TWO BROTHERS BREWING CO.

United States Brewpubs,

Two Brothers Brewing Company - Absolute Beer

WARRENVILLE, ILLINOIS

Situated at Warrenville’s industrial park just north of Interstate 88, TWO BROTHERS BREWING was founded by brothers Jim and Jason Ebel during 1996. Previously, the duo sold beer and wine equipment in nearby Naperville and traveled Europe to discover the possibilities of brewing craft beer in the burgeoning US market. By time of this July ’14 sojourn, Two Brothers had already begun bottling its excellent fare for national distribution starting circa 2000.

In a freestanding off-white warehouse, this organic restaurant-brewpub draws serious beer geeks and local families alike. And the front door blackboard firmly insists ‘Uncle Sam Wants You To Drink Local.’ Besides its own savory fare, guest bottled selections from Belgium, Germany, England and United States are also worth checking out.

Serving well-prepped salads, sandwiches and pizza alongside 12-plus tapped selections, its super-clean maroon-walled interior features an L-shaped bar with gold hanging lamps, right side booths, windowed chairs, high ceilings and black exposed pipes. Glass-encased brewtanks behind the serving station hold the soon-to-be bottled and tapped offerings.

Though I’d already quaffed every beer on Two Brothers regular tap menu in bottles (check out Beer Index), there were two previously untried one-off libations available on tap during my mid-afternoon summertime perusal. Both showed off the wide spectrum of styles these experienced zymurgists create.

Wonderful Belgian-American hybrid, Cabinet of Curiousities White IPA, brought brisk orange-peeled coriander spicing to floral citra-hopped bittering, tossing white-peppered lemon zest, grapefruit, mango, tangerine, navel orange and pineapple illusions at its light doughy malting.

Just as fabulous, Irritated Koala Black IPA loaded smoked black tea into its mocha-fruited midst. Much like a beechwood-smoked German rauchbier, this unique hybrid maintained a barbecued campfire char that saturated sweet chocolate-cocoa malts, subtle grapefruit fondue illusions and peaty umami soy saucing.

www.twobrothersbrewing.com

 

IECHYD DA BREWING COMPANY

United States Brewpubs,

ELKHART, INDIANA

Opened in 2011 by hometown married couple, Chip and Summer Lewis, Elkhart-based IECHYD DA BREWING COMPANY (its name is Welch for Cheers!) has become a popular Main Street bistro in this small northern Indiana metropolis. Visited July ’14, the caliginous freestanding pub was packed on a Friday evening. Settling in at the long right side granite bar (with hanging tiki lamps), I ordered up some hummus from the respectable light menu (pizza/ sandwiches/ snacks) and prepare to consume all eight currently available house brews.

Iechyd Da’s dark gray and maroon interior and scenic Welch decor match the dusky twilight setting of its external design. Shelved ceramic mugs, two TV’s and a back-walled blackboard beer list inundate the bar while an open kitchen, one community table, several tables, exposed pipes and black ceiling fill out the midsize room. A side patio is also available for dining and the brew tanks are stationed in the rear.

First up, light-bodied session ale, Local Blonde, offered buttery corn malts and light rice niceties to softly perfume-hopped grapefruit-juiced navel orange tartness.

Sour lactic acidity imbibed Tata Rosa Razz Berliner Weisse, a tart raspberry-laden summertime treat with lemon-dropped cranberry, green apple, mandarin orange and white grape souring over a soft salty-bottomed white wheat base.

Just as smooth, Cantankerous Irish Red brought toasted caramel spicing to tropical orange, pineapple, mango and peach fruiting as well as tobacco-leafed crisping and wispy nuttiness.

Approachable Two Mile Pale Ale let IPA-like lemon-seeded grapefruit and orange fruiting and oily pine-hopped perfuming deepen its juniper bittering above moderate pale malting.

A bit bitterer, floral-perfumed hops engaged Revolution American IPA, a wood-dried medium body gathering orange-peeled grapefruit, pineapple and pear illusions.

Each fine dark ale had a similar mocha profile. 13 American Black Ale layered sweet dark-roasted malts above hop-charred dark fruiting while Fearless King Rye Smoked Porter dealt smoked chocolate malts to dry-spiced rye breading, cocoa powdered chalking, cookie dough yeast and black cherry tartness.

For dessert, dry English-styled Cannonball Rye Stout plied sweet milk chocolate creaming to its toasted rye-pumpernickel base.

www.iechyddabrewingcompany.com

(NO LABEL) MINT IPA

Beers A-Z

Uniquely herbaceous West Coast-styled India Pale Ale brings pronounced mint freshness to stylistic piney-hopped fruit juicing. Sharp resinous hop bittering heightens embittered yellow grapefruit-peeled navel orange briskness as well as ancillary tangerine-peach-pear-apple sentiments. But it’s the entertaining spearmint-leafed wintergreen and peppermint herbage that truly takes this to a different level. Wispy anise, pine nut and lemon tea illusions add to the pleasant peculiarities.

(NO LABEL) PALE HORSE ALE

Beers A-Z

Affable rust-hazed American pale ale with supposedly “significant amount” of caramel-toasted pale malts and dry Cascade hops could be mistaken for mild IPA thanks to brisk floral-perfumed citric nature and oily pine bittering. Bright grapefruit-peeled orange rind, lemon zest, pineapple and peach tang reaches ultra-dry finish.

KUKA GINGER MANGO IPA

Beers A-Z

Crisply clean 2014 summertime moderation brings mild mango tartness and light ginger herbage to indifferent India Pale Ale fruiting. Dried orange desiccation picks up astringency, deadening tropical kiwi-guava-passionfruit snip. Grassy hop bittering remains subtle. In the can ’17, fresh ginger-rooted mango adjunct struggles for room as sharp lemony orange-peeled grapefruit rind bittering, sweet ‘n sour pineapple tartness and grassy hop astringency gain footing.

SARANAC WILD HOP PILS

Beers A-Z

Aggressive lemony grapefruit bittering and musty orange-rotted souring lead the way for well-balanced pilsner that compares favorably to Saranac’s White IPA. Tropical pineapple-mango-passionfruit stead increases fruity nature above grassy dry-hopped spicing and peppery earthen minerality. Floral-perfumed jasmine, lilac, rosebud, dandelion and lavender nuances flutter by.

 

(SURLY) BLAKKR IMPERIAL BLACK ALE

Beers A-Z

Surly-brewed canned version from shared recipe (with Texas’ Real Ales and Indiana’s Three Floyds Brewing) is stylistically as good as it gets. A complex Imperial Stout/ IPA-styled Cascadian Dark Ale, its expansive flavor profile combines rich mocha nuttiness with brisk citric fruiting. Initial coffee whimsicality, dried cocoa bittering and mild caramel latte creaming deepen dark-roasted chocolate malting over pine-charred hop roast. Sweet orange peel zest sprinkles grapefruit, pineapple and lemondrop illusions just below the brown chocolate-y surface. Well done.