438. Two Brothers Brewing – Outlaw India Pale Ale
We’re out on the golf course for my fraternity’s annual golf tournament. My friend Joe had several craft beers in cans we were able to sneak onto the course (what an “outlaw”). I started out with a couple of these cans and grabbed this quick picture on the back of our cart. Joe gave me a couple cans to take home, so I was able to pour one in a glass and write down better, more thorough notes a couple of days...
432. O’Fallon Brewery – 5-Day IPA
As I mentioned in my last post, I picked up my wife from the train station in St. Louis, and we stopped at Bailey’s Chocolate Bar in Lafayette Square for a drink. I started off with their house beer, an amber wheat Chocolate Ale, brewed by O’Fallon. I was less than impressed, and decided to go with something bolder and hoppier. Location: On tap and served in a regular pint glass at Bailey’s Chocolate Bar in...
428. Destihl Restaurant & Brew Works – Vertex IPA
I was just at Destihl in Normal, IL on Monday with my friend Joe, where I tried their Strawberry Blonde ale, Downstate Pale Ale, and St. Dekkera Reserve Bela Imperial Pilsner Sour Ale. On Wednesday evening, I found myself at Destihl’s Champaign location. My friend Fred, the head brewer here, recommended I give it a try if I was feeling like something a bit hoppy. Location: On tap and poured into a tulip shaped glass at Destihl...
410. 2nd Shift Brewing – El Gato Grande AIPA
After a very successful trip to 4 Hands Brewing (where I had their Reprise Centennial Red Ale, Divided Sky Rye IPA, and Bona Fide Russian Imperial Stout), we headed over to the International Tap House in Soulard (near downtown St. Louis, MO) to watch Missouri play in the NCAA tournament and enjoy a few beers. My friend Joe said he had enjoyed 2nd Shift’s beers after he went to their 2nd Shift and Friends Festival last year, so...
408. 4 Hands Brewery – Divided Sky Rye IPA
I’m in St. Louis on a mini tour of microbreweries with my friend Joe. Last night we hit Perennial Artisan Ales, and today, after an incredible lunch at Bogart’s Smokehouse in Soulard, we headed over to 4 Hands Brewery. I started with their Reprise Centennial Red Ale, which could probably be classified as a red IPA, and decided to move on to their rye IPA offering. Location: Enjoyed in a tulip shaped glass, at 4 Hands...
407. 4 Hands Brewing – Reprise Centennial Red Ale
As I’ve mention in my last few posts, I’m in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, enjoying my semi-annual tour of microbreweries around the city. We hit Perennial Artisan Ales the night before, and today we are at 4 Hands Brewing in downtown. This is one of St. Louis’ newest microbreweries, having just opened in December. They have four core beers on tap, including: Divided Sky Rye IPA, Reprise Centennial Red, Cast Iron...
403. Perennial Artisan Ales – Vermilion
As I mentioned, I’m in St. Louis for another mini-micro tour with my friend Joe (meaning we hit a bunch of St. Louis’ microbreweries over a weekend, which there have been several new ones in the last year or so. I got in late, but we had dinner and I had an Oatmeal Brown from 4 Hands. Now we’re on to Perennial Artisan Ales. I stopped here very briefly over the holidays and picked up a few beers to go, including...
401. Rock Bottom North Indianapolis – Merry Prankster Red IPA
We’re in Indianapolis for the weekend, celebrating my wife’s birthday by taking the kids to the Indianapolis Children’s Museum. We had a great lunch at Bazbeaux’s Pizza, along with a few local craft beers, and then a great day at the museum. We checked into our hotel and watched the my Mizzou Tigers take on the kansas jayhawks. After a tough game, the Tigers lost and it was time to find dinner at a place...
398. Upland Brewing – Dragonfly IPA
Today is my wife’s birthday, and to celebrate, she wanted to take the kids to Indianapolis to visit the Children’s Museum. We were looking for unique places to eat, and a friend had recommended Bazbeaux Pizza. They had some great pizza as well as some local craft brews. I figured I’d start out easy with this IPA, and then afterward try their Double Dragonfly before heading off to the Children’s Museum....
392. New Belgium – Belgo IPA
Today is my last day at the position I’ve been in at work for almost seven years now, and I’m moving on to a new position at the same company. So my co-workers planned a happy hour in my honor. I hadn’t had this one yet, so when my boss offered to buy me a beer, I went for this one. I’ve been considering brewing a Belgian IPA of my own, ever since I had Flying Dog’s Raging Bitch at this same bar over a...
372. Good People Brewing – Casked Mumbai Rye IPA, Dry Hopped with Columbus
I’m still on the road for work, traveling from Denver, Colorado to Birmingham Alabama today. We arrrived and got settled into the hotel and headed downtown in search of good local beer. Thanks to a recommendation from my friend @jkaiseresq we stopped at The J. Clyde for dinner and beers. He had also recommended several local breweries and fortunately, they had a beer from each on the list. I decided to start with this...
368. Boulder Beer – Barrel Aged Mojo IPA
I’m in Boulder, Colorado for work, and we’re free for the evening. I was excited to make it back to Boulder in order to try a few beers I couldn’t get back at home in Illinois. After a stop at Twisted Pine Brewing and trying their Hoppy Boy IPA and Bough Breaker Barleywine, it was time to get some dinner. Right around the corner was Boulder Beer Company, which had a nice menu and some great beers. They also had a...
366. Twisted Pine – Hoppy Boy
I’m in Boulder, Colorado for work and wanted to try to hit a few breweries while here. After an unsuccessful stop at Upslope Brewing, we headed out for dinner. Before heading to our dinner location, I asked the group if we could stop at Twisted Pine Brewing for a couple of beers, since I haven’t been able to have any of their beers. According to them, “Hoppy Boy India Pale Ale is the flagship beer of Twisted Pine....
359. Firestone Walker – Nectar Ales Nectar IPA
As I mentioned in my last post, I’m at the Bruegala beer festival in Bloomington, Illinois. At this festival, you buy a punch card with so many samples on it, but some beers cost 2-3 punches. I stopped at the table with Firestone Walker, because their Double Jack was only 1 punch (it’s an incredible beer, review coming later). While I was there, I noticed these Nectar Ales, also brewed by Firestone Walker. I thought...
357. Sam Adams – Latitude 48 IPA Deconstructed Zeus
I’ve already reviewed the regular Sam Adams Latitude 48 IPA. This one is from the Latitude 48 Deconstructed 12 pack, where Sam Adams takes their Latitude 48 IPA and brews a beer with a single one of the five hop varieties used in the Latitude 48. It’s a good chance to see what each hop variety tastes like with an identical grain bill. For the first review of the deconstructed series, I thought I’d...
354. Destihl Restaurant & Brew Works – Baldock IPA
My wife and I had a date night this evening and went and saw a movie (Planet of the Apes). After the movie we decided to stop at Destihl for dinner and a beer. We had the chicken wings, which were awesome. She had the hefeweizen, which was way, way sour and obviously contaminated. Fortunately, for me, the IPA didn’t seem to be contaminated. The menu said, “copper-colored, crisp and dry india pale ale with high floral,...
353. Flossmoor Station – Rail Splitter IPA
I’m at my homebrew club meeting tonight and decided to buy a drink before the meeting. I was looking for something I haven’t had before, and the Rail Splitter IPA caught my eye. I had no idea who made it, and another guy at the meeting and I sat there with our phones trying to figure it out (after we both ordered one). Initially, I thought it was from Triton Brewing in Indianapolis, since theirs was the only Rail...
350. Terrapin Beer Co. – Hopsecutioner IPA
This beer was given to me by my friend Joe, after his trip down south a couple of months ago. He seems to be a fan of Terrapin beers and gave me a few of them, including this one. I was looking forward to something with a good hop flavor, so I thought I’d crack this one open after dinner this evening. Location: Enjoyed the bottled beer, in a Sam Adams perfect pint glass, at home in Bloomington, IL. Numbers: 7.2% ABV, 78 IBUs,...
341. Samuel Adams – Latitude 48 IPA
It’s a relaxing evening, and I reached into the beer fridge to grab something new. I bought this a couple weeks ago as part of the Sam Adams Latitude 48 Deconstructed 12 pack, which includes this Latitude 48 as well as single hopped versions of the beer. Tonight, I was able to sit down, relax, enjoy this beer, and make a few notes… that is before it was time to put the kids down to bed. Location: Enjoyed this bottle in my...
339. New Belgium – Ranger IPA
I’m out with my family for dinner tonight and was ready for a big beer. Fortunately, they had this freshly tapped beer to satisfy my craving for something hoppy. Location: On tap at Joe’s Station House Pizza Pub in Normal, IL. Numbers: 6.5% ABV, 70 IBUs, 14.6 OG, 2 TG, 185 Calories Ingredients: Hops: Chinook, Simcoe, Cascade; Malts: Pale, C-120. Appearance & Aroma: The beer had a Soapy head on it which left some very...
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