The Craft Beer Thread....

bbiggs

mcgruff10 said:

Cheers from Camden yards!  Had this last week in Chicago and loved it. 

Awesome! Great summer beer. Are you a Yanks fan? 

bbiggs

darwinstheory said:

bbiggs said:

darwinstheory said:

bbiggs said:

For Midwest beers, I’d have to say MI, IL, IN and WI in that order. 

This list is correct...IF you don't mind being wrong!

Lol. I admit that IL and IN could be swapped and there’s a bit of my Chicago bias in there. Obviously 3F is as good as it gets, but I’m not very well versed in the rest of what IN has to offer. I’m familiar with so many local Chicagoland breweries that it makes it tough for me to put IN ahead. Sell me on why IN is better...c’mon man! Give me a reason to cross the state border!  

Fine fine fine....in the name of transparency, I'll admit that I have not experienced all of the best that Illinois has to offer either. I would really like to try some stuff from Mikerphone for sure. There are also the Goose Islands and Lagunitas of the world. Due to them being owned by larger corporations, I disqualify them from being craft brews any longer (even though Goose IPA was good and Sumpin' Sumpin' is fire).

With so many breweries popping up over the last 3 years, it really becomes difficult to have the shelf space at the liquor stores to keep up. Just because someone opens a brewery, it doesn't mean their beer is worth a damn. Additionally, just because a brewery is new, it doesn't mean they are incapable of being great.

Here are my top 5 for each state (off the top of my head):

Illinois:
Pipeworks
Revolution
One Trick Pony
Half Acre
Two Brothers

Indiana:
3 Floyd's 
18th St. Brewery 
Burn Em'
Four Fathers
Sun King

I have to admit, after Three Floyd’s I’m not familiar with any of those breweries. I’m going to have to keep my eyes peeled in case they distribute to IL. Maybe they can help sway my rankings. . 

The two IL breweries that I’d strongly suggest you try if/when you can see Noon Whistle and Brickstone. They’ve become two of my favorites. To be fair, I’m yet to try Mikerphone also, which I’ve heard is outstanding. FYI - I also exclude Lagunitas and Goose for the same reasons. Not a huge fan. 

darwinstheory

bbiggs said:

darwinstheory said:

bbiggs said:

darwinstheory said:

bbiggs said:

For Midwest beers, I’d have to say MI, IL, IN and WI in that order. 

This list is correct...IF you don't mind being wrong!

Lol. I admit that IL and IN could be swapped and there’s a bit of my Chicago bias in there. Obviously 3F is as good as it gets, but I’m not very well versed in the rest of what IN has to offer. I’m familiar with so many local Chicagoland breweries that it makes it tough for me to put IN ahead. Sell me on why IN is better...c’mon man! Give me a reason to cross the state border!  

Fine fine fine....in the name of transparency, I'll admit that I have not experienced all of the best that Illinois has to offer either. I would really like to try some stuff from Mikerphone for sure. There are also the Goose Islands and Lagunitas of the world. Due to them being owned by larger corporations, I disqualify them from being craft brews any longer (even though Goose IPA was good and Sumpin' Sumpin' is fire).

With so many breweries popping up over the last 3 years, it really becomes difficult to have the shelf space at the liquor stores to keep up. Just because someone opens a brewery, it doesn't mean their beer is worth a damn. Additionally, just because a brewery is new, it doesn't mean they are incapable of being great.

Here are my top 5 for each state (off the top of my head):

Illinois:
Pipeworks
Revolution
One Trick Pony
Half Acre
Two Brothers

Indiana:
3 Floyd's 
18th St. Brewery 
Burn Em'
Four Fathers
Sun King

I have to admit, after Three Floyd’s I’m not familiar with any of those breweries. I’m going to have to keep my eyes peeled in case they distribute to IL. Maybe they can help sway my rankings. . 

The two IL breweries that I’d strongly suggest you try if/when you can see Noon Whistle and Brickstone. They’ve become two of my favorites. To be fair, I’m yet to try Mikerphone also, which I’ve heard is outstanding. FYI - I also exclude Lagunitas and Goose for the same reasons. Not a huge fan. 

Whereabouts are you in Chicagoland? 630, so I'm guessing south west side?

I would also note that my rankings are based purely on the IPA's. I don't drink porters or sours and rarely a stout kn and if I do, it is a bourbon stout). I like the hoppy with 50-100 IBU and the hazy IPA is really taking over for me.

bbiggs

^ Im exactly the same. Usually all IPA and APA and the haze craze has taken me over too.  

Im in Oswego. About 40 miles west of the city. West of Naperville if you’re familiar. 

mcgruff10

bbiggs said:

mcgruff10 said:

Cheers from Camden yards!  Had this last week in Chicago and loved it. 

Awesome! Great summer beer. Are you a Yanks fan? 

OH yeah!  Brought my son to his first game! @HesCalledDyer I tried a local beer at the game yesterday: cheseapeake common.  Have you had it?  I thought it was very good.  It is breweries in Dundalk, MD.

HesCalledDyer

mcgruff10 said:

bbiggs said:

mcgruff10 said:

Cheers from Camden yards!  Had this last week in Chicago and loved it. 

Awesome! Great summer beer. Are you a Yanks fan? 

OH yeah!  Brought my son to his first game! @HesCalledDyer I tried a local beer at the game yesterday: cheseapeake common.  Have you had it?  I thought it was very good.  It is breweries in Dundalk, MD.

Key Brewing. I don’t think I’ve had it but I’ve had their On Point Ale and didn’t care for it much. Usually I like ambers but it just wasn’t good.
Have you been to Camden Yards before? I love it there, my favorite park (maybe I’m biased being a Marylander). I always go for a Duckpin from Union Brewing at the park. 

bbiggs

mcgruff10 said:

bbiggs said:

mcgruff10 said:

Cheers from Camden yards!  Had this last week in Chicago and loved it. 

Awesome! Great summer beer. Are you a Yanks fan? 

OH yeah!  Brought my son to his first game! @HesCalledDyer I tried a local beer at the game yesterday: cheseapeake common.  Have you had it?  I thought it was very good.  It is breweries in Dundalk, MD.

Very cool! I took my daughter to her first game at age 5, and my son is now 5 so I’ll be taking him to a Cubs game by the end of the season. 

mcgruff10

HesCalledDyer said:

mcgruff10 said:

bbiggs said:

mcgruff10 said:

Cheers from Camden yards!  Had this last week in Chicago and loved it. 

Awesome! Great summer beer. Are you a Yanks fan? 

OH yeah!  Brought my son to his first game! @HesCalledDyer I tried a local beer at the game yesterday: cheseapeake common.  Have you had it?  I thought it was very good.  It is breweries in Dundalk, MD.

Key Brewing. I don’t think I’ve had it but I’ve had their On Point Ale and didn’t care for it much. Usually I like ambers but it just wasn’t good.
Have you been to Camden Yards before? I love it there, my favorite park (maybe I’m biased being a Marylander). I always go for a Duckpin from Union Brewing at the park. 

Yeah bud I have been to Camden Yards many times before.  Out of the 15 or so ball parks I have visited I still think Camden Yards is my favorite.  Ticket prices are insanely cheap compared to yankee stadium.  I haven't seen a ball game at wrigley before so I definitely have to head back and check out a game there.

darwinstheory

bbiggs said:

^ Im exactly the same. Usually all IPA and APA and the haze craze has taken me over too.  

Im in Oswego. About 40 miles west of the city. West of Naperville if you’re familiar. 

Yeah, I'm vaguely familiar that far west. No wonder you don't make it over this way for breweries. I'm about 50 miles southeast of downtown and maybe 15 south of Michigan. 

Maybe we ought to meet up at a brewery in between (or downtown) sometime. Share a brew and exchange a 12 pack/case from some of the places we each mentioned above. 

HesCalledDyer

mcgruff10 said:

HesCalledDyer said:

mcgruff10 said:

bbiggs said:

mcgruff10 said:

Cheers from Camden yards!  Had this last week in Chicago and loved it. 

Awesome! Great summer beer. Are you a Yanks fan? 

OH yeah!  Brought my son to his first game! @HesCalledDyer I tried a local beer at the game yesterday: cheseapeake common.  Have you had it?  I thought it was very good.  It is breweries in Dundalk, MD.

Key Brewing. I don’t think I’ve had it but I’ve had their On Point Ale and didn’t care for it much. Usually I like ambers but it just wasn’t good.
Have you been to Camden Yards before? I love it there, my favorite park (maybe I’m biased being a Marylander). I always go for a Duckpin from Union Brewing at the park. 

Yeah bud I have been to Camden Yards many times before.  Out of the 15 or so ball parks I have visited I still think Camden Yards is my favorite.  Ticket prices are insanely cheap compared to yankee stadium.  I haven't seen a ball game at wrigley before so I definitely have to head back and check out a game there.

Awesome! Yeah Wrigley is an experience. I always tell folks who’ve never been there to catch 2 games - one in the stands and one in the bleachers. Don’t expect the nicest park in the world (far from it) but what it lacks in amenities it makes up for in atmosphere. The Ricketts have done a lot to improve the stadium so at least they’re trying. And may as well catch a game at Comiskey/US Cellular/Guaranteed Rate/etc if you have the time. It’s a nice park, just facing the wrong direction  

bbiggs

darwinstheory said:

bbiggs said:

^ Im exactly the same. Usually all IPA and APA and the haze craze has taken me over too.  

Im in Oswego. About 40 miles west of the city. West of Naperville if you’re familiar. 

Yeah, I'm vaguely familiar that far west. No wonder you don't make it over this way for breweries. I'm about 50 miles southeast of downtown and maybe 15 south of Michigan. 

Maybe we ought to meet up at a brewery in between (or downtown) sometime. Share a brew and exchange a 12 pack/case from some of the places we each mentioned above. 

I’m definitely up for that! Brickstone is in Bourbonnais, but not sure where that is from you. It’s a cruise for me. Or hell, even three floyds. Still haven’t been to the brewery. PM me or shoot me a text sometime and we’ll coordinate it. 

darwinstheory

^Awesome, that definitely sounds like a plan.

Looks like the Jersey Boys plan to divide has backfired! 

Wobbie

mcgruff10 said:

Cheers from Camden yards!  Had this last week in Chicago and loved it. 

summer shandy gets old, after a couple.

mcgruff10

Wobbie said:

mcgruff10 said:

Cheers from Camden yards!  Had this last week in Chicago and loved it. 

summer shandy gets old, after a couple.

absolutely!  i am good with two max.

HesCalledDyer

Especially if they're pounders.

mcgruff10

A very nice ipa on this hot hot hot Tuesday night. 

mcgruff10

First sams octoberfest of the year!!

23scidoo

bbiggs

^ Damn...wish I was in Greece!

bbiggs

I’m pumped to expand my horizons with some new east coast brews this weekend.