Chicagoland NE IPAs (2018)

Ha! I won way too much last night. So chatting about flowers is the right pace for me tonight. Back on topic, did share a crowler of Bendy Straw tonight. Great beer.

 

I think Hop Butcher just put out one of the better hazy IPAs I've had lately. Huge cantaloupe aroma, perfect lingering finish. Not necessarily full bodied comparing to some Gummy beers or Radio Swan, but the hops really shine with this one

 

Strap Metal the Double IPA in the purple can. Picked up a second 4 pack after having one can as it was very delicious.

 

Cracked open a can of Strange Old Woods after having it only on tap previously. This is really top tier in Chicago. Huge fruit aromas. Really one of the best from here. Feel dumb having had doubted it prior to tasting it.

 

Looks like I'll have to swallow my general dislike of Solemn Oath and give it a fair shot as well.

 

Mikkeller IPA's NEVER taste like they market them. It's also laughable they leave off brew dates on the cans. Amateur hour over there....

 

Anybody have thoughts on Mikerphone Disco Lemonade or either of the 2 new More brewing IPA's Tueka & Mozie released this week??

 

Im at More right now and had both beers you are mentioning. Mozie has a nice tropical nose and taste, but with some dank/green/earhy taste note in there too towards the end. Good, soft mouthfeel. Tueka feels a big lighter on the mouthfeel, doesnt have that dank note but also doesn't have the depth of flavor because of it. I prefered the Mozie but neither disappointed me.

 

I seriously can't tell if this is for real?

 

Never would have imagined a neipa from Solemn Oath, but they really killer it with this one. Had it on tap at Soverign in Plainfield and it was the real deal. Aroma alone had me sold on it. Granted it does have a lot of lime and finishes dryer then a lot or people would desire for the style, I much preferred the finish to a sweet finish.

 

100% real.

Dandelion greens are delicious. They're bitter, but tasty.

 

Truth.

 

Let's see if they can keep it rolling with other beers or if it is just this year's Galaxy Bowl....

 

Did a blind taste test this weekend of: Culumus, Reckless Keystrokes, Radio Swan, Son of Juice and Squeezit.

3 of the 4 people had the same beer as #1. Winner... Radio Swan.

1. Radio Swan
2. Squeezit
3. Reckless Keystroke
4. Cumulus
5. Son of Juice

 

That seems like how my ranking would go as well.

 

Those beers couldn't be more dissimilar though. How about comparing hazy NEIPAs to other hazy NEIPAs?

 

I believe they are all marketed as NE IPA's at least....

 

How are those beers dissimilar? At least in a hazy IPA sense...

 

1. Radio Swan- NE IPA
2. Squeezit - NE DIPA
3. Reckless Keystroke- NE DIPA
4. Cumulus - basically a tropical fruit West Coast IPA, about as much an NE IPA as the stuff from Half Acre
5. Son of Juice- NE Pale Ale

A better choice would be to compare Radio Swan to Van Hazen and other NE IPAs