Chicagoland NE IPAs (2018)

Discussion in 'Great Lakes' started by SeanBond, Aug 29, 2016.

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  1. sahd-1

    sahd-1 Savant (1,179) Jul 2, 2013 Illinois
    Trader

    The Open Bottle's Instagram posted a pic about 2 hours ago and Stratus was featured.
     
    #301 sahd-1, Sep 20, 2016
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  2. mbockstruck30

    mbockstruck30 Pooh-Bah (1,800) Dec 31, 2010 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Yeah, the founder (Ben Finch) was a marketing specialist and not a beer aficionado. So he did the right things to get a crap product out to a good market (I was surprised how much was actually distributed out of state). I am interested to see how they will do under new leadership. The taproom was always nice (even though Breakroom's beers were very mediocre). So we'll see it they can improve, but I'm not holding my breath.
     
    #302 mbockstruck30, Sep 20, 2016
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  3. FBarber

    FBarber Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,325) Mar 5, 2016 Illinois
    Mod Team BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    South Loop has some phenomenal beers. Their Columbian Coffee Exposition stout is one of the best coffee beers I've ever had. I had it against Sump and liked CCE better than Sump. Your Wish is Granted was great and I really enjoyed Alemerica. Good Ryes Wear Black is the only black IPA Ive ever liked.

    Also @SeanBond, the saison Paris on the Prairie is nelson hopped with lavender.
     
    #303 FBarber, Sep 20, 2016
    Last edited: Sep 20, 2016
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  4. FBarber

    FBarber Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,325) Mar 5, 2016 Illinois
    Mod Team BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    @GuyFawkes beat me to it, but yes, the name change had nothing to do with "failing" it was a trademark issue, which stinks because I liked the South Loop name.

    I've been drinking their beers since they were South Loop and they've been great all along.

    Also, its completely unfair to blame them for brewing a NE style IPA ... they're all the rage right now, why not try jumping on the hype train?
     
    #304 FBarber, Sep 20, 2016
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  5. SeanBond

    SeanBond Pooh-Bah (2,904) Jul 30, 2013 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Yeah, I knew the lavender part, just got lazy and left it out. I'm glad to hear their stuff is actually good; I figured it was mediocre given that I hadn't really heard much about the brewery. Definitely looking forward to checking their stuff out (and I really like their can art, if that matters).

    @sahd-1, good catch on the Open Bottle. Based on general observation (I don't go to OB so I could be wrong), it seems like they get stuff pretty quickly, so I assume the next few days for Chicago. I'll be watching all my usual spots, because I'd like to give the fresh batch a comparison to the 2 month old cans I had a week ago; given how solid they were, I'm looking forward to this month's Stratus.
     
    #305 SeanBond, Sep 21, 2016
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  6. FBarber

    FBarber Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,325) Mar 5, 2016 Illinois
    Mod Team BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    To be fair, some of it is mediocre - I didn't care for Falling Coconuts, and Witka was just average.

    I'm assuming Stratus is seeing general distro and based on that I'll plan to pick it up at Binnys this week ...
     
    #306 FBarber, Sep 21, 2016
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  7. GuyFawkes

    GuyFawkes Grand Pooh-Bah (5,630) Apr 7, 2011 Illinois
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I haven't loved them all, but the misses were more due to styles/ingredients I'm not fond of (saison/coconut/black IPA). When they do a style/ingredient I like (stout/coffee/DIPA) they kill it.

    I guess what I'm saying is I think they are really good at making beer. Which makes me VERY excited for their take on the NE IPA.
     
    #307 GuyFawkes, Sep 21, 2016
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  8. SeanBond

    SeanBond Pooh-Bah (2,904) Jul 30, 2013 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Looks like Stratus has landed in Chicago, so hopefully I'll be grabbing a 4-pack tonight. Remains to be seen whether it will continue to be a 4-pack by tomorrow, though...
     
    #308 SeanBond, Sep 21, 2016
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  9. GuyFawkes

    GuyFawkes Grand Pooh-Bah (5,630) Apr 7, 2011 Illinois
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for this one...
     
    #309 GuyFawkes, Sep 21, 2016
  10. HawksBeerFan

    HawksBeerFan Maven (1,378) Dec 24, 2011 Illinois
    Trader

    With the aging curve of NE IPAs I think it's probably already stale, better not go hunting
     
    #310 HawksBeerFan, Sep 21, 2016
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  11. SeanBond

    SeanBond Pooh-Bah (2,904) Jul 30, 2013 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I'm being completely serious when I say that this joke never gets old to me.
     
    #311 SeanBond, Sep 21, 2016
  12. HouseofWortship

    HouseofWortship Pooh-Bah (2,735) May 3, 2016 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    They should only be consumed in the vacuum of space or in the bright tank...
     
    #312 HouseofWortship, Sep 21, 2016
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  13. croush

    croush Pooh-Bah (2,407) Mar 20, 2015 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    By the time you see this NE IPA, you're too late. (That one could probably be used in relation to both its availability and its freshness)
     
    #313 croush, Sep 21, 2016
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  14. HouseofWortship

    HouseofWortship Pooh-Bah (2,735) May 3, 2016 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    That would actually be a good name for a beer.
     
    #314 HouseofWortship, Sep 22, 2016
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  15. croush

    croush Pooh-Bah (2,407) Mar 20, 2015 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Definitely...I was thinking a new Mikerphone IPA (considering it came from a musical reference).
     
    #315 croush, Sep 22, 2016
  16. croush

    croush Pooh-Bah (2,407) Mar 20, 2015 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Also, I grabbed a 4 pack of Stratus and popped a can. It's a nice fresh DIPA, and not too heavy, but I found nothing about it close to NE style.
     
    #316 croush, Sep 22, 2016
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  17. GuyFawkes

    GuyFawkes Grand Pooh-Bah (5,630) Apr 7, 2011 Illinois
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I'm struggling to find Stratus...haven't given up but I'm super curious after enjoying Cumulus.
     
    #317 GuyFawkes, Sep 22, 2016
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  18. croush

    croush Pooh-Bah (2,407) Mar 20, 2015 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Printer's Row had some, and I know that Capone's had some as well. Not sure if it lasted or not, though. Binny's Lakeview didn't have it yet, though, so who knows how the distribution is working.
     
    #318 croush, Sep 22, 2016
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  19. SeanBond

    SeanBond Pooh-Bah (2,904) Jul 30, 2013 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Which means...You liked it for a change, right? :wink:
     
    #319 SeanBond, Sep 22, 2016
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  20. croush

    croush Pooh-Bah (2,407) Mar 20, 2015 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Haha...sneaky. I actually do enjoy it. Nothing to go crazy for, but it's a solid beer...especially when it's under a week old like it is now.
     
    #320 croush, Sep 22, 2016
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