ABV Chicago Craft Beer Podcast
539 episodes - English - Latest episode: 12 days ago - ★★★★★ - 87 ratingsA Chicago-based craft beer podcast with beer and events reviews. Visit our website at www.abvchicago.com!
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Episodes
Episode 38 - GABF
October 09, 2014 21:38 - 1 hour - 54.1 MBAfter three straight days of drinking at the Great American Beer Festival, we open a few beers in the hotel and play back a bunch of interviews with brewers that all won gold medals (in our hearts.) You’ll hear interviews with brewers from Yazoo, Wicked Weed, Comrade, Almanac, Transient, River Dog, The Rare Barrel, and Melvin. There’s also a brief appearance by a well-lubricated Sam Calagione from Dogfish Head. We sift through our memory of the hundreds of beers we tried and deliver our top...
Episode 37 - The Great Pumpkin Beer Show!
October 01, 2014 13:38 - 1 hour - 53.8 MBWe try to have the most sincere show in hopes of a visit from The Great Pumpkin Beer, as we try 8 of them. Kim Leshinski of Hail to the Ale and Chicago Beer Gals is our guest. As a BJCP Judge and a homebrewer, she carves up some serious knowledge on the intricacies of the style and drops in a candle on what Chicago breweries have to offer. Kim also talks about her many beer-centric endeavors including her experience working on the branding for Alarmist Brewing and what it was like to collabo...
Episode 36 - Chicago After Dark
September 25, 2014 00:02 - 1 hour - 48.9 MBEpisode 36 - Chicago After Dark Turn the lights down low, because we’re drinking six dark Chicago beers of varying styles. We attempt to eloquently marvel at dark malts and their multiple applications, but then we play another filthy round of Beers Against Humanity. Aside from our usual reviews, topics include cat huffing, actresses named Emma, Robot Dong, proper cookie pairings, awkward sexy talk, and Randy Mosher. And we’ll be very pleasantly surprised by a few beers. (This episode is ...
Episode 35 - Abraxas
September 17, 2014 23:32 - 52 minutes - 41.7 MBPerennial Artisan Ales’ Abraxas is Craig’s favorite beer, so we drink it four times. Actually, we have a mini-vertical and experience two variants - one far superior to the other. Our third different guest named Chris joins us to drink our beer and chat about 80’s “extreme sports” movies and Santana. We also pair the amazing beers with some Bee’s Knees Mexican Hot Chocolate Almonds, Ryan’s Cinnamon Toast Crunch cookies, and some Spicy Man Jam. And yes, we get a little emotional over Ba...
Episode 34 - The Hoppening
September 10, 2014 16:07 - 53 minutes - 42.8 MBEpisode 34 - The Hoppening This week, we resist the bacteria-born urge to kill ourselves by downing six random hoppy beers! We’ll regale you with stories of our trip to Decorah, Iowa, and then get off topic a lot as the beer tastes better and better. Then we spend half of the time insulting each other, and Ryan explains to Craig why M. Night Shyamalan’s “The Happening” is so bad that it deserves tribute. Prepare for the TWISTTTTTTT. Ryan 1. Toppling Goliath - Sosus 2. New Glarus -...
Episode 33 - Chicago Berliner Weisse
September 03, 2014 22:53 - 54 minutes - 43.5 MBIch Bin Ein Berliner Weisse episode! We review five local takes on the style and try some with traditional raspberry and woodruff syrups. We start with a table-setting traditional Berliner Weisse and end with Ryan putting crushed-up Skittles in his beer. And there's the long-awaited meeting of Upton Sinclair and Nicki Minaj. For such a low-ABV show, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the amount of spilling, squirting, and sexual dampness. Wait, come back! Craig 1. DryHop Brewers - The W...
Episode 32 - Horse Thief Hollow
August 27, 2014 15:26 - 1 hour - 48.8 MBHorse Thief Hollow is a South Side neighborhood brewpub that is churning out quality brews and delectable food, and we were invited to sample a whole lot of it. Head brewer Dave Williams and owner Neil Byers share a mic and their craft with us. Neil discusses some of the thoughtful choices made in distinguishing the business from the many nearby Irish pubs and how they manage to keep up with the considerable demand they’ve created. Dave educates us on yeast pitching, aging on oak spirals ve...
Episode 31 - Transient Artisan Ales
August 20, 2014 17:01 - 1 hour - 53.2 MBBrewer Chris Betts brings some of his Transient Artisan Ales for us to sample, and we couldn’t be happier. Humble and soft-spoken, Chris is one of the only brewers in Chicago focused on handcrafted barrel-aged sours, and the buzz that has followed is rightfully earned. We’ll learn about Chris’ history at Witch’s Hat and One Trick Pony, his “barrel library”, how he manages wild yeasts and bacteria in his beers, and why staying small can be a good thing. There’s also pertinent news on the Res...
Low ABV 1 - Great Taste of the Midwest 2014
August 16, 2014 17:39 - 46 minutes - 36.9 MBCraig spent a long, drunken weekend at the Great Taste of the Midwest in Madison, Wisconsin, and he brought a microphone. So we’ve assembled a “Low ABV” show around a few clips from his experience, and we open two incredible New Glarus beers while wading through the alcohol-induced fog of Craig’s memory. Here’s what you’ll hear: - Dan Caray from New Glarus discusses the Wild Peach release and a few upcoming (including the slightly-delayed Gueuze). - Mike Saboe from Toppling Goliath shares...
Episode 30 - Sante Adairius Rustic Ales
August 13, 2014 21:22 - 1 hour - 50.9 MBCHAOS reigns as we open five “Rustic Ales” from Sante Adairius in Capitola, California. We enlist the help of Ken Getty, president of the CHAOS Brew Club, and he drops knowledge bombs all over us about brewing techniques and why CHAOS is doing truly unique things for homebrewers. But we also talk about the Beer Futurists movement, invent Cosmic Beer Pong™, drink Ken’s incredible Kiwi Strawberry Berliner homebrew, and endure a Dennis cameo. Did we just become best friends? Yup.
Episode 29 - Beermiscuous
August 06, 2014 21:18 - 1 hour - 62.1 MBFor this show, we’re at Beermiscuous in Lakeview, and we “drink around” with owner Paul Leamon to review some great tap offerings and learn about his unique beer café concept. Paul gives us a thorough background on the business, from finding inspiration internationally to overcoming licensing headaches and finding the perfect location. We’ll learn about why proper glassware matters, the ordering habits of customers, and the many weekly events happening at Beermiscuous. We are also visited b...
Episode 28 - The MO Show
July 30, 2014 21:46 - 1 hour - 49.1 MBTo celebrate St. Louis Craft Beer Week, we review six Missouri beers that aren’t distributed to Illinois. And they’re all mighty fine beers, we concur, but one totally blows us away. We try really hard to make Missouri our sister state, infusing this episode with tons of Missouri trivia and a MO-themed “Who said it?” game. There’s also Ryan’s Missouri Literary All-Stars batting lineup and lots of Michael McDonald. Yah Mo B there!
Episode 27 - Toppling Goliath
July 23, 2014 21:27 - 1 hour - 50 MBIt’s Iowa or bust on this one, and we have the help of Marie Cummins to drink several Toppling Goliath brews. Once again, Marie brings the spot-on food pairings and superior research, we ruminate on how TG would fit in to the Chicago market if they ever expanded distribution, and Craig tortures us with some Biblical character/celebrity trivia. We also discuss the Templeton Rye, X-Men, Beyonce, and the depressing reality of a diabetic Cookie Monster. Yeah. Go Hawkeyes.
Episode 26 - Goose Island with Brett Porter
July 16, 2014 20:54 - 1 hour - 75.5 MBBrewmaster Brett Porter sits down with us at the Goose Island Brewery to drink beer and discuss a variety of subjects, focusing on the exciting things happening at his rapidly expanding brewery. He talks about this year’s Pitchfork beer, why Madame Rose is the best wine barrel beer they’ve done, and the secrets behind why BCBS is so good and why this year’s variants will be even better. We’ll also talk about Lagunitas, Bob Mould, the genealogy of mulberries, FOBAB, the pastoral beauty of Id...
Episode 25 - Chicago Fruit Basket
July 09, 2014 22:16 - 59 minutes - 47.3 MBWe’ve picked five different fruited beers from local breweries for this one, and then we went and tossed a bunch of fresh fruit in the beers just because we can. It doesn’t always work out. Craig shares a little BCBS news he got from Brett Porter, Ryan gives a bonus review of Coors’ Summer Brew, and we recap our experiences getting a tour of Une Année’s brewery and checking out Beermiscuous before its opening weekend. Juicy!
Episode 24 - Side Project
July 02, 2014 22:20 - 55 minutes - 44.7 MBCory King wasn’t satisfied with just brewing amazing beers at one brewery, so he opened another one. We craft an audio love letter (with moderate profanity) to five of his barrel-aged saisons and wild ales. To no one’s surprise, it’s one of the best tasting episodes we’ve done. David Sullivan joins us and vies for title of “best guest ever.” We discuss the best musical side projects, make Cantillon comparisons, expose the secrets of Craig’s successful kissing booth empire, compare a beer to...
Episode 23 - Hoppy Chicago
June 25, 2014 20:22 - 1 hour - 48.8 MBLike everyone else, we love hoppy beers, especially when fresh and local! We have five young pales from area breweries while playing our newest game, Hop Bingo. (Play along at home by downloading the card from our website!) Craig talks about his CHAOS Homebrew event experience, Ryan tries to make “Chic-hop-go” happen (It’s not going to happen!), and we both talk comic book/beer pairings. We are floating in the most peculiar way.
Episode 22 - Blind Session IPAs
June 18, 2014 21:50 - 51 minutes - 41.1 MBThe current demand for “session” IPAs is high, and breweries are practically tripping over themselves to release their version of the hoppy longdrinker. We make our way through nine beers under the 5% ABV cap from nine different breweries, tasting each blindly - without the benefit of knowing the brewery of origin. There are many surprise reveals and revelations, our most interesting smell descriptors yet, and a rousing edition of Ryan’s new favorite game, “Jam Band or Flim Flam?” Also, Cra...
Episode 21 - Chicago Growlers
June 11, 2014 23:00 - 53 minutes - 42.5 MBSome of Chicago’s best new breweries don’t bottle yet, so we went to five of them and brought back growlers! Marie Cummins joins us from the Down the Hatch beer blog and Chicago Craft Beer Enthusiasts. She comes through with much-needed food-pairing help, recaps her Kegs for Kidneys experience, talks about her favorite Chicago brewery, and explains why she’s so popular in the Ukraine. Craig and Ryan just try not to sound stupid. Someone’s gonna get punched in the stomach!
Episode 20 - 4 Hands Brewing Co.
June 04, 2014 21:36 - 51 minutes - 41.4 MBIt’s a frenzy of 4 Hands beers as we tackle eight unique offerings from the St. Louis-based brewery. We have our first threeway (of beer) and we try not to make eye contact. We talk a little Pipeworks (of course), Craig rants about the Esquire network, and Ryan speaks ill about the sacred cow that is The Barenaked Ladies. We also drink lots of delicious beers. Let’s get handsy.
Episode 19 - Pipeworks Gets Weird
May 28, 2014 23:01 - 59 minutes - 47.7 MBPipeworks does a lot of things well, and weird beers are near the top of that list. We try five of their unique brews with unusual ingredients or unexpected style crossovers and discover that they’re all pretty awesome. Relive our cautious whiffs and relieved sips! Craig gives us the highlights of his busy Chicago Craft Beer Week. We also bring back the game that has changed the world of podcast beer reviews as we know them, Beers Against Humanity. Oh, yes, this one is way out there. (Fun p...
Episode 18- DIPA 2
May 21, 2014 23:53 - 58 minutes - 47.2 MBEveryone loves a sequel! We drink 6 more double imperial pale ales in this episode, reaching new levels of palate destruction and inebriation. We jump in our own Mystery Machine and try to solve the hop secrets in some of these brews, Ryan unleashes a little Three Floyds rage, and Craig reveals to us all that he is, indeed, a God. (Because we’re busy celebrating Chicago Craft Beer Week, this episode was recorded two months ago. Enjoy!)
Episode 17 - Bee's Knees and Chicago Brews
May 14, 2014 22:50 - 1 hour - 58.4 MBWe kick off Chicago Craft Beer Week with Chris Ferguson from Bee’s Knees, a food company specializing in craft beer snacks. Along with five nut varieties, we open five local beers based on pairing suggestions provided by Bee’s Knees. Chris answers a lot of our questions about his business and helps us understand why his nuts are so damn good with beer. Intelligent dialogue ensues, until we all get drunk and Craig and Ryan bring it crashing back down. Also, we talk about what we’re looking f...
Episode 16 - Tired Hands
May 07, 2014 23:25 - 42 minutes - 33.8 MBWe’re staying up late with four Tired Hands Brewing Company growlers, near-fresh from PA! After a day of drinking at the Mash Tun New Wave Brewer’s Bash - which we reminisce on throughout - we pull it together long enough to review and rank beers from RateBeer’s #2 top new brewery in 2013. We’ll talk Kurt Vonnegut, Stephen Tobolowsky, and our intentions to copyright “Hopularity.” I’m a horse.
Episode 15 - Wheat Home Chicago
May 01, 2014 00:02 - 49 minutes - 39.7 MBWe give wheat a chance with six different Chicago-area breweries that feature warmer-weather friendly wheat! There are a variety of styles, an enlightening history of wheat, and even some lemon bars made with Off Color’s Troublesome. We also ruminate on the novelty-shirt-friendly question, “What Would Jesus Drink?” (It’s probably Three Floyds.) This episode features music from Chicago’s own Oblivion, because that’s what Ryan wants.
Episode 14 - Lawson's Finest Liquids
April 23, 2014 21:35 - 50 minutes - 40.4 MBEpisode 14 - Lawson’s Finest Liquids There are pancakes on the table to compliment the five beers we drink from Lawson’s Finest Liquids, and we use some of their maple syrup beers in the cooking process. Dennis joins us to help choke down the flattest flapjacks ever made, and yes, there will be some harmonizing. Listen for a surprisingly apt comparison to Brendan Fraser, Dennis shilling for White Castle, and a shocking confession about pickles. World Star! Ryan 1. Maple Tripple Ale...
Episode 13 - Chicago Saisons
April 16, 2014 21:30 - 59 minutes - 48 MBSpring has sprung and saisons are the beer of the season! We drink 6 different saisons from Chicago-area breweries and talk baseball and flowers and bunnies and shit. We also share some listener feedback and hold a little saison history lesson. And be prepared to be moved by Craig's delicate and beautiful singing voice. Taste the refreshment! Ryan 1. Middle Brow The Life Pursuit 2. Une Année/Bangers and Lace Frères 3. Haymarket The Saison Also Rises 4. Only Child Le Perfectionniste ...
Episode 12 - Alpine Beer Co.
April 09, 2014 21:05 - 35 minutes - 28.5 MBFour hoppy delights from Alpine Beer Company star in this episode, as Craig and Ryan try to rank them from best to less-than-best. Also, Craig shares some tips for beer trading and other ways of acquiring hard-to-get releases. Ryan finds a way to get really drunk on four relatively lower alcohol beers. Join us as we do some Alpine skiing – and it ain’t snowin’! Ryan 1. Duet 2. Nelson 3. Alpine Ale 4. Pure Hoppiness Craig 1. Nelson 2. Duet 3. Pure Hoppiness 4. Alpine Ale
Episode 11 - Une Année
April 03, 2014 04:05 - 53 minutes - 43 MBC'est une célébration de Une Année ! We drink 5 beers from one of Chicago’s best new breweries. Ryan tells his car accident story, and Craig drops some Remedial French 101 on us. There’s also a Bee’s Knees Food Company appearance as we snack on some of their Curry Curry Peanuts. Écouter avec joie! Ryan 1. Sanguinaire 2. Austere 3. Sanguinaire Première 4. Maya 5. Life Beyond Death Craig 1. Maya 2. Sanguinaire Première 3. Austere 4. Sanguinaire 5. Life Beyond Death
Episode 10 - Crooked Stave
March 26, 2014 21:13 - 47 minutes - 37.9 MBThings get funky with Crooked Stave in our 10th episode. We try six of their barrel-aged offerings - many with that funky Brettanomyces leading the flavor train. Hear why Denver-based Crooked Stave is one of the best artisan breweries going, and let the funk take you over. Big thanks to our friend Marek for the reserve society beers! Ryan 1. 1.Raspberry Dark Origins 2. 2. Origins 3. 3.Vielle 4. 4. Bourbon Barrel Cherry Origins 5. 5. Persica Blend #1 6. ...
Episode 9 - Half Acre
March 19, 2014 22:06 - 57 minutes - 46.3 MBHalf Acre Beer Company is a Chicago craft beer luminary, and we invite Dennis to try 6 of their beers with us. Dennis brings his experience as a food writer to the show and makes us eat a Subway Flatizza and drink Boone’s Farm Fuzzy Navel. It was horrible. But the show is great, and so are the beers. It gets so weird.
Episode 8 - Central Waters Brewer's Reserve
March 12, 2014 23:09 - 1 hour - 48.8 MBIn January, we sat down with Central Waters' Brewers Reserve beers to commemorate their 16th anniversary. No infections here! We fawn over 6 bourbon barrel aged beers, Craig shares his account of the 16th anniversary party, and we invent more band names. Hear our thoughts on 2014 Peruvian Morning and what should have been. Rankings Ryan 1. Peruvian Morning 2. 16 3. Bourbon Barrel Cherry Stout (2013) 4. Bourbon Barrel Barleywine 5. Bourbon Barrel Stout 6. Bourbon Barrel Scotch Ale C...
Episode 7 - German Style Chicago
March 05, 2014 22:24 - 48 minutes - 38.9 MBWe drink six German-style beers from Chicago-area breweries. Listen as we talk about local breweries, traditional German styles, lederhosen comfort, German drinking games, and our favorite albums by Robot Dong. Prost!
Episode 6 - West Coast Bias: San Francisco
February 27, 2014 03:24 - 59 minutes - 47.3 MBCraig just came back from San Francisco, and he brought some beer back with him! Craig also spins yarns about his trip and we try to diversify our advertising porfolio with Nabisco and Tums. Let our mouths take your ears to the wild, wild west. Rankings Ryan 1. Rare Barrel SKUs Me 2. Sante Adairius Maiden Fields 3. Hopocalypse Black Label TIPA 4. Russian River Blind Pig IPA 5. Hopocalypse White Label DIPA 6. Speakeasy Syndicate No. 1 Craig 1. Sante Adairius Maiden Fields 2. Rare...
Episode 5 - Pipeworks Ninja Retirement Party
February 19, 2014 22:59 - 59 minutes - 47.3 MBWe send off the Pipeworks Ninjas (in name) in style by throwing them a retirement party for the ages. To complement these massive double IPAs, we taste two varieties of delicious Bee’s Knees nuts. We also play the new beer reviewing game that we invented that’s rapidly going viral: Beers Against Humanity. Rankings: Ryan 1. Australian Summer Ninja 2. Citra Ninja 3. Marilime Law Ninja 4. Centennial Ninja 5. Cascade Ninja 6. Simcoe Ninja Craig 1. Citra Ninja 2. Australian Summer ...
Episode 4 - Double India Pale Ales
February 12, 2014 18:45 - 56 minutes - 45.4 MBSix of the most beloved double IPAs are on the menu for this show, and we drunkenly try to make sense of how to rank them. Also, we talk about Craig’s travelling philosophy, and Dennis stops by the microphone to do the only two impressions he can. Plus, Ryan gets really drunk and lets Craig know his true feelings about their friendship. Rankings Craig 1. Russian River Pliny the Elder 2. Surly Abrasive 3. The Alchemist Heady Topper 4. Pipeworks Citra 5. DC Brau On The Wings of Armagedd...
Episode 3 - Chicago Barrel Mix
February 05, 2014 22:42 - 53 minutes - 42.7 MBWe put four Chicago barrel aged beers to the test. Plus our first contest and the debut of our theme song! Rankings Ryan and Craig (same) 1. Haymarket Clare's Thirty Ale (crowler) 2. Revolution Deth's Tar 3. Local Option Morning Wood 4. Two Brothers/Solemn Oath Brotherhood of the Barrel
Episode 2 - Hill Farmstead
January 29, 2014 23:04 - 57 minutes - 46.1 MBWe take one for the team and imbibe five Hill Farmstead beers, plus one Grassroots brew. Plus Craig talks about his trip up to Hill Farmstead during the summer and there's more male moaning than ever should be recorded. Ever. Beers Clara Sankt Hans (Grassroots) Phenomenology of Spirit (2013) Twilight of the Idols (2012) Birth of Tragedy (2012) Genealogy of Morals (2013) Rankings Ryan 1. Genealogy of Morals 2. Birth of Tragedy 3. Twilight of the Idols 4. Phenomenology of Spirit...
Episode 1 - Chicago Stouts
January 22, 2014 23:24 - 54 minutes - 43.9 MBWe try 5 Chicago Stouts (with Bee's Knees nuts) and rank 'em. Simple. Plus Ryan goes on a small rant and we air our grievances. The list: Spiteful I Hate My Boss Coffee Stout Solemn Oath Combat Marshmallow Half Acre Big Hugs Pipeworks Hey, Careful Man, There's a Beverage Here! Une Annee Airing of Grievances Rankings Ryan: 1. Une Annee Airing of Grievances 2. Half Acre Big Hugs 3. Spiteful I Hate My Boss Coffee Stout 4. Solemn Oath Combat Marshmallow 5. Pipeworks Hey, Careful ...