Chicagoland Lagers (2023)

It’s tough to compete with a brewery like Augustiner.

Chicago has a pretty great lager scene, but the best thing to do is probably buy some Weihenstephaner original premium. Preferably the bottles, I think they beat the cans

 

Really digging that new Lager by Rev x Hopewell called Logan Export.

 

The cans of helles from weihenstephaner are a newer helles recipe/process that is not decocted like the original premium you find in bottles. Only a single infusion is used on the helles. I definitely prefer the bottles as well.

 

Goose Island Full Pocket Pils?

Anyone, anyone?

Looks like a lotta different malt for a Pils, but I want to try it.

 

Buddy of mine gave me a couple of cans of Noon Whistle's Bruski lager. A really solid lager.

 

I enjoyed this collaboration as well, silver medal winner for the three new lagers I tried this weekend.

1. Hop Butcher For The World SouthWerks (4.25) - Taproom draft & to go
2. Revolution / Hopewell Logan Export (3.75)
3. Dovetail / Revolution Hopfenlager (3.50)

Was also blown away by coming across Beachwood Amalgamator and new to me Hop Butcher Cali Cool WCIPAs this weekend. Gonna hit Roaring Table for the first time next Sunday (enjoyed several different offerings previous via cans and draft). Hope to come across a nice lager or two there.

 

Did I mention Maibock?

 

Hop Butcher only makes hazies bruh

 

Planning to head over this week, so hype for that RTB maibock! And the zwickel… Oh and the dark mild on cask!

 

Can highly recommend 2 of the 3 -- greatly anticipating the Maibock!

 

Took a chance on this and I have to say, it's pretty good. Nice doughy backbone to keep a good herbal hop character in control.

Anyone familiar with Olicana hops? Grapefruit, mangos, and passion fruit -- but I'm not getting that. Maybe a very light touch of citrus.

 

I think the best beer purchase I’ve made lately is Urban Chestnut’s DorfBier. This is stupidly drinkable and I can’t think of a local dunkel that I’d rank ahead of this.I’ve had Pipeworks
and Kinslahger lately. What do I need to put on my list to try?

 

I was looking at Art History's Dunkel* today, but I opted not to blow the budget. I've been impressed with some of their other lagers, so I'll definitely give it a chance.

*St. George's Day -- I see it's a collab with Church Street.

 

I had a couple of crowlers of Gold Fingers Vienna lager gifted to me. It is a really nice beer.

Just reminds me that a revisit to the taproom is in order.

 

Hopewell Stay Frosty is a sleeper, it’s a winter seasonal though. BiXi’s Train Station Dönner was really good. Goldfinger, Dovetail, Roaring Table, Riverlands, Metro, and Kinslahger all make a good Dunkel too.

 

If my math is right, Goldfinger, Roaring Table, Dovetail and Metropolitan all have their Maibocks starting to hit distribution this week. Nice!

 

My beer guy said he hasn't heard/seen anything about Dovetail. Didn't think to ask about Metro -- my bad.

 

Found the timing of you mentioning a Church Street/Art History collab ironic as I'd just had a can of their Rock of Ages steinbier collab the night before. This one was brewed at Church Street. It was excellent. Essentially, an amber lager with notes of caramel & a (very) faint subtle smokiness.

Description on can:
This amber lager was brewed with a unique technique used by European brewers hundreds of years ago. Super-heated stones were dropped into the wort, causing an intense caramelization of sugars in the liquid and a vigorous boil. The result is a delicious lager packed full of Maillard Products that give it a flavor unlike anything else.
5.4% abv

It was released 12/09/2022 (per facebook), so based on the 10/08/2023 'best by' date printed on the can, I assume it was most likely canned 12/08/2022. Anyway, I had picked up a bunch of lager singles at Beer on the Wall back in March, and this one got lost in the back of my fridge. However, I did not feel the 5 months of age affected this beer (which is not uncommon when it comes to lagers imo).

rest of my lager haul:
Dovetail Helles Lager
Roaring Table House Lager
Art History Bauhaus german-style pilsner
Art History Gravitace czech-style pale lager (czech-style pilsner)
Art History Varitace czech-style dark lager
Goldfinger Mexican-style Lager
Goldfinger Pils
Goldfinger Black Lager schwarzbier
Goldfinger Black Pils
Goldfinger Złotonator dopplebock

Can honestly say they all hit the spot, loving these lagers Chicago is producing!

 

Had my first Pollyanna Roselle Red tonight. That’s a nice beer. Super easy to drink, flavorful, paired well with pizza. Definitely seems like it flies under the radar compared to the more hyped places, but this might need to go in my regular rotation.