Chicagoist's Beer Of The Week: Solemn Oath's Punk Rock For Rich Kids

By Jason Baldacci in Food on Feb 27, 2015 10:10PM

This week we're taking a look at a beer that keeps the same name, even though the recipe changes every now and then.

Punk Rock for Rich Kids is a Single Hop Belgo-American Pale Ale from the good people at Solemn Oath Brewery in Naperville, Illinois. They change the hop varietal they use in this brew throughout the year, but the latest batch was made with a hop called Falconer's Flight. The beer pours a light copper-amber color in the glass, with citrus-laden hop aromas that waft your way as soon as a bartender sets one of these down in front of you. On the palate there's a sharp nip of hop flavor up front, notes of orange peel, mango and juicy melon, but these are met with a little caramel sweetness from the toasty malts in the brew. The Belgian yeast used to ferment the beer lends its own fruitiness on the backend that's a little more restrained, along with touch of spice. At 5.5% alcohol content, Punk Rock for Rich Kids is a full-flavored hybrid of styles that showcases a single hop wonderfully.

Ever since their launch a few years back, we've always been impressed not only with the beers Solemn Oath brews but also with the design and branding that goes into the brewery. There was a great post in The Hop Review yesterday with the visual artist behind Solemn Oath, and all of the crazy, unique and amazing illustrations he's done for the brewery. We used to trust breweries with good branding about as much as we trust skinny chefs, but Solemn Oath is at the top of a wave of young and new companies that are launching with great beer and artwork to match.

Punk Rock for Rich Kids is only available on draft and only in a handful of spots around town, but look for more in the weeks to come. Check beermenus.com to see where you can sip a pint this weekend.