From Earlier in the Week

Whiskey Hill Brewing
Fatal Sting
(Collab between Arclight Brewing, Monochrome Brewing, and Standard Meadery)

Ike & Oak Brewing Co.
Almost Got Away

Friday, October 2

A Giant Collaboration

Will County Brewing Company teamed up with Heap's Giant Pumpkin Farm for "Heap's Giant Pumpkin Ale".  Think pumpkin pie in a glass, this brew was made with home-basked Blue Moon Pumpkins.  The brewery is also releasing "Van Helsing's Revenge", a perfectly-tart Beliner Weiss with Blood Orange, Pomegranate, and Tart Cherry.

A Trio from Black Horizon

Three beers dropping today at Black Horizon.  Midnight Fist Fight is a Hazy IPA.  Rocky Road Sugar Bomb is a Rocky Road-inspired Milkshake IPA.  And Cake Crusher (pictured) is a Golden Ale that tastes like cheesecake in a glass (vanilla, graham cracker, lactose and cheesecake flavor).  When you can't decide which one to choose, get them all!  

Of course it's 6.66% ABV

Would we have it any other way from Mad Hatchet Brewing?  Undead Gourd, a pumpkin pie ale, is back on tap at Mad Hatchet in Shorewood.  

A Wee Heavy at Rt66 Old School Brewing

Please meet Gounds Keeper Willy.  It's the latest from Rt66 OSB, a Wee Heavy that is malt forward, toasty, and with a hint of coffee.  Weighs in at 8.1%.  Definitely a good one for the temps that we're seeing lately.  And in case you're wondering, it's spelled "Gounds" on the Facebook Post, so we're going with it.  

A Little Bit of Swedda Wedda

Swedda Wedda, Alter's tasty oatmeal stout, is back!  This dark and delectable beer is layered with chocolate and roasty notes, with a nice hint of sweetness.

Saturday, October 3

Pollyanna's Dropping Three on Their Sixth Anniversary

Have you marked October 3rd down on your calendar?  That's the day that Pollyanna is dropping three releases for us, including the Nerd-inspired beer!

• "Sixth Anniversary Lager":  A German Leichtbier coming in at 3.4% ABV.  That's actually the loweest ABV beer they've ever brewed.  Lots of hop flavor in this one, as it was dry-hopped with Hallertau Blanc and Huell Melon hops.
• "Bourbon Barrel Aged Personal Chain Letter with Coffee and Vanilla":  Personal Chain Letter is one of my favorite series from Pollyanna.  This variant is bringing the flavor from being barrel aged, added with freshly ground Tugboat Coffee and Vanilla Beans.
• "NERD is the Word":  Inspired by my favorite childhood candies, Nerd is the Word is a sour ale with strawberry, concord grape, and lactose.  Been looking forward to this one!

A Little ACID

Mad Hatchet Brewing has teamed up again with The Little Red Donut Truck for ACID (Apple Cider Incognito Donut).  It's a light bodied apple ale loaded with hot apple cider donuts and apple cider during seconardy fementation.  Coming October 3.

By the Light of the Harvest Moon

Garage Band's latest not only sounds good, but its got some amazing artwork on the cans as well.  Because I love a good story, let me quote directly from Garage Band ...

Legend tells of the Lone Rider who, when summer turns to fall, stalks the barren fields desperate to quench an undying thirst. Beneath the pale harvest moon he scours the land for a dark lager, rich in malty flavor. Harvest Moon Octoberfest Lager is that beer, but unlike the Rider, it’s only around for a brief moment in time.

Wednesday, October 7

Nik & Ivy Puts up a Four Spot

Nik & Ivy has four new ones on tap ... including a beer named for their home town ... "Lockporter."  The beer is a porter with notes of dark chocolate and subtle coffee.  They also have Snoasis - a vanlla porter, and guest taps from 2 Fools (Dry Cider) and MyGrain (Barrel Aged Stout).

A Beer Worthy of the Name

So, why is Pollyanna's latest named "It Takes Me So Long to Get Ready (Mango)?"  Well, it has mango puree in it... but also, the sour was aged in a foudre for a long time?  How long?  Ask Pollyanna when you go to visit.  (I don't know ... the FB post just says a long time).

Back on Tap

Will County Brewing has Oktoberfest back on tap!  The style itself is centuries old, but WCBC's take on it and truly fresh.  Get yours today!

Thursday, October 8

A Smoothie Kind of Love

Over at Ike & Oak, they've got a beer that takes your love of beer and love of smoothies and blends them together vigourously.  Wooly Jamba is a Smoothie IPA with district flavors of strawberry, banana, and a fruit forward hop character.  

Sour Cherry RomeoPils

Metal Monkey is starting some special one-offs of RomeoPils.  They had previously released Lemon/Lime RomeoPils (the Sprite of Beers), and now they're bringing out Sour Cherry RomeoPils.  One key only.  Pucker up!

MyGrain's Gone Purple, #DrinkForGood

MyGrain Brewing has teamed up with the ladies from Witches Night Out in Joliet for this one.  Witches Brew is a purple version of the classic Pilcher's Pale Ale. 

Witches Night Out is a special event that rasies money for various charities that provide vital services for the women and children in need within Will County.  #DrinkForGood.  $1 from drafts and $2 from crowlers will be donated to the charities that this committee works with.  More info at witchesnightout.com.

Friday, October 9

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

Our newest member of the Heritage Corridor Ale Trail has teamed up with one of the OG's.  Nik & Ivy Brewing Co. teamed up with Tangled Roots Brewing Co.  Tangled Ivy is a double-dry hopped hazy IPA with oats and milk shugar.  Full bodied and low on the bitter side.  Available at Nik & Ivy starting today!  

Coming Soon

Keyboard Warrior

Check out the ingredients on this one:  dark roasted barley, sweet caramel malt, decadent dark cocoa, a touch of pecan flour, and 75lbs of toasted coconut.  Metal Monkey's "Keyboard Warrior" is a German Chocolate Cake inspired beer that I can't wait to try!  We'll keep you posted as we hear more.  

On Deck at Garage Band

Fear the Voices (Double IPA), Fell on Black Days (Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout) are being brewed at Garage Band Brewing in Plainfield.  All are coming soon!

Pumpkin Hawk

River Hawk Brewing worked with The Farm of Westmont to develop a Pumpkin Ale.  We'll post more about this as we hear more.  

Flapjack Adding More Flavor to Pumpkin Beer

Flapjack is working on a Pumpkin Chocolate Brown Ale.  You can see here, they are raoding some pumpkins for this new concoction.  Stay tuned for release details!

A New BBA Stout from Ike & Oak

Ike & Oak is working on a new BBA Stout.  The brew was aged for 10 months in Heaven Hill distillery barrels.  You can see in the photo above, it's being transferred to their serving tank prior to bottling.  Coming soon!