CBC’s website doesn’t give us any information about their business besides the typical “family owned, we-love-our-city” narrative, which is a shame. I like when breweries tell their stories in more detail. But CBC is here, and their beers are circulating, and I happen to have just had one, the Chi-Town Pier Pale Ale.

It’s toted as a hand-crafted, fragrant, balanced American Pale Ale. It pours an even copper hue into the glass and leaves only a slight head (one fat finger’s worth). The nose communicates that balanced profile, with some fragrant hops and biscuity maltiness, neither overpowering. With a 5.5% ABV and 30 IBUs, I’m expecting this to be a super easy drinker.

And I’m not mistaken. The Chi-Town Pier Pale Ale delivers its malts forward, and its hops in the finish. American hops easily cut through the sweet malt, balancing the taste in the finish with some nice crisp citrus and pine. It’s nowhere near hop-heavy, and I would imagine that American hop purists would balk at its being labeled a thoroughly American Pale Ale … but really I think it comes down to where you live and what you love.

I think Chicago, for all its feist, is still a pretty balanced city. I enjoyed Chi-Town Pier Pale Ale much more than anticipated. It’s a solid recipe, a really great beer to drink when you don’t want to get handled by hops or malts or ABVs, but just want to have a good time. Hat’s off.

When I poured the contents it looked very close to an Amber Ale or light colored Brown Ale.  The head was thin and beige and dissipated quickly.  The beer was clear and displayed some great Fall colors.  Behind that it was all aroma.

This aroma was laced with molasses, brown sugar, toffee, caramel, toasty bready notes, and spicy.  Just like the bottle suggested, the chilies gave a nice kick to the aroma without adding “heat or strong chile flavor.”  It paired well with the deeper malt profile adding a little life to the party.  While the color made this beer seem like it was going to be an Amber ale…the aroma suggested a deeper Brown ale.

Interesting!?! That was the first thing I thought after my initial sip.  The chilies were noticeable, but not overpowering dancing delicately in between the smooth malt notes.  Forward hints of caramel and brown sugar lap over the tongue lending a very sessionable quality to this brew.  I found that as I progressed to the back half of this sip, the chilies presented themselves.  Mini darts pricked my palate every so slightly which were then relieved by the sugary malt flavors.  The aftertaste is highlighted by a full salvo of chilies right away and then mellows into a brown sugar, caramel, almost mole flavor.  I really enjoyed this brew and found it to be rather unique.  It reminded me a little of New Holland’s El Mole Ocho beer.

The brewing is hired out to Argus Brewery which is also located in Chicago, IL.

The pour was elegant and produced a clear deep amber/mahogany brew with a creamy beige head that lasted briefly then subsided. Towards the bottom of the bomber the beer got a little hazy which I attributed to the barrel aging.  Overall, the appearance was quality and did a good job of inviting me into the beer.

When it came to the aroma this beer was all Bourbon and malt.  As I poured the beer about a foot away from my nose I got a huge waft of vanilla, caramel, wood sugars, some char, high alcohol, and some smokey peat qualities. Toffee and sweet caramel made up the malt profile which was backed by the massive Bourbon barrel characteristics. The barrel aging did help to give some life to the malty brew, but in all honesty I think it turned a malty lager into something that smelled closer to a Scottish Wee-Heavy … interesting. After some evaluation, I started to pick out the lager yeast quality which was slightly masked by a burnt wood aroma. The fruity notes that were present came in the form of plum, fig, and raisin.

The flavor was creamy, smooth, malty and hearty. Seriously, this is a big brew. Surprisingly, it tasted far more robust in the abv than a moderate 6.5%. The Bourbon strength really came out in the finish as it seemed like I was sipping on a 2 hr old, aerated glass of Bourbon (not a bad thing). Up front, I got those classic Dopplebock malty notes that gave a rich dimension to the brew and guide you in the right direction. The smooth vanilla notes take over in the middle of the sip which blends right into the slightly harsh charred wood and alcohol notes. The caramel malts linger around with the vanilla in the aftertaste giving some body after a dry fruity finish.

I’m not sure how long they aged the beer in the barrels? Maybe 6 months? That seems standard. Dirtier Bird has character, depth, and according to the label some stank. I did find the tiny barrel on the dirty finch’s neck interesting as it reminded me of those St. Bernard dogs that rescue people. This beer is definitely a winter-type brew that will warm you up. If you have a bottle, make sure you share it with friends. Grade: B+

Taylor: I am a actually a big fan of Doppelbocks, and was very excited to open up this bottle of Finch’s on a cold and blustery winter evening. Everything I’ve seen from Finch’s to date has been in aluminum can form, so it was cool to see their art on a proper glass bottle. I’m going to defer to Tom’s review above for much of the evaluation, which I believe is spot on. This is a big beer. Finch’s delivers on the Bourbon and the super malty flavor profile, which is just packed with dark fruits, toffee/caramel and vanilla. And the finish is dry, and really boozy. Hard to believe this giant is only 6.5% ABV.

Unfortunately for Finch’s, my bottle was flat as a pancake. Really? Come ON! Poured straight into the glass, not a bubble of head emerged whatsoever. For a brand new “special release” bottle that set me back at least the cost of a good craft six pack, this was a major letdown. All of the flavors where there, but without the carbonation to brighten this beer and open it up on the palate, it felt like I was drinking pure wort … none of that crisp refreshing carbonation to balance out the huge impact of the malts and bourbon. I really wish I could give this one a higher grade, but instead I’m left wanting. I feel sorry for all the people out there that got a dud bottle like I did, I’m sure I’m not the only one. Grade: C+

The appearance is classic BCS at its best.  Thick, oily and black during the pour it slowly filled the glass yielding a thin mocha head that faded fast.  When pouring the remainder of the bottle some time later a noticeable creamy head became evident with some additional swirling.  The aroma was similar as well.

Big burnt grain notes right out the gates.  A very astringent dark bitter aroma developed as I left my nose in the snifter.  My guess was the cacao nibs lending there bittersweet bakers chocolate nose to the mix.  The abv was not as hot as compared to the BCS beers simply because this was not aged in Bourbon barrels.  I don’t know if it was aged in plain oak barrels, but I bet the nibs were added during fermentation.  A very dark fruit layer brings with it notes of prunes, dates and figs.

When reflecting on the taste I remembered liking this one better than the BCS as it is not as harsh on the palate and does not possess as much of a metallic flavor.  The brew is viscous that if for sure.  Bitterness is brought on by the brunt malts with a small hop bitterness in the back of the tongue.  However, that could have also been the abv giving a punch as well.  The dark fruits mentioned above opened up on the back half of the palate and in the aftertaste.  During the sip, the cacao nibs gave an almost organic dark chocolate bar (like the kind you buy at Whole Foods) texture and taste throughout.  I found this hard to pick up at first which vexed me greatly.  After about 20 minutes of savoring this beer the chocolate became more apparent and really added a little more dimension to the overall taste in a subtle way.

I enjoyed Big John more than the regular and Rare BCS beers.  While this one is a little on the harsh side at first, your palate will quickly warm up to its smooth, non-threatening-abv mouthfeel.  You’ll get all the flavors with a touch of dark chocolate on the side.

I like wheat beers. I was first moved into ‘craft beer’ by my initial infatuation with Blue Moon. I love German Hefeweizens especially and this one from TwoBros claims to have been brewed in just such a style. The initial pour gave the usual huge hefe head, buoyant, fluffy as a bubble bath and strictly white. The four fingers dwindled rapidly, however, and just an inch remained to greet my upper lip on my first sip. It was a nice hazy orange, a surprisingly consistent tone through the entire glass, it practically looked like a picture. Seeking out the claims of ‘clove, vanilla and banana,’ I was pleased to find  a solid burst of both banana and clove, but had to conjure up the vanilla with hope more than accurate smelling.

The immediate taste was pleasant, meant for an 80 degree, sunshiny Tuesday evening like tonight. It literally made me happy. The banana was there, fairly forward, but lingered as well, weaving in and out of the other flavors, but the most consistent of them all. There was a little spice, both in the center and toward the end of the sip and a heavy dose of sweetness as well. It was an overall refreshing feel, decent mouthfeel and a not overly dry finish.

Another decent offering from one of Chicagoland’s fine establishments. A good choice to accompany a fruity desert (I had it once with a pear tart and it was incredible) or as a sweet, light pre-dinner drink.

The appearance was just as expected. Obsidian in color with dark brown edges and a similarly dense and creamy head to the original, but with a beige hue instead. It does lace and last giving me the impression that this is a quality brew.

When it comes to this style I must say I’m rather confused. Who said pairing two extremes against each other in the same bottle was a good idea? Black IPAs are NOT well balanced. They can’t be at their core. On one side you have highly roasted and astringently bitter grains while on the other super sticky and resinous hops. What one should consider in reviewing beers of this style is if both ends of the spectrum are represented well.  Afterall, I think that is the point.

In this beer I do find both sides and they are equally represented, yet mutually compatible. The aroma is filled with deep coffee and chocolate notes while at the same time exhibiting the same piney resinous hop quality of the regular Hop Juice. I must say I prefer the coffee quality more so than just a roasted grain presence. This beer, gives a little bit more depth than other Black IPAs. However, it is not as hoppy as the Stone and Southern Tier versions of this style (if the hops are something you look for in this style).

Surprisingly enough, there was a wonderful Porter-type flavor and mouthfeel to this beer (albeit it was thicker than a Baltic Porter). Eloquent coffee aromas and flavors dominated the malt side of things while the same hop profile found in Hop Juice made its presence known.

A great beer that might be extremely hard to find as it was only release at the Hop Juice Festival. If you can find a bottle on eBay I would recommend bidding for it.

That meant doing some laundry while enjoying a beer. The beer chosen for just a time as this was Hop Juice. A Double IPA from a local brewery that is becoming increasingly sought after in the brewing community. This seasonal release if accompanied by a festival in the Summer celebrating its namesake.

Cracking open the 22 oz bomber (which at 9.9% you might want to share) and pouring it into my tulip I instantly got a big whiff of hops. With the tagline “we squeeze to please” on the bottle no wonder this beer reeked of dank hops. It seems as though every drop of resinous hop oil has been pressed and captured in this beer. Huge deep aromas of spicy, piney, sticky, resinous hops wafted up into my nose. Not too much citrus as it was more dank and pungent. Some fruits like apricot, pear and apple were present. In addition to the hops the malt was rather substantial as well. Offer up a toasty, caramel, somewhat biscuit aroma it was clear that this beer had residual sugars.

This brought me to an interesting place. What my nose told me was, “this is going to be delicious” and my eyes told me “you like lighter malt double IPAs.” The appearance was an orange copper/bronze hue which meant a deeper malt profile. The head was dense and creamy and rather delayed in forming (heads up as you pour). I enjoyed the appearance and thought it showcased a fine beer, it is just that my psyche had preconceived ideas.

Taking my first sip proved me wrong. It was very bitter. One thing I did realized half way through the bomber was that this beer was most likely dry hopped. Upon investigation I found out it was. That dank pungent aroma was also present in the taste. Hop oils coated my palate and did so in an aggressive way. I guess the malt profile I was worried about really only displays itself towards the finish. Here is where the residual sugars give that caramel toasted bread aftertaste. Other than that it is pure hops.

3 years ago I had this beer and thought it was outstanding. Last year (2010) I thought differently. For some reason last year’s vintage was not as potent. However, this 2011 vintage has brought me back to that initial reaction of, “oh wow!”

Now, to where reviewing gets subjective. I love a good red ale, and this one had all the right elements. In the end, though, it just didn’t thrill me the way an awesome beer usually does. It’s better than your average craft-brewed red ale…perhaps even better than your better-than-average red ale. But it’s lacking a key element, something to push it from great to superb (not sure what that is). In any case, don’t shy away from a bottle if you find one. It’s still delicious. Grade: B+

Taylor: The whole hopped-up red ale style is one I’m really coming to enjoy. This big red brew from Chicago’s own Half Acre Brewing Company (when will they open a brewpub?!) remains true to form: specialty, comes in a bomber, has awesome artwork, and contains a fermented concoction. With preconceived notions about how the perfect India Red Ale should taste (see Grand Teton Pursuit of Hoppiness), we poured this dark, malty-yet-hoppy beverage into our glasses and set upon it. It looks like a through-and-through red ale, and maybe even a little darker still, with a nice big billowing tan head. Very well carbonated. I expected a significant malt presence. But it’s also hopped, so the nose smells of resinous pine.

Considering the hop profile of Half Acre’s Daisy Cutter Pale Ale, I would have to say that I was hoping for more hops in this India Red. The malts are dominant and the hops take a back seat, more of a tempering presence than anything else. I was hoping more hops would bring all of the flavors bursting to the surface but instead it was more subtle. Still, this is a tasty brew. Just not everything I hoped for. And I wish their website told you more about the beer. Grade: B

I am not a major fan of wheat beers … they taste too musty and yeasty to really get excited about. That being said, there are a few wheats that I enjoy … mostly Pale Wheat Ales and some Witbiers. Monarch White is one of he former, so I approached the beer with thoughts of other Wits in the back of my mind (Leinie’s Sunset Wheat, Wittekerke, Estrella Damm Inedit)…

First of all, I enjoy the label of this beer. It is simple and bold, with good color and contrast, and I like the off-white background hue. I pour it from the bottle into a standard Two Brothers pint glass (will that make a difference in taste … no). Immediately I know two things: the beer is very well carbonated and will likely be on the yeastier side of the Witbier spectrum. It took me about 2 minutes to complete the pour of this one … the head lept up so quickly I had to take many, many breaks. The head is eggshell white and dissipates quite quickly, leaving significant lacing on the sides of the glass.

Monarch White smells like a yeasty Witbier. There were the familiar banana/clove notes common to wheat beers, as well as a touch of sweetish lemon and a bit of spiciness, possibly from the hops and/or spices that are in the beer. Finally, I taste the beer and I think I was pretty close to what I thought it’d taste like. It’s definitely a wheat beer taste … quite yeasty as a matter of fact. Has characteristic orange and lemon notes to the taste, but I think the yeasty/bready dominates, making it less refreshing and a little more heavy. If it weren’t for the carbonation, I think this beer would really disappoint.

At the end of the day I would imagine this beer is probably hit or miss with most people. Felt like more of a miss to me, because I felt the yeast was way too involved. Not a bad tasting beer, especially if you enjoy the whole wheat experience. I guess this one is the only Two Brothers seasonal I will not be enjoying … I really do love the other ones.