Fruit Slave - Illuminated BrewWorks

    Uggghh, you've been grocery shopping for what feels like HOURS with your mom. Sure, it was fun to see all the different food - fun for about 10 minutes. Now you're bored to death and getting cranky. Soon your mom pushes the shopping cart toward the front - a sign that your suffering is nearing its end! You somehow managed to stay cool throughout the entire trip, and didn't even entertain yourself by throwing things on the floor or by breaking anything, so your mom says that you can pick out a piece of candy at the checkout. Suddenly, this entire grueling trip has become worth it for that one delectable treat of your choosing! You look over the selection: boring chocolate bars, "old people" candy, mints that burn your mouth, suckers shaped like jewelry or baby bottles - and then you spot it. Before you, glowing with the reflected fluorescent lights of the supermarket lies a bright, multi-colored pack of gum with a cartoon zebra on it. You grab the pack and put it on the conveyor belt. Soon, outside, you break into your treasure while your mom loads up the car with groceries. You pull out a stick (it's your favorite color after all!) and shove the gum into your mouth. WOW! What an explosion of fruit flavors! You can't believe that this gum is so delicious, and that you have AN ENTIRE PACK OF IT! With the boredom of the day's previous events fading from your fruit-blasted memory, you settle in to the car's seat thinking about how well you've got it made. Suddenly, you're shaken from your reverie by the sensation that you're chewing on flavorless rubber. What!? No! How could this have happened? Looking to re-live that life-changing fruit experience you shove another piece of gum into your mouth only to find this time the fruity nirvana you thought you had discovered is just as fleeting as it was with the first piece. You shove piece after piece into your mouth - the wad of chewing gum growing larger and larger. Finally, you reach down for the next piece and find nothing. Could you have really just chewed that entire package of gum!? Maybe you dropped one on the floor? No, nothing there. Could it really be over!? Your mom opens the car door and sits down, finally having finished loading the groceries. You spend the ride home with the flavorless lump of rubber sitting in your mouth - serving as a reminder that the world you're growing up in is dark, and empty.

    Illuminated Brew Works in Chicago, Illinois calls Fruit Slave a Double Dry Hopped Double IPA. The bottle states that it is hopped with massive amounts of Mouteka, Citra, and Mandarina Bavaria hops, and the beer's haziness definitely backs up that claim! I've avoided the trend of New England IPAs for long enough, so here comes the "hazy juice".

    Fruit Slave pours a hazy, brown-orange color. The beer appears quite thick, and almost milky similarly to coconut water. An ivory froth tops the brew with decent lacing on the glass.

A "slam dunk" of fruit flavor!

    The beer's aroma is heavy on the tropical fruit. I'm talking mango, papaya, orange, and pineapple here. The brew smells relatively sweet, but in more of a juice-like way than the normal caramel or biscuit bready scents from malts. There is a slight acidic tang to the beer's smell, which is reminiscent of tropical fruit juices I drank as a younger child.

    Fruit slave is medium bodied with a medium level of carbonation. Together, the carbonation and body make the beer seem almost creamy in your mouth. It honestly feels thicker than a Double IPA would normally feel, and somewhat oily. At 7.5% ABV, Fruit Slave seems a bit weaker than I'd expect from a DIPA, but that just means that I can drink more of it!

    I'd say the beer is aptly named, as Fruit Slave provides some massive fruit flavors. Similarly to the beer's aroma, tropical fruits are at the front with mango, guava, papaya, pineapple, melon, and orange. A very, very slight pine character seems to add some prickliness to the flavor, and plays well off of the beer's acidic fruit notes. Mild, wheaty malts add a sweetness to the beer, making it take on a character that's even more juice-like.

    I had avoided NEIPA style beers for a while because, well, honestly they looked different from what I was used to and sounded sort of silly. I've had quite a few NEIPAs now, and it's been a good lesson to not "knock it before you try it". I've really grown to like the tropical juice flavors that hops impart to beer when brewed in this manner. I can't say that my life is changed and that I only want "juicy" beers from now on, but I definitely enjoy a well made NEIPA quite a bit. Fruit Slave does a great job of showcasing the fruity flavors that dry hopping can produce. You can tell that a huge amount of hops went into this brew. When I had finished my glass, there was literally a thin layer of hop-leaf debris on the bottom. Fruit Slave was definitely a fruit-explosion, but just like that gum from my childhood, the bottle runs out eventually.

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Charlatan - Maplewood Brewery & Distillery

    Step right up folks, step right up! Here we have a magnificent potion of potency - a wonderfully divine draught - a breathtakingly benevolent brew! Guaranteed to cure such maladies as a lack of lust for life, forlorn feelings of forgotteness, and of course, being burdened by boredom! One taste of this masterful brew and you too can find the very same bacchanalian bliss that I, myself, enjoy! Yes, you may be wondering why I would share such a secret with you rather than keep it all to myself. Well, you see, I have found that true joy only remains pleasant when you share it with others! That's why today, I offer you all the chance to purchase (why, only at cost for ingredients of course!) this magnificent medicine. Be sure to buy now! I would hate to have you miss out on this beguilingly beneficial bargain! Tonight only, for tomorrow I must be on my way to share this wonder with others!

    Charlatan is an American Pale Ale brewed by Maplewood Brewery & Distillery in Chicago, Illinois. Maplewood is another brewery that is literally within walking distance from my home, but for some reason it never occurred to me to review one of their beers! One thing I find very cool about Maplewood Brewery & Distillery is that they are very transparent as to what is in their beer. Every one of their cans shows the grain and hop bill for that specific beer. It is for this reason that I can confidently say that Charlatan is brewed with a mix of barley and wheat alongside Warrior, Simcoe, Centennial, and Citra hops.

    Charlatan pours a luminous, hazy golden orange. A healthy inch or two of off-white, fluffy foam tops the beer and laces nicely the entire way down. My first thought was that this beer looks a bit like orange juice!

But he seemed so trustworthy!

    Well, it looks like juice, and it smells an awful lot like tropical fruit juice! Strong, sweet scents of mango, passionfruit, orange, and grapefruit greet your nose as you bring the glass to your mouth. There is also an earthy, grassy smell in the beer - similar to the smell of hay. The smells together give the beer a sweet, juicy, and almost floral aroma.

    Maplewood's APA is somewhere between light and medium bodied, with a medium level of carbonation. The beer's mouthfeel is slightly oily, but finishes mostly dry. And yes, as was said, this is a pretty potent potion at 6.1% ABV.

    Well, it looked similar to fruit juice, it smelled similar to fruit juice, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that it tastes a bit like fruit juice! Again, sweet flavors of tropical fruits, orange, pineapple, grapefruit, and passionfruit dominate the flavor. The grassy notes from the beer's aroma are also present in its flavor, as well as notes of subdued, resiny pine. Caramel and biscuit flavors from the malt balance the more acidic and bitter fruit flavors quite well.

    While I mentioned juice repeatedly, I should specify that Charlatan definitely still tastes like a beer. The fruity flavors remain hop-tasting, creating a very enjoyable APA. I really enjoyed these flavors but felt like it might be a little too far on the "tastes more like juice than beer" side. Nonetheless, Charlatan is very tasty, and would be quite nice on a hot day on a patio. Trust me, I tried it.

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Free Bird - Begyle Brewing Company

    It never fails, you're finally seeing your favorite band live for the first time. You've wanted to see them for years, but for some reason they never toured close enough for you to be able to attend. Finally, the planets aligned, and you got tickets to a show near you. The band sounds amazing, and the crowd is loving it. As one song finishes, the crowd begins cheering loudly. As the cheers fade into the general din of conversation and the band prepares their next song you hear it - some jerk in the front screaming "FREEBIRD!!!" The band takes notice and seems to say with their expressions "yeah, real funny guy, we've never heard that one before." And just like that, the band's mood turns from happy to be visiting your city to annoyed that they're playing for a group of idiots that don't appreciate their music. The band's energy changes from excitation to indignation. Your experience has been ruined by that one guy. Thanks a lot guy.

    Free Bird is an American Pale Ale brewed by Begyle Brewing Company in Chicago, Illinois. The can touts Free Bird's sessionable alcohol content, and also points out that the beer was named for the use of falconer's flight hops in it's brewing.

    Begyle's APA pours a slightly hazy, dark orange color with a finger of head made up of compact bubbles on top. The head fades a bit, but sticks around much longer than I would have expected. As the beer is enjoyed, the bubbles leave a thick, almost soapy, lacing down the glass.

"Play me!!"

    The beer's aroma includes notes of citrus fruits such as orange and lemon. Earthy smells of pine and dry grass are subtly present in the beer's aroma as well. There is a surprisingly strong scent of bready malts to the ale - making me wonder if this brew is going to be overly sweet. Only one way to find out!

    Free Bird is medium bodied with a similar level of carbonation. The body and carbonation together balance the beer's oily and slightly sticky mouthfeel with a certain crispness that keeps things refreshing rather than mouth-coating. I'm not really sure that I agree with Begyle's claim that the beer is sessionable. It's alcohol content of 5.6% ABV seems stronger than the 4% ABV or so I would expect from a session ale. While the beer definitely retains a certain crispness, I still find that it ends a bit wetter than I would want from a session ale as well.

    Free Bird tastes a more bitter than I was expecting after smelling such a strong malt presence in the beer's aroma. There are strong notes of lemon and orange in the ale's flavor, as well as a prominent grapefruit-like bitterness. Flavors of pine sap and hay round out the fruity flavors to give the beer a bit of a spicy, earthy character. While I was afraid that the beer would be too sweet, I'm actually surprised to find that the malt balances well with the beer's bitterness. I actually almost feel like the beer could use a bit more sweetness to tone down its bitterness. Even after I swallow the beer, my mouth remains tasting bitter for a while - again, not what I'd want in a session ale.

    While Free Bird being shouted at a concert might make things worse, I can safely say a Free Bird being opened would make things better. While the beer feels quite off from what I'd expect of a sessionable Pale Ale (in fact, it seems a bit more like an IPA), I'm pretty happy with it. I'd never heard of falconer's flight hops before picking up this beer, but I'm interested to see how it is used in the future. It seems like the hops provide quite a bitter kick alongside some earthy and citrus tones, so it could be interesting to mix with other hops in future brews!

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Wizard King - Pipeworks Brewing Company and 7venth Sun Brewery

    Legends tell of an ancient kingdom besieged by gigantic insects. These monstrosities ate the kingdom's food entire fields at a time. The bones of those peasants unlucky enough to be tending to their fields when the swarm hit would be found by others the next day. Desperate for help, the royalty of the land sent out for a hero to assist in the kingdom's plight. Many mercenaries, champions, and hunters tried their hands at defeating the swarm. Each time their well-equipped bones were found the following day - stripped bare of flesh and lying on the ground. One day, a mysterious wanderer arrived in the kingdom. The man was of smaller than average height, walked with a staff, and wore a long robe with a hood over his head. The man was clearly from a far-off land, as he spoke with a strange accent which seemed to stress the letter "s" in a way that sounded almost like a hissing sound. The stranger met with the royalty and explained that he would rid the kingdom of its flying menace, but that in return he must be made king of the land. Having seen the many previous "heroes" fall to the swarm, the royalty agreed to the man's terms - secure that this strange man who required a cane to even walk would simply become another pile of bones. The foreigner spent the entire next day waiting in a field of ripe barley. Soon enough, the horrible sound of gigantic, insect wings filled the air. Reports of what happened next are sparse and are likely unreliable as most humans in the area fled to safety and were under great duress. What has been heard, however, is that the strange man was engulfed by the swarm immediately. Some witnesses reported great gouts of fire spraying from the man's outreached hands - burning insects out of the sky. Others swear they saw what appeared to be a great tongue darting from under the man's hood, skewering insects and returning them to his waiting mouth. No matter how it happened, the man returned to the castle and left a field full of uneaten barley and torched insect corpses in his wake. The kingdom's royalty, having seen from a distance what this wizard was capable of, scrambled to ready the crown. As the symbol of kinghood was lowered toward his head, the strange man removed his hood. To the shock of all who were present, a green, scaly face with yellow eyes slowly emerged from the cloth. Before the royalty was able to stop it's descent, the crown landed on the creature's head. This wizard was no man. This wizard was a lizard, and now, he was Wizard King!

    Wizard King is a collaboration between Pipeworks Brewing Company in Chicago, Illinois and 7venth Sun Brewery in Dunedin, Florida. Wizard King is a fusion between the mosaic Pale Ale Lizard King from Pipeworks, and Electric Wizard, a strawberry citra IPA from 7venth Sun. As you might expect from it's parentage, the collaborative brew is a Double India Pale Ale which features cryo mosaic and citra hops alongside strawberries.

    Wizard King pours a slightly pinkish, hazy, golden orange color. I saw some huge bubbles on pouring which makes me worry about the beer having poor retention of carbonation. The beer sort of resembles peach soda when in the glass because of these bubbles. A foam of large bubbles makes up about a half-inch of head on the beer's surface, and what few big bubbles stick around leave some funky lacing down the inside of the glass.

A wizard lizard drinks precisely when he means to.

    The collaborative brew smells quite nice! Between the citra, mosaic, and strawberries there are tons of fruity and interesting scents in the beer's nose. I get everything from mango, lemon, grapefruit, apricot, pineapple, and obviously strawberry - to pine and some nice grassy and earthy notes. Clearly the hops are going to be the stars of the show here, though there is a slight malt sweetness in the nose.

    The DIPA has a medium body, though it feels almost full bodied. There is a slight stickiness to the beer which feels right for its fruit content. My glass started out being carbonated at around a medium level, but the gas definitely escaped this one faster than I would have expected. As the carbonation dwindled, the beer seemed to become thicker and a bit more syrupy. The Wizard King is a potent ruler with an alcohol content of 8.5% ABV.

    Flavor closely follows the scents in the brew, and I'm very glad for it! Tropical fruit flavors are probably the most prevalent of tastes in the brew. There are also the classic IPA pine and citrus notes, alongside mosaic's earthy hay or onion-like flavors as well. At first I was disappointed in the level of strawberry flavor in the ale. It seemed to me that since strawberry was called out as a main ingredient that it should be more pronounced in the beer's flavor. As I continued to drink the beer, I came to realize that the sweet and somewhat earthy flavors of the berries perfectly compliment those flavors from the mosaic and citra hops - which I really appreciate! The hoppy bitterness of an IPA is well balanced with the sweetness from the fruit and malts as it should be in a DIPA.

    I really didn't know what to think when I first opened up Wizard King. As I said, I was a concerned about the beer's carbonation level, and I do feel like I wish the bubbles had stuck around a bit longer. More carbonation might have kept the beer feeling lighter than it did toward the end of my glass. My biggest fear was that the beer would just taste like strawberry jam. Luckily, the balance between bitter and sweet ingredients is very well done - making the beer enjoyable even after it started to feel a little bit syrupy. I have had Lizard King before, and now I really want to try Electric Wizard!

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Galaxy-Hero - Revolution Brewing

    Blasting off from his secret base hidden deep within an asteroid, Galaxy Hero flies to the assistance of earth! Using his state of the art Hop Rocket and hopped-up ray gun, Galaxy hero fights to save us all from the evil genius, Dr. Badbeer! Who is this galactic warrior, and will he be able to defeat the maniacal minions of Dr. Badbeer to save the day? Tune in to next week's exciting conclusion to find out!

    Galaxy Hero is an India Pale Ale brewed by Revolution Brewing. Revolution created this entry in their "Hero" series for Chicago's annual Comic and Entertainment Expo (C2E2) which features comics, cosplayers, and all sorts of pop culture-y goodness. The beer is released every year right around the time that C2E2 takes place (March-April-May). It's kind of surprising that this is only the fourth Revolution beer that I've reviewed. As you may have read in the past, I live literally just down the road from the Revolution brewery here in Chicago, Illinois. My wife and I both drink a lot of Revolution beer, but for some reason I never think to review it!

    Galaxy Hero has a very clear, coppery-orange appearance with a sandy-colored head. I poured this beer the same way that I pour all non-nitro beers, but somehow ended up with a huge, two finger head on top of the beer. The head dissipated pretty quickly though, leaving just a few white bubbles that slightly laced the glass as I enjoyed the beverage.

Galaxy Hero piloting his Hop Rocket to the rescue!

    The IPA's aroma is heavy on the citrus, such as grapefruit and tangerine. There is also a slight bit of a resinous, piney smell, as well as tropical fruits. The beer's aroma is sort of musty-smelling, but in a good way if you can imagine that.

    Galaxy Hero is on the light side of medium bodied, with a medium level of carbonation. The brew finishes quite wet, leaving your mouth feeling somewhat oily and sticky. The beer has an alcohol content of 7% ABV.

    Galaxy Hero's flavor is extremely grapefruit-forward. There is both the citrusy tartness of grapefruit as well as a strong grapefruit peel bitterness to the beer. The pine, tangerine/orange, and tropical fruit notes from the beer's aroma are also present in it's flavor - though they are more subdued than I would have expected from their smell. The IPA's galaxy hops definitely lend a sort of musky, grassy, earthiness to the beer's flavor. There is only a small bit of pale, cracker-like malt sweetness to the beer. I feel like there is room for a bit more malt flavor to come through and knock back some of the beer's bitterness here.

    Galaxy Hero was the first of Revolution's "Hero" series that I ever had. I remember being really excited about the brewery showing off different hops against a similar malt profile. Revolution continues to create new Heroes for us to enjoy, and I am still excited to try each new one! Galaxy Hero is quite good, but I feel as though it could be balanced just slightly better. I was really kind of surprised at how much grapefruity bitterness was present in the beer. Overall, though, Galaxy Hero really showcases the musky, tropical, citrus, and earthy flavors that galaxy hops bring to the table in a delicious way!

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Coffee End of Days - Pipeworks Brewing Company

    The end of days are upon us. First came the beginning of the End of Days with its cacao nibs, vanilla beans, cinnamon sticks, and ancho chilies. Many fell in the first few hours. Those who survived saw the End of Days transform into Imperial End of Days with even more of everything that made the End of Days so powerful. Now, there aren't many of us left. Very few of us even bother getting out of bed anymore, and those who do require a strong dose of morning coffee to get started trying to rebuild. Recent news tells of another coming of the End of Days, and this time it's turning our very reason for getting out of bed in the mornings against us. We are preparing - struggling to piece together supplies and weapons. Even with these preparations, I don't think we can survive the Coffee End of Days. Farewell.

    Coffee End of Days is a Milk Stout created by Pipeworks Brewing Company in Chicago, Illinois. This is the third rendition of their End of Days Milk Stout, and it builds on the previous release, Imperial End of Days, by adding coffee to the already delicious Mexican hot chocolate inspired brew.

    Coffee End of Days pours a deep onyx that is as black as the void from which it fell to earth. The beer's head quickly dissipates into a tan ring around the edge of the glass. The foam leaves little to no lacing.

People said they could smell it as soon as they woke up.
They knew that today might be their last.

    The Milk Stout smells nicely sweet, with an obvious scent of chilies punching you in the nose soon after. Coffee, chocolate, cinnamon, and vanilla scents follow the spicy assault of the chilies. Honestly, the scent seems kind of muddled though. While I can work to experience each of these notes in the beer's aroma, without concentrating they all kind of mix together. It's almost like a band in which every member plays their own instrument as loud as they possibly can to the point that it all just become noise without really working to hear each part.

    The beer is full bodied, with a much tinglier level of carbonation than I had expected. The carbonation almost propels the chili spice up into my nose and stings it. The beer finishes extremely smooth and warm. I'm not sure if it's completely the chilies giving the warmth or if the brew's 10.5% ABV alcohol content is helping that along.

    The flavor of Coffee End of Days is quite layered. At first, the beer tastes smooth and sweet with cocoa and vanilla. The flavor then transforms into a bitter and roasty coffee flavor with hints of cinnamon. Finally, you'll notice a slow burn in the back of your throat from the ancho chilies. Personally, I love a little chili heat, but I know that some people are more sensitive to it than others. I will say that the strength of the chilies in this brew surprised me. I actually thought it was pretty warm, which pleasantly surprised me, but I could see others really being burned by the beer. To me, the best part of the beer was building up that chili burn, then taking another smooth sweet sip to mellow the heat and then do it all over again.

    I thought Coffee End of Days was extremely tasty. I was a little disappointed by the coffee part of the beer though. With it being a part of the beer's name, I really expected it to be a bit more pronounced in the brew's flavor. As it is, the coffee was a nice partner to the other strong flavors in the beer, but it doesn't become the star of the show as I was thinking it might. I have a feeling that Pipeworks will bring the End of Days back around again, but for now, I'm just glad I've survived one more round!

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Wild Sour Series: Syncopathic Apricot - Destihl Brewery

    Wild Sour Series: Syncopathic Apricot is a Sour Ale brewed with Apricot and is dry hopped. The beer is brewed seasonally by DESTIHL Brewery in Bloomington, Illinois. From what I can tell, the "Syncopathic" sour series are named after their blending (or syncing) of flavors which may not normally go together. For example, Syncopathic Apricot combines the classic apricot sour ale with hops that are usually seen in Pale Ales.

    Syncopathic Apricot pours an orange-gold color with a massive, fluffy head that lingers. I wasn't expecting so many bubbles to hang around on top of the beer!

    The beer smells strongly of acidic tartness. I'm almost scared to taste it after that smell. Luckily there is also the pleasant, sweet aroma of apricots. It's almost like the smell of a candied apricot rather than the fresh fruit itself, and is very nice. There is also a slight scent of wheat behind these two strong aromas. I get the slightest hint of a weird metallic smell to the beer as well.

    The apricot sour sports a medium level of carbonation alongside a similarly medium body, making it quite smooth. This entry in the Wild Sour series comes in at an alcohol content of 6% ABV.

All the flavor of apricots, distilled into your beer!

    Oh wow. This beer is sour. Like, pucker-up, kind of burns your mouth, cloyingly sour. In fact, this flavor reminds me of the "extremely sour" candies coated in citric acid that I used to love as a child, and once burned the skin off of my tongue by eating too much of. Luckily the sweet and mildly earthy flavor of apricots is also present and balances out some of the acidic sour's assault on my mouth. Nice citrus and pine hops blend extremely well with the apricot, which convinces me further of the origin of this beer's name. Slight notes of bready malts lie underneath the apricot flavors as well. That weird metallic-ness from the aroma is also present in the beer's flavor. You know, those candies I used to love were all fruit flavored as well, but the star of the show was the citric acid. You would suffer through the sour layer and then be rewarded by the sweet but mild fruit flavors in the middle. It was cool to me as a kid, but I'm not such a fan of the same idea being used in beer. Syncopathic Apricot finishes dry, and luckily the cloying sourness doesn't stick around too long after you swallow.

    Wow, I wasn't expecting to be nearly blown out of the water by sourness on this one. Most of what I love about sour ales is the balance between tartness, funkiness, and malts or fruit flavors. This beer is definitely lacking in the balance department. It's really too bad as well - the apricot and hops flavors are delicious together! Maybe I'm just extra sensitive to sourness today, but I really feel that this beer is almost sour to the point of undrinkability - it's a sipper if anything, to be sure. I feel like DESTIHL mixed a really good flavor profile with a sour novelty in this one.

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Dead Inside - Pipeworks Brewing Co. and Angry Chair Brewing

    Dead Inside is an IPA created collaboratively by Pipeworks Brewing Co. in Chicago, Illinois and Angry Chair Brewing in Tampa, Florida. The beer is brewed with experimental "Idaho 7" hops, for a unique flavor profile.

    Dead Inside pours a hazy, golden orange with around an inch and a half of off-white head with great retention.

    There is a lot going on in this beer's aroma! The sweet scents of apricot, papaya, citrus and other tropical fruits are extremely strong and very enticing. A very slight piney, resinous scent compliments the fruit smells nicely. The smell alone of the beer has my mouth watering.

     Pipeworks' and Angry Chair's collab brew is full bodied with a mid-level of carbonation. The beer feels creamy and slightly oily in a pleasant way as the flavors stick to your tongue. The IPA has an alcohol content of 8.5% ABV.

I'm dying to get into that party!

     Dead Inside's flavor is nothing of the sort. Luscious stone and tropical fruit flavors burst from the beer with each sip. There's a very subtle hint of pine resin in the flavor as well, and it works just as well with the fruit flavors as it did in the beer's aroma. Hoppy bitterness is balanced very well by malt and fruity sweetness. I'm blown away by the balance that has been struck between these two opposing flavors.

    I have to say, this label leaves me with so many questions. Is this goat-man feeling beaten down and hopeless in a fit of nihilism? Is this satyr a graduate student? Does he literally have dead things inside him? If so, did he eat that entire skeleton, or how did it come to be in there? Was the skeleton animated when he ate it? Wouldn't this beer be better named "Undead Inside" if that were the case? Will drinking this beer turn me into a goat-man? Why does he have shoulder pad-like hair and no other upper-torso hair? At some point I had to just shut up and drink the beer!

    Dead Inside was an extremely tasty surprise. It's rare for me to find and IPA that surprises me lately, but Pipeworks and Angry Chair pulled it off! Massive fruit flavors, an amazing bitter/sweet balance, and managing to keep some of the classic piney flavors of an IPA coming through all make this one of the more memorable IPAs I've had recently. I've never had any of Angry Chair's beers before, but after drinking this collaboration, I'm definitely going to seek them out!

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Two Evil: Geyser Gose - Two Roads Brewing Company and Evil Twin Brewing

    Two Evil: Geyser Gose is a Gose (say it similarly to "goes-uh") created in a collaboration between Evil Twin Brewing from Copenhagen, Denmark and Two Roads Brewing Company in Stratford, Connecticut. Geyser Gose features many unique ingredients that were procured when the brewers visited Iceland. This beer has a lot of international travel to thank for its creation!

    Geyser Gose pours a golden-straw color with a slight haze to it. A thin, white head tops the beer for a few seconds before settling down into a slight film on top of the brew.

    The Gose has a pleasantly tart citrus aroma that reminds me of lemonade. There is also a hint of some earthy notes - a smell that makes me think of hay or grass but not as strong. I've had quite a few of these beers lately, and I've only just recently noticed that something in the beer's aroma makes me think of being around the ocean's salty smelling air.

    Geyser is pretty light bodied, and has a medium-high level of carbonation. The Gose leaves just a tiny bit of an acidic feeling in your mouth, again, reminding me of lemonade. With an alcohol content of 5.5% ABV, Geyser Gose isn't exactly a session beer, though its so refreshing you might be tempted to try.

The first thing I'd visit in Iceand.

    According to Two Roads Brewing, Geyser Gose is made with Icelandic moss, herbs, sea kelp, Icelandic yogurt, rye, and smoked sea-salt. These ingredients may seem strange, but they work together so well that you hardly notice any one flavor without concentrating on separating them out in your mind. The main flavor in Geyser Gose is tart citrus fruits. This citrus flavor is light enough that the beer is extremely refreshing rather than cloying. There is also a slight saltiness to the beer, which is characteristic of a Gose. Much more subtle, flavors which taste like the ocean smells (minus the fishiness), and a slight mineral-like flavor are also present in the beer.

    I have not personally visited Iceland before, but I have heard only good things about it. I like to pretend that there are geysers in Iceland which have spouted this beer for ages unknown. Eventually, human settlers learned that they could collect this liquid shooting from the earth, and enjoy its refreshing and rejuvenating qualities. It seems a likely story that these collaborating brewers "came up with" this beer on their own. I find it much more likely that they stumbled upon one of these geysers on their trip to Iceland and immediately formulated a plan to can nature's bounty. It seems extra cheeky of the brewers then to indirectly admit to what they did by naming the beer Geyser Gose!

    I tried Geyser Gose for the first time early this summer and it quickly became THE beer of summer 2017 for me. I can't emphasize enough how refreshing this Gose is - especially on an outdoor patio, at the lake, or at the beach. My only complaint is that the beer seems to be a little over-complicated with its massive list of specialty ingredients that are hard to taste without concentration. I find myself wondering how much each ingredient actually adds to the overall flavor of the beer. I love Geyser Gose how it is, however, so I don't want to risk losing anything!

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Yuzu Fierce - Off Color Brewing

    Yuzu Fierce is a variant of Off Color Brewing's (Chicago, Illinois) kettle-soured Berliner Weisse, Fierce, that is brewed with Yuzu fruit. Yuzu is a small citrus fruit that originated in China and is commonly cultivated in Korea and Japan. While the fruit resembles a mix between a lemon and a grapefruit, it has its own unique flavor that is bright, tangy, and floral.

    Yuzu Fierce pours a straw-like pale gold color. A minimal head forms upon pouring, and quickly recedes into almost nothing - just a few bubbles in a ring where beer meets glass.

    The Berliner Weisse smells of almost candy-like, sweet citrus . A mild sourness mingles with the earthy scent of wheat in the beer. Overall the beer's aroma is very crisp and clean.

    Yuzu Fierce has a relatively thin mouthfeel, and a medium level of carbonation. The beer is quite light and crisp, and has a very light alcohol content of 3.8% ABV.

I can only imagine how many fruits it took to get
enough juice for this brew - that thing is ALL seeds.

    Unsurprisingly for a kettle-soured beer, Yuzu Fierce has a slight tangy, sour flavor. This tartness goes nicely with the citrus, candy, and floral flavors from the yuzu and really shows off the unique flavor of the fruit. The beer's sourness is very light - not like that of a Sour Ale, but more like the tartness of lemonade. The beer's flavor is rounded out by clean wheat and grain flavor at the end. A small bit of tartness remains in the mouth after swallowing the beer.

    Yuzu Fierce is an extremely refreshing mix of crisp, clean flavors and a very sessionable lightness of body and alcohol. If you've never tried yuzu before, I highly recommend seeking the fruit out. Personally, I have found that I really enjoy the flavor of yuzu quite a bit. Off Color Brewing has done a great job in capturing yuzu's flavor and showing it off by presenting it alongside their Berliner Weisse, Fierce.

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Backmasking - Three Floyds Brewing Co.

    Backmasking is an Oatmeal Stout brewed by Three Floyds Brewing Co. in Munster, Indiana. This beer's name comes from many parents' worst fears when their children bring home a new album. Sure, little Johnny is a sweet boy now, but just wait until he listens to that rock music! It won't be long before your sweet little child is sacrificing goats to the dark lord! Named after the process of recording messages onto a track that can only be heard when playing the audio backwards, Backmasking just might be hiding a few secrets of its own.

    Gniksamkcab is a deep, black color. The tiny bit of light allowed through the dark liquid reveals a dark ruby tint. Upon pouring, a massive brown head forms, but quickly recedes into a thin, lacing leaving layer of bubbles.

    The aromas of dark, roasty malts, especially oats and chocolate, make up the majority of the beer's smell. This mix makes me think of the sweet, chocolate breakfast cereals little Johnny used to eat before switching to a diet consisting only of virgin's blood.

    Three Floyd's Oatmeal Stout is medium in body as well as in level of carbonation. Surprisingly, with an alcohol content of only 5.9% ABV, there is a slight bit of alcohol warmth on the tongue and back of the throat after swallowing. The beer finishes dry, but leaves a bit of stickiness on the lips.

Oh Johnny, you never should have been allowed to listen
to that One Direction album...

    Backmasking is surprisingly sweet, with a huge hit of chocolate malt and sweet oats. This brew reminds me of chocolate milk, only in beer form. There is a bit of roasted, smokey malt character to the ale, as well as a bit of piney hops. Overall the ale balances the super sweet flavors with the roastier, bitter flavors. Even with the sweetness, there is still a small amount of ethanol flavor that shows its head.

    It has always amused me that many bands labeled by the media as "evil" actually have better messages in their music than most of the songs on the radio. Other than the immature, angry minority making bad music in the first place, a good number of bands promote messages of peace, tolerance, and self-empowerment. The only major difference is that these messages are coming from performers who prefer a counter-culture style of theatrics for their performances. Think on that the next time your child is listening to music glamorizing getting drunk at the club and making regrettable decisions!

    While I found no hidden messages in Backmasking, I did find an enticingly sweet Stout that I surprisingly enjoyed. I'm content with my findings, as I'm not willing to drink the beer backwards to check for anything I might have missed. I do, however, think that the beer's sweetness could cause it to be a bit much in large amounts. Check it out, if you aren't afraid of any subconscious manipulation!

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Grapefruit Saison - Pipeworks Brewing Company

    Grapefruit Saison is a Saison brewed with grapefruit by Pipeworks Brewing Company in Chicago, Illinois. This particular beer has only been produced once, so it may be difficult to find at this point.

    Grapefruit Saison pours a hazy gold color with an ample, foamy white head. The foam leaves some slight lacing as the beer is enjoyed.

    This fruit Saison's aroma is where it's at. Huge, juicy grapefruit scents make my mouth water in anticipation of tasting the brew. Other citrus scents are present as well, though nothing as striking as the grapefruit aroma. In addition to the fruit scents, the beer features a good bit of Saison yeast scents such as clove and other spices.

    The beer is medium bodied and sports a medium level of carbonation which gives it a nice mouthfeel while effervescing the brew's wonderful fruit aromas. The Saison finishes dry on the palette. Grapefruit Saison comes in at an alcohol content of 7% ABV.

Who said good beers don't grow on trees?

    I have to admit that I'm a bit disappointed in the level of grapefruit flavor in the beer. After the wonderful aroma, I would have expected much more than the subtle hint of grapefruit juice. The grapefruit flavor is still nice and goes well with the slight sweet, bready flavors of the Saison. The yeast also lends a bit of spice to the ale as well as some fruitiness that complements the ale's citrus flavors nicely.

    Pipework's Grapefruit Saison definitely has a lot of good Saison flavors in it, I just find myself wishing that grapefruit had been more the star of the show. Without the grapefruit flavors coming out more fully, this brew seems to me to be simply a decent Saison with a little bit of disappointment mixed in.

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Sour Monkey - Victory Brewing Company

    Sour Monkey, brewed by Victory Brewing Company in Downington, Pennsylvania, is a transformation of their Golden Monkey Tripel. Classified as an American Wild Ale, Sour Monkey uses multiple yeast strains, including non-standard strains such as Brettanomyces, to achieve its sour profile. What results is a fruity, tart beer that is enjoyable to the last sip. Add in that each 22oz. bomber comes in at around $10 USD and you have a Sour Ale worth buying time and time again.

    Sour Monkey pours a golden, straw color with a 1", slightly off-white head. The beer's head retention seems low as the bubbles quickly dissipate, though a ring of white forms a light lacing down the glass.

    The Wild Ale smells sweet with a slight tart acidity. Fruity notes of peach and lemon are present in the aroma, alongside a slight hint of Brett. There is also a slight, yeasty spiciness to the beer's aroma; unsurprisingly similar to that of a Belgian Tripel.

Victory employs only the finest taste testers for their brews!

    Sour Monkey features a low to medium level of carbonation alongside a medium body which together give the ale a somewhat creamy mouthfeel. The ale's acidity causes a slight pucker, though nothing too intense. An alcohol content of 9.5% ABV completes the ale's mouthfeel with just the slightest bit of warmth; though none lingers after the beer is swallowed.

    Sour Monkey lives up to its name, though the ale isn't too sour. A pleasant lactic acid tartness accompanies fruit flavors of apples, peaches, and strong lemon flavors. Sweet malt notes balance the Wild Ale's acidic tang alongside a slight spice flavor which rounds things out.

    This ale was recommended by a local craft brew store, and I'm extremely glad it was. With just enough sour and sweet flavors, this American Wild Ale is extremely drinkable and enjoyable. While many Wild and Sour ales come with a hefty price-tag, Sour Monkey is extremely reasonable at its current price. Pick some up next time you see it, especially if you've never tasted a Wild or Sour Ale!

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Radiolaria - Off Color/Jester King

    Radiolaria is an American Wild Ale which was brewed as a collaboration by Off Color Brewing in Chicago, Illinois and Jester King Brewery which is located in Austin, Texas. While the beer was brewed in Chicago, Jester King provided Off Color with a sample of wild yeast collected from Texas. Off Color combined this yeast with their own mix of wild yeast from Chicago and pitched it into wort based on their Apex Predator Saison for a truly unique, one-time-only brew.

    Radiolaria pours a hazy, straw color with a short, white head of foam which doesn't hang around long. The bubbles fade quickly and don't leave much lacing at all.

    The Wild Ale's aroma is surprisingly subtle. There a definite tartness to the scent, as well as scents of fruit and spices. A slight, hay-like scent gives the brew and interesting, earthy aroma alongside light, sweet malt scents. I really expected the ale's scent to knock me over with huge yeast aromas, but I'm pleasantly surprised by the beer's complex subtlety.

All the yeast are invited to this party!

    Radiolaria is light bodied with a light to medium level of carbonation. The body and carbonation levels complement each other quite nicely. There is a mild tartness to the ale, and a light, 4.5% ABV alcohol content.

    Similarly to the ale's aroma, Radiolaria's flavor is surprisingly mild. Funky, spicy, and fruity yeast notes dominate the flavor, though even these flavors are much weaker than I had expected. I'm especially surprised by how little sourness is present in the ale's flavor. Lightly sweet malt flavors are balanced with mild hop bitterness. The beer is very clean tasting overall, but also very mildly flavored.

    I find that I was somewhat disappointed in Radiolaria. Admittedly, this disappointment is likely due to my uninformed expectations of what this beer would taste like. I went into this tasting expecting a Sour Ale and instead found that Radiolaria is a mild, yet interesting Wild Ale. I think the concept of combining wild yeasts from multiple areas of the country is ingenious, but I wish the yeast flavors (all the flavors actually) would have been a bit more pronounced. Radiolaria is by no means a bad Wild Ale, it just didn't live up to my expectations. This was a one-time brew as far as I know, but if you find one somewhere feel free to leave your own comments!

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Hardcore Chimera - Finch's Beer Co.

    Hardcore Chimera is a Double India Pale Ale brewed by Finch's Beer Co. which is located in Chicago, Illinois. Hardcore Chimera has become Finch's biggest seller as the US's thirst for Double IPAs seems to be never-ending.

    Hardcore Chimera pours a somewhat-hazy bronze/orange color. Very little head forms after pouring, though what foam there is forms a resilient ring around the glass, leaving a good bit of lacing.

    Finch's Double IPA features aromas of citrusy hops as well as some tropical scents such as mango and passion fruit. The beer's malts lend a grainy scent to the mix as well.

    The beer is medium bodied with a carbonation level that is on the high end of medium. There is a slightly oily mouthfeel to the ale which likely contributes to its smoothness. An alcohol content of 9% ABV makes this one beer you're going to want to sip, though the text printed on the bottom of my can suggested I shotgun it by the date printed. I suppose shotgunning the beer is the only real way of drinking such a hardcore brew.

This chimera is so hardcore it makes up 3/5ths of its own metal band.

     Hardcore Chimera definitely hits your tongue with some major hops flavor. Citrus and tropical flavors mix with hoppy bitterness. There isn't a huge amount of malt flavor in the beer, just a bit of caramel behind all the hops. Surprisingly though, the bitterness is well balanced even without much malt flavor coming through. In fact, the beer tastes slightly sweet thanks to the fruit flavors imparted by the hops. I detect only the slightest amount of alcohol taste, which isn't surprising with such a high ABV.

    While the chimera is relatively well known as a mythical beast, it's cousin the Hardcore Chimera has somehow avoided the limelight. Hardcore Chimeras' unfamiliarity is likely due to the low numbers of the creatures that were living in the mythical ages. This particular beast suffered low population numbers due to a relatively high risk of death by hardcore stunts. It was well known that these beasts would take on any dare, no matter how hardcore. Ancient texts mention these creatures jumping chariots through flaming rings, stealing underwear from Cyclops's clotheslines, and even base-jumping from Mount Olympus without a parachute. It's nice to see that this under-recognized creature has been remembered and honored by Finch's Beer Co.

    If you're looking for a strong Double IPA that's not too bitter and drinks relatively smoothy, Hardcore Chimera is worth a try. I feel that the beer was intentionally crafted around the 9% ABV, and as such, misses out on featuring new flavors in lieu of balancing flavors to keep its booziness from being tasted. The beer is still quite enjoyable, and it's easy to see why Finch's has been selling so much of the brew lately!

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Beast Bitter - Middle Ages Brewing Co., Ltd.

    Beast Bitter is an Extra Special Bitter (ESB) brewed by Middle Ages Brewing Co., Ltd. in Syracuse, New York. As you can tell from the picture, I apparently got a bad bottle (likely over-carbonated). When I opened and poured the beer it was all foam! As a result, I only get a little over half of the bottle to enjoy. The taste seems to be fine though, so I decided to continue on with the review.

    Beast Bitter pours a rusty orange color with a head that leaves lots of lacing, though I'm not sure if this is normal since I had a suds explosion.

    The beer smells of sweet caramel malts with a bit of an English Ale twist. The beer's hops shine through with a slight citrus twang. The hops also give the beer a slight metallic scent.

    The ESB is medium bodied, and mine has a low to medium level of carbonation. I suspect that the beer originally had a medium level of carbonation, before the bubbles all exploded out into my glass. This beast doesn't have much of a bite at 5.3% ABV.

Up for a game of Dungeons & Flagons?

    Beast Bitter is surprisingly hoppy for an ESB. Citrusy notes hit the palate first, followed by hoppy bitterness. The bitterness is quickly quelled by caramel and toasty malts, making the beer an interesting drinking experience. In my opinion, a good ESB shows some real bitterness, but also has a strong, sweet malt backbone to keep the bitterness from becoming all you taste. What results is a series of flavors in every drink. Beast bitter is a bit more watery than I would like, however. It would have been nice to see a fuller-flavored ale with these characteristics.

    While I can't really say that Beast Bitter is a monster of an ESB, it's still worth trying if you would like to experience an Extra Special Bitter brewed in the style of an English ESB. I'm pretty sad that I got a bad bottle, but at least I got a chance to try this one, even it was half-a-glass.

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Unsessionable - Revolution Brewing Company

    Unsessionable is an Imperial (or Double) India Pale Ale brewed by Revolution Brewing Company in Chicago, Illinois. With 6 hop varieties and a high alcohol content, this beer nearly lives up to its name. You're going to want to make your best effort to challenge its name once you taste the brew, however.

    Unsessionable pours a golden-bronze color with a decent head topping it. This foam shows remarkable retention, and leaves a good amount of lacing once it does finally fade.

    The hop aromas in this one are undeniable. Scents such as tropical fruits, lemon, pine, and grassy notes meld together seamlessly, and represent the huge range of scents thats hops can lend to a brew. Sweet caramel malt scents lure you in to the first taste, even if the hoppy aromas might have made you hesitant to dive in.

     Unsessionable is extremely smooth, with a slight alcohol warmth that is pleasant on the tongue. The IIPA is medium bodied with a similar level of carbonation that effervesces the many hops scents and flavors. The alcohol content of 10% ABV is really the only reason you wouldn't want to session drink this beer!

He tried to session it, he failed.

    With the incredibly hoppy scent of this beer the super sweet taste you get at first sip can be a bit of a surprise. There's definitely the expected hops bitterness, but the malt backbone really keeps the astringency at bay. Hops flavors of juicy fruit, lemon, pine, candied orange peel, and more delight the mouth as the smooth beer is enjoyed. For a brew with so much going on, Unsessionale never gets overcomplicated on the tongue and strikes an amazing balance that is incredibly pleasant.

    This is the first specialty brew that Revolution has canned. Normally, one must visit their brewpub or taproom at their brewery to get a taste of their specialty ales, so I was extremely excited at the precedent of this one being canned. I can only hope that Revolution continues the trend, and releases some more amazing beers for distribution across the country!

    Imperial India Pale Ales can be intimidating due to their massive hops content. Personally, I find that IIPAs are actually much sweeter than IPAs, and are easier to drink as well. The high alcohol content of Unsessionable is part of what makes it great, though it will definitely shut down anyone trying to finish more than a couple cans in one sitting. If you see this golden can in your local store, by all means, pick it up! I cannot put into words how impressed I am with this beer!

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