Chicagoland Lagers (2021)

Check it out, lager love in the paper!

https://www.chicagotribune.com/dini...0211021-lughffeh5jasllrqz7o7qh4xca-story.html

 

I tried More's Dark Lager tonight.

They call it a Munich-Style Dark lager; it's listed on Beer Advocate as a European Dark Lager.

Easy to drink & mild, with notes of acorn*, cocoa powder** and dirt after a fresh rain***. It reminded me of a nice English mild; easy to drink with flavor but nothing overpowering.

A nice fall lager, in my opinion.

*no, I've never tasted an acorn, but this tasted like they smell
**no, I've never eaten straight up cocoa powder, but this tasted like that smells
***i refuse to disclose if I've ever eaten dirt after a rain

 

Beer tools. Suggest a style change. Report what's on the packaging.

Um, I *have* tasted acorn, not a flavor I'd like in a beer myself.

 

Roaring Table Kolsch hitting the market this week….

also, when does Magnetron return!?

 

Mu buddy brought over a growler of the Gold Finger Marzen & crowlers of their Pills and Vienna. All top notch. Probably be my next brewery visit.

 

Goldfinger's Vienna-Style Lager just blew me away.

Fresh bread, caramel & a hint of citrus.

Delicious and easy to drink.

I thought the Original Pils was great, but this was even better.

 

Another lager stunner from another new-ish Chicagoland brewery...Good Night Bamberg by Art History.

Holy Rauchbier, Batman!! This is a smoky beast of a beer that stands up to Schlenkerla as far as quality (I don't say that lightly), plus you're a lot more likely to find it fresh.

If you don't like rauchbiers, this won't change your mind as it's VERY true to style and isn't some wishy-washy "hybrid". However, if sometimes you want bacon and a bonfire in a glass, this is can't-miss.

 

Thank you @GuyFawkes. You are doing yeoman's work. Keep 'em coming!

 

I think I mentioned this in another thread, but of all the newer breweries around here, I'm most excited about Art History.

If you can make an excellent New England IPA AND a great classic lager, that's pretty exciting*.




*Hop Butcher has exited the chat.

 

Pipeworks "The Finest Doppelbock". Bold name...but goddamn, this was delicious.

Caramel, strawberry (!) & fall leaves in the nose and on the tongue. A bit on the thick side but not syrup-y.

Doppelbocks were my entry point to German beers (hello, Celebrator!) and this is, indeed, a fine example. Great for late fall/early winter; hearty, but not gonna knock you out.

Been a while since a Pipeworks beer blew me away!

 

New Oberpfalz in Griffith, IN has a Vienna Lager on draft right now that is killer. If your slumming in NW Indiana, it's worth the effort.

No bottles, but they do fill howlers (only their glass, fyi).

 

Anyone know if Goldfinger is canning the black lager?

Instagram pics have me DROOLING but Downers Grove is a bridge too far from Rogers Park...

 

Roaring Table has released a Czech-style Dark Lager, 12°, a collaboration with ZümBier. I'll be seeking this one out over the weekend.

I also had a can of Holiday Bock from Dovetail tonight which I enjoyed. It really is well suited for the holidays imo.

 

A friend sent me a pic of this on Thanksgiving, but didn't give me a review (just a drinker, not a connoisseur ).

He's a friend of ZumBier's owner, so a bit of a fanboy -- but when I saw it was a collab with RT I was hooked. ISO.

Interesting that RT is working on these collabs, did you try their Doppelbock collab with Black Lung?

 

I know you didn't ask me, but I'll answer anyway!

That doppelbock is FANTASTIC.

 

It was really an open question -- plus I knew there had been previous discussion, but didn't take the time to dig it up.

FWIW, and I've said it before, RT really impresses me with their Eastern European styles.

 

Mikerphone can be added to the list of breweries with 2 lukr taps!