First time there. Was a pretty cool place, will definitely Lol, all good. Made it home ok. Did a stop at Orange & Brew then made our way back to home base in Oak Park. Did a quick stop at Poor Phil's then Beer Shop. First time at Orange & Brew and really liked the place. Will definitely be coming back when the weather is nicer. Trillium was solid but it's comparable to what you'd get from P3 or HB. But really liked the Abraxas they had on tap. Wanted to hit Goldfinger, but the weather turning by the time we left Orange & Brew.
What aspects are comparable between Trillium and P3/HB? Most all of the Trillium I have tried leans dry and pretty hop saturated. P3/HB lean sweet to very sweet. I haven't had Trillium in over a year though so that could have changed.
That particular Trillium brew (The Harbor Islands) was a bit drier and had a hoppy and very citrusy grapefruit peel characteristic to it. I do agree that P3 and HB produce sweeter hazy brews, but P3 brews like Unchecked Imagination, or Broken Orbs, Technical Knack Out (TKO) by HB are in the same ballpark (sure there are other from P3 or HB that I didn't mention). I did like that there was no (or very little) lactose in the Trillium brew unlike HB who's notorious for that. Would definitely buy a 4pack if I could get it for a decent price. Orange & Brew was charging $5.50 for a 5oz pour and $11.00 for a 12oz pour. So not outrageous considering how rare it is to get in the Chicagoland area.
Other Half dropped 3 returnees (Broccoli and two if the Double Mosaic Dream/Daydream named iterations). I grabbed a triple IPA from Weldwerks that I’m looking forward to dipping into today
Picked up the Weldwerks and HB collab The Best Citra. Best citra I’ve ever had was OG Pseudo Sue 12oz bottles personally but if you like citra you can’t go wrong here.
The two Trillium drafts (would guess sixtels, $6 4 oz; $17 pint) and the one can drop ($10 w/tax Liquid Metal) sold out quickly at Beer on the Wall Park Ridge. Hope other brewers see this and plan Chicago drops in 2023 for Max Profits. Beats a plane ticket plus car rental to reach Stowe.
BA Snowbirds was on the shelf at my local Binny's next to all the new OH/Binny's Stout collabs. Couldn't pull the trigger at $35.99, but definitely caught my eye.
Was reading the latest Binny's Beer Buzz newsletter and they're dropping another collab with Better Half and their Deep Orbit BA series. 3 different variants this time around. 16.9 oz bomber at $20.99 a pop. I grabbed their last collab a year or two ago called Nanna Rays and it was pretty good. Commander Cavendish: Expect a rich melding of coconut and banana on the nose, followed by bourbon-soaked vanilla beans. A wave of sweet chocolate enrobes the palate, giving way to a rush of coconut. The lasting finish delivers the richness of crème de cocoa and caramel, along with a burst of chocolate cherry cordial. A dessert in and off itself, we can’t help but suggest you give this a try alongside some bananas foster bread pudding. Maple Borealis: The nose here is breathtaking, an alluring mix of chocolate, maple, and vanilla, with a dusting of cinnamon. Voluptuously thick upon the tongue, flavors of French toast and bourbon maple syrup are topped with deeply caramelized banana. The indulgent chocolate covered finish is livened by bright banana fruitiness, giving way to soft dessert spices and lingering maple. Also a wonderful partner for bread pudding, this 14.5%er makes a great brunch pick me up alongside pancakes, waffles, or French toast. Macaroon Moon: Aromas of toasted coconut, macadamia nut, and bourbon slowly rise glass, comingling into one mouthwatering mix. Bright and spirited across the tongue, it delivers the flavor of bourbon chocolate truffles, rolled in coconut. As it warms, the flavors and aromas become even more enticing, with vibrant vanilla stealing the show. The quality of ingredients and the deft manner by which they are incorporated here is a cut above. If you’re looking for a show stopping two step dessert, simply pop off the cap, and pour this into glasses.
I’ve had A LOT of other half (not a brag, just the truth). Snowbirds, especially BA, is the best stout they make or have collaborated on. But yes, that $36 is a tough ask.
I spent more money than that, but at least it was on a nice bourbon. You're not helping my initially strong position of turning my back on it today...
Three beers from Green Man in Asheville, NC spotted at Bottles & Cans today...an ESB, a Porter and a Hazy IPA. I grabbed a can each of the ESB & the Porter...and the Porter is tasting pretty damn fine!
Anyone seen good non-hazy IPAs drop recently? Had a great one last fall from Beachwood but haven’t seen much lately.
Should have mentioned that I don’t think you can find revision at Binnys. Their distributor doesn’t work with binnys. probably best to go to a well curated bottle shop
@BobCobb Archer Liquors near Midway usually carries it - haven't been there since I moved west though, so I don't know what dates look like these days.
