Whiner Beer Company

Microbrewery in Chicago, Illinois, United States 🇺🇸
Associated Venue: Whiner Beer Company

Established in 2015

Closed in 2026

Contact
1400 W 46th St, Chicago, IL, 60609, United States
Description
Whiner Beer Co. focuses on barrel-aged beer, a tradition common in Belgium and France that is gaining foothold in the US. Industry veterans and partners Brian Taylor and Ria Neri aim to make beers for people with a wanderlust palate, a curiosity for the strange and unknown, and those who take their beer seriously, but never themselves.

Housed in The Plant, a net-zero energy business incubator located in Chicago’s Back of the Yards neighborhood, Whiner aims to promote environmentally responsible brewing. The brewery will play a major role in the operations of The Plant’s anaerobic digester. Once up and running, Whiner’s spent grain will help fuel the digester, producing energy for the entire building.

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6.1/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 6 Flavor 5 Texture 6 Overall 6.5
No dating on the 12 ounce can.

It pours a hazy orange yellow with a finger of foam, and some nice lacing.

First thing I pick up in the smell is cloves, followed by coriander, a very earthy musty aroma, and some Brett.

The taste varies from the smell quite a bit. I get the cloves, I get some salt, definitely earthy musty, light Brett and light tartness. It IS wild after all. I reckon that the flavours meld pretty well.

Low end of medium bodied, pretty lively carbonation.

Bought in a mixed 6pack. I believe that would be my preference.
Tried from Can on 03 Feb 2020 at 16:04

5.9/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 5 Texture 6 Overall 6.5
Can bought at Liquor Shed. No dating. Belgian Style Stout.

Looks black but could be a very dark brown. The tannish foam is short lived.

Smells very roasty with a rather significant presence of coffee. Dark chocolate accompanies.

Taste has coffee, roasted malt, dark chocolate, hints of fruit, and to me, some lactose.

Close to medium bodied with lightish carbonation.

An okay beer.
Tried from Can on 07 Jan 2020 at 21:59

7.2/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 8 Texture 6 Overall 8
Aroma of sour acid and tropical fruit. Flavor is typical sour and tart Berliner Weisse with noticeable pineapple. Easy drinking.
Tried on 29 Dec 2019 at 01:10

4.9/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 5 Flavor 4 Texture 6 Overall 4.5
Weak sauce, mostly chocolate notes and a watery, mineral-tinged sweetness followed by mild hints of char and banana on the back end. Some dark fruit and coffee cherry, but everything's turned down a notch, making for a bland, forgettable stout.
Tried on 06 Dec 2019 at 01:04

6.2/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 6 Texture 6 Overall 6
The Aromas are musty, floral with a hint of fruit. Flavors are similar to nose, mildly tart with some fruit but not much depth. Decent body and clean finish. Okay sour beer.
Tried on 26 Oct 2019 at 23:10

4.6/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 5 Flavor 4 Texture 6 Overall 3.5
Pour is a slight haze on yellow beer from an interesting can. Taste is good co2 feel with that typical pointed saison feel. Seems to have a little pepper in it and just maybe I get a little warming sensation even tho its only 5%. not as good as I was hoping considering the last whiner I had but its certainly not offensive. Typical saison, better than the average domestic saisons I did. Nose is quite neutral, heheh, speaking of noses, did you ever see the drawing of the whiner dude?
Tried from Can on 25 Oct 2019 at 21:46

7.2/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 8
$2 can from vintage estates. Directly out of the can, it taste like a decent mildly tart brew, much appreciated. It appears with a kindah purple pink hue on a slightly hazy eye. Very good carbonation. Simple well balanced tart beer, thanks whiner. Not whining about this one! Will repeat. The fruit never gitz in the way on this one! The labels on these whiner cans are pretty interesting. Good tart value for a beer.
Tried from Can on 23 Oct 2019 at 22:30

7/10
Tried from Bottle on 12 Oct 2019 at 18:26

7.2/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 6 Flavor 7 Texture 8 Overall 8
12 oz can from Binny's, dated Mar. 19. Cloudy dark amber pour. Fizzy head that dwindles to a light, leggy layer of foam. Not much hop in the nose, instead a whiff of the secondary yeast ferment. Taste is like a lighter, slightly drier version of a Belgian dubbel. Only slightly drier, more sweetness comes in as a go further into the glass. Aromatic malt, a little clove and yeast. If it's dry-hopped, the bitterness is very subdued. Slight apple cider toward the finish. Well worth savoring.
Tried from Can on 07 Oct 2019 at 02:49

8.1/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 8 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 8.5
12 ounce can into tulip glass, no can dating. Pours slightly hazy/cloudy medium golden yellow color with a 2 finger fairly dense and fluffy white head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty foamy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big lightly tart lemon, lime, orange, red grapefruit, peach, pear, pineapple, apricot, mango, melon, red/green apple, white grape/wine, citrus peel/zest, peppercorn, hay, straw, herbal, floral, grass, wheat, cracker, and white bread; with lighter notes of toasted oak, pine, musty/lacto funk, and yeast earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of citrus/fruity hops, fruity/funky/acidic/spicy yeast, pale/wheat malts, and light Cabernet barrel notes; with big strength. Taste of big lightly tart lemon, lime, orange, red grapefruit, peach, pear, pineapple, apricot, mango, melon, red/green apple, white grape/wine, citrus peel/zest, peppercorn, hay, straw, herbal, floral, grass, wheat, cracker, and white bread; with lighter notes of toasted oak, pine, musty/lacto funk, and yeast earthiness. Light-moderate peppery yeast spiciness; light pine, herbal, floral, woody, grassy, bitterness; and Brett/Lactic tang/tartness on the finish. Lingering notes of tart/tangy lemon, lime, orange, red grapefruit, peach, pear, pineapple, apricot, mango, melon, red/green apple, white grape/wine, citrus peel/zest, peppercorn, hay, straw, herbal, floral, grass, wheat, cracker, white bread, toasted oak, pine, musty/lacto funk, and yeast earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/fruity hops, fruity/funky/acidic/spicy yeast, pale/wheat malts, and light Cabernet barrel flavors; with a fantastic malt/bitter/spicy/tart/tangy balance, with no puckering/astringent flavors after the finish. Moderately crisp/clean finishing. Moderate increasing dryness from lingering bitter/spicy/tart/tangy and carbonation. Medium-high carbonation and light-medium body; with a very smooth, moderately bready/grainy, and fairly acidic/tangy/sticky mouthfeel that is fantastic. Minimal warming alcohol for 6.4%. Overall this is an outstanding wild saison. All around awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/fruity hops, fruity/funky/acidic/spicy yeast, pale/wheat malts, and light Cabernet barrel flavors; very smooth, crisp, clean, and refreshing to drink with the mellowly bitter/spicy/tart/tangy/drying finish. Awesome balance of juicy/vibrant Centennial/Amarillo hops, and Brett/Lacto/Saison yeast complexity; with a great pale/wheat malt backbone. Solid Cabernet barrel presence for only 10% of the blend. Minimal residual sweetness with crisp dryness. A highly enjoyable offering, and outstadning spot on style example.
Tried from Can on 30 Sep 2019 at 21:01