How has this thread not been created yet? Off Color hosts Chicago Craft Gin Week, kicking off this Sunday. They feature gin cocktails and gin barrel aged beer. I’ve wanted to try some of their gin beers but haven’t been able to make it to the city in years past. Does anyone have experience with these off color releases? Does beer like this cause a stir in the city, worthy of making sure I’m there when the doors open? Or will it be available for a few hours/days?
I would be shocked if this stuff isn't available for at least a month. Even these very small batch beers (< 200 bottles) they've been releasing over the past year have lasted weeks if not months.
I often ask that. But as a lurker, I’m never likely to start it myself. I’ve been really enjoying their saison/farmhouse/Belgian offerings since fall. Kilobeer is nice. I’d love to see them keep expanding their Belgian offerings, which I think so few places do nearly as well. Plus Scurry. I love Scurry. I’m not a fruit/sour kind of guy, but I keep thinking I need to muster the courage to try one from Off Color. They seem like a good place to start with more adventurous stuff. But I always chicken out. And I still think Apex in 12 packs would be a fine thing in the world.
That’s my world. Here are some good beers to start with. Things that are subtle but complex. 1) Jolly Pumpkin Bam Biére and/or Calabaza Blanca 2) Afterthought Nobel and/or Tradition 3) Orval 4) rodenbach Grand Cru none of these have fruit but will all be a great way to dive into beers driven by different yeasts you likely haven’t experienced yet.
Thanks! I have definitely been digging the mixed fermentation from Off Color (Very Busy Predator + Kilo Beer). I think I’ve had Orval and Rodenbach… but a loooong time ago when all I knew after a few days in Brussels was, “Belgians really know how to make beer.” Used to shop the import aisle a lot more back then.
I see You Never Take Me Anywhere Nice listed on their site as a "core can". Is that a regular offering from them? Does it see distro? Somehow I missed it when I was there last fall.
Off color is unique in that they’ll do mixed fermentation with multiple clean yeast as well as mixed ferm stuff that includes wild yeast and/or souring bacteria like lactobacilous (the bacteria that ferments your yogurt). Most other breweries calling their beers mixed ferm will typically have some acidity. But off color is right that mixed ferm doesn’t necessarily mean sour. they’ll will die on that hill, and rightly so. All the beers I mentioned will be mixed ferm that creates some acidity. But none of these should be too intense. The Rodenbach might be a step above the others, but it’s one of the best food pairing beers of all time. The right pairing helps the acidity make more sense initially. Stuff like cheese, fatty meats, ect
I think my only criticism of Off Color's sour stuff (at least, that I've had) is that their house...probably yeast(beardown has me questioning the yeast part) has a very prominent crackery finish that I really like, but that also makes a fair amount of their sours finish in a samesy way to my palate (a problem I also have with a lot of Half Acre IPAs). Do I still try as many of them as I can? Yes, because they're a lot of fun, and I appreciate OC being so different from most of Chicago's breweries. In regards to their beer releases, I think the only recent one I can remember selling out was either Port Barrel-Aged or Double Barrel DinoS'mores (the other was around for a week or two), otherwise they're pretty easy to pick up at your leisure. For example, I'm very surprised that Misc. Vol. 3 is still there, given that it was my favorite beer of theirs from last year.
Finally had a Beer for Lounging. Super good. I can see why it may not appeal to uber hop heads. But its relative simplicity, I think, really shows the expertise of Off Color that backs up what they do. Balanced, the malt + cascade flavor really complements and shines. This plus Apex plus Tooth and Claw in a mixed 12 pack would make for a nice summer staple purchase!
For those going to GI Stout Fest this weekend, the following OC beers might be of interest. ISO an original test batch bottle of BCBCS from Laffler's closet. Two sessions featuring two new Laffler creations: Should Have Drank It - 2020 Coffee DinoS'mores blended with Kyoto style slow drip coffee and some bottles of the original test batches of BCS Coffee he found in his closet. Cherry / Almond DinoS'mores: 2017 DinoS'mores aged on cherries and almonds
Putting cherries and almond on something you aged for 5 years usually points towards covering up an infection...
