Beers, Cheers, and Sneers – September 27

Can’t find anything to do Saturday? Then you must not like beer! We have the return of Brew Bracket with a special showdown of local bourbon barrel aged beers and additional events in Bloomington, Indianapolis, Nashville, Noblesville, Terre Haute, and Valparaiso that you can find on our calendar. I’m throwing in the towel the minute word comes out about a beer festival in Flora. But on a serious note, there is so much going on these days that we do welcome and appreciate any tips from our readers. So here we go……

Federal and State permits have been approved and equipment is starting to roll in at the new Planetary Brewing Company located near Old Town Greenwood. Check them out at the linked Facebook page to monitor their progress. Thanks to William Breuninger for the tip.

Congrats to the Hopcat in Grand Rapids, MI for being named the second best beer bar in the country by readers of CraftBeer.com. For good measure Founders’ Taproom (within walking distance) was second place in the North Central region. The HopCat was previously named the #3 Beer Bar in the world by Beer Advocate magazine. OK, so it’s not Indiana news but you’re not really living without an annual trip to Grand Rapids……or maybe I just have a problem.

We hope to avoid making stories like this a trend, but the weather of 2012 has claimed its first victim. Bell’s seasonal Cherry Stout will not be brewed this year after early warmth followed by multiple frosts damaged Michigan’s tart cherry crop this spring. Some kegs from last year’s batch are still in storage and will be released in limited numbers.

Attention “beer collectors” – your days on eBay are numbered. The site will begin removing listings for beer and liquor after 20/20 decided to save modern society by hiring a teen to buy vodka from their marketplace. Bloodsuckers dreaming of $250 for a bottle of Dark Lord are not stoked.

According to The Economist, the average U.S. worker has to work five minutes to afford 500ml of beer. Things look pretty good for Americans compared to the other countries in the study with Indian workers facing nearly an hour of toil for their brew. It also doesn’t paint a pretty picture for the rational few who threaten relocation to Canada or Mexico if the election doesn’t go their way.

Indiana is well represented on a recent top 10 list of the best beer website underage redirects. Earning prestigious spots on the list were Black Acre (He-Man singing 4 Non Blondes), Sun King (the Muppets take on Rick Astley), and Upland (redirect to Justin Bieber’s site). But my vote goes to Trumer Pils for subjecting youngsters to dancing men in painfully short lederhosen.

The blog STL Hops hosted a contest for readers to apply their Microsoft Paint talents to a Three Floyds Dark Lord theme. The winner is below and all finalists can be viewed here. The winning entry was submitted by Tyler Dumey and depicts Dark Lord Day with (as described by the blogger) “beers attacking bunnies and flowers, lava, brimstone, and sperm falling from the sky”. It’s unclear what events at Dark Lord Day inspired visions of electrocuted flowers and sperm in the sky, but next year you might want to make sure the guy standing next to you in line doesn’t answer to “Tyler”.

Cheers, Nathan

Good Stuff Going on @ People’s Brewing

  Earlier this week I was able to spend a few minutes with Chris Johnson, co-founder and brewmaster of People’s Brewing Co.  My intent was to grab a few photos of the newly expanded taproom and some details for this Saturday’s upcoming Fall Bash.  I did manage to accomplish this task but, in the process, found out a few extra nuggets of information that should bring some added excitement in the coming months.

Let’s talk taproom 

 

  As I stated, People’s recent knocked down a wall or two so that a few more patrons may sit and enjoy a pint or two at their location on north 9^th street.  In fact, they increased from around 400 ft² to about 700 ft² which has allowed them to double their occupancy.  Below is a photo taken of a portion of the new expansion with another small room with tables not pictured. 

3^rd Annual Fall Bash

  I highly recommend stopping by the taproom within the next couple days to grab what tickets remain for People’s 3^rd Annual Fall Bash taking place this Saturday, September 29^th from 4pm – 10pm.  Come enjoy some roasted hog with all the fixins, plenty of live music, discounted pints of People’s beer, a free pint glass, and door prizes for a mere $25 with proceeds going to the Maya Getz Memorial Fund.

Fall Bash details.  You know you wanna go!

Chris picking up pumpkins destined for greatness!

 What’s new on tap?

  Starting today:  Munchner Rauchbier - Traditional German smoked lager made with 35% Bamberg smoked malt.  Dark malty beer with a smoky flavor. 5.5% ABV 23 IBUs

  Coming very soon:  Gourdon Pumpkin Ale - Brewed with County Line Orchard, Hobart Indiana, grown sweet pumpkins with Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, and Allspice resulting in an orange colored brew fit for the fall.  6.5%ABV 20 IBUs

Aforementioned Nuggets

-         People’s will soon be doubling their taps from 6 to 12 with in increased ability for cask beers

-         The addition of a selection of wines from local and statewide wineries is in the works

-         Finally, a small menu of food items is in the early planning stages.  There was mention of a potential pizza oven and some sandwiches but this is subject to change.

  More details for these and other bits of news will be forthcoming.  Until then, get down to the taproom this week, grab a pint or growler (or both), pick up a ticket for the Fall Bash and hopefully I’ll see you there.

Jason C.

“Let no man thirst for lack of Real Ale.”

Dash-In Beers on Tap Update (Fort Wayne) - September 25

Dash-In located in Downtown Fort Wayne (see my post on September 21st for their address) has put these beers on tap per their Facebook page and I quote:

"Lots of new draft beers this week! Bear in mind that our pumpkin beers are selling fast!

Hoppin' Frog's Frog Hollow Double Pumpkin Ale (8.4% abv) - Light and subtly flavored with hints of nutmeg, cinnamon and all spice. Much milder than some pumpkin beers, but delicious nonetheless!

Shipyard's Smashed Pumpkin Ale (9.0% abv) - Big bodied with heavy flavors of nutmeg and pumpkin. Brewed with Pale Ale, Wheat and Light Munich malts then balanced with Williamette and Hallertau hops!

Goose Island's Minx Imperial Belgian IPA (8.0% abv) - Aroma is earthy citrus with some rind, and black pepper, grapefruit. Resinous citrus that is quickly balanced by some earthiness. Very smooth and easy to drink. You won't see too many more of these kinds of beers from Goose Island!

Two Brother's Heavy Handed IPA (6.7% abv) - This hoppy IPA is made with different hops every batch! This particular batch is made with Willamette hops.

Founder's Breakfast Stout (8.3% abv) - You've really got to love coffee to enjoy this Imperial Stout. Brewed with flaked oats, imported chocolates, Sumatra and Kona coffees."

 

As a reminder, they have carry-out bottled beers as well!!

Cap n' Cork (Fort Wayne) FREE Beer Tasting - September 24

Friday, September 28:

Cap n' Cork (http://capncork.com/) located at 4520 Lima Road (260) 484-1111 will have a FREE beer tasting from 5p.m-7p.m.  There will be beers to sample from approximately 17 different breweries!!  Some of the breweries are, to name a few:

Sierra Nevada, Flat 12, Great Divide, and Stone and the list goes on!

Come out and sample some beers from these fine breweries and perhaps find some new beers to enjoy during the Fall season.  (Must be 21 years of age or older with valid Government-issued ID)

This Just In!! - September 23

800 Degrees Three Fires in Fort Wayne (see my post of September 19th for address) has tapped Southern Tier Pumking!!  Get some before it's gone!!

Cheers!

Oktoberfest Beer, Cider and Spiced Wine Tasting - September 22

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28:

Belmont Beverage (http://www.belmontbev.com/) located at 10311 Illinois Road in the Shoppes of Scott Road in Fort Wayne (260) 387-5701 will be having a FREE tasting event featuring a variety of fall products including Oktoberfest beers, ciders and spiced wine.  The time of the event is
6p.m.-8p.m. and attendees must be 21 years of age or older with valid Goverment-issued ID to attend.

Granite City Food & Brewery Oktoberfest Mug Club Tapping (Fort Wayne) - September 21

Monday, September 24:

Granite City Food & Brewery (http://www.gcfb.net/) located at 3809 Coldwater Road
(260) 471-3030, will be having their tapping of their Oktoberfest beer for Mug Club members from 4p.m.-6p.m.  The beer will be tapped at 4p.m.  There will be a FREE food buffet for Mug Club members.  Mug Club members can bring one (1) guest.  If you are not a Mug Club member, it is FREE to join!

Fort Wayne and New Haven Beer Tappings - September 21

Dash-In:

I just came across this beer update on their Facebook page:

"We've brought back Southern Tier's Pumking (8.6% abv)!!

We also have a variety of new Pumpkin Beers and IPAs ready to be tapped. We just need YOU to come on down to the Dash-In and help us finish off a couple of our other beers to make room on our taps! That being said, we're putting Founder's Cerise Cherry(6.5% abv) on sale for $4.00.

We've also tapped an Oktoberfest from Germany:

Hacker-Pschorr's Oktoberfest (5.8% abv) - Bavarian barley slow roasted, caramelized to a rich, red amber color combined with the purest spring waters from the Alps, exclusive yeast and the finest Hallertau hops."

The Dash-In is one of my "go to" beer places and is well worth stopping at as they always have a great selection of beers on tap in a variety of styles.  They also have bottled beers as well as carryout beers.  They are located downtown at 814 S. Calhoun Street and their phone number is
(260) 423-3595.

JK O'Donnell's Irish Ale House:

They have just put on their new beer menu so it will be interesting to see what beers have been added to the menu.  They also have Three Floyds Arctic Panzer Wolf and Schmaltz Genesis on the rotating taps and Victory Mojo on the Hop Handle.  JK's is located downtown at 121 W. Wayne Street and their phone number is (260) 420-5563.

Trion Tavern (New Haven):

The following beers have recently been tapped for your drinking enjoyment:

Dreadnaught by 3 Floyds Brewing Co.
Robert the Bruce by 3 Floyds Brewing Co.
Oberon by Bell's Brewery
Urthel Hop-It by De Leyerth Brouwerijen
Mary's Maple Porter by Brooklyn Brewery
Dragon's Milk by New Holland Brewing Co.
Pumking by Southern Tier Brewing Co.
Harpoon Summer Beer by Harpoon Brewery
Zombie Dust by 3 Floyds Brewing Co.
Moloko by 3 Floyds Brewing Co.
Oktober Fest-Marzen by Ayinger
Brian Boru by 3 Floyds Brewing Co.


Cheers!

Beers, Cheers, and Sneers – September 20

There is a full slate of beer events to look forward to this Saturday headlined by the annual Festiv-Ale beer tasting event in Indianapolis and New Albany’s inaugural Indiefest, to which The New Albanian is contributing the Southern Indiana Craft Beer Showcase. Flat 12 kicks the day off with their own Summer's Bitter End re-tapping of the season’s special festival beers. And this month’s “Oktoberfest for all” campaign continues with Upland’s inaugural celebration at Military Park in Indianapolis while the Fishers Oktoberfest offers up the traditional lineup of Warsteiner, Leinenkugel’s, and Coors Light! Well, there will be live music. And it’s free.

To commemorate their 11,000th batch, Bell’s will be releasing an 11% ABV Imperial Red this month aptly titled This One Goes to 11. The beer features a cornucopia of hop varieties with Galaxy, Motueka, and Summer from the Southern Hemisphere and Simcoe, Citra, and the new Mosaic from the Pacific Northwest. Bottles will be released in six-packs which means it will likely be a small investment for the consumer, but pony up knowing that you’ve acquired 72 ounces and Bell’s still hasn’t resorted to overpriced bombers.

New Holland is using their line of premium spirits to flip the script on the trend of aging beer in whiskey barrels. Their Beer Barrel Bourbon is a craft Bourbon Whiskey aged for 90 days in oak barrels that contained their Dragon’s Milk stout. New Holland describes the final flavor as round, rich and pleasing with biscuit notes and a smooth malt character. Beer Barrel Bourbon will be available beginning October 1st.

For more barrel madness, Goose Island’s Bourbon County Stout was released for distribution to Indiana this week. Conventional wisdom is that it will be easier to find this year as five times as much was brewed compared to 2011. We’ll have to see how that translates to the Indiana market as Goose Island has bumped up distribution ten fold in the Chicago market alone. If you’re in the Chicago area, there should be a release of Coffee BCS and Cherry BCS towards the end of the year.

Congrats to the Cicerone program for passing the 15,000 mark of graduating students. Student enrollment tripled in 2011 and is up another 60 percent in 2012. The Cicerone program encompasses all aspects of the hospitality industry. Students learn about beer styles, quality, and tasting but the program also expands knowledge on storage, serving, and food pairing. If you’re in the hospitality industry, or just want to expand your own knowledge, you can find more information about the program here.

Are you among the Rate Beer Reviewers/Beer Advocates of the world who believe that Westvleteren 12 is the best beer on Earth? I found this writeup on a blind tasting of Belgian Quads (or strong dark abbey ales if you prefer) to be a good read. Once the labels came off, Westie 12 and Chimay had somewhat lackluster performances. Granted, these are individual opinions that you may or may not agree with, but it raises an interesting question about how much our impression of a beer is enhanced by exotic ideas of monks brewing in a monastery or similar externalities.

Back in the 1950s when people had serious apocalyptic scenarios to consider (as opposed to the current imagined Zombie apocalypse that has taken hold), the U.S. government tested the effects of atomic explosions on soda and beer to determine if they could be used as an emergency water source in the wake of a nuclear attack. Scientists determined that radiation levels were “within the permissible limits for emergency use” (why does that not sound very reassuring) and as a bonus the taste tests rated the contents “acceptable”. To my knowledge there is no study validating the safety and quality of beer during a Zombie apocalypse, but I’ve been stocking up for years anyway. Better safe than sorry.

Ever wondered if you could open a beer using items like a wheelchair, skateboard, rake, machete, pick axe, or nail gun but didn’t feel like injuring yourself? Well, unsurprisingly a few people popped up on the internet that have your back and all the answers can be found in Bottle Cap Blues. Please be aware that the author’s comment “I encourage you to try it” is not endorsed by this site or most sane people in the world.

Cheers, Nathan

Upcoming Fort Wayne Events - September 19

Friday, September 21:

Cap n' Cork (http://capncork.com/) located at 10020 Lima Rd., will be having a FREE Oktoberfest beer tasting from 5p.m.-7p.m.  There will be Fall beers to sample from approximatley 21 breweries including Sam Adams, Founders, Goose Island, New Castle, Southern Tier, New Holland, Schlafly, Sierra Nevada, and Shipyard to give you an idea of just some of the breweries whose beers will be available for your sampling enjoyment.  If you are 21 years of age or older, bring your Government-issued ID and find some good Fall beers to enjoy during this cooler weather.

Wednesday, September 26:

800 Degrees Three Fires (http://twitter.com/800DegreesTF) (https://www.facebook.com/800DegreesThreeFires) located at 5129 Illinois Rd., Suite 101, will be having Victory Brewing Company (http://victorybeer.com/about-victory/) Tap Night from 5p.m.-10p.m.  The following Victory beers will be available at this event along with information about each of the beers from Victory's website:

- Baltic Thunder Porter - According to Victory's website, "Truly a worldly beer. Baltic Thunder represents the Baltic Porter style admirably. Exhibiting the enticing, toffee roast of the British porter that originated the style in the 18th century, and the soothing, subtle fruit nuance of contemporary brews that flourish from Helsinki to Vilnius today, this dark lager honors the Baltic god of thunder. Created by an inspired collaboration of brewers and tempered with a touch of turmoil, Baltic Thunder rolls on to bring you enchanting light as the darkness fades."  The ABV (Alcohol by volume) is 8.5%.

- Festbier - According to Victory's website, "Seductively smooth, this medium-bodied amber beauty is akin to the great Oktoberfest beers of Munich. All German malts and whole flower European hops make this lager true to style."  The ABV (Alcohol by volume) is 5.6%.

- Hop Wallop - According to Victory's website, "We celebrate the pioneering spirit of old Horace ‘Hop’ Wallop and those who dare mighty adventurous things in this vivid, robust ale. As our annual homage to the hop harvest, expect loads of aromatic splendor and bitter beauty."  The ABV (Alcohol by volume) is 8.5%.

- Storm King Stout - According to Victory's website, this beer "With a huge, Pacific Northwest hop   aroma & character upfront, Storm King Stout^® subsides into massive, roast malt complexity. Rich and substantial, it will warm your heart."  The ABV (Alcohol by volume) is 9.1%.

A brewery representative from Victory will also be at the event.

Sunday, October 14:

Bakerstreet Steakhouse (http://www.bakerstreetfortwayne.com/) located at 4820 No. Clinton St., will be having a Mexican Street Food Craft Beer event.  This event will feature 12 craft beers (2 beers from each of the following breweries at the six (6) Mexican street food stations:

Dark Horse Brewing Company (Marshall, MI), (http://thirstydog.com/)
Flat 12 Brewing Company (Indianapolis), (http://flat12.me/)
Triton Brewing Company (Indianapolis), (http://tritonbrewing.com/)
Three Floyds Brewing Company (Munster, IN), (http://www.3floyds.com/)
New Albanian Brewing Company (New Albany, IN), (http://www.newalbanian.com/)
Thirsty Dog Brewing Company (Akron, OH) (http://thirstydog.com/)

The beers will be announced when the list is finalized.   The ticket price is $60 per person and is "ALL- INCLUSIVE" per Bakerstreet's website.  To view a list of the food portion of this event, for more information and to purchase tickets, please click on this link:  http://www.bakerstreetfortwayne.com/news/mexican-street-food-craft-beer-dinner

 

Indiana beer news -- quick update

'Tis Oktoberfest! We've been trying many brands and are delighted that tonight we can find Oktoberfest on tap at Rock Bottom downtown (6 PM, Sept 18) and SunKing has their Oktoberfest on at the Tap room + in cans.

Fountain Square Brewery - Hop Your Face!

Ready to Party! 

Fountain Square Brewery is tapping “Hop Your Face” Imperial IPA along with showcasing 4 bands and food trucks on 10/6

This annual Imperial IPA is aggressively hopped with four different hops and loaded with a complex mix of malts.  Might as Well add dry hops so over 2 pounds per barrel of hops were added to enhance the aroma.  

When Push Comes to Shove, this 9.7% brew may drive you to Hell in a Bucket, but at least you’ll enjoy the ride. 

I'm ready to "Hop" on board this ride for sure!

Mad Anthony Brewing Company OktoBEERfest Recap - September 12

This year's event saw a change of location from the parking lot of Mad Anthony Brewing Company  to Headwaters Park West in Downtown Fort Wayne and it did not disappoint the 1,000 attendees.  Congratulations and THANK YOU to Blaine Stuckey and his staff at Mad Anthony for all their hard work and their time they invested in this years event as it was a SELL OUT!!  Yes, the craft beer

scene has definitely escalated in this area and I, for one, couldn't be happier! 

The brewery tables were located in the pavilion and there was table/chair seating near the pavilion to sit and enjoy the beers and the sunny weather.  It was nice to see some of the breweries bring swag for the attendees and I hope next year even more do the same.

The Mad Anthony Serious Homebrewers (M.A.S.H.) were pouring their very tasty homebrews again this year and as always they were pouring their homebrews non-stop.  Thanks for sharing again this year!

Any of our readers who know me well when it comes to beer, know I am on the hunt not only for beers that I have not already tasted, but also for beers from breweries that are new to me.  This year's event did not disappoint.  I sampled beers from Fountain Square, Black Swan, Bulldog, and Cutters and I was quite pleased with their beers.

Without further ado, here are some pictures from the event:

This year's event shirt included with ticket price

Entrance to the afternoon of beer



New Albanian Brewing Company, New Albany, IN

People's Brewing Company, Lafayette, IN
 

Brewery and Mad Anthony Serious Homebrewers Personnel

Upcoming Cap n' Cork Beer Tastings (Fort Wayne) - September 12

Friday, September 14:

Cap n' Cork (http://capncork.com/) located at 6410 W. Jefferson Blvd., in Covington Plaza, is having a FREE beer tasting from 5p.m.-7p.m. featuring Fall beers from the following breweries:

New Belgium, Newcastle, Blue Moon, Pyramid, Goose Island, and Leinenkugel's to name a few.  Check out what beers are available this Fall and perhaps add a new beer or two or three to enjoy this Fall.  (Must be 21 years of age or older with valid Government-issued ID)

Friday, September 21:

Cap n' Cork, located at 4520 Lima Road, is having a FREE Octoberfest beer tasting from 5p.m.-7p.m. There will be beers to sample from over 21 breweries such as Sam Adams, Newcastle, Sierra Nevada, Goose Island, Founders, Southern Tier, Schlafly, New Holland, Boulevard and the list goes on and on.  Must be 21 yrs. of age or older with Government-issued ID so bring a friend who meets the age requirement and sample some Octoberfest beers!

As a side note, please check our Calendar section on indianabeer.com often to see what beer happenings are taking place in Indiana and beyond!!

Cheers!

What Kathleen Has Been Drinking These Days.

The first thing that people say to me when I say that I'm a beer blogger is "You must drink a lot of beer".  Yes and no. I'm selective about the beer I drink. However, in some aspects, I do drink a lot of beer.

So, what have I been drinking lately? Let's see!

1. DigIN 

Chillin' with a pint of Pooka!

On August 26th, I was able to be an early morning volunteer at DigIN which is a great event that showcases all things Indiana from wine, food, artisans goods and of course Beer!

This year the following breweries were represented at DigIN:
Sun King
3 Floyds Brewing
New Albanian
Barley Island
Upland Brewing
Brugge Brasserie
Black Swan
Flat12 Bierwerks
Crown Brewing
Mad Anthony

Beer Highlights were Flat 12 debuting their pumpkin ale: Flat Jack which btw will be in bottles this fall. Also of course had Brugge's Pooka.  Black Swan had a Belgian Dark, Sun King came with Osiris and Sunlight and stopped by New Albanian to try their Black and Blue Grass saison which with having the black pepper spice and the blue agave, I'd rather have a more sweeter saison.

If you are wondering why I didn't have all - I blame all the delicious food at DigIN. I didn't make it past two tents before I was stuffed!

2. Thr3e Wise Men - Antonius 1742 Oktoberfest

I've said it many times, but I really do like hitting up Thr3e Wise Men for their tapping parties. It is well made, dependable beer. Even though this time of year I'd rather have a Pumpkin Ale than an Oktoberfest, I still appreciated this malt style and the clean drinkability of Thr3e Wise Men's Oktoberfest.  I also enjoyed a pint of their @Brewhouse Brown which appears to be a new house beer and is a 2nd place Brewer's Cup winner.

It is nice that the brewery has grown to produce more beer, if you didn't know Thr3e Wise Men select beer styles are available in Scotty's Brewhouse throughout town.  It makes it even better to go to Thr3e Wise Men and your only options are house beers. I like a good session beer, but I also like variety.  Currently they have 8 different beers available on their board.

3.  At home!

No Intros Needed

As if that last one is a surprise. I've had multiple visits recently to Kahn's and Payless Liquors doing random picks of bottles of beer. Also good to give a new try by just buying a bottle.  My most recent trip to Payless Liquors though was only for two of my favorite fall beers  -

Schlafly Pumpkin Ale and Founder's Breakfast Stout.
I learned last year especially with my pumpkin expeditions that Schlafly was amazing. I need to still try some pumpkin ales - like Southern Tier's PumKing!

Speaking of pumpkin - I never really did a blog on the beer blogger's conference (Ironic, I know), but there was some delicious beer there! (of course)  Samuel Adams is currently doing a "Small Batch Series" of beer. This gives the Boston Beer company a chance to bring out some specialty beers such as Fat Jack, which I would say rivals Schlafly in their pumpkin spice.  As a side-note - Also try Samuel Adams - Thirteenth Hour. I think Nathan & Greg would agree this one is worth it. (It is a dark Belgian stout with a multitude of flavors such as coffee, chocolate, rum, dark fruits all from its 7 different malts... I could go on and on but this is a different topic :) )

Fancy Glass - Schlafly Pumpkin Ale

So back to topic, this has been what I've been drinking lately.  I'm looking forward to more pumpkin, porters and stouts this time of year.

Also tonight I'll be at The Sinking Ship for the Bell's Brewery Tap Takeover - Going to try Kalamazoo Hopsoulution Ale

In a few weeks, off to Beer Sellar in Castleton for Schlafly Night with Tom Schlafly! - and of course pumpkin ale.


Hope to see you out and about! I've been running into a few readers here and there. Of course you can follow my beer escapades at twitter.com/@KJLSlauzis

Until next time!
- Kathleen

Coming Soon to A Beer Sellar Near You - Schlafly

It is safe to say, that I am a big fan of Schlafly's beer. 

I'm also a big fan of our Beer Sellar located in Castleton. 

Combining the two together is like having a pint of your favorite beer and drinking it too. 

Which is exactly what I'll be doing on 10/3 and I hope you'll join me. 

More details ? -- Let's see below - 

Schlafly Night with Tom Schlafly - 

at Beer Sellar in Castleton

Time : 7pm

Beer (Most important part):

     

Pale Ale

Kolsch

Dry-Hopped APA

Oatmeal Stout

Porter

Oktoberfest

Pumpkin Ale

Biere De Garde

Bourbon Barrel Imperial Stout

Oak Aged Barleywine
Black IPA
Tasmanian IPA  on cask

Great way to kick off fall and I hope to see fellow readers out there. I'll try not to drink so much pumpkin ale that I turn into a pumpkin!

Also -- Another event with Goose Island will be coming up soon on 10/19.. Look for the those details shortly. 

Cheers!

- Kathleen

         

Beers, Cheers, and Sneers – September 6

Well, well, well, who was the blogger that thought we were moving out of festival season? Looking at the calendar, the 15th brings the Hoosier Hops and Harvest Festival in Nashville, the 22nd offers the Festiv-Ale and Upland Oktoberfest in Indy, and the month wraps up with the latest Brew Bracket throwdown of bourbon barrel aged beers. But how about this weekend……..

On Saturday craft beer lovers around South Bend can hit up the Fourth Annual Zoo Brew at Potawatomi Zoo, the Fort Wayne area has Mad Anthony’s OktoBEERfest, and Indy will host the aforementioned Midwest Sports Complex Craft Beer Festival. Last but not least is the return of GAKfest, better known as the German-American Klub’s Oktoberfest, making a Thursday-Sunday return to south Indianapolis. Sure, it’d be nice to get something a little more authentic than Leinenkugel’s Oktoberfest at the beer trailers and they somehow manage to find new ways to make you drive farther to a parking spot. But there is a certain charm to this traditional, kid-friendly festival, kind of like your local county fair with lederhosen.

Thanks to social media, you can view near daily progress of a brewery being built – Union Brewing Company in Carmel that is. Looks like those of you who have sordid dreams about stainless steel will still need to wait a few days.

For those who have complained about Three Floyd’s $35 price tag on their recent Templeton Rye barrel aged releases (c’mon people….they are hand labeled and wax dipped), Sam Adams has heard your concerns and is coming to the rescue with…..Utopias 10th Anniversary Edition? This massive “extreme beer” will net out between 28-30% ABV and has spent time in Buffalo Trace bourbon casks, Tawny Port casks, Vintage Ruby Port casks from Portugal, and Rum barrels from Nicaragua. Oh, and it retails for $160 per bottle. Enjoy!

Very limited details have emerged on a new collaboration between Sun King and Colorado’s Oskar Blues to follow the Chaka Belgian-style pale ale. The new brew will mirror Chaka’s packaging of Ball Corporation’s resealable Alumi-Tek aluminum pints and sport the moniker “The Deuce” (I hope assume this is simply referencing their second collaboration). Details of the collaboration and limited tapings will occur around the Denver area during the Great American Beer Festival.

Olympic runner Nick Symmonds allegedly broke the American record for the Beer Mile (who verifies this stuff?), an event where the contestant chugs a beer before each of the four laps around the track. Symmonds’ time of 5:19 may have been good enough for the American record books, but falls short of Canadian Jim Finlayson’s 2007 record of 5:09. If you watch the video in the linked story you’ll easily see where Symmonds fell short. Guy is a great runner, but those last three chugs left a bit to be desired.

The brewers with beards craze continues as recently highlighted with Sun King’s You don't have to have a beard to work here.... video and the opening of Beards Brewery in Petoskey, Michigan. Well, that’s great but those of us who don’t have the genetics to grow a proper one are starting to feel left out. Sure, I know that John Maier from Rogue supposedly harvested a yeast strain from his whiskers, but is it really that important? That’s why I’m thrilled to bring you an exclusive announcement on plans for Soul Patch Brewing. The staff will be comprised entirely of facial hair failures including myself, Howie Mandel, and Joey Greco from Cheaters. Patch pride baby!

Cheers, Nathan

Indiana Beer News Update Sept. 6

9/6: Just a quick reminder that tonight is the tapping at RAM, downtown Indy (7PM) of EveryDay IPA, a Pro-Am collaboration with Homebrewer of the Year Award winner Tom Wallbank

9/7: Release of Flat Jack Pumpkin Ale pints and growlers at Flat12 tap room (Bottles available in late Sept.)

9/8: the Midwest Sports and Social Complex, 7509 New Augusta Road, Indy, has their Midwest Beer fest 3-7 PM featuring five local breweries (Flat12, Sun King, Triton, Upland, Fountain Square) with tickets at $35.

looking ahead:
9/18: tapping of Rocktoberfest at Rock Bottom Downtown

Black Acre Taproom Visit

Black Acre Brewing may be the most recent brewery to open in the Indy area, but our visit to the taproom was admittedly long overdue. So it was the first thought that came to mind on a Monday night when parental responsibilities were removed and many other local taprooms were closed. Black Acre found a home among a revitalized strip of eclectic shops in the historic Irvington area. Their location and commitment to a quality, diverse beer selection appears to have resonated with the community as evidenced by the capacity crowd on a Monday night, and their recent showing of 1st place in Best Brewpub and 4th place in Best Beer Selection on the Indy A-List.

A small menu of finger food is available some evenings at the taproom, but Mondays are reserved for local food trucks with Circle City Spuds providing the nourishment on this particular evening. But the real attraction here is their draft list, which featured Black Acre beers, 16 guest beers, one mead (courtesy of local meadery New Day), and one cider. The guest beers range from local brewery offerings to unique specialty imports from Belgian, but we were there to get a sampling of the in-house brews. There were five options on this evening that generally leaned toward the lighter end of the craft beer spectrum:

Ol’ Fritz Berliner Weisse: 7 IBU, 3.8% ABV – Light, refreshing, and clean version of the German sour wheat ale with a level of pucker that was more tart than overtly sour. A nice, easy drinking beer on its own, it can also be ordered with a traditional addition of either Raspberry or Woodruff syrup. We ordered another with the Woodruff and it was outstanding! The flavor of Woodruff syrup is one of those things that is really difficult to describe to someone who hasn’t tried it, and I can’t claim to have a good comparison. But Poppi says Jordan Almonds…….so there you go.

Apricot Wheat: 20 IBU, 4.7% ABV – This one had the aroma and flavor of apricot juice with little else coming through. Not a bad flavor, but not what I look for in a beer.

Street Lamp Blonde: 21 IBU, 5.1% ABV – American Blonde is not my favorite style (when it comes to beer), but this offering was exceptional. The addition of lemongrass and lemon peel gave it a more interesting flavor profile than expected while retaining the smooth, refreshing character you would expect. It was my choice for a follow-up pint.

Green Tea Pale Ale: 25 IBU, 5.5% ABV – Described as a pale ale with additions of green tea matcha, ginger, and honey. The aroma was promising with a good mix of green tea and citrus hop character. The flavor was a bit more skewed towards the green tea addition. Many green teas on the market will have flavor additions to liven up the green tea base that can be a bit bitter and grassy. That seemed to be what Black Acre was going for with the addition of ginger and honey. But the ginger was subtle and any honey sweetness may have mostly fermented out. An interesting idea, I would probably enjoy this beer more with a little more assertiveness in the complementary flavors.

Fair Wind Porter: 37 IBU, 6.6% ABV – The one outlier from the lineup of lighter beers, the Porter featured an intense bitter chocolate character balanced with a roasty finish. A pretty solid offering that could take the next step with a bit of caramel or toffee malt complexity.

Black Acre’s taproom was a nice place to hang out and enjoy a few beers with a modern looking interior that still felt like a neighborhood bar. There are offerings among their draft list that will fit virtually any taste (you can find the current list here) and the house Berliner Weisse with Woodruff is a rare treat that justifies the trip on its own. Based on the number of people hanging out by the time we left on a Monday night, it might be a good idea to plan your trip towards the early side of the evening. The taproom’s location and hours are:

5632 E Washington St.

Indianapolis, IN 46219

Mon: 4-10pm

Wed/Thurs: 4-11pm

Fri: 4pm-12am

Sat: 12pm-12am

Sun: 11am-3pm

Cheers, Nathan

So.. You Want To Know More About Beer?

We drink it. We love it. But what if you don't know the little nuances that make a great beer. What if you don't know how to make beer. Is it about time you do! 

Coming up soon are some great ways for those who are curious to get some great information from a local, Indiana source - Ron Smith. He is a National Ranked BJCP Beer Judge, A Certified Cicerone and Beer Server, National Award Winning Homebrewer and a Beer and Brewing Educator! 

Below is some great ways to get your started in your Beer Education! 

•  Fall Series Beer MBA Classes Starting OCT 6th!

The next series of classes will start Saturday, Oct 6th and will continue on Sat, Nov 10th and Sat, Dec 1st.  See the www.BeerMBA.com website and specifically this page...  http://www.beermba.com/classes.php for class details

 Recent classes have been Selling Out, so sign-up now! The classes are designed to be taken in sequence, and to take all 3 of them and get your Beer MBA Certificate.  Class 1 is a prerequisite for the other 2 classes, so once you have taken it, you can take the other classes in a future series if you have date conflicts. 

The classes are very fun, as well as educational.  You will sample beer styles you have probably never even heard of, taste various flavor and off-flavor demos to train your palate, learn how to serve and store beer, how to pair beer with food, and much more. 

•  Learn to Brew Day - Open Brew Day on NOV 3rd!

Head on over to Ron Smith's home on Saturday, Nov 3rd for the AHA (American Homebrewers Association) Learn to Brew Day. Some students from his IUPUI and Beer MBA classes will be there and it should be a great time as always. Hopefully, there will be multiple people brewing, a communal beer and snacks table, etc. All are invited. This is open to the public. Contact Ron Smith for more details or stay tuned to the Beer MBA Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Beer-MBA-Classes/276839992356324.

•  FBI Homebrewing Club - Join Now

For those of you interested in homebrewing, be sure to check out the club Ron Smith and along with Greg K and Nathan C have been involved in, the Foam Blowers of Indiana (FBI).  See www.FoamBlowers.com for details on our various meetings and a link to our Yahoo Group site that we use for communications.  We have multiple meetings per month for various different interest levels.  All homebrewers are welcome!  Also, "Like" our public Facebook page to stay up on our events prior to joining.  "Like" it here... http://www.facebook.com/pages/Foam-Blowers-of-Indiana/133889466652577 .

Festiv-ale for Cystic Fibrosis

The poster says it all... but I will tell you this - 

Of all the beer festivals I have had the chance to go to, this one was one of the best ones. 

Food and Beer is included in the ticket,  you really get to see and know the people you that your money is being donated to and it is just an overall fun time.

This year is has gotten bigger and for the better with taking over Jackson St as well.  

So please go out and have fun!

-Kathleen

Dribs and Drams - Sept 3

The Muncie Star-Press has a new beer column hosted by Dave Bilger and Darrick Ayers. Quotes: "Large brewers spent sizable fortunes on advertisements that homogenized the idea of what beer is or what it could be." "Beer was sold by large horses, bikinis, pool parties, dogs, talking frogs and catch phrases."

Speaking news, the Sun King / Oskar Blues Chaka Belgian ale collaboration got a shout-out in Food & Beverage Packaging. Not for the beer though, for the "distinctive 16-ounce resealable Alumi-Tek bottles by Ball Corp."

The Brewers Association says there are now 2,126 breweries in the U.S., up 350 from a year ago. They also say there are 1,252 breweries in planning (although the methodology about that number is missing). article

Indiana has 48 licensed breweries operating now. That's six more than six months ago. The high point was 86 Indiana breweries in 1875.

If you happen to see an 800-lb canning line please contact Great River Brewery of Davenport, IA where there's was stolen. article

Video: Here's how to make a beer commercial.

Headlines: 

Colombians fight to keep 'Simpsons'-inspired DuH beer. Legal challenges have halted sales of the microbrew in Argentina, Australia, Colombia, Mexico and New Zealand. article

 

Bear family consumes 100 cans of beer. This news story is from Norway where a momma and three cubs broak down a wall of a cabin and had a party. Beer, marshmallows, honey, chocolate. Sounds like a good time. article

Homemade Beer Ice Cream. He's tried making it with Sam Smith Stingo, Oskar Blues Old Chubb, Sam Adams’ Maple Pecan Porter, Southern Tier Imperial Oatmeal Stout, Founder’s Breakfast Stout, Maudite and Stone’s barleywine. article

Success Across the Wabash!

  The success or failure of an outdoor summer beer festival is dependent upon many factors.  Timing, location, publicity, community support, volunteers, and participating breweries are several that I can rattle off without having to put too much stress on my foggy, Sunday morning brain.  However, as I sit here listening to the steady patter of rain, compliments of the remnants of Hurricane Isaac (pictured right), falling just outside the window, I feel I can confidently state that all of the aforementioned factors are capable of being held hostage by the whims of Mother Nature.

   As good fortune would have it, downtown Lafayette’s 1st annual Beers Across the Wabash (BAW) only fell victim to plentiful sunshine and a brief return to 90 degree weather.  As for the other factors, well:

Timing:  The event was a perfect complement to the 8^th annual Uptown Jazz and Blues Festival that took place later in the evening.  It also didn’t hurt that several thousand Purdue students had just returned for the fall semester.

Location:  The John T. Myers pedestrian bridge overlooking the Wabash River, Riehle Plaza, and downtown Lafayette, provided a picturesque backdrop for the festivities.

Publicity:  Early rumblings snowballed into a healthy buzz (yep, that’s a double entendre right there) since the idea of BAW was first overheard back in April at the Tippecanoe Arts Federation Event, TAP at TAF, an event that featured a dozen Indiana craft breweries. 

Community Support:  Strong local sponsorship (please click the link and scroll to the bottom), hard-working volunteers from Friends of Downtown and Tippecanoe Homebrewers’ Circle, delicious eats provided by D&R Market, the Lafayette Optimist Club and Sgt. Preston’s, and the attendance of Lafayette Mayor Tony Roswarski, Indiana State Representative Sheila Klinker and several hundred thirsty revelers demonstrate an exemplary testament of the Lafayette community’s commitment to the success of the festival.

The Breweries:  The stars of the show!  An array of incredible Indiana microbreweries provided some of the best brews that the state has to offer. 

   Spoken in brewer’s parlance, all of these festival factors are akin to how the perfect harmony of water, malted barley, hops, and yeast results in a joyful pint of liquid delight.  In terms of the BAW event, such elements culminated in a splendid Saturday afternoon of merriment for craft beer enthusiasts.

   Obviously it would be difficult (and unwise) for someone to sample each and every tasty offering from the assembled breweries.   I will say that I thoroughly enjoyed all of the beers that I managed to get my hands on.  I did manage to note several offerings that stood out as my favorites from the afternoon.  These are, in no particular order:

     People's barrel aged, cask-conditioned Scottish ale
Upland's Nut Hugger Brown Ale
New Albanian's Naughty Girl Blonde IPA
Backroad's Blueberry Stout
Flat 12's Jo Brahma Coffee Brown/Stout Ale
Brugge Brasserie's Pooka American Wild Ale
Crown's Special Forces IPA
Lafayette's Marley's VSOP (Very Special Old Porter)
Black Swan's Fug Nug double pale

   A few of these selections were old favorites that were worthy of repeating, however, some are beers that I’ve somehow not been privy to prior to this event. Again, tons of great beer but these especially appealed to my palate.

   Look, I realize that one of the unfortunate downfalls (?) to the explosion of the craft beer industry is that there are a number of festivals, old and new, that ultimately compete for your precious time and hard-earned scratch.  That said, if you weren’t able to attend the 1^st Annual Beers Across the Wabash…shame on you!  However, I feel fairly certain that, due to the success of this year’s event, your shot at redemption will be forthcoming sometime in August of 2013.  Hope to see you in Lafayette.

Jason C.

"Let no man thirst for lack of Real Ale."