This content was originally published by The Hop Review, a digital magazine that joined the Hop Culture family in March 2020.
This piece was written by Tom White.
In this week’s Hoplinks, sour beer isn’t always good, a Chicago brewery looks to fill a void, another brewery sends relief, and Obama orders a burger. Let us know what else we missed this week in the comments.
CHICAGO – Have you tried your catch of Goose Island’s Bourbon County Coffee or Barleywine yet? If not, you might want to check one out as reports are surfacing across the city of infected batches of the highly sought after brew. On the plus side, Goose is facing up to the problem, offering refunds to anyone affected. Just call 800-GOOSE-ME by February 29th if you notice any issues. [Chicago Tribune]
PARK RIDGE, IL – Mikerphone, a brewery we’ve seen more and more of around town lately, is looking to open their own space and taproom in Park Ridge, near O’Hare. Founder Mike Pallen, in his talk with the Tribune, is looking to bring a little craft to what sounds like a pretty barren suburb when it comes to good drinks. [Chicago Tribune]
FLINT, MI – Amidst the increasingly disturbing water situation in Flint, at least one brewery has stepped up to help out local residents. Colorado’s
Oskar Blues partnered with can producer Ball to send 50,000 cans of fresh water to Flint. This isn’t unprecedented as breweries have sent relief water to stricken areas in the past. [Citizen-Times]DETROIT, MI – After paying a visit to the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, President Obama stopped by Midtown, Detroit. His stops include a quick shop at Shinola and a burger at brewery Jolly Pumpkin. Sources say that the POTUS elected for a classic cheddar burger. No word on if he sampled any sour brews. [99.5 WYCD]
BEER REVIEW – Guys Drinking Beer tastes the new-to-market Twisted Pretzel Wheat from Shock Top. As you could probably guess from the name, they won’t exactly be recommending this be your next 6-pack purchase anytime soon. [Guys Drinking Beer]
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Photograph from our interview with Goose Island Brewmaster Jared Jankoski during which we sampled the excellent BCBS Coffee the day it was bottled.