Through the Ale, Darkly: Goose Island Pub's Pepe Nero and Revolution's Eugene Porter

Here's the Dark Ale I made early this year, which included dark malt, honey, pumpkin, spruce and two hops (Citra and Willamete hops).  So while it came out tasty, with massive froth, strongly hopped and spruced with a tannic but thin if not a little under malted mouth feel, it's sure no baseline for a dark ale.  

Nevertheless after ordering a Pepe Nero at AB-Imbev's Goose Island airport pub at O'Hare, I'm completely convinced I should have dropped in a half cup of black, cracked pepper corns because Pepe Nero is outstanding, and pepper is kind of the missing link with in the Christmas Spruce I made.  The next time I fill the buckets to I make any kind of thin dark ale, it's certainly going to include a few varieties of cracked pepper to counteract any thinning.

After reading their respective websites, and talking to a few insiders, I still can't tell if AB-Imbev simply bought out or just hog tied Pepe Nero when it rolled up the Goose Island production beer portfolio (including 312 Wheat and Honker) in 2010, and thereby extending it's foot hold into the fast growing craft brewing market while maintaining its massive, locked up shelf space in bars, beer delis and beer distributors across the nation, or if it left it and other Goose Island brew pub brands alone (including Matilda, Sophia, Pere and Pepe).


John Hall's son, Greg Hall, who I hear tell invented some of these outstanding brew pub beers, left the Goose Island brew pub upon the sale of the Goose brand to AB-Imbev and now makes beer at the new, South side production brewery that Chicago beer guru Randy Moser has put together (called 5 Rabbit), so it's an open question whether and how much influence AB-Imbev has on Pepe and the other North Clybourn brands, as 5 Rabbit introduces Missionario, (a wheat beer made with Muscat grape must and almonds).

Pepe Nero has a very nice balance malts, with slight hop in aroma and flavor, with a smooth mouth feel, and not thin as it's description as Belgian style or Saison would suggest.  It has a Beer Advocate score of 87.  I don't agree.

Pepe Nero recipe:

Style: Belgian Style Farmhouse Ale
Alcohol by Volume: 6.4%
International Bitterness Units: 30
Color: Mahogany
Hops: Pilgrim, Saaz
Malt: Pilsner, Rye, Crystal Rye, Black Malt

Nero was a nice follow up after a draft Green Line, which as hoppy and low ABV.

Revolution Brewing's Eugene Porter is another nice, dark Chicago beer with strong, tasty flavors.  It has a Beer Advocate score of 90.

Revolution describes it as "A striking, robust porter full of warmth and chocolate malt. Eugene is a robust porter named after Eugene V. Debs, an American union leader and activist who led the Pullman Railroad strike in 1894. An assortment of Belgian specialty malts form a complex structure of toasted grain and caramel flavors. Dark chocolate malt makes this porter black as night and infuses it with its distinct intense, chocolate essence".    

I found the Eugene Porter holds up so well in the cans, and is on par with the draft at the brew pub in Logan Square. There are chocolate notes, but it hasen't been particularly malty to my taste, which makes me thinks chocolate nibs are in the house when they brew it. 

Statistically, it's ABV  6.8% and IBU  28