IPA

Jan 04 2015

All the beers from Destihl reviewed

(Not all of ’em. I’m not a lush.)

Still, Destihl is a small Midwestern microbrewery and restaurant. Let’s learn a little more.

On a recent trip to Central Illinois, I had the chance to sample enough of their beer to conclude that Destihl knows what the heck it is doing. While I couldn’t review all the beers from Destihl, the ones reviewed – five of them – were good enough to register four-plus stars, or at least a B+, on the Metasip scale. They have two locations, one in Normal and one in Champaign – both fine college towns, but only one with a playoff-bound football team. (Dig explained here: NCAA Football Championship Subdivision Bracket.)

So we’ll break format and waltz through five of the beers from this gastropub-slash-brewery and Bob’s your Uncle!

Normal Blonde Ale: B+

Normal IS the name of the town. Don’t poke fun – very livable city – and the state Normal School was founded there, thus the name. And thus the name of the blonde ale. 16 IBUs, 4.9% ABV, and mild in flavor. Good for those who want to have more than one – though the brewery serves 4-ounce sizes, too.

120 Schilling Scotch Ale: B+

Can’t find info online about this one, but my notes tell me it was strong – 9%+? – and had an overpowering flavor. But not a BAD overpowering flavor. Good job for a Scotch Ale, so we gave it a B+.

Nutty Brown Ale: A-

Higher in ABV at 5.6%, and higher in IBUs at 34. Right in my wheelhouse, too. The nuttiness put it over the top – we upgraded our rating from B+ to A- upon further review.

Belgian Pale Ale: A

This one also got an upgrade. Why? We helped down a growler later, then came back a few nights later and had more. Winner. Just a standout Pale Ale. I think the IBUs were probably around 40. I think the ABV was around 5. I don’t care, though, either way. This was the best beer we had in our trips there.

Sour Peach: A-

Not for everyone. Photo below – but I gotta tell ya, this was a sour beer that, really, if you’re into sour beer, wasn’t TOO peachy. And was quite tasty. I’d have it again, when I’m in the mood for sour beer – which I occasionally am – so I give this a good score.

All the Destihl beers reviewed?

Well, not all of them…but a good chunk. Well, five. Five of them.

Ever anywhere near Central Illinois, give these folks a try. You’ll be delighted.

Aug 01 2014

Bridgeport Hop Czar Imperial IPA

My notes read “way too bitter.”

Sometimes this happens with reviews – you look at the bottle, you fall in love with the image, you start imagining things before you even try the product. Bridgeport Hop Czar Imperial IPA. The name sent my mind into a whirlwind. “Hoppy, but with a nice, clean finish. Like a really strong IPA, but not too strong that you don’t want to have the next sip.”

Sadly, the above is not a quote from my review, but the idea in my head that this was going to be a really good beer, not one that I tossed because I couldn’t finish it.

Sigh.

To the review, he says, with a whimper.

Bridgeport Hop Czar Imperial IPA

(I just figured it out: it’s the wannabe graphic designer in me that says “ooh, cool bottle, gimme!”)

Taste

From my notes: “Floral. Weird after taste. Officially not my thing.” That’s not a good sign. Plus, as I mentioned above, “way too bitter.”

Profile

According to the bottle, 7.5% ABV. You can only have one, it seems – if you get through the one. I didn’t. 87 IBUs.

To be fair, other beers that were heavy on alcohol AND bitter and hoppy – not totally my thing, as mentioned before; I like the IBU number to be around 40 – have received good ratings by me. In other words, if I think you’ll like it but it’s not up my alley, I’ll tell you.

This…my initial notes told me “B” was about right. If it’s a value…

Value

I’m fairly certain this was in my $9.99 mixed-six. So that’s about right. (Maybe even a deal if you like high-alcohol beer.)

Metasip Grade: B

I can’t go higher on this one – the Lenny Bruce beer was way better IMHO, though higher in alcohol and probably more bitter than this. You might like it; if you can get a bottle in a mixed-six pack, do it.

Jul 23 2014

3 Sheeps Really Cool Waterslides IPA

The name is a mouthful. So is the beer.

We mean that mouthful statement in a good way – 3 Sheeps, Sheboygan, Wisconsin, USA, does some nice work. Or so we had heard. So we picked up some of their Really Cool Waterslides IPA at the Piggly Wiggly and are just now getting around to the review.

N.B. Wisconsin Piggly Wiggly stores, along with a couple in Illinois, are part of a different conglomerate. Here’s a link to the Piggly Wiggly that’s predominant in the South.

Speaking of animals…Enough blah blah blah, here’s the review:

3 Sheeps Really Cool Waterslides IPA

Taste

Bitter, hoppy, IPA. It tastes like an IPA should. There’s nothing crazy about it – but nothing sub-standard either. Good mouthfeel. Drinkable – in the time it takes me to post this, I have mostly finished one. Either I write quickly, or I drink quickly, or both. But it works.

Profile

6.2% ABV. 60 IBUs.

Value

We were in Sheboygan, where the brewery is, so $6.99 for a six-pack was an expected value. It’s worth it even for a couple bucks more.

Metasip Grade: A-

I’d drive across the border for more…but I don’t have to as their “Locaaaator” (clever, no?) tells me Chicagoland has this stuff. Yeeha!

Jun 21 2014

Temperance Gatecrasher IPA

Editor’s Note: Friend of Metasip John Kayaian weighs in with a quick review of one of the new entrants to Chicagoland beer: Temperance, and, specifically, its Gatecrasher IPA. We add a few notes here and there, so it makes more sense to do this in quasi-interview format. Here goes.

Dave: What are you drinking today?

John: Gatecrasher, from Temperance Beer Co. in Evanston, Illinois, USA. It’s an English IPA. I’ve had this beer many many times, as it’s one of my top three IPAs in the whole dang universe.

Dave: Wait a minute, if you drink IPAs, and you drink them a lot, this one must be pretty darn good if it’s in the top three. So, what’s it like?

John: For starters, it pours a slightly hazy golden orange with a crisp snow white head, just like a good IPA should. True to the English origins of this style the malt is quite present, but kept in check by a well-balanced hop bitterness.

Dave: The website says that this beer “gets into the sold-out show without a ticket.” How does it do that?

John: Balance. The Midwestern American execution of this particular IPA is evident in the sweet, tropical, citrus aroma. Grapefruit, apricot, a little mango. Overall, its a damn good beer. One of the most well-balanced IPAs I’ve ever had.

Dave: Back to the top three. What are the other two in your Troika of IPA Awesomeness*?

John: So the other two – in no particular order – are Revolution Anti-Hero and Temperance’s limited-availability Threeway.

[Editor’s Note: you can only get Threeway in Evanston venues – Union and Space, the pizzeria and concert-hall combo, and Temperance’s own tap room.]

Dave: What rating would you give it, then?

John: 4.5 stars out of 5.

Dave: Can I have your Temperance hat?

John: No.

Metasip Grade: A-

Expect to pay $7.99 for a six-pack in stores in and around Chicago.

*We haven’t trademarked the term “Troika of IPA Awesomeness.” Yet.

Jun 03 2014

Hebrew The Chosen Beer Rye IPA

We don’t hand out A gradess very often. You’ve got to be rock-solid, stand the test of time, and really REALLY knock our socks off.

Hebrew The Chosen Beer Rye IPA did just that – knocked our socks off.

Part of the reason? The alcohol level: a whopping TEN PERCENT.

But, still, if you’re into that sort of thing, here you go. Time for the review of this stellar Rye IPA.

Taste

Like…drinking pure (alcohol-laden) gold. With rye and malt and hoppy goodness. And did we mention the alcohol? That, too. We sipped this like a whiskey, and that was plenty.

Technically, the name of this beer is “Bittersweet Lenny’s R.I.P.A.” The folks at Shmaltz have gotten quite a few accolades, too.

Profile

TEN PERCENT ALCOHOL BY VOLUME. Also, take a look at all the Malt and Hops info on the website, as that will spell out more than you need to know.

Value

Here’s where this stands out – since we got it in a “Mixed-Six” at the local store, it only cost us $1.66 per bottle. We just got one, but this is more on par with the Matilda type of brew. So you’re making out in the long run.

Metasip Grade: A

A solid A. Were it not for the alcohol content, we’d drink this every day, but it would put us on the floor. So we can’t do that – but, for a every once in awhile treat, you’ll be hard pressed to do better.