hoppy, amber-colored brew that isn't incredibly malty, but has a very nice depth.

Lincoln Park Lager, Pils, Oktoberfest -- Small brewpubs generally don't go the route of lagers. They cost more to produce. Why? They require colder temperature for fermentation (more money for refrigeration), and they ferment for longer (simply put, storing beer takes up rental space in the pub. Time is money, after all.). That hasn't stopped GI from putting out a few choice lagered brews every now and then. LPL is a longtime favorite named after the brewpub's own neighborhood, while the Pils is their take on the world's most popular style, golden and hoppy. I can only hope that the Oktoberfest is similar to the former Fall seasonal that they put out before the Harvest Ale took over in 2007. That beer was just as good as the Harvest.

Dunkelweizenbock, Doppelbock -- Goose's German-style beers are kept to the brewpub, besides the Summertime Kölsch. Stronger, darker brews aren't quite as accessible to the brewpub's wide audience. For the beer geeks, however, there are two offerings in the Anniversary Series. The first is a dark wheat beer with plenty of strength to go with its banana and clove notes, while the second is a dark, malty lager that is perfect for the winter months.

Barleywine -- If any of these special bottles feel the desire to go all-out, this is the one. Barleywines originated in Britain with the new harvest of grains and hops. They used a lot of each in the newest barleywine batch. Lots of malt and hops give it a ton of sweetness and bite. These are yummy brews if you have the tolerance for them.

Rare Beers: Uncharted Territory

2008-06-05T20:40:00.000-07:00

The Beer Guy works at a rather large spirits retailer, one where wine is the featured product of the business, not beer. This is the case for most major retailers of adult beverages, wine is the name of the game. That's just fine, TBG has nothing against a great glass of vino. If you want to throw a 90-point Malbec at me with my burger, I'm not going to say no. But this is not my point. The point is that at retailers with an excellent reputation, it's the real good stuff that brings the people in -- from all over the country. Phone calls are fielded from all over the place from customers asking about Quintarelli, Opus One, and all the First Growth Bordeauxs.

The same goes for beer. I'm sure that if you enjoy craft beer to a slightly-unhealthy level (like TBG and many of his friends), you might have been calling various retailers in March to see who was going to be getting Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout, and when. Being in Chicago, our store still hears at least a dozen questions a week regarding the stock of Goose Island's highly-regarded Bourbon County Stout. While it is encouraging to hear more and more people ask about the best beers in the world, it is rather disappointing to tell these hopeful customers that these products won't be in stock for many months. TBG fears he is turning people off to excellent beer by not having it available to them 366 days a year.

Of course, these fears are unfounded. If anything, the rarity of world's best beers, like wines, only increases the interest and demand for these items. There are several examples of how tradition, rarity, hype, or any combination of the three, can help drive the reputation and demand of the most sought-after beers from popular to near-mythic status.

The following are a few beers whose rarity has driven demand to levels that rivals the most highly-regarded wines and spirits on the planet. Each has gained notoriety for quality, of course, but the paths diverge fascinatingly from there.

Westvleteren 12 -- The one that started it all. This quadrupel from the most reclusive of the trappist breweries arguably lives up to its title of "Best Beer In The World", a place it has earned from both Beeradvocate and Ratebeer. However, with the title has come a reduction in distribution (only point-of-production sale, unless you go to the cafe across the street from the abbey). In addition, purchasers take a monastic vow to not sell the beer for profit. This hasn't stopped a considerable grey market from developing for all Westvleteren beers (6, 8, and the ubiquitous 12) and glassware. If you see bottles on Ebay, expect them to go for at least $20 a pop, but certainly more. TBG might argue that this was the first craft beer that made people in the States realize that certain brews could go up against the best wines in the world, and still prevail in a cost-to-quality comparison.

Three Floyds Dark Lord Russian Imperial Stout -- Imagine if Lafite Rothschild only released their Premier Cru one day out of the year, only at the winery, with a 6 bottle limit per person. They would have to guarantee it as one of the best on the planet, year in, year out. Right? Well, the guys in Munster, Indiana have been able to do just that. Not only do they consistently sell out of Dark Lord on the last Saturday of every April, but they are able to create an event out of the entire process. They make a party of it, drawing beerheads from around the world to the release party, inviting bands, and tapping kegs from guest breweries from all over the USA. Even though many leave Munster without being able to purchase Dark Lord, more people keep coming year after year. In addition, bottles sell on Ebay at a 250%-500% markup, going from $35-$75 from its $15 price at FFF.

Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout -- Yes, Virginia, there are super-rare beers that actually do grace retail shelves. However, in 2008, many retailers were limited to a scant 1 case per store. Considering the beer comes in 4-packs, it means it doesn't last long. Still, it can be found on Ebay, or sometimes at the brewery in Michigan. If you're opting for the grey market route, expect to drop anywhere from $5-$20 for a bottle.

Sam Adams Utopias -- If any beer gets more media attention in proportion to the amount produced, you're going to have to tell TBG, because I'm pretty sure this one takes the cake. Featured in newspapers, television shows, and websites all over, the world's strongest beer carries the heftiest retail price of any beer out there, usually around $150, but steadily increasing with each vintage. The alcohol content of this American Strong Ale is also unmatched by any brew out there, clocking in at a cool 25% by volume. Utopias is almost certainly the first beer that has created enough demand for retailers to allocate the product, as opposed to just leaving it on the shelves for the first unsuspecting passerby to snag after picking up a flat of Bud Light cans. Utopias + Bud Light = strangest black & tan ever. TBG has spoken with customers who, after seeing the product featured on The Food Channel, were inquiring about purchasing a bottle. Little did this man know that the beer sells out the day it arrives off the delivery truck, in spite of its hefty price tag. Folks expect this to happen for super-high-end wines, but not yet for beer. Utopias is helping everyone realize that this paradigm is slowly changing.

De Struise Black Albert -- Considering that this beer hasn't been released (yet) in the States, the amount of clamoring for this beer will act as a fairly decent gauge for how effective the Internet hype machine is for rare and highly-reviewed beers. Here's the deal: the makers of Pannepot and other universally-acclaimed beers release a big, bad, Belgian stout that has made the few people that have so-far consumed it transcend to a higher plane of existence. However, it is, to this point, only available in Belgium and a small pub in Maine. That is, until it was announced that Black Albert is being shipped to the States this very month. According to the wonderful people at beernews.org, Shelton Brothers are getting 540 cases (let's see... at 24 bottles each... carry the 1... that makes... 12,960 bottles) for stateside distribution. So, are people going to be kicking and scratching for this brew that barely anyone has tried, but has still, on less than 30 reviews, cracked into the Beeradvocate top 25? We shall see. Depending on who has heard of it, how much they want to horde, and how desperate they're going to be to get their hands on it, it might show up and disappear in the blink of an eye (like Utopias or KBS), or it could linger for a few weeks.

So let's anticipate the probable scenario, with most retail locations receiving one case of Black Albert per store. Should the product even see the shelf? Or, should it be reserved for those that ask about it? It seems logical to impose bottle limits, but how small? 3 per customer? 2? Perhaps even 1? Being the heavy seems like a harsh option in this situation, but making sure that product isn't concentrated in the hands of a mere few is a priority for an area that is still attempting to increase its market share. If Black Albert gets bought out by only a few people per state, it does very little to spread the word about fine Belgian beer. This is a situation that is common in fine wine, but still very new to the world of beer, and how it gets handled may ultimately determine the perceptions and demographics that surround the purveyors and quaffers of the world's finest brews. So, while Black Albert's American bottle release is something to anticipate with joy, beerheads might need to remind themselves that everyone deserves a chance to try this, and many more, already-legendary brews.

New Stuff: Kalamazoo Hopsolution

2008-06-01T08:41:00.000-07:00

If you're a beer fan in the state of Illinois, procuring bottles from one of the Midwest's premier craft brewers has been a bit of a challenge in the last couple years.

That was when Bell's Brewing of Kalamazoo, MI decided to halt shipments of all products to our fair state in what was, for all intents and purposes, a protest against their distributor at the time. I'm not going to get into the ins-and-outs of the Bell's pullout, but it makes for an interesting story if you're willing to do the research.

My point is that Bell's came back to the Land of Lincoln a few months ago under an Illinois-specific moniker, Kalamazoo. Naming all the brews from the town of the brewery's origin, Bell's returned to Illinois with a Royal Amber Ale that came first in kegs, and finally in bottles. A keg-only porter followed, along with the ubiquitous American Wheat, akin to Bell's own Oberon, a beer that was gaining serious traction in Chicago especially by the end of summer 2006, right before the Bell's pullout. Bottles of Royal Amber have been available for the better part of the last 3 months, but until Friday, it was the only bottled offering from Bell's that was available in Illinois.

Two more bottled offerings hit Illinois shelves on 30 May, the American Wheat Ale, and an exclusive for Illinois folks only, an IPA-style brew called Hopsolution. The exclusivity of the Smaragd hops used in the brew makes it a rare and exciting treat for those that were missing the Bell's stuff for so long. The Kalamazoo brewery is the only American brewery to get a hold of the German hybrid hop, for which they used the balance in Hopsolution. Ergo, one could see this exclusive brew as Bell's pronouncement that they are truly back in Illinois, and the Windy City especially.

Back in 2006, before Bell's was to pull out of Illinois, Oberon was gaining a serious amount of traction in the city. Bars from craftbrew-centric pubs to trendy Lincoln Park watering holes were all carrying the bright summery brew on tap. Everyone in Chicago was shocked and confused that Bell's would think to leave the city. However, with the popularity of the brewery expanding, plenty of Illinoisans are still pining for their favorite Bell's offering, be it Hopslam or Expedition Stout. But Faux-beron and Hopsolution are going a long way to bring Illinois beerheads back to Bell's.

Time Of The Season: Big Summer Beers!

2008-05-19T19:50:00.000-07:00

Time Of The Season will be a feature that highlights seasonal beers. It's a short preview of the fun stuff you can expect at your local beer vendor now (or soon).

Summer beers are usually refreshing wheat beers or Kölsch-styles that are meant to quench thirst and still provide more than a modicum of flavor. That said, some heftier brews still exist in the paler colors to please those who miss their imperial stouts (like Beer Guy). Here are some great examples for what's exciting the Beer Guy this summer:

Southern Tier HopSun/Übersun: How nice of the folks in Western New York to give us a choice in wheat beers. HopSun is there for the barbecue, a session beer that can hold par with the rest of them. Übersun is one of the few imperial wheat beers that you can find, a big malty brew that's still light enough to give to your friends without overwhelming them. That said, if you down one of these bombers by yourself, I cannot be held responsible for your actions that night.

Schneider/Brooklyner Hopfen-Weisse: The yellow-label (German) version of this American-German collaboration is back in stores in half-litre bottles. Beeradvocate calls this a weizenbock, but it pours a bit lighter than one would expect from a brew with that title. Basically, it's a big hefeweiss that is extraordinarily pleasing to drink, tons of banana and citrus with some spice hidden in there. However, like the Übersun already mentioned, be wary of the alcohol in this 8.2% monster.

Capital Blonde Doppelbock: Here's some inspiration from the German-style specialists in Wisconsin. A malty brew that pours more of a dirty blonde color, Blonde still lacks the weight you expect from a normal doppelbock, without sacrificing much of the sweetness. What you may find lacking in this brew is some of the caramel undertones with some fruitiness taking its place.

Dogfish Head Theobroma: Tentatively slated for August release (or so I heard back in 2007), this is the latest in Dogfish Head's continuing mission to unearth brews that were consumed in ancient times. They've already channeled Sumeria (Midas Touch) and China (Chateau Jiahu) with the same sort of fervor, and now it's the Aztecs' turn with this cacao-based brew. I'm expecting big and awesome things.

Two Brothers Bare Tree: Wheatwine is a category that begs for exploration. Take a barleywine, and throw some wheat in the mash to add some fruity notes, and see what happens with it. Chicago-area breweries are repping this style to the hilt. First, Three Floyds matched up with Mikkeller to give Dark Lord Day attendees Hvedegoop, and now Bensenville's own Two Brothers grace us with this one in their Artist Series. Sweet, hoppy, and fruity are what you can expect in these corked 750mL bottles.

Lazy Mutt Farmhouse Ale: Minhas (fka Berghoff) Craft Brewery give us a brew that is supposedly their response to New Glarus' flagship, Spotted Cow. Beer Guy hasn't gotten around to trying this one yet, but I am intrigued by the new ownership deciding to package an untested brew in 8-packs of 12 oz. bottles. Seems like a risky proposition, especially considering the early reviews on Beeradvocate.

Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Harvest Ale: A harvest ale in May? Don't you need fresh hops for that? Yes, they're from New Zealand this time around, and it's just as delicious as the autumn variety, with a little less alpha-insanity in the hop department. It pours a bright tannish yellow with a decent head. I really dig this style of beer, and this one does the name well.

The usual summer beers are also around for those ready to dig into their standbys, of course. Anchor, Sam Adams, Goose Island, Sierra Nevada, and the like have their signature summer brews that are for the long lazy days at the beach or park, but if you want something to hit you over the head without being completely opaque in color, you've got some options.

Us v. Them? or, Can Macros Enter The Craft Game?

2008-05-11T20:37:00.000-07:00

For the last couple years, Anheuser Busch has been slowly but surely attempting to get a slice of the craft beer pie. From this past winter's Bourbon Cask Ale to Shock Top, a white ale for the summer, the nation's largest brewery is trying to sneak their way into a market that has a made a point of eschewing breweries like Miller, Coors, and (naturally) A-B.

However, one would find it hard to fault the makers of Bud and Natty Light for tapping into a market that has grown exponentially in the span of a generation. The biggest problem that comes with macros trying to go micro, though, is finding an audience. Are consumers of craft beer going to latch on to a micro from a macro if they already have prejudices against said brand name? Or, will additional connoisseurs be brought into the fold of craft-beer-enjoyers via the path of a beer like Shock Top?

The answer, of course, is simply in the taste of the beer. If people dig it, they'll drink it. And frankly, if someone likes the taste of a beer, there's nothing anywhere that says they shouldn't drink it, no matter where the label on the bottle says it was made. Personally, this Beer Guy thinks that brews like this, and other macro-owned institutions like Coors-owned Blue Moon and the Diageo-owned Irish imprints (Guinness, Harp, Smithwick's), serve more as "gateway beers". If the drinker is interested in expanding his/her palate, then they will take the effort to do so. If not, then a beerhead shouldn't necessarily feel an obligation to look down on someone for their tastes. It's always good practice to let your cohorts have a sip of whatever you're drinking, but forcing craft brews down someone's throat is not going to make your friends respect craft beers, or you, any more.

So, if you want to have a Shock Top, that's great. If you dig it, try a Belgian Wit-style from Belgium next time. If you don't like the Belgian, have another Shock Top, and don't take any crap from anyone about it. Just be sure to tip your server, and give everything you try a fair shot.

Summer '08, The New Beers!

2008-04-30T20:48:00.000-07:00

Summer in America means a number of "fewer" things: fewer clothes, fewer cares, fewer interesting television programs (so TBG hears), all of which thusly lead to more nights out. Inevitably, this means trips to bars and friends' places. If you're looking to crack one open that isn't your normal favorite, there are some new beers that could be showing up at your local beer store or pub.

Gouden Carolus Hopsinjoor -- Het Anker jumps on the hop bandwagon, releasing a beer that beeradvocate is calling a "strong pale", but after the small taste I was able to procure from Brent while at Map Room (thanks Brent!), I would have to say it leans more towards the Belgian IPA route, akin to beers like La Chouffe's Houblon IPA Tripel, or De Ranke XX Bitter. This is a super-smooth beer that, due to its use of only European hops, isn't too overwhelming with alpha-acid bitterness. Can't wait to see this on these shores. There's no definitive date on this beer's release in the United States, but it's set to be the fourth member of the year-round family of GC brews (in addition to D'Or, Ambrio, and Tripel).

Southern Tier Creme Brulee -- Those nutty western New Yorkers and their wackos stouts. After imperial stouts that highlighted oats, coffee, and chocolate, they're going the milk stout route. Who knew that an imperial milk stout could exist? These fellows sure did, and they're going to be throwing this vanilla bean-accented brew at us in tandem with their Cherry Saison in the next few weeks. Keep your eyes peeled for bomber bottles.

Meantime Scotch Ale -- The class of London rep their northern brethren. Personally, TBG is a big fan of Scotch Ales, aka Wee Heavies. Though we love our hops in America, and all over the rest of the world, it's fun to enjoy styles that really focus on the maltiness. This one's already out if you can find it.

Rogue Double Dead Guy Ale -- A double maibock? Yep. Much like fellow West Coasters Stone did with their ubiquitous Arrogant Bastard Ale, Rogue have finally taken to amping up their signature brew for limited release. Several other new brews are on their way from Rogue as well, like Yellow Snow IPA (snicker), and imperials in the porter and bitter arenas.

De Struise Black Albert -- It's true. According to beernews.org, Shelton Brothers are bringing the über-hyped Belgian Royal Stout to America. It's going to be a 540-case shipment, so cross your fingers that your local beer retailer will be getting a case of this, because it's sure to go fast. This beer, much like the Struise-Mikkeller collaboration that came before it, is a signal that American and Scandinavian experimentation is influencing Belgium, as well. It is a welcome sign to see brewers all over the planet embrace, and not reject, new ideas, styles, and recipes when it comes to putting together fantastic beer. Would anyone have guessed that arguably the best new brew of 2007 would be a stout from Belgium? Probably not, but we are mere weeks from finding out if it's worth the buzz, and that's exciting enough.

On Flipping: The Dark Side Of The Dark Lord

2008-04-29T20:29:00.001-07:00

While I spent my previous entry describing the most idyllic and wonderful of Dark Lord Stout Day scenarios, the day gave plenty of other people a much different outcome. What should have been a celebration of the best American brewing has to offer nearly became a madhouse of folks that traveled hundreds, perhaps even thousands of miles, for what they felt was nothing. If it weren't for the attitudes and behaviors of some unsavory elements at the festival, perhaps more folks would have been able to enjoy themselves as much as TBG did.

Apparently folks in the line reported of some of the DLD attendees openly bragging about selling the majority of their bottles on ebay and similar websites for an abnormally large profit. This process, known as "flipping", is becoming more and more prevalent in the craft beer community. Extremely rare and renowned beers, from Belgium's Westvleteren to America's Dark Lord and Kate The Great Stouts, are becoming as well known for their difficulty in procuring as much as their stunning quality.

People were allegedly paying folks in the line for the chance to purchase more bottles. Barely 2,000 people were able to get beer as it was, and with flippers paying to ditch, it becomes a much more deplorable practice. In addition, people were going down the furthest reaches of the line to hawk bottles of Dark Lord for as much as $65 a bottle.

Events like this are supposed to work on a sort of honor system: stand in line, get your beer, have some laughs, and let everyone get their allotment. But, with the craft beer market beginning to rival fine wine and spirits in buzz, press, and renown, enterprising and unscrupulous souls have taken this to mean that they can do whatever they feel is necessary to make as much profit as they can. With year-old bottles of Dark Lord going for as much as three digits a bottle, it can be easy to let one's eyes turn to dollar signs. Dark Lord is now something that one hordes for potential sale, instead of a great beverage to enjoy now, and in several years.

Saturday, for some, was about the money, not the beer. And that's unfortunate. We're adults here, and shouldn't have to worry about people taking more than their fair share. This is stuff we were supposed to learn in kindergarten. The folks at Three Floyds do not need to be babysitters for a few bad eggs. Sure, it makes sense to mark the hands of people that have purchased Dark Lord to prevent double-purchasers. However, I'm sure 3F did not anticipate the huge number of people that have continued to show up year after year. I would guess that, for each of the 3 years TBG has attended DLD, the attendance has doubled. TBG figured the rate of growth would tail off after last year's huge turnout. I was wrong -- quite wrong, and some folks paid the price.

At least 3F taps and guest beers were there to sate those who couldn't purchase. But in the end, the process would have been much better for everyone if flippers weren't taking bottles from those who planned for days or weeks to show up in Munster.

Dark Lord Day 2008

2008-04-27T18:51:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday, 26 April, was the annual extravaganza at Three Floyds of Munster, IN. The brewery's famed Dark Lord Russian Imperial Stout, currently the #2 beer in the world on BeerAdvocate (tops in North America), is released on the last Saturday of April each year. This was Beer Guy's third DLD, and by far the largest.

Speaking with one of the extra barkeeps 3F had brought in to help at the brewpub, an estimated 3,000 people were expected at the small brewery in the southeastern Chicago suburbs. Midwestern hospitality abounded among the crowd, because if it didn't, there probably would have been a riot. With thousands of people queued up to purchase their allotment of Dark Lord (6 bottles a person at $15/btl.), folks needed something to do, even with three times as many buying stations set up for customers to purchase bomber bottles. Thusly, beerheads from all over the country and world brought beers of their own to trade and imbibe. Meeting people at an event like this isn't just an added bonus, it's expected. Most everyone at the event is there for the beer, and it's a blast to talk shop with other enthusiasts, people just as excited as you are to get some of the magic brew.

Folks were lined up twice as long as I can ever remember the line being at 3F. 25 mph winds in the snaking line, coupled with an unseasonably cold 50º chill, made you really want a drink while counting away the hours before purchasing. Lucky for us, 3F had plenty of brews on tap in their warehouse that were once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. Vanilla-Bean Aged Dark Lord Stout, anyone? How about Bourbon-Aged DLS? Dreadnaught IPA from a cask? One-off brews from Pizza Port, Russian River, and half a dozen other breweries that don't distribute to Chicago? You betcha. There was something for everyone that made the trip. For most everyone that made the trip, there was Dark Lord at the end of the line. Sadly, as it has happened in years past, there was not enough for everyone, even with increased capacity.

My own personal haul was a bottle short of a case: 6 bottles of Dark Lord, 2 Dreadnaughts, 1 bottle of Alpha Klaus Xmas Porter, and 2 bottles of Huedegoop, a collaboration between Indiana's finest and Danish stalwarts Mikkeller. Huedegoop is a wheatwine that was unknown to The Beer Guy before arriving in Munster. That said, I'm very excited to try one, and cellar the other. What was most exciting, naturally, was the black wax-topped bottles of DLS, sinister and euphoric all at once. As always, the wait was worth it when you walked out of the warehouse, your wallet far lighter, your arms carrying far more than ever expected to get, happy as a kid on Christmas.

It's fun to know that, even after one turns 21, there are those sorts of giddy moments for the beer-loving kid in all of us.

Hey, Beer Guy -- The Launching

2008-04-27T09:16:00.000-07:00

Hello, interwebs, this is Hey, Beer Guy. It's a new Chicago-based blog dealing with anything and everything beer. This blog is for beer experts, connoisseurs, and brewers. Moreover, this blog is for the casual appreciator of beer. This is a place for questions to be raised and answered without insulting anyone's intelligence (too much).

Ideas for pairings, tastings, and other further recommendations are what this is all about. I feel that beer is, as a certain microbrewer in Brooklyn calls it, the most versatile beverage in the world. To that end, I want to be able to spread the gospel of beer without being a fundamentalist. Sure, fine wines and whiskeys get all the press, but craft beer is just as complex and exciting. You can do all sorts of things with beer, without paying an arm and a leg for a sampling of the world's finest. It's a growing market, so I figure that we, the people, can take advantage of that.

Cheers!

-tbg