Chicagoland NE IPAs (2018)

Discussion in 'Great Lakes' started by SeanBond, Aug 29, 2016.

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  1. KCUnited

    KCUnited Savant (1,038) Nov 11, 2014 Arizona
    Trader

    I think there may be something in the yeast Mike uses that makes his SS beers different, which might be why the different hopped versions have different appearances (pure speculation on my part). I didn't think SS6 (Equinox) was nearly as hazy as some of the others. I'm going off memory, but I believe he uses Imperial Organic Citrus, which I know nothing about.

    I admittedly have a pretty loose definition of a NEIPA, but I think using the #nothingliketreehouse™ criteria is unfair and likely to create a lot of laughable comparisons regarding local attempts at the style.
     
    #141 KCUnited, Sep 7, 2016
  2. GuyFawkes

    GuyFawkes Grand Pooh-Bah (5,630) Apr 7, 2011 Illinois
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Heresy alert: I like Special Sauce #5 & #7 as much as any Treehouses I've had; that includes Julius, Green & Haze.

    I'll duck the incoming tomatoes...
     
    #142 GuyFawkes, Sep 7, 2016
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  3. SeanBond

    SeanBond Pooh-Bah (2,904) Jul 30, 2013 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I didn't mean it in the sense that I want the basic principles to be different (similar manner of brewing/hopping/yeast used), I just meant that I don't want an exact clone of what they do (just like someone brewing a Zombie Dust clone would be lost on me). I think the basic principles of the style are fine (the opaque haziness, juicy taste, soft/thick mouthfeel, etc.), I just am okay with a little variation here and there. Unless I'm misunderstanding your hashtag, and it's referencing something else completely different.

    This is the beauty of people's palates, and one of my favorite things about beer. It's infinitely amusing to find how drastically different people's opinions on the same things are. You and I may taste 3 IPAs and agree on 2 of them down to the slightest detail, and then on the 3rd you're sure it tastes like cheeseburgers and sour patch kids, and I think it tastes like a monkey's dreams and banana smoothies.

    (I haven't had Treehouse stuff, so I couldn't tell you if they're more on the side of a cheeseburger or a simian's sleeping patterns)
     
    #143 SeanBond, Sep 7, 2016
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  4. KCUnited

    KCUnited Savant (1,038) Nov 11, 2014 Arizona
    Trader

    No, I agree with you. My hashtag was just a general comment about people's, mine too, initial instinct to compare, anything really, to their perceived top of the category. I like the variations as well, but since NEIPA isn't defined and has some noticeable differences even between NE brewers, it makes it difficult to say something brewed anywhere else and with different variations, is nothing like [x beer], especially not knowing the brewers intent.
     
    #144 KCUnited, Sep 7, 2016
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  5. SeanBond

    SeanBond Pooh-Bah (2,904) Jul 30, 2013 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Ah okay, I did read it wrong. I thought you might have meant that, but since it was right after my comment, I went the other direction.

    I totally agree--If Julius is your favorite IPA currently, it makes sense to compare it to...whatever (SS, for example), and decide what comes out on top. But you're right, across the board comparison is doing no one any favors, and will hold back diversity.
     
    #145 SeanBond, Sep 7, 2016
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  6. croush

    croush Pooh-Bah (2,407) Mar 20, 2015 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I am of the same mindset, except replace SS#7 with #6. I also haven't had Haze yet (although I've had a ton of Trillium beers and I liked SS#5/6 better than just about any of those).
     
    #146 croush, Sep 7, 2016
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  7. Chuckdiesel24

    Chuckdiesel24 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,208) Jul 6, 2016 Illinois
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Definitely there's a natural tendency to compare something to your favorite.
    Also - there's just the fact that it would be nice to be able to get a beer very similar to the TH IPAs on a regular basis. I can't fly to Massachusetts every month, but I can stalk the internet for special sauce every few weeks. It's not exactly the same - but neither is but it has enough qualities similar to TH that I really enjoy it.

    Also - like that enough brewers are trying this so you get unique takes on the style and lots of tasty beer
     
    #147 Chuckdiesel24, Sep 7, 2016
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  8. SeanBond

    SeanBond Pooh-Bah (2,904) Jul 30, 2013 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Frankly, this is one of the main reasons I even give a shit about these "NE IPAs" we're getting here in Chicago; I've been hearing about this craze for a while now, so it's fun to give them a try (and I'm a huge hophead, so it's also one of my favorite beer styles to experiment with).
     
    #148 SeanBond, Sep 7, 2016
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  9. GuyFawkes

    GuyFawkes Grand Pooh-Bah (5,630) Apr 7, 2011 Illinois
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Went back to my bottle shop looking for more Cumulus...long gone now. Got a Prairie Madness instead, anyone try that?

    I'm assuming it's not in the New England/Northeast vein.
     
    #149 GuyFawkes, Sep 7, 2016
  10. FBarber

    FBarber Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,325) Mar 5, 2016 Illinois
    Mod Team BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Its just a traditional IPA - the NE style lineup is labeled as such.
     
    #150 FBarber, Sep 7, 2016
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  11. thewimperoo

    thewimperoo Maven (1,358) Oct 1, 2006 Illinois
    Trader

    If you're in the Western Suburbs, the Sal's in Villa Park on Roosevelt has a bunch of Cumulus cans still. As well as a fresher batch (8/20) of Prairie Madness then I've seen at a few other spots in the area.
     
    #151 thewimperoo, Sep 7, 2016
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  12. GuyFawkes

    GuyFawkes Grand Pooh-Bah (5,630) Apr 7, 2011 Illinois
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    In the city, so that's out of my reach unfortunately.

    Is your BA name a reference to Tom Paciorek by chance?!
     
    #152 GuyFawkes, Sep 7, 2016
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  13. thewimperoo

    thewimperoo Maven (1,358) Oct 1, 2006 Illinois
    Trader

    Yes it is.
     
    #153 thewimperoo, Sep 7, 2016
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  14. SeanBond

    SeanBond Pooh-Bah (2,904) Jul 30, 2013 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    It looks like Son of Juice has started to trickle in/around Chicago; I'll be giving my impressions tomorrow, hopefully.
     
    #154 SeanBond, Sep 8, 2016
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  15. GuyFawkes

    GuyFawkes Grand Pooh-Bah (5,630) Apr 7, 2011 Illinois
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    How is this different from Juice Pants? Anyone know?
     
    #155 GuyFawkes, Sep 8, 2016
  16. galos11

    galos11 Savant (1,092) Jan 21, 2015 Illinois
    BA4LYFE Society Trader

    Where have you seen it? Still trying to get my hands on one...
     
    #156 galos11, Sep 8, 2016
  17. GuyFawkes

    GuyFawkes Grand Pooh-Bah (5,630) Apr 7, 2011 Illinois
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Bottles and Cans does NOT have it per my phone call 2 minutes ago.
     
    #157 GuyFawkes, Sep 8, 2016
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  18. Born_A_Jee

    Born_A_Jee Initiate (0) Aug 1, 2013 Illinois

    Lower ABV compared to Juice Pants. Don't know about other details.
     
    #158 Born_A_Jee, Sep 8, 2016
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  19. SeanBond

    SeanBond Pooh-Bah (2,904) Jul 30, 2013 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Different hops, for one (simcoe, mosaic, nugget vs. mandarina, citra and motueka in the most recent batch of JP). SoJ is brewed with oats, and I'm not sure JP is (which would partially explain why JP is completely clear while SoJ seems to be hazy). Not sure about the yeast, although without tasting SoJ my guess is that they both use Conan (because I would imagine there have to be some similarities in the beers to warrant the "son of" moniker).

    I saw it at Warehouse. Per Maplewood, it's appearing all over Chicago/burbs today. They're also brewing another batch, so hopefully this isn't your only shot at it.
     
    #159 SeanBond, Sep 8, 2016
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  20. GuyFawkes

    GuyFawkes Grand Pooh-Bah (5,630) Apr 7, 2011 Illinois
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Crap. I'm just not a mosaic fan (as the most recent Pipeworks Mosaic ninja release painfully confirmed).
     
    #160 GuyFawkes, Sep 8, 2016
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