ABV Chicago

🔊Episode 642 - London Pouring

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Now serving up an improper pint for your audio curiosity on your go-to podcatcher

While American craft breweries are cycling back to showing English appreciation, what’s going on with craft beer from England? Thanks to friend & listener Ryan Lamb, we get to sample beers from five London breweries that prove that there’s no loss of quality across the pond. We get the stories behind each of these producers while appreciating the subtle differences in their presentation that make us respect the British way. But also, Ryan is mad at Guy Fieri for tarnishing the name of dad jokes, so it’s still the same old ABV Chicago.

🔊Episode 641 - Tennesseein’ is Tennedrinkin’

🌞 Now volunteering to make your day better via your go-to podcatcher

It’s been a long while since we’ve celebrated some of the great breweries of Tennessee, but thanks to Craig’s Dollywood trip we have a lineup of solid and surprising options here from The Gulch and beyond. We study up on the breweries, which includes a “World’s First…”, and then we learn more about chestnuts than we expected. Also, we wonder if the music industry is de-valuing the album anniversary; Ryan’s found the robustanut; and Craig shares the truth about Knoxville’s Sunsphere - and why you really shouldn’t jump in its elevator.

👀 Up now on our website (https://bit.ly/BUG2026)👀

We’ve written up our 12 favorite beers from this year’s Beer Under Glass - another great party hosted by the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild in ideal weather. Check out our picks on our website! Also, be sure to get out and celebrate what’s left of Illinois Craft Beer Week by checking out any events still happening this weekend - or just get a patio pour and enjoy your favorite local brewery. Passports are still out there - grab one before they are gone! Cheers! 🍻

🔊Episode 640 - Lactose Tolerance

🐄 Now fattening up your podcast feeds for a little Wednesday moo-tivation🥛

Some might say that using lactose is antithetical to good beer, but there’s some distinct purpose in using milk sugar in certain beers despite it causing all us 40-and-ups some real tummy troubles. For this episode, we try four lactose-enhanced beers to see how it impacts mouthfeel and sweetness, and we are a little surprised by the all-bangers lineup that results. But also, Craig’s got a new dog-walking mystery, we’re trying to find the right pairing for meat crepes, Ryan’s SNL audition was a little one-note, and we’re popping those bungs through the ceiling with some Lemon Milk™.

Another fabulous Beer Under Glass. Thank you to for a rad ass time. More recapping to come on this feed soon. Such a perfect night to celebrate Illinois beer. Cheers y’all.

🔊Episode 639 - IPA All-Stars Blind Rd. 6

🌟 Now up on your podcast players like the shape of an L on her forehead

Back from a brief IPA supply-based hiatus, we resume our quest to review and rank as many long-tenured and well-regarded flagship IPAs as possible - and this ragtag bunch is adding some unexpected twists to the results. Acquired while in Wisconsin, these five IPAs span the map and keep us guessing long past the end of the episode. Also, we continue our secondary purpose of being a CostCo podcast by talking about large backyard games; Craig’s story about running into a bike is slightly exaggerated; and you get the pleasure of experiencing a blind show where the more convinced we get, the wronger we become.

🔊Episode 638 - MoBAB 6: Back In The Groove

🪵 Fukengruven on your podcast players to celebrate the magic of wood.

After a few months of recovery from Barrel-Aged December, we’re back in the wood groove with four big beers from a Mt. Rushmore of Chicago’s best breweries. Two stouts and two barleywines make the lineup here, and we’re going to get a little extra sticky for the end-of-show cuvée. Also, Craig is ready to help someone discover the wonders of magnets; Ryan is angling for a little promotion bonus from a big streamer; we finally talk about that big local craft beer merger; and we are surprised by the shots being poured at Dave & Busters.

🔊Episode 637 - Amber-Dextrous

🚑 Now returning to our glasses - and your ears - via your go-to podcast player

We can’t overstate the importance of the Amber beer on early craft beer culture, as just about any brewpub worth its malt back then would have a shaker pint of a rusty red-ish ale or lager ready to pour at all times. But is it possible that ambers are back? Either way, they’re back in our glasses in a major way with this downright impressive lineup that teaches us how to love again. Also, we are wondering why so many comedy sequels are forgettable; Craig has been holding out on his impressive flavor descriptors until now; and Ryan would’ve been insufferable if he’d discovered barleywines in high school. Call the Amber-lance - there’s no dim, red floppers to be found here.