Off Color Brewing Troublesome

Off Color Brewing is one of the new breweries in the up and coming Chicago scene.  Started by John Laflfer, formerly of Goose Island, and Dave Bleitner, formerly of Two Brothers Brewing, Off Color has quickly made a name for themselves with their unique take on beers and the quality they produce.  The two men met at Siebel Institute (the oldest brewing school in the US) while studying brewing.  While interning at Metropolitan Brewing, they began planning what would become Off Color Brewing.  After a few years learning the practical side at some of the local bigger breweries, they finally started their own venture.

Troublesome is a blended wheat ale.  They brew part of the batch with standard yeast and the other part with Lactobacillus bacteria.  The lacto portion is sour and funky.  They then take the two batches and blend them back together.  Coriander and salt are added towards the end of the fermentation to give this tart wheat beer its finishing touches.

If you want to get extra geeky, you can scan the QR code (those weird pixelated squares you see on labels sometimes) to get all kinds of special information.  I won’t spoil it for you, but it’s worth downloading a QR scanner to your smart phone.

Appearance: Cloudy yellow/blonde, white head, great retention.

Aroma: Coriander, wheat, light lemon, light earthiness, mineral notes.

Taste: Minerally, light citrus, crisp wheat.  The mouthfeel is made a bit more round and viscous with the addition of oats.

Overall Impression:  Troublesome is pleasantly tart with a medium finish.  It’s got a nice balance of flavors and a refreshing crispness.  This is an excellent patio beer: lower in alcohol with balanced flavors that don’t sacrifice quality for lightness.  This is a really tasty beer.  I can’t wait to try more from this new brewery.

Availability: In small quantities here and there.

4.5% ABV