My bad: I admit my bottle was from, um, last year. But it was still good. Wouldn’t have written it up if it wasn’t. I was Tweeted at by Around the Bend, who explained that they are now partner brewing with Burnt City. They now sell in cans, and on many draft accounts. And they’re working on a tap room to open soon in Chicago.
Got a lot of content to push through, and more holiday events to “calendar-ize” than I realized. But tonight I need to pack for a Christmas weekend with the parents. And pop a beer.
I was kind of busy and did not manage to lay in a store of Christmas beers for review this year. But I have one that might fit the bill. It’s Puffing Billy from Around the Bend Beer Co. of Chicago.
ATB is what we call a “client brewer,” making beer at various locations. They had been brewing at Ale Syndicate, and this one was since made at Excel Brewing in Breese, IL. Puffing Billy is described as an American brown ale finished with cacao nibs. Sounds like a possible holiday beer to me. It has 6.9% alcohol by volume, and a mild 35 IBU from Northdown hops.
The beer pours a big head in the narrow glass I chose. Deep brown, showing just a bit of highlight when I hold it up to the light. The smell offers a roasty malt first, and then the impression of chocolate. The taste alternates between roasty malts, and a bit of yeast, perhaps from bottle conditioning, and confirmed by the sediment at the bottom of the bottle. The cacao seems to contribute a slight lactic sour tinge. Not like a stout, but just something I noticed.
This is a hearty, malty beer with deep roast and chocolate, a good beer with meat dishes and desserts.
Note: I purchased this beer myself in order to review it.
