Dragon's Milk Reserved Oatmeal Cookie

Definitely heavy, like regular Dragon's Milk, but a little more desserty. It's all subtle, but there are hints of vanilla and cinnamon, some of my favorite spices. So smooth going down. I do think it is an improvement over the original, so good going, guys! A worthy drink, especially for a record cold November in Chicago! ID++.

12oz bottle, 11% ABV
New Holland Brewing Company
Holland, MI
purchased at Kenwood

Fluxed In Paradise Double Dry-Hopped IPA

Delicious and juicy! Much like my beloved Super Cluster, just hazy and juicier. The label says it uses "Sabro, Cashmere, & Southern Passion hops", all hops I've never even heard of! To quote my own song, "In this golden age of ale, don't miss those crazy hops out there!" I'm in on this one! MB

12oz bottle, 54.2 IBU, 8.5% ABV
Lagunitas in a joint session with Short's Brew
Petaluma, CA and Chicago, IL
purchased at Kenwood

St. Lupulin Extra Pale Ale

Appropriately bitter, with a nice smooth backbone. Hoppy, for sure, but not showing crazy hop flavor. Just a solidly good engineered brew. I'll drink it sure, but it's not making me feel gaga, over it. ID+

12oz can, 6.5% ABV
Odell Brewing Company
Fort Collins, CO
purchased at Kenwood

Evil Cousin Double IPA

This is a fine tasting beer. It is not overly hoppy in flavor, but it is smooth, a hint dry, with a nice balance of bitterness and body. ID+

12oz can, 8% ABV
Heretic Brewing Company
Fairfield, CA
purchased at Kenwood

Vieille Provision Saison Dupont

This is a Belgian Farmhouse Ale, and it is great! Very little of the obnoxious "farmhouse" flavor, but slightly sweet, while dry and refreshing. I don't know I'll find this again, but I'd gladly have it! MB

11.2oz bottle, 6.5% ABV
Brasserie Dupont
Tourpes, Belgium
purchased at Hidden Manna Cafe

Peach Cruiser IPA

This is a nice smooth IPA. Bitter, but not too bitter. The peach flavor is slight, but tasty, I wish it was stronger. I was excited for Mosaic and Citra hops, those could be stronger as well. So this is a nice change from my staple hop flavor bombers, but it is good not great. ID+

12oz can, 6.8% ABV
Coronado Brewing Company
Coronado, CA
purchased at Kenwood

Goose Parka Porter

I've been drinking a bunch of this after scoring a good deal of $4 a 12-pack. This is a very light porter that is easy to drink. It has a very slight vanilla flavor. Just slightly outside the mainstream, but I expect many people will like it. ID

12oz bottle, 5.3% ABV
Goose Island Beer Company
Chicago IL, Baldwinsville NY, Fort Collins CO
purchased at Kenwood

Wet Snout Peanut Butter Stout

I think I've found a workaround to the problems I've been facing with the Blogger App, so I'm back rating beers! Missed rating many in the downtime, so I guess I'll have to taste them all again at some point! Down to business: This one is tasty. Different. The peanut butter flavor is pretty subdued. I'm going to let this warm up and come back to it. Definitely has a creamy flavor and is dessert-like. I just wish the PB flavor was stronger, but this is still good. ID

12oz can, 25.1 IBU, 5.9% ABV
Sleepy Dog Brewing
Warrenville, IL or Tempe, AR?
purchased ??

Citra United IPA

A delicious beer here. Man, how I LOVE Citra hops! This has a great flavor that is a blend of grain and Citra. Not as hoppy as my beloved "Super Cluster" but is similar enough to be a worthy replacement. This is just the taste I needed today! MB

12oz bottle, 45 IBU, 7% ABV
Two Brothers Brewing Company
Warrenville, IL
purchased at Kenwood

Prickly Pear Cactus Pineapple Fruitsicle

This is dry, slightly fruity, but light, a bit sour, and WHAT?! this is low enough in alcohol that it's probably legal in Utah! Needless to say, I'm disappointed at paying a premium price for girly beer. Glad I prefaced this with two shots of vodka! I've seen there are about as many varieties of this "Fruitsicle" as this brewer puts out of my beloved "Dank Juice", but I'll always prefer the latter. My wife thinks wine drinkers would like this, and I agree, as long as they're happy with 10 points off their usual ABV. The main driver in my purchase was the claim of pineapple. I love pineapple IPAs, and given how much I dig their IPAs, I thought this might be a pineapple Bonanza, but no. I'll patiently wait (or maybe advocate for) "Pineapple Dank Juice". That could be amazing if done right! I give this ID-.

12oz can, 4.5% ABV
OddSide Ales
Grand Haven MI
purchased at Kenwood

Dirty Dank Juice

A pretty fitting version of the Dank. Very juicy, so that I'd believe you if you told me this was an IPA cut with juice. But I'm pretty sure it's all from unfiltered hop flavor. There are just so many big hop flavored beers out right now, that I'm going to rate this below what it deserves due to the price of like $12.99 a sixer. That's too much, almost by a factor of 2. I love great hoppy beer, but right now another brewer has two excellent varieties out for $14.99 a 12-pack. That's the standard I think I have to judge against: not just being Dank and delicious, but bring relatively affordable as well. ID+

12oz can, 7% ABV
OddSide Ales
Grand Haven, MI
purchased at Kenwood

The Oracle Double IPA

A nice wiff, and a buttery body. Appropriate bitterness, 'cause you know it's hiding big booze, but it does it well. Not a lot of hop flavor, but that isn't what this is going for, I'm sure. A slight sweetness pervades, but it is not booze sweetness. So this is pretty alright! ID++

12oz bottle, 10% ABV
Bell's Brewery, Inc.
Comstock, MI
purchased at Kenwood

Spruce Tip Sculpin IPA

This is much more bitter than most IPAs I've had of late. And you can taste a bit of tree branch, like my Dad and his drinking buddies used to put in their gin and tonics in the UP of Michigan on our annual camping trips. Ah, good times! But this beer is just ok. ID

12oz bottle, 7% ABV
Ballast Point Brewing Company
San Diego, CA
purchased at Kenwood

Thunder Gun Express IPA

A tasty IPA. I don't know much about it, but unless I'm losing my taste buds, this is another, not too bitter, hop flavorful ale. I'm so glad these are in vogue right now. I just can't get enough! Says it is brewed with lactose, hmm. MB

12oz can, 8% ABV
OddSide Ales
Grand Haven, MI
purchased at Kenwood

Tasty IPA

It's kind of tasty, but nothing to write home about. Just a solid, easy drinking IPA with a light malt body, hop flavor, but not overly so, as suggested by the graphics on the can, and not too bitter. Not what I drool for, but ok drinking. ID+

12oz can, 6.8% ABV, 70 IBU
21st Amendment Brewery
Utica, NY
purchased at Kenwood

2018 Born Yesterday Fresh Hop Pale Ale

Fabulous as before. Bursting with juicy, to-die-for hop flavor. This is the experience that drinking beer should always be. Their "Super Cluster" comes close, but this is about as close to perfect as one can get. The fresh hop abides! MB and then it's gone til next Fall.

12oz bottle, 7.7% ABV
The Lagunitas Brewing Company
Petaluma, CA and Chicago, IL
purchased at Binny's

Slurm Lord Double New England Style IPA

A hazy IPA, that tastes pretty much like most other hazy IPAs. Not bad, but nothing particularly special either.

12oz can, no deets
Short's Brewing Company
Elk Rapids, MI
purchased at Binny's

Chasin' Freshies Fresh Hop IPA 2018

A very nice funky hop flavor; not citrusy like Lagunitas, but a nice funky flavor. Weak malt backbone makes the focus all on the hops and it's worth it! MB

12oz bottle, 65 IBU, 7.4% ABV
Deschutes Brewery
Bend, OR
purchased at Binny's

Hop Bullet Double IPA

Nice and bitter. Not much for hop flavor. And no deets on the package, so I don't know what I'm working with as a "double". Just average in my opinion. ID

12oz can, that's all I know
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Chico, CA & Mills River, NC
purchased at Binny's

IPA Bomb

Now that I've had a few from this brewer, it must be their yeast that gives a weird little funk. Recognizable, and a tiny bit off putting. This is bitter, and I'm drinking it out of the freezer from a quick chill, so I should let it warm because I'm not getting much hop flavor. Nothing like my beloved "Super Cluster". I'm going ID and I'll update that later if I change my mind.

12oz can, 60 IBU, 6.9% ABV
Shortfuse Brewing Company
Schiller Park, IL
purchased at Kenwood

Permanent Vacation Citra IPA

I love no ingredient more than Citra hops, I think. Nice funky hop aroma. Tastes good too. Pretty thin, a bit bitter, and hop flavor. But it is a little water as compared to my irreplaceable Super Cluster. I guess this could be one of the possible replacements once my favorite is gone. MB-

12oz can, 6% ABV
Brickstone Brewery
Bourbonnais, IL
purchased at Kenwood

Antwerpen Stout

This is different. Heavy, but sour. Think. Not too dry. Definitely not a regular Guinness, but pretty good, especially as it warms. And way heftier than what you usually get from a mass-produced brewer. ID+

11.2oz bottle, 8% ABV
Guinness and Company
Dublin, Ireland
purchased, maybe, at Kenwood (for 3/17!)

Luponic Distortion IPA Series No. 10

Nice hippy aroma, then huge bitter grapefruit taste. Smooth and clear. I can't taste the others flavors listed on the can, but it's a good hop flavor forward beer. ID+

12oz can, 5.9% ABV
Firestone Walker Brewing Company
Paso Robles, CA
purchased at Kenwood

22 Anniversary Anni-Matter Double IPA

For the second time in a row, I'm feeling unimpressed by Stone. That's something I'd never thought I'd say. This is bitter, plenty so since there's just a hint of this packing the power of a double. But then again, my new favorite is an 8%er that I view as a single, so this isn't much stronger. It's just kind of plain, with a bit of unpleasant funk, but that seems to be disappearing with each sip. The label claims big citrus and fruit, which I love, but I'm not getting that at all. I will agree that it does have a wonderful mouthfeel. But I'm leaving this at ID. Last thought, on the plus side, I'm buzzed up after one bottle!

12oz bottle, 9.1% ABV
The Stone Brewing Company
Escondido CA
purchased at Kenwood

///Fear.Movie.Lions Double IPA

Orange and cloudy, like the skin tone of the fucking bizarro lunatic that is our president. And somewhat in that vein, this is mostly underwhelming. It is bitter, but plain. Why leave it unfiltered when it doesn't give extra hop flavor? And calling 8.5% a "double", is a sad statement from this iteration of a brewery that had been among my favorites. Alas, maybe the call of corporatism has come to claim this once proud, independent, amazing entity. I'm not calling it over just yet, but this may be a nail in the coffin. ID

16oz can, 8.5% ABV
Stone Brewing
Escondido CA and Richmond VA
purchased at Kenwood

Howdy Neighbor Strawberry Lemon Kolsch

Very lemony, and the whole thing is sour, almost a style sour beer. I don't taste strawberry, but that bit of sweetness could really make this better. It is a bit grainy in flavor, but is overall pretty light. I'm not a fan, but if it had a huge strawberry flavor, it could be good. I'm honestly not sure what makes a "kolsch" so I'm not sure I'd like it over an IPA on the backbone. ID

16oz can, 5.2% ABV
Hailstorm Brewing Company (& 350 Brewing Company)
Tinley Park IL
purchased at Kenwood

Guayabera Citra Pale Ale

As compared to the last "Citra" focused beer I've had, this is disappointingly average. I taste a citrus, almost sour, and it is very light in body, but all of the funkiness you can squeeze from the Citra hop is missing, and so this beer misses the mark, doesn't deliver enough booze, and so costs too much. Nuf said. ID

12oz can, 50 IBU, 5.5% ABV
Cigar City Brewing
Tampa, FL
purchased at Kenwood

Super Cluster

I've been waiting for this since first seeing their post on Facebook. And at first sip, it is big with Citra! Forget the old Zombie Dust, this has all of that funk, and with price on its side, though maybe not availability. Smooth, and very crisp, not at all silky. Let me drink a few more bottles before I decide if this is the be all, end all. But it is so damn close, and at 16 bucks a 12er, (yes, that's right, it's sold by the 12 pack) this tastes like something almost twice the price from everyone else. Put this in the "unlimited" release category, Lagunitas, and I promise: I'll drink it daily; I'll bring it to every party and gathering; I'll buy and wear clothes to advertise it; and I'll even write a song about it! This is my jam! MB

12oz bottle, 8% ABV
The Lagunitas Brewing Company
Petaluma CA and Chicago IL
purchased at Kenwood

Lil' Devil Belgian-Style Pale Ale

Another beer I'm only drinking because I scored it on an unbelievable deal. It is not often I'd want something "Belgian". That ranks along with "farmhouse" in my mind as something to usually be avoided. But this is just really f-ing good! Probably better even than the "Apex Predator" I unexpectedly became fond of. This has that Belgian yeast flavor, but it gets brutally beaten back by hop bitterness, so that the overall flavor is amazing. I'm a big fan of this one! MB

12oz bottle, 5.75% ABV
AleSmith Brewing Company
San Diego CA
purchased at Jimmie Garant's Party Store

Windows Up IPA

A solid IPA with a nice flavor that is a bit dank and citrusy. I expected little from this since I got it for a steal at $14.99 a case since it is past its "best by" date. But this is really good - better than beer I've paid a lot more for. So cheers!! Sometimes you win, I guess. I had forgotten the feeling. ID+

12oz bottle, 7% ABV
Alpine Beer Company
San Diego, CA & Virginia Beach, VA
purchased at Jimmy Garant's Party Store

Purple Juice Cannon Hazy New England Style Double IPA

Smells like juice. Tastes like it too, but with a bit of bitterness. Not much like a beer. Refreshing and poundable! But if you do, look out. This thing's packin'!

12oz can, 28 IBU, 9.8% ABV
ShortFuse Brewing Company
Schiller Park, IL
purchased at Binnys

Hopsecutioner IPA

Pretty decent. Six big hops named on the label. Good flavor, but nothing unique or spectacular. ID+

12oz can, 7.3% ABV
Terrapin Beer Company
Athens GA
purchased at Meijer

Pompeii IPA

A really nice dank hop flavor. Whatever that is, it is distinctly different from citrus fruity hop flavor, but an essential flavor to me. Give it this hop flavor AND fruity hop flavor, and maybe you've made about the best hophead beer, by my standards. It has a nice buttery malt body, so the whole package is just pretty damn good! MB

16oz can, no deets
Toppling Goliath Brewing Company
Decorative, IA
purchased at Binny's

Triple Tail Tropical IPA

A pretty clean, hoppy, fruity, delicious IPA. This is in the direction I'm leaning for my favorite style of IPA. It is a little lower in alcohol, and a little cleaner, so more refreshing than my beloved Dank Juice, at the expense of being just a little less dank. Still, MB and poundable!

12oz can, 5.5% ABV
Sweetwater Brewing Company
Atlanta GA
purchased at Binny's

Loosey Juicy IPA

Definitely juicy. They're intentionally making this less bitter, but it's an IPA, it needs more. Yeast poop all over makes it hazy, hazy, hazy. There appears to be no actual juice, so all that flavor comes from hops, so that's cool. ID+

16oz can, 35 IBU, 6.4% ABV
Shortfuse Brewing Company
Schiller Park, IL
purchased at Kenwood

Tropical Lover Berliner Weisse

Apparently, "Mango, Passion Fruit, & Guava" means SOUR!  All I taste is the advertised "tart finish". So probably not bad if you dig the sour and hose genre, which I do. But when you're expecting a fruity beer and you get a sour, nah, that literally leaves a bad taste in my mouth, so now I'm a bit pissef, again. ID

12oz can, 4.5% ABV (fuck you!)
Sweetwater Brewing Company
Atlanta GA
purchased at Binny's

Hop Screamer Mosaic IPA

Definitely a great hop aroma, and dominated by fruity hop flavor. The body is maybe thinner than I'd like, but this is great for hop flavor. This is the last can of my sixer, and I didn't think I was liking it these, but as I sit here to rate it, this is a solid hop flavored IPA. I think this is 3-0 for Brickstone. The brewery is close by, so I really need to pay it a visit. MB

12oz can, 6.5% ABV
Brickstone Brewery
Bourbonnais, IL
purchased at Kenwood

Foggy Geezer Hazy IPA

The label says, "a super fruity and dank . . .", sorry, nope. It is neither, and deeply disappointing. It's an inferior IPA with a somewhat unpleasant flavor. It's not as bad as I'll rate it, but the rating is a bit of a punishment for terribly false advertising. ID-

12oz can, no deets
"Warpigs" Three Floyds / Mikkeller collaboration
WarPigs USA Brewing LLC
Verona, WI
purchased at Kenwood

Aloha Sculpin Hazy IPA

So Facebook has been harping on me to buy this, since I've liked Ballast Point. So I did. Charge them money. First off, not that hazy: if this is unfiltered, then they don't put much in it. Next, it's just ok. Nothing crazy going on here. Tiny bit interesting, but overall a pretty standard IPA. Despite the "aloha" title this doesn't come close to challenging their pineapple sculpin, which is one of the best fruit IPAs out there. Save yourself some advertising dollars and don't compete with yourself, BP! You already had the best Hawaii in a glass, so just keep pumping that out. ID

12oz bottle, 7% ABV
Ballast Point Brewing Company
San Diego CA
purchased at Kenwood

Imperial Oak Maibock

Sweet aroma. Thin body, which is pleasant and kind of dry. A little flat after only an hour or so in the growler. I could pound alot of this. ID

64 oz growler, 7% ABV
Imperial Oak Brewing
Willow Springs, IL
gift from Tony, purchased at the brewery

Sofie

This is described as a "Belgian style farmhouse ale" but I taste almost none of that farmhouse flavor, as compared to Matilda! It is like a white Belgian, but then sour, as if blended with a sour ale. This is another good one. I've avoided these Goose offerings for years, assuming they would disappoint, but surprisingly these are some of the best beers I've ever had from GI! ID+

~12oz draft, 6.5% ABV
Goose Island Brewing Company
Chicago IL
purchased at Goose Island O'Hare Airport

Matilda

A yeasty farmhouse sort of taste, but either I've gotten used to this, or this is another unique tasty one. I'm surprised that I like this as much as I do. Maybe it's because this is the start of a week of vacation where I could be buzzed up for a week nonstop! MB-

~12oz draft, 7% ABV
Goose Island Brewing Company
Chicago IL
purchased at Goose Island O'Hare Airport
en route to Last Vegas!

Murphy's Stout

Hard to believe I haven't rated this, but a search of the blog seems to say no. This Irish stout is every bit as good as Guinness if you ask me, but a bit cheaper. And there is this other tinge of sweet spice that the more popular stout doesn't have. I used to drink lots of Irish stout, but not so much now that there are IPAs almost everywhere. But after a steady diet of hoppy beers lately, this tastes good! Whether alone, or as the driver in an Irish car bomb, this is good dry stout! ID+

14.9oz can
Heineken UK Limited
Edinburgh, UK
purchased at Kenwood

Myrcenary Double IPA

Grainy, with a heavy sweetness. Substantial hop bitterness, but maybe not enough? You can tell it's a pretty heavy hitter. The hop flavor doesn't stand out strongly, but blends together with the heavy malt. It works pretty well and packs a punch. ID+ish

12oz can, 9.3% ABV
Odell Brewing Company
Fort Collins, CO
gifted from Steve K.

Two Brothers 21st Anniversary IPA

An unusual flavor. A bit sweet with floral tones. The hop and malt flavor are so perfectly blended I can't separate them. When I think of the taste of the shit I drank in highschool to try to touch an 8% ABV, and how truly delicious this is, wow. We live in the golden age of beer. MB

12oz can, 77 IBU, 8.2% ABV
Two Brothers Artisan Brewing
Warrenville IL
purchased at Binny's

Sweetwater Blue

Nice blueberry flavor, but I'm not happy with the malt on the back. So each sip starts nice and fruity, but ends a little bit, eh. I'm a Sweetwater fan, but this is disappointing. ID-

12oz can, 4.6% ABV
Sweetwater Brewing Company
Atlanta GA
purchased at Binny's

Red Eye IPA

Has a slight whiff and a pretty substantial coffee flavor. Yet it's a hoppy IPA too! I've had something like this before. It's weird but good. The coffee makes it a bit spicy. So is this an upper or a downer? It's just damn interesting! MB

12oz can, 60 IBU, 6.7% ABV
Two Brothers Artisan Brewing
Warrenville, IL
purchased at Binny's

Elvis Juice Grapefruit Infused IPA

Huge grapefruit aroma, and substantial flavor. At first taste I found this too bitter (can you believe that!), not hop bitterness but grapefruit bitterness. But today, again not focusing on wanting an IPA, I'm digging this as basically a grapefruit "shandy". But better than a real shandy, it has an IPA backbone, rather than wheat or lager or something inferior. I love IPAs. Let's flavor an IPA with practically anything, and I'm probably gonna think it's good. I've also been on a ginger kick lately. I need to find a ginger IPA. Or maybe a lemon, ginger, mint, green tea IPA! Let's swing for the fences, brewers! Soooo much grapefruit on this, I really like  it! "A zest zenith on the nose" the can says, and that is 100% on point. MB

12oz can, 6.5% ABV
Brewdog
Canal Winchester, OH
purchased at Binny's

Tangy Dank Juice

Ok, this one is weird! I had to look this up online because for whatever reason Odd Side is putting this in blank cans with a sticker instead of a fully painted can with the usual description. I've never seen this before but ok. This is Dank Juice cut with a sour, hence the "Tang". Dank hop flavors and sourness. I didn't like this at first, but it's growing on me. It is just a substantial departure from the dank IPA I was expecting. It's medium sour, and with a really soft mouth feel. Serve it a little warmer than fridge temp to accentuate the flavors. MB-

12oz can, 7% ABV
Odd Side Ales
Grand Haven, MI
purchased at Binny's

Binny's Dank Juice IPA

I actually bought this a month ago, before Waldo season. And though I didn't rate it then, I had pretty much decided that this was my new favorite. It has a dank but citrusy hop flavor that dominates, while being light and refreshing. This is far superior to my other favorites, I think. I've been thinking about stopping my endless sampling of beers, and instead stocking my fridge with the very best ones. This would be included. At the very least, I need to get my favorite IPAs together and finally decide which is penultimate. This might just be it! MB!

12oz can, 7% ABV
Odd Side Ales
Grand Haven, MI
purchased at Binny's