A sampling snapshot of Peoria brews

Beer goes beyond Homer Simpson and the less-animated Brett Kavanaugh, so I did a quick, light-hearted (not Lite-hearted) report from visits to a few Peoria breweries:

BEARDED OWL BREWING – Low Key Basic has a mild bitterness, like Bernie Sanders after Hillary’s 2016 nomination. Described as a “hazy” India pale ale, its sweet aftertaste features hops with an air of “Norway spruce,” but the toasty, restful result won’t make you feel like a lumberjack.

Shaky Knees, fermented with sourdough culture, is a strawberry/vanilla potion akin to some sort of Fizzie blast with a nice bite. Despite the key ingredients, it’s less fruity than full-bodied and floral.

 

INDUSTRY BREWING CO. – Sunday’s Sidework is a robust wheat, dry, spry, even grassy. It goes well with the joint’s “amber ambience” of Tidy Warehouse, with walls and fixtures adorned with corrugated metal and rough-hewn wood planks that give it a Destination setting..

2021 4 Roses Imperial Stout is a cherry vanilla concoction that might seem like a failed soda-fountain experiment, but it has a terrific tension, with a weighty heft yet a “Dramamine Dreamcicle” effect that clears your head and resists the strong stout dizziness that can befall Libation Loons.

 

OBED & ISAAC’S MICROBREWERY AND EATERY – Peoria Skyline, sipped in the stellar environment that used to be a church, and then a venue for weddings and music (I saw Johnny Winter there in 1989), the crisp delight has a citrus seasoning that’s slightly surprising but not overpowering.

Strawberry Blonde’s heady fragrance makes it a bright and wistful favorite: a real memory maker.

Full disclosure: I also had a Ditzy Blonde (rim shot!) with my brunch of Andouille sausage, and the smooth, savory beverage was as pleasant a companion as a good-humored teammate from a losing sports team.

 

RHODELL BREWERY – Mid West Wheat avoids the safe “amber waves of grain” imagery with a soft bite without the sense of drinking with training wheels.

Blueberry Cream Ale is more creamy than fruity, although the berry flavor is present. Swishing it around the mouth is as refreshing as homemade ice cream on a blistering summer afternoon.