DIPA March Gladness Tourney – Champion Crowned!

Drumroll please…Congratulations to

Three Floyds’ Dreadnaught!  Champion of B&B’s 1^st Annual “March Gladness” DIPA Bomber Tourney!

DIPA March Gladness Tourney – Championship Round

The veteran Three Floyds’ Dreadnaught is matched up against the "Cinderella" Spiteful Brewing’s Bitter Biker in B&B’s 1^st Annual “March Gladness” DIPA Bomber Tourney!

Who will prevail?  Find out later today…

DIPA March Gladness Tourney – Final Four Revealed

Announcing the “FINAL FOUR” of B&B’s 1^st Annual “March Gladness” Double India Pale Ale (DIPA) Bomber Tourney!

A "Cinderella" brewery is still alive.  Are they this year's "Wichita State" of breweries? We'll see.  Thankfully no bottles were broken during the Tourney tasting.  Tune in Sunday morning April 7th for the Championship match-up and Monday afternoon April 8th for the crowning of "DIPA King". 

DIPA March Gladness Tourney – Elite 8 Revealed

DRUMROLL please…

 

Announcing the “Elite 8” of B&B’s 1^st Annual “March Gladness” Double India Pale Ale (DIPA) Bomber Tourney!  The B&B team and an elite group of tasters will embark on a tasting tournament of epic IBUs.   

  

Double the hop, double the pleasure…may the best DIPA win! 

These DIPAs are considered staples of each local brewer in the Chicagoland area, extending from the shores of Lake Michigan in beautiful Gary, Indiana to the hipster alleys of Chicago.  Matchups were determined based on a systematic random selection process involving small pieces of paper and a hat.

The B&B team will be blindly drinking through the first round this week to determine which DIPA's will make it to the Final 4.  Check back next week as the Final 4 Artisans will be proclaimed.      

DIPA March Gladness Tourney

Announcing B&B’s 1st Annual “March Gladness” Double India Pale Ale (DIPA) Bomber Tourney!  

 

Who will make the cut?   

Review of Owen & Engine: This “Engine’s” Firing on All Cylinders

Restaurant: Owen & Engine (“O&E”)
Locale: Chicago, Illinois (Logan Square / Bucktown Neighborhood)
Restaurant Established: 2010 
Style:  British Gastropub
Notables: Comfortable décor and ambiance.

Overall: Great time. Cozy ambiance and décor, truly a “British Gastropub”.  Food was outstanding from appetizer to dessert. Service was stellar although it did decline a tad as the evening progressed. Perhaps we were spoiled with the extra attentiveness at the outset before the crowd at O&E grew bigger. And now to the beer. I was intrigued when I perused the menu and found the black saison offering from New Holland Brewing Company. I love saisons and a black one at that; this would be a first since I was feeling adventurous. New Holland Brewing Company’s “Four Witches” Black Saison came in at a 7.3% ABV. The menu described it as having “Roasted Almond, Fresh Anise, White Pepper” (anise is the licorice plant in case you didn’t know).

New Holland Brewing Company’s “Four Witches” Black Saison 7.3% ABV

I thought this would be a hybrid that would knock my socks off but it failed to deliver. It just lacked the classic peppery /spicy saison notes and effervescence. I didn’t get the almond or white pepper as advertised. Eventually hints of anise crept up on me and on the back of the palate. The beer really should be marketed as a “milk stout” with a hint of anise. Even so I thought it was just very average. 

For our appetizer we started off with a selection from the “Small Plates” section of O&E’s menu: the Cornish Pasty with Piccalilli, Chutney, and Arugula Salad. Stuffed into this flaky pie crust was a stew concoction of some veg and rabbit meat. Circled around this on the plate were the sides of piccalilli, chutney and arugula salad.  While these sides were tasty by themselves, when combined with the rest of the dish it was a symphony of flavors and it all just came together very nicely.

Cornish Pasty

The waiter recommended a different beer for my meal sensing that I wasn’t thrilled with the first (though me saying “I'm not getting the saison in this [“Four Witches”] beer” probably teed him up). So with my meal of Fish & Chips he recommended Green Flash Brewing Co.’s “Rayon Vert” Belgian-Style Pale Ale. The beer was just ‘ok.’ As you can see (below) it had quite a head on it but the flavor or lack thereof was not what I would expect from a Belgian style ale. Granted, this was after having one beer and an appetizer and my palate may have been compromised so I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt and jot this beer down for a future B&B “B” only review.

Green Flash Brewing Co.’s “Rayon Vert” Belgian-Style Pale Ale ABV 7.0%

“On to the on-tray…BooWAHWAH!!  As a comic in all seriousness…” -Bobby Bittman.  Or as a blogger in all seriousness, the entrée was an outstanding version of Fish & Chips, the oh so British staple. The Chips (aka French Fries in the States) were delicious seasoned and properly crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. The side of very liquidy peas caught me off guard at first but once I tasted them I thought these are some of the tastiest peas I’ve ever had. There was also a side of tartar sauce (“Let the fools have their tartar sauce.” –M.B.) (Yinzer prefers HEINZ vinegar), and a thing of mayo for Chip dipping.  Last but not least, the Fish which was crispy, moist and flaky…delicious. I was a bit disturbed to find the skin on the bottom but the fork cut right through it and there was no “fishiness” and I believe the skin actually added flavor.

Fish & Chips

For dessert we went with the Sweet Potato pie. Or I should say Sweet Potato pie with Barber’s cheddar crust, lemon marshmallow and buttermilk anglaise. And boy was it delicious. The contrast of butter, sweet and creamy and a bit of sour combined to make one package of pie-goodness.  Kudos.

Sweet Potato Pie

Acquisition: Dinner for two including 4 beers, 1 appetizer, 2 entrees and 1 dessert ~$85 (not including tip)

Windfall: The burger with grilled onions which you gotta try, too. It’s quite good.

Cheers!

~Gy

“Pāhoehoe?” More like “Pā-OH-NO”! Review of Two Brothers Brewing Company’s Pāhoehoe Coconut Ale

Brewery: Two Brothers Brewing Company
Locale: Warrenville, Illinois (30 miles west of Chicago, IL)
Craft Circa:  1997 
Style:  Ale (artisanal variety w/coconut)
ABV:  7.1%
IBU: 16.1
Notables: Limited 15^th anniversary retro release #10 of 15 (that’s 1 beer per year).

Label: Great label.  Volcano peaks erupting with what looks to be “coconut” lava.  As the label states, Two Brothers was inspired to brew Pāhoehoe after a trip to Hawaii to participate in the 2011 Kona Beer Festival on the Big Island (Hawaii).  The beer is named after a type of lava flow found at the Kilauea volcano. 

Overall: Meh.  Yes, that’s right: “meh.”  I was very intrigued, excited, and disturbed by the prospect of trying this beer.  Yinzer gave me the heads up and, lo and behold, it appeared before me as I browsed the beer aisles of a local retailer of all things alcohol.  I had to buy it.  Showtime.  I was disappointed.  The beer barely sustained a semblance of a head.  And the coconut?  The label says they used coconut water, coconut milk, and toasted coconut meat.  So you would expect some coconut flavor, right?  WRONG.  It’s almost like they forgot to put the coconut into this batch.  I mean, I wasn’t looking for a “beer-colada,” but I was looking for SOME coconut flavored notes.  The beer started off slightly sweet on the front, a bit of bite on the tongue, then nothing special going down.  There was a weird sort of “nutty” aftertaste but minus the “coco”.  Maybe I had higher expectations; should’ve gone in with low expectations.  But it’s Two Brothers!  They brew some quality beers.  I don’t know what all the fuss is about.  I mean, feature this as an anniversary beer?  Maybe we should steer clear of these Two Brothers anniversary brews.

I bet you were wondering how pāhoehoe is pronounced?  I’m going with the second one.  Kind of rhymes with this man’s phone greeting:

Acquisition:  22oz. -(Actually $8, I’m not sure you can pay with coconuts.)

Windfall: Pāhoehoe is a Hawaiian term meaning “smooth, unbroken lava.”  It is basaltic lava that has a smooth, billowy, undulating, or ropy surface.  Pāhoehoe lava flows are quite common at the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii.  The term “Pāhoehoe” was first introduced as a technical term in geology by Clarence Dutton. (Wikipedia)   

Cheers!

~Gy

Review: 3 Floyds Gorch Fock

Brewery:  3 Floyds Brewing LLC

Locale:  Munster, IN

Craft Circa:  1996

Style:  Franconian Helles Lager

ABV:  5.2%

IBU:  25

Notables:  Seasonal - July release.

Label:  Classic 3 Floyds. Tremendous.    

Overall:   It’s that time of year.  It’s in fact a marvelous time of year for us potbelly beer drinkers (like me).  The weather is dropping, and the fall beers are in session.  I came across this German Lager by accident while obtaining something else a couple months back.  Well due to Gooner and myself taking part in some Oktoberfest festivities this week, I figured it would be appropriate to post a review to put us in the spirit of this fine season.

I admit I had to read about the Franconian style of beer to determine what the actual distinctions were.  It’s basically a style of beer from the region hyperlinked above.  This Helles, or Lagerbier  is a bottom-fermenting style of beer that is much hoppier in relation to Bavarian or other eastern European beers.  However upon tasting, I did not come across that, in fact I thought it lacked hops in comparison.  Now what makes this brew a bottom-fermenting style is that it uses bottom-cropping yeasts which are typically used to produce cool fermented, lager-type beers.  These yeasts ferment more sugar creating a dryer beer (per Wiki).  Thus explaining some of my worst hangovers. 

This particular lager seems fresh, and had an ideal fresh aroma to boot.  This almost straw colored lager has a semi-decent pour, and attires the glass nicely, almost as if the mug was attending a stein ball in Munich.  Nice golden color filled my new birthday stein from one of the best nieces in the world.  Hopefully she’s not reading this shout out for another 14 years or so.

The beer really tries to clear the palate quickly, and it does a good job in doing so.  Some toffee or syrup kicks in, creating this slightly sweet malt body.  However, the flavors are not pleasant, and overall was not a beer that I enjoyed.  The hop profile was quite lame, and there was no finish worthwhile.  This style is too light for my liking, and is nowhere near good enough to want to drink.  There’s really not much to write about other than it’s possible to assume that it’s really not the beer itself that’s to blame, but the style of beer instead.  If 3 Floyds did not make it worthy, why would I want to explore elsewhere?  For my intake it’s a tad pricey for what you get, and that’s a sub-par brew. 

Unfortunately beer was wasted in the writing of this review.  Pouring the brew in such a large stein, it was an awful thought putting down the entire thing, and sad to note, that some of it met its demise at the kitchen sink drain.  I know… cue the Second Line for this beer, it was a rough one.

On second thought, it’s a time for drinking, singing, and dancing… it’s a marvelous time of year.  Happy Oktoberfest!

The Pennsylvania Polka, an appropriate Oktoberfest tune, and the base melody for the team fight song you see on the stein above...  

Acquisition:  22 oz. - $10

~gY

Tidbit:  Boot of beer:  Per wiki, German themed bars in America may have boot shaped glasses, often engraved with insignias or logos, which may be passed among drinkers as a drinking challenge. These glasses are supposedly based on German "Bierstiefels", used in drinking games; though the origins of the boot glass are unknown and subject to speculation; the Germans call them "Stiefel" or "Damenbein" ("Ladies Leg"). 

Pour Some “Fudge” On Me…Review: The Original Margie’s Candies

Establishment: Margie's Candies

Locale: Chicago, Illinois in the Bucktown Neighborhood
Circa:  1921 
Notables: Year-round.
ISU*: 100

Fudge Atomic Sundae

In tune indeed

Overall: Ok, so this review is ALL “Beyond”; no “Brews” here unless you want to count the root “beer” float.  Summer’s winding down so it’s time to get that ice cream fix before you can store your ice cream outside.  The original Margie’s Candies has been a fixture in Chicago’s Bucktown Neighborhood for 91 years so they must be doing something right (there’s another location in Chicago’s North Center neighborhood that opened in 2005).  What is that something?  Is it the tacky décor complete with “Hello Kitty” and various knickknacks?  Is it the restroom right off the dining room?  Is it the old freezers storing the ice cream?  Is it the jukebox at each table?  Who knows?  The menu contains three pages of various ice cream treats and desserts.  I ate chicken noodle soup and a corned beef sandwich before getting to the main event - ice cream - but the soup and sandwich was nothing special.  However, the sundae was outstanding.  There’s no shortage of hot fudge that comes with the appropriately named “Fudge Atomic Sundae”.  It was “the bomb”; a mushroom cloud of fudge-lusciousness:  

Two scoops of chocolate ice cream were nestled in a half clamshell dish with whipped cream, cherry, wafer cookies (nice touch) and the already applied chocolate syrup that “hardens” on contact with the ice cream (I’m not a big fan of this but it somehow works with the sundae).  Alongside the clam shell is a gravy boat of hot fudgy goodness.  The sundae was crying out “Pour some fudge on me!” to the tune of Def Leppard’s famous song (Wikipedia).

Pour Some Fudge On Me

According to Margie’s website their ice cream and toppings are made fresh, with all natural and Kosher ingredients.  And you can taste it.  Pick your flavor of ice cream, even add a scoop to make it 3 (Call it a “Jumbo Fudge Atomic Sundae” and add a $1 more).

Mini-review: Root beer float with French vanilla ice cream.  Quite tasty, but my only criticism is that it’s such a small portion ;).

Acquisition: Two Scoop Fudge Atomic Sundae - $5.95 (SO much for so little!)

Windfall: Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar On Me” reached number 2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 1988 (Wikipedia).  According to Margie’s website “Musical legends, Hollywood greats and sports stars — and even famous gangster Al Capone — have found sweet release at Margie's Candies. The Beatles dropped by with dates after performing at Comiskey Park. Years later, a group of men in long black coats walked in and requested the booth where the Fab Four had sat. The waitress was a little leery of the men but they proved sincere. Turns out they were the Rolling Stones.”  Apparently The Boss himself visited, too, and sat in the same booth. 

Good eating!

~Gy

*ISU - International Sweetness Units (I’m a beer nerd)

Review: Pipeworks Brewing Cash 4 Golden Ale

Brewery:  Pipeworks Brewing Company

Locale:  Chicago, IL

Craft Circa:  2012

Style:  Belgian Style Ale

ABV:  10%

Notables:  Batch 19

OK, back to earth Pipeworks.  We’ve been thoroughly impressed with each brew thus far, and although this beer represents another unique collaboration, this bullet misfired.  OK, maybe it grazed us…

Label:  Nice.  Clever and something so cheesy, it’s retro cool.  It’s a trendy name given the state of the economy in recent years and the relentless bombardment of jewelry stores, pawn shops, and etc. advertising “cash for your gold.”  Ironically, microbreweries have been the exception in this downturn.  With this beer, you get the sense you just got a steal from “beer hour” on the home shopping network.  It’s an artisan from Pipeworks, so good chance it is a steal. 

A batch number is hand written on the label, which you can research and discover when that batch was bottled according to their website.  As usual, nice touch. 

Overall:   The aroma was powerful, and simply marvelous.  I cannot express this enough.  The smell was enchanting, almost as if a Belgian Ferry whisked me away to a land of craft beer lollipops, and hop drops.   The head was a fluffy white, probably as fluffy as the clouds in my imaginary beer land.  These beers get a wonderful score for appearance and smell alone.  The presentation was done so beautifully, I was eager to drink up. 

SWEET!  Not in a figurative way, but in a literal sense.  It’s almost as if this beer is loaded with saccharine, and does not let up.  It tastes as though one of the brewers dumped packets of fun dip in the vat before fermentation.  It is reasonably flavorful but the sweetness is relentless.  Any “golden” aspects are hard to come by. 

This is a bottle you may want to consider sharing with someone.  A fifth of this stuff is quite hard to consume yourself due to the sweet persistence, and maybe that was Pipeworks’ intentions. 

It’s very smooth, but almost too smooth for the amount of sweet this brew encompasses.  This brew would have been a little better with either more bittering hops, or something with bite to balance out the ale a little more.  The beer goes down extremely well, especially for a beer that clocks in at 10%.  Its sugary stamina comes from whatever mix Pipeworks used for their strain of Belgian yeast in that it simply overpowered the beer, and did not allow the malt and hop flavors to contribute to the mix. 

Maybe tone down the sweetness a bit Pipeworks, you are in Chicago, and there is only one ‘Sweetness’ in these parts.

…In my opinion, the greatest nickname in all of sports. 

Acquisition:  A Fifth - $12

~gY

Review: 3 Floyds Zes Zes Zes

Brewery:  3 Floyds Brewing LLC

Locale:  Munster, IN

Craft Circa:  1996

Style:  Saison / Farmhouse Ale

ABV:  8.5%

Notables:  Appears to be a specialty brew only available ‘to-go’ from their brewing facility August, 2012.

Label:  Unique from many of their trademark labels, but very Revolver-esque. 

Overall:   It’s hard to find any information about this beer, including the 3 Floyds website.  I only came across the Belgian brew because I was picking up some Zombie Dust for Labor Day festivities.  To be honest, I have never seen this brew before until checkout at the register.  Per the label, this Belgian Ale was brewed with the combined efforts of 3 Floyds and the award winning De Molen’s head brewer Menno Olivier, who is labeled as “The real Dutch Hercules.” I wonder if this Dutch brewpub has a dance floor…

The label also mentions to check out the one they brew in Holland at De Molen.  Good luck with that one.  There’s probably a better chance attending a gay wedding this week at the Republican National Convention.

Damn you 3 Floyds… this smells amazing.  The aroma is powerful and quite intoxicating, full of fruity goodness.  A cornucopia of fruits just picked from the orchards.  It’s like smelling a BBQ joint in the vicinity, and then craving BBQ.  You smell this, and you want it immediately.  There’s a chance my notes for this brew are shotty as I was distracted by wanting to drink this brew more so than taking my time writing initial thoughts on it. 

The head was a thick layered egg creamy white, and settled nicely into a thin strip.  It isn’t as fruity as you would expect, but for me usually that’s a good thing.  The aroma dictates otherwise, giving you the impression you are in for a swig of sweetness.  It’s full flavored, slightly grassy, and very fresh.  It has a miniature kick.  The bitterness plays peek-a-boo, and if you are tentative enough you may just find it before it meshes in with the crowd like Waldo at a renaissance fair.  This Saison is large and in charge, much bigger than a typical Saison, and I think it may also be borderline BIPA depending on the hops and yeast strain.  If so, and it’s certainly a possibility coming in at 8.5% ABV that it may be the BIPA Injustice League’s 2^nd recruitment. 

Compared to other Saisons I’ve tried, there is more to like with this one.  It’s spicy, seemingly full of Belgian influence, and it actually tastes better as you progress through it.   It’s a wonderfully dangerous brew.

Acquisition:  22 oz. - $12

Tidbit:  “Zes” is Dutch for the number “6.”

 

             

~gY

A Worthy 'Local Option'...

Brewery:  Local Option

Locale:  Sheffield Neighbors, IL (Chicago)

Circa:  1986

ABV:  All over the board

*** Beer nerds welcome.  According to their Rolling Rock etching on their centerpiece mirror, this establishment was started in 1986, but in no way the same caliber watering hole as it is today.  They were the first bar in the Midwest region to sell Rolling Rock, and were a favorite of the local DePaul University crowd.  Robert DeNiro supposedly made Rolling Rock famous in the “Deer Hunter” and then this beer exploded throughout the country.  That may be a tale I was told, but I like it.  That was then, this is now.  Now it’s a “CROOK County Original.”

Times have changed and so has the quality of tap handles that so majestically span the bar top.  The ambiance and mood that is set for your artisan adventure is a great one.   There’s a definite vibe about the place that intrigues.   Maybe it’s Louisiana voodoo but it’s an atmosphere that is disconnected from the rest of the surrounding area, and I mean that in a good way.  Their taps act as their voodoo amulet protecting beer nerds from macro brew evil and all it stands for… bringing us luck and fortune in the form of flavorful balanced artisans.

These handles pour craft brews of the year-round varieties, seasonal varieties, and rare varieties, described and updated accordingly on the all-important Chalkboard.  If you are fortunate enough the lineup may also contain a precious jewel or a few of their very own Local Option Bierwerker series, developed by what they declare are non-gypsies.  “They don’t read palms, they put beers in them.”  B&B reviewed and researched a little further into the world of their Bierwerkers here.  The Kentucky Common, the Morning Wood (great name) were available during our visit.  And they just tapped the Schmetterling Gose that day which appears to be sour ale we’ll have to give a try another time.

I’m a sucker for all that is New Orleans and everything that town stands for as you will learn more and more, and their menu contains Creole flavors galore.  I have had the Muffuletta in the past, and they advertise it to be as good as Central Grocery which is near impossible.  But they came pretty close.  It’s a wonderful menu overall.

The bar contained a good crowd for a lazy Friday afternoon, and the patrons that arrive are serious and have a mission.  As you make your way through the door, passing the 3 Floyds neon sign, there is sense of beer fanatic camaraderie in the air.  You notice a fellow consumer with a note pad jotting down a discussion with the bartender.  You think to yourself, “Ha, what a nerd.”  Then you realize you are taking notes on your phone.  “Fellow reviewer?”  It’s quite possible.  Another guy pulls up a stool a buffer seat* away, and pulls out his list of beers and you think to yourself, “Ha, what a nerd.”  Then you realize you have your Local Option beer bucket list folded in your pocket that you printed online hours earlier.  “Fellow guy on a mission?”  It’s quite possible.  You can’t make this stuff up.  These are serious drinkers.

A Snifter of a Review:

1.   Firestone Walker Pale 31 (4.8% ABV) – it’s an ode to California, the 31st state to be added to the union. It’s pale indeed.  Very refreshing but there is no punch to it.  Lacks fullness compared to other pale ales, would consider this a less hopped up version, or mild ale.  The R&D team at FW must use all their resources perfecting and building the perfect IPA and Double IPA because they are great.  It goes down really fast, and the fact that everything about this beer is subtle, it flies by the taste buds.   It’s ok FW, I still love you.  As long as you keep brewing Jack and his buddy Double Jack, it’s all good.

2.   Local Option Bierwerker Morning Wood (7% ABV) – The aroma of coffee is nice.  Probably a great “hair of the dog” brew.  In speaking with the staff, we learned this is a variation on base amber ale with coffee, and oak barrel maturation.  Definite sweetness to balance the bitter which is unique to this type of beer in that other similar hybrids do bitter and another bitter such as coffee and then some sort of roast like a nutty malt.  More of a fall beer for sure, but it went down really well.  Smooth, goes down nice, not much of an aftermath.  Robust, yet sweet.

3.   Boulevard Double Wide IPA (8.5% ABV) – Ahhh, that’s better.  After the mild ale, and the hybrid, I was beginning to twitch going through hop withdrawals.  Nice brew with a great balance.  Great hops, nice bite but in no way was it overwhelming.    I would definitely consider buying a bomber if I come across it out and about.

4.   Great Divide Oak Aged Rumble IPA (7.1% ABV) – Hoppy yet creamy, by far the best beer of the Local Option trip.  Almost a thick IPA, very unique and very tasty.  Cream Ale meets IPA.  Smooth, unbelievable for the ABV.  Great ROI.  Great balance of bitterness, caramel, sweetness, and citrus undertones.  Very impressive artisan brew.  Another great Colorado brewery. 

The Local Option is indeed a great local option.  There is an alliance of all factors beer nerds look for in a place and it collaborates beautifully.  This place has a special impact; there is self-realization and inner reflection involved.  You realize the vast array of beers out there in the world you have yet to conquer, you start to question the rationality of becoming a voodooist, but more importantly you realize as you are surrounded by nerds while having an energetic discussion about brews with staff and patrons is that:  “Wow, I AM a nerd too! And it’s pretty cool.”

~gY

*Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Review: Limited Release of Pipeworks Brewing Something Hoppy This Way Comes IPA

Brewery:  Pipeworks Brewing Company

Locale:  Chicago, IL

Craft Circa:  2012

Style:  American Double / Imperial IPA

ABV:  10%

Notables: Very limited yield with this one; Sorachi Ace hops are very hard to come by according to Pipeworks.  B&B obtained batch #32.

Label:  Solid.  Shout out to a local artist yet again, and yet another winner.  The bottle art is by Jason Burke (Ink and Lead Designs).  We are thinking it’s a play on “Something Wicked This Way Comes,” a Ray Bradbury novel with a beautiful portrayal of a hopped up version of the carnival leader, Mr. Dark.   Oh, and the handwritten batch indicator as well.  Phenomenal Label.

Overall:   Very unique aroma smacks you in the nasal sensory once you pop the top.  Whatever hops those are, thinking the Sorachi Ace Hops -- since we were unfamiliar with this until promoted so wisely and effectively by Pipeworks on Facebook -- introduces itself nicely.  It’s an inimitable whiff of pleasantry, intoxicating, and builds excitement. 

It’s hoppy for sure. What an entertaining, complex beer to decode.  It is crisp, has a nice imperial dose of malts, and the flavor zig zags down LSD on a crotch rocket.  This is unlike any IPA we’ve had.  The hops “hop” on your tongue and present itself nicely with its full bodied flavor.  However, what gives this beer its charisma are the lemon & lime hints, the dill pickle undertones, and the bubblegum illusions of flavor?  Yes… you read correct, I’m going with bubblegum… it’s a hop carnival indeed.    

It was a short notice for a release, as many artisan brews are now these days.  B&B learned of its release and headed down to the local grocer to obtain a bottle about 20 minutes after the announcement.  B&B discovered Printers Row Wine Shop which is a nice hidden gem with a great selection in the south loop area.  Almost hate to mention it as I’m not one to share, but the service was top notch, and like I said, wonderful selection.  Upon purchasing, it was mentioned that this was bottled about 40 minutes prior to being shelved.  Bottled, distributed, consumed, and savored in a matter of 3 hours.  It’s euphoric.  That's a free market and capitalism for you.

It’s very smooth for a double, with a vast array of swirling flavors.  There is a lingering bitter presence after each sip that is rather enjoyable.  A hop carnival indeed; a spooky brew, and influenced perhaps by wizardry as well.  But this isn't "butterbeer" served at "The Three Broomsticks" or "The Hog's Head" in Hogsmeade…

Acquisition:  Two 22 ounces - $22

Windfall:  Fitting this brew made its way upon us seemingly in tribute to the works of Ray Bradbury, whom died in June of this year.  Suitable since this beer was so unique, outer space in a sense, similar to Bradbury works.  There’s an interesting, and timely piece on the significance of Ray Bradbury in pop culture here.  

In addition, John Williams took the dialogue from the famous scene in William Shakespeare's Macbeth in which the witches are around the cauldron and wrote lyrics for "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban."  One of the witches says: "By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes."

~GY Collaboration