Chicagoland NE IPAs (2018)

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

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  1. GuyFawkes

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

    So, I think I could safely be labeled a Hop Butcher fanboy ever since I had my first Milkstachio last Feb., just for a little background.

    I had my first Reply Hazy last night & I swear, I thought it was a saison. The yeast was overpowering; I could detect some fruit notes underneath it but this was, to my palate, basically a Belgian IPA.

    So yeah, for sure, palates differ...even your own as Sean said above. I'm hoping mine swings back in favor of Hop Butcher's NE IPA's soon!!
     
    #1601 GuyFawkes, Jan 4, 2017
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  2. SeanBond

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

    So here's my issue:

    I've mentioned I've never had a Trillium or Treehouse IPA, so based on what people have described, beers like SS and GB/RH are what I expected them to taste like, more or less. After people started complaining about GB b2's "Belgian" taste, I tried to taste it in Reply Hazy, and I see what their issue is. But again, this is what I expected from the style; I've complained that I think a lot of times the hops come through a little muted, and I definitely agree that that can be the case here (which is why I loved JIL). That's also why I was such a fan of Midway Chi PA; it wasn't as traditionally (or what I assume is traditionally) NE-styled, but it gave me a lot of hop flavor.
     
    #1602 SeanBond, Jan 4, 2017
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  3. HouseofWortship

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

    It's like the BA stouts at Fobab, a few years ago only a few brewers could really do them right, now it seems everyone knows what they are doing. Given the progress of some of the places over the past 4 months, the willingness to adopt the style and consumer interest in it, we'll see most of the smaller breweries making top notch NE IPAs within a year...and at a reasonable price point because that is what they'll have to start competing on.
     
    #1603 HouseofWortship, Jan 4, 2017
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  4. ratwheels

    ratwheels Initiate (0) Jan 12, 2011 Illinois

    After reading both of your posts, I can totally see how my initial post was interpreted. I definitely only trade $4$ with people I have either been friends with for years or with people I've met along my beer journey who share the same philosophy as I do about beer - it's better shared.

    I appreciate your clarification as well. And as others have said, the beer coming out of Chicago now is getting better and better. I can see how the cost of shipping is prohibitive for some, but as a personal preference, I really enjoy trying new breweries and their take on different styles (especially IPAs).
     
    #1604 ratwheels, Jan 4, 2017
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  5. ECCS

    ECCS Pundit (755) Oct 28, 2015 Illinois

    Edit - nvm. I was wrong

    Also- I have an IP trade line up for mellotron, Reply hazy, and JiL for this weekend. I'll post my top 3 of the year once I try them!
     
    #1605 ECCS, Jan 4, 2017
  6. GuyFawkes

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

    I don't get those Belgian vibes from Tree House though; just had Haze & Sap, neither had that Belgian vibe to me.

    I don't get it from Trillium either, but I'm not sure I think their beers are that great anyway...
     
    #1606 GuyFawkes, Jan 4, 2017
  7. ratwheels

    ratwheels Initiate (0) Jan 12, 2011 Illinois

    I definitely get what you're saying about RH. I get the same flavors you do. I did in GB as well. It's definitely not in any Tree or Trill brews I've had. If anything, with some Trillium and Veil, you'll get an "onion" flavor.
     
    #1607 ratwheels, Jan 4, 2017
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  8. SeanBond

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

    I guess to be clear, I just assumed there will be differences in taste due to yeast, but I figured that's just a personal preference sort of thing. I'm not saying that the "Belgian" thing is the ideal to me, just that most places have their own house yeast flavor, so I figured that was Hop Butcher's twist on it.

    Everyone should just be using the Alchemist's yeast, anyway. :wink:
    I really like oniony flavors in my beer, so that makes me hopeful for those beers to the East.
     
    #1608 SeanBond, Jan 4, 2017
  9. RBCBrams17

    RBCBrams17 Savant (1,037) Aug 22, 2014 Illinois

    To the few who were asking about the Marz NE MDW IPA, I had mine last night. I didn't have a chance to have it on draft for comparison, but I thought it was really good, absolutely worth getting. The hops flavors were very citrus forward and bright. The body was smooth, but not as full as the Hop Butcher beers, so thats a pro or con depending on your preference. I found it more similar to Juice is Loose than the recent Hop Butcher releases.

    Also for anyone who has seen it still on the shelf, the recent batch of Stratus by Hailstorm was like a completely different beer from the last batch. Its now in line with the style and was very tasty stuff while being easy to find compared to the others.
     
    #1609 RBCBrams17, Jan 4, 2017
    Last edited: Jan 4, 2017
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  10. galos11

    galos11 Savant (1,092) Jan 21, 2015 Illinois
    BA4LYFE Society Trader

    Completely agree with you on this batch of Stratus
     
    #1610 galos11, Jan 4, 2017
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  11. Born_A_Jee

    Born_A_Jee Initiate (0) Aug 1, 2013 Illinois

    I've had Galaxy Bowl b1 and LOVED it. I've had Galaxy Bowl b2 had some weird twang to it that made it no where near as good as b1 to me. Tried Reply Hazy recently. Starts off very good, but then that weird twang comes in at the back/aftertaste. Not as much as GB b2, but I still taste it. Good to see someone here on BA noticed it, as well as a couple others on Untappd. I don't claim to have a great palate that can pinpoint specific notes, but I'm glad I'm not alone on this. I thought maybe it was just me. I hope they can fix this because I can go for more of that first batch of Galaxy Bowl.
     
    #1611 Born_A_Jee, Jan 4, 2017
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  12. beerbelly_mike

    beerbelly_mike Initiate (0) May 19, 2016 Illinois


    I'm not sure if it is something they need to fix. There are many people who enjoy the "twang" in the beer. I absolutely love this beer. But love the difference of opinion everyone has on beer.
     
    #1612 beerbelly_mike, Jan 4, 2017
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  13. Born_A_Jee

    Born_A_Jee Initiate (0) Aug 1, 2013 Illinois

    Reply Hazy is getting a lot of good reviews so there are definitely a lot of people that either enjoy, don't mind, or can't detect that taste that's at the back end. I don't doubt that. Just my opinion, tho...If they don't get rid next of that twang in their next NE IPA and/or next batch of GB, then there will forever be more Hop Butcher IPAs for the rest of you because I'll move on to Mikerphone, Forbidden Root, Transient, RAM, etc. ;-)
     
    #1613 Born_A_Jee, Jan 4, 2017
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  14. SeanBond

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

    Yeah man, I can definitely see it in Reply Hazy. I still like it a lot, but almost in spite of that..."twang," and not because of it. I'm glad to hear that you think GB1 was mostly devoid of this, because I was starting to think I was losing my mind.
     
    #1614 SeanBond, Jan 5, 2017
  15. FlaviusG

    FlaviusG Zealot (637) Aug 15, 2009 Illinois
    Trader

    I have had very few Chicago NE IPAs but had the recent batch of Stratus over the weekend and thought it fit the bill
     
    #1615 FlaviusG, Jan 5, 2017
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  16. galos11

    galos11 Savant (1,092) Jan 21, 2015 Illinois
    BA4LYFE Society Trader

    [​IMG]

    Picture of the last batch.
     
    #1616 galos11, Jan 5, 2017
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  17. SeanBond

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

    That looks good, I won't lie. If I didn't have to finish off my cans of JIL and RH I'd probably grab some!
     
    #1617 SeanBond, Jan 5, 2017
  18. FBarber

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

    Oh wow, I am going to have to grab a 4-pack of the new batch. Whats the date on those cans?
     
    #1618 FBarber, Jan 5, 2017
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  19. Redsunsx01x

    Redsunsx01x Initiate (0) Jul 5, 2016 Illinois

    I had the same thought but with morning fog and JIL.
     
    #1619 Redsunsx01x, Jan 5, 2017
  20. beerbelly_mike

    beerbelly_mike Initiate (0) May 19, 2016 Illinois


    Ok,

    Have a feeling its the 12/21 cans. The haziness is spot on. There is a great mouthfeel. The issue, is there is a lot of bitterness still to this beer. I enjoy the beer, but for the style, may need one more tweak lol
     
    #1620 beerbelly_mike, Jan 5, 2017
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