Category Archives: Saison

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…

Pubcast 237 – Ignorance is Bliss

American Pale Ale, American Wild Ale, Saison

This week, The Brit heads up to Itasca to meet his co-host, Chuck Fort, on his home turf at the Church Street Brewing. We have 3 beers to taste that will test the expertise of Chuck, and also joining us is another CSB brewer, Andy Wright to also put his taste buds to the test. What is the test? Without knowing the style, name or brewer, I pour samples of each and see how close the lads get to identifying at least the style and adjuncts.

We also slip in an Instant Brew Review I did with the show’s resident tavern owner, John Karwoski, this time with a beer from North Carolina.

And finally, stay listening at the very end for a Dr.Who trivia question posed by Chuck. Send in your answers to pints@thebritandyankee.com and if we any, we’ll pull out a winner and send them a prized Brit and Yankee t-shirt!

Beers Sampled:

Lookout Brewing, Black Mountain NC, Kousa Blueberry Saison, 11.2%
Transient Artisan Ales, Bridgman MI, Flightless APA, 5.5%
Granite Falls Brewing, Granite Falls NC, Leaves of Grass Series – In Paths Untrodden, Pear Wild Ale Aged in Oak Barrels, 5.0%
Sketchbook Brewing, Evanston IL, Barrel-Aged Saison in Red Wine Barrels, 6.4%

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

Pubcast 219 – Back in the Pub with Heroes!

American Wild Ale, Barrel Aged, Craft Beer, IPA, Sahti, Saison

​After a month’s break, the Landlord is back and fully bionic!
The professional recommendation was no alcohol for 4 weeks post-surgery, so tonight will be the first brew since January 23.  We have two honored guests in the pub completing our panel of tasters; the always entertaining John Bitterman who is always willing to beg, borrow, and steal to enlarge his Illinois breweriana collection. And a man who always keeps us supplied with new brews, and can be considered a craft brew aficionado, but from sensible consumer perspective, my pal Tom Ryan.

It’s a packed show including real Finnish Sahti, a blind review of Revolution’s League of Heroes limited 12-pack releases, a quick visit out to Cademon Brewery in Genoa, where brewer Andrew Nordman has risen like a phoenix thanks to a successful crowd-funding effort, and a bonus beer review from Blue Blood Brewing in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Mark’s lovely wife Tina returned from a trip home bearing a bottle of Strong Sahti from Finlandia Brewery in ​Sastamala, Finland. Clocking in at a whopping 10% this ‘rough and ready’ traditional beer has been brewed for over a thousand years in one from or another, and gallons of the stuff has been drunk over the years, and now it’s our turn to sample it.

Then we head out to Cademon Brewing, in Genoa IL, for a chat with brewer / owner Andrew Nordman, and hear how he managed a successful crowd-funding campaign to get the brewery re-opened after having to close up on the day of their second anniversary. They’re back now and we hear about his new approach to beer.

Then the panel gets to blind-taste the new variety pack from Revolution Brewing called League of Heroes. This pack focuses on their ‘Hero’ IPA series and showcases the latest offering in this series. It’s a great way to get to know what hop style you prefer, and we test our tasters to provide their opinions and pick their favorite. Nobody is wrong, and it’s all a matter of personal preference.

Finally, and just because it’s been a while since we got together, we end up trying a ‘bonus’ beer. This is from Lincoln, Nebraska’s Blue Blood Brewing, and one of their barrel-aged Outlaw series. This is a ​wine barrel fermented wild ale, bottle conditioned with Brettanomyces, clocking in at 6.5%.

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

Pubcast 215 – Metal Monkey Plus One Year

Brewery, Brown Ale, Craft Beer, Doppelbock, Russian Imperial Stout, Saison, Stout

Metal Monkey Brewing opened their doors on Jan 30, 2016 down in south suburban Romeoville.  Nearly one year on, head brewer Dan Camp and the rest of the Monkeys are getting ready to hold their 1-year Anniversary party.
We were here last for a podcast at the opening and since then Dan and crew have settled in and started to produce some really solid brews.
We discuss where they’ve been and where they are going, and hit a couple more topics like Shower Beer and what’s the best container for selling draft beer.  Plus we sample some of the Monkey beers we haven’t tasted before and of course pass opinions that are only our simple, personal views.

Beers we sampled:
Burninator Doppelbock, 7.5% ABV, 22 IBU – Batch #100
Glazen Boterham Saison / Farmhouse Ale, 4.2% ABV, 24 IBU
Up And Atom American Brown Ale, 4.8% ABV, 22 IBU
Chocolate War Zone W/ Raspberries American Stout, 6.2% ABV, 60 IBU
Asmodeus Stout – Russian Imperial Stout, 12% ABV, 60 IBU

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