Beer MBA Classes

Ron Smith is doing another series of Beer MBA classes on Fridays, Nov 19th, Dec 3, and Dec 10. See www.BeerMBA.com/classes.php for all the details and to sign up.

From Ron:

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 positive feedback on these classes keeps rolling in.  People continue to sign up to take it again and again, and bringing friends and family back with them.  The classes are very fun, as well as educational.  You will sample beer styles you have probably never even heard of, taste various flavor demos to train your palate, learn how to serve and store beer, and how to pair it with food, and much more.

I want to thank everyone for their support and their interest in learning more about the World’s Great Beer Styles.  The momentum is building and more and more people are being educated about great craft beer!

> Consider attending these classes as a couple or a small group for added fun.

> This is truly a unique series of classes.  They are designed to be fun and entertaining, but also very educational.  You can take a single class (class 1 is a pre-requisite for the other 2), but I think you will find it most rewarding to take all three - plus, you receive a completed MBA certificate if you take all 3 classes and who doesn’t want that to hang on their wall (smile).  You will learn about the origins, history, and uniqueness of all the major beer styles of the world (more than 75 of them), and get to sample most of them as well (we will sample over 50 of them).  Classes are 3 - 3.5 hours long to spread out the samples and cover all the material (it may seem long, but time flies when you are having fun… and you will be having fun).  In addition, I will present several off-flavor / flavor demos to help you identify some of the most common problems and flavors found in beer.  I have discovered that people can appreciate more of the world’s beer styles than they ever imagined simply by learning about them and tasting them in the right environment.

> Wine drinkers will also find these classes fascinating as they come to learn more about “vintage” beers, strong Belgian beers, wild-fermented beers, and more.  Many of these unique fermented beverages rival wine in their overall flavor and complexity (and even cost).

> These classes are more for the general public with an interest in the world’s great beers, but even knowledgeable brewers and beer connoisseurs will find them worthwhile.  So, regardless of your knowledge level, please feel free to join us.

> Classes are held in the tasting room at the Payless Liquors in Carmel on Adams Street. They cost only $135 for all 3 classes if paid up front.  The class size is limited, and there will be hundreds of dollars worth of beer sampled (plus some possible food samples paired with certain beers).

> Even though I will spread out the beer samples to avoid overindulgence, designated drivers are always encouraged (arrange to be dropped off and picked up).

SIGN UP TODAY TO SECURE YOUR SEAT!

Misc News – Nov 5

The Tomlinson Tap Room in the Indianapolis City Market is due to open yet this month. Mezzanine, old part, south end. It will be run by the B.I.G. John Hill says the fact that everything else in the City Market closes at 3pm isn't a problem – there are 200 events booked in that area each year and B.I.G. will make lots of sales to those folks.

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Upland's Tap Room on College in Indy is celebrating their first birthday starting today and running through Tuesday. Music on Mon. Tues also has music plus wear a Upland t-shirt and get a free pint. Show your employee license and get a free growler bottle.

They have the nano-system sort in place if not hooked up. A Brew Magic system from Sabco. Wanna brew?

Teddy Bear Kisses, at 11.5% is quite rich. Black Patent trumps chocolate.

Komodo Dragonfly at 6.5% is the same ABV as Dragonfly but equally as black as any stout. Thick small-bubble brown head. 65 IBU but the higher malt bill makes it seem tamer.

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Sun King with the Woodstove Flapjacks and a new release causes 180 cars to fill the parking lot.  Very busy. Coming up: Cow Bell Milk Porter.

Popcorn Pils is a nice pils. The addition of 150lbs of popped popcorn didn't really add a whole lot to the mix. We're just surprised it fit into the mash tun.

Twisted Sister is an imperial Berliner Weiss at 5%. It's of the best sort and we'll see it again at the State Fair awards. A+

Rumor has it Kahn's will buy John's Spirits at 21 N. Pennsylvania in downtown Indianapolis.

There was a fire at Dark Horse last night but there's no details yet.

Heavy Seas 15th Anniversary Ale will hit the decks this winter. 8% IIPA.

North Coast Old Stock Ale 2009 is being sent out and we should get some even though it's not in WCB's Beer Spy yet. 13.2%. Aged in bourbon barrels.

Morning Advertiser Headline: "Molson Coors is set to launch a new range of beers in the middle of 2011 aimed at the female market." In England. "The new range of beers will be made from a recipe which fights the concerns women have around drinking beer such as bloating, weight gain and taste."

Rare stuff from Cavalier include Founders Backwoods Bastard.

Misc News – Nov 3

Sun King will tap Popcorn Pils this Thursday. 6-9pm. Brewed with 150 pounds of Indiana Popcorn. Food and Woodstove Flapjacks also.

Big Woods is up to 7 beers on tap. Cat Tail Wheat, Six Foot Blonde, Possum Trot Pale, Honey Suckle Red, Hare Trigger IPA, Busted Knuckle, Tim’s Big Woods Stout…QUAFF ON!

The Lafayette Brewing newsletter tells us "This month will feature both a unique seasonal and a new package here at LBC.  First up, we'll be releasing both our Star City Lager and our Eighty-Five American Ale in new, 22 oz. bombers.  Look for the Star City to be available the first week of the month with the 85 to follow by mid-month.  We've also got a batch of our Alpha Acid Test control beer, Alpha 60, in the tanks and ready to be dry hopped with 20+ hop varieties for the tasting on November 20.  The Alpha 60 is loosely based on an American IPA and will be released on the 20th, as well.  A limited number of tickets are still available for the Alpha Acid Test for only $20.  No tickets will be available the day of the tasting."

This week's schedule. (More here):

• Thurs, Nov 4 - Popcorn Pils tapping at Sun King. 6-9pm. Food and music.
• Thurs, Nov 4 - Girl's Pint Out blind beer tasting. Scotty's Brewhouse, Geist. After work? Co-ed. Free. Registration needed.
• Thurs, Nov 4 – Specialty Brew Night with Venetia Sekema. Fiddler's Hearth, South Bend. 5pm. $55. On tap: Monk's Cafe, Theobroma, Sah'Tea, Moloko. 5-9pm. Music 9-11pm.
• Sat, Nov 6 - Festival of Wood and Barrel Aged Beer, Chicago, IL
• Sat, Nov 6 - Shoreline 2008 Barrel-Aged series release.
• Sun, Nov 7 - Back Road will start to be open Sundays, 2-4pm. Growlers and bottles available.

Here's an article from the Indianapolis Star – Nov 26, 1996. It goes on to say "Close your eyes, and picture a typical beer drinker. Chances are, you've conjured an image of a fat, hairy guy sipping from a can on the sofa. Now meet Julie Grelle, president of Circle V Brewing Co., Indianapolis. She's female, fit and educated, and wants you to change the way you think about beer. "There's a lot more to beer than just Coors and Budweiser," she said. To help convey that message, Indiana's eclectic local brewers are organizing a trade association, led by Circle V's Grelle and Bloomington Brewing Co. chief executive Jeff Mease. The envision a guild modeled after the Indiana Wine Concil, which gets 5 cents of every gallon of wine sold in the state to promote wines and tourism . . ."

 

Yuengling, work, family, price, money, and Memphis. "We want to continue to be the oldest," Mr. Yuengling said, "not the biggest.'' article

You may have heard the sensationalist headlines recently that "beer is more dangerous than heroin". It's a neo-prohibitionist study out of England. Here's the takedown. It's based on a poll, not evidence.

Trion Tavern Three Floyds Event

On Saturday, November 13, from 7p.m.-9p.m. come out to the Trion Tavern, New Haven, IN where they will be tapping 12 different Three Floyds beers at the same time. The beers being tapped are: Alpha King, Gumballhead, Robert the Bruce, Pride N Joy, Dreadnaught, 2009 Behemoth, Artic Panzer, Ice Grille, Moloko Stout, Broodoo Harvest, Drunk Munk, and Ostemoller. A special guest from Three Floyds will also be in attendance.

BCCA Fall Trade Show

The South Central Indiana chapter The newly renamed IBC chapter of the Brewery Collectibles Club of America held their Fall Trade Show last Saturday in Indianapolis. 200 or so browsers shopped to complete their collection or just tried to make it through the day after a keg of Sun King bit the dust in the hospitality suite the night before.

IBC chapter Members

Lots to see so here's a slideshow

View Full Album

People came from St. Louis through New York. The next Trade Show in Indiana will be the Hoosier Chapter BCCA Trade Show. Feb 26. 9am+ Free Admission. Quality Inn, Dixie Way North, South Bend.

David vs Goliath, Wilbur Brewing

Wilbur brewing likely could not have a more idyllic setting for current brewing operations, a former Girl Scout cabin beside a pond, with little but trees around! Maybe some of that peace transends into the beer! Wilbur is gently moving from a homebrewing operation to micro-brewer. Still it is likely one of the few who could claim "fire brewed" beer! Plus the beer is organic. The last time indianabeer.com caught up with founder Dan Hause, Wilbur Brewhause was in its infancy. Wilbur now has larger fermentation vessels and is brewing in larger quantities.

Throwing beer styles to the country wind, Wilbur's most popular offering is Country Mellow -- and it is smooth but weighs in at 8% alcohol. This beer is closest to a strong scotch ale, but there we go trying to categorize a beer that folks just plain seem to like rather than discuss. It is a deep brown mahogany beer with rich maltiness made with local artesian waters. Wilbur's second most popular is labeled Summer Ale, though the light spiciness in it made it a tasty Fall beer, too. Wilbur bottles other seasonals such as Oktoberfest, Biker Brown, and Midnight Coffee Stout with beans from B-townBeans.

Wilbur, named for the closest little 'village' of Wilbur, Indiana, between Martinsville and Monrovia, will likely move one of these days as Dan plans to expand. That may allow Wilbur to distribute more widely with more offerings. Currently Country Mellow is likely the beer you'll find in Bloomington on tap at Scotty's, Yogis, or maybe Max's and in 6-packs at Bloomingfoods, Sahara Mart, in Martinsville at Brownstone liquor or try a bottle at Olde Northside Bar & Grill, or pick some up at Parti-Pak on the Southside of Indy.

It's great to see expanding variety for Indiana. Little Wilbur Brewing is adding organic options in South Central Indiana. Check out the facebook page for Wilbur Brewing !

Misc News – Oct 29

Barley Island's Count Hopula Imperial IPA is being released today at both locations.

BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse in Greenwood has two seasonals on tap. Their Oktoberfest lager is tasty but has a bit of a Summit hop taste. Their Pumpkin Ale holds a full hand of pumpkin pie spices.

Figure 8 Brewing has a 4-head Meheen and will be putting out 22oz Ro Shampo in a few weeks.

How did we miss, back in 2007, the naming of Mineral Water as the Official State Beverage of Indiana?

From Dogfish Head, “Over the next sixty days we will launch the following beers. Olde School, Burton Baton, Squall, My Antonia, Chicory Stout, World Wide Stout, Bitches Brew and lastly this years Fort. Phew!!!!!!!!!By years end we will have sold just over 115,000bbls worth of beer. This marks a tremendous achievement for us. The 100,000bbls bench mark has only been crossed by a handful of brewers. We are not stopping there. Our goal for 2011 is to sell 140,000bbls worth of beer. This will be another 22% total barrelage growth for us.”

What beer for the Halloween weekend? How about Wychwood Hobgoblin? Rogue Dead Guy? Witches Brew? Goose Island Night Stalker? Anything from Fantome? Or even Oaken Barrel's Gnawbone IPA.

Misc News – Oct 27

The Hoosier Beer Geeks review Upland's Teddy Bear Kisses.

B.I.G.'s Winterfest details have been sent by Jason: "Winterfest will be on January 29th, 2011. Tickets are scheduled to go on sale online on Monday Nov. 1st. VIP $50, GA $35, DD $10. A limited number of GA tickets will be on sale at select Crown Liquor stores by November 8th. There are no ticket sales at local breweries. I repeat: NO TICKET SALES AT LOCAL BREWERIES. Watch www.IndianaBeerFest.com for further details and a link to purchase tickets."

The Trion Tavern gets ink in the Ft. Wayne Journal Gazette.

What to do this Halloweekend:

• Fri/Sat - Oct 29 & 30 - Horror, History and Hauntings. Great Crescent Brewery, Aurora. 6pm
• Fri, Oct 29 - Firkin of Komodo Dragonfly at Sonka Irish Pub, Terre Haute. 5:30pm
• Sat, Oct 30 - Indianapolis Breweriana Trade Show. BCCA. La Quinta, Beech Grove. Free admission. $8 tables. Info: tom@goecker.biz. 9am-2pm
• Sun Oct 31 - Firkin Sunday. The Livery, Benton Harbor, MI. 2 Harvest ales.

Schlafly's 20th Anniversary will be presented in four volumes, an Imperial Pilsner and three others. 750ml bottles. Due out December 26th, just in time to be an IOU in some St. Louis Christmas stockings.

Duvel Green is a non-conditioned beer with the same grain, hop, and yeast bill as Duvel Blegian Golden Ale. It's available in Chicago and should arrive in Indiana soon. more info and tasting notes.

Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, NY, is tripling their capacity in the next few years. This will allow them to have 6 seasonals per year.

Fullers has a 2010 Vintage Ale out.

There might be an 8th Trappist Monastery on the way to brewing. article - translated article – hand-translation summary: "The seven trappist monks at Stift Engelszell in Austria would like to raise money for renovation of their buildings and decided to set up a brewery. The beer recipes are being developed by University of Apllied Sciences in Wels, Austria. Local produce will be used to make the beers. Hofstetten brewery from St.Martin im Mühlkreis is to send over their brewmaster for an initial period to oversee production; Stiftsbrauerei Schlägl is said to do the bottling of the beers. - If Engelszell is granted the requested permit to use the protected Trappist logo on its beers, they might be on sale within a year."

Report from the Norman Upland

OK, what's a Norman Upland and what does it have to do with the Upland Brewery? That's a two-part question. 1) The Norman Upland is a region of south-central Indiana that is beyond the limit of the Wisconsin glacial deposits. 2) Nothing really except way back when Marc Sattinger named the Upland Brewery for these hills.

So why is this post titled thusly? It contains information about the brewpubs in the Norman Upland, OK, maybe a little further. Bloomington, Nashville, and Columbus. A nice drive on a fall turning-leaves day and an easy way to visit 4 brewpubs with a 30-mile drive on Ind 46. Or take Ind 45 to Nashville via Helmsburg for more 2-lanes. That's what I did the other day.

Upland 

The Bourbon Barrel-aged Winter Warmer on tap is a malty barley wine hidden away in Buffalo Trace barrels for the summer. The 47 IBUs don't balance or tame it – consider it was a 1082 OG.

In two weeks they are looking forward to sticking a tank out the top of the brewhouse, effectively doubling the capacity.

Caleb is kept pretty busy but has time to nose some lambic samples for next year. 

Speaking of Lambics. The Kiwi goes in for fruiting in a couple of weeks and many others of the 2010 release are waiting in glass. Blackberry, Peach, Strawberry, Blueberry, Red Raspberry, and Dantalion Dark Wild will be back also along with a new one called Gilgamesh.

     

 

Bloomington Brewing's handpulls change constantly. I was lucky enough to get a Cask Conditioned Mild Ale. The dry hopping puts nonsense to the posted 5 IBU. This comes to an effective 30 IBU. A perfect Brit ESB for Americans. 4.7%. Coming up on the handpull in November include Quarrymen Pale and Double Hopper.

Scott's 6th law: If your beer does not go with chocolate, you're drinking the wrong beer.

 

Big Woods Brewing

Busted Knuckle – Now their signature beer (replacing Tim's Big Woods Stout). A hybrid ale close to light-bodied porter but with a 7.5% basis. 27 IBU from Crystal and EKG. A bit of roasty and well-balanced. A+ stuff. Stood up to the spicy chili.

 

Power House / Columbus Bar The Great Powerhouse Collaboration Abbey Ale is freshly on tap with plenty of modicums of funky Abbey Ale yeastiness.

White River Brown is highly carbonated for a Dark Southern Brown / Mild. Malt predominates and the carbonation adds spriteliness which seems out of place at first.

 

Black Swan Brewpub - Plainfield

First the facts: 2067 E. Hadley Rd. Plainfield, IN 46168 317-838-7444 www.blackswanbrewpub.com This is the first stoplight north of I-70 at the Ind 267  exit south of Plainfield. Turn left on Hadley and it's the at the first street on the left. Open Tues, Wed, Thurs, Sun 11am-10pm; Fri, Sat 11am-midnight Opened about a week ago by DJ McCalister who has been the brewer at Barley Island and Lafayette Brewing. No, it's not a brewpub yet. A room on the west end has been carved out for spacious brewery space and they hope to be producing in January. Right now it's a 15-tap Indiana beer bar. Yep, nothing but Indiana beers. (click all the pics for bigger views). The wait staff is knowledgeable. While I was there a new hire was sampling her way through the line-up and Summer was happy to walk me through the menu. The beer menu is complete (again, click to biggify) with good descriptions. Prices range from $4.75 to $6 for 20-oz pints and 10-oz halves are half price with some rounding up. Sample sets are available - five 3-oz pours for $3.50. The opposite side of the menu lists 15 wines, a mead, and a cider; all from New Day Meadery and the Chateau Thomas Winery (which is just across Ind 267 if you need another excuse to visit the west side). The quiet bar area seats about 8 at the bar and has 4 tables and a 6-person booth. Housed in what was a uninspired BBQ place, they've reskinned the whole interior in darkish woodiness which is quite inviting.

Food, yep, there's food. Appetizers include fried pickles and a beer cheese crock - $5-$9. Salads as meals – whole at $7-$9 half at $4-$5. Lots of choices and add-ons available for these. A list of 6 Sandwiches will be most carnivores' food choice from "Sliced roast pork, tomato chutney, Capriole goat cheese, mixed greens, on a broiche roll" to the quite tasty Beef Roll ("Shaved beef, provolone, caramelized onions, arugula, Peppadew aioli, on a brioche"). $9 range. No steaks or heavy meals.

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DJ says about his upcoming beers:

"Here is how we think our first six beers will shake out. After that, we are going no holds barred and brewing any and all styles we can crank out.

• Cream Stout
• Double IPA
• ESB (for draught as well as cask conditioned)
• A malty brown ale
• A hopped up American style rye
• and either a nice crisp Belgian Wit or a Hefeweizen to round out the array."

Summary. Go west. A bar worthy of a Girls Pint Out, a homebrew club meeting, a HBG visit. It will see plenty of business from this southwestsider. Hope to see you there.

Misc News – Oct 23

Three Floyds small batches. Chocolate CIty, Aotearoa, Hell's Black Intelligencer, The Creeper. details (sorta)

Crown Brewing has Milk Chocolate Stout on tap – a sweet stout with lactose and 20 pounds of chocolate. Grand Poobah Russian Imperial Stout and Alkoholika Doppelbock will emerge in November.

Figure 8 Brewing has Black Corridor Imperial Chocolate Stout on nitro.

Shoreline's 2008 Barrel-Aged Series will go on sale at the pub on Nov 6.  Bourbon Aged beers: Lost Sailor Imperial Stout, Discombobulation Celebration Ale, Sum Cens IIPA, Big Bella Heavy Scotch Ale. Aged in French Oak Shiraz:  Seven Red on Red Rye Ale.

Back Road will start to be open Sundays, 2-4pm. Growlers and bottles available. Christmas Ale and No. 9 Barleywine will be available by Thanksgiving. Pecker Head Red in late Nov.

Thanks to Scott Bort's column for most of that.

Notes from HBG's Beer and Chocolate Benefit

Indiana Breweries by John Holl and Nate Schweber is scheduled for an April, 2011 release. Preorders are already up on Amazon.

The Apple Buzz is sold out again at Oaken Barrel, as Mike finds out. Monday they sold 133 cases. Tuesday another batch sold out.

Great Fermentations, Indy is hiring. Send your resume to bill@greatfermentations.com.

Widmer Barrel Aged Brrrbon will be out in bombers real soon now. 9.4%. About $13.

Shmaltz He'brew Jewbelation 14 has just been released. Each year it gets stronger, etc. This year with 14 malts, 14 hops and 14%. Looks like a vertical 8-pack is in the works with the last eight years of this barrel-aged brew, a glass, and Chanukah candles. article Oh, and Freaktoberfest is back again this year also. 6.66% Blood Red Lager.

Goose Island, having maxed out its Fulton Street brewery at 130,000bbls will contract some such as Honker's Ale and IPA at Redhook in Portsmouth, NH, starting in January. article

Dick Yuengling Jr. sounds like my kinda guy. article

After a British Guild of Beer Writers' seminar about beer styles, there's another blogger-flap going on. I've tried to put these links in some order. Good luck with your new time sink.

UK Style Revolution

Beer styles: the first of only two posts I will ever write on the subject

My final post on beer styles

More thoughts on beer styles

Michael Jackson and the invention of beer style

Headache ahead: Considering beer styles

Beer Style: Does is Matter?

And just for grins: Bottled beers types and categories (1977)

Novemberfest - Falling in Love with Bells

Mark your calendar for Wednesday, November 10th, at 5p.m. 800 Degrees Wood Fire Pizza, 10020 Lima Road, Fort Wayne, (260-490-0111) will be hosting a Bells beer event with the following Bells beers: Expedition, Oarsman, Amber, Best Brown, Hell Hath No Fury, Quinannan Falls Lager, and a Two Hearted Firkin. Tapping the Firkin at 5p.m. and tapping a Firkin of Hell Hath No Fury at 6p.m. All other beers will be tapped during the day. There will also be a special food menu for this event.

Race to be the next brewery

Thr3e Wise Men on Broad Ripple Avenue is being finished out, insulated, but still a long way to go. The tanks are in but not plumbed.

As you enter (bottom right on the plan), a vestibule/tasting area will be backed by a glass walk-in with 5 bright tanks. Omar looks to have finally escaped the cramped quarters with a 15/30 bbl system in the back.

A bar will becon to the left. Two kitchens (seemingly one for this location and one for advanced prep for all Scotty's houses). The Hoosier Beer Geeks have more pictures and stuff.

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At The Bier Brewery and Taproom, Darren Conner has the pots and kettles in and hopes to be producing fermented beverages before Thanksgiving.

Yep, lots of burners. Lots of Blichman equipment. He'll end up with 8 fermenters and 8 secondaries so we'll be seeing a lot of variety.

Misc News – Oct 17

NABC Elector label for bomber bottles. A sign of things to come.

Apple Buzz is back at Oaken Barrel.

Pumpkin, Pumpkin, who's got the pumpkin? Now it's Mad Anthony's Punkunhead Ale.

Upland's Tasting Room in Indy is open again after remodeling to double the size.

Coming up:

• Rock Bottom, Downtown Indy – Dry Hop Wheat w/ Amarillo.
• Barley Island – Another batch of batch # 666 – Damien Belgian Strong Golden – will be out in January.
• We're told the Winter Replicale will be an Imperial ESB. Look for it everywhere in January.

Broad Ripple Brewpub on tap any day now, maybe now.

• Wobbly Wheat – Kevin's reflection on Gumballhead. 5.2%.
• Pumpkin Ale – w/pumpkin
• Big Boy. Chinook hopped IPA.

Here's the Guest list at Barley Island Restaurant and Brewhouse, Broad Ripple:

Brugge Brasserie tasting notes:

• Miller Low Life (or whatever the Belgian Single is called today). It's quite the sweet one.
• Prana Porter – Rich Thick Roasty Balticy, Worthy. A+
• Wapahini Belgian Spiced IPA – Noticable but not intrusive bitterness. Hints of wassal spices.
• Quad – Dull ugly brown with the look of used engine oil. Not that burnt, black engine oil you get from letting things go for thousands and thousands of miles, but the browner used engine oil that runs out of the pan after, say, 4,000 miles of pavement driving, maybe some at high altitude.

We grabbed some pictures of the Great Fermentations Cider Finishing Seminar while we were picking up cider for our annual batch of Add-Lots-Of-Molasses-And-Let-It-Sit-Til-March-Strong-Ciderish-Fermented-Beverage.

 

Dark Horse (Marshall), The Livery (Benton Harbor) and Right Brain (Traverse City) are collaborating on their 420th batch of beer. OK, maybe the Livery's and Right Brains. They'll figure it out somehow. Name: Random Alpha Docious Ale. Hops added every 4 minutes, 20 seconds. etc. etc. article

Wow. Martyn Cornell had put together the definitive history of the great porter explosion of 196 years ago today. long informative interesting article

Narragansett beer, killed by Falstaff way back when, is back on the shelves in Rhode Islandish places. article

Going to be in Philly? Me neither. Sob. The Tap and Table in Emmaus is having a Aecht Schlenkerla Night with the owner, brewer, and chef from Bamburg. 4-course meal, Oak Smoked barrel.

32,000 bottles of Rodenbach Vintage 2008 are mostly coming to America. This "spent two years in Fueder #96, one of the brewery's 294 huge oak barrels. It is described as a full-bodied, refreshing, copper-red beer of 7% with a tart apple-like fruitiness, with distinct caramel, wild honey and oak flavors."

Oh, and Rheingold also – in New York. article

Oct. 14 – even more....

Jerry's Pumpkin at the Rock Bottom, Downtown Indy, has 40 lbs of pumpkin for a chewy beer that gives pumpkin in the nose and spices in the mouth. 5.3%

Ram reports an upcoming Pilsner that has plenty of green bottle character. And a Weisen Bock in mid November.

Pelican Brands of Indy is taking Napa Smith beers into 16 states now. article

How was Big Red's Festival? (Seriously, we can't be everywhere. Contributions are welcome, send to bob@indianabeer.com. We're also, of course, looking for more bloggers. Join the fun.

Oct. 14 - more....

Bloomington's Big Red Beer Fest kicks off tonight, Thursday, Oct. 14 6 -9, and continues tomorrow, Friday, Oct. 15, 6-9 @ the Bloomington Convention Center, 302 S. College which is 2 blocks south of the town Square. Tickets are $30 Thursday and $35 Friday and can be purchased at local Big Red Liquor stores. Beermeisters from all over including Indianapolis and Louisville will be present with beer samples.

Misc News – Oct 14

Bloomington's Jason Mundy sends this along to other homebrew clubs: "501(c)7 Homebrew Clubs Must File With IRS By Oct. 15 From the article, it appears homebrew clubs are in danger of losing their tax exempt status if they have not filed taxes in the past three years. Friday is the deadline to avoid this."

Rock Bottom, 86th St, Indy unleashed Liz's Pumpkin Pie Spice ale last night and also celebrated her GABF medal.

• Pumpkin Ale - Not overpowering, bitter trumps sweet in the long finish. Filling. Pretty darn good.
• Liz also brewed a 2nd batch of Naked Oatmeal Stout (see list of silver medal winners at GABF). The first batch had the effect of lightening distinctly during the quaffing. This batch is more dark chocolate that hangs on in the finish.
• She also has a Bourbon Vanilla Brown on the hand-pull that has been nicely aged to a vanilla oak nose that strengthens in the taste and gives a sweet honey-like finish.
• Merry Prankster is a 7.2% Double Red where the malt and all get doubled for a big bitter finish.
• Next Stout up for Liz will be an Imperial Stout that may just be the Replicale for the B.I.G. Winterfest. That's just a rumor.

What to do during these nice autumn days (plus lots of tastings listed on the calendar):

• Ongoing - Lupulin Land Harvest Hopcoming continues. New Albanian's Public House.
• Thurs, Oct 14 - Tapping of Pumpkin Ale at Rock Bottom, Downtown Indy. 6pm
• Thurs, Fri - Big Red Liquors Annual Beer Festival. Bloomington Convention Center. 6-9pm
• Fri, Oct 15 - Whisky and Fine Spirits Expo. Montage, Indianapolis. w/ Vine and Table. $50/$85 VIP.
• Sat, Oct 16 - Ram Oktober-Feast Brewer's Dinner. 4:30pm. $35 Resv at 317-955-9900
• Sat - Kahn's North Store Grand Opening. 1-4pm. 86th & Township Line Rd. Indy.
• Sat - Riley Ridge Homebrew Brew-In. Lanesville, IN. All day. Free malt and food.
• Sat - Fauxtoberfest by Tuxedo Park Brewers homebrew store. 3-11pm. 1139 Shelby St. Indy. $21
• Mon - Patrick's Kitchen Oktoberfest beer sampling. Zionsville. 6 beers + German food. $35/$45. 317-733-8755

Oaken Barrel's current seasonal is an Irish Stout.

New Albanian's 8th Anniversary Ale will be tapped today at 3pm at the Public House. 8%. 80 IBU. 8 malts, 8 hops. blog entry

Bloomington's Butler Winery has 15% off everything through next Monday (the 18th). Except Glass bottles and Malt Extracts are 10% off. Bulk grain is 20% off.

Kahn's Indy Northside store is open. 86th & Township Line Rd.

Some articles by Quality Wine and Ale Supply of Elkhart: A Few Tips For Brewing High Alcohol Beer, On A Budget? Get A Beer Brewing Kit And Make Your Own Beer!

Stone Lucky Bastard (or Lukcy Basartd), a blend of Arrogant, Oaked Arrogant and Double, will be released in bottles next month.

Great beer names: Cascade Brewing is doing Vlad the Imp-Aler and Bourbonic Plague.

Lew Bryson muses on the announced Yuengling expansion into Memphis.

Silly concepts: The 50 Most Fattening Beers – Comparing calories, carbs, and ABV. Leinenkugel's Berry Weiss is #1?

One for Oprah's book club: Does My Butt Look Big in This Beer? Nutritional Values of 2,000 Worldwide Beers.

The official SABMiller vision of brewing in 20 years. Hint: it involves what looks like an oil tanker.

The winner: 19 beers.

Misc News – Oct 8

The Three Floyds guys shot videos when they went to Yakima to buy hops. Yes, those are hops. And not pressed Mexican hops either.

Three Floyds fresh hop Broo Doo went out yesterday in bombers and it's on tap at the brewpub.

Liz tells us she has another batch of her GABF Silver Medal Naked Oatmeal Stout on the way and it might be ready by next Wednesday when there will be a Tapping of Pumpkin Ale at Rock Bottom, 86th St, Indy. 6pm. There will be a GABF party cake.

Downtown Indy's RB Tapping of Pumpkin Ale will be Thursday at 6pm – and Jerry has Hop Bomb back on tap.

Last night Sun King had a DJ and Yats for a Thursday tasting party. Something they do about once a month. It's like a dropping in on a busy bar crossed with a big tasting party in someone's garage. With the food, they serve pints. Big crowd. Over 100 people. Most stayed for more than an hour.

Sun King's Notorious IBU. 9%. 97 IBU. Dark deep copper. Actually balanced yet actually really bitter. For all practical purposes a Barley Wine. A big, bitter Barley Wine. Only available at the tasting room. Too bad we can't age some for a couple years in a bottle (although Clay says a couple of kegs will be set aside for later). Andrew Korty's take: "Reminds me a little of Arrogant Bastard.  Grapefruit, orange, resinous hop character.  Plenty of cherry/berry esters.  Rich but subtle malt -- nutty with a hint of chocolate.  Not too malty as this kind of beer often is."

Sun King's Big H Hefeweizen – Fuzzy rusty apricot color. Floral, cidery American wheat. AK found a sulphury note.

Coming up: Ram will counter Notorious IPA with NUTorious Brown Ale as well as Blue Pride German Pilsner.

This year's Komodo Dragonfly from Upland has been released in bottles.

Lafayette Brewing will be bottling Star City Lager, Star City Dark, and Eighty-Five in a month or so. Bombers at the brewery first.

Big Woods Brewing is invading the north with taps at Shallos in Greenwood. Mon, Oct 11, they will celebrate in person. 7-10pm. Oh, and that's the day of Shallos' Annual Fall Beer Tasting. 8-10pm. The second floor turns into a horseshoe-shaped mini-fest. $20/$25.

Kahn's North Store Grand Opening. Sat, Oct 16. 1-4pm. 86th & Township Line Rd. Indy.

Sun King and Broad Ripple Brewpub are planning a collaboration Imperial ESB to celebrate BRBP's 20th Anniversary.

Stone 10-10-10 hit stores as early as 10-11-10. Cavalier reports Indiana got a very limited supply.

Down in Texas they are contemplating a new DWAI offence. "driving while ability impaired" that would cover .05 to .08 BAC. disturbing article

How to trap a beer bear.

Misc News – Oct 6

Scott Bort's Local Craft Beer Roundup for the Northwest is here.

Eric Strader drops in the Chubby Trout. blog

Slow news week. Here's what's going on the rest of it.

• Now through Saturday - 5th Birthday Party at the Fickle Peach, Muncie. Lot of good, special beers.
• Thurs, Oct 7 - Tapping of Notorious IBU. Sun King. Indy. 6pm
• Thurs, Oct 7 - Half Moon Oktoberfest taps. Kokomo
• Fri, Oct 8 – Lots of liquor store tastings. See the full calendar for details.
• Fri through next Fri - Mystery at the Mansion: The Muessel Brewery Murders. Center for History, South Bend. $10.
• Sat, Oct 9 - AllKokomo.com Micro Brew Festival. Behind the Half Moon. $25. 4-9pm.
• Sat, Oct 9 - Crown Brewing Oktoberfest. 3-11pm
• Sat, Oct 9 - Deer Park Pub Craft Beer Festival. Ft. Wayne. $20/$25

The Richmond Palladium-Item joins the call to get rid of the card-everyone stupidity. "Laws aimed at preventing alcohol consumption by those younger than 21 should focus on that demographic, rather than those carrying AARP cards." article

Richard Grant, Assistant Brewer at Flossmoor Station, will be the head brewer at the new Finch's Beer brewery in Chicago. article

Cleveland Beer Week is Oct 15-23.

6.4 million people drank 7 million litres of Oktoberfest beer. Ate 117 oxen.

The world outside Munich has not been told much about the Jubiläumswiesnbier collaboration by the 6 brewers at Oktoberfest. It's 6%, brown, and a secret recipe. article

Martyn Cornell, the guy who wrote the book on British beers, rants extensively on the history that is Taylor Walker. article

Upcoming Events - October 3

Fort Wayne - Deer Park Pub's 1st Annual Craft Beer Festival (1530 Leesburg Road) will take place on Saturday, October 9th from 1p.m.-5p.m. According to their Facebook page (www.facebook.com/deerparkirishpub) there will be over 50 different beers available for sampling along with homebrewed beers. There will be live music along with brats and chili. Tickets are $20/Adv. and $25 day of event. They can be purchased at all Fort Wayne Belmont Beverages locations and at Wooden Nickel. Tickets can also be purchased online at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event127909.

Muncie - On Saturday, October 23, the 2nd Annual Muncie Brewfest will take place (http://munciebrewfest.com/ for ticket info. and more) from 2-6p.m. This event will be held at The Horizon Convention Center. There will be over 20 breweries and distributors offering unlimited 2oz. pours as well as homebrews and brewpub supplies.

Misc News – September 31st.

A very visual start to October as we ponder who September ticked off to lose an entire day.

Lafayette Brewing will release Hunters Moon Pale Ale (English style) on Sat. Oct 2nd. Their Oktoberfest will tap a week later on October 9th.

Vine and Table, Carmel, will offer 10% off all Indiana Beers during the week of Oct 13th – 19th. Here's the list. Barley Island, Mad Anthony, Mishawaka, Oaken Barrel, Three Floyds, Upland.

 

 

The first new distillery in Scotland in 30 years is about to open, making 10 to 12 million liters per year. Whyte & Mackay.

 

And in a final spate of silliness - "World's first beer to be certified for space consumption will undergo tests in weightlessness to confirm its drinkability." article

Misc News – Sept 30

Bloomington Brewing 14 taps and 2 handpulls are filled with goodies.

• The English Mild is lightish tan/brown with plenty of cars-something character and only 5 IBUs to balance. 4.7% ABV. It's on CO2 and the handpull. Yummy.
• The Homegrown Pale using fresh hops from Floyd's patch has a fresh pungency in a light brown/copper ale with 27 IBU. Right nice.
• Quarryman Pale is the threesome right now CO2, Nitro, and Handpull to get a good feel of the dispensing difference.

New Albanian beers to come:

• Saison d'Houbleon will be out any day now. Unfiltered 7% farmhouse with 40 IBU. The nose belies the underlying bitterness. Professional stuff.
• A 2nd batch of Yakima Rye IPA will dry hop for 14 days and another 6 days on a new batch of hops before being tapped.
• Four oak barrels of C2 Grand Cru – the second collaboration with Schafly and O'Fallon are aging in New Albany. 2 bourbon barrels, 2 port barrels. One of each will get smoked figs added. Eventually all four barrels will be served individually and blended to a fifth offering. Look for it at Winterfest in January.

Lafayette Brewing's Phoenix Strong Ale is on tap. 42 IBU. 7.6% ABV. "Brewed with pale, crystal and chocolate malts and hopped exclusively with English-grown Phoenix hops. Mahogany in color, this full bodied brew is malty yet retains an expressive hop character. Complex flavor profile highlights hints of toffee and tobacco. Stop by and have a pint or two of the Phoenix Strong Ale, this ale was last seen at the brewpub back in '07."

Eric Strader looks at The Livery in Benton Harbor, MI. and at Oktoberfest Beers.

This weekend's Anstich kegs at the New Albanian's Public House, to be tapped at 5pm and empty before 6pm – Thurs: Huppendorfer Vollbier. Fri: Günther-Bräu Lagerbier. Sat: Weissenohe Monk’s Fest.

38 year old Big Red Liquors gets ink in the Indiana Daily Student (as if any IU students don't know about Big Red).

Tickets are selling well for this weekend's Valparaiso Brewfest. article

Brewfest Valpo. Valparaiso. 1-5pm. $35/$40 VIP-$55.

Also this Saturday:

Louisville Craft Beer Week Volkfest. BBC Taproom, Main Street. 3pm - Midnight

Upland Oktoberfest, Bloomington. 11am - 1am.

Microbrew Festival for Giving Sum, Rathskeller, Indy. 2-5pm. $25/$30.

Weko Beach Brewers Festival, Bridgman, MI. 3-9pm. $20/$25.

Upland has a flyer out in the interstate rest stops. I don't think they'll mind if we reproduce it here. Click to biggify.

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Indiana Senator James Merritt (R-Indy) is starting to talk about canning the card-for-carryout law. "deluged with complaints". article 1  article 2

The groceries and convenience stores have been sending out press releases again about how the liquor stores' monopoly on cold sales is discrimination. The "Change it Indiana" petition is back up "51,000 people have signed" (which is the same as last winter – so there has not been a grass roots effort at all). We'll keep linking to articles so you can follow the fun. article

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If you can read and understand this article in the Journal of Proteome Research (The Proteome Content of Your Beer Mug) we really really want you to blog on IndianaBeer.com. Sentence chosen at random: "Protonated phthlates [dibutylphthlate (plasticizer), m/z 279.159086; bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, m/z 391.284286] and polydimethylcyclosiloxane ions [(Si(CH₃)₂O)₆ + H]⁺; m/z 445.120025] were used for real time internal mass calibration."

We're told 6 new breweries are upcoming in St. Louis.

Sam Adams will release an Oak Aged Double Red and a Wee Heavy real soon now. In fact the Wee Heavy is out in a few areas.

Rodenbach Vintage 2008 should hit the shelves in 750ml bottles in November.

Rick Lyke is planning a 10-day Belgian trip for 14 people in September, 2011. To be one of them, see Realbeer.com

Remember Malt Liquor? Here's the history.

Misc News – Sept 26

Figure 8 Brewing gets beer and rock climbing ink on the Brewers Association website.

The Three Floyds/Brewdog collaboration will be called Bitch Please. Oats. Peated malt. Green Bullet, Nelson Sauvin, and Motueka hops. Wha? While some will come back to the U.S. sometime, good luck finding any . article

Oaken Barrel's Oaktoberfest is out and another batch of Apple Buzz will hit the taps in mid-Oktober.

The Hoosier Beer Geeks run a bracket on 28 Oktoberfest Beers. You'll need to see their post to find out the winner.

Eric Strader looks at local hops, Terrapin beer, and the Round Barn Brewery

Rita gives me ink in Beer Buzz, I give her electronic ink right back.

Here's some pictures from the Cask-conditioned day at the Louisville Craft Beer Week.

The Michigan Brewers Guild scored $74,000 in federal grant money to promote Michigan-grown hops. article

15 stein-in-the-face occurrences is a new record at Oktoberfest. article

Budweiser sales were down 9% in 2009 and is down another 9% so far this year. Under-30s are turning to "craft beers" (read Sam Adams). A-BInBev plans to hand out 500,000 samples by mid-October and partner with Facebook so folks turning age 22 and up can get a free beer on their birthdays. article

If You Want to be Well drink beer that is pure and healthful. Our Special Export Beer is absolutely pure, properly aged and fermented, and is made from the best materials money can buy. We spare neither care, cash nor brains in the brewing of this perfect beer, and the rich, inimitable flavor is the natural consequence. Drink Special Export - the beer that tells. C L Centlivre Brewing Co. Phone 62, Made in Ft. Wayne

Misc News – Sept 22

Mike asks the 7 basic questions of DJ McCallister about the upcoming Black Swan Brewpub in Plainfield.

What to do this weekend (there are also a lot of tastings).

Friday, Sept 24

• Louisville Craft Beer Week Firkin Friday. 35 cask beers at BBC, St. Matthews, Louisville. $30.
• Chalet Party Shoppe Fall Fest. CR 17, Elkhart. O'fests, etc. 6-8pm. Free.

Sat, Sept 25

• Noblesville Brewfest. Moose Lodge, 950 Field Dr. $20/$25
• Louisville Craft Beer Week Strassenfest. New Albany Riverfront Amphitheater. 3-11pm

Sun, Sept 26

• Louisville Craft Beer Week Kegs & Eggs. NABC Bank Street Brewery. Breakfast and Beer pairing. 11am-3pm
• Louisville Craft Beer Week Craft Brews Cruise. Belle of Louisville.

Rodney continues his report on the GABF with a lot of pictures.

Word has it Three Floyds and Dogfish Head are following up their Popskull collaboration of last year with Poppaskull. Belgian this time. With Cardamom. Barrel-aged. 9.5%.

Word also has it Guinness Foreign Extra Stout will return to the United States in October. word

GABF winners available in Indiana

80 categories times 3 medals each (full list). That's a bunch 'o beer. But which ones can you actually try here? Most aren't distributed in Indiana. Many, like Founders Endurance IPA were seasonals or specials that were never sent past the brewery's home town. Some have come and gone like New Belgium's Eric's Ale. Sigh. But store shelves do have these:

Indiana:

• Three Floyd's Munsterfest is available in 22oz bottles at many stores.
• Sun King's Dominator Dopplebock was a seasonal last February. It'll no doubt be back before the snow disappears (do you remember snow?).
• Sun King's Golden Slumber is listed as "retired" but may just show up again in a Silver edition.
• Rock Bottom 86th St.'s Naked Oatmeal Stout was a seasonal last July. We'll bet Liz will brew it again as it got raves at the bar and the Denver bravos were right on.

Small Brewer of the Year: Mad River – They are handled in Indiana by Cavalier and the Steelhead series, Double Dread Imperial Red, and Mad Belgian Golden Strong are on shelves. Last year's GABF Gold John Barleycorn Barley Wine will be back this fall (ahhh, autumn) but the medal went to the '06 version.

Similarly, Bell's Expedition Stout took Bronze in Aged Beer with the 1995 version.

Now available (links are to World Class Beverages' Beer Finder):

• Clipper City Heavy Seas Gold Ale
• Clipper City Heavy Seas Marzen
• Goose Island 312 Urban Wheat
• Goose Island Bourbon County Stout
• Mad River Steelhead Extra Pale
• Ommegang Three Philosophers
• Pyramid Audacious Apricot
• Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar
• Rogue Shakespeare Stout
• Sam Adams Honey Porter
• Sam Adams Latitude 48 IPA
• Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Jack and Kens Ale (Barleywine)
• Sierra Nevada Estate Homegrown Ale (Organic IPA)
• Shmaltz He'Brew Bittersweet Lenny's R.I.P.A. Double Rye IPA
• Two Brothers Domaine DuPage French Country Ale

Great Divide's Colette Saison will be back in March, 2011.

Left Hand Fade to Black will be back in November.

Oh, and there's Miller Lite, Old Milwaukee, and Miller Genuine Draft that took the medals in American Lager/Light Lager. Plus Michelob Amberbock. You might also find Hamm's and Old Style in places, they won medals.

Happy hunting.

Misc News – Sept 21

Quick sips:

• New Albanian Citra Dry-hopped American Mild. Much dry-hopping on 22 IBU base. (Dry hops don't count as IBUs even though they give an initial aroma attack). Grapefruit and Tangerine. Malt comes through second. Then a lingering bitter finish. American Brown? 3.8%
• NABC bracket APA Summit – Single hop playoff. Dry and spicy
• NABC bracket APA Warrior – Similar bitterness. Smoother. Grassy. Nice. Advance this one to the semis.
• Weissenohe Altfrankisches Kloisterbier – On tap at NABC's Public House. $6.50/ . liter. Cream, pure thick cream mouthfeel. Toasted marshmallow without being annoyingly sweet. Hops are hidden. 5.2%. Magnificent dessert beer. Not a desert island beer but a wonderful experience.

Carmel-based Pelican Brands has bought the Napa Smith Brewery & Winery in Napa, CA. Pelican was previously the sales rep for the company and has expanded the distribution to 8 states. The plan is to take Napa Smith nationwide in 2011. It has already been introduced to Indiana shelves.

Falls City is back with a 1930s Pale Ale recipe. FC was brewed by a consortium of Louisville tavern owners in 1906. Closed in 1978, the brand was used by Sterling in Evansville on a mass/generic beer. Now the name is back with the pre-bland recipe. They are hopping the River and coming to the NABC Public House today.

Now here's a bad idea. Beer Popsicle – with complete instructions.

Recycling, Alsbach, Germany, style"Please help us separate"