American Pale Males

Memories. A very special episode. Jeremy takes a walk down homebrew memory lane, by having what was perhaps the last Drinkenstein's Monster. Michael had a St. Bernardus Tripel. Next, we celebrate our 5th Anniversary with some stats! But then, the episode becomes even more specialer. Get ready for some classic callbacks and recollections. Hop on the lawnmower with Nic Cage and Stephen King while munching an apricot and head to the set of Cheers. There is plenty of beerosity and bourbonity  at that foodrinkery as we wait for jabroni summer. We then get back to business, starting up the FDR. What liquid surrounds the bubels in the Duvels? (see below)Beer in this episode: Delirium TremensCheers!

A Shattered Dreams production... Jeremy says he has no fear getting back onto the bike, despite his reptile brain. He then reveals he tried a Saint Archer Gold and tells us all about it. Michael discusses some famous SOLVED mysteries, including Umbrella Man, Bigfoot, Anastasiaz, The Bloop, and the Bermuda Triangle. But all that stuff is bogus, the real mystery is what is in bag "C"? We try it, read two 5 star reviews from BA, then rank & rate. Pip pip, I salute you President Kennedy.Beer in this episode: NaturdaysCheers!

Michael attempts to bring up Wu Tang, but Jeremy is not biting. Instead, Jeremy transitions to his beer brag, Stone Scorpion Bowl. Somehow Slipknot comes up. Michael asks some intro questions to bring up childhood stories, including the weirdest place to fall asleep and the best lie. Jeremy declines a headcheese sub sandwich. We then get into the FDR, continuing the Magical Mystery Brew series. Jeremy opens bag "B" and is dismayed. Fortunately, Michael has some experimental tricks up his sleeve in an attempt to make things better.Beer in this episode: Icehouse EdgeCheers!

The Magical Mystery Brew is dying to take you away... but more on that later. Jeremy has a sneak peek at Big Grove's birthday treat. Michael gets Jeremy to say a "swear" for his beer brag. And then, Brews News, NEW BUD PRODUCT ALERT... but we are rather jaded. After all, "The dorks will always have the street cred that Bud will never have." Then, it's time for the FDR. About a month ago, Michael handed Jeremy a box of "brews" all wrapped in brown paper bags. Today, he finds out what one of those drinks is.Beer in this episode: Steele Reserve Alloy Series Tropical StormCheers!

The lads wrap up the dark hole series, commenting that a dark hole is not a black hole, so light can escape. Jeremy has a poorly aged peanut butter porter, while Michael has a delicious and robust peanut butter stout. Jeremy then entices with peanut butter whiskey. Michael then launches into some "intro questions" for Jeremy, which bring up tails of yore about terrible defeat and playgrounds. Finally, we get into the FDR, where a variant of a previously lauded brew takes it to the next level.Beer in this episode: Peace Tree Triple BCheers!

We start on time(.gov). Michael explores the dark hole outside the podcast, enjoying Trois Pistoles. Jeremy gets into Hazier Things at Big Grove. Michael then launches a quiz about dark black holes in fiction, specifically film, which brings up movies of yore. We then get into the FDR, where a chocolaty brew hits one note well, somewhat catching us off guard.Beer in this episode: Atwater Decandent Dark Chocolate AleCheers!

Uh oh. Jeremy has put in hair extensions and is hopping and spinning around up on the stage. Michael ponders on Spotted Cow. Jeremy rocks out to Sleigh'r from Ninkasi. Next, a new segment "Would You Do It?", a spin-off from Brew News. Items include Session IPAs vs new generation light IPAs, Bulk pHaze, and a seltzer fest. Does this beer reek? Finally, we get into the FDR, where a Imperial Stout causes our wheels to spin. Oh no. Are we too far down the dark hole? Diddy Kong, save us!Beer in this episode: Central Water Satin SolitudeCheers!

We've done it. We went too close to the dark hole and got sucked in past the event horizon. We are speghettified. Before that though, Jeremy had a Super NES, along with some Oscar trivia. Michael had Guinness Stock Ale. We go back and talk more about the Oscars, seeing how well we did with our predictions. Jeremy recalls seeing a woman in a dress covered in pseudo-mirrory stuff. Then we get into the FDR. In an attempt to go foreign and dark with the beer, something bad happens (that's the dark hole thing I was talking about earlier).Beer in this episode: McAuslan St. Ambroise Oatmeal StoutCheers!

Michael laments a Beer Bomb that Jeremy can also confirm, but it at least has some semblance of relevance to the FDR later. On the contrary, Jeremy enjoys a PB porter from Contrary. We then get into THE BIG GAME stuff, mainly focusing on the beer commercials that aired. We then take a historical look back at a few products. We cap it off by discussing different Bowl. Finally, we get into the FDR, where an offering from the East proves to be the darkest brew that we've tried so far in the Dark Hole series. How will it fare in the taste department though?Beer in this episode: Nitachino Nest Espresso PorterCheers!

Jeremy brags about a growler fill of a much lauded creamsicle version of Juice Factory. Michael talks about Something Dark once again. Then, buckle up, we talk Oscars, picking Jerome's brain on the nominees in the big four categories. Who do we want to win? Who will win? Will Jeremy get mad? Then we move on to the FDR, where we continue down the Dark Hole Series and have a traditional style that we do not have often on the show. Unlicensed Darth Vader shows up too.Beer in this episode: Next Door Darth PorterCheers!

Alfred Hitchcock's silhouette looms as we get into beer brags. Michael has a limited run peanut butter stout, which was most superb. Jeremy has a Berliner Weiss that tickled his fancy. Going from beer, we make an abrupt turn into the AI Dungeon, which throws a few abrupt turns back at us. Join Ser Gumbel as he faces the dragon,  gamblers, and his own family. With that nonsense out of the way, we get into the FDR, where we spray a tanker truck full of milk stout into the wrestling ring.Beer in this episode: Confluence Milk ManCheers!

An ad-hoc intro leads to some B-level band talk. Like that band that sang about a chair in the room... or something? Did that lead singer die? For beer brags, Michael celebrates with a Celebrator and Jeremy Keeps 'er Movin'. Jeremy has the inside track on Bud Light Seltzer. Prepare to be inundated. Michael then puts a halt on the interesting topic in order to bring back the Painstakingly Detailed Oblivion Recap, where we learn Jeremy liberated Krotch. Finally, we get into the FDR, where we awaken an ancient one to see if it is still a contender.Beer in this episode: Schell's BockCheers!

Welcome to IL Dope Boyz. Before that though, beer brags. Jeremy has a bevy of brews in Wisconsin, noting one from Ale Asylum. Michael has a little uzi vert ical "flight" of Yule from Boom Island. We then talk about the legalization of recreational cannabis in Illinois, using our crystal ball to predict its future and impact on beer. Finally, it is time for the FDR, where we have a brew that was previously sampled on the show about two years ago. However, things have changed, and that might make all the difference. Did they "Poochie" the beer?!Beer in this episode: Newcastle Brown AleCheers!

Michael has an Oddball beer, which was supposed to equate to a regular brew, but turns out to be odd anyway. Researcher Jeremy puts his thoughts on Backpocket Brewing to the test and comes out with significant results, rejecting the null hypothesis. Meanwhile, it turns out that England is no country for hard seltzer. Then, the FDR. We throw down a foamy brew, but we probably botched it, leading to some wanginess.Beer in this episode: Reunion HefeweizenCheers!

Welcome to the end of the year episode. We cut right to the chase, reviewing the beers we had on the show this year and picking our favorites for various categories. Starting off with the lighter "awards", we pick the best beer name of the year, the adjunct of the year, and best bottle/can artwork. We then pick the brewery of the year, worst beer of the year, and then pick our Beer of the Year for 2019. Finally, we go through some highlights for our 2019 episodes and end with our annual New Beers Resolutions.Cheers!

In the penultimate episode of the year, we take the time to sit back and... do what we usually do every episode. Starting with beer brags, Michael has a Polish bock, with a purportedly secretive process. Jeremy gets down with a coffee brew from Bell's. We then get into some big news (which due to some timey wimey stuff, we are a bit late on) that ripped through the craft brew world a few weeks earlier. Don't worry, our keen insight makes up for the delay in discussion. Right. Next we get into the FDR, which has nothing to do with any of the above, because it is simply the final brew in "The Uniques" series of beers. How will the last contender from mid-Illinois fare?Beer in this episode: Matthiessen English MildCheers!

Welcome to the podcast, with your hosts Michael and Jinglebell Jeremy. JBJ brags about a brut IPA from Firetrucker that he had while watching the Lighthouse. (It is a movie.) Michael recommends "It Was a Fine Luncheon". Due to our lack of wintery beers on the show, despite being in season, we talk winter warmers and hypothesize one of our own. We then discuss "The Bride of Drinkenstein" as a potential sequel to a previous homebrew. Finally we get into the FDR, where we have another one of The Uniques. Do we lambaste kraisins? Listen and find out?Beer in this episode: De Stihl Hawaii Five AleCheers!

Michael immediately enters the Tailgates of Hell (the final one for the year), asking Jeremy about Corona. The insipid beer talk is worthwhile though as we get a good tip for cooking chili. Jeremy brags about having the ultimate freshly hopped beer care of Iowa Brewing Company. Then, prefacing a new miniseries, Michael brings up a list of various unique brews that the lads discuss. Jeremy must decide to put it down his gullet or put it down his terlet. Finally, we get into the FDR. Craisins of the Show gifted some brews to us, calling them "The Uniques". This beer is the first in that series of brews.Beer in this episode: Tangled Roots Belgian WitCheers!

Jeremy rocks an iron intro. Michael's remembers Grandpa's Got a Gun. Jeremy also shares a beer brag of his own (can you tell that I forgot what it was by that generic statement?) Then we commence to DESTROY ART quiz. God, that doesn't work, but I am not up for thinking of better wordplay. Look, these all can't be winners as you may have surmised and I am just not feeling it this week. However, we were feeling this week's FDR, which got a lengthy review.Beer in this episode: Untitled Art Brut Rose IPACheers!

Note: Audio is a little wonky in places, but should not be too disruptive.2nd note: Zwan was a relatively short-lived band headed by Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins fame.Jeremy starts playing Oblivion and talks about. Michael is surprised that Jeremy started playing the game and more surprised that he actually made the joke segment a reality. Either way, it is good. Michael brags about having the original German eisbock, while Jeremy has a couple of saisons from Wake Brewing. Inspired by Mike's check in, Michael reports on choice pumpkin brews for this year, in a retrospective, why-didn't-we-do-that segment. Perhaps they are suggestions to think about considering the mixed/lackluster ones we had on the show. In the FDR, it's the final pumpkin beer of the year and it comes from a macrobrewery... could the answer been in front of our faces all along?Beer in this episode: Blue Moon Harvest Pumpkin WheatCheers!