The Best Thing I Swallowed on Sunday Episode 20

Another Sunday has come and gone, and with it, three more beers have crossed my palate. Today is saison day for no other reason than there were multiple saisons on our draft list today. Only two were new to me, but I threw in Revolution's Coup D'Etat because I'd already reviewed the other two saisons that were available (Apex Predator from Off Color Brewing, and Saison DuPont). The first two saisons are collaboration beers, while Coup D'Etat is a solo project. All three hail from the great state of Illinois. And, as is normally the case, I enjoyed each of these beers immensely.

Imperial Black Saison, Stefon, Coup D'Etat

First up is Ten-Ninety's collaboration with Pollyanna Brewing of Lemont, Illinois. These two breweries teamed up to create an Imperial Black Saison. At 10.1% ABV, this beer fits the Ten-Ninety MO of making big beers. As you can see above, it is indeed black, and the foam of the head is chocolate in color. Dark malts are the key ingredient, but this beer is also fairly bitter at 50 IBU's. The aroma is very understated, but exhibits roasted malt notes. This farmhouse ale has a medium body and a dry finish that releases a fair amount of alcohol warmth. The initial flavor is of roasted malts and hops. But then notes of chocolate also reveal themselves to create a wonderful experience. This beer really impressed me, and Ten-Ninety has been an excellent addition to the world of good beer in Illinois. Imperial Black Saison is the best thing I swallowed on Sunday.

The second beer of the day is another collaboration beer called Stefon. Solemn Oath of Naperville joined forces with St. Louis' Perennial Artisan Ales to create this dark farmhouse ale. Stefon is a dark rye farmhouse ale conditioned with Brettanomyces that has an ABV of 7%. Like the Imperial Black Saison, Stefon is also very dark and has a cocoa colored head on it. There's a dark-fruit aroma which translate into the taste profile of this light-bodied ale. There's a really nice balance between the hops and malts. Hints of cocoa are also present, although I detected no tartness from the Brettanomyces yeast--perhaps that will come with age? In any case, Stefon is light and very drinkable. Solemn Oath suggests that this beers flavors will evolve with aging, so it might be interesting to grab a bottle and hold onto it for a few months to see what happens.

Finally we arrive at Chicago's own Revolution Brewing's Coup D'Etat. This is a French style farmhouse ale or saison that has an ABV of 7.5%. It is golden and hazy, with a good head and nice lacing. The nose is sweet and yeasty. The flavor is filled with fruit, but Coup D'Etat also has good spice and hop notes. The finish is somewhat earthy, and the mouthfeel is rather soft. This is a solid example of a saison.

This concludes episode 20. Stay tuned for next week's show to find out about what's good in Chicago!

Pipeworks Brewing Co A Midsummer Night Apricot Pale Ale

I'm somewhat tardy in cracking open this apricot pale ale. I beg your forgiveness, my failings are manifold. Midsummer Night was obviously meant for the rare hot day of this recently deceased summer; so perhaps I'm drinking this bottle as a lament to the summer that hardly was. Fall has arrived, Halloween is upon us, and soon the days will be short. This pale ale has a slightly hazy, golden color with a nice head with tiny bubbles. Very persistent carbonation and head. 8.5% ABV. This is exactly what a pale ale should look like. Fruity aroma of apricots is in the nose. At 8.5% ABV, the high alcohol content of this beer is immediately noted. But that's kinda one of Pipeworks' things, making big pale ales that go down way too easy. Very drinkable light to medium--almost creamy--body. It's so drinkable that I finished my bomber before I realized or had a chance to share it. Initially, the citrusy hops are very prevalent, almost to the point of burying the dried and pureed apricot. The fruit only becomes evident after a few more sips. Very bitter (citric acid) pale ale with a light malt body that gives off hints of apricot, before sending you off with a bitter finish.

Pipeworks Brewing Co. North & Western Dry Hopped Saison Style Ale

Now that Pipeworks has foolishly given away their coordinates, you can bother them at the source all you want. All kidding aside, please don't interfere with their activities. I shared a bottle of this saison style ale when it first appeared. Delightful times, delightful times. Hoping to recapture that high, I scurried from random bottle shop to random bottle shop, hoping to locate another bottle of this aphrodisiac. Well, I went to one of two shops that happen to have a good selection of neato bottles that not many seem to have discovered. And there it was. North & Western Dry Hopped Saison.

North & Western is a golden amber colored saison with a nice head that leaves good lacing. The aroma is of saison yeast. There's a sweet saison opening, light body, and well balanced hoppy, dry finish. There are a lot of hops in this saison. What more could you want from this very straightforward saison? Now good luck finding a bottle of your own. . .

Arcade Brewing Grapefruit IPA

I really liked Arcade's Mega Milk Stout, so I was looking forward to drinking another of their beers. The Grapefruit IPA, Arcade's second batch, was less impressive, in my opinion. Grapefruit IPA has a dark, murky amber color and a solid, persistent head. There's a very citrusy aroma, with sweet grapefruit notes coming through. The hop bitterness is accentuated by the grapefruit bitterness. Medium body. It's nothing special--not bad, but not great. Sessionable, but there's not much else to this beer after the initial hop/grapefruit bitterness passes. There are plenty of better options around (The Machine by Marz, Zombie Dust, or Half Acre's Heyoka, recent medal winner at GABF), but if Grapefruit IPA were the last IPA available, I would be ok with that.

The Best Thing I Swallowed on Sunday Episode 19

Wherein I find three good things on tap that capture my attention and describe them.
Here we go!

I generally have a difficult time designating a "winner" among my Sunday selections because the beers I pick are always of high quality and offer something unique to beer drinkers. This is certainly the case today, as I thoroughly enjoyed imbibing all three of these beers. My selections are Poperings Hommel Ale Dry Hopped, Marz Community Brewing Jungle Boogie, and Jolly Pumpkin Fuego del Otono. Three great beers in three very different styles.

Dry-Hopped Hommel Ale

Hommel Ale Dry Hopping is a Belgian IPA from Brouwerij van Eecke in Watau (7.5% ABV). The van Eecke family has been brewing since 1840. The brewery is best known for its original Hommelbier, which I will review alongside this more recent release (2012). Michael Jackson considered the original Hommelbier to be a world class beer, and we shall see why. But first the Dry Hopping. This Belgian is hazy blond and holds a small, white head. The aroma is sweet and a bit fruity from the yeast. It has a low carbonation, soft mouthfeel and is medium bodied. The flavors in Dry Hopping are rather subtle, but there is a sweet yeast flavor that hints at peach. This is followed by a superb bitter ending.

The original Poperings Hommelbier (Bumblebee Beer) is a bit more sugary sweet than its dry-hopped version. I pulled an 11.2 oz bottle of it to compare with its younger cousin. It has the same hazy golden blonde color and holds a fluffy white head. It feels a bit more carbonated, and the hops tingle on the tip of the tongue and the back of the throat. The Brewers' Gold and Hallertau hops are muted (40 IBUs). Hommelbier is light and surprisingly refreshing, and more flavorful than the dry-hopped variation.

I know I just included Marz Community Brewing in the last episode, but we added Jungle Boogie to our taps this week. Marz has earned a second spot in my blog with this very interesting beer. Jungle Boogie weights in at 5.5% ABV and is a medium-bodied amber ale that uses Cascade hops for bittering and is dry-hopped with Mosaic hops, giving this beer a very balanced sweet, floral hoppy aroma. Amber colored and displaying a fluffy head, Jungle Boogie is a nice surprise and great twist on an amber ale. That twist namely comes in the form of rooibos tea, and this beer does not taste like any rooibos I've ever had. The flavor is initially Cascade hops bitter balanced out by a great sweet finish from the tea. There's not much of this available. From what I understand, only Maria's Packaged Goods in Bridgeport and the Hopleaf in Andersonville have any on draft.

Jungle Boogie

Last, we arrive at Jolly Pumpkin's Fuego del Otono, aka Autumn Fire (6.1% ABV). This has been on our menu for just about one week, so I was happy it lasted until I could review it this Sunday. Fuego is a hazy orange/amber Biere de Garde that has the general appearance of a pumpkin ale. It also holds a small head, at least on tap. The aroma is super tart, and the flavor is pretty much the same. There is definitely some nuttiness and a bit of spice in this beer, but tartness dominates the palate. It's medium bodied, with a fair amount of carbonation. The carbonation allows the acidity of the beer to fizzle on the tongue, roof, and back of the mouth. This tartness compels you to spend some time getting to know Fuego, which is a good thing to be forced into. Once you have recovered from the initial tartness, you begin to taste the other flavors that are present beneath the wave of acidity that defines this beer. Initially, the flavors are citrusy, but there are traces of caramel and nuts, and a bit of herbs. This is followed by a musty, woody tartness and a bit of vinegar. Overall, a very good sour ale from Jolly Pumpkin. Perhaps for the sheer intensity of flavor, I shall declare Fuego del Otono the best thing I swallowed on Sunday--although any of these three beers could've taken top honor.

Fuego!

New Glarus Strawberry Rhubarb Wisconsin Wild Fruit Ale

This past week, the family and I took a quick drive up I-94 across the Wisconsin border to do a little apple picking at Apple Holler. If you have young kids, take them here. There is a big slide, things to climb on and around, a petting zoo with goats, and a hay-bale ride out into the orchard.

While all that's good fun for the family, I had ulterior plans for this outing. Anytime I'm in Wisconsin, it's time to look for New Glarus fruit beers. Fortunately, Apple Holler has a restaurant and gift shop that happens to carry Wisconsin beers, including Tyranena and New Glarus, of course. While Spotted Cow and a few others were available, I had my heart set on the 750ml bottles. My vigilance was rewarded when I spied two bottles of Strawberry Rhubarb, which I quickly snatched up.

I had never tried Strawberry Rhubarb, but heard or read that it was probably one of New Glarus' least drinkable fruit beers. I think that's probably more a matter of personal taste, but I have to agree with the detractors. Strawberry Rhubarb is too candy sweet for my palate, although I'm sure lots of fruit beer drinkers would really like that.

But let's take a moment to smell the roses before jumping into the beer review. We went to Apple Holler on Thursday, and couldn't have asked for a nicer day to be outside. Apple Holler is definitely kid-centric, but it is also really nice to walk among the trees under a warm sun. A pleasant time was had by all.

Wasn't that delightful! To the beer. Strawberry Rhubarb has a deep earthy red and hazy color. The head is thick; the aroma is pure strawberry, which is evident right upon opening the bottle. It is very sweet tasting as well, almost entirely strawberry. This beer has a very nice, soft mouthfeel and light body. There's lots of flavor for such a light, low ABV beer (4%). It's very tart, but not very sour. New Glarus is great at isolating and accentuating the specific flavors of the fruits in their beers. And this is certainly the case with Strawberry Rhubarb. Nonetheless, Strawberry Rhubarb is not as drinkable as other New Glarus fruit beers, in my opinion. It's much more cloyingly sweet than other New Glarus fruit beers. A small amount of Strawberry Rhubarb was enough to satisfy my curiosity. Not to worry, the rest was consumed by someone who appreciated the beer far more than I.

                       

Pipeworks Zombie Gnomes Smoked Saison

Another great saison from Pipeworks. I know everyone goes crazy for their DIPAs and their Abduction Series stouts, and with good reason. But I really appreciate the saisons brewed by Pipeworks. They really impressed me with Catch of a Lifetime, and kept the hits coming with North and Western and Poivre Vert. So I buy pretty much any Pipeworks' saison I see.

My first reaction with tasting Zombie Gnomes (8% ABV) was "this is awesome." It has the classic saison look (although this style certainly is up for grabs these days). It's golden, effervescent and has a persistent foamy head. There's also the beautiful aroma of slightly sweet saison yeast with just a trace of smokiness.

Zombie Gnomes is light and dry. There's really great balance between the sweet, fruity start, the smokiness, and the hoppy finish. The smoke lingers slightly, but does not overpower the beer. While not as interesting as some of their other saisons, Zombie Gnomes is really well done and might be a good introductory beer for those interested in a less intense smokey sensation.

The Best Thing I Swallowed on Sunday Episode 18

Welcome to Sunday Swallow, where I choose three interesting beers that are new to the Hopleaf's tap menu--or at least me. Another Bears game provided me ample time to consider my choices before the post-game rush. This week, I had a very tough time picking my favorite beer. There's always a lot of good stuff on tap, but today we had some very exceptional options. I narrowed my selections to Firestone Walker's Double DBA, L'Abbeye de St. Bon Chien by BFM, and The Machine pale ale from local hero Marz Community Brewing.

Double DBA, L'Abbeye De Saint Bon-Chien, and The Machine

Hopleaf was lucky enough to acquire a keg of Firestone Walker's rare Double DBA (Double Barrel Ale). Double DBA is an imperial special bitter that packs a punch at 12% ABV. Its appearance is dark amber and it holds a thin head with a bit of effervescence. The aroma is pure toffee, which comes from the generous use of malt. The flavor generally matches the nose, with a rich, malt-toffee sweetness. Double DBA provides plenty of alcohol warmth as it makes its way down the back of the tongue. There is a little effervescence in the mouthfeel in this full-bodied ale. There's a reason brewers like to age their beers in some sort of barrel--it makes them extra delicious. Double DBA sits in American oak, and the effects are wondrous. Had it not been for my next selection, Firestone would've carried the day.

We've had some really great sours on tap at Hopleaf over the past few months. Duchesse de Bourgogne made a return to draft after many years of only seeing it in bottles. As much as I would've liked to include it in today's review, I'm quite familiar with the Duchesse. Therefore, I choose another sour ale as her champion.

Even if I didn't really enjoy the flavor of L'Abbeye De Saint Bon-Chien as much as I did, I would have to award it today's top honor simply because of the sheer effort that went into making this powerful, flavor-filled sour ale. Brasserie des Franches-Montangnes, located in Switzerland, brews sour ales on occasion. The keg of Saint Bon-Chien currently on tap is a sour from 2010. After the brewing process, this beer is separated into eleven (!) different wine barrels where it ages for a year. Post aging, the barrels are blended back together for a delightful mixture of sour goodness. I allowed this to warm quite a bit before giving it a sip so that I could enjoy as many of the flavors it holds as possible. At 11% ABV, Saint Bon-Chien is stronger than your average sour by a long-shot. Even though I drank only a few ounces, combined with the Double DBA, I was feeling quite warm after this review. Saint Bon-Chien (named after the brewery's first cat, ironically named "Good Dog") has a dark, reddish-brown complexion. There is little foam or carbonation in this sour to speak of, which is not entirely unusual for the style. Saint Bon-Chien has the classic sweet funky aroma of a good sour beer. There is also a trace of wood in the nose. It is very tart and funky. The acidity works its way across the tongue and even hits the back of the throat. A lingering sweetness coats the entire mouth. Its much more sweet than the typical Flemish sour, which tend to exhibit oak, vanilla, or vinegar notes. Perhaps the wine barrels are responsible for this effect? In any case, this Swiss sour is great by any definition and is the best thing that I swallowed on Sunday.

I'm very excited about the last beer in this episode. Marz Community Brewing is a perfect example of the great brewing scene that is quickly evolving in Chicago. This is a collective of amateur brewers turned pro who are clearly rooted in Bridgeport with beers named after the iconic Bubbly Creek or simply The Machine (a reference to the powerful Democratic organization that has run city and state politics since at least the 1930s). The Machine pale ale is the brain-child of Tim Lange (each of the individuals get to create beers on their Psychobrew system), and he has every right to be proud of his creation. Lange blended Warrior, Amarillo, Simcoe, and Nelson Sauvin hops into one of the most floral pale ales I've had the pleasure of drinking in a long time. The Machine is clear, golden, and with nice head that dissipates quickly. The aroma of this pale ale is simply mind-blowing. It's so floral and hoppy. You steel yourself for what should be a bitter, palate wrecking hop bomb only to be greeted by a very friendly and highly drinkable beer. This is a plus, at least in my book. The flavor is rewarding, much like a cool breeze on a hot day. Light and drinkable doesn't even begin to do justice to The Machine. Don't make no waves--find this beer and drink it.

Arcade Brewing Mega Milk Stout

I walked into my local beer shop a few weeks ago looking for milk stouts--the significant other is breastfeeding an infant, if you must pry into my personal affairs. Maybe it's just an old wive's tale, but she's been craving stouts ever since the baby arrived. She's been digging Left Hand's Milk Stout, but I wanted to see if there was anything else to drink. Lo and behold! I found something brand new and very local. Arcade Brewing (founded in 2011) officially launched in early September, although they are sharing space and equipment with Ale Syndicate. Mega Milk Stout is the third batch.

Mega Milk is a sessionable oatmeal milk stout that weighs in at 5.3% ABV. It is black chocolate in color, and the head is a bit cocoa colored as well. It has a lovely sweet, roasty malt aroma. The body is pleasingly light, and the flavor is initially sweet. Not overly so, but just right. There's just the perfect amount of bitter in the finish to round out what is a great example of a oatmeal or milk stout. Also, the significant other really, really likes this and wants more.

New Glarus Serendipity

This is one of those beers that you cherish. First brewed in 2012, after a serious drought ruined Door County's cherry harvest and forced Daniel Carey, New Glarus' head brewer, to add apples and cranberries to the recipe. As the name suggests, Serendipity was a blessing in disguise. It was also one of the most sought beers of that year.

Serendipty has a dark red cherry color and pours with a thick head. It has a very intense fruit aroma. The body is soft and has very little carbonation. It is similar to apple cider. Cherry and apple dominate the palate, with a less pronounced cranberry. The oak aging mellows the tartness, and there is almost no sour funk present. At 4% ABV, this beer is packed with fruity flavor. This beer alone is worth a trip to Wisconsin.