ABV Chicago Craft Beer Podcast

One decade of suffering and despair is enough to push anyone to the limits, and on this FINAL INSTALLMENT of our annual Bad Beer Punish-A-Thon, we take things even further with a seemingly malevolent and vindictive Wheel of Torture. Listen in as we try and eviscerate each other with bad beers both old and new, then the devious Wheel forces us to drink beers from the "Old Beer Lottery" that fall into either category: "Possibly Bad" or "Probably Bad." There's also an unpleasant Run for the Border; Craig is serving his liquid filth completely warm; Ryan's going to force as many spins as possible; and someone must take the dreaded Anti-Hero Malort shot. Expect to hear the phrase "garbage truck crashing into a locker room" as an aroma descriptor, and then say goodbye forever to the Torture Test.

Torturous Beers Consumed

Grupo Modelo - Victoria Vicky Chamoy (Vienna-style lager w/ natural flavors)

Dark Horse Brewing Co. - Bourbon Barrel Aged Tres Blueberry Stout

Rogue Ales - Juniper Pale Ale (Pale ale w/ Juniper berries)

Upland Brewing Company - Blackberry Lambic

Founders Brewing Co. - Sweet Repute (Wheatwine aged in maple syrup bourbon barrels)

Arcade Brewery - Barrel Aged Mega Milk (Oatmeal milk stout aged in bourbon barrels)

Other Liquids Consumed That Are Mostly Old

Central Waters - Peruvian Morning (2013)

New Belgium - Voodoo Ranger: Fruit Force (2024)

Half Acre/Sierra Nevada - Daisy Cutter Select (2024)

Hop Butcher for the World - The World's Columbian Exposition (2017)

New Glarus - Apple Ale (2018)

Hop Butcher for the World - Dark Black (2020)

A Taco Bell Diablo sauce packet (2026)

Brewery Vivant - Moon Monk (2016)

Jeppson's/Revolution Anti-Hero Malort (2020)

It creeps up on us every year as it comes earlier and earlier, and this year's alluring part one lineup of Revolution barrel-aged beers has us feeling the love. We sample four variations on the Deth's Tar stout for this segment of the 2026-2027 Deep Wood Release calendar, and we're pretty sure there's no wrong way to cuvée them in the end. But also, Ryan has started seeing shackets (or shirkets, whatever your pleasure); Craig recaps the Blend-a-Barrel event at Rev; we consider Marty's ever-evolving barrel science; and we must always consider WWCD?.

2026 Deep Wood Beers Reviewed

Deth's Tar (Imperial Oatmeal Stout aged in bourbon barrels)

Café Deth (Imperial Oatmeal Stout aged in bourbon barrels and steeped with fresh coffee beans)

Coconut Deth (Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels with coconut)

Supermassive Coconut Deth (Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels with coconut)

It's about every seven years that the great pumpkin beer show rises again, and this one is just Ryan running wild with some mixed six pack racks until we have a whole mess of adjunct-forward pumpkin beers that (mostly) get us in a Fall mood. But it is a fun way to drink five beers from breweries we almost never have on the show! Listen as we try to keep an open mind while considering why someone might take their height for granted; we chipmunk our cheeks with pumpkin donuts; we face our fears with the masters of pastry beers; and we think everything in haunted houses is scary.

Beers Reviewed

Fat Orange Cat Brew Co. - Pumpkin Chai Latte (Oatmeal stout w/ pumpkin spice & chai)

Little House Brewing Company - Pumpkin Spice Donuts (Scotch-style ale w/ cider donuts, pumpkin spice, and vanilla)

Schlafly Brewery - Vanilla Pumpkin Ale (Pumpkin ale w/ vanilla)

Southern Tier Brewing Company - Maple Warlock (Imperial pumpkin stout w/ maple syrup)

Shipyard Brewing Company - Smashed Pumpkin (Imperial pumpkin spice ale)

Back in the summer, we grabbed this mixed four-pack from San Diego's Alesmith because of some eye-catching collaborators and unusual style pairings with coffee. This small but mighty lineup is as delicious as it is…caffeinated. But also, we question whether or not certain multitasking is necessary; Craig cements himself as a real bean squeezer; and Ryan would now like to be known as The Man of La Matcha.

Beers Reviewed

Collaboration with Pizza Port Brewing and Jaunt Coffee Roasters - Dark Lager w/ Matriarch espresso, single‑origin Mexican coffee and lemon

Collaboration with Mikerphone Brewing and Heady Cup Coffee Roasters - Saison Ale w/ washed Colombian coffee

Collaboration with Societe Brewing and Modern Monk Coffee - Amber Ale co-fermented w/ coffee

Collaboration with Everywhere Brewing and MoonGoat Coffee Roasters - Imperial Cream Ale with strawberries, vanilla, cinnamon, and tropical Maypop Caturra coffee

Join Ryan and Craig, your guides to the (sub)urban beer jungle, as they experience the eccentric, offbeat, and unexpected Wild beers of Chicagoland! They imbibe four different ales fermented with wild yeasts and bacteria while aged in oak and review them for your listening pleasure. They also look back on the heyday of local wilds and sours, make difficult sleeping arrangement decisions, pay respect to the breweries that made them want to podcast, try to catch a pass from Doug Flutie, and introduce the world to the 'Gurt Guys.

Beers Reviewed

Imperial Oak Brewing - Lime Gin Barrel-Aged Straw (Foeder-aged Saison aged in lime gin barrels w/ Brettanomyces)

Noon Whistle Brewing - Raspberry Funderen (Mixed fermentation foeder-aged Wild Ale w/ raspberries)

Une Année Brewery - Le Grande Monde 2026-1 (Barrel-aged American Wild Ale w/ black currants and vanilla beans)

Off Color Brewing - PH1 (Barrel-aged American Wild Ale)

The story of our ongoing Cellar West series goes back to a box sent to us by owner Zach Nichols in late 2020, and we've become quite literate in their mastery of many different styles in the years since. Originating from Lafayette, Colorado (just outside of Boulder) with a second location in Erie, Colorado, Cellar West has won their fair share of awards along the way - and this lineup could end up being the best we've had out of four episodes. Also, Craig is a bit in his head about shoe tying; we marvel at the strange lore and world-building offered by the sides of these cans; Ryan and Craig care about different physical points of moistness; and we get blindsided by the blanket meat.

Cellar West Beers Reviewed

Kneebone Pils (German-style Pilsner)

Surf Sauce (West Coast Saison)

Panther Dream (Hazy Pale Ale)

Web Foot (West Coast-style IPA)

Yellow House (Belgian Blonde/Single)

After being invited to taste through bourbon barrels by distillers for a few Mikerphone barrel picks, Mike Pallen said, "We should do that." And they have - now for the 36th time - invited industry friends, business owners, and even - yes - craft beer podcasters to sample through their barrel-aged beers with the goal of finding their own Pick of Destiny. We go through the whole blind tasting process alongside owner Mike Pallen, head brewer Mike Witkowski, and cellar man Matt Lakota to find the barrel-aged beer of our dreams. Then, we open the resulting bottle (subtitled "All Up In That Wood") to make sure we didn't royally screw up. (Spoiler alert: we didn't.) If you want a chance to try the beer, head to Mikerphone Brewing in Elk Grove Village on September 19th for the release - and toast with us to the everlasting allure of lactose.

Beer Picked (and Subsequently Drank Many Weeks Later):

Mikephone Brewing (w/ ABV Chicago) - Pick of Destiny #36: All Up In That Wood (Imperial milk stout aged in Pappy Van Winkle barrels)

It's not so common anymore to see beers with just a single hop, but when we do, we embrace the opportunity to teach ourselves a little something. We have five beers, each made with a different single hop, and we dive into the background of each - and the surprisingly long hop development process. But also, we discuss if Citra is in fact the GHOAT; Craig shares a eulogy for the best way to get 12 CDs for a penny; Ryan's teeing off at the Wafting Greens; and we are about as far divided as we can be about one particular hop.

Beers Reviewed

Spiteful Brewing - Strata Time (Pale Ale w/ Strata hops)

Hopewell Brewing Co. - Bound: Galaxy (IPA w/ Galaxy hops)

Hop Butcher for the World - Meet the Nectarons (Hazy IPA w/ Nectaron hops)

Bell's Brewery - SMaSH Hearted IPA (IPA w/ Dolcita hops)

Pipeworks Brewing Company - Citra On Repeat (Hazy IPA w/ Citra and Cryo Citra hops)

Perhaps the most prolific collaborators of any local brewery, Mikerphone has a rolodex the size of a mash tun and isn't hesitant to bring in friends of all kinds to brew up inspired beers. We drink through five Mikerphone collaboration beers and get some input from Mike Pallen himself throughout this episode as he shares some of the background, stories, and ingredient choices that make these beers special. Also, we consider whose kind faces could ease a violent end; Craig meets Smash Mouth and doesn't actually ask them about meeting Shrek; Ryan's still thinking about his Sam Goody purchases; and we remember the 1990s when the world discovered BASS.

Beers Reviewed

I'm A Believer (California-style lager, collaboration with Smash Mouth)

Mall Culture Was So Cool (Hazy Pale Ale, collaboration with Young Blood Beer Co.)

Now Playing: Finback (Modern West Coast IPA, collaboration with Finback Brewery)

Natural History (Double IPA, collaboration with Saint Errant Brewing)

Ghost In the Mikerphone (DDH Double IPA, collaboration with Parish Brewing Co.)

As an experienced attendee, Craig was back in Madison yet again for the 2026 edition of the Great Taste of the Midwest and brought back interviews, festival-exclusive beers, and a full report (including where not to look for sandwiches). You'll hear about all the pre-fest events he attended; a combined interview with Justin from Hop Butcher and Kyle from Young Blood on beer collaborations; a brief chat with Jeff from Wisconsin's own Ooga Brewing about the beer name that caught Craig's eye; a booth theme report; and a full rundown of the best beers Craig sampled at the fest. Ryan's just along for the ride on this one as his massive FOMO solidifies with every sip.

Justin Miller (Hop Butcher for the World) and Kyle Gregorash (Young Blood Beer Co.) interview [00:32:30 - 00:42:58]

Jeff Scanlan (Ooga Brewing Co.) interview [01:28:13 - 01:30:55]

Beers Reviewed

Karben4 Brewing - Supply Drop (Fruited Sour w/ pineapple, mango, tangerine, and passionfruit)

Working Draft Beer Company & Lakefront Brewery - WorkFront (Czech Special Lager)

Hop Butcher for the World & Young Blood Beer Company - Canary Yellow '79 Seville (Fruited Sour w/ mango & pineapple)

Hop Butcher for the World & Young Blood Beer Company - That Tingle In Your Spine (Hazy Double IPA)

New Glarus Brewing Company - R&D Kriek 2026 (Wild ale aged in oak foeders w/ Balaton cherries)

Craig's summer travels brought him north of the border this year, which is why we're fortunate to drink five Toronto-based beers for this little taste of Canada - and we have nothing to complain about (outside of beer shipping limits and metric system conversions). Also, we get a recap of Craig's experience at many of these breweries during World Cup games and wildfires; we find a few surprising Goldfinger connections; Craig avoids going on a much-anticipated date with Drake; Ryan wants to know Canadian brewers' favorite Kid in the Hall; and we accidentally discover the drug of the future.

Beers Reviewed

Godspeed Brewery - Sklepník (Czech-style Pilsner)

True History Brewing - Mild Lockout (Helles Lager)

Blood Brothers Brewing - Blood Light (Hazy Pale Ale)

Great Lakes Brewery - Octopus Wants to Fight (American-style IPA)

Rorschach Brewing Co. - Malevolent Benevolence: Maple Syrup Apple Brandy Barrel-Aged 2021 (Barrel-aged imperial stout)

The U.S. Open Beer Championship, started in 2009, is the third-largest competition that recognizes and rewards beers from all over the world - and this year, Illinois brewers collected a considerable amount of hardware. We drink through five medal-winning beers while talking about the competition itself and looking back on some past years' winners as well. Also, Craig is thrust into an awkward "you-make-the-call" situation; Ryan recaps his U.S.O.B.C. mini-taproom tour, and we want to know exactly what makes a beer "extreme."

Beers Reviewed

Mikerphone Brewing - Misty Mountain Hop (Gold in American Pale Ale)

Forbidden Root Brewing Company/Ology Brewing Co. - Sprinkles Required (Gold in Collaboration Beer)

Flipside Brewing - Monochrome Dream (Bronze in New England/Juicy/Hazy IPA)

Brothership Brewing - Exoplanet (Silver in West Coast Style IPA)

Werk Force Brewing Co. - Humongous Chungus (Silver in Barrel-Aged Strong Stout/Porter Specialty)

Summer still has some heat to beat, so we're drinking wheat. We round up five interesting wheat beers from five different states to quench our thirst and remember why the style got so many people into craft beer in the first place (and how it can go terribly wrong at times, too). Also, we work on a concept for a Michelin-starred pizza restaurant; 9 year old Ryan will take another virgin mimosa, please; Craig is dancing in the fields of gold with Sting; the nation's dads are up all night watching Crime 101; and we're looking to get rocked at the Umbrella Cover Museum.

Beers Reviewed

Allagash Brewing Company - Slow Set (Light wheat beer w/ citrus peel)

Phase Three Brewing - P3 Wheat (American wheat beer)

Supermoon Beer Company - Garten (Wheat ale w/ spices)

Sea Dog Brewing Company - Blueberry Wheat Ale

Lost Coast Brewery - Tangerine Wheat

Who says you need a cocktail to drink tropical in the hot heat of summer? We found five different styles of beer that all fit nicely under a (miniature paper) tropical umbrella, and no one will have to call the TropCops on you for bringing them to the beach. Also, we meet Mr. America and his secret weapons; Craig has a baffling reaction to one of the beer names; Ryan is readying the CurdBurglars for some squeaky cheese discussion; and now we have to add Ube to the list of things that we need to taste more.

Beers Reviewed

Pipeworks Brewing - Round of Tropical Margs Mango (Sour ale w/ mango, guava, peach, lime, and salt)

Third Space Brewing - You Be You (Tropical pale ale)

Cruz Blanca - Coco Frio (Lager w/ coconut and pineapple)

Lakefront Brewery - Tropical Rabbit (Tropical IPA)

Phase Three Brewing - Mana Wahine (Stout w/ coconut, coffee, and ube)

These annual Revolution Deep Wood summer releases seemed to start off as fun little experimental takes on some of their core beers, but these days, they are truly bringing the heat with some of the best stuff they'll release all year. This lineup of four is just outstanding - with more than one that could be in our top ten Deep Wood beers of all time. On a similar note, we talk about unexpected brands we're weirdly loyal to; we get lost in the liminal backrooms of the beer forums; Craig finally shares his matcha review; and our algorithms are going absolutely nuts right now. coffeeberrybeer.

Beers Reviewed

Supermassive Café Deth

Mixed Berry Supermassive Café Deth

Double Barrel Straight Jacket

Peach Apricot D.B.V.S.O.J.

The IPA will NEVER DIE, and neither will this series of blind tasting podcasts if we can successfully find more beers that fit our criteria. Thankfully, listeners Benji & Suzanne went to California and brought back some all-West Coast, long-made IPAs to deepen our ongoing quest to find the country's best, and our scoresheets are showing high numbers on this one. We also discuss the deep thoughts of great philosophers (like a toddler in a shopping cart); Craig might've had a Mosaic breakthrough; and we share our overall Top 35 lists of every IPA we've drank through this series - and boy do we feel silly about some of the names at the bottom.

IPAs Reviewed Blindly

North Park Brewery - Hop-Fu!

Societe Brewing Co. - The Pupil

Ballast Point Brewing - Sculpin

Elysian Brewing - Space Dust

Highland Park Brewery - Hello, LA

As a brewery whose name acknowledges their wandering ways, Saint Errant has finally laid some roots in a familiar spot in Evanston - and we are excited to sit down with our old friends (and co-owners) Brent Banks and Roger Cuzelis to talk about their new taproom and expanded production. We dip a little into some shared nostalgia - and their reintroduction of some Temperance beers into the market - but we're just happy to discuss all the growing pains and early opening successes that should have any Chicagoland beer drinker excited for what's to come. We also talk about pilot batches, niche brewery-world jobs in high demand, English beers, serving methods, meaningful collaborations, new hop products, the label artist/brewer relationship, and of course, barrel-aged beer in boxes.

With the impending 250th anniversary of this country of ours (AMERICA), we celebrate the only way we know how: by drinking three IPAs and three Belgian Trappist beers that are only united by three common colors. We sample the Reds, Whites, and Blues of Lombard, Illinois' Noon Whistle Brewing and Chimay, Belgium's Brasserie de Chimay in a side-by-side that frankly makes no other sense (and creates a real boondoggle in rankings.) We get a bit nostalgic in a different way as we feel some 2012 coming back to us; we get some real superstars for our own patriotic backyard wrestling celebration; we entirely ignore proper chalice use; and we're just looking for someone to validate our chocolate.

Beers Reviewed

Noon Whistle Brewing - Hop Prism Red (Red IPA)

Noon Whistle Brewing - Hop Prism White (White IPA)

Noon Whistle Brewing - Hop Prism Blue (American IPA)

Brasserie de Chimay - Chimay Première: Red (Belgian Dubbel)

Brasserie de Chimay - Chimay Cinq Cents: White (Belgian Tripel)

Brasserie de Chimay - Chimay Grande Réserve: Blue (Belgian Strong Dark Ale)

You can thank the lager renaissance for allowing this nerdy and delicious mixed 12-pack to exist, and Revolution absolutely knocks it out of the park with this one. Along with the four different lagers under the "Cold Time" brand, we add in a throwback Wit just for kicks - and we can anticipate many coolers full of Rev this summer. But also, we debrief on the first ever tornado delay on the podcast (and the legion of dads keeping an eye on it); we introduce Chunky Boy Lagers™ into the mix; and we create our ultimate dream mixed Revolution 12 pack.

Revolution Beers Reviewed

Cold Time (American Lager)

Cold Time Dry (Japanese Rice Lager)

Cold Time Amber (Amber Lager)

Cold Time Extra (Export Lager)

Bottom Up Wit

While more and more craft breweries streamline their releases to reflect what's popular and marketable, we're happy to see when others make weirdo quick sours that include unconventional ingredients - and we're here to celebrate four of those types of beers. For this one, we try to abandon our fears and embrace the tart while learning a bit about what we prefer off of these quickly-made abnormal sours. Also, Ryan's ready to market an invention that'll change how you wash your face; Craig was secretly hoping for a smoothie; and we relive the horrors of that one Genesis music video. (You know the one.)

Beers Reviewed

Mikerphone Brewing [w/ Xul Beer Company] - Land of Transfusion (Fruited Sour w/ Concord grape juice, lime juice, and ginger)

Neuronova Brewing - Solstice Fires (Berliner Weisse w/ blueberry, marionberry, and loganberry)

Dokkaebier - Kimchi Sour (Sour w/ Kimchi culture, ginger, and gochugaru)

Stillwater Artisanal/Freigeist Bierkultur/Meinklang - Organic Ancient Grain Sour