Chicagoland NE IPAs (2018)

Boo. That picture looked just like Juicy and it made me excited, oh well

 

I'm going off memory of the article, the print may not have been fine, it may have just been stated in normal font. I remember seeing it though because I was thinking the same thing looking at that pic.

 

I also think there were multiple photographs at different stages of the brewing process. The fine vs regular print was more for my accuracy.

#hazyphotogate

 

18th street came out with a small batch series called teddy bear picnic. It's definitely in this vein of a hazy NE IPA - brewed with mango. It's a bit drier and not quite as juicy as some of the other beers in the style but I definitely enjoyed it.

 

Glad to hear a report on this. I saw that release and thought about trying to get some, but didn't know how quickly they sold out (if at all). Plus, my ride back got taken over by a longer stop in Kalamazoo.

 

Last night I had Special Sauce #9 alongside Congress Street, Dialed In Pinot Gris, Citra Cutting Tiles (all Trilliums) & Heady Topper.

I liked Special Sauce 9 the best! Really strong peach notes, dry (but not bitter) finish.

This was a nice batch IMO.

 

When were the others bottled? Is it just freshness?

 

Congress St. canned 10/27, Dialed In canned 10/10, Cutting Tiles canned 10/25, no date on the Heady but supposedly canned late October.

 

Having now had beers from Trillium, Treehouse and all sorts of other NE style IPAs from the Chicago area, I must say, I am getting a bit tired of the style. I really didn't think the Treehouse stuff was all that amazing, it was actually quite comparable to something like Special Sauce. I definitely enjoyed the Trillium stuff more than the Treehouse I had.

I think there is definitely something lost in a lot of these "NE IPAs" due to the haze/mouthfeel and I think I liked Trillium so much because they were able to cut through that aspect and still make a subtle flavorful beer. You get the more obviously "juicy" flavors with NE IPAs but lose on the backend with depth IMO.

This is just one man's opinion though. I think I will be less inclined to hunt these beers down or trade for them with the amount of amazing stuff in Chicago, or even national stuff. Geez I'm starting to see Celebration, let's go!

 

It's funny, I may be the only one on here going in the OPPOSITE direction. All I want from IPA's is the NE style right now.

"Regular" IPA's taste either like cloying American Barleywines or monstrously bitter bombs to me.

I just want that fruity, soft, pleasant NE vibe all day.

 

Same for me... zombie dust tasted thin and bitter last week. And ZD was my all time fav IPA for a long time.

 

I pass on Zombie Dust all the time now. (And don't get me started on their bombers IPA/DIPAs) But I'm probably pretty extreme when it comes to preferring non-West Coast IPAs. I never loved any of the midwest stuff other people enjoy. I've never enjoyed any Bells or Founders offering. I think the Pipeworks Ninja series are pure malt bombs. (Lizard King and the fish series are enjoyable for me) I'm not a NE-style snob, but the only pale's I really drink anymore are that style, or something close.

 

I think it's a bit funny to see people saying they don't want malt bombs or bitter bombs, while also saying Zombie Dust never did much for them.

 

Agree on Teddy Bear Picnic -- slightly more bitter and not quite as soft as stuff from Trillium or Treehouse, but overall I would definitely consider it "NE-style." I also thought it was a very good beer.

Drip was great too, maybe even better IMO, but more a typical West Coast DIPA.