In episode 209 of the Hop Cast, Ken Hunnemeder and Brad Chmielewski are joined by Taylor Munro Shaw, AKA TheArtOfBeer. In this episode the three of them crack open some beers from Prairie Ales in Oklahoma. Taylor Munro Shaw just started distributing to Chicago. The first beer they open is the Prairie Standard a 5.2% ABV Farmhouse Ale that’s been dry hopped with Motueka hops. Next up is the Prairie Noira 9.0% ABV bourbon barrel aged Imperial Oatmeal Stout. Both were fantastic beers and worth picking up if you see them on the shelf.

Cheers and thanks for watching the Hop Cast!

Brad Chmielewski & Ken Hunnemeder crack open a couple Chicago Wheat beers in episode 208. Both of these breweries are petty new but have been growing quickly and making some tasty stuff. First up Brad and Ken open the Crash Landed from Begyle Brewing Company. This 6% American Pale Wheat Ale pours a lovely straw color and the taste is surprising and pleasant, a little different than what you usually see from a wheat beer. Next up they open the newest beer from 5 Rabbit Cerveceria, the Missionario. Missionario is a 6.8% unfiltered wheat beer fermented with muscat grape must and almonds.

A couple tasty beers from Chicago breweries for the summer. Grab yourself some and enjoy the great weather.

Cheers and thanks for watching the Hop Cast!

In episode 207 of the Hop Cast, Ken Hunnemeder and Brad Chmielewski are in Washington D.C. for the Craft Brewers Conference. Washington D.C. is a great beer town. One of the spots everyone recommends going to is ChurchKey. So, of course you have to listen to the locals… and it was fantastic! The team even found themselves there a couple nights in a row.

One of those times, Ken and Brad were able to meet up with Greg Engert to chat about what their doing at ChurchKey, not just during the Craft Brewers Conference but also year round.

If you are visiting Washington D.C., ChurchKey should definitely be a stop on your beer adventure. They are doing some great things and have some fantastic food.

In episode 206 of the Hop Cast, Brad Chmielewski and Ken Hunnemeder are in Washington D.C. for the Craft Brewers Conference. The city was hopping every night with some awesome events. One place that was busy every night with a number of events was Meridian Pint. Brad and Ken were able to meet up with Tim Prendergast to chat about what their doing at Meridian Pint, not just during the Craft Brewers Conference but also year round.

If you’re in Washington D.C., Meridian Pint should definitely be a stop on your beer adventure. They are doing some great things and have an amazing cellar of beers downstairs to check out.

In episode 205 of the Hop Cast Ken Hunnemeder and Brad Chmielewski are joined by Tom Korder of Penrose Brewing to chat about Belgian beers. Since Tom is a Belgian beer lover, Ken and Brad thought he’d be a perfect guest to have on the show and there is no better place in Chicago to talk Belgian beers then at the Hopleaf. Three people, three beers… hey, everyone needed their own. Ken, Brad and Tom talk about what makes Belgian beers so special, as well as the differences between Trappist and Abbey beers all while sipping on an Orval, a Duvel and that beer that comes in that crazy glass, Kwak.

Everyone has their favorite Belgian beer and these are a few of our favorites that should be pretty easy for you to find. Grab yourself a bottle, find that proper glassware and tune in.

Thanks for watching The Hop Cast!

In episode 204 of the Hop Cast, Ken Hunnemeder and Brad Chmielewski crack open a couple IPAs. It’s been a while since they’ve featured an IPA on the Hop Cast which is a bit of a surprise. First up is the Heady Topper from The Alchemist. This 8 % ABV IPA is currently the number one beer on beeradvocate and for good reason, it’s delicious. What’s surprising is how different this beer is in the can, then when it was poured out into a glass. The Alchemist does recommend drinking it from the can but we had to test this for ourselves. Next, Ken pulls out a 5 year old Burton Baton from Dogfish Head Brewery that had been hidden away in his basement. This beer really shouldn’t of been aged for this long but it was interesting to see how well it held up over the years. Remember when you drink those IPAs, the sooner the better.

Cheers and thanks for watching the Hop Cast.

Brad Chmielewski and Ken Hunnemeder were able to catch up with John Laffler and Dave Bleitner during the Off Color Brewing presents Mischief at Black Rock. This event was the debut for Off Color Brewing. On tap were 4 collaboration beers that they brewed with friends around Chicago.

It’s an exciting time for craft beer in the city of Chicago and Off Color Brewing is planting their flag. This was a truly unique event with the 4 collaboration beers, a great guest tap list, Jell-O shots and beer cocktails.

In this episode, John talks about the plans for the brewery and the goal to initially launch with two, year round beers that they hope everyone is going to enjoy. With the intention that at Off Color, they will approach beer with an avant-grade mindset.

The brewery is coming together and they should be ready to start brewing soon. If you didn’t make it to the pop-up shop event, you’re going to have to wait a little longer before you get to try Off Color beers.

Cheers and thanks for watching the Hop Cast!

We can’t just focus on beers here in the United States, there are some great breweries across the world making some excellent brews. For episode 201, Ken Hunnemeder and Brad Chmielewski are opening a couple beers from Porterhouse Brewing Company in Ireland. The beers from Porterhouse Brewing Company have a really fun pull top, making opening a beer easier, allowing you to get to the beer that much faster. The first beer Ken and Brad open is the Wrasslers XXXX Stout a 5.00 % ABV Irish Dry Stout.

Next is the Oyster Stout which is a beer that Ken tried when he was in Ireland a few years ago. This 5.2 % ABV Stout has fresh oysters added during the brewing process. Being from the Midwest, the oyster stout isn’t a beer we see much of and is always interesting to try.

Do you have a beer from Ireland or even an Oyster Stout we should try? Let us know and thanks for watching the Hop Cast.