I think I had one of these Friday night. It was some kind of limited ed. Weyerbacher stout so it must have been this one.

My take was a bit different from yours. It was my third beer of the night and favorite overall. (My first two were Terrapine Moo Moo - decent - and some Corsendonk - Tripel, maybe? - that was very good.) Can't recall exactly what it was like now, but it seemed like there was a good bit more going on than malt and smoke.

Right after I scribbled that bit about the campfire, the guy standing literally right next to me said almost the exact same thing as me out loud to his buddy. "It's like drinking a mediocre stout next to a campfire." I started laughing, he looked at me, I said "I just said exactly the same thing!" He then looked around me and saw nobody to whom I might plausibly have been speaking, and cocked an eyebrow. "....Well, I just wrote it." Awkwardness, and then I sorta skittered away.

I've only had a couple smoked beers but never one that I liked at all. I just think smoked beer is a horrible idea from the start.

Oh and Recents (2)

Port Brewing Co. - Hop-15

So this was fine and all, but no more amazing or full or delicious than the Vermonster, or Dogfish 90, or any number of other double IPA's. It's good, and it's cheaper than some of those (but not others), but a 100? With 2 Hearted (not a double but bare with me) you have a crowded field, like this, with plenty of competition, and yet still it manages to taste both unique, and (to my mind) pretty damned amazing. With Hop-15, it's just another good example of a solid A- beer in its field, and there are some A+'s out there.



Omegang - Rare Vos

So I waded in. I had this last night. As expected it was pretty excellent. It's dryer than I was expecting, and spicier. The Caracole Amber I like so damned much is a tiny bit sweeter than this, I think. Comes down to preference, I guess, and I do prefer the Caracole over this but damn, there was nothing wrong and a whole lot right with it. This bottle was more enjoyable than 90% of what I had at the festival. And I think high-6% is a magical content... just enough to demand your attention, but not so much that it causes you problems. Made me ache for sunnier / warmer weather, and my wife wearing something skimpy. A

Piraat Ale (Belgian IPA)

One of the more tastier beers I've had recently. Belgian IPAs are interesting because they are in response to the American thirst for this type of beer. With that in mind, B IPAs are (imo) way less hoppy, and much more easy to drink multiple of. This one is no exception, and could be my favorite in that type. Its light, and highly drinkable. With a smell of red apples, and a taste to match with a hint of pear. Aftertaste, you're treated to a semi-bitter grapefruit (IPA standard) taste, but its much smoother than its domestic counterparts.

*edit* whoops sorry for the double post.

Oh how right you were. Apparently the distributor trucks were making their way across Atlanta today and twitter accounts were on fire with updates. Stores that got it first have already sold out of it. I finally got a tweet from my local shop (just up the street from my office) that they had it in stock. I went up there and I got maybe the 6th or 7th final 4 pack. He said they had 12 cases of it and it went in less than 2 hours. At TWENTY-ONE bucks a 4-pack. Limit 1 4-pack per customer.

These guys are marketing geniuses.

Still, I gots mine.

Also, thanks for the brewfest report Squirg. Enjoyed reading it and you also ramped up my desire to get the KBS. Made me realize it might be more in demand than I thought.

HOLY CRAP dude.

had recently
victory headwaters pale ale
ithaca brewing co. cascazilla
great divide grand cru

just picked up
mikkeller santa's little helper
duchesse du bourgogne
white birch indulgence
goose island night stalker
stone/pizza port/green flash highway 78 scotch ale

i'd add reviews but i got stuff to do right now.

Good work! I saw some of those Atlanta tweets and subsequent freaking out. 12 cases and almost sold out at $21/4-pack? Welcome to the craft beer revolution my friend.

Every main Chicago haunt is instituting a 1 bottle limit. Thankfully, I found an online retailer in STL and nabbed my 4-pack. That site sold out in under 15 minutes and they posted on their blog that locals were calling and yelling at them for the decision to sell any of it online.

Side note: I had a bottle of '09 KBS the other night and it was unfuckingodly.

Grab as much as you can as Short's doesn't distribute outside of Michigan. They tested Chicago's market around CBC last year and the Huma Lupa went really fast. They're currently too small to ramp up production, but if you guys buy it all out, they'll be first to our markets when they're able to distribute.

Be wary of anything they make using peanuts. (PB&J, Uber Goober and Cup A Joe). Those beers have a tendency to sour and sour fast. Anything sans Mystery Stout should be in your fridge right quick. Key Lime Pie and Soft Parade were other beers that soured badly. They are probably the most experimental brewery in the US but they're still learning which is why we're seeing a lot of infections in those special release beers.

Had one of these tonight:



'twas ok. Nothing spectacular, and nothing I will buy again. Moving along...

Yeah I read on their site that there were only 5 beers being distributed here and they were none of the weird ones. I'm gonna check tonight and see which of the others I can still find.

edit: picked up a sixer of the Huma and got a bottle each of the Bellaire Brown and Magician.

So the checklist for things I should be seeking out in Chicago... whattamI looking for?

Goose Island Pepe Nero, I think? That's the only one I've really been searching for.

The Vanilla or Coffee Bourbon County if you can find them, which I don't think you will. And I'm not really big on coffee beers anyways.

Looks like there's 1 craft beer store within walking distance, Binny's on South Jefferson St. Hope the route there isn't through South Crackton.

You should try the Flossmoor Brewery Beers if you can find them, and if you are heading out to brew pubs you need to visit Local Option

http://localoptionchicago.com/

and the Map Room

http://www.maproom.com/beer.htm

Had this the other night. I liked it better than their Tremens, not as good as their Noel (which I really like). Went down super easy and without the over the top alcohol finish of the Tremens, made me sleepy.

Even though I am just starting to get into the better beers that are out there so I don't know much, this didn't seem like anything to write home about.

Orval Trappist Ale

Drinking this right now and I dig this a lot. Fruity in a spicy licorice sort of way. Kind of hoppy (for a belgium) up front with a spicy finish, which makes it very drinkable.

In Phoenix this week, had a few of these local brews tonight. Tasty. Good summertime brew, I think.

I drank some Founders Red Rye IPA the other day. Shit was cash.

Kölsch is THE summer beer, period.

Two Brothers Brewing.
I really like the Domaine Du Page French Country Ale. It's a very strong, high alcohol brew with lots of carmelized malt and vanilla.
But they also do a wheat brew that I've been told is very good, the Ebel. (Not generally a big wheat beer fan, so I've never had it.)

Cain and Ebel is overrated. The only great beer I've had from a local brewery was Half Acre's Double Daisy Cutter. I also think everything else Half Acre is horseshit. Also don't think that beer is available anymore. Just go to West Lakeview Liquors and try some shit from wherever that you previously were unable to find.