Chicago Wild and Spontaneous Beers

We also get a bunch from distro too. What a time to be alive! Cheers!

 

Just picked this up, Middle Brow wild ale.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/34070/455904/

The description sounds interesting, but I can't help wondering if I'm ingesting athlete's foot. Such is my ignorance!! I'll try it soon... and I'm sure @nickMB can confirm how dumb my fear is.

"Other People is a beer brewed with some grapes that Bryan and Pete foot-stomped. At the earnest direction of their new friend, supernatural anti-interventionist winemaker Martha Stoumen. In 2019. Sonoma county Negroamaro and Sugar Creek barley. Fermented naturally with native grape yeast. Zero intervention. Pink funk."

Only available at Beer Temple, I believe.

 

Would also add Roaring Table to the conversation. In contention for best hoppy saison I’ve ever had. Galaxy used to perfection.

 

Saisons are...not wild ales? Or am I completely ignorant*?


*would not be the first time

 

The world of saison/farmhouse is vast. In my opinion, wild ales all fall in that giant genre.

 

I guess I'm assuming that Roaring Table doesn't brew these with open fermentation, but again, I may be very wrong.

Regardless, you put them on my radar, and I can't wait to try one of their brews!!

 

Whoops. Should have mentioned the beer was named “Just! Add! Baguette!” Neutral oak fermented blend of saison dry hopped with galaxy.

 

Noted!

I'm actually very surprised this brewery has evaded my attention for so long...living in the city, it's quite a haul, but I probably should have heard of them. I'll have to plan a trip soon...

 

I think we can officially add Dovetail to this list with all of the sponts they've been doing lately.

 

X04 is magic

 

It’s how they/we processed the natural wine, which is 49% of the drink...it’s a wine/beer hybrid collabed with a pretty iconic natural wine maker. Zero fear, it’s literally how a metric fuck ton of fine wines are made.

 

You should probably name a beer after this!

Cracking my Other People this Saturday, can't wait!!

 

I lol'd.

I think your suggestion bolded in the previous post would also be a good beer name...

 

Thanks -- you're going to see a lot more fruited varieties and blends in 2020. The blueberry is tasting amazing.

Just to clear up a common misconception -- but open fermentation does not mean "wild." When talking about wild ales, usually, it means that the beer was fermented, at least partially, but non-Saccharomyces yeasts or bacteria. Brettanomyces is probably the most well-known non-Sacch yeast that makes wild beers wild. This is a very simplified explanation! I suggest if you want to know more, Jeff Sparrow's Wild Brews is a great place to start.

Anyway, I only bring that up, because we do open fermentation at Dovetail for our non-wild beers. The yeasts at work are Saccharomyces, and nothing else.

 

It's not even noon and I've learned something today. Thanks!!

 

Une Année needs to be added to list as well.

 

So....Other People by Middle Brow was borderline incredible, IMO.

I remember Off Color making this point:

https://twitter.com/offcolorbrewing/status/1085002423222108161

And it totally checks out on this beer. It's not sour, at all, but has a pleasant funkiness that goes along with dry grape notes and hints of...wheat? Oats? My palate is failing me, but I found this balanced, tasty & unique. And not sour at all...just a really drinkable, interesting beer.

I'm hoping Beer Temple still has more for sale, as I'd like to grab a few more.

Well done, @nickMB !!

 

We still had a handful of bottles at the brewpub on Saturday...glad you dug!