Spiteful Corporate Guy Wheatwine

Beer:  Corporate Guy (CPG)

Brewery:  Spiteful Brewing

Date:  January 25th, 2014

Style: Wheatwine

ABV:  11.0%

Similar To:   Bells Wheat Love Ale

Description:
It was a cold night in January when a group of beer devotees* assembled at a private residence in Chicago's West Town to sample a wide range of beers from an undisclosed local brewer, later revealed to be Spiteful Brewing. 

Their opinions, much like the beers they tasted, were many and varied, but in the end they reached an (approximate) consensus on those which distinguished themselves from the rest of the field.  By the end of the evening, long after the official reviewing had been completed, the tasters had ventured pretty far off the beaten track in terms of the beers being "sampled" and skyped in an absent comrade to join the fun, much of which was had by all.   

As the organizer and informal guide for the evening, two beers in particular stood among those from Spiteful which we sampled, the Corporate Guy Wheatwine profiled in this post, and G.F.Y. Stout whose review will be posted shortly.

First Impression:
Reddish-brown with a lot of thin white head which dissipated quickly.

Smell:
Wheat (what a suprise), malt, and some pleasant sweetness in the background, whose source was elusive (maybe fruity?).  Admittedly, my nose may have suffered from overexposure by that point in the evening.

Taste:
Oh yes, very strong wheat and rye taste with the underlying sweetness I smelled initially.  Despite previous sampling that evening, I can tell that this one has the strongest alcoholic kick of the bunch, and warms going down.

On the Palate:
Very thick and surprisingly carbonated.  Feels almost like warm root beer, of which I'm a big fan.

Why You'll like It:
A good choice for those who like strong, flavorful beers, but are tired of stouts, porters, and strong ales, and are looking for a new style to try. 

...and why You won't:
Wheatwine is an acquired taste and those who prefer IPAs and other more hoppy beers aren't likely to find that what they're looking for in CPG, or really in any beer of this style.

In Closing...:
A hearty beer for people who aren't into stouts and their similarly dark ilk.  Enjoyably sweet and, in my limited exposure, the best beer that I've tried from this brewery.  Like a Winter Warmer without the seasonal spices which put so many drinkers off.

Rating: 3 1/2 Stars (out of 5)

*This is the politest term I can think of to describe us.

Short's Huma Lupa Licious

Beer:  Huma Lupa Licious (HLL) 

Brewery:  Short's Brewing Company 

Date:  February 9th, 2014 

Style: IPA 

ABV: 7.7% 

Similar To:  Harpoon IPA (though I enjoyed HLL more), Dogfish Head Aprihop 

Description:

After a festive Saturday in Flossmoor and Blue Island, I sat down on Sunday to more closely examine the beers I received from a friend in exchange for Goose Island BCS.  By all appearances, the crown jewel of this collection was Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout (which I'll be tasting this weekend), but I was pleasantly surprised to find 3 other brews that I hadn't tried before.  The full list was:

1. Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout
2. Lagunitias Sucks Brown Shugga Substitute Ale
3. Short's Good Humans Brown Ale
4. Short's Huma Lupa Licious IPA

I'd been looking for the Brown Shugga for a while as it's been very well-reviewed, but I don't ever recall having anything from Short's Brewery before.  One quick trip to their website and a little amateur arithmetic later, and I was astonished to find that they apparently have produced or are in the process of producing no fewer than 202 distinct beers.  As this obviously leaves me with a lot of catching up to do, I started right in with the Huma Lupa Licious IPA, and, as you'll hear, can only hope that I'm as impressed by the remaining 201. 

First Impression:

Golden and opaque with a thick white head which lingers for several minutes.

Smell:

Hoppy with light citrus, piney, resinous and malty. 

Taste:

Lots of hops with some citrus and sweetness around the periphery.  Finishes much less bitter than many IPAs, very drinkable.  

On the Palate:
Quite carbonated and smooth.  Neither heavy nor light.

Why You'll like It: 
Smooth hops and citrus are the highlights.  A very solid IPA to appeal to those who have had too many pedestrian ones. 

...and why You won't:
IPAs are an acquired taste, proceed at your own risk.

In Closing...:
There are many IPAs on the market these days and it's refreshing to run into one which renewed my enthusiasm in the style.  Many beers of this style wear on me after repeated tastings, but I have a feeling I could drink these all evening.

As a point of interest, the name is inspired by the taxonomic name for hops, humulus lupulus.  

Rating: 3 1/2 Stars (out of 5)

Metropolitan Generator Doppelbock

Beer:  Generator Doppelbock (GDB)

Brewery:  Metropolitan Brewing

Date: February 8th, 2014

Style:  Doppelbock

ABV: 8.2%

Similar To:  No other Doppelbock I've tried. 

Description:
After visiting Flossmoor's railroad-themed brewpub I'd planned to hop on the train and head right back into the city.  However, the bonds of camaraderie got the better of me and our group traveled further south  to meet up with others and to visit a well-appointed craft beer bar in Blue Island.  Fortunately, my decision to continue on the pub crawl wasn't without reward as I found an atypical doppelbock from Metropolitan Brewing waiting at our next stop.  As luck would have it, they were just tapping a keg of this fine brew as we arrived and we all reaped the benefits of this fortunate coincidence.

First Impression:
Pours a dark red-tinted amber with a thin white head which retreated quickly to the sides of my tulip glass.

Smell:
Caramel.  Fruity: plums, raisins.  Malty, with some alcohol.
 
Taste:
Lots of fruitiness, strong raisin (grape?), and malt taste. Despite this, it's not overly sweet, though it's unlike any other doppelbock I've had.  Surprisingly muted alcohol taste, when I was expecting a big finish (this isn't a negative).

On the Palate:
Low carbonation, smooth and rich.

Why You'll like It:

I can imagine GDB appealing more to those who like barley wines or lambics, than those who prefer doppelbocks or strong ales.  The fruit was unexpected, but balanced quite well with the malt.

...and why You won't:
If sweet, thick beers don't appeal to you, let this one ride.

In Closing...:
This was  my first beer from Metropolitan and I can't imagine that it'll be my last.  Even a trip across the road for Mexican carryout didn't diminish my enthusiasm during this thoroughly enjoyable evening.  At the end of the night, I took the picture below of the door as I was leaving.  Behold, the power of advertising...

Rating: 4 Stars (out of 5)

Flossmoor Station Big Poppa Imperial Porter

Beer:  Big Poppa Porter (BPP)

Brewery:  Flossmoor Station Brewing Company

Date: February 8th, 2014

Style:  Porter

ABV: 10.0%

Similar To:  Founders Porter, Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter 

Description:
Mrs. Beer has returned from her travels and the whole family's off to visit the grandparents on the South Side today.  As luck would have it, a college buddy's also in town for the weekend and we've decided to meet down at the Flossmoor Station Restaurant and Brewery, located about 20 feet from the Flossmoor Metra station.  This venue works well for both of us, because it's close to where my friend teaches on Saturday morning and is also on the same train line that has a station about 4 blocks from the grandparents' house.   Ostensibly, we're meeting up for a beer swap, I'm delivering Goose Island Bourbon County Stout and getting the hopefully soon-to-be-reviewed Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout.  Closer to the truth is that I'm looking forward to having a couple of beers, shooting the sh*t, and hopefully reviewing one (or more) for 3B3D.  As luck would have it, the first beer I tried was one of their seasonal brews, BPP, a strong start to the evening in more ways that one.

First Impression:
Pours black with little carbonation and no visible head by the time it reaches the table.  Very faint medium brown lacing circles the tulip glass.

Smell:
Coffee, and lots of hops.  Some underlying chocolate, malt, and strong alcohol.

Taste:
Big coffee taste and hoppiness, with that expected big alcohol finish.  Some background sugary sweetness which helps to balance this brew.   It's that strong finish which helps distinguish it from many other porters.

On the Palate:
Rich on the palate with low carbonation.  Quite warming going down.

Why You'll like It:
A very big porter, likely to appeal to fans of imperial stouts, and even barley wines.

...and why You won't:
Though 10% ABV is no longer overwhelming by current standards, if you're used to other porters, this one may be a bit outside of your comfort zone.

In Closing...:
Hanging out with old friends and meeting new ones:  Check.  Easy access by public transportation to good beer (and food):  Check.  The aforementioned good beer:  Check.  An enjoyable time was had by all.

Rating: 3 1/2 Stars (out of 5)

That chick behind the bar is totally checking you out.

Stone Ruination IPA

Smile...!

Beer:  Ruination IPA (SRI)

Brewery:  Stone Brewing Co.

Date: February 1st, 2014

Style:  Double IPA, Imperial IPA

ABV: 8.2%

Similar To:  Bells Hopslam, Bells All Day IPA (more bitter finish), Lagunitas Hop Stoopid

Description:
SRI was the second outstanding beer I enjoyed this Saturday afternoon.  It had a high standard to live up to as I've had a run of good luck with Stone Brewing Co., having previously had Arrogant Bastard, Oaked Arrogant Bastard, Enjoy by IPA, Sublimely Self-Righteous, and their standard IPA.  Happy to say that SRI didn't disappoint at all and was a great change of pace from the malty, citrus experience of the Biere D'Hougoumont.  I've heard from several people that Ruination is the best of their IPAs and based on the forthcoming evidence, I may have to agree. 

First Impression:
Golden orange/amber color, with a thin white head, which dissipated quickly.  Though the above photo doesn't do the orange hue justice, see the one at the bottom of this post for a better example.

Smell:
Hoppy, piney, sweet, vaguely fruity.

Taste:
Strong hop taste, but surprisingly not as bitter as I'd expected for 100+ IBUs.  Very well-balanced and though not sweet, I can taste some of the dry citrus fruits and pine which I got from the aroma.

On the Palate:
Smooth with low carbonation.

 Why You'll like It: 
Must be a fan of strong IPAs to appreciate this one.  If you like any of the above beers to which I mentioned SRA is similar, then this is well worth trying.

...and why You won't: 
Despite the fact that I found this to be less overwhelming bitter than many DIPAs, SRA still has enough hops and pine to likely give it limited appeal outside of those who like the style.

In Closing...:
By happy coincidence, after having SRA on my "To Drink" list for more than a year and finally getting to try it, the very next day I happened across another bottle at a Super Bowl party.  This second tasting confirmed my initial reactions and also spawned the photo at the bottom of this post.

Rating:  4 Stars (out of 5)

If the Shoe fits...

Ommegang Biere D'Hougoumont

Beer:  Biere D'Hougoumont (OBD) 

Brewery:  Brewery Ommegang

Date: February 1st, 2014

Style:  Bière de Garde

ABV: 7.3%

Similar To:  Nothing I've tried previously.

Description:

As has been the case for the last several years, when the calendar turns over and I begin to look ahead to spring and the coming of softball season, Mrs. Beer begins her new year's travel schedule and is frequently gone for days at a time, spreading the gospel of corporate America to the far flung corners of the lower 48.  It's always a joyous occasion when she returns from her travels, and what better way to celebrate than with a family lunch and a couple of new brews at a bar in the Chicago suburb of Evanston.  On this particular Saturday, I was lucky enough to enjoy two outstanding beers, both of which will feature in this weekend's edition of 3B3D:  Stone Ruination IPA, and the subject of this post, Ommegang Biere D'Hougoumont. 

First Impression:
A lovely warm, reddish golden color with a creamy white head which dissipated slowly.

Smell:
Very complex, sweet and malty, with citrus and caramel in the background.

Taste:
Starts with crisp lemon and grapefruit taste, followed by mild hoppiness and sweetness, and ends with a clean, dry finish.  Very hard to compare to any other beer I've had previously.  Reminded me vaguely of a brut champagne.

On the Palate:
Lots of pleasant carbonation and surprising thickness, though not syrupy.

Why You'll like It:
I think ODD will appeal to those who enjoy both lambics and saisons equally, because it embodies many of the foremost qualities of both of those styles with a little Stiegl Radler and pale ale thrown in for good measure. 

...and why You won't:
Complicated isn't for everyone, nor are sharp and fruity beers, of which this is definitely a prime example.  Not an ideal winter beer either, more of a late spring /summer style.

In Closing...:
For someone like me, who hadn't had any Bières de Garde before, this was quite a departure from the other French beers that I've tried.  The crisp tart/sweet combination was very prominent as was the carbonation.  Of all the beers I've reviewed for this blog, this one defied categorization more than any other, and not in a bad way.  I'd recommend it to anyone, and am quite happy that a friend who knows that I'm always game for a new beer-related experience did the same for me.

Rating: 4 Stars (out of 5)

Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter

Beer:  Edmund Fitzgerald Porter (EFP)

Brewery: Great Lakes Brewery

Date: January 31st, 2014

Style:  Porter

ABV: 5.8%

Similar To:  Founders Porter, Buckledown Shady Aftermath

Description:
It had been a long, cold, beerless week.  I thought that it might get a lot longer when I remembered, after 2 days of significantly sub-zero temperatures, that I'd left a six-pack of Great Lakes' Edmund Fitzgerald Porter in the back of the car several days before.  Fortunately, not only was it intact and not frozen, it provided the start to what was to be a very good weekend, beer-wise.  For more on why the weekend turned out so well, please also read my Saturday, February 1st posts, which will be up here shortly.  For now, if you're looking for another delicious porter (to follow up on my recent review of Buckledown's Shady Aftermath), look no further than Edmund Fitzgerald.

First Impression:
Deep, dark brown body with a surprisingly light-colored head, which dissipated very quickly. 

Smell:
Fragrant coffee and vanilla, with lovely roasted, almost nutty malt smell.

Taste:

Smoky roasted coffee and chicory, a combination which I've never tasted like this in a porter.  Much like the aroma indicated, it's got an almost nutty quality.  Very pleasant bitterness which is surprisingly mild compared to some other porters. Some dark chocolate, but coffee receives top billing here.

On the Palate:
Pleasantly carbonated with a very rich mouthfeel.  Goes down smoothly. 

Why You'll like It:
 If strong coffee flavors appeal to you, this will be right up your alley.  I thought that I would miss the lack of balance between the coffee and chocolate (or other) flavors, but the roasted taste really grew on me.

...and why You won't:
This isn't a sweet porter and you may not appreciate the understated chocolate flavor, if that's what you've come to expect out of beers of this style.

In Closing...:
The robust, smoky  taste of EFP is a perfect accompaniment to a warm bowl of soup or rich desert on a cold winter's night.  Great Lakes has a stable of superior beers and this is one of the best that I've tried so far.  Cleveland rocks, indeed.

Rating: 4 Stars (out of 5)