Craft Beer Monday Review: Scapegoat Maibock

Another seasonal from Mickey Finn's, in Libertyville. Usually I include this in the seasonals listing, but pretty much everything there is seasonal, except for the 847 American Wheat and the Amber Ale, their flagship. Described by the brewery, they really need to work on blowing their own horn since they use such descriptive terms as "a lot of grain" and "pretty drinkable":

   This German-style lager is brewed to be served during the month of May. A lot of grain is used in the production of bock beers which creates maltiness and a higher percentage of alcohol. Pretty drinkable, with a crisp slight hop finish. Don't miss the blessing of the bock!

Stein photo, not the maibock, which is a little darker.

Needless to say, I missed the blessing of the bock, though through no fault of my own, I must add. I missed it because this quote was from last year. 

This was tasty and clean. A lot of malt, some hop, not much, but actually pretty refreshing after all. I had another, actually, not only because it was served in a stein and really like them delivered that way, especially lagers. I really think it is a good idea to have a handle on a glass, although with this one, it is really not a big deal because it is not in my glass long enough to be warmed by my hand.

CBC Rating: 4. Served on tap in said stein.

ABV: 7%. 

Craft Beer Monday Review: Outlaw India Pale Ale

The latest from Two Brothers is Outlaw. It is not totally new to me, I originally tasted it during the first Hop Juice Festival, back when we could tour the whole place and weren't confined to the outhouses. That is a story for another time. 

I thought it was good then, but nothing really unique. In other words, it is not a huge blowout IPA with super bitterness or overly piney or clovey as sometimes IPAs are. This one is actually quite mild, and really appropriate for a can, if you think of canned beer as one to drink in a lawn-chair in the back yard. 

To me, it really compares well with a newer one from Founders, which I have tasted in the bottle and on tap, called All Day IPA.

True, their IPA is lower in alcohol than the Outlaw, but it really does remind me of it.

Jon L went to the coming out party in Warrenville and gave me this coozie, which fits the beer glass, as you can see. He is a big Resistance fan, and thought the Outlaw, too, needed a bigger kick. As a matter of fact, I drank a Resistance immediately after the Outlaw and I noticed somewhat of a difference and sharpness, but it was out of a bottle and that might have changed things. I would need a brewery side by side comparison to pick up all the differences. Anyone interested in trying that one out?

Two Brothers has been evolving a little, and as microbrewery I think they are continuously coming up with new ideas and collaborations, but I wonder at what point do they stick with their favorites and regularly re-introduce their seasonals and past favorites, instead of trying a lot of new stuff? I mean, I think they hit the ball squarely with a good American Pale Ale, with Bitter End, and their Heavy Handed and Resistance are nice balanced IPAs, plus they went crazy on hops with Hop Juice and Heavier Handed, so when do they sit back and enjoy what they have? 

On the other hand, their 15th anniversary beers this year are re-introducing the older ones, and I am happy with those, but it is a limited run for now only. 

Any thoughts on this? Do you like can beer and want more this way, like Domaine Dupage?

I guess that's not for me to decide, I will just keep buying them.

CBC Rating: 4. Given to me simulataneously by Jon L and Steve-o. They know me so well.

ABV: 6.5%

Beer News for May 2012

We have reached the Chicago Craft Beer Week, as well as all the other ones all over the US. Actually, it occurs before most of the others, starting today (May 17). There are all kids of excitement happening but we need to hit the city for most of them. Yes, they do mention some suburban locations too.

See them here:

http://chibeerweek.com/schedule/

Also, some news here. I like the looks of this site: all those beers and places are my Chicago favorites:

http://www.illinoisbeer.com/


Ram is already doing a small version, all week buy an Imperial pint for $5 and keep the glass, a different one for each day. Since we have missed a few days already maybe with a wink and a nod you can get the other glasses you missed. I personally want my two favorites-71 and Buttface. Here is the ad devoted to them:

Wall Street Journal has written up two pieces detailing those beer brands who had accelerated sales recently and those who didn't. See those links here:

Most popular:
http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/05/11/11638991-the-brands-of-beer-that-americans-really-love?lite

Least:
http://247wallst.com/2011/09/09/the-eight-beers-americans-no-longer-drink/

Brewery Visit: Finch Brewery, Chicago

Steve-o and I went on the Finch Brewery tour in Chicago on Saturday. The building itself wasn't too easy to find, since it is not marked on the street-side, and even once in the front door you don't even get the feeling it is a brewery. In fact, if I didn't know better myself, it looks exactly like a temporary space would look. Even though they have only been brewing for about a year, there is no way their space will accommodate brewing, packaging and storing of all that the business demands.

We took the tour, of the limited space, and were impressed by the shiny new fermenters and and tricky dick mill room. But they seem really cramped in there, and unless they buy some adjoining space soon, they are going to have to move to bigger quarters.

10 fermenters

They talked for a little about the beer making operation, and moved onto the grinding of the barley then the steps in the process. They built a grain silo out of the back door on the little alleyway, and I was wondering the whole time how the neighbors are taking to a big silo out there back windows. I mean their house windows!

They took us on the canning line, then allowed us to drink beer for another hour. That was about it.


They brew just the three beers we have purchased in the stores, including Golden Wing Blond Ale, Cut Throat Pale Ale and Threadless IPA. I personally think the cans can use a re-design, and, to answer my wishes they are making the can colors more bold and pronounced.

Lots of Cans

They have produced other beers from time to time, including a Sapsucker California Rye Ale, plus a stout. These are only available in local bars in kegs. We need to stay tuned for further details of these releases.

They also mentioned a Kolsch and a Maibock, but I couldn't really remember if they are in the future or in the past. As a Kolsch drinker (hell, practically every German beer style), I would be open to that. Just a move away from heavily hoppy beers from time to time is always a good thing for me. But, I like their beer and I will keep buying it.


Overall I must say I was pretty impressed with the results of the operation. I think he said in the their first year they produced 8000 barrels, which is huge. With the distribution increasing and the popularity of Threadless growing I totally can't see them staying there. They even mentioned starting to sell beer in Georgia. Congratulations to them.

Steve and I noticed something: the tour was full, maybe about 30-40 of us, but the average age was 30, or, as Steve put it: 25 after we left. I also noticed that there were people on the tour who seemed very interested in the machinery and not so much the beer, as if they are thinking of expanding their home-brew operations themselves.

I found this article from last year which talks about these things plus an interview with the distributor. It doesn't go too crazy into Finch's, but more about the distribution situation they are in. Coincidentally they talk about Windy City, who is owned by our other favorites, the Ebels of Two Brothers.

http://chitownontap.com/2011/05/09/windy-citys-take-on-finchs-beer-co/

Seasonal Beer Review: Capital Maibock

In case you hadn't noticed, I do try to seek out the Midwest beer offerings when I am buying beer, and it is easier since I shop at Marianos and Binny's, who both sell those local beers I enjoy, so I guess it is not unusual for me to be reviewing this one. But you may ask why it has taken me this long to try or review the Maibock.

That would be a good question. I guess, for some reason, I have been noticing that Spring beers don't get as much fanfare as other seasons, especially in the last few years.

If you look around you see Oberon and other summer beers popping up and a lot of brewers launching the IPAs and other pales, but spring has seemed to slip by unnoticed. Maybe it is also because the standout Spring beer we all waited for was Bock and since Shiner is available cheap year round maybe it has covered up that seasonal launch a little.

But I will try, in the future, to be more aware of those and taste them when they do come out.

Does anyone else enjoy the Maibocks? Are there any other beers known for a Spring release that may need to be sampled? They don't necessarily need to be Midwest only but that would be preferred. 

Its too bad I have been ignoring this one, the Capital Maibock. It is, quite simply, smooth, balanced, higher in alcohol and refreshing. Maibock are defined by Beer Advocate this way:

The Maibock style of beer tends to be lighter in color than other Bock beers and often has a significant hop character with a noticeable alcohol around the same as a traditional Bock. Maibocks are customarily served in the spring and are oftentimes interrelated with spring festivals and celebrations more often in the month of May.

So there you go. It was really kind of good. Plus, it passed another test of mine: I was a little impatient so I didn't chill it to the usual coldness (it was kind of warmish) and it was still a winner for me.


CBC Rating: 5. A really decent representation of this style, which I hadn't reviewed yet really.

ABV: 6.2%

Purchased in a pick your own six-pack at Mariano's.

Craft Beer Monday Review: Threadless IPA

Wow. Another good one from Finch. I wanted to wait to review this after I tour the brewery on May 12 but it was a really good one, and in the can which I am liking more and more. I think they were due for this, since I have found that the standard for micro-brews has been a standout IPA, and the only other two beers they made (at least available to us who buy packaged beer) were not powerful enough. I really did like the Cutthroat Pale Ale, and I thought it was really tasty and pleasantly hoppy, but I have a feeling they wanted something with 65 IBUs or more.

According to Finch,  "The grain bill on this big pale includes melanoidin and Victory malts. We hop it up before the boil starts with some Columbus first wort hopping, then add a bunch more for bittering." Big fancy words, but its true: the malt and bitter flavor are both big and dominant.

Also, they collaborated with threadless, which is fun because it is not usually what I hear about, an internet clothing company and a beer recipe. But I do like how I think this collaboration allowed the change the design of the can. The older silver and yellow or green were a little plain and industrial looking. I like this look much better. I think it is kind of funny when beer makers don't put a lot of effort into the look of their labels, when it is pretty obvious it is the label that really contributes to sales of the beer, especially those that sit on a shelf.

Good job, Finch.

CBC Rating: 5. ABV: 60%. 

Craft Beer Monday Review: Dusseldorfer Alt

Wheeling IL Ram

Another seasonal offering from Ram Brewing, this one I tasted was at the Wheeling location, the Dusseldorfer Alt. Drinking from an 18 oz Imperial Pint on tap on my birthday was just what I needed here.
I have been pretty satisfied with their beers, with the exception that I wish they would occasionally offer a heavier hitter than they normally do, but other than that they are OK with me.

This one reminds me of one of my favorites, the Riverwest Stein Beer, even though it is not labelled an Alt (the Lakefront one). It is malty in character, to say the least. In fact, it was a big malt blowout. A little reading and I see that the alt is a Dusseldorf specialty, usually  and I believe this fits the description quite well.

A little reading into the history tells me:

The Bavarian Reinheitsgebot (beer purity law) of 1516 did not affect brewers of the Rhineland. As such, the brewing traditions in this region developed slightly differently. For example, brewing during the summer was illegal in Bavaria, but the cooler climate of the Rhineland allowed Alt brewers to brew all year long and to experiment with storing fermented beer in cool caves and cellars. The first brewery to use the name Alt was Schumacher which opened in 1838.^[2] Alt is a dark, lagered, top-fermented beer that has some of the lean dryness of a lager but with fruity notes.^[3] 

I imagine this one would actually taste better in a half liter mug, a Seibel. For some reason, I have always enjoyed the German beers this way, even if they are ales.

The only other alt I have tried (and liked) is the Metropolitan version, Iron Works.


Just a quick review. Picking up a growler of this this weekend. Need a break between all the yard work I am planning to do.

CBC Rating: 4. ABV: 5.8%