Chicagoland NE IPAs (2018)

I think consistently good. They aren't making the best stuff but I've at least enjoyed almost all of their ipas. Almost the exact opposite of Windmill honestly.

 

But is there really separation at the top?

I don’t think we have consensus yet. I think there are a large amount of quality offerings, but I think there is a lot of debate as to what makes a hazy beer stand out. Is it aroma, flavor, body, texture, intensity, repeatability? What do each of us of value? There certainly isn’t a conclusion on this thread

 

I'm not really sure I get this opinion/agree with it at all. There are tons and tons of breweries in the city making very good NE IPAs. Go walk into any decent bottle shop and you'll be overwhelmed with options.

Just because it's a hip style right now doesn't mean there should be a disproportionate number of breweries producing beers in that style.

 

As @SeanBond said, Corridor and Forbidden Root had pretty much been established as the top tier on the forum awhile ago. Obviously that’s not a 100% consensus, but the overall feeling ove the past 18-24 months has been that they are the tops.

 

You guys made me bust out the archives.

 

I probably try a fairly proportionate number of NE IPA style beers from both the suburbs and the City. This list is perfect in my opinion. They all can make great examples of this style and have done so repeatedly. I am glad you did not rank them as I would honestly struggle to single them out other than FR and Corridor are probably a level up on their city counterparts.

All the suburban brewery's you listed either produce alot for the style, which will yield a miss here and there due to the sheer volume (ala Mikerphone, Hop Butcher) or do not produce as much but always have a shining example of the style (ala Pollyanna, Brickstone).

 

i should have clarified to say high quality. whenever a visitor asks who the top tier producers are or which cans to buy, the top 3 are almost always Corridor, Forbidden Root, and Hop Butcher.

some breweries will put out the occasional NEIPA that is very good, but I wouldn't consider them to be close to the same level as the top producers. I realize the style is still catching on, but I thought there would be more competition at the top.

 

I mean, I've had quite a few NE IPAs from the "top" producers in the style from around the country and I don't see a noticeable different in quality between them and the breweries you mentioned.

 

Hop Butcher is kind of a wild card. Sometimes it's awesome, sometimes it's meh. I agree though, I would recommend those 3 for cans. If Maplewood would start canning some new recipes they would jump up there.

 

Hop Butcher is in the top tier IMO if you are buying a 4 pack. That's because if you drink 1 can a week for a month you are guaranteed to have at least 1 amazing beer in that time since the hop flavors change so much with them so quickly.

 

I still have a can of Galaxy Bowl from several months ago. The other 3 were not great so this one must be the winner.

 

I think your post was tongue in cheek, but this is exactly why HB is not a top producer IMO. Very few hits for me, along with a handful of good beers and then a handful of strange tasting ones.

 

I seriously think they are top tier and their issue is they don't release the beers at peak "ripeness". With the exception of GB, every 4 pack I've bought eventually has at least 1 outstanding beer in it. I've had some drink perfect at purchase and some that take 6 weeks to mellow, but eventually they are outstanding.

 

Speaking of Hop Butcher, does anyone know if they are building a brewpub? I talked to the owner a few months back and he said they were looking for a spot in the city.

 

What happened to the old Aquanaut space? Did another brewer take over, is it vacant, etc.?

 

Smylie Brothers is doing something there. That space can't be a taproom though, I think, due to proximity to a school.