Marz Community Brewing What the Pho Porter

I was listening to part of the ABV Chicago podcast last night, in which they reviewed five Pipeworks' barrel-aged beers. One of the things that the hosts of ABV said was that recently, they had been buying fewer beers from Pipeworks. They attribute this to Pipeworks' innovative spirit and the fact that they do not hold back any of their unusual beers from the market. Up to last year, you could go to a store and pick out just about any Pipeworks beer and be pretty happy, or even amazed. But of late, there were just so many things sitting on shelves that the ABV guys now wait to see what other people are saying about each beer before they purchase anything. Pipeworks is a brewery that is not afraid to experiment with beer. Sometimes this produces liquid gold, mostly it produces ok beers, but it also results in some lemons on occasion. This is the price of experimentation. I've also pulled back from just randomly grabbing Pipeworks off the shelf because a bomber runs from $9-$15, which can become expensive if you're just taking a chance on something. I'm not diminishing Pipeworks in any way. I still regard these guys as my favorite new Chicago brewery--some of their beers have simply blown me away (this is also the sentiment of the hosts of ABV Chicago). I just wish the ratio of great Pipeworks beer to ok Pipeworks beer was a little better.

Speaking of highly experimental Chicago breweries, I finally got my hands on a bottle of What the Pho Porter by Marz Community Brewing in collaboration with Chef Bill Kim. I was worried about how this one might go because it's based off of the popular Vietnamese beef broth noodle soup. I had also recently spoken with Tim Lange, one of the brewers at Marz, and he seemed bemused by this beer, as well as the Umami Imperial Stout that they brewed with Takeshi at Against the Grain in Kentucky for this weekend's Festival of Barrel Aged Beer (FOBAB). He's aware that these are unconventional choices, to say the least. But I also think he has confidence in his co-brewers and the products they're putting out. And in any case, I'm always game to try something from a brewery that has not let me down so far.

What the Pho Porter (6.5% ABV) was aged in barrels infused with ingredients designed to reproduce the flavors of pho. It pours black, with reddish tinting when held against a light. It has a very thick head that lasted until the beer was practically gone. The aroma is a combination of all the things that went into this beer, and then some. I personally smelled ginger, although this was not one of the ingredients in What the Pho. Somehow, I'm guessing the peppercorn and cloves, along with the anise, cinnamon, and sassafras blended together to make this aroma. The porter also smells sweet, although in a soupy, almost meaty way. As the beer warmed, it smells increasingly like pho. What the Pho has the typical medium body of a porter. It's smooth, and has little carbonation. It tastes sweet, like meat marinated in soy. There's also a tingly sensation that feels like ginger, although it's really just the peppercorns and cloves talking. The Sassafras, cinnamon, and anise account for the sweet flavors, with hints of licorice.

So I went into this beer with an open mind, having no idea what to expect from such an unusual take on the porter. I was somewhat concerned that the flavor would be too intense, or that the flavors would build into something overwhelming as the beer warmed. I also suspected that the flavors simply might not work, producing something that didn't taste right. These fears proved unfounded. Marz used a very creative cast of ingredients to reproduce what turned out to be a very unique and good beer. What the Pho is a more subtle exploration of flavors; it's not at all overwhelming to the palate. Although it certainly won't appeal to all, it will impress many beer drinkers.

Pipeworks Cinnamon Beer-D Ohs Imperial Cream Ale

Pipeworks recreates a bowl of cereal in a bottle and delivers it to you, although I wouldn't recommend drinking it on a Saturday morning while watching cartoons. You will lose the day. Cinnamon Beer-D Ohs is a dark amber that displays much clarity through a slight haze. It has a nice, albeit short-lived, head, but leaves behind nice lacing. The nose is sweet and rather boozy. As expected, the mouthfeel is soft and creamy. The flavors are malt, sweet bread, sugar, and vanilla. The 10% ABV is well-disguised by these flavors, so be careful kids. I felt as though I were reliving my childhood spent with a bowl of sugary, cavity-inducing puffed corn as I worked my way through this 22 oz. cream ale. While reliving childhood memories is not all that it's cracked up to be, Cinnamon Beer-D Ohs won't leave you with many regrets, although you might need a nap.

Pipeworks Harbinger of Doom Belgian Style Wit Bier with Elderberries

Does Pipeworks' Harbinger of Doom have the appearance of a Wit? No, it does not. It is not white, but rather amber. It is also mostly clear, though a little haze does blur things a bit. But Pipeworks likes to blur the lines between styles. Most Wits are cloudy and often have visible sediment. They also have fluffy heads that last forever thanks to the wheat malt base. Harbinger has almost no head, although it does leave some decent lacing. But don't be fooled by appearances, especially the appearance of a beer brewed by Pipeworks. Harbinger of Doom smells and tastes like a Wit. It has a sweet, fruity aroma with lots of lemon-citrus notes. It has a tart opening with some citrusy flavor, and then a bit of a spicy, even hoppy finish. Another weird take of the Wit by Pipeworks that somehow works. Go figure.

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. . .

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.

Pipeworks/Forbidden Root Cesi N'est Pas Une Biere

Just in time for the first cold snap of the fall comes "This is Not a Beer," an old ale brewed with oak, lily, Peru basalm, cherry stems, and most interestingly, pipe tobacco. Pipeworks, no stranger to unusual ingredients, collaborated with newcomer Forbidden Root, which consists of Robert Finkel, BJ Pichman, and Randy Mosher. Forbidden Root specializes in botanical brewing, so they too, know a little something about using uncommon ingredients--I think Mosher might have written a book or something about beer? All kidding aside, I purchased this beer more out of curiosity than desire to drink a beer brewed using tobacco. I'm generally not a fan of old ales and barley wines either. But with the drop in temperature, this winter warmer (8.5% ABV) was a timely choice.

As you can see, Ceci N'est Pas Une Biere has the look of an old ale. It's dark black, with a fuzzy head of foam that dissipated quickly. The aroma is malty sweet, with hints of woody mahogany. This sweetness carries over into the flavor profile--the cherry stems lend the same sweetness to beer as the fruit itself. Initially, it was very woody and earthy. As it warmed to near room temperature, the tobacco notes really started to come out. There is some serious alcohol warmth coming from this beer. This is an interesting take on the old ale and worth trying if you enjoy the style.

Pipeworks Brewing Paradisiac Imperial Wit

Clearing out my early summer stock of Pipeworks, I realized that I still had one of their Witbiers sitting in my fridge. Paradisiac is perhaps the least witty of Pipeworks' Wits of the spring and summer of 2014. This is an Imperial Wit (9% ABV) containing strawberry and kiwi. This beer drinks more like a pale ale than a wit, so they really took some liberties with the style, even by Pipework's normal standard of making weird beers. This batch was bottled at the end of June, for anyone who cares about such things.

Paradisiac is surprisingly clear, though still hazy. It's golden and has a big, long-lasting head. While it has an obvious Wit yeast aroma, this is about where the similarities with a Witbier end. It's very effervescent and has a very light to medium body. I suspect that Pipeworks went heavy on the pilsner malts. There is almost no hint of the adjuncts (coriander and orange zest, aka the usual suspects for a Wit); especially absent are the strawberry and kiwi. The finish is lingering bitterness (Falconner's hops). It's very refreshing, but not at all like a Wit.

Off Color Fierce Berliner Style Weisse

I've been mighty busy these past few days. Sunday was Hopleaf's fundraiser, the beer extravaganza known as Kegs for Kids. The next evening, I was off to the formal launch of Marz Community Brewing down in Bridgeport. The team from Bridgeport always holds cool events, and this was no exception. Good food, good music, good vibe, great tour of Bridgeport, and of course, great beer! Then came Tuesday night's event: a tap takeover by Three Floyds and Pipeworks at Roots Pizza. Because I've already had all of the five Floyds beers that were available, I stuck with Pipeworks. I tried their Saison du Solei (a very citrusy ale with lots of grapefruit), Raspberry Truffle Abduction Imperial Stout (tasted like chocolate covered raspberries), and the Bicentennial Falcon (500th batch for Pipeworks!).

Why yes, that is a Marz Community Brewing glass. Thanks for noticing!

I don't think I was alone in being excited about the premier of Off Color Brewing way back in 2013. John Laffler and David Bleitner had already demonstrated that they could make beer well separately, so imagine the possibilities of them working together in their own brewery. Their initial concept was to brew variations of unappreciated German style beers, which sounded very interesting, though risky. Off Color wasn't looking to win any popularity contests with this direction. And I must admit, it's been hit or miss with the general public. Off Color's beers are not for everyone--though Troublesome certainly could be a popular beer. I personally like Troublesome and Scurry, but they were hard sells at the bar. Scurry has always been good, Troublesome has been less consistent. The last batch of Troublesome that I had, however, was amazing. And that's when I decided to buy Off Color's latest beer: Fierce.

Fierce is a Berliner Style Weisse that packs in a ton of flavor at 3.8% ABV. By now, everyone knows what a Berliner Weisse is, so I won't bore you with the details. Needless to say, Off Color has nailed the style with Fierce. And their label art is just as good as the beer. Off Color works with Nikki Jarecki, who uses metallic labels that produce unusual and interesting effects.

The beer itself has a very light, straw color. It's slightly hazy and very effervescent. The head is small, but persistent thanks to the unceasing carbonation. The sour funk really comes through in the nose. It is sweet and bready as well. It is tart and funky in all the right ways. Initially tart, light bodied, and refreshing, Fierce finishes with a lingering sour flavor. Laffler and Bleitner have really outdone themselves with Fierce.

Off Color has Great Label Art.

Pipeworks Brewing Surrounded by Friends with Machetes Wheat Pale Ale

I'm getting right back on the Pipeworks horse after last week's disappointing beer by cracking open another of their collaboration ales: Surrounded by Friends with Machetes. Surrounded by Friends is a Wheat Pale Ale brewed with ginger, cardamom, apples, and black currants. Like all Pipeworks' beers, it's big at 9% ABV. This is Pipeworks collaboration with Bad Apple.

The long and short of it is that I liked this beer quite a bit. It's not great, but it is good and refreshing. As you can see by the photos, it has an almost apple-colored appearance with a nice foamy head. The nose is tart, but with really strong ginger and cardamom notes, which isn't surprising given these ingredients' overpowering aromas. The wheat tones down any hoppiness in this beer. It is sweet, medium-bodied, and nicely effervescent. Initially, it is apple sweet, with strong flavors of cardamom and ginger quickly followed by currants in the finish. All in all a very pleasant beverage.

Pipeworks One Horned Wonder And His Fanciful Flying Fresno

I hate to say it, but I think I found the first Pipeworks beer that I don't like. There have been a few that I wasn't thrilled about, especially some of the DIPAs. But this one I actually drank a bit of, and then gave the rest to someone else. Basically, it's like when you're cooking and you don't quite get the flavor right in a dish. It's disappointing, but you move on to something better.

One Horned Wonder is described as a "Big Ole Pale Ale with Fresno Chiles and Passion Fruit Added." It's a reminder that even the greats still put their pants on one leg at a time. Pipeworks hooked up with the Aviary (which you might not know about, but they make very nice cocktails) to generate this giant pale ale. The beer was released in January, so this is a bit late--I only found the bottle after getting a tip from someone at a great, but lesser-known liquor store. So it's quite likely that the hop and fruit aroma and flavors had faded by the time I got a taste.

The Wonder contains Simcoe and Citra hops, but then Pipeworks added passion fruit and rotary evaporated fresno chiles, which removes the heat, but leaves the taste. When I poured my bottle, I thought it looked great. It's really a double IPA, rather than a pale ale at 9% ABV. And one does not expect a pale ale to have so much sediment. In any case, it had a nice fluffy head that went away relatively fast, but left behind a bit of lacing. The color is golden. But the aroma is slightly sweet, though dominated by the chile. And this is precisely how it tasted. A bit of up front hoppiness, a little tropical fruit sweetness, and then chile. None of this is happening in a good way, mind you.

Pipeworks Brewing Co. Cohen's State of Kind Wit Beer

Pipeworks Brewing Co. (Chicago, IL) Cohen's State of Kind, 9% ABV.

Seems like I'm on a mission to review every Pipeworks Witbier this summer, which I'm ok with. This is the weirdest wit to date. Cohen's State of Kind is brewed with blueberries, chamomile, and hibiscus, which is apparently the latest ingredient du jour for brewing. As you can see from the color, the blueberries dominated the wheat. This beer, in contrast to most wits, is very light bodied, and the head of foam dissipated quite rapidly. Blueberries are the most pronounced ingredient in terms of flavor. The chamomile is scarcely detectable, but the hibiscus lends an interesting mouthfeel to this beer--almost hoppy. Despite its unusual, non-Witbier ways, Cohen's State of Kind is strangely pleasing. My guests and I enjoyed it greatly, alongside a few of Revolution's Rosa Hibiscus, another great summertime beverage.

Pipeworks Brewing Co. A Foolish Wit

Pipeworks (Chicago, IL) A Foolish Wit (8% ABV).

Storm clouds were gathering, bringing the promise of cooler temperatures. Yet the release failed to materialize. Instead, I sought solace in a bottle of Pipeworks latest Wit, the perfect beer for a hot summer's eve (Note: this beer is not to be confused with a feminine hygiene product) whilst grilling spicy sausage. For a nice change, Pipeworks did not stray far from the style of the Belgian Witbier. This beer had the look, head, aroma, and flavor of a classic Belgian Wit, which was just the thing for sitting on the deck, hoping for rain to break the heat. Belgian Wit yeast gives this style a hazy wheaty appearance and a sweet, biscuity flavor. The addition of citrus and spices adds just the right acidity to balance the fruity sweetness of the yeast. Not a standout, but it's exactly what it's supposed to be and was the perfect refreshment for the moment.

Pipeworks

Some of you might be wondering why I keep reviewing Pipework's beers, despite the fact that most of them might not be around by the time you decide you want to pick one up. Rather than brewing a steady line up of beers or creating a couple of flagships that consumers will easily recognize and trust, Pipeworks brews many, many things. Some people probably find this frustrating because they can't know if they will be purchasing one of the "good" beers, or getting something they won't like. Among beer geeks, Pipeworks is well known and generally liked. But I think the average beer drinker has not really heard about them, much less tried any of their beers. I drink a lot of their stuff and usually will pick up anything they make that grabs my attention. Oftentimes, I'll pick up a random bomber of something that is not what I usually like to drink just for fun. So just for the reason that I drink a lot of their stuff, it seems worth it to write something. However, the main reason that I review Pipeworks is that I'm hoping that people will come to see that they are very consistently brewing good beer, no matter the style. I'm suggesting to potential drinkers that they take a chance, grab something off the shelf at the liquor store, and give it a shot. The majority of Pipework beers are excellent, and more consumers should know about them.

Pipeworks Brewing Co. Kate's Weirdo Wit

Pipeworks Brewing Co. (Chicago, IL) Kate's Weirdo Wit. 8 % ABV.
Imperial Wit Beer Brewed with Lemon Grass, Thai Basil, and Kaffir Lime Leaves. You might have noticed that I drink/review a lot of beers from Pipeworks. You might therefore surmise that I also favor this brewery's beers. Back to the task at hand, however. This is a respectable beer review blog, as you're by now fully aware. Kate's Weirdo Wit (a "weird beer" that uses unusual ingredients for a particular style of beer) pours with a nice amount of foam that dissipates quickly. The nose is almost sweet (Belgian wit yeast in there, friend), with just a hint of the lemon grass. It has a hazy amber color that beckons you to put the glass to your lips. Once you do so, you will be rewarded with a delightful take on the Belgian witbier. The lemon grass and basil are well pronounced, and the sweetness is cut with a nice touch of hops that creates a nice finish. Go grab a bottle today, otherwise you'll probably never get to try this beer, ever.

Pipeworks Brewing Co. Poivre Vert Saison

Pipeworks Brewing Co. (Chicago, IL) Poivre Vert (7% ABV)
We got this beer on draft at work on Monday, it was gone by Tuesday evening (1/6 keg). That's pretty fast for something that was not advertised at Hopleaf. There was a pretty good reason why it did not last; it is a good beer. This is a saison style beer brewed with peppercorns, celery seed, and cucumber. Since I'm working from memory, this will be a short review. This was a rare clear beer from Pipeworks, since their beers are typically unfiltered. It was cool and refreshing, sorta like a cucumber. The cucumber stood out, as did the peppercorns. That is all.

Update: October 8, 2014
I drank my final bottle of Poivre Vert last night. It was amazing. This is probably one of the great beers that makes Pipeworks my current favorite local brewery. They make a lot of beer; some good, some so-so, and some that are outstanding. Even their so-so beers consistently outperform many other breweries by simply avoiding some of the common off-flavors that frequently plague new microbreweries--though I've been highly impressed with the new breweries that are popping up all over Chicago lately. Nonetheless, Poivre Vert is a great beer and I would encourage Pipeworks to revisit this batch in the future, or at least make another saison with such ambitious ingredients.

Pipeworks Brewing Co. Bunny & the Bird

5-1-2014

Pipeworks Brewing Co. (Chicago, IL) Bunny & the Bird

Imperial British Style IPA, 9% ABV. English malt and yeast combined with East Kent Golding, El Dorado, and Nelson Sauvin hops. Dark copper color with a little head that dissipates quickly. Its aroma is a bit like acetone. Clean opening with a not unpleasant bitter finish that hits the back of the throat and lingers on the tongue. Not overwhelmingly hoppy,which is what one expects from an English style IPA.

Pipeworks Brewing Co. Derketo

4-22-2014

Pipeworks Brewing Co. (Chicago, IL) Derketo

Imperial Belgian Style IPA, 10% ABV. Galaxy and Amarillo hops combined with Belgian wit yeast, produces a clean, floral aroma. As this is an unfiltered beer, it produces a cloudy, dark straw color. The hops are not overwhelming, with a touch of sweetness in the finish, which is characteristic of double IPA’s, especially if they have Belgian yeast in them.