Chicago Stout Releases (2020)

What the hell happened to Greenbush? 9 years ago they were the flavor of the day and the most hyped thing in Chicago for a brief period. Now I never hear about them. I picked up a Delusion, which used to be a phenomenal beer, but now is just a thin, overcarbed, flavorless mess.

 

It is the classic perspective v. reality argument. Back then, there were nowhere near as many local boutique breweries competing for shelf space. There was no Noon Whistle, Mikerphone, More, Pollyanna, etc. Craft breweries were Bells, Goose, Greenbush, Founders, Rev, etc.

Now, with so many Illinois breweries to choose from, you start to forget the out-of-state breweries that have been around for years. To answer your question, I made two trips to MI last year and visited Greenbush (twice), Odd Side and Ghost Isle. Greenbush was an absolute madhouse...two hour wait for restaurant, annex across the street packed. Every beer we tried was excellent, Brother Benjamin is still pretty much the best Honey DIPA around (Try a taste test with Hopslam if you want some entertainment) and the atmosphere was outstanding. Same goes with Odd Side, yet you hear nothing about them on here. Their taproom is gigantic and it was near capacity when we were there.

If you can avoid the "newest, best thing" syndrome, you can really enjoy some great beer nowadays. I think someone posted something similar in the FFF thread, which is probably the best brewery example of this.

 

I’ve been wanting to bring this up for a while but wasn’t sure how to approach the question...but the comment from @HouseofWortship made me think of it again.

I see quite a few sentiments like this “this beer isn’t what it was X amount of time ago” and I’ve always thought: is it possible the beer hasn’t really changed, but the perception, of the drinker, has? I want to preface this by saying: I am in NO way saying the beer hasnt changed...but with the extremes to which beers are made these days, I find it highly likely that the palate develops and your baseline for a beer changes. Stouts get thicker and thicker, so the minute a stout isn’t as thick as the last one, it’s automatically “TOO THIN!” Again, I’m not saying these beers haven’t changed...but relying on your memory or your palate should be questioned.
This isn’t directed at you @HouseofWortship but it just reminded me of something that’s been nagging at me for a while now.

 

Yes and no. In some cases this works. In the case of the Delusion I had, no. It literally was a different beer. I've had this many times over the past 5 or 6 years and back in the day the closest available comp was BCBS which is much thicker, but Delusion never previously came off as thin to me or I wouldn't have continued to purchase it.

 

Is Greenbush putting out new stuff in distro in MI? The old places like Pipeworks, Rev, HA, FFF all continue to push new stuff into distro keeping the brand fresh. Greenbush just seems stale....

 

I think @Shriner nailed it...this brewpub is PACKED all year long and is stupid busy in the summer. They've nearly taken over the entire street they're on at this point due to expansions.

They're printing money in Sawyer, so the Chicago market probably isn't their focus...nor is distro at all, I'd bet.

 

I know it's not Chicago, but I had a Da Beetus from 608 in WI. That...was the diabetic life. I also don't understand the high acclaim that beer garners in ratings like Untappd. They must've literally poured sugar into the can. I like my coffee black to begin with, and this is like a cup of coffee that had a 1lb bag of sugar dumped into it.

Off topic, but nothing is as diabetic as Da Beetus...The name fits and I don't want the disease or the beer.

 

Can't speak to this beer in particular, but I'm wondering if the high ratings are because the name itself is either A) preparing people for the sweetness or B) specifically attracting people with high tolerance for sugar in their stouts. Sort of like how beers that claim to be NE will get demolished if they're not hazy, I wonder if setting expectations is what explains the scores.

I'm personally a fan of stouts that lean to the sweeter side, so I can see liking this more (assuming it has actual flavors as well) than the average person on this site.

 

Benthic 2 packs are back at Bottles & Cans.

 

https://www.boulevard.com/2019/10/04/blvrd-barrel-aged-pack-2019/

Did this ever hit Chicago? I was hoping to try them but never saw it...

 

I don't think so. A couple weeks ago I asked at AH, and he checked the computer. Despite it being on the new arrivals page, no store had received nor sold any. Oak Brook was the only location to show two cases ordered but evidently they never got it. He had no explanation.

 

dont think these have been mentioned yet, lets keep this thread goin -

pb + choco stout - transient x open bottle @ open bottle this sunday - https://www.facebook.com/events/2433810686884081/

& spiteful's ba malevolance is making a return jan 31st

 

Oakbrook got it. I bought it a few weeks back from there.

 

How were they? Any standouts?

 

I haven't had them all yet. I tried the cabernat one, which I enjoyed. I didn't think it was amazing, but pretty solid.

 

I agree with you, I had a batch of Delusion from 2014 that was simply amazing. It had a great thick creamy character, strong bourbon burn, sweetness, chocolate notes it was all there. I bought it again the next year and it was just good BA stout. Tried it again a year or two later and same thing... it never lived up to that one batch.

I know they have used different barrels, but I believe the great one I had was aged in Koval Whiskey barrels.

I do acknowledge that taste changes over time but still I think they struck gold with one batch and haven't seemed to replicate it.