Round One (Wednesday) - Pre-BBC Beer Drinking Festivities

This past weekend was the Beer Blogger's Conference 2012, where over 100 beer bloggers from around the nation, and even a few from over seas, flocked to Indianapolis - this year's chosen city. We gathered from Friday night through Sunday afternoon for education, networking, and of course - drinking.


If I had only known what laid in store for me that weekend, I may have cut back days before, but certain opportunities can not be missed when scrumptious beer is available.


And thus it begins --


Wednesday --

Left - Pere Jacques, Right - Bourbon County

Once a month I try to do a beer meetup with some of my friends. Usually it is the tap takeover's that are at the Sinking Ship. This month, I decided to get a group together to meet up at the Beer Sellar for the Goose Island Bourbon County Stout and Pere Jacques tapping.  I figured the popularity of the Bourbon County Stout would be high, so even though the tapping didn't happen til 7pm, we were there at 6. Beer Sellar has a new deal now that a variety of about 15 taps on their wall are now $3 for a pint - everyday. (Previous deal was on Mondays and they had a special on Indiana beers on Wednesdays.)


First pint up for me was Brooklyn Brewery's Sorachi Ace - a light, crisp saison, which I recommended to two other friends. 


Then came the Pere Jacques and Bourbon County.  Those two were worth every penny of their $7 and $10 respective prices. I shared both of these as I could not have partaken both and walked out easily.  The Bourbon County had every complex layer of an aged stout, slowly sipped out of its snifter and felt every ounce of the 14.5% ABV. I actually enjoyed the Pere Jacques more. It was creamy, a caramel finish but also required a great deal of slow drinking.  


In capping the night off, I had a pint of Victory Brewing's Summer Love. Not my favorite of the evening; something about the American and German hops used in the Blonde ale was slightly harsh to my tongue.


Round One - about 3 pints of beer. 


Check out the next blog for Round Two!

Beer Recap Deluxe!

As many of you already know, or maybe you don't know, but it is almost summertime which means the Season of Beer is here and boy, have I been drinking my share of it - gladly of course!

However, drinking it is easy, writing about it takes longer, so I'm going to do a small recap of most recent beer times that I've missed writing up for your reading and maybe even your drinking pleasure. 

1. - Thr3e Wise Men Tapping - Children of the Corn  Cream Ale

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Thr3e Wise Men has the best tapping party. Why? -- simple -- 8oz free sample.  Of course, the beer is good as well. This cream ale is refreshing, a little too high on hops, with a tang of bitter, for my tastes as far as cream ale goes, but having it come from a nitro pour was a nice touch to add some creaminess.  Next tapping party is July 2nd - Sanctaneous Hefeweizen. I'm curious as to what Omar has in store with that one. 

*FYI -- As of today you can get Thr3e Wisemen beer at all of the Scotty's Brewhouse locations and Growlers will also be available for carry out. $14 fills / $7 for Growlers. Specials - $12 fills on Tues & Fri

However -- If you go to Thr3e Wisemen Brewery - Growlers are $6 and Fills are only $10 (with $8 fills on Tues & Fri )*

2.  Tap N' Run

On June 9th, Broadripple experienced the newest phenomenon of exercise and beer drinking. About 1700 hundreds runners in their finest, funkiest and silliest costumes to run a 4k around the streets of Broadripple, while stopping to chug 4oz glasses of Goose Island - 312.  The race started with a countdown chug and they were off!  My role in all this? Starting Line chug station. The beer flowed smoothly from keg to pitchers to cups to runners.  It was nice to see that craft beer was used for the chug stations. Lastly, to use a word from Tara Maggert, Arts and Craft Beer President, it was a fun time being a "volun-beer" (you know, instead of a volunteer) 

See pic recap of Tap N' Run below:

Gives a new definition to 99 "bottles of beer" more like baby cups of beer.

Countdown to the first chug! 

After the race and clean up was done! Indy's inaugural Tap  N' Run!

.

3. Victory Beer Tapping with Indiana Beer Reporters

Last Wednesday night, a rare meeting of three IB reporters went down at the Sinking Ship for the Victory Brewery Tapping party.  Joined by some of our friends, we had a nice night of trying some of the beers on tap. Although it would've been nice if Golden Monkey was on tap and not in bottles. I personally had the Saison De BUFF - a collaboration brew from Victory, Dogfish Head and Stone. A quick bite at the taste of this beer, but ended with sweetness. It was a nice summery beer, but to be honest I'll go for The Bier Brewery's Farmgal Saison in a heart beat. Either way. The tapping party was fun and I ended up with a new pint glass for my collection! 

Selection for Tapping Party

4.  History on Tap

Come back to how the west was won and the beer was made! History on Tap was presented by the Conner Prairie Horizon Council this past Friday.  With help from Fountain Square Brewery, Bier Brewery, Sun King Brewery, Upland Brewing Co, Flat 12 Bierwerks and Three Pints Brewpub, a visitor could come and try different brews all while checking out the grounds or even going up in the sky in a balloon ride.  The Horizon Council picked a great night for this event, a warm breezy night. 

For beer fans, some of the brewers themselves were out and about.   I ran into Clay Robinson from Sun King, Corbin Elliot from Bier Brewery and Rob Caputo from Flat12Bierwerks (with his fancy new hat with beer opener in the bill), and even Bill Webster from Fountain Square Brewery. Around 8:30 it was quiet enough that you could have some great conversations and gain some great beer information..  e.g.  - look for some awesome great brews from Flat12Bierwerks at Microbrewery Festival. ;)

Bier Brewery - Farmgal Saison

As for the beer itself - my favorites of the night were: 

Bier Brewery  - Farmgal Saison

Three Pints Brewpub - Oatmeal Stout

and 

closing with watching the night sky darken by drinking 

a half pint of Half Cycle from Flat 12.
                                                                                                                                                                  














An additional difference between this event and many other tapping parties was Douglas Wissing had a presentation on his new book:

Indiana: One Pint at a Time: A Traveler's Guide to Indiana's Breweries which was a great way to finish the night. 













Thank you for reading the beer recap! I'll try to keep them coming a little more timely since more and more festivals are upon us.


Don't forget as well.. This Saturday - Brew- Ha- HA! 


And in a week and a half, on 6/27 - come out to meet Nathan, Greg and I again at Tomlinson Tap Room. 


- Kathleen

Beerocracy I

For those beer lovers near or in Indianapolis, 

Kahn's Fine Wines and Spirits has started a little event called:

 

Beerocracy I took place at Kahn's North Willow store from 6pm-8pm. 

5 tables set up with variety of beer styles and snacks. 

First off: What was available!

(What I tried in Bold)

Yum!

Table 1:

Victory Prima Pils

Victory Headwater Pale Ale

Victory Moonglow

Victory Golden Monkey – Belgian – Style Golden Ale (ABV 9.5% / IBU 25)

nice touch of spice, sour ale

Hoppin’ Frog Hoppin’ To Heaven IPA

Hoppin’ Frog Black & Tan - Hoppin' To Heaven blended w/ BORIS the Crusher stout (ABV 7.6% / IBU 65)

Hoppin’ Frog Silk Porter - English Style Robust Porter (ABV 6.3% / IBU 26 ) 

** Sun King Isis IPA

special bullet delivery by Sun King

*Firestone Walker Brewing Company – Parabola – Russian Imperial Stout

brought in from staff's private collection.

Oh My Goodness -- Smooth, stout, deliciousness

Table 2:

All Upland:

Rad Red Amber Ale

Dragonfly

Bad Elmer’s Porter  - American Robust Porter (ABV 5%  / IBU 19.6)

Schwarz - German-style Lager (ABV 5.3%/IBU 25.3) 

seemed to be missing something - felt flat. 

Table 3:

Goose Island 312 Urban Wheat

Goose Island Honkers Ale - English-Style Bitter (ABV 4.2% / IBU 30)

Goose Island Matilda - Belgian-style Pale Ale (ABV 7% / IBU 32)

there was a little sweetness to this beer

** Sun King Dominator Dopplebock

My love - Saison!

at the event is was nice, but off the tap at Sun King - This has a nice smooth spicy too it

Table 4:

Coney Island Lager - Vienna Lager Dry Hopped w/ Cascade Hops (ABV 5.5% / IBU 28)

Hebrew Gensis Ale

Founder’s Pale Ale

Founder’s Centennial IPA

Founder’s Porter

have had this before -- well made porter!

Hebrew Lenny’s Bittersweet RIPA

The Bruery Mischief - Belgian - Style Golden Ale Dry -hopped with American Hops (ABV 8.5% / IBU 35)

This was a greater starter to my new love affair with The Bruery

The Bruery Saison Rue  - Belgian Style - Farmhouse ale (ABV 8.5% / IBU 30)

This and Victory - Golden Monkey were my A+ beers of the night.. nice compliments of sour in each

Table 5:

Yeastie Boys Digital IPA - American - Style IPA (ABV 7% / IBU 77) 

very strong nose, but for a high IBU still smooth

TO OL Final Frontier DIPA

Yeastie Boys Pot Kettle Black - American - Style Porter (ABV 6% / IBU 50) 

not my style of porter, too hoppy 

Mikkeller Beer Hop Breakfast - Aggressively Dry Hopped American - Style Oatmeal Coffee Stout 

(ABV 7.5% / IBU LOTS )

It is one seriously hopped stout - it is deceiving. I think the hops over powers all and you don't get any of the oatmeal or the coffee flavors

*Anchorage Brewing Company Bitter Monk  - Belgium Double IPA 

from Kyle's at Kahn's private stash

Beer aged in French Chardonney barrels - Very well done

Call all y'all it's the Yeastie boys!

Add some Hops, much?

So now you know what was offered.. and I know it looks like I didn't drink that much, but seriously there was a lot of beer to be had! All the staff was great.  The Upland station was from the brewery. Table 4 had someone from Cavalier Distributing, whom I remember from Winterfest - (wearing a Founder's flag as a cap and working at Founder's table). Table 5 - was Kyle  part of the Twitter handle @Beer_at_Kahns. 

It was a great time to taste a lot of beers not normally available in Indiana for tasting. Ran into a IndianaBeer.com reader (Hi Kevin!  aka @myers41) When Beerocracy II comes, I highly suggest checking it out! 

The best part though was at 7:30 - the raffle for Kahnoisseur Klub members started:

**If you are a Kahnoisseur Klub member(which by the way is only $10), you got the option to take part at a raffle at the end of the night to win the chance to buy some limited released beers! **

Raffle Prizes available for winning a chance to buy



I won the chance to buy : 

Which is now in my pantry "aging" :) 

What else can I say? Free tastings - Great Location - Friendly beer lovers all around? Oh, yeah - Go to Beerocracy II!

Until then: Check out what is coming up next week at Kahn's Fine Wines and Spirits:

Battle of Belgium 2342 W. 86th Street
March 7-10
6-8 pm

Brackets available online or at all Kahn's locations!

more info call or tweet to @Beer_At_Kahns

All is fun in ale and lagers! 

Cheers - 

Kathleen