Pinnacle Porter
Brewery: Hailstorm Brewing Company
Location: 8060 186th St. Tinley Park, IL 60487
Style: Baltic Porter ABV: 6.7%
Review: Color - very dark brown (srm -30) mild head retention (ring around outer glass)beige to light brown head bubble are small and tight- head reappears and expands to mid glass when beer is shaken. Nose - roasty.
First sip - body is lighter and cleaner for a dark beer (cold fermented lager yeast) roasty malts are up front and primary mild coffee and plum flavors or secondary complementing the roastiness quite well finishes with mild roastiness on tongue
Mid beer - roasty malts stay prevalent, very little hop except finishing very imperceptibly on tongue enhancing roastiness which lingers nicely. Carbonation creates a nice balance with roasty malts. No bitterness or alcohol hotness which is excellent
Finishes - blending of roasty malts, mild bitter chocolate with background plum or stone fruit flavor make this an excellent Baltic porter. Great beer to pair with a cheese tray starter or a nice prime rib dinner.
Rating: 4 mugs
Plum Foolery
Brewery: Haymarket Pub and Brewery
Location: 737 W Randolph St., Chicago, IL. 60661
Style: Robust Porter ABV: 7.5%
Review: Color - dark brown with hints of ruby mild head retention but its full head reappears when stirred. Nose - has plum and roasty notes.
First sip - clean and refreshing body while blending of stone fruit or plum and roasty malts are up front from first sip. The combination makes it a refreshing beer versus a heavy beer.
Mid beer - the blending of roasted malts and plums continue and contribute equally to the taste of this porter. Mild hop and stone fruit flavor linger on the tongue after sip, with very clean finish.
Finishes - A super tasty and refreshing beer with exceptional stone fruit and roasted malt flavors makes this a tremendously easy drinking porter. This is a world class porter - seek it out!
Rating: 5 mugs
FUN SIZE STOUT
Brewery: Pollyanna Brewery
Location: 431 Talcott Ave., Lemont, IL., 60439
Style: Milk Stout. ABV: 6.1 %
Review: Brown with Red tones in color. White to beige head with medium to high carbonation. Aroma is roasty. Creamy mouthfeel, yet still has clean crisp taste of roasty stout with sweet background. It finishes sweet, roasty and creamy, excellent milk stout
Rating : 4 mugs
GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE STOUT
Brewery: Short Fuse Brewery
Location: 5000 N River Rd., Schiller Park, IL. 60176
Style: Milk Stout. ABV: 6.5%
Review: Dark brown color, beige/brown head, medium carbonation, with a sweet malty aroma. Front end you get amaretto and chocolate flavor with a nice creamy mouth feel. The amaretto/chocolate flavor blend nicely mid beer, and the chocolate notes dominate at back end of beer. This is a good to excellent milk sweet chocolate stout.
Rating: 4 mugs