Maplewood Brewery & Distillery Signs with Louis Glunz Beer Inc.

maplewood_brewing

LINCOLNWOOD, IL — Louis Glunz Beer, Inc., Chicago’s premier craft and specialty import beer distributor, announces the addition of Maplewood Brewery & Distillery to its craft beer catalog. Glunz took over the distribution of the brewery based in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood in mid-April. Maplewood beers are all currently available in kegs, with some options also available in 22-ounce bombers.

“Maplewood makes consistently approachable, delicious, and drinkable beers—and always with a bit of a surprise element, whether it’s the varied tropical nuances in the Charlatan Pale Ale or the pleasant richness from the combination of oatmeal and lactose in the Fat Pug stout,” says Eric Kobus, brand manager for Louis Glunz Beer, Inc.

To celebrate this new distributor relationship between Maplewood and Glunz, the brewery crafted 10 barrels of a special release beer called Juice Pants, a New England-style IPA. Open to the public, the Juice Pants release party takes place at Monk’s Pub (205 W. Lake St.), Thursday, April 28, 4 p.m., also featuring a tap takeover with The Charlatan, Brownie Points, and Fat Pug Nitro.

Maplewood beers currently distributed by Glunz and available to area restaurants, bars, and retailers include:

*NEW* Juice Pants New England-style IPA (7% ABV, 55 IBUs)

A healthily hopped New England Style IPA showcasing Citra, Azacca, Centennial, and Apollo hops, Juice Pants is fermented with the famous Conan yeast that gives this beer a crazy stone fruit and peach flavor, which works beautifully together with the hops. Maplewood plans to brew new versions of Juice Pants in small batches with different hoppings, to be released periodically.

The Charlatan pale ale (6.1% ABV, 35 IBUs)

Walking the line between American and English pale ale with a Midwest character all its own, the Charlatan is an easy-drinking pale ale. Generously hopped with Simcoe, Centennial, and Citra, the beer offers fresh citrus and tropical flavors of mango, passion fruit, and grapefruit, as well as some earthy pine notes. The Charlatan’s low co-humulone hops provide a smooth bitterness that balances its round English pale malt backbone.

Fat Pug oatmeal milk stout (5.6% ABV, 24 IBUs)

This oatmeal milk stout is full flavored and remains extremely drinkable. A variety of roasted grains—pale chocolate, roast barley, and dehusked roasted malt—combine to produce a complex and smooth roasted flavor. Having notes of dark chocolate and coffee, Fat Pug Milk Stout is rounded out by sweetness and body provided by lactose and flaked oats. The beer’s namesake, Otto, can be seen from time to time checking in on things at Maplewood, making sure his beer is brewed right.

Creepy Ginger Belgian-style golden strong ale (7.8% ABV, 23 IBUs)

Brewed to celebrate one of the red-headed founders of Maplewood Brewing, the Creepy Ginger is a Belgian-inspired golden strong ale brewed with a pilsner malt base and a healthy amount of spelt. A modest amount of organic ginger root infuses with this beer after fermentation to add subtle complexity to the classic Belgian fruity and spicy flavors, resulting in a distinctive and refreshing ale.

Lemondrop American wheat ale (5.6% ABV, 28 IBUs)

This wheat ale showcases the delightful Lemondrop hop and features a clean grain bill, bright color, crisp bitterness, and creamy mouthfeel—all at a very drinkable ABV. During the brew, the Lemondrop hops are carefully “squeezed” to achieve big lemon meringue pie aromatics and flavors of fresh lemon citrus, melon, and a hint of mint.

Azacca Morris IPA (7.3% ABV, 63 IBUs)

Azacca hops are the main protagonist of Azacca Morris IPA. With intense tropical aromas and flavors, Azacca Morris demonstrates a flair for citrus and very ripe mango, with notes of orchard fruit like pears and apples, with a pine needle taste throughout.

Brownie Points Northern English-style brown ale (5.3% ABV, 21 IBUs)

A legendary creature of folklore, Brownies were spirit beings that lived throughout the British Isles that aided families with housework in exchange for a payment of oats in the form of ale—but if a payment was missed, the Brownie became infuriated and created havoc. This Northern English Style Brown Ale was brewed to satisfy the Brownie. Full of malty chocolate and toffee flavors, this beer drinks easy and finishes bold yet crisp. Oats are used to lend a creamy body and mouthfeel.

Maplewood Brewery & Distillery Founders Ari Megalis and Adam Cieslak, who began homebrewing together in summer 2007, wanted to open Illinois’s first brewery and distillery hybrid facility. In January 2014, they signed a lease on a 7,000-square-foot warehouse in Logan Square. By October 2014, they began to distribute The Charlatan Pale Ale and the Fat Pug Milk Stout. Today, Maplewood offers a selection of year-round beers and rotating seasonals, with labels and artwork designed by Chris Cantore. Additionally, Maplewood is in the process of beginning to distill and age whiskies and gins, as well as plans to launch an onsite 1,100-square-foot taproom/cocktail bar in the near future.

In choosing to work with Glunz, Megalis says, “The businessman in me would want to say we picked Glunz because they are proven brand builders, have the most knowledgeable sales staff, and are a perfect fit for our brand and have the ability to take it where we want it to grow. While that is all certainly true, Adam and I really made the final decision based on the fact that all their sales reps wear ties.”

In addition to the Monk’s Pub tap takeover and Juice Pants release party, Maplewood also hosts an event to introduce a Maibock collaboration with Paddy Long’s on location at the pub on Saturday, May 14.

For more on Maplewood, visit www.maplewoodbrew.com, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

For more on Glunz Beers and its brewery partners, visit www.glunzbeers.com.

Founded in 1888 by Louis Glunz I in Chicago, Louis Glunz Beer, Inc. (7100 N. Capitol Drive, Lincolnwood, IL 60712; 847.676.9500) is among the oldest beer distributors in the United States, proudly offering Chicagoland the most comprehensive selection of craft, specialty, and import beers representing more than 190 breweries around the globe. The 128-year-old company continually receives recognition for its innovative, family-owned business, including Beverage Industry’s 2013 Wholesaler of the Year, the National Beer Wholesalers Association 2013 Public Affairs Award, and the 2013 Loyola Illinois Family Business of the Year Award. Heading the company is President Jack Glunz, the grandson of the founder, with day-to-day operations led by five of his seven children as members of the fourth generation and with members of the fifth generation also on staff. Louis Glunz Beer, Inc. is dedicated to quality service and beer education. For more information, visit www.glunzbeers.com. Find Louis Glunz Beer, Inc. on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.