Chicagoland NE IPAs (2018)

I went to Forbidden Root this past Friday and had their NE IPA. It was damn good and true to the style. It reminded me of when Hubbard Streert doesn't screw up a batch.

 

Bitter pops told me they are receiving melletron on the 7th. Prob do a release sometime next week id guess. Didnt see it in the schedule this week.

 

Maybe they are putting off the release so it doesn't overlap with the release of Milkstachio on Wednesday since it is the same brewer?

 

If they were going to use that strategy, why not release the IPA first. It's not like a week of warm storage is going to harm Milkstachio like it would Mellotron

 

RAM Schaumburg has a new one called hop slush (StB just created the untappd profile for it). Available on draft/growler only. Going on tap sometime this week.

Citra/Mosaic/Galaxy

 

Not sure. It was an from an email from them that I got the information so it's not like I was able to speak back and forth with them. They post a lot on instagram, I'll keep watching that and report back anything I hear.

 

When you say "them/they", are you referring to Bitter Pops or Hop Butcher? I follow both on Twitter & IG, and am on Bitter Pops' e-mail list, but I don't recall seeing anything about this release. Not doubting you - just wondering if I'm missing out on an e-mail list (like I need another!).

 

I received this email from the Hop Butcher mailing list.

 

bitter pops. I emailed them asking directly about the beer

 

here is the email I got...

Thanks for the support! We will be doing something for the Mellotron & Milkstachio releases. I'm pretty sure we will be getting them around the 7th but our event might be a day or two after that. Hope to see you at it!

 

Thanks - that makes sense why I didn't get it if you had e-mailed them directly. I appreciate passing along the information.

 

Ram wheeling just released hop slush.

 

So who is swing by the RAM for slushes?

 

Its RAM Schaumburg. Here now, and hop slush is on point. My favorite hops and my favorite style. Too bad it's limited production and not in cans. I was able to pickeup crowlers though

 

Stopped by RAM and got my two crowlers for $20 tonight. Got home and one was bubbling/leaking so I was forced to open it at this late hour (there are worse problems to have). Hop Slush is really friggin good. It's a pale ale so obviously it doesn't have the body of Juicy but it really captures the NE pale in a way no other local brewery is doing as well

 

It doesn't distro, but if you're near NWI, Windmill Brew's "Two if by Citra" is fantastic and I can't stop guzzling growlers of it. Copy pasta from their website:

Two if by Citra
New England-style IPA - 6.0% ABV 40 IBU
$5 - 16 oz. | $3 - 8 oz. | $15 Growler
This beer is all Citra hop aroma and flavor with very little bitterness. It's sure to please fans of the style, make some new converts, and continue to anger those who don't think hazy IPAs should be a "thing".

 

I had a chance to have Hop Slush on tap yesterday and picked up two crowlers. Like others said, its REALLY good stuff. Obviously lighter in flavor and body than Juicy, but its one of the best APA's I've had and it captures the style really well. The aroma on this thing was huge!

 

Any chance Slush will be around later this evening? I haven't made it out to RAM yet, but have tomorrow off so its as good of an evening as any! Chicago is really starting to crank out some great NE IPA. there is probably no other city id rather live in at the moment as a beer drinker between the great local stuff popping up and the best distro in the country hands down.