This week, while Brandon is on vacation, Matthew and Tony try their best to do a full episode without their faithful leader.

Beers on this episode:
Boulevard Brewing Co. - More S'Mores
Old Irving Brewing Co. - Fireside Krampus 2023
Alaus Darykla - Chicago'S

This week we take a quick trip back on the train from Illinois Craft Beers Week's "Beer Under Glass" and sample a beer from Reserve Artisan Ales.

This week we drink two beers we've never had before! Exciting!

Riverlands Brewing Company - "Kayak Pils"
German Pilsner with Hallertau hops. Our House Pilsner going forward, we retired the color designation from our previous Pils, Yellow Kayak, and now we bring you the new Kayak Pils. Applying lessons learned from all previous lagers we've brewed, we bring you a crisp, easy drinking yet flavorful beer, lovingly and painstakingly thought out and crafted. Spicy and slightly citrusy noble German Hallertau hops blend with the cracker and honey notes from premium German Pilsner malt to create the lager we've been searching for. Prost!
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Odious Cellars - "The Secret History of All Things"
Brett fermented American Farmhouse Ale, lightly dry-hopped w/ Crystal & Saaz.

This week we sample Destihl's "Dosvidanya Bourbong Barrel" stout.

Beer description:
Like a Matryoshka or 'nesting' doll, the secret of Dosvidanya® Imperial Stout lies locked deep within her mysterious & elaborate wooden layers. The hidden soul of this oak bourbon barrel-aged beer that we said Dosvidanya ('farewell') to several months before revealing, is its rich flavors like dark chocolate, toffee, black cherries and coffee along with robust & roasty maltiness that finishes dry.

This week we drink Goose Island's "Very Chill Cold IPA".

Beer description:
Very Chill emphasizes the clean drinking profile of a lager while leaning into the experimental hop profiles of new school IPAs — equally as crispy and hoppy. Some people call it a Cold IPA. Some people call it an India Pale Lager. We call it insanely good.

!!REMINDER!!
To get tickets for Chicago On Tap 2023:
e.givesmart.com/events/uUN/
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Also, if you send an email to [email protected] you can request a promo code to save $15 on your ticket to the event.

This week we jump back into our "Malted Mini's" format to bring you a review of Ballast Point's "High West Barrel Aged Victory at Sea (2017)".

Beer description:
We partnered with our friends at High West® Distillery to create a barrel-aged version of Ballast Point Victory at Sea, our award-winning Imperial Porter with cold-steeped coffee and vanilla. From a blend of Ballast Point Victory at Sea aged in High West’s own bourbon & rye whiskey oak casks, new layers of complexity emerge with notes of soft caramel and smoky oak over a dark chocolate and roasted almond body. High West crafts delicious and distinctive whiskeys to honor the American West, making it the perfect pairing with our signature San Diego-born porter.

!!REMINDER!!
To get tickets for Chicago On Tap 2023:
e.givesmart.com/events/uUN/
Also, if you send an email to [email protected] you can request a promo code to save $15 on your ticket to the event.

This week we wrap up our January "Malted Mini" series with an IPA from Logboat Brewing Company. Also, Tony gets mad at Dan... again.
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Beer description:
Space Junk was created with our good friend, Beth Bombars and her band in response to Beth's 52 week song writing project. Sabro, Idaho 7 and Azacca Cryo hops helped create a citrus forward yet bold, IPA. Whether your writing/performing music or vibin' with buds at a show, SPACE JUNK will help clear your mind.

This week's "Malted Mini" episode, we sample Guinness Open Gate Brewery's "Old Fashioned Inspired Ale" and get into a deep conversation on orange juice pulp.. riveting podcasting right here.
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Beer description:
"We love a cocktail-inspired beer here at the OGB. This time around, we bring back an experiment we launched initially more than two years ago - a Barrel-Aged Old Fashioned-Inspired Ale. We start with an English Barleywine, age it in bourbon barrels for six months, then finish the beer with sweet cherry and orange purees. The result is exactly what you'd expect - rich malt characters of toffee and raisin, warming vanilla and oak, and just a touch of the classic orange and cherry found in the cocktail."

This week we bring you a new format we might use from time to time that we have dubbed "Malted Minis". Not a full episode, but not an After The Final Pour.
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This week we sample Petoskey Brewing's "Super Trooper", a brown ale brewed with Columbian coffee beans and donuts from a local producer.