Aging beer or spirits in the wood from the Amburana cearensis tree native to South America can add noticeable cinnamon spice and vanilla - and brewers have been more than happy to experiment when they can find (and afford) a barrel. But FDA regulations keep Amburana-aged beers in some sort of weird limbo for competitions, so we tap our good friend and guest expert Neil Fisher from Colorado's WeldWerks to drop in and school us on this Amburana-factoid. Then for the rest of the show, we just get our socks completely blown through our shoes by this lineup of 4 beers of various ages. Plus, Craig reminds Ryan of his very few strengths, we pick sides in the train versus boat debate, we dig up an early podcast slogan for appropriate use, and Craig has an interesting relationship with his DreamCast that takes things off the rails a bit.

Neil Fisher Interview (00:09:45 - 00:17:02)

Beers Reviewed

Foreign Exchange - Back to the Start (Amburana wood-aged English Brown Ale)

Half Acre Beer Company - Uakari (Imperial stout aged in bourbon, apple brandy, and Amburana barrels with Madagascar vanilla)

Revolution Brewing - 15 Year Beer Cherry Amburana (Barleywine aged in bourbon and Amburana barrels with cherries)

Mikerphone Brewing - One Hit Wonder #3 (Double barrel-aged triple mash imperial stout aged in bourbon and Amburana barrels)

For the first time in Barrel-Aged December history, we have a whole show of gin barrel-aged beers - and we'll tell you why that's something of a rarity. With an all-star lineup of breweries, nothing here is a letdown - but there are still plenty of flavor surprises to be had. Also, we're drawing up some jukebox strategies given unforeseen circumstances; we're ready to bring back the horse blanket; and we're letting the gin make us more poetic. And then there's the introduction of GinBot 3000, the worst character we've ever created. 

Beers Reviewed

Afterthought Brewing - Bière de Pieces #50 (Blend of saisons aged in neutral oak and gin barrels)

is/was brewing - Tree Tipper Aged in Gin Barrels [2024] (Saison w/ spruce tips & honey aged in gin barrels)

Third Space Brewing - Gin Barrel-Aged Cranberry Gose

Werk Force Brewing Company - Gin Barrel-Aged Farmhouse Vultures (Saison aged in gin barrels)

Supermoon Beer Company - Gin Barrel Sensitive King (Belgian-style Tripel aged in gin barrels)

Unnecessarily crammed with junk, this year's spooky six-pack is an adjunct party that no one ever wanted to be invited to, as we're on to our ninth iteration of the infamous Torture Test. We both try to outdo one another by attacking our flavor weaknesses - or just finding straight-up old catastrophes of beers that were probably never good in the first place. The goal is to avoid the Cuvée of Doom, but we can't avoid descriptors like "rancid piña colada," "wet basement cardboard," dirty old pennies," "liquified grandma's candy," and "diet medicine." But also, you can find out what keeps Ryan awake at night, and Craig realizes he can't coast on last year's domination anymore. (Thanks to Joe for helping wreck our night by providing one of the beers!)

Beers Endured

450 North Brewing Company - Jellied Pumpkin Swirl (Sour DIPA w/ pumpkin, pumpkin pie, pralines, vanilla & vanilla soft serve)

Stone Brewing/Bear Republic/Fat Head's - TBA [2012] (Extra hoppy brown ale w/ molasses and brown sugar)

Energy City Brewing - Mango'Rine Sorbet IPA (Sour NEIPA w/ mango & tangerine puree)

DESTIHL Brewery - Spicy Pickle Sour Beer (Gose with spicy pickle brine)

O'Fallon Brewery - Salted Caramel Pumpkin Beer (Pumpkin beer w/ lactose, Himalayan sea salt, and pumpkin puree)

Rogue Ales - Voodoo Doughnut Grape Guerilla [2016] (Fruit beer w/ grape flavors)

Donning our heavenly jackets for this one, we drink the final set of Revolution's Deep Wood lineup for the 2023-2024 season. Three 'wines and a stout make up this unsurprisingly spectacular four pack, and even through all of our nit-picking we can't deny who is making the best barrel-aged beers in the city and state. Plus, we're doing our part to stop the TV game show idea shortage; Craig shares his Deep Wood release party recaps (with some glaring consequences); and Ryan gets to test out his Doug Veliky impression. 

Deep Wood 2023-2024 Beers Reviewed

Straight Jacket (Bourbon barrel-aged barleywine)

Ryeway to Heaven (Ryewine aged in bourbon and rye barrels)

V.S.O.R. Select (Ryewine aged in bourbon and rye barrels)

On & On Part 3 [collaboration w/ Half Acre Beer Co.] (Blended double barrel-aged stout)

Our 34th state show is just as sweet as it is sour, as we tackle five beers from South Carolina courtesy of listeners Benji & Suzanne. Even though it's a bit heavy on the tart beers, we learn about five breweries that represent a pretty good cross section of the South Carolina brewing scene. Also, Craig needs to bail someone out of the hellscape that is a community Facebook group, Ryan has stern words of warning about ranch delivery methods, and we're attempting to flex our marketing muscles again. 

Beers Reviewed

Munkle Brewing Co. [Charleston,SC] - Saison

Holy City Brewing [North Charleston, SC] - Sparkly Princess (Sour IPA)

Westbrook Brewing Co. [Mt. Pleasant, SC] - Ranch Water Gose (Gose aged in tequila barrels w/ lime & salt)

Edmund's Oast Brewing Company [Charleston, SC] - Sour Mango Papaya (Sour ale w/ mango & papaya)

Ghost Monkey Brewery [Mt. Pleasant, SC] - Jojo Coffee Stout

Ever since January 22nd of 2014, the ABV Chicago podcast has released a new episode every single week - and nobody could be more stunned about this fact than us. To commemorate a decade of arbitrary beer reviews, brewer interviews, and tipsy shenanigans, we open ten beers from ten breweries that all also got their start in 2014. The twist is that Craig and Ryan both present their five beers to the other as a blind tasting, forcing some surprising brewery, style, and "secret theme" guesses. Also, we spend a little time on memory lane, rank some celebrity hunks, and do what we do best: talk about candy, mostly. Thanks for checking us out at any point over these ten years, and expect a lot more to come because we literally don't know how to stop doing this podcast.

Beers Reviewed, In Half-Blind Order

Middle Brow Beer Co. - Yard Work (Kölsch)

Illuminated Brew Works - Clurichaun Trap (Session Stout)

Imperial Oak Brewing - Roundabout (Pale Ale)

Werk Force Brewing Company - Really Decent (Light Lager)

Penrose Brewing Company - Day Off IPA

Sketchbook Brewing Co. - Amistosa (Mexican-Style Lager)

Marz Community Brewing Co. - Boogie Nights (Dark Wheat Ale)

Pollyanna Brewing Company - In the Cards (Hazy American Pale Ale)

Maplewood Brewing Company - Barrel-Aged Cuppa Stuffff (Imperial Stout aged in bourbon & whiskey barrels w/ vanilla beans, cacao nibs, and coffee)

Noon Whistle Brewing - Good Piebrations: Banana Cream Pie (Hefeweizen w/ bananas & vanilla beans)

It's been almost three years since the announcement that Hop Butcher for the World would be taking over the original Half Acre brewery space, and it's been a year since the rebranded taproom opened. So we take time to sit down with co-founder and co-owner Jude La Rose for a long chat about the present and future of his brewery that was recently named Craft Beer & Brewing magazine's top Small Regional brewery in the country. We dive into formulating recipes, developing a lager program, releasing periodic barrel-aged stouts, and giving a defined purpose to every hazy beer they release. We also reminisce about the early days and what it means to take over such a legendary Chicago beer location. In addition, we also review four Hop Butcher beers of different styles, get curious about that kief, and somehow fall into old sitcoms. All that and a shout out to the late Stas Bulanda. #BringBackFirkinFridays

(Hit the GoFundMe for Nick Segura if you can help in any way.)

Jude La Rose interview (00:07:34 - 0:1:18:56)

Beers Reviewed

The Origins of Polka (Saaz-hopped Czech-style Pilsner)

Symbols of Math (Vic Secret, Sabro, and Simcoe-hopped [clear] Double IPA)

The Adventures of Strata and Peacharine (Strata and Peacharine-hopped [hazy] Double IPA)

Lincoln Anniversary Stout (Bourbon Barrel-aged Imperial Stout)

You don't turn to us for advice on a balanced breakfast, but we're happy to spoon up five cereal-inspired beers so good that even Mikey likes it. Through clever use of ingredients (or just throwing the cereal right in the beer), these beers really test the nostalgia influence of sitting a foot from the TV in our PJs while watching Captain N: The Game Master. Also, we consider all the different ways to attack the mat, share our own cereal biases, establish our independence through Cocoa Puffs, and endorse Malt-O-Meal above all. I'd say this episode is pretty gr-r-r-eat!!!

Beers Reviewed

WeldWerks Brewing Co. - Bamm Bamm Rubble Rubble: Watermelon (Sour ale w/ fruity rice cereal, watermelon, milk sugar, vanilla, & marshmallow)

Tripping Animals Brewing Co. - YABADABADU (Sour ale w/ orange, lemon, cherry, tangerine, vanilla, F**ty P*bbles, and milk sugar)

Edmund's Oast Brewing Company Cereal For Dinner (Blonde ale w/ vanilla bean, toasted coconut, toasted almonds, and lactose)

Artesia Brewing - FrankenStan (Sour ale w/ strawberries, marshmallow, and honey)

Old Irving Brewing Co. - Cinnamon Prost (White stout w/ Saigon cinnamon, Tahitian vanilla bean, and milk sugar)

We fetch another round of barrel-aged beers for this episode, but with a twist: all four beers are aged in different kinds of brandy barrels. We explore the world of sweet brandy barrels and how they work on different styles, and we are totally surprised by our takeaways. Also, we talk mixed drinks, New Year sugar fears, John Entwistle, cooked malt, surprising personal revelations, and Jolly Rancher complaints. (Such a fine barrel.)

Beers Reviewed

Third Space Brewing - Wisconsinator (Doppelbock aged in Wollersheim Distillery brandy barrels)

Central Waters Brewing Company - Peach Brandy & Maple Barrel-aged Barleywine (English-style barleywine with honey aged in peach brandy barrels & Bliss maple syrup barrels)

Maplewood Brewing Company - Black Seed (Wheated stout aged in apple brandy barrels)

Half Acre Beer Co. - Cherry Brandy Benthic 2022 (Cherry brandy barrel-aged stout with coconut and vanilla)

Recorded on Black Friday (and previously released a month ago for our Patreon subscribers), this episode is our return to the Bourbon County lineup - after managing to get ourselves uninvited from the Goose Island media tastings. Luckily, we have our own beer sherpa in Beer on the Wall owner Ryan Tracy as he joins us to sip through all six beers in the back of his Elmhurst tasting room. Also, we measure the tasting against seeing the third Trolls movie in theaters, make plans to eat some rice cakes and drink some Dr. Fongs, try to eat everything at the fancy restaurant, shout out our special tube guy, and identify which store is actually ruining the BCBS release. In terms of beer rankings, two reviewers reach a consensus, and one is way out in left adjunct field. It's a fun one, folks.

BCBS Beers Reviewed

Bourbon County Brand Stout 2023

Bourbon County Brand Eagle Rare 2-Year Reserve Stout

Bourbon County Brand Angel's Envy 2-Year Cask Finish Stout

Bourbon County Brand Backyard Stout

Bourbon County Brand Bananas Foster Stout

Bourbon County Brand Proprietor's Stout 2023

In what is likely our most decadent Barrel-Aged December™ episode yet, we sample four enormous stouts from WeldWerks' Medianoche series that are as complex as they are thick (or thicc, as the kids say). Co-founder Neil Fisher gave us some mic time back during GABF that is shared here, and he helps us understand how his Greeley, Colorado brewery's signature stout series differs from others. Also, Craig gets some much-needed Cronch validation, Ryan's taking a trip down Peanut Butter Memory Lane, and I fear we veer towards Font Arguments Podcast again. 

Beers Reviewed

Medianoche 2023 (Bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout)

Peanut Butter Cup Medianoche (Bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout w/ cacao nibs, peanut flour, and peanut butter cups)

Tropical Medianoche (Bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout w/ bananas, coconut cream, and pineapple)

Medianoche: Amburana Vanilla Luar (Imperial stout aged in bourbon and Amburana barrels w/ vanilla)

There's no escaping Deth, so we gather up four of the barrel-aged Revolution stouts from this year's Deep Wood lineup and drink with reckless abandon. It's no shocker that Revolution is still running the best barrel program in the city, but even with the bar raised as high as it is, the beers on the show clear it with ease. Even one beer challenges our "beer of the year" title (in a crowded year of stellar Rev beers). Also, we talk about odd movie theater experiences, cream some bean salad, escalate the Math versus English turf war, and remember how LMFAO was culturally significant at one point. Yes, we also talk about beer. But you can't deny that it would be better with two Keith Davids.

2023 Deep Wood Beers Reviewed

Deth's Tar

Cafe Deth

Deth by Cherries

DBVSOD

For over 15 years, Metropolitan blessed this great city with high quality lagers and traditional German styles. They ushered in a second wave of Chicago craft brewing back when there were next to no options available. It's safe to say that without Metropolitan, the Chicago craft beer scene wouldn't have grown the way it did. Now Chicago will have to move on without Metro, who will be closing their doors for good on December 17th. We take this episode as an opportunity to appreciate their excellent lineup one more time, share many meaningful personal memories about the beers and brewery, and to say thank you for stubbornly making lagers even when it wasn't cool to do so. Thank you, Metropolitan crew, and we wish you a clear and fulfilling path forward.

Beers Enjoyed

Flywheel Pilsner

Krankshaft Kolsch

Stromhaus Helles

Heliostat Zwickel Lager

Arc Welder Dunkel Rye

Afterburner Oktoberfest

In our annual leadup to Chicago's best beer fest, we're talking all about the Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beers as it is set to return early in November this year. Along with drinking and reviewing four barrel-aged beers from a few FoBAB regulars (and one new to the fest), we look over the new and returning breweries, share our picks for brewers not to miss, rattle off a few general festival tips, and conduct a mock draft of our Fantasy FoBAB teams. Also, Craig devises a plan for packing future festivals, Ryan keeps pushing that coffee bean, a girthsome and titan beer write-up is read, and we might actually have a reason to walk the awards stage this year - listen to find out why!

Beers Reviewed

Werk Force Brewing - Waylon (Bourbon Barrel-Aged Black Barleywine)

River North Brewery - Barrel-Aged Nightmare Fuel (Imperial Stout w/ coffee and vanilla aged in whiskey barrels)

Half Acre Beer Co. - Ancho, Ancho Catch Hell (Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout w/ vanilla, cinnamon, and ancho peppers)

The Lost Abbey - Peach Afternoon [2021 Vintage] - (Wood-aged Sour Ale w/ peaches and white tea)

Earlier in November, the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild put on the 21st Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beers to recognize some of the breweries making the finest wood-aged beers around. We got our hands on five (out of the eleven) Illinois medal winners - and our first-ever Best of Show beer - to help us audition to become FoBAB judges some year. We share some FoBAB "by the numbers" and recap the awards with a slight angle towards our Fantasy FoBAB league interests. Also, Craig is opening up to the possibility of tinsel, Ryan is destroying himself for pleasure (as usual), and we point out which beer is the Warren Zevon of barrel-aged beers. 

Medal Winners Reviewed

Off Color Brewing - Mezcal Barrel-Aged Beer for Tacos (Gold in Specialty/Experimental)

Sketchbook Brewing Co. - Red Wine Barrel-Aged Tripel G (Gold in Other Pale Beer)

Half Acre Beer Company - Orin (Silver in Other Dark Beer)

Mikerphone Brewing - Slappa Da Base (Silver in Strong Porter/Stout)

Hidden Hand/Solemn Oath Brewery - Oaked Val D'or (Gold in Wild Beer/Brett & Best of Show)

Hop on the Brown Line straight to Browntown with us, as we discover a hopefully-growing local resurgence of the brown ale with five examples from Chicagoland breweries on this episode. Adjunct or not, these brown ales all have a unique angle on the style - and most would absolutely kill on cask. We also discuss the worst possible colors for mayonnaise, we consider the best brown for the Thanksgiving table, Ryan shares his true feelings about the apple orchard, and Craig am become Cronch, destroyer of dry ramen. 

Beers Reviewed

Spiteful Brewing - Bowmanville Brown

Phase Three Brewing - Midst

Maplewood Brewing Company - Brownie Points

Werk Force Brewing Company - Axis: As Bold As Beer

Around the Bend Beer Company - Puffing Billy

Carbonated water treated with hops is pretty simple in concept, but these five breweries prove that there's a lot of variation and skill that goes into making these "zero/zero" drinks. And it shows that no matter how well non-alcoholic beers have progressed, some drinkers looking for a dry spell just can't quit the hops - and now they don't have to! We get extremely refreshed on this zero alcohol show while discussing many areas of potential for this rising trend. Also, Craig needs some real talk on a confusing bathroom arrangement, Ryan's watching his calcium intake, and we want to know if kids should be drinking hop water before one of us looks like a bad parent.

Waters Reviewed

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company - Hop Splash

Third Space Brewing - Hop Water: Citra Lemon

Noon Whistle Brewing - Hop Water

Revolution Brewing - Super Zero

Marz Community Beverage Co. - Hop N' Honey Water

Though it might be one of the smallest states, the brewing scene in Delaware is mighty, and we're ushering in our 33rd State Show with a lineup of five flavorful beers from five different breweries. Thanks to Ryan Tracy (and family), we're able to live vicariously through his travelogue while sipping these delectable beers, just missing out on the coastal views and massive plates of seafood. Also, Ryan flies too close to the sun with his back scratcher, Craig's working on the leg rolls, and one podcast studio gets absolutely drenched in an exploding beer.

Beers Reviewed

Blue Earl Brewing Co. [Smyrna, D] - Oktoberfest (Märzen)

Mispillion River Brewing Company [Milford, DE] - Not Today Satan (American IPA)
Thompson Island Brewing Company [Rehoboth Beach, DE] - Never Been Wrong (Barrel-Aged Sour Belgian Blonde)

Big Oyster Brewery [Lewes, DE] -  Noir et Bleu (Belgian Tripel w/ blueberries and black tea)

Dewey Beer Company [Dewey Beach, DE] - Thrills: Strawberry, Watermelon, Lemonade (Fruited Sour)

Chicago's biggest, baddest and most-barreled festival is back in its 21st year, so we're eager to FoBABble about it for the first time in four years as a lead-up to the competition. We also open four barrel-aged beers from breweries that have been FoBAB staples (and previous medal winners) to lubricate our discussions of new and returning breweries at this year's fest, our "first pour" picks, festival attendee tips, sleeper breweries not to miss, and Fantasy FoBAB Power Rankings. Also, Ryan has a shameful admission about common bird identification, we ride the plot line of sniffs, and Craig's getting the BabyBjörn ready for his unprepared podcast partner.

Beers Reviewed

Off Color Brewing - Beer For Burgers: Prime Cut (Helles Bock aged in bourbon barrels blended with fresh Helles Bock)

Short Fuse Brewing Company - What The Night Brings (Imperial stout aged in bourbon and cognac barrels w/ dates and figs)

Half Acre Beer Company - Double Barrel Catch Hell (Double barrel-aged imperial stout w/ Madagascar vanilla and Saigon cinnamon)

Mikerphone Brewing - Sweet Drams (Double mash imperial stout aged in Pappy 15 bourbon barrels)

The seven barrel-aged beers that comprise this year's Luchador lineup feature styles and ingredients we have rarely - or never - seen in the past, and no local "special release" lineup is getting as experimental as this one. Flavor master Jacob Sembrano is at it again, and we're here to drunkenly rave over the barrel-aged results. There are many true "wow" moments on this one, and at least one bird that tried to ruin it all for everyone. Also, Craig has neighborhood watch concerns about bananas, Ryan's ready to huff that bean bag, and beer jerseys are getting raised to the rafters. 

Beers Reviewed

Bad Mermaid (Imperial Blonde aged in rye whiskey and rum barrels w/ dulce de leche and coconut)

Lucha Royal (Imperial Saskatoon ale aged in French black currant liqueur barrels)

Gigante (Double barrel blonde barleywine aged in Barbados rum barrels, finished in Colorado rye whiskey barrels)

El Petito (Double barrel blonde barleywine aged in Colorado rye whiskey barrel, finished in French apricot brandy barrels)

Rey Gordo (Imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels)

Señor Finito (Imperial stout aged in Colorado rye whiskey barrels w/ cocoa nibs, mesquite beans, and canella)

Don Moustache (Imperial stout aged in bourbon barrel w/ Mexican Mazapan candy and cocoa nibs)

We're indulging in our capital vices for our yearly attempt to destroy each other over bad beers, and this one features some of the most unexpected pours we've ever seen. There's at least one beer here that unexpectedly brings out an extra large dose of wrath for one podcaster, and it's not even the mystery beer in the box. WHAT'S IN THE BOX?? Also, Craig is investigating some decapitated pigeons, Ryan's plan backfires, and we both learn to fear the SlenderCan. And make sure you stick it out for one of the most horrifying Cuvées of Doom ever concocted. 

Beers Endured

[LUST] Kultowy Browar Staropolski - Bestbir Pszenica z Sokiem Pacific z Grejpfrutem (Grapefruit-flavored wheat beer)

[GREED] O'Fallon Brewery - Cherry Chocolate Dark Wheat (from 2017??)

[PRIDE] Dugges Bryggeri - Cola (Cola-inspired sour w/ nutmeg, lime, cinnamon, and vanilla)

[GLUTTONY] RAR Brewing - Out of Order: It Wasn't Easy (Pastry sour w/ pineapple, lemon-lime, coconut, lactose, and pastry cream)

[SLOTH] Penrose Brewing - Wild XI (Oak-aged American wild ale, from 2015)

[ENVY] 903 Brewers - Dr. Seltzer (Hard seltzer slushy w/ fruit and spices)

[WRATH] Aslin Beer Company - Pinkies Up (Quintuple IPA)

Chicagoland is pretty gifted in lager-centric breweries, but now that trends have shifted back towards the more drinkable, almost every brewery is featuring more and more lagers. This is an extremely good thing. For this show, we do a blind tasting wherein we match a local lager-focused brewery's beer against a local "everything" brewery's beer along style lines and give our unbiased opinions. Our arbitrary reviews won't prove much, but we do have an opinion on which brewery we think is making the best lagers in Chicagoland. Also, we force the title colon thanks to A.I. which introduces us to Chi-Taste-O. (We recommend you get a 6-pack of lagers ready and responsibly drink every time we say, "Chi-Taste-O.") Plus we're making bread references, attacking the Veggie Stick stash, and valuing rusticity. So sayeth the Mayor and Seer of Chi-Taste-O. 

Beers Reviewed and Battled Blindly 

Alarmist Brewing - Crispy Boy (Pilsner)

Vs.

Dovetail Brewery - Pilsner

Half Acre Beer Company - Helles

Vs.

Metropolitan Brewing - Stromhaus (Helles)

Miskatonic Brewing Company/Seldom Beer Co. & Streetside Brewery - Loggers From Vienna (Vienna-Style Lager)

Vs.

Goldfinger Brewing Company - Vienna-Style Lager

Now somewhat relegated to an occasional fall seasonal from breweries, the Amber style is essential to the history of American craft beer as we know it. So we're pumped to see five local breweries dabble in amber ales and lagers, and we fall in love all over again (with the beers, not each other). Also, Craig has an unexpected pet, we accidentally have a moment of real beer talk about wilds and sours, Ryan vetoes an obvious 311 reference, and we are bringing our own ludicrous drinkware to the District Brew Yards until someone tells us "no." Whoa-oh. 

Beers Reviewed

Casa Humilde Cerveceria - Alba (Mexican-Style Amber Lager)

BuckleDown Brewing - Alien Avatar (Amber Ale)

Maplewood Brewing - Amberana (Amber Ale conditioned on Amburana wood)

Off Color Brewing - Beer For Huddles (Amber Ale)

Burnt City Brewing (?) - Titan Walls 5 (Amber Lager)

We were just back in Denver for the 41st Great American Beer Festival, and we've got an episode chock full of interviews and beer highlights that's as good as gold (medals). Catch up on our beer-y travels as we hit the festival floor for about 14 total hours and stop into several great Denver taprooms and bars, sharing our experiences and regrettable food decisions along the way. Plus, we talk to a bevy of fascinating brewers and brewery owners from all over the U.S. and we hear stories about an onstage proposal, a beer made with the cast of Hamilton, a terpene-infused milkshake IPA, a brewer who has won Master Distiller, and the (maybe) real original year of Bourbon County Stout. And to top that off, we open three Denver-area beers in the hotel while trying to soothe our ragged voices and heal up from a serious vapors affliction. PLUS, Craig's going ASMR while Ryan's recording from the chaise longue. 

Beers Reviewed

WeldWerks Brewing Co. - Colorado Ale (Traditional Ale)

Burns Family Artisan Ales - Gallivant (Gin barrel-aged barleywine)

Jessup Farm Barrel House - Wheelhouse (Bourbon barrel-aged brown ale)

Interviews

Matt Brynildson of Firestone Walker Brewing Company (Paso Robles, CA) - [00:11:20 - 00:21:13]

Ryan Fields of Wild Fields Brewhouse (Atascadero, CA) - [00:26:51- 00:30:07]

Colt Carpenter of Pax Verum Brewing Company (Lapel, IN) - [00:39:03 - 00:45:42]

Leo Sawadogo of Montclair Brewery (Montclair, NJ) - [00:54:10 - 00:59:08]

Rick Hagen and Greg Meyer of Heavy Riff Brewing (St. Louis, MO) - [01:12:44 - 0:1:18:46]

Dave Lopez of Gun Hill Brewing Company (Bronx, NY) - [01:33:33 - 01:39:42]

Ryan Wibby of Wibby Brewing (Longmont, CO) - [01:50:52 - 01:57:08]

Denver is the closest to Heaven that we'll ever be, and we don't want to go home right now. Broadcasting amongst the Rocky Mountains (from our very cushy hotel room), we file our annual report on America's largest beer festival and competition: the Great American Beer Festival. We open three Colorado beers over two nights and relive our extended weekend celebrating beer and the people who make it by running through our Denver-area highlights, recapping the festival and awards results, and sharing from our long lists of favorite beers. Plus, we snagged some interviews with brewers from all over the country that share stories of crazy adjuncts, surprising medal wins, and faux-coctions. We also get into how to properly stress out hops and share a story of how we crashed a black tie concert featuring a 90s hitmaker band - but I won't tell you their name. 

Interviews

Joe Short of Short's Brewing [Bellaire, MI] - (00:25:25 - 00:36:31)

Rachael Hudson of Pilot Brewing [Charlotte, NC] - (00:46:02 - 00:54:21)

Amos Lowe of The Austin Beer Garden Brewing Co. [Austin, TX] - (01:02:02 - 01:09:58)

Jacob Sembrano of Cruz Blanca Brewery [Chicago, IL] - (01:22:20 - 01:25:22)

Jaron Anderson of Helper Beer [Helper, UT] - (01:31:27 - 01:39:48)

Matt Malloy of River North Brewery [Denver, CO] - (01:50:44 - 01:55:35)

Beers Reviewed 

WeldWerks Brewing - Gyro Gose (Sour Ale w/ Pita Bread, Yogurt, Cucumber, Lemon, Dill, Mint, Garlic & Sea Salt)

Westbound & Down - Infinity Pils (West Coast Pilsner)

River North Brewery - White (Witbier)

In the week that we're heading out west for a certain fest, we gather up four barrel-aged beers from West Coast breweries that are pretty well-known for their wood-aged offerings. Expectations are flipped on their head and a ringer is challenged as we pop a few actual corks for this one. Also, Craig wants in on the limited-edition mattresses; we open our minds to the possibilities that breweries can grow over the course of nine years; and we share the tales of the juggling Belgian Gueuze Mimes. 

Beers Reviewed

Floodland Brewing - Calling Out to Psychic Death (Dry-hopped blend of barrel-aged saisons w/ honey)

deGarde Brewing - The Broken Truck (Wild ale aged in oak, blended from four years)

Russian River Brewing Company - Small Batch: Intinction (Sauvignon Blanc-aged wild pilsner w/ Sauvignon Blanc grape juice and dry-hopped with Nelson Sauvin)

Cellarmaker Brewing Company - Bourbon Blammo! (Blend of bourbon barrel-aged stouts and barleywine w/ toasted coconut)

The Great American Beer Festival is right around the corner, and since we're attending again this year, we're providing an audio guide to what to drink at the fest while also sipping on some previous medal winners. These aren't just any Illinois medal winners; our four choices here are a good drive from Chicago while also representing more traditional styles. For the GABF preview, we cover what Illinois breweries are pouring, which "new-to-us" breweries have us the most excited; whose familiar faces we can't wait to see; and which "steady hand" brewers can't be missed. Also, Ryan's sharing an irrational fear, we develop an open floor taproom concept to maximize turnover, and we both agree the judges are pretty good at what they do.

Beers Reviewed

Crystal Lake Brewing - Too Much Cologne (Kolsch)

Sew Hop'd Brewery - Alt 140 (Altbier)

Mickey Finn's Brewery & Pub - Dark and Down (Dark rye lager)

Tighthead Brewing Company - Scarlet > Fire (Irish red ale)

For the second part of our big 500, we sit down with Revolution Brewing founder Josh Deth and talk about the last ten years of his brewery while sharing a rare beer from Craig's cellar. It's a fitting interview for this milestone, as no brewery has been featured on the podcast more - and it's not even close. Also, we open another cellar gem while recording in the ABV West bunker for the first time since the pandemic; we discuss some of our greatest hits; we continue our wax hatred for the 10th year in a row; and Ryan struggles through another ABV By the Numbers game. Thanks for listening anytime, anywhere, everyone. 

Josh Deth interview (00:08:58 - 01:05:14)

Beers Opened

Side Project Brewing - Beer: Barrel: Time Rye 2023 (A blend of imperial stouts aged in rye barrels)

Phase Three Brewing - Eunoia Batch 1 (Barrel-aged imperial stout with peanut butter, chocolate & marshmallow)

500 episodes is a long time to do arbitrary beer reviews, so we reach out for some help in reviewing a few beers from Craig's cellar. We chose brewers that have been around longer than the podcast to reflect on the last ten years in craft beer, and they chose a beer from our list. For this part one of two episodes, we sit down with Spiteful Brewing's Jason Klein and Half Acre's Gabriel Magliaro. We also sip through their cellar selections, and open up one more in the ABV West Bunker for a small but mighty lineup. Plus, Craig has discovered a potential Malort cure, and Ryan struggles through an ABV By The Numbers game. Stay tuned for Part Two.

Jason Klein Interview (00:09:16 - 00:53:26)

Gabriel Magliaro Interview (01:01:26 - 01:25:52)

Beers Reviewed

Hair of the Dog Brewing Company - Don 2023 (Double Barleywine aged over four years in rye, bourbon, port, calvados and maple barrels)

Sante Adairius Rustic Ales - West Ashley Cuvée (A blend of four consecutive years of West Ashley, aged in Pinot Noir oak barrels with apricots)

Hanabi Lager Company - Hanabi Lager White Apron (Pilsner)

Once every four years, we gather up nine Märzens or Festbiers for a blind review revue as a not-so-subtle excuse to drink what might be our favorite seasonal style. And again, we have eight local takes (and one collab from a legacy American brand) on the German-style lager to help us determine our arbitrary preferences. Surprises abound and misconceptions are challenged as this extremely drinkable nine-pack has us craving pretzels in no time. Also, Ryan has inadvertently created an eight year-old future Cicerone; Craig is once again calling for unnecessary adjuncts; and it's 'Oops! All Basslines!" for one beer. Light up your pretzel rod cigars and fill up your ceramic stein with Oktoberfest, and join us. 

Beers Reviewed Blindly

Maplewood Brewing Company - Festbier

Midwest Coast Brewing Co. - Oktoberfest

Sketchbook Brewing Co. - Oktoberfest

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co./Kehrwieder Kreativbrauerei - Oktoberfest (2023)

Spiteful Brewing - Oktoberfest

Temperance Beer Co. - Oktoberfest

Off Color Brewing - Waddle

More Brewing Company - Oktoberfest

Mikerphone Brewing - Kick, Push, Prost

We're bringing the dry heat with our 32nd State Show, drinking through five beers from five different Arizona breweries, courtesy of listener Ryan Lamb. There's a lot to like from this set with some essential Arizona ingredients and a few beers with heavy medal pedigree. But also, Craig's recent Disney trip has him looking at redoing some rides; Ryan reminds us that stouts are for closers; and we finally find out what love smells like. 

Beers Reviewed

Four Peaks Brewing Company [Tempe, AZ] - Kilt Lifter (Scottish-style ale)

Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co. [Gilbert, AZ] - Cactus Juice (Prickly pear sour)

Wren House Brewing Company [Phoenix, AZ] - Spellbinder (Hazy IPA)

Mother Road Brewing Company [Flagstaff, AZ] - Tower Station (IPA)

Fate Brewing Company [Scottsdale, AZ] - Hatch Chile Gatos (Golden ale w/ hatch chiles)

Revolution is back at it this summer with a threesome of barrel-aged delights for an early kickoff to the Deep Wood series, and we take our time breaking down these complex blends to find our results to be pleasantly surprising. Also, Craig ruins going to the mall; Ryan's having breakfast with Velveeta; and we let the barrels take it to the X-treme (and Ex-Treme). 

Beers Reviewed

Dread & Breakfast (Breakfast Blend Ale with coffee aged in bourbon barrels)

Cuvée De Grâce (Cuvée Ale aged in bourbon barrels)

Life Jacket (Barleywine Ale with mango, guava, passionfruit, and coconut aged in bourbon barrels)

We can give a lot of credit to Half Acre co-founder Gabriel Magliaro for helping awaken the craft beer scene in Chicago. And more than 16 years later, Half Acre is still a leader in craft in the city and all over the country, so we're thrilled to sit down with Gabriel for a deep dive into the history of his legendary brewery. We talk about how he was strongly advised against putting beer in 16-ounce cans, how opening a retail shop exposed the brand to a new audience, the evolution of their barrel program to its esteemed current status, and why the Lincoln taproom sale was the best of all outcomes. Then, Craig and Ryan open four Half Acre beers across a variety of styles to review, and it's kind of a cosmic gumbo. Also, we're trying hard to make Slowdem a real thing.

Gabriel Magliaro Interview (00:07:29 - 01:09:02)

Beers Reviewed

Green Torch (Lime Lager)

Bodem (IPA)

Slow Wink (West Coast IPA)

Double Barrel Benthic 2022 (Double arrel-aged imperial stout with toasted coconut and cinnamon)

It's another show about highly drinkable summer styles, and this minor trend of local breweries releasing hopped-up wheat beers caught our attention enough to put five beers in front of us for review. The styles differ despite their shared ingredient, and we're as excited about the big hops as we are comforted by the soft wheat. Also, we blue-sky some product design for Impractical Packaging Brewing Co.; Craig might drizzle some honey on that dry ramen snack; and Ryan's just looking for a little extra fiber.

Beers Reviewed

Riverlands Brewing Company - Lazy Fox (Hazy Pale Wheat Ale)

Brothership Brewing - Citra Crop Circles (Hoppy Wheat Ale)

Keg Grove Brewing Company - Vacation Haze (Hazy Wheat New England-Style IPA)

Miskatonic Brewing Company/Seldom Beer Co. - Silver Sun (Hoppy Wheat Lager)

DryHop Brewers - Shark Meets Hipster (Wheat IPA)

Brad Clark is the man behind the highly sought-after blended barrel-aged beers of Private Press, and Craig sat down with him over some decanted barleywine to talk about the history and future of his members-only brewery. Brad shares how his background at the renowned Jackie O's in Ohio led to some of the more daring experiments at his current Santa Cruz brewery, and how peaceful running led to him inventing an entire style. Also, he shares details about his meticulous blending process, how his barrels travel treacherous terrain to reach their destination, where the inspiration for his labels and beer names originate from, and why he once had to set a barrel on fire in an attempt to save it. If that wasn't enough, we also open four of his beers that are just about unmatched in quality, and Craig talks about an unexpected visitor while dining at The French Laundry.

Brad Clark Interview (00:10:02 - 00:55:28)

Beers Reviewed

Life is Round (Blend of barleywine ales aged in bourbon barrels)

A Silent Pursuit (Blend of barrel-aged Munichwine ales)

Double Barrel Almond Suite - collaboration with Side Project (Imperial stout brewed with almonds and lactose, aged in bourbon and Cognac barrels)

Third Press (Blend of stout and barleywine ale aged in oak barrels)

One of Illinois' best breweries rarely makes it up to Chicagoland shelves, so when Craig had a chance to go down to Savoy for a visit to Triptych Brewing, he loaded up for our fourth featured show in our history. We have five beers that represent what Triptych does best: from immaculate lagers to hop-driven ales to a roasty delight, this show does not disappoint. But also, we may have stumbled upon a secret bus of jugglers; Ryan explains how not all scented candles are created equal; and Craig revisits some dark days when he was addicted to the Dew.

Beers Reviewed 

Herp Slurp (Pale Lager)

Tiny Magic (Session IPA)

Citra Pilsner 

And I Think My Spaceship Knows Which Way To Go (Hazy DIPA)

Camp Coffee Break (Imperial Stout w/ coffee)

After six episodes and 25 beers, we're finally putting our top 6 choices for best Chicagoland/Illinois hazy IPA to one last blind test. This showdown features four GABF gold medal-winners and two "underdogs" - and each beer impresses in its own way. Which brewery do we think is making the best cloudy juice utilizing Citra and/or Mosaic (and maybe like one or two other hops)? We'll have a definitive arbitrary answer by the end of the show. Also, Ryan is excited about his Goop Dupe, Craig's out there waiting for fruit to be thrown at him, and someone might just guess so good that they'll dab into the sun. 

Beers Reviewed Blindly

DESTIHL Brewery - Deadhead: TourBus

Alarmist Brewing - Le Jus

Alter Brewing Company - Ambigram

Riverlands Brewing Co. - Dean Street

Penrose Brewing Company - Goofy Boots

Old Irving Brewing - Beezer

We've been admirers of Sante Adairius Rustic Ales for a decade now, and Craig's recent trip to California brings us back the gift of SARA saisons - and a wonderful conversation with owner and co-founder Adair Paterno. The four barrel-aged saisons on this show are about as good of a lineup of beer we'll drink all year, so get ready for the lovefest on this episode. But the real highlight is Adair and Craig's talk which covers the early days to their now three-location status; how the house yeast culture came to be and has had to be resurrected; why so many taproom regulars have ended up joining the staff; and the time when they almost created yeast monsters underground. Also, Craig accidentally finds himself in the middle of parkour practice, and Ryan opts for opulence with the ultimate episode-ending Saison Cuvée.

Adair Paterno Interview (00:09:10 - 00:50:38)

Beers Reviewed

Eye of the Needle (Saison aged in Venus Spirits' gin barrels w/ passionfruit, mango, and guava)

Intentional Invitation (Saison aged in Venus Spirits' gin barrels w/ cara cara orange and grapefruit)

Proper Discourse (Saison aged in Frederiksdal Cherry Wine barrels)

Westly (Saison aged in barrels with apricots)

Summer Craig is starting off strong this year by bringing back five fantastic beers from California's Bay Area (and beyond) for us to fawn over and attempt to recreate those vacation vibes. We learn the backstories of these breweries and their unique approaches and cover other beer-ish topics like the follies of berry beers, aggressive bread, trad saisons, and the royal need for hop names. Also, Craig has discovered a new traveling superpower and parlor trick; Ryan has picked a winner in an East Coast vs. West Coast IPA battle; and we flip through the Sam Goody poster stand for a while. It's better than Semi-OK.

Beers Reviewed

Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing [Santa Cruz] - Hello Pretty (Organic blonde ale w/ strawberries)

Wondrous Brewing Company [Emeryville] - Rote Augen (Franconian-style Rotbier)

HenHouse Brewing Company [Santa Rosa] - Saison (Saison w/ black pepper and coriander)

Fox Tale Fermentation Project [San Jose] - No Más (Gose w/ Persian lime, pink pepper leaf, and lacto-fermented honey)

Ghost Town Brewing [Oakland] - Hammer Smashed EXP 586 (IPA)

Ryan's a University of Iowa graduate, and in the 15 years since his last visit, a few breweries have popped up and thrived in the area. After a weekend with the family in Iowa City, Ryan brought back five beers from the area to talk about what's been happening with beer in the decade-and-a-half since. Also, Craig's aghast to share Tom Emanski with an uninterested party, we're both a bit confused over TMNT villains, and Ryan's not mad about the algorithm figuring out he likes Mortal Kombat videos. We hope you like nostalgia with your beer reviews, this week. 

Beers Reviewed

Big Grove Brewery - Tailwind (Golden Ale)

ReUnion Brewery & John's Grocery - Thrilla in Amarilla (Hoppy Wheat)

Backpocket Brewing - Slingshot (Dunkel)

Lion Bridge Brewing Company - Compensation (English-Style Mild)

Iowa Brewing Co. - Cookie Oja (Baltic Porter w/ chocolate sandwich cookies)

Another somewhat recent trend in the world of local lagers is the Italian Pilsner, a style with only about a 30-year history that adds a bit more noble dry-hop character to something close to the Czech-style pilsner. It's all winners on this show, except for the hosts who have to do rankings without the assistance of a large sandwich. Also, we welcome in Hot Grimace Summer, Craig's empty hand is ever-reaching for an IPL, and Ryan's got that soon-to-be-viral oyster cracker hack. 

Beers Reviewed

Mikerphone Brewing - Hey Mambo, Mambo Italiano!

Riverlands Brewing Company - Picchi Pils

Pipeworks Brewing Company (& J.P. Graziano) - Alla Salute

Art History Brewing - Bella Strada

Half Acre Beer Co. - italian Pilsner

In our penultimate round before the championship, we have one spot up for grabs with these fan favorite hazy IPAs from Chicagoland breweries. Bringing our grand total of hazy IPAs blind-tasted up to 25, this episode still manages to bring some surprising sights and smells - and the show's winner isn't exactly what we expected. Also, we workshop a brewer's new brand concept, Ryan is dreaming of dunking on some suckers, and Craig just wants a banana shaped like a dolphin in his drink. 

Beers Reviewed Blindly

Roaring Table Brewing - Tuba Solo

Art History Brewing - Major

More Brewing Company - Morever

Short Fuse Brewing Company - Loosey Juicy

Alter Brewing Company - Ambigram

As we open our arms to embrace the start of summer, our empty glasses are going to need something flavorful yet refreshing. Luckily, Chicagoland breweries have been cranking out the hoppy lagers and pilsners lately, so we assemble five for this episode that are so good that they almost completely break the show. Also, Ryan speculates on banana pudding restaurants, The Queen's death is really holding up new hop names, and Craig's dry ramen-chomping has officially entered the canon.

Beers Reviewed

More Brewing Company & Beer on the Wall - Take One Down (German-style Pilsner)

Dovetail Brewery/Revolution Brewing - Thank You, Friends (Hopfenlager)

Roaring Table Brewing - Melts Into Air (California-style Pilsner)

Old Irving Brewing Co. - Doji* (Hoppy Lager)

Mikerphone Brewing - Lager & Lace (West Coast-Style Lager)

*At the time of this recording the beer was known as Oni, but is now renamed Doji

We're just about halfway to FoBAB, so we are once again doing battle with the barrel featuring a roundup of beers we've been saving for this very episode. These four barrel-aged beers jostle around in our arbitrary rankings as we just luxuriate in their decadence for about an hour and fifteen minutes. Also, we explain why you (and Billy Corgan) just have to pay your hackers sometimes; Ryan's got those Dairy Queen Blizzard flavor exclusives; and Craig gets called out for the snickerdoodle, again. More barrel-aged beers? We can never get enough. 

Beers Reviewed

Revolution Brewing Company - V.S.O. Gravedigger (Imperial Scotch Ale aged two years in bourbon barrels)

Old Irving Brewing Co./Phase Three Brewing - Barrel-Aged Migration 2023 (Bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout w/ coconut, vanilla, and Ecuadorian cocoa nibs)

Half Acre Beer Company - Catch Hell 2023 (Bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout w/ cinnamon and Madagascar vanilla)

Wax Wings Brewing Company - Mezcal Barrel-Aged Sweet Eddy (Imperial stout w/ vanilla, cacao nibs, and ancho chiles aged in Mezcal barrels)

Our quest to find the best flagship hazy IPA from Chicagoland breweries enters its fourth round, as we blindly sample through a fresh set of five to pick a winner that best fits our own personal preferences. And though our ability to guess blind beers is as bad as ever, our taste buds are finely tuned and finally ready to deliver a surprising upset on this episode. Also, we dream up some 80s-centric unexpected sports and celebrity pairings; we're reaching for the purple stuff over the Sunny D; and we might just let a fly determine the overall winner of this whole dang competition.

Beers Reviewed Blindly

Begyle Brewing - No Tomorrow

DESTIHL Brewery - Deadhead: TourBus

Horse Thief Hollow Brewing Co. - Spoonful

Hopewell Brewing Co. - Lightbeam

Riverlands Brewing Co. - Dean Street

In our 31st installment of our decade-long State Show Series, we are sampling a hop-heavy lineup from North Carolina courtesy of listener Rodney Knox. We learn about these five breweries from across the state while appreciating how difficult they make the rankings segment, in more ways than one. Also, Craig shares tales of drive-thru beer stores; Ryan's got a weird robot obsession, and we're sold on the idea of the Sweltzer based on name alone. 

Beers Reviewed

Swells'a Brewing [Kill Devil Hills, NC] - Pea Island Parks Pilsner 

Southern Pines Brewing Company [Southern Pines, NC] - Man of Law (IPA)

Raleigh Brewing Company [Raleigh, NC] - Coffee Hidden Pipe (Coffee Porter)

Hopfly Brewing Company [Charlotte, NC] - Unity (IPA)

Foothills Brewing [Winston-Salem, NC] - Jade IPA

In our seemingly endless quest to find the best long-made IPA that America has to offer, we are a little all over the map on this one with a mix of Wisconsin and Western U.S. offerings to run through the blind scoresheet wringer. It's a study in contrasts, as each clear IPA brings a little something different to the table - and then one just blatantly steals the show. Also, we imagine if GABF allowed us to curate their experience areas, we recall the days of IBU bombs, Craig is born anew yet again for this episode, and we invent cheese jibbets (and SlimJim-bets) for when you need a snack from those Crocs. 

Beers Reviewed Blindly

Stone Brewing - IPA

Karben4 Brewing - Fantasy Factory

Central Waters Brewing - Rift

New Belgium Brewing - Voodoo Ranger IPA

La Cumbre Brewing Company - Elevated IPA

Though they're maybe not the first brewery that comes to mind when you think of Kalamazoo, Michigan, Wax Wings Brewing (est. 2018) flourished during the pandemic with their fresh hazies and complex barrel-aged beers gaining a ton of word-of-mouth momentum that saw many a beer fan traveling just for the opportunity to take home some of their lineup. Count Craig as one of those folks, as he went to Kalamazoo to snag an interview with owner Rob Hopkins and bring back a fun (and boozy) lineup of fresh beers. The highlights here are about as good as anything we've had all year, and thanks to that the rankings are as joyfully inebriated as we've been in a while. Also, Craig's got your Guide to Purchasing a Kazoo in Kalamazoo; Ryan's gonna buy anything that's "rustic"; and a certain someone has just discovered that "fruit leather" exists. (And thanks to listener Benji for one of the bottles!)

Interview with Rob Hopkins (00:08:08 - 00:26:20)

Beers Reviewed

Cut 'Em All Down (Rustic American Ale)

Knows Not What It Means (Double IPA)

She The Queen (Triple IPA w/ Michigan wildflower honey)

The Saucefather (Imperial Stout w/ coconut, vanilla beans, and coffee aged in bourbon barrels)

Goodbye Mr. Sun (Barleywine aged in rye whiskey barrels, finished in tequila barrels)

A new set of five hop warriors enter the extremely flimsy ring for another blind tasting to lead us to our favorite Chicagoland flagship hazy IPA. This one features many more hops than just Citra and Mosaic, so it leads to the widest range of flavors yet. Will we agree on who moves to the championship, and will any beer make it on the bubble? Listen to find out that but also which brewery could potentially be profiting big from director K*vin Sm*th, why Craig's making a heel turn, and how we're implementing a simplified haze SRM scale to cut through all the fog. 

Beers Reviewed Blindly

Revolution Brewing - Hazy Hero

Around the Bend Beer Co. - Juice Trials

Penrose Brewing Company - Goofy Boots

Noon Whistle Brewing - Gummylicious

Ravinia Brewing - Isle of Lost Hops: Medusa's Lagoon

If it wasn't obvious from the totally easy to understand episode title, this show is a return for us to a whole lineup of barrel-aged beers from different breweries we love. We add a little blind twist to this one as all four are adjunct-free affairs: just delicious big stouts in world-class barrels. Also, Craig's totally serious about the tater tots offer, Ryan has found The Cheesecake of Beers™, and we both have a lot of thoughts about ramen. 

Beers Reviewed

Mikerphone Brewing (w/ Beer on the Wall) - Pick of Destiny #10: Raw Power (Imperial Stout Ale Aged in a Single Weller Wheated Bourbon Barrel)

Central Waters Brewing Company - Twenty Five (Blended Bourbon Barrel-Aged Stout)

WeldWerks Brewing Co. - Medianoche 2022 (Imperial Stout aged in Blanton's 15-year bourbon, Thomas H. Handy 6-year rye, E.H. Taylor 6-year bourbon, and Eagle Rare 10-year bourbon barrels)

Triptych Brewing - AJ's Stout Vol. 1 2022 (Imperial Stout aged in Heaven Hill Parker Heritage Collection bourbon barrels)