Chicago, Day I - Three Floyds

So today turned into a hajj of sorts. Ever since my "craft brew enlightenment" if you will, I have been a fan of Three Floyds, even if I've only had a handful of their beers. This brewery, touted as one of the best in the country, crafts some aggressive brews such as Dreadnought, Behemoth, and the highly coveted Dark Lord, along with standards such as Robert the Bruce, Pride and Joy Mild, and their flagship Alpha King.

So how has FFF as it's know in the craft beer world become my Mecca of sorts? Well, Mecca used to be Pottsville, PA, the home of Yuengling (been there, done that - twice) was unseated by the boys named Floyd after my first encounter with Alpha King, such a solid American Pale Ale that it changed my take on the style. From there I was so interested in this brewery that I HAD to get to it's home in Munster, IN.

So after a quick search for a hotel, my Sales Manager and I trekked the two or so miles to the brewpub (coincidentally attached to the brewery) for dinner and a few brews. After a pint of AK and the Royale with Cheese, I started hitting the big ones. I started with a pint of the Tatooed Monk, a dark hefeweizen, quite like a dunkelweizen, only not as roasty, only a hint of black patent hidden behind the fresh hefe quality. Next up was the Blackheart English IPA. Served in a half pint due to it's high alcohol (9%-ish, according to the bartender), this golden elixir had the perfect balance of English malt and hops to make it a fantastic DIPA. Such a tasty brew. I capped the night off with a snifter of the Behemoth, an aggressively hopped barley wine with a ton of malt balance and the alcohol to go with it. Thankfully, said Sales Manager was kind enough to be DD.

I left with a small arsenal of bottles and bombers, the price of which I won't comment on here. It was a fantastic experience, well worth the monetary expense. Hell, it was my birthday present to myself. If you're in the Chicago area, stop by. You won't be disappointed.

Cheers,

Dave