Chicago Wild and Spontaneous Beers

Not everything was bottled/kegged/sold...third coast soif coming up in March and we’ll be there again (natty wine fest if y’all don’t know)...stay tuned.

 

We stopped in on our way back to the airport last week and i contemplated buying this, but our luggage was already all packed up and getting close to overweight with other beers.
Now I'm kicking my ass I didn't make the effort. Everything we had there was great.

 

I bought 3 Other People from BT on this thread’s recommendation alone.

 

Love the spon beers from Transient over the last year. Just picked up the two collabs with Speciation, Side Shift and Turn Radius, and was wondering if anyone has tried them yet?

 

Hello Speciation in Chicagoland!

 

I forgot to mention Penrose, they’ve been doing it long enough that they released an authentic lambic style beer last fall, WITH Strawberries. It was one of the best American made Lambic id come across. (Better from bottle than draft though)

 

Also Whiner deserves a mention here. They are doing some great saisons/wilds. I think they do some 100% spontaneous as well.

 

Michigan wild ale available in Chicago alert: Magic Trait from Speciation Artisan Ales blew me away. Copped it from Bottles & Cans; I believe they'll be stocking more from them in the future.

VERY fruit forward (blackberry, black currant & blueberry) with a strong tartness that never descended into puckering sourness. Can't wait to try more from them!

 

Yes, never heard of the brewer until I had this pour at The Beer Temple two weeks ago.

Bright purple pour, tart blackberry and blueberry aroma, sour very tart blackberry taste, bold and refreshing. Sweet, dry. Light body, dryness lingers. Lay Down the Funk! (ratings 4.25, 4.75, 4.5, 4.25, 4.5). One of my highest rated wild ales, will be seeking more pours from this brewer.

 

You guys are getting spoiled down there. I've made a couple trips to Off Color recently, and I am definitely a big fan. I'll have to check out one of these other spots you've all mentioned next time I'm down in the city.

 

Wish off color would have made enough to bottle Cygnet.

 

Grabbed one of those intriguing 8.5oz bottles of Off Color wild ale recently: Wildlings.

"Native fermented wild ale aged in foedre"; the secret ingredient is native yeast harvested from Michigan blueberry skins. Looks like they released this in November 2019.

WOW. Delicate notes of white grape, lemon, honeyed wheat & faint clove; I swear I pick up some blueberry notes too but it might be the power of suggestion. Not puckering but certainly with a pleasant funk. One of the better beers I've had recently.

It wasn't cheap, at $4.65 plus tax at Bottles & Cans, but if there's more there when I go back this weekend I'm buying them out.

Huzzah!!

 

8.5oz bottles. Is that the size of those wine cooler size bottles that they sell everything from mixed drinks to wine to mead to champagne in? (I think of them as bottles to take hiking, for the river, etc.)?

 

I don't buy/look for bottled mixed drinks, wine coolers or wine, and most of the mead bottles I see are bigger, so I can't really comment on that aspect.

However, these would be quite convenient for outdoor adventures where you might want to retain a modicum of sobriety so...yes, I think?

 

Should be said that these are typically sold as 4pks for like 15 or 16 bucks. This format is relatively cheap per ounce and provides 4 different chances to open a bottle.

 

Yep - that is how I have seen some mead - as a mixed 4 pack. Bought my wife some for kayaking.

 

I've been drinking more & more Off Color over the last 6+ months & have really been enjoying it. Their year round core beers are diverse & they have a great wild program.

I think they still fly relatively under the radar for the Chicago scene since their wilds aren't "sour bombs" or "fruit bombs" , just super well made & balanced beers. I also love the move to the 4 packs of 250ml & honestly wish they would move their whole wild program to that format & not put anything into 750ml.

Late last year I made a run to the Mousetrap & picked up Wildings, April Rain, Miscellanea Vol.2, House Loin, Predator Noir & Squoke. I've tried them all except Squoke so far & found them unique & really tasty. With the first 4 being in the 4 packs it was great to try them over multiple servings too.

PS. House Lion should be 4x16 the next time it's released. It's a great table saison & I found myself wanting a larger portion than the 250ml given it's low ABV & drinkability

 

Couldn't agree more. The quality of pretty much everything Off Color puts out is crazy high. Gator Time was one of my favorite beers of 2019.