3 Floyds Brewing Company- Zombie Dust

Continuing on my Chicago beer reviews, I move onto one of the best micro breweries in the United states, 3 Floyds Brewing Company. Back in August, I was relaxing in the basement watching one of my favorite shows, Brew Dogs on Esquire TV. Little did I know, this episode they were going to be brewing a beer in Chicago. Half way through the show they listed the Chicago areas best breweries, what stood atop the list? 3 Floyds Brewing Company!  As Leigh and I planned our trip to Chicago, I knew this was going to be the first place that we went!

I will be reviewing two different brews from this great brewery, first of, is one of the best IPAs I have ever had, and it just so happens to have an awesome Halloween theme name. The brew is Zombie Dust and after drinking about four of these you feel like a zombie! These is one of the more intense hoppy beers I have ever had, but mix this with the pale malts used to make this beer work with each other in an amazing fashion. I am usually not the biggest fan of IPAs, but this is clearly one of the better ones I have had. I paired this beer with a peperoni and spinach pizza, the taste of the pizza sauce and spinach work great with this brew, really bringing out the flavors in the food as well as the hoppy flavors of the beer.

Overall, this brewery is just awesome, not only do they have amazing beer, but also the food is to die for! Sadly, this beer is not available in the 402, so next time you are in Munster, IN, make a quick stop at 3 Floyds, as they do have cases of beer to go, and you know I did not leave there without one! Until next time, happy drinking!

Pair with these foods:

-Peperoni  

-Pizza

-Hot Pretzel  

Beer Info:

Style of Beer: Pale Ale

ABC (Alcohol by Volume): 6.2%

Color: Light

Where to buy in the 402:

-Not avalable in the 402

Solemn Oath Brewery- Oktoberface

A long weekend in Chicago led to a lot of beer drinking and trying a lot of different brews! As my wife and I drove to Chicago last week, the idea of trying some local Chicago beers excited me. This first beer stood out to me and comes from Naperville, a Chicago suburb. The brewery is Solemn Oath, and the amazing beer is Oktöberface. I had not heard of this brewery or beer, but the name instantly stood out to me. Being a lover of October beers, I had to give it a try.

This wonderful brew is a full-bodied German Lager; to be exact it is a German Marzen lager. Marzen lagers are usually known for being dark brown with a very full body and bitter taste. This beer does meet two of these standards, but to all of you who dislike bitter beer, this is not one. This beer is a dark color with very rich caramel flavors, which make it very easy to drink by not leaving you with a bitter taste at the end. The caramel tastes, working with the hop characters, make this one of the better October beers I have had.

Those of you who love October beers will love this one. Most of my reviews of October beers come out with me loving the brew. I have not come across many October beers that I dislike, but I can guarantee you that this one is close to the top of my list.  Sorry to burst your bubbles, but this beer is only sold in the Chicagoland area. But make sure that if you are ever in the Chicago area you check out this amazing beer and amazing brewery. It is a top choice in the Chicago area.

Pair with these foods:

-Sausage

-Peperjack cheese

-Apple Strudel desert

Beer Info:

Style of Beer: American Style Marzen

ABC (Alcohol by Volume): 6%

Color: Dark Brown

Where to buy in the 402:

-Not avalable in the 402 ☹

Zip Line Brewing Company- Nut Brown

Continuing my reviews of amazing fall beers, I turn to my favorite brewery, which just so happens to be in Lincoln. If you follow my blog, you know that I have reviewed a few beers from Zip Line Brewery; this week I'm reviewing the new Zip Line Nut Brown. To be totally honest, before I tried this beer, nut brown beers were very low on my list, I usually really dislike them, but, of course, Zip Line changed my feelings!

For those of you who want to try a new dark beer, I would highly recommended this brew. Also, for those of you who usually dislike nut-brown ales, you need to give this one a shot. I have been seeing this every time I go out to eat or am at the store, but I have told myself not to get it, because ‘you don’t like nut brown’. But, Zip Line always has my heart; therefore, I decided to give it a shot! This brew is simply put, amazing. The rich combination of hazelnut and caramel instantly hits your palate, while the amazing aroma of caramel and great taste throughout the entire drink makes it one of the better brown ales I have ever had.

Overall, this is a beer that you should try even if you are not a dark beer or nut brown ale fan. Give it a shot! I can promise you, you will not be disappointed in this amazing beer! What's the best part? It's brewed in our great state capital and available at most bars and restaurants around Lincoln. Until next week, happy drinking!!

Pair with these foods:

-Cheese and Crackers

-Grilled Steak

-Fall Veggies (ie. Squash with rice)

Beer info:

Style of Beer: English Style Brown Ale

ABV (Alcohol by Volume): 5.8%

Color: Dark Brown

Where to buy in the 402:

-N Street Liquor

-Hy Vee

-Mellow Mushroom- Rail Yard, Lincoln, NE

-Zip Line Brewery, Lincoln, NE

Shiner Bock- Oktoberfest

Want to try another great beer for in October? This is my favorite month and a great time for beer, so I would suggest you tune into my blog over the next month. The list of great Oktoberfest beers is endless, one of the top five for me is Shiner Bock Oktoberfest. Before this year, I had not tried this amazing brew, but I stumbled upon it at N Street Liquor as I browsed their selection. I love Shiner Bock overall, so I figured I would give this one a shot. Just as I figured, it is amazing!

This brew is known as a Marzen-Style Ale, a traditional German style ale that is known for having a medium body with a malty flavor.  The thing I love about Marzen style ales is the fact that they have incredibly rich flavor to start off and leave you with a dry hoppy finish. Shiner hit a home run with this brew; if I had to only recommend five fall beers, this definitely would be in the five. The rich flavor, working with the hops leaves you desiring another.

For those of you interested in trying fall beers or are a fall beer lover, this is a beer for you. This beer becomes available in late August until the end of October; make sure to act fast, as it does not stay on the shelves.  I hope you enjoy this great brew. Until next time, happy drinking!

Pair with these foods:

-Calzone

-Pizza

-Brats off the Grill

Beer info:

Style of Beer: Marzen-Style Ale

ABV (Alcohol by Volume): 5.7%

Color: Cleveland Browns Orange 

Where to buy in the 402:

-N Street Liquor

-Hy Vee

-Mellow Mushroom- Rail Yard, Lincoln, NE

Photo from Shiner Bock website