Chicagoland NE IPAs (2018)

I figured out that was the taste I was getting after I looked up the description again. Its still very good IMO

 

Has anyone tried El Train by Cruz Blanca? They don't say NE style, but they do call it hazy and a modern IPA. Looks like they are doing a bottle release tomorrow, the 9th. Based on the description, the hop profile looks good with Citra, Mosaic, and Simcoe. But they also mentioned toasted malt, which seems out of place for the style.

 

Looks like maybe Alarmist might be doing one now too? They also don't say NE style, but two recent pics on Untappd for Alarmist Pantsless Pale look pretty hazy? and Alarmist says it has 'gentle bitterness'.

 

Can we declare April Lager and Pilsner month? And have everyone just make those so I can take a month off from having to buy the new, interesting looking IPA or Stout?

 

Well.... when I lived in Prague you could get "unfiltered" Pilsner Urquell.
LOOK AT THAT HAZE! Note: this is not my picture.

 

For all you transient fans, looks like we can expect Juice is loose in October:




http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/07/us/oj-simpson-parole-hearing/

 

I might check out the release on the way home. I stopped in there a couple weeks ago and it's a pretty cool place.

 

Who went and how was it?

 

Forbidden Root's Death by Snu Snu is really solid. I've been impressed by their other offerings, but this one exceeds all of the others. They really nailed the water profile.

If they removed the grape juice, added a touch more residual sugars from the malt bill without adding much caramelized sugars, and increased the late addition (flameout) and dry hops, I think they'd be leading the pack here in Chicago. Sounds like a lot, but these are all minor changes, and they definitely seem to know what they're doing.

 

Just to clarify, I actually really enjoy the grape juice addition, but if we're ranking Chicagoland NE IPAs, adjuncts make it difficult to compare.

 

So just a little update on the Forbidden Root and Caviar service. It appears you receive free delivery on your first order with Caviar as well as the promo code. Now it looks like 2 growlers would cost me around $38.

 

Sadly I didn't end up making it out to the DryHop tap takeover thing despite really wanting to go. Hope someone else here can give a report on it.

I haven't seen bottles of that Hubbard's Cave fresh hop simcoe around but I haven't been searching that hard. Anyone else had it?
Binny's on grand still has some of the lemondrop hanging around and I really liked that one.

 

Went to the tap room last weekend and had both single hop IPAs. Both are fantastic and were available for purchase at the tap room. The Simcoe IPA had a great pineapple flavor to it and I would've ordered a full one if we weren't trying a bunch of the great fruity sour stuff they do.

 

I had both and thought the simcoe and lemondrop were comparable. I actually liked the lemondrop a bit better - it felt like it bit into the sweet yeast they lose a bit more.

 

New Forbidden Root

Say hello to our little friend, Yayo. An 8.5% DIPA packed with Jacob, Mandarina & Simcoe hops. Oh, and a little Lupulin Powder, too.