All over the United States, craft breweries are continuing an American tradition which experienced an almost 50 year drought after the repeal of prohibition. Big Muddy Brewing in Murphysboro, Illinois is much like many of these new “microbreweries” all over the country, reinvigorating an industry and continuing a heritage that has skipped several generations. Until 1940, Murphysboro was the home of a thriving brewery and until prohibition; it was one of the cornerstones of the town’s industry. In 1910, the Stecher Brewing Company produced more than 40,000 barrels of beer a year. However, passage of the Volstead Act in 1919, which ushered in the era of prohibition, began a slow decline to the brewery’s demise. Big Muddy Brewing’s founder Chuck Stuhrenberg attended Southern Illinois University Carbondale in the 1980s. After graduation, he opened a franchise of Chicago’s Rosati’s Pizza in Carbondale and in 1990, began another venture, Spray Shield Industries. It was while Stuhrenberg was in college at SIU that he began making his own beer. Stuhrenberg and his college buddies would homebrew, and as the years went on, he began to take his hobby more seriously. Stuhrenberg always had professional brewing in the back of his mind, but it stayed a hobby until 2009. In July, 2009, Big Muddy Brewing finally began production, the first brewery in Murphysboro in over 50 years.
Bottle. Pours a deep brown with some nice highlights and a dense tan head. Aromas of toffee with a hint of dried fruit... somewhere between date and prune maybe? Flavor is definitely not in line with the nose! If has a very gingerbread edge to it... ginger, cinnamon and cream with a hint of chocolate/toffee underlying it all. It’s an odd mix, that’s for sure. Can’t say whether I’m in love or simply moving through a checkpoint on this one.
12 ounce bottle. Translucent cola brown color. Large frothy "root beer" head. Roasted malt nose reminiscent of dark caramel and vanilla. Flavor is light roasted malt. Notes of vanilla and sweet malt. Nutty toasted pecans in midtaste. Mild dark corn syrup notes in finish. More like a porter or brown ale than a stout.
12 ounce bottle. Medium gold color topped by a small fluffy white head. Fruity malt and blueberry nose. Flavor follows nose with tangy, sweet malt notes. Blueberry is subtle, yet lingers throughout. There is a floral hoppy note in the finish, though it is subdued. This could be a nice refreshing Summer brew, but is a bit lacking in late January when tasted.
12 ounce bottle. Pours a cola brown color topped by a moderate rocky beige head. Nose is abundant with notes of cinnamon and ginger. First sips is toasted malt and aforementioned spices. Slightly fruity with a touch of dark dried fruit. This is a subtle brew. More notes of nuts and toasted bread in middle. Finish is chewy with vinous notes. A wonderful Winter Ale.
Can courtesy of Secret Santa Strykzone, thanks! Cloudy golden amber color, thin white head. Floral grapefruit aroma. Taste is bitter mized citrus and raw bread. Tasty.
Pour is a clear bright golden with a large white head. Aroma is pils type malt. Sweet but dry with some wet hay. Flavor is a very nice chewy and bready malt with minerals and bitterness. Aftertaste is clean and fleeting. This is a pretty good pils. It’s got a nice malty body with no adjuncts and it’s clean a refreshing.
Pours a dark copper color with a medium thick off-white head that recedes gradually to a film. Patchy lacing on the glass. Aroma of malt, vanilla and cinnamon. Medium body with flavors of roast malt, cinnamon and sweet vanilla. The finish is sweet with a malt and cinnamon aftertaste. Decent overall.
22oz bottle pours a murky brown with some cloudy, tan head. Nose is very earthy, brown sugar, tree bark, vegetal, some balsamic. Flavor is tart with berries and acid, pomegranate, brown sugar, malt, a bit of couch. Full bodied and tart on the finish.