Goose Island To Can 312

Sorry, of course I meant Goose Island would start selling 312 in cans. Makes sense since they were bought out by AB Inbev and now have their facilities available. Word is that it would be canned in the Baldwinsville NY Plant, whose area code is 315. Additionally, there will be a  new label design for bottles too (see below).

As a fan of canned beer myself, I think this is a big step and a favorable one for them. I am amazed at how consistent some of the beers were that have been put in a can compared to their bottled brothers. For example, Yuengling Lager tastes a lot better in a can than a bottle, if you ask me (but still not as good as on tap).
 
Craftcans.com reports on all the latest can developments, and is worth checking out. They mention a few I have tasted (and reviewed) that are here in Chicagoland, like Finch, Half Acre and Wild Onion.

Craft Beer Monday Review: Two Brothers Cane and Ebel

I had tasted this previously at the Tap House on draft more than once, but they were occasions where I had a large variety of beers so I couldn't really taste all the different tastes that this one really holds. Especially since two of those times were at the Hop Juice Festival, and after the massive blow from that one my taste buds were pounded for the rest of the day anyway.


This beer is really unique. It is a strong rye, which I have tasted in other ones that did it without as much fanfare. In other words, the rye in this brew was really bold, giving it a strong peppery flavor that was a little too much, I thought. A certain level of spiciness is good, so long as there is sweetness to counterbalance it a little. I thought there was not enough sweetness. It mentions that there is palm sugar which adds to its creaminess, but I did not detect that at all. 

On top of that, the hops are boldly present, so the citrus and bold bitterness are all strong characteristics of this beer. Not for the timid, the session drinker or even if you want more than one, I think. This bottle was handed to me by fellow craft beer fan Cleveland Steve. I split it at a drinking session recently and drinking a half bottle was enough for me.

CBC rating: 4. I would say it is unique and strong, but I look for balance in a beer and I think it could have used some balance and not just knock you out bold in some areas.

 Stats: ABV: 7.0%, IBU: 68.

Craft Beer Monday Review: Capital Winter Skal

I was looking for more winter beers because I have always appreciated the reliability, smoothness and session ability of Sam Adams Winter Lager, but I was looking for something else interesting, and I think I found it with this brew. I first saw this when I was looking for Capital Autumnal Fire, a doppelbock I really thought was a knockout but haven't able to get for the last two autumns. Maybe a road trip up to Madison will have to be in order.

Smooth, good malt flavor, very mild bitterness, slightly spicy makes this a reliable and steady taster. Finishes slightly dry, which makes me wonder if there is some rye taking part. I would put it slightly ahead of the SAWL, personally, because I am not too fond of the ginger in it, but on the other hand I think there is something to be said for a beer that is pretty good and also a lot easier to get here in Chicagoland (I can only get the seasonal Capitals at Marianos in Vernon Hills), or go to Woodman's. 

Sometimes I am not sure what to expect with some of the Wisconsin beers, but I have come across some funkiness and way out oddness, like with the specialty New Glarus brews on occasion. But the Capital beers have been a lot more reliable, like their Wisconsin Amber, which is a Vienna but I would argue better than Sam Adams Boston Lager, their US Pale Ale, which is zesty and well blended.

CBC Rating: 4. Enjoyed from a bottle purchased at Marianos in Vernon Hills in a pick your own 6 pack.

ABV: 5.4%

Two Brothers Roundhouse: Questions Arise on Direction

We've all been wondering how the Roundhouse has been working out, since all the reports have been from Aurora residents who have basically been comparing it to the previous version of it. So, I was glad to hear from Bingo, a Two Brothers Fan, who recently visited it for his birthday.

Since the Two Brothers bought the place and renovated it I was expecting some changes, because I heard that they were using the old European copper tanks and the place needed a major cleanup. I personally wasn't sure how things were going to work out since the place already had its own feel and personality, and I didn't know if they would be able to make it their own. In other words, I wondered if they would have just made it an enlarged version of the tap house since they brought in their chef and manager from Warrenville.

Bingo says the food is good and tasty, with a comfortable atmosphere. He didn't have any problem with that. In fact, he saw it filled up fast, so others are showing interest.

But he wasn't so thrilled with the beer. He had one of the Roundhouse Only beers, the Robust Porter, which was a good one, but that was the only one available.  The rest,  although they were on tap, were the regular Two Brothers offerings, without any surprises. Which is unusual, since the tap house would, at least, have something fun occasionally, like in the cask or oak aged.

He settled with some import bottles where things tended to improve for him. Alas, he finished the night with one of the best Imperial Stouts I have had, the Northwind.

Overall, not the greatest beer experience, especially for someone who prefers the higher alcohol brews. How about some Imperials only served there, for example, or providing carry outs like the tap house?

2011 Infinium Uncorked for the First Time this Holiday Season

This festive collaboration brew offers a bubbly twist on hosting and toasting

 

BOSTON, Nov. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Infinium, the limited-edition, champagne-like collaboration brew between Samuel Adams and Germany 's Weihenstephan Brewery, hits shelves just in time for the 2011 holiday season.  The brewers have spent years perfecting this boundary-pushing new beer style that unites 1,000 years of combined knowledge and innovation between the two breweries. Initially launched in 2010, Infinium is the first completely new beer style created in more than 100 years to adhere to the rigorous standards of the German Reinheitsgebot purity law—which states that all beer must be brewed using only four ingredients: malt, hops, water and yeast.

The brewers are mixing things up with this year's batch, offering beer lovers an unexpected element to the Infinium toasting experience.  Samuel Adams created three Infinium cocktail recipes—the Mr. Adams, Into the Woods, and Winter Rush —each infused with seasonal ingredients that pair perfectly with Infinium's effervescent character.

Unlike any other beer, Infinium is light and dry, yet complex with a sparkling effervescence. The beer pours out a deep golden color with fine bubbles, and its acidity creates a dry tartness on the palate that is balanced with a smooth malt body. The brewers enhanced this year's beer by dry hopping with fresh Hallertau Mittelfrueh hops late in the brewing process, imparting a fresh yet delicate citrusy hop character. Infinium's fruity, elegant aroma makes the brew an ideal mixer with seasonal flavors like apple cider.

"We've spent years perfecting the recipe for Infinium. Combining revered German brewing traditions with American innovation, we rewrote the beer world's rules," said Jim Koch , Samuel Adams founder and brewer. "This beer is unlike anything else we've brewed so we thought, 'Why not take the experiment one step further and develop beer cocktails to play off the flavors and enhance the experience for our drinkers?' We found that the quality ingredients we use in our beer translate well, and the cocktails actually showcase Infinium's flavors in a new and unexpected way."

This crisp, vivacious brew is certain to make a palate-pleasing holiday gift for food and beer connoisseurs, and its light, sparkling character makes Infinium the ideal beverage for a celebratory holiday toast. Available at select locations worldwide for a limited time, Infinium hits shelves in late November for a suggested retail price of $19.99 per bottle. It is packaged in 750mL cork-finished bottles and contains 10.3 percent alcohol by volume, twice the amount of an average beer. For additional information and to locate a retailer, visit www.samueladams.com/Infinium.

INFINIUM BEER COCKTAIL RECIPES:

The Mr. Adams

Infinium

1 oz black pepper syrup (simple syrup combined with black pepper)

½ oz apple cider

¼ oz fresh lemon juice

Garnish: Lemon peel

Glassware: Champagne flute, straight up                                                                        Fill glass halfway with Infinium.  Shake black pepper syrup, cider and lemon juice in a shaker.  Strain shaken mixture into glass.  Garnish with lemon peel.

Into The Woods

Infinium

1 oz fresh lime juice

1 tsp fresh rosemary

1 pinch of grey salt

Garnish: Preserved lime and a rosemary sprig, grey salt rim

Glassware: Pilsner glass, on the rocks                                                                            Rim glass with grey salt using simple syrup.  Muddle rosemary, lime juice and grey salt.  Shake with ice and pour contents into rimmed glass.  Top with Infinium.  Stir gently, and garnish with lime and rosemary.

Winter Rush

Infinium

½ oz pumpkin bitters (or orange bitters with pumpkin extract added)

Splash of lemon juice

1 tsp sage

¼ tsp smoked salt

Garnish: Crushed dehydrated cranberries for rim

Glassware: Pilsner glass, on the rocks                                                                            Rim glass with dehydrated cranberries using simple syrup.  Muddle sage, salt and lemon juice.  Shake with pumpkin bitters and ice. Pour contents into pilsner glass.  Top with Infinium and stir gently.

ABOUT WEIHENSTEPHAN:

The Bavarian State Brewery Weihenstephan. Nearly one thousand years ago it was the monastery brewery of the Benedictine monks, then the Royal Bavarian State Brewery. Today, as a regulated enterprise of the Freestate of Bavaria, it is a company run according to the precepts of private business. As the oldest existing brewery in the world, the brewery occupies an exalted site atop Weihenstephan Hill in the Bavarian city of Freising, surrounded by the comparatively still very young Weihenstephan science centre of the Technical University of Munich . Yet it is precisely this unique combination of tradition and custom, proven knowledge, and modern science, which gives the brewery its incomparable identity and permits it to brew beers of the highest quality. www.weihenstephaner.de

Craft Beer Monday Review: Tyranena Rocky's Revenge

"Deep in the darkest depths of Rock Lake, prowls a great Saurian known today as Rocky".

This is just a portion of the entire message printed on the label, click on the title above for their full explanation of it. Just to review it appears that not only is Rocky a legend but the name Tyranena is also. That is really a great position to be in as a marketer of local beers. See many of their others for this same trend (Chief Blackhawk Porter, etc.)

Personally, I have had mixed reviews of Tyranena. I enjoy the Blackhawk, the Headless Man and the Stone Tepee, but I had the Three Beaches Honey that gagged me pretty badly. But I put Rocky's in the good category. It really hit the spot.

Described as a Brown Ale, I find that it adheres to the traditional English browns by having a definite malt presence, with a slight amount of bitterness, dark with a tan head, unfiltered, a nice amount of sweetness. 

I have always enjoyed Newcastle, so I often compare Browns to it, so I think I must say it has more sweetness and a little more body than Newcastle. I tasted it on one night during a beer fest, and it gave me quite a different taste than when I drank it first on the night.

CBC rating: 4. 

 This was handed to me by CBC member SteveBush.

Craft Beer Monday Review: Ram O2 Pale Ale

Having a few extra minutes on the way home last week I stopped in at the Wheeling Ram, which is my favorite of the three local ones, to see their seasonal list. It is the only way I have to do it, since their website is more of a national one and doesn't get into specifics concerning local restaurants.

I wanted to see what they were doing since we were a little past Oktoberfest and not yet into the winter brews. Actually they still had a Helles available, which I tasted, and considered pretty good, but I was looking for something different.  

When I asked for the O2, I assumed it was the chemical name of oxygen, which I didn't understand because when you think of beer you think of carbonation or nitrogen etc. As a matter of fact, oxygen is something to be avoided in beer. The beertender informed me it stood for Oats and Oranges.

The smell is a little piney, alerting me to the stronger than expected amount of hops, and it pours orange almost amber with a quickly disappearing head. When first tasting in the glass I did taste some wheat,or other grain, and a small bite of hops. Interestingly, as I licked my lips I tasted the orange. This had a pleasant taste of the fruit, which I normally avoid at all costs (I tasted a Kriek  on tap at Sheffields once and I wasn't sure what I was getting into until I noticed the slightly pink head. This warned me of the bold knockout cherry that almost gagged me). I like the subtle flavors of fruit better, and this one had just the right amount.

No bad aftertaste or other effects sometimes associated with Pale Ales too. I hadn't yet had a subtle fruit with subtle hops and incredibly smooth. This appears to be a seasonal but not just for one location-I picked up a growler in Rosemont too. I hope it is still available when you go, but with the Sno Angel coming out soon I think they might replace the O2.

CBC rating is a 5. This is for its unique smooth and surprising tastes.   

Tasted a pint in Wheeling and the growler from Rosemont. Enjoyed with SteveBush.

Bar Louie in Mt Prospect Sports a Sweet Beer Menu

Club Member SteveBush visited Bar Louie in Mt Prospect this past week, having previously heard they had a good beer list and he was pretty impressed. The place has a biggish bar, rectangular in shape, with 80 beers on tap, 40 on each side of the bar. Beer was available in 16 and 20 ounce glasses, and by the flight if you wanted. They were celebrating Oktoberfest, according to the menu. They served a great variety of import, local craft and other craft beers.
The list was so impressive we were wondering how many bars you would have to go to tally up all the ones they offered here!
Looking forward to trying this place myself. Steve's review included a thumbs up for the Dead Guy, Domaine du Page, Krankshaft, Rocky's Revenge, Scrimshaw, Green Line, and Shock Top. He didn't care so much for the Allagash.
Sounds like he found the right place for the Club. I noticed he skipped the pumpkins and with the exception of the Shock Top he also skipped the Bud/Miller/Coors offerings. Can't say that I disagree with any of his reviews.
Good to hear something local is getting the job done. Bar Louie's is across the street from the new Randhurst Mall.
They offered:

Drink Local:				Crafts:
Goose Island 312 (IL)				North Coast Scrimshaw Pilsner (CA)
Goose Island Pere Jacques				New Belgium Fat Tire (CO)
Goose Island Green Line				New Belgium Snow Day
Two Bros Domaine Dupage (IL)				Victory Festbier (PA)
Point Whole Hog Pumpkin (WI)				Dogfish Head Punkin Ale (DE)
Point Oktoberfest				Dogfish Head 60 Min IPA
Metropolitan Krankshaft (IL)				Allagash White (ME)
Bell’s Two Hearted IPA (MI)				Lagunitas Little Sumpin (CA)
New Holland Dragon’s Milk (MI)				Abita Purple Haze (LA)
Tyranena Rocky’s Revenge (WI)				Rogue John John Hazlenut Ale (OR)
Summit Oktoberfest (MN)				Rogue Dead Guy Ale
Bar Louie Blond				Rogue Double Chocolate Stout
Imports:				BMC
Boddingtons Pub Ale (ENG)				Budweiser
Bass Ale  (ENG)				Bud Light
Hacker-Pschorr (GER)				Lite
Heineken (NETH)				Shock Top
Newcastle Brown Ale (ENG)				Coors
Dos Equis (MEX)				Coors Light
Guinness  (IRL)				Blue Moon
Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock    (GER)
Delerium Tremens (BELG)-bottle
Smithwicks Ale (IRL)-bottle
Magners Cider (IRL)-bottle

Craft Beer Monday Review: Lakefront Fixed Gear

Fixed Gear, another offering by Lakefront, In Milwaukee, who I rely on to supply me regularly with the beers I find the most satisfying, has supplied me with another good one.

I have tasted and enjoyed some Red Ales, but as the saying goes, you never know what you're going to get. This is rather unique, in that it is a blend of American Pale Ale, but reddish in color and a little more on the sweet side and not so spicy as other pale ales can get.

I enjoy the good blending of flavors, good traditional malt flavors and the effective handling of the carmels allowing it to be a little sweet and not just crimson in color, as we have seen in many other reds.

Lakefront has given us some good beers at times and at others they have used their imagination with fun names and labels but I feel they might have spent their imagination on the marketing and not the product development (like Wheat Monkey, for example). 

I put this near the top of my favorites for the American Red Ale, so my CBC rating is 5.


This was purchased at Woodman's in Kenosha during a regular Spotted Cow run.

Craft Beer Monday Review: Finch's Cut Throat Pale Ale

I'm always on the lookout for not only Midwest craft beer but those brewed in Chicago, too. I had heard of local breweries popping up but I though I would need to go directly to the source to find them. Finch's beer is sold at my local Binny's in pint cans and, at least at Binny's, Cut Throat is the only Finch's I see there.  Located on the Northwest Side of Chicago, they are another of some local brewers who are starting out small and hopefully expanding out. Its good to see Binny's is stocking them. I think an interest in Chicago beers can be a good thing but they can do more. I will write to them asking them to highlight Chicago beers in a display.

I was pleased with this beer, it had the familiar taste of IPAs, defined hop presence in a bold way, but with a smooth finish that was quite satisfying and was really drinkable. It is good to see such a bold IPA with a relatively low ABV (5.6%).

Not knowing a lot about birds I had no idea Cut Throat is a variety of Finch.

Thanks to CBC Member SteveBush for handing this to me. I will go buy some more and look out for Finch's in the future. 

CBC Rating: 4.

High ABV: Is This Important?

There has recently been some debate over ABV and quality of beer. Does higher alcohol content mean more taste? Can you get good taste without it? Is there a time when it may be more appropriate not to hit them?

Personally I find that you can have good taste without higher alcohol, unless you like the alcohol taste, which you can only get with the higher ABV.

Plus, it tends to make bold flavors even more bold, like the fruit esters in a Belgian will be much more pronounced. For example, I shared a bomber of St. Bernardus Abt 12 last week with my neighbor and it was right on the heels (actually a day apart) of a bomber of Chimay red. Granted, one is a quad and the other a dubbel, but I think the gravity or alcohol level is the difference here and while they were both delicious, I would have to say the Abt 12 was more flavorful.

I have found that the more commercial breweries I go to, like Ram or Rock Bottom, will only brew an Imperial at specific times of the year, and not have one on their menu all the time. Whereas the Livery, for example, has at least three Imperials or other big beers (9, 10, 12%). This may be due to the cost being prohibitive enough for some therefore not worth hogging a tap spot in many other brew pubs.

Here is a link to a list of the beers with the highest alcohol content available. Please note this is a private list so many breweries might not be represented.

What do you think? Can you have good flavor with the high alcohol content? Are there times when it is more appropriate not to? Do you even bother to order these at all since they are usually a lot higher priced?

Magic Hat Founder is Starting a New Venture

Alan Newman, who founded Magic Hat in Burlington, Vermont, is now working with Jim Koch at the Boston Beer Company to develop fun beers for Sam Adams, kind of.

His story is interesting, as an entrepreneur jumping around and his adventures in the business world. In his book he describes how he lost Magic Hat and where it stands now.

But since the craft beer industry is the place to be, Jim Koch has signed him to a contract to develop beers, recipes, brewpubs, breweries, whatever. He will try to remain in Burlington but have ties to Boston.

How does this affect the Midwest? It doesn't, I guess, except that I personally have liked Newman's Magic Hat, and they came up with some really special brews and ideas and I look forward to that same thing from Sam Adams.
Lately I have been sampling the smaller beers from Sam Adams, like in their Brewmaster's Collection (Coastal Wheat, Cream Stout, Latitude 48 IPA) and their Imperial Series (Wee Heavy, Imperial Stout), and while I like them, I get the feeling they are produced in the same ways and quantities as SABL but thanks to marketing they are brought to us differently.

Will this change for Sam Adams? I don't know.

But I think it won't hurt them to produce something smaller and more defined, instead of bombarding the marketplace with so many different recipes (there are currently 28 different beers with an additional 14 seasonals added to that). You can expect to buy them in 6 packs, 4 packs, bombers and even their Trippel which I have seen for $10 for a 10 ounce bottle.

Craft Beer Monday Review: Three Floyds Pride and Joy

Three Floyds' Pride and Joy was on the beer list at L Woods, where I was on Saturday night for our anniversary dinner, and I was thinking a Pale Ale would be a good complement with barbecue. Especially if it was hoppy but with a little something extra and not necessarily as bold and floral as an IPA. They had other beers on the menu but in keeping with wanting to stick with Midwest craft beers I chose this one, plus it was on tap too.

Served in an English Pint glass it was amber colored with a yellowing head and had the pleasant floral smell I was expecting, and the taste was satisfying initially, with a small bite from the hops and a bolder malt taste than with other Pale Ales. But there was an underlying sweetness, a little fruity but with a more nutty flavor than I was expecting. As I drank more and more of the pint it was sweeter and nuttier as it warmed.

Unfortunately I was not so happy with all the sweetness, and I am afraid it took me well through the meal to finish it. If it weren't for my standby Domaine duPage on the menu to follow it up I would not have enjoyed my meal so much.

3 Floyds describes P&J as more of a session beer but I am not sure that 5% qualifies as one. I put Robert the Bruce on my favorites list but its 7+% keeps me from drinking it regularly. A session beer like Pride and Joy would hit the spot, I think, if the sweetness is something you can enjoy over time.
CBC rating: 3.

A Great Website/Service for Beer Lovers

In case you haven't seen it, this website offers us an idea of what is available in bars and
restaurants ahead of time. You can access them through this site or often times the place itself will have the beer menus listing on its own site.

The list gets regularly updated, which is really nice, and it covers the selections well. For example, the Metropolitan guys have talked about Fountainhead bar in the city, and on its website it not only has a listing of the beer that is available, which some restaurants don't even do, but it is linked through Beer Menus. See here.

As you can see, you can buy a bottle of 3 Fonteinen Schaerbeekse Kriek, for the low price of $40 a bottle. Just because I personally think anyone who would spend $40 for a bottle of beer, especially cherry beer, needs to get his head examined, hopefully this will not steer people away from the place. Especially since there are an additional ton of good beers on the menu.

Then, when you click on the name, it will show you where else it is available on the beer menu subscription and at what price. So, with this, you can see that you can buy the 3 Fonteinen at a different bar in the city for $5 more a bottle!

This is a really nice feature, I think, especially for those wacky people who like to blog about what they had last night, especially if it is a Midwest beer. Don't worry, I won't be reviewing the 3 Fonteinen. It is Belgian.