The Beer Buzz

Your source for breaking news on craft beer's latest arrivals & limited releases.

Fresh Hop Season Is Here!

Each fall we anxiously await the arrival of “fresh” or “wet” hopped beers. While most hops are picked and processed into dried hop pellets, wet hopped beers are made with freshly picked whole cone hops. Freshly picked hops are highly perishable, so breweries need to be ready to brew within a day or two of harvest. Amazingly aromatic, a good wet hop ale is like taking a walk between the hop bines. This year’s batch of 3 Floyds Broo Doo was made with freshly picked Comet hops, grown locally at Howe Farms in Crown Point, Indiana.

Three Floyds Broo Doo

Broo Doo sits slightly hazy in the glass, pouring a burnished amber orange and crowned with white foam. The aromatics are soft and citrusy, with hints of apricot, lemongrass, and tangerine. Medium in body, a touch of caramel malt is accented by notes of blackberry and pineapple. The finish is bittersweet and citrusy, with lingering notes of grapefruit and black currant.

Autumn is just around the corner and that means it’s time for caramel apples. Affy Tapple is an Illinois institution. They made their first caramel apple back in 1948, and their plant in Niles currently dips several million each year! They’ve once again partnered with Phase Three to bring you the tasty ale – A Bushel of Apples.

Phase Three A Bushel of Apples collaboration with Affy Tapple

The nose here delivers as promised, offering notes of apple, caramel, and peanuts. Light in body, it begins with a burst of tart apple, followed by a wave of caramel sweetness. The finish is bright and nutty, leaving the palate thirsty for more. It’s a long-standing tradition that Affy Tapples are often sold for fundraisers. In that spirit, a portion of the proceeds from A Bushel of Apples are donated to GiGi’s Playhouse.

If you’re familiar with Lexington Brewing and Distilling Co., chances are it’s from their wildly popular Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale, or perhaps their Town Branch lineup of whiskies. Over the years they’ve experimented with barrel aging a wide variety of beer styles and their milk stout has become a fan favorite. No clever name here, just straight to the point – a bourbon barrel aged imperial milk stout, and a fine one at that.

Lexington Brewing Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Imperial Milk Stout

The nose here is decadent and dessert-like, offering aromas reminiscent of chocolate ganache and crème brulee. Given its deep black color and 12% ABV, this is surprisingly light upon the tongue, delivering flavors of chocolate and vanilla fudge. The finish is big and spirited, with a lingering creaminess reminiscent of a rich chocolate mousse.

As we kick back and enjoy these last few weeks of summer, it’s still a long wait until we get to celebrate our next Flagship February. Until then, why not keep the spirit alive and reach for a Flagship on Fridays? Join us as we raise a glass to the craft classics you can depend on. Over the past two decades, we’ve seen thousands of IPAs come and go. With Ranger IPA, New Belgium created a beer that would eventually morph into the Voodoo Ranger family – one of the most recognized and imitated brands on our shelves.

New Belgium Voodoo Ranger

Mention New Belgium and Fat Tire comes to mind. While that iconic ale was once the flagship that put them on the map, it was an IPA by the name of Ranger that would prove to be a game changer. First released in 2010, the Ranger recipe has been tweaked over the years, with a rebranding in 2017 sparking some real magic. The Voodoo Ranger series has grown into quite the tour de force, and while Voodoo Ranger Juice Force is all the rage as of late, we still love the original.

You might remember California’s Lost Abbey for their award winning Belgian inspired ales. We’re happy to report that they’re back in Chicagoland, and they crafted some all-new brews. We’re particularly impressed with their West Coast style IPA featuring Krush hops. This newly named experimental was previously known as HBC 586, a hop we’ve been raving about for the last couple years. Interest in lagers is also on the rise out in Cali, and Lost Abbey’s Noble Tendencies is an impeccably true to style Czech pilsner. Pick up this pair of bangers and keep an eye out for more Lost Abbey offerings to come!

Lost Abbey Right Side of Happiness

Pouring golden in color with a subtle hint of haze, Vista and Krush hops impart an intriguing mix of tropical and herbaceous aromas, with pronounced kiwi and papaya. Medium in body, it begins with a burst of pineapple, followed by flavors of peach and pear. The finish is bright and bold, with lingering notes of honeydew melon, grapefruit, and tangerine.

Lost Abbey Noble Tendencies

Golden in color and crowned with white foam, the nose here offers a wisp of herbal hop spice. Medium in body, it blankets the tongue with soft bready malt character, which quickly gives way to a wave of herbaceous hops. Saaz hops are the star of the finish, delivering a lingering peppery spice and a touch of lemon.

September 21st marks the official start of the 2024 Oktoberfest celebration in Munich, but our shelves are already packed with malty marzens and golden festbiers. Time to stop in, stock up, and bring a little gemutlichkeit to your driveway, porch, or patio!

Victory Festbier

Classically trained in Germany, Victory founder and brewmaster Ron Barchet knows German beer. Imported German malts undergo decoction mashing, a labor-intensive old-world practice that produces layers of rich malt complexity with flavors reminiscent of roasted pecans and fresh pumpernickel bread. Whole flower noble German hops perfectly round out this rich and savory lager.

AleSmith AleSchmidt Oktoberfest

Pouring light amber in color, the nose here offers fresh bready notes along with a wisp of wildflower honey. Medium in body, it leaves the palate awash with bright caramel malt character. The finish is light and crisp, making this a refreshingly sessionable take on marzen.

Great Lakes Oktoberfest

Lots of breweries make great ales, but it requires disciplined mastery of brewing science to produce consistent and clean lagers. Great Lakes does just that. Like their Dortmunder and Vienna style lager, this Oktoberfest is impeccably designed. Balanced, refreshing and satisfying – a standout on the shelf.

Pollyanna Fruhauf Oktoberfest

2016 GABF Bronze medal winner in the German-style Maerzen category, Fruhauf is one of many impressive lagers from Pollyanna. Its layered malt complexity features flavors of caramel and cocoa, culminating with a long, nutty finish. This makes a wonderful partner to traditional German dishes like Sauerbraten.

SHOP OKTOBERFEST

When it comes to lager brewing, Weihenstephaner has it down, they’ve been making them for centuries. With roots going back to the 8th century, Weihenstephaner officially commenced brewing in 1040, making it the oldest continuously operating brewery in the world. Their refreshing Helles pours a brilliant shimmering gold and features a beautiful crown of white foam. Never heard of helles? The Barrel to Bottle crew has you covered. When it’s hot out, we often reach for a helles.

Weihenstephaner Helles

Similar to a pilsner, but not quite as dry, this sessionable helles lager features Hallertauer Select and Saphir hops. These German varieties impart a touch of citrus, fresh grass, and some lovely floral aromas to the nose. Light across the palate, a subtle toasty malt character is offset by a streak of refreshing minerality. A thirst-quenching riff on Weihenstephaner’s famous Original Premium Lager.

It’s hard to overstate the quality of the beer that flows from San Diego’s AleSmith Brewing Company. Over the past three decades, they’ve amassed an impressive trophy case of accolades; including 21 medals from the Great American Beer Festival. The beer they’re most recognized for is Speedway Stout, a massive coffee infused imperial stout. We’ve long extolled that barrel aged Speedway is one of the finest BA stouts we’ve ever tasted. We were honored when they agreed to collaborate on an edition that would be aged in the Whiskey Hotline’s hand selected Buffalo Trace bourbon barrels. After a 15-month oaken slumber, this massive stout was ready for coffee, so we flew out to San Diego to visit Bird Rock Coffee Roasters for a cupping and coffee selection. Read more about the coffee selection and how it all came together here. A great coffee stout is a remarkable thing, but by no means an easy endeavor. A big thank you to everyone at AleSmith and Bird Rock who helped create this remarkable beer.

AleSmith Barrel Aged Speedway Stout collaboration with Binny's

Pouring nearly jet black in color and topped with mocha colored foam, earthy coffee aromas are accented by notes of vanilla, nutmeg, clove, and sassafras. Velvety soft upon the tongue, notes of hazelnut and almond are enrobed by dark mocha decadence. The finish begins with a burst of bright coffee acidity, followed by a long wave of bittersweet dark chocolate that fades into flavors of blackberry, dried cherry, roasted pecan, and toasted coconut. A richly layered and spirited stout, that hides its heft deceptively well.

Art History Brewing stands by the credo - Foam Follows Function. When you take a seat in their Geneva taproom, you are served a proper pour – be it a pint of pub ale pulled from a cask, or a Tubinger of Czech-style lager poured from the LUKR faucet, your glass delivers a taste of time-honored global beer traditions. Given Art History’s passion and prowess when it comes to lager brewing, it should come as no surprise that they brew an impeccable Oktoberfestbier. Crafted with German Munich and Vienna malts and the classic noble hop Hallertau Mittelfruh, serve this beautiful Bavarian brew in a beer stein alongside warm pretzels and Obatzda. Prost!

Art History Artoberfest

Pouring shimmering copper in color, bready malt aromas are accented by a wisp of floral hops. Medium in body, nutty malt character is topped with caramel accents, followed by a burst of herbal hops. Well fermented and impeccably balanced, Hallertau Mittelfruh shines on the finish, imparting lasting notes of fresh sage, white peppercorn, and lemon peel.

When people talk IPA, the conversation tends to focus on hops, which is understandable as it’s a famously hop forward style. As for malt, it’s not uncommon for today’s IPAs to brewed with pale or pilsner malt, and little else. This was not always the case. The classic English recipes, along with the original west coast examples often featured heartier malt backbones to support massive hop additions. If you’re ready to take a step back in time, Southern Tier Harvest is an impeccably balanced old school IPA – featuring a mix of grains that delivers remarkable body and complex malt character.

Southern Tier Harvest

The nose here offers an alluring mix of biscuity toasted malt and citrusy west coast hops. Medium-full in body, a rich layer of caramel malt is balanced by flavors of bitter grapefruit and juniper. The addition of wheat helps keep things soft, but not weighty, imparting a subtle creaminess that helps round off the edges. The finish is bittersweet and layered, evoking flavors of toffee, toast, and marmalade.

If you’re looking for a unique Oktoberfest, Firestone Walker Oaktoberfest delivers. Crafted with a mix of Weyermann Pilsner, Vienna, Munich, Carahell, and Carared malts, it delivers a malt profile that’s somewhere in between a classic marzen and modern festbier. A generous helping of hops tips things more towards a festbier, but lagering in French oak barrels puts it in a class of its own.

Firestone Walker Oaktoberfest

Pouring polished copper in color, aromas of vanilla, bread crust, and honey float above the foam. Medium in body, the time spent lagering in wood produces a soft and rounded mouthfeel, along with a subtle wisp of oak. German Tradition and Spalter Select hops bring a touch of spice and balance, making this 5.2%er an exceedingly sessionable Oktoberfest option. The finish is bright and herbal, with lasting woodsy spice. A unique Oktoberfest that is not to be missed.

Brauerei Gutmann is housed in Tittinger, in a 16th century castle complete with a moat. The castle’s been home to a brewery since 1707. In 1855 Michael Gutmann purchased the brewery and it’s remained independent, and family owned ever since. Brauerei Gutmann is famous for their weisse beers so in a nod to that tradition, some wheat was incorporated into the mash of this collaborative festbier. Given we’re still in the throes of summer heat, if you’re not quite ready for malty marzen, this festbier offers a crisp alternative. Also, Sierra Nevada’s canning and QC is some of the best in the business, so this festbier will drink beautifully for months to come.

Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest collaboration with Brauerei Gutmann

Pouring golden in color with copper highlights, aromas of bready malt and floral hops float above the foam. Medium in body, it begins with a biscuity malt character, followed by a wave of herbaceous hops. Hops are the star of the show here, with a mix of Hersbrucker, Loral, Saphir, and Spalter imparting woodsy and floral hop flavor to the lasting finish. Another innovative approach to Oktoberfest from Sierra Nevada.

When celebrating Oktoberfest, the modern German festbier offers a refreshing change of pace, but we still love a good malty marzen, and Half Acre’s Lager Town is one of the best on the shelf. Their unique take on this classic style is to incorporate two types of rye into the mash. The rye imparts an earthy accent to the lager’s deeply layered malt profile. Half Acre’s long believed in lagers and Lager Town remains a standout as one of Chicago’s finest.

Half Acre Lager Town Oktoberfest

Pouring a ruby tinged shade of dark amber and topped with beige colored foam, the aroma of freshly baked rye bread floats above the glass. Medium in body, it begins with a rush of earthy rye spice, followed notes of toffee, raisin, and dark chocolate. A mixture of German and American hops provide balance, with a fresh herbaceous note giving way to licorice and allspice. A perfect match for hearty Oktoberfest fare like roasted chicken, knackwurst, and sauerbraten.

Mention Oktoberfest beer and most likely an amber colored marzen comes to mind, but beginning in the 1990s, Munich brewers started producing a brew that was lighter in color and body. Dubbed “festbier” it is now the main style of beer poured at the famous Munich Oktoberfest celebration. Hofbrau Munchen is one of the six breweries that supplies beer to the festival, and the first to export their modern take on festbier. This sparkling golden lager is now available in half liter cans, and they’re on sale now. Time to stock up and fill up your steins!

Hofbrau Munchen Oktoberfestbier

The golden brew served to thousands in the tents of Munich’s famous extravaganza. Golden in color, yet medium-full in body, toasty malt richness is balanced by a blend of Hercules, Perle, and Select hops. The finish is bright and crisp, with a woodsy hop spice that leaves the palate eager for more. Be forewarned, this clocks in at 6.3% ABV, yet is deceptively easy to drink.

Off Color does an excellent job with just about any style, but they are particularly passionate about Belgian ales and European lagers. Waddle is their take on a marzen style Oktoberfest. Make sure to stock up on this seasonal now, so you can hoist this lager on high in the months to come. Prost!

Off Color Waddle

Crafted with pilsner, dark Munich, CaraMunich and CaraPils malts, this hearty Oktoberfest lager leaves the palate awash with caramelized malt character, with biscuity accents topped in clover honey. The malt forward finish concludes with a touch of spicy herbal hops, achieving just enough balance to leave the palate thirsty for more.

SHOP OKTOBERFEST

This week we’re excited to introduce Trent Bridge, the latest pub ale from Art History. Our shelves are packed with IPAs, but an English style IPA is a rare find. In a nod to the popularity of IPA during the Victorian Era, Trent Bridge is fermented with Burton ale yeast and features Chevallier malt, a heritage English barley that’s prized for its deep biscuity character. The unique hop character here is thanks to a trio of English varieties - Target, Harlequin, and Olicana. Target is a venerated varietal that delivers classic English hop flavor, while Harlequin and Olicana impart some new world flair. These 21st century cultivars were developed and released by Charles Faram hops. Both share a lineage with Cascade, the classic American cultivar that was bred from the English hop Fuggle. Ultimately a full circle melding of past and present, resulting in an IPA like no other.

Art History Trent Bridge

The nose here delivers a stunningly complex mixture of herbaceousness, florality, and bright fruit character, with pronounced gooseberry, passionfruit, and sage. Medium in body, a wave of sweet biscuity malt is followed by notes of candied pineapple and bittersweet marmalade. The finish delivers a captivating mix of stone fruit flavors, with lasting apricot, peach, and plum.

Coconut Deth returns and for this go around, Rev’s barrel whisperer Marty Scott added additional French and American oak to the bourbon and rye whiskey barrels that housed this massive oatmeal stout. As a result, the aromatics are off the charts, taking this decadent sipper to a whole new level.

Revolution Coconut Deth

The nose here is breathtaking - with aromas of toasted coconut, vanilla custard, and bourbon-soaked oak floating above the mocha-colored foam. A rush of sarsaparilla-tinged malt sweetness races across the tongue, followed by flavors of dark chocolate ganache and toasted almond. The finish is velvety soft and creamy, delivering the bittersweet richness of German’s Chocolate Cake.