FoBAB 2024 Reflections – Guys Consuming Beer

My headache has lastly subsided.

Earlier than we get to my FoBAB 2024 ruminations, a lot of you might know that I’ve been overlaying the Chicagoland beer scene for the reason that late 2000s. A lot of you additionally know (however for the advantage of those that don’t) that in late 2020 when life and employment statuses modified for lots of us, my spouse and I moved away from Chicago after a fairly strong 16-year run. We now reside in northern Michigan the place I’ve been observing the Midwestern beer scene from a barely extra distant perch.

Yearly since we moved, FoBAB weekend is my alternative to make a return journey to town and dive in headfirst to all the good beer I don’t have immmediate entry to any extra. And this yr’s might need been one of the best but.

For all of our FoBAB protection via the years, click on right here.

Within the 66 hours I used to be on the bottom this yr, outdoors of my time spent at FoBAB, I managed to squeeze in journeys to is/was, Monochrome Brewing, Different Half Ramova, Demo Brewing, Dovetail, Pilot Venture, Demo Brewing, Electrical Funeral, Hop Butcher, plus a few beers at Kasey’s Tavern in the course of the Bears recreation. Sometimes, I ate, and likewise slept.

Having one of many metropolis’s beer pioneers be acknowledged as the highest choose simply feels basically satisfying to me, and it’s one thing that arguably hasn’t occurred since Goose received in ‘12 for his or her Cherry BCBS. (Thanks to the ABV Chicago crew’s medal recount Google doc for this data and perspective.)

And who doesn’t love a pageant with a little bit little bit of thriller? After a fast scan of the brewery listing, many people have been questioning, who the hell is Neuronova Brewing? It says they’re from Chicago, however I’d by no means heard of them earlier than, and I’m the dork who tracks all of these things. After which once they received the very first Fan Favourite award, many people have been outright confused. (I even Tweeted for the primary time in virtually half a yr, hoping to pop up on the video display screen on the fest.)

Seems it was a brand new aspect effort not less than partially helmed by brewer Eric Flores of Whiskey Hill (he holds the enterprise license, anyhow). Little doubt the beer was fairly tasty, and actually it was fairly intelligent to soft-launch a aspect label at FoBAB. It’s a room stuffed with fairly rabid beer lovers who’re very aware of the scene, so sneaking your barrel-aged beers in with none clarification and letting us attempt to determine issues out offers them a memorable begin.

Lastly, FoBAB is not only about nice beers, but additionally the very public recognition of one of the best one — and seeing the house owners of Lisle’s Bubblehouse Brewing so visibly thrilled (and possibly a little bit shocked?) to take the stage and settle for a Gold Medal for his or her “That Escalated Shortly” within the Different Pale part was only a pleasure to see.

Favourite Tastes of the Day:

Cruz Blanca’s La Lucora: After I noticed that this beer – a brambleberry ale – was aged in Angostura bitters barrels, I used to be intrigued. Would that software utterly overwhelm a beer, like, say, growing older in a Malort barrel? Glad to say that it didn’t — it complemented the darkish fruit flavors deliciously. There was little doubt that the Ango was fairly up entrance, however in a lot the identical means it presents in a Trinidad Bitter. Beloved it. And with MolsonCoors buying the Cruz Blanca model, I wouldn’t maintain my breath for anything this thrilling in future years. Seize it now should you see it.

Idyll Forest / Pryes Brewing’s 2024 Soiree: I don’t make many return journeys for beers at FoBAB – too many to attempt to too little capability for all of them. After I sipped this one — a “wine hybrid ale” — I instantly button-hooked for a second pour. Each different wine-beer hybrid I’ve ever had simply introduced as principally simply wine with some grain physique to it … this one sang out loud with shiny, tight fruit flavors and deliciously tart acid that also absolutely felt like a beer via and thru.

Milieu Fermentation’s smol: Has a barrel-aged beer beneath 3% ever medaled at FoBAB, not to mention awarded gold? It was stunning to see how a lot taste Milieu was capable of wring out of this 2.7% ABV mixed-culture desk beer, and clearly the judges agreed, handing them prime marks for Wild Beer Combined Tradition – Acidic.

Lupulin Brewing’s Scribbled Traces Star Harm – Calamansi & Sabro: Making two aggressive flavors — fruit tartness and hop bitterness — marry collectively seamlessly is a trick, however Lupulin positively pulled it off right here. Beginning with a foeder aged golden ale is all the time begin, after which ending it on calamansi juice and dryhopping with Sabro might have gone horribly, horribly mistaken however this landed so deliciously.

Roaring Desk’s Key Lime Saison: Not a lot to say about this one, aside from it simply labored. The sum of its elements was nice however you could possibly additionally get a way of the delineation of them, too — clearly a saison first with sweet-tart key lime floating throughout the highest. Only a tasty, refreshing, very nice flavorful beer. How these flavors lasted for years in a French Oak barrel, I’d like to know.

Different deliciousness price mentioning: Off Colour’s Funky Beer for Tacos, Revolution’s Cherry VSOJ, Hopewell’s Olde Duck Barleywine, Half Acre Benthic 2×4, Depraved Weed Funkatorium’s Angel of Darkness.

A number of different random takeaways:

BCS, Bypassed: Maybe it’s a press release of this yr’s energy to inform you that this was the very first time ever the place I didn’t have a single pour of any Bourbon County Stout at FoBAB. I’ve no clarification for this; it simply occurred. Each time I glanced on the lineup that was pouring at their outside beer automotive, it didn’t lure me outdoors – nor did the promise of Apertivo or Dapper Rye, their competitors beers. (I’ve had Apertivo – it was scrumptious, however I had a hunch that the Fernet flavors so current at launch had pale by now. Anybody know if I used to be proper?)

Pumpkin peril: One of many beers I hoped would seem at FoBAB was MORE’s Imperial Falling Colours: Particular Reserve; the imperial BA pumpkin porter I confirmed y’all a label of lately. Effectively, they introduced it! And I used to be … shall we embrace, underwhelmed by the shortage of pumpkin to it, sadly. Was it undoubtedly a deliciously thick, wealthy and creamy barrel-aged beer? Sure, positively — however once you promise pumpkin pie in a bottle and don’t ship that huge pumpkin and spice taste, it’s going to be a miss. I had this early so I don’t blame my palate right here, both.

Social gathering foul: Whereas I think about almost the whole lot I needed to be, in any case, drinkable, I noticed one thing this yr that I’ve by no means seen earlier than. I received’t disclose which brewery’s beer suffered this destiny, however I noticed one attendee sip a beer and instantly convert the dump bucket right into a spit bucket. Ew. I perceive not liking a beer, however should you can’t deal with sipping 2oz. of an experimental beer, possibly FoBAB isn’t for you, good friend.

There you have got it — these are all of the ideas about FoBAB I’ve had in my head over the previous week. Did you attend? Attempt something you favored? Want to speak about one of many beers you tried and couldn’t wrap your head round? Hold forth within the feedback and we’ll all commiserate collectively 🙂

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