Category Archives: Craft Beer

Pubcast 267 – Corridor 55 Special Release #4 – Miskatonic Brewing

Craft Beer

In this edition of our Corridor 55 Special Release series, we are recording LIVE at Miskatonic Brewing in Darien, IL. Founder Josh Mowry and Head Brewer John Wyzkiewicz join the Pubcast crew, Phil Clark, Mike ‘Lingo’ Lingafelter, and Chuck Fort (brewer at Church Street), to talk about their beers and brewery.

We have their three selected beers, and talk their thoughts on brewing, hear how John relates flavors in a beer to a symphony of instruments, what they are streaming on TV, their thoughts on canning and small batches, and hear what the story is behind their Inspiration beer.

Joining us at the end is Kevin Baldus, brewer at Black Horizon Brewing, our next brewery in the Corridor 55 series. Kevin brings his ‘chain’ beer in a freshly filled can, sans label.
Join us for an hour of great pub chat and insight into this great brewery, just off the Cass avenue exit on I-55.

Flagship Beer: 
Wise Fool, American IPA, 7% ABV, 65 IBU
Showcase Beer:
The Gardener, Witbier, 5.3% ABV, 18 IBUs
Inspiration Beer:
Soubrette, Brett-fermented Golden Rye Ale with Strawberries, 4.6% ABV

Chain Beer:
Black Horizon Brewing, Willowbrook IL, Void Walker, Belgian IPA, 6.2% ABV, 50 IBUs

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Pubcast 266 – Mark’s U.S. Tour

Craft Beer, Hefeweizen, Maibock, Quad, Saison

We have a full pub for this show, including 3 co-hosts and a brewer!

Ex-cohost, BJCP judge and brewing consultant, Mark Naski has returned to Illinois after a trip via Kentucky and Florida, and brings us some interesting offerings from breweries he has visited. Joining him is the Yankee, Lingo, and Chuck Fort, brewer at Church Street, plus VIP guest Ken McMullen, head brewer at Hopvine Brewing in Aurora.

It’s a fun time with many excellent brews, one of which is a li’l bugger to get opened! And of course as Mark is here, you’ll learn about the styles and other fun brewing facts.

Beers Reviewed:

Covington, Kentucky, Braxton Brewing
Ignitor, Maibock, 7.2% ABV, 26 IBU – 5 thumbs up
Union Saison Blanc, 6.2% ABV, 25 IBU – 5 thumbs up
Union Saison Bleu, 6.2% ABV, 25 IBU – 4 thumbs up, 1 sideways
Braxton Labs (Braxton Brewing)
Galaxy Dry Hopped Saison, 5.3% ABV, 25 IBU , released Dec 2017 – 3 thumbs up, 2 sideways

Marietta, Georgia, Ironmonger Brewing
German Hefe, 6.5% ABV – 5 thumbs up

Boca Raton, Florida, Barrel of Monks
Nuance, Saison, 6.5% ABV – 5 thumbs up
Quandrum, Belgian Quadrupel aged in rum barrels, 10.5% ABV – 5 double-thumbs up

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Pubcast 265 – Oswego Brewing Co

American Pale Ale, Black IPA, Brewery, Craft Beer, Helles Lager

New craft breweries continue to open across the Chicago suburban area with amazing regularity. In this edition we’ve headed south-west to Oswego, where head brewer Marc Wilson is putting in the hours to ready the Oswego Brewing Company for opening in late April to mid-May.

Marc is a friend of the show from his former brewery, so of course we immediately gave him a shout to see if we could come down and get a progress report from him.  The first half of this show presents that report where we get a flavor for some of the aspects of opening a new brewery and tap room, and what to expect from OBC as they make their mark on the Illinois brewing scene.  Watch their build-out in pictures here…

Joining me for the second half, which we recorded up at Church Street Brewing in Itasca, is ex-co host and brewing expert, Mark Naski. Together with CSB head brewer TJ Bachorz and current co-host Chuck Fort, we do the unthinkable by comparing a helles lager from Six Ten Brewing in Tampa FL., to CSB’s own Heavenly Helles.

And finally, because growlers don’t last long, Mark has brought a couple along for tasting, and we go from Tampa to Nampa, Idaho. Crescent Brewing is a small brewery “out in the woods” as Mark says, and he brings their Tilted Kilt Pale Ale, and the Skullsplitter IPA, and we debate whether they are open for copyright issues, but finally decide that the beer speaks for itself!

Beers Reviewed in this episode:

Six Ten Brewing, Tampa, FLA., Tent Beer, Dortmunder/Helles, 5.2% ABV
Crescent Brewing, Nampa ID., Tilted Kilt Pale Ale, 5.2% ABV
Crescent Brewing, Skullsplitter DIPA, American Double/Imperial IPA, 9.00% ABV

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Pubcast 264 – Bicentennial Illinois 6-Pack

Brown Ale, Craft Beer, Pils, Saison, Wee Heavy

Our friend of the show, Deb, or as she now prefers to be known ‘Hop Mama’, has returned from travels in Illinois and brings a selection of brewery offerings that may not have been on most folks tasting lists. Joining us is Illinois beer historian, John Bittermann and he brings a couple of cans of the Illinois Bicentennial beer. John Karwoski is on hand, and last but certainly not least is head brewer at Hopvine Brewing, Ken McMullen to provide our technical expertise. (Sorry about the two John’s sound quality – technical difficulties!)

​The first Europeans to visit Illinois were the French explorers Louis Jolliet and Jacques Marquette in 1673, but the region was ceded to Britain after the French and Indian War. After the American Revolution, Illinois became a territory of the United States, and achieved statehood in 1818, so this is a celebratory year.

We have a six-pack of beers that culminate with the winning beer from the Illinois Bicentennial Craft Beer Competition. There’s plenty of controversy over one brewery, and plenty of thumbs in all positions when we rate each one, going to prove that everyone has a different palate and you should always try new beers, then drink what you like! It’s a while since we did an extended show, but we were having a good time tasting and chatting, and what better topic than Illinois brews. So stick around and hear what we think of beers from the heart of Illinois, and some interesting facts about Illinois.

We also did a live Facebook feed while we reviewed the Wee Heavenly Scotch Ale, so here’s a link to that video. And also, The Brit extends an invitation to Governor Rauner to come on down and visit the Brit and Yankee Pub and have a beer with us!

And right at the end an announcement about a beer we’ll be brewing with Ken at Hopvine to celebrate the Royal Wedding!

Beers Reviewed:

Destihl Brewing, Bloomington, Normal Pils, ABV 5%, IBU 38 (Thumbs – 2 Up, 3 Sideways)       Main Street Brewing, Belleville IL, ​Vanilla Bean Coffee Juele, Blond Ale, ABV 4.5%, IBU 10 (Thumbs – 3 Up 2 Sideways)
Lionstone Brewing, Geneseo IL, Peanut Butter Back 40 Wheat Ale, ABV 4% (Thumbs – 1 Up, 2 Down, 2 Sideways)
Rolling Meadows Farm Brewery, Cantrall IL, Abe’s Ale, Maple Brown Ale, 8.5% (Thumbs – 4 Up, 1 Sideways)
Hand of Fate Brewing, Petersburg IL, Wee Heavenly, Scotch Ale,  ABV 9.8%, IBU 22 (Thumbs – 5 Up)
1818 Prairie State Farmhouse Ale, Saison, ABV 5.5%, IBU 28 (Thumbs – 4 Up, 1 Sideways)

 Play the show from our player below, or from the Podbean player…