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Winner (tie) Akari Shogun Half Acre, Lincoln Square The judges tasted tropical flavors, citrus, and pine in this top-rated wheaty brew. It’s often available on draft, but the judges poured from a can— which should put to rest most questions about whether quality can come from aluminum. Score: 90 Winner (tie) Gamma Ray Lake Bluff … Read more

Winner Irie IPA Tighthead, Mundelein The cream of the crop, the judges agreed. “Definitely for the hopheads,” said Maloney, who liked the “long grapefruit finish.” Quinn declared it a now “classic” in the West Coast style. Score: 90 Fiddlesticks Belgian IPA Buckledown, Lyons We secretly threw a Belgian-style IPA in the mix—and the panel called … Read more

A class of beer all their own, lagers are fermented with different yeasts and at a colder temperature than ales.

Sometimes overlooked as a middle- of-the-road style, this refreshing, mostly sweet ale can be a great thirst quencher.

From the hefeweizen to the American wheat pale ale, this style offers a ton of variety. Creamy or juicy, bitter or sweet, savory or fruity—the options are endless.

The winter drinker, distinguished by a blanket of dark malts. Often only seasonally available.

Sweet yet spicy—this style is the origin of the beer geek’s obsession.

Recipes for ambers tend to be straight- forward, meaning that there’s not much for a brewer to hide behind.