midwest craft beers

New Beer Blog Ram Tap Party In Schaumburg Location

In this beer blog, we are going to get into two brews from Ram Tap Party in Schaumburg location. If you read my earlier beer blog on their beers, you know the history of this west coast brewery. If you have not, please, read those beer blog to get to know this brewery. Let us get into the beer.

This Barrel ’71 Pale Ale has heavy cloudy mud color with a constant white head on it. The smell is a sweet slight chocolate bourbon to the beer. The taste is a heavy bourbon to a slight citrus from pale ale side. It is pretty drinkable beer.

The Firecracker IPA has a dark amber color with a constant fluffy white head on it. There is really no smell to this beer. The taste is like their IPA but the aftertaste has burning from the peppers. It does sit around a bit. It is kind of drinkable at first and then becomes a sipping beer.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.theram.com

Twitter: @theram

Closing, I have been away from the Tap Parties because of being out-of-town. I was pretty excited to get back into the Tap Parties. I will have the Wheeling location this week but I was able to get by the Schaumburg location to try their two beer release. The first one was Ram’s 71 Pale Ale aged in Bourdon barrels for seven months. Yes, agree it looks like chocolate milk because of the flash from my phone. It had a mud to wood color to it. I had my fair share of bourdon ales. I have to say this one is heavy bourdon to it. I cannot taste any of the pale ale. I do not mind the bourdon in the beer. I need some beer taste. I thought it was below average, however, this does not mean you will not like this beer. The next one brew was their Firecracker IPA. It is dry hopped with Habanero peppers. I have to say the India Pale Ale, which is their Big Red, part is still there. The hops were mild down a bit. Peppers kick in aftertaste with a slight burn in the throat. At first, it was pretty mild on the hot to burn side. However, it will build up over time, for me, it became too much. This beer should be in a smaller glass like 10oz. I think a 120z pour is too much and pint is out of the question. I recommend these beers because of how unique they are to the market. Please let me know what you think of these brews. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Beer Blog Founders Brewing Porter

In this beer blog, we are going to get into another brew from Founders Brewing and it is their Porter. If you read my earlier beer blog post on their cherry ale, you know the history of this brewery. If you have not, please, read that post to get to know this craft brewery from the west side of Michigan. Let us get into the beer.

It has a jet black color without head on the beer. The smell is a burn chocolate to the porter. The taste is a burn chocolate with a smoky chocolate aftertaste. To average beer drinker, this is not drinkable. To your craft drinkers, this is a drinkable beer.

Here is a description from their website (www.foundersbrewing.com):

Pours silky black with a creamy tan head. The nose is sweet with strong chocolate and caramel malt presence. No absence of hops gives Founders’ robust porter the full flavor you deserve and expect. Cozy like velvet. It’s a lover, not a fighter.

ABV: 6.5%

IBUs: 45

Availability: Year-round

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.foundersbrewing.com

Twitter: @foundersbrewing

In closing, I love my porters and stouts. I have to say Founders Brewing has a really good brew here. I was pretty impressed with this brew and this brewery. I believe I need to sit down and retry their beers. This porter has everything that a porter fan would be looking for in their beer. It has a nice chocolate taste. I could drink a few of these beers in a round, however, I believe your average beer drinker would not think this is a session beer. They might have one after dinner with their dessert. I recommend trying this brew. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Beer Blog Founders Brewing Centennial IPA

In this beer blog, we are going to get into another brew from Founders Brewing. The beer that will be featured is their Centennial IPA. If you read my earlier beer blog on their Cherry Ale, you know the history of this Michigan Brewery. If you have not read that beer blog post, please, read that beer blog to get to know this Michigan Craft Brewery. Let us get into beer.

The color is a clear copper color without a head on the IPA. The smell is grapefruit. The taste is carbonated grapefruit with a dry grapefruit that dies right away for the aftertaste. It is drinkable beer.

Here is a description from their website (www.foundersbrewing.com):

Get ready to bask in the glory of the frothy head’s floral bouquet. Relish the citrus accents from the abundance of dry hopping. This one’s sweet, yet balanced. Malty undertones shake hands with the hop character for a finish that never turns too bitter.

ABV: 7.2%

IBUs: 65

Availability: Year-round

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.foundersbrewing.com

Twitter: @foundersbrewing

Closing, I am not a huge fan of this brewery. I do not know why but I will give breweries credits when credit is due. I will honesty knock a breweries I am a fan if they put out a bad beer or a beer I do not like. This is my thought pattern and I would not take this as the gold standards. I am just idiot with thought. With all said, I will have to say I am a fan of this brew. It has a nice hop aroma and character with a great malty backbone. It is pretty drinkable and will get beer drinkers in trouble at times. I highly recommend this brewery. Please, let me know what you think of this brew. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Beer Blog Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales Calabaza Blanca White Ale

Opening a tab, Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales is the brewery that is being featured in this blog. The beer is Calabaza Blanca White Ale. Jolly Pumpkin was founded in Dexter, Michigan in 2004 by Ron Jeffries. They have a brewery which is located in Dexter and two pubs in Ann Arbor and Traverse City, Michigan. They brew several different beer styles, however, they are best known for their sour ales. They are also known to age their beers in wine or oak barrels. Let us get into the beer.

It has a cloudy yellow strew color with a constant white head on the beer. The smell of this light body has a chai tea along with other species. The taste is like Chai Tea without the hot cinnamon to it. There is no aftertaste to the beer. It is a pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Calabaza Blanca, an artisan white ale brewed in Belgium’s biere blanche tradition. Spiced with orange peel and coriander, you’ll find it refreshingly tart, with a wonderfully dry finish. A year round favorite for sure!

Please enjoy our beers in good health, Cheers and Mahalo plenty!

Here is a description from the website (www.jollypumpklin.com):

Calabaza Blanca– Aged in large oak casks and refermented in the bottle, Calabaza Blanca is a Belgian Biere Blanche. Spiced with orange peel and corriander, you’ll find it refreshingly tart, with a wonderfully dry finish.

Year round production 4.8% Alc./Vol. 750ml bottles – 12 case

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.jollypumpkin.com

Twitter: @jollypumpkin

Closing out tab, this is one of my first beers from Jolly Pumpkin on this blog. I have heard several things about this brewery when I lived in Michigan and now in the Chicago market. This is the first beer from this brewery that is not my favorite beer style. I have to say I was pretty stun on how it came out. I was pretty interested in a brewery that ages all their beers in barrels. I would not say this is not favorite beer but I will put this in the middle of the pack if I had to choose from beers at a bar or a store. I will pick this beer. I will give this beer a look at the liquor store when picking beer for the weekend. It has a nice refreshing and easy drinkable taste. I highly recommend you trying this beer that is coming from a guy that does not like wheat ales. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Beer Blog Evil Twin and Local Option Plastic Man

Starting a new tab, we are going to get into another brew from Evil Twin Brewing. If you read my earlier beer post on Evil Twin Brewing, you know the history of this brewery. If you have not, please, read that beer blog post. However, this beer has Local Option teamed up with Evil Twin Brewing to brew this beer, Let us get into the history of Local Option. There is really no history on the internet for Local Option. They are based in Chicago. Let us get into the beer.

It is cloudy peach color with a constant white head. It is like they put whole peaches in the bottle without the skin. The smell has a peach aroma to this Saison Style Ale. The taste is a slight carbonated peaches with peach aftertaste. It is drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Taste the Colors, Hear the Aromas, Smell the Carbonation.

Here is a their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.eviltwin.dk and www.localoptionbier.com

Twitter: @LocalOption and @EvilTwinBrewing

Closing out, this beer was something else. Local Option and Evil Twin teamed up and did a great job on this beer. I am pretty impressed with this beer. I have not had too many beers from Local Option. I will be heading down to check out their brewpub. Evil Twin, I had several different brews from Evil Twin Brewing. I am not a fan of peaches but the peaches in this brew are awesome. I highly recommend this beer and I want you to hunt this beer down. Please, let me know what you think of it. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Beer Blog Stillwater Artisanal Existent

In this beer blog, we are going to get into a beer from Stillwater Artisanal. The beer that will be feature is Existent. Brian Strumke founded Stillwater after retiring music producing. Brian did not own a brewery so he traveled to several different breweries and brew his beers using their equipment. He just like many other brewers like Evil Twin became rogue or gypsy breweries. He just brews Farmhouse Saison Ales. He would use different yeast or malts to make different Saisons. Brian has team up with several different breweries to make brews together. Stillwater has done a beer with Stone Brewing and Evil Twin Brewing. Let us get into the brew.

It is has a black color or dark deep brown color. There is a tan to light brown color head. The smell is a chocolate to farmhouse to it. The taste has a slight spicy to some chocolate notes. There is a slight dry coco or chocolate aftertaste finish. It is extremely drinkable.

Here is a description from their website (www.stillwaterales.blogspot.com):

Existent
Existent represents the philosophy behind Stillwater Artisanal. We strive to define ourselves through our passion and sincerity while accepting that not all aspects of life are readily explainable. To manifest this ideology we present an ale of intrigue. Deep & dark though deceptively dry, braced by a firm yet smooth bitterness and accented with an earthy hop and mild roast aroma. This is an ale for you to define..’and if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.’ –Nietzsche

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.stillwaterales.blogspot.com

Twitter: @stillwaterales @twelve_percent

Closing out, I am pretty big fan of Saison Ales. I was pretty interested in this brewery and I have had several of his beers in the past. I do not know why I have not write on any in the past. The problem I have with this brewery is the fact he does one beer style. If you are good at one thing, you better stick to it. I love how he keeps doing different styles of the one beer styles. I also love the fact he teams up with other breweries to make other beer styles. I love this beer and this is why. It is dark and still has the Saison taste to it. I love the slight chocolate to smoke malts in this beer. I love the spicy notes. I highly recommend this beer and it is now available in 4pk 12oz bottles along with their Cellar Door and Stateside Saison. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Beer Blog Furthermore Brewery Knot Stock

Starting a new tab, we are going to get into another brew from Furthermore Brewery and the beer is called Knot Stock. Just what I said in yesterday beer blog. I could not find any history on this brewery. Let us get into the beer.

It has a slightly cloudy amber color with a white constant head. The smell is black peppercorn. The taste is a sweet malty pepper with black peppercorn aftertaste. To me, it is not drinkable because of the pepper in the beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Beer brewed with black pepper.

Here is a description from their website (www.furthermorebeer.com):

Availability: Year-Round

ABV: 5.5%

Black, cracked, stuffed in a sack, boiled and cold-infused. The real treat of our A.P.A. is the tangle of flavors that fresh cracked pepper and Northern Brewer Hops create. At 65 IBUs (bitterness units) there’s plenty of zing for the Hop Heads or Bitter Bettys, but not so much to overpower the tingle of the black pepper as it slowly kicks in. Likewise, the 15° Plato malt bill features a healthy dose of caramel malt meant to soften (but not stifle) the play of pepper and hops on the palate.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.furthermorebeer.com

Twitter: @FurthermoreBeer

Closing out the tab, this beer is worth it. It is has a ton of flavors and I love the peppercorn that is in the beer. The beer is full body and comes with a ton of flavors. The black pepper is not overpowering to the rest of the beer. It has a nice balance of the pepper and the hops that are being used in this beer. This beer is worth the price. I highly recommend this beer. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Beer Blog Furthermore Brewery Proper

In this beer blog, we are going to get into a new brewery, which is called Furthermore Brewery, and the beer is called Proper. There is no history on Furthermore Brewery. There is nothing on their website. The only thing I know this brewery is from Spring Green, Wisconsin. Let us get into the brew.

It has a slightly cloudy golden color with small constant bubbles. It has a constant white head on the beer. There is really no smell to this English style ale. The taste of this medium body is a carbonation malty to almost hazelnut to it. The aftertaste is dry with a slightly hazelnut to it. It is drinkable.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Our classic, Light-bodied ale is proudly crafted in honor of American Players Theatre, our friends and a Spring Green cultural treasure.

Here is a description from their website (www.furthermorebeer.com):

Availability: Year-Round

ABV: 4.5%

It’s not just about the best beer, but the best places to enjoy it. APT and its festive, open-air venue have inspired us to craft an elegant, light-bodied and “proper” English Ale. At 12° Plato, the Proper is fairly light, with subtle toasty notes and a slight sweetness garnered from a touch of Munich and Caramel Malts. 15.5 IBUs (bitterness units) is enough to sharpen the mouthfeel without coming across as bitter. The hop bill is at its core, English—Kent Golding being the dominant player but we’ve employed “Brewer’s License” and thrown in some very non-English Tettnang hops—because it tastes good. Furthermore Proper is a toast to APT, a Spring Green gem.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.furthermorebeer.com

Twitter: @FurthermoreBeer

Closing, this is pretty good beer and well made. The problem is the price. I just feel the price point devalues the beer in the bottle. It might be just me but I just feel this beer is too light in body for my taste buds. Asides all that, they did a great job on the beer and this is a perfect beer for the American lager drinkers. Just because, I did not like this beer. It does not mean you might like this beer. I recommend you trying this beer because of that fact. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Beer Blog Revolution Brewing Rosa Hibiscus Ale

In this beer blog, we are going to get into another brew from Revolution Brewing. The brew that will be featured in this beer blog post is their Rosa Hibiscus Ale. If you read my earlier beer blog post on their Anti-Hero IPA, you know the history of this young Chicago based brewery. If you have not, please, read that Anti-Hero IPA post. Let us get into the beer.

It has a dark copper color with a shade of rose tones without a head on it. To me, there is not a smell in this beer. The taste is a sweet carbonated with some spicy kicks.There is a touch of tart in the drinking experience. There is no aftertaste. It is extremely drinkable.

Here is a description from their website (www.revbrew.com):

Rosa Hibiscus Ale

A highly drinkable ale steeped with hibiscus flowers and a touch of orange peel for a natural tartness and slight pink hue.

Hibiscus Ale

ABV 5.8%IBU 15

Profile: A highly drinkable ale steeped with hibiscus

Availability: 1/6 & 1/2 bbl, 12oz cans (in 2013)

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.revbrew.com

Twitter: @revbrewchicago

In closing, I did not know what to expect from this brew. I have to be honest. I still do not know how I feel about this beer. It is an easy drinkable beer. They were successful at making this a session beer. This is a good beer and I enjoyed drinking it. I will have to say I will never have this beer again. Here is my thought pattern and it goes with all their six-pack cans. This brewery makes some great beers. I just feel the price you are paying for their beers at retail is not worth the price. It goes for most of their twenty-two ounce bottles. I just feel their beers should be a little bit cheaper since they are brewed here in Chicago. I would say try it and tell me what your thoughts are about this beer. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Beer Blog Capital Brewery Mutiny IPA

In this beer blog, we are going to get into a new brew from Capital Brewery and it is their Mutiny IPA. Capital Brewery started in 1984 by Ed Janus in Middleton, Wisconsin. This brewery is based on the on German brewing styles, however, they have moved into non tradition German Styles like this India Pale Ale, pale ale, and wheat ale. This brewery is trying to do different things with hops in their IPA to give series of hoppy beers to beer market. They are best known for their seasonals and their two different Doppelbock, which are Blonde Doppelbock in the spring time and Autumnal Fire in the fall time. Let us get into this new brew.

It has a clear golden color to a slight copper tone without a head on the beer. The smell is of a mango. The taste is mango but bitterest is over bearing. The aftertaste is hoppy finish. It is drinkable.

Here is a description from their website (www.capital-brewery.com):

Mutiny IPA

Capital’s first India Pale Ale has a bright amber hue with an upfront florally citrus hop aroma. Mutiny packs a punch yet remains remarkably drinkable. It’s time for a MUTINY from one of Wisconsin’s largest independent craft breweries.OG – 16.2%

IBU – 70

ABV – 6.2%

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.capital-brewery.com

Twitter: @capbrew

Ending, I will have to say that I am very impressed with this brew. Capital has done a great job finally on one of their everyday beers. I have talked to several of my craft beer drinker friends and we agreed that their everyday beers are not very good. They are average to below average. I am happy that this brewery is taking steps to improve themselves on their everyday beers. We did agree that their seasonals were extremely good. I am a huge fan of their Blonde Doppelbock and Autumnal Fire. This India Pale Ale is well-balanced between the hops and malt. I recommend you trying this beer and give me your thoughts on it. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

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