Beer Me! — River West Brewing — Chicago, Illinois, United States

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River West Brewing

(Closed)

925 West Chicago Avenue
Chicago IL 60622
[Update]

Notes

Visited: May 16, 1998

Opened: 1996

Closed: 2000

Annual Production: 1,000 bbl

Updated: July 6, 2003

Beer List

Berliner Weisse

Berliner-Style Weisse (Wheat)
- Date: May 16, 1998 (#2800)
  
  Package: draught
  
  Place: at the brewery
  
  Score: 14½ points
  
  Overall Impression (3)
  (Ask for this one without the raspberry juice.) Golden amber, some haze, thick head. Faint banana aroma. Sourish, some banana flavor. John Ponte says this is the same beer as the Whistle Stop, with a shot of lactic...he's probably right.

Bullfrog Bitter ESB

English-Style (Extra Special) Strong Bitter

Date: May 16, 1998 (#2792)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 16 points

Overall Impression (3)
Red-brown, flat, low head. Caramel, malty aromas. Thick, sweet, lots of dark caramel flavor. Bitter finish with some alcohol.

Doubledecker Doppelbock

German-Style Strong Doppelbock

Date: May 16, 1998 (#2798)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 14½ points

Overall Impression (3)
Deep red-brown, thick head. Smells pretty clean. Big body, very malty, lots of dark caramel. Not a lot of alcohol character, but drying at the end.

India Pale Ale

American-Style India Pale Ale

Date: May 16, 1998 (#2793)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 19 points

Overall Impression (3½)
Amber, low carbonation, thick dense head. Spicy, fruity aroma. Medium body, big spicy hop flavor. Long bitter drying finish.
Date: May 16, 1998 (#2795)

Package: real ale

Place: at the brewery

Score: 14½ points

Overall Impression (3)
Golden amber, flat, big dense head. Flowery hop aroma, hint of papery oxidation. Thick, creamy...lots of papery off-flavor. Floral hop bitter finish. Faintly chlorophenolic.

Date: May 16, 1998 (#2796)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 11 points

Overall Impression (2)
Pale, good head. Diacetyl odor. Light body, lots of diacetyl.

Date: May 16, 1998 (#2791)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 11 points

Overall Impression (2)
Amber-brown, low carbonation and head. Diacetyl, acetate odors. Medium body, fairly dry. Estery diacetyl flavors.

Date: May 16, 1998 (#2797)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 14½ points

Overall Impression (3)
Nice amber, color, thick head. Malty aroma, just a little roasty. Medium body, sweet, hint of alcohol.

Date: May 16, 1998 (#2801)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 13½ points

Overall Impression (2½)
Deep red, thick head. Diacetyl aroma over dark caramel. Dark, sweet, kinda roasty. Sweet finish.

Date: May 16, 1998 (#2799)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 15 points

Overall Impression (2½)
Completely black, thick head. Faintly roasty aroma. Thick, roasty, lots of coffee flavor.

Date: May 16, 1998 (#2794)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 18 points

Overall Impression (3)
Amber brown, thick brown head. Smells roasty. Medium body, big roasty flavor and finish. Nice Brown Ale.

Date: May 16, 1998 (#2802)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 15½ points

Overall Impression (3)
Extremely dark red, thick head. Nutmeg aroma. Big body, sweet, lots of nutmeg and maybe some allspice.

Date: May 16, 1998 (#2790)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 10½ points

Overall Impression (2)
Golden, clear, thin head. Hint of banana aroma. Sour, sweet. Like overripe bananas.

Date: May 16, 1998 (#2789)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 16½ points

Overall Impression (3½)
Golden, low carbonation, good head. Fruity aroma, hint of sulfur. Light body, malty, big hop flavor with a nice bitterness.