Note: as I was only able to hang around this year's Indiana Microbrewers Festival for a couple of hours, I decided to recap the best way I know how: lazily.
Best Indiana beer: the Green Tea Pale Ale from Brass Monkey. Slightly citrusy, really refreshing on such an ungodly hot day. I went back, um, a lot for this one.
Best regional beer: the Hoppin’ Frog porter poured through coffee beans. Perfect balance of smooth and bitter with a fantastic nose.
Best beer I didn’t get to try: I had to duck out before the Dark Lord and Kentucky Breakfast Stout tappings. Sigh.
Best recommendation: Mat Gerdenich’s recommendation to try the firkin of Clipper City Hang Ten. A walloping weizenbock with a sweet, yeasty cling. Yum.
Best t-shirt sighting: this festival is like Pitchfork, except instead of ironic band tees, you get ironic brewing tees. I especially appreciated the Natural Ice baseball jersey, but the best one was our friend Erik’s Miskatonic Brewing shirt.
Best smiling face behind the tap: Tony at Warbird, who kept chugging along good-naturedly even as lines got 50-60 deep.
Best overheard question: “so what do you have that tastes like Miller Lite?” (in the firkin tent)
Best girl power moment: Gina, randomly recruiting someone for our roller derby team as we were waiting in line at Hoppin’ Frog
Best boy power moment: Mike, relaying the story of the Diamond Kings of Heaven Great Keg Blowing of ’08… with hand gestures.
Best merch: the “Show Me Your Growlers” shirts. Sadly, I can’t remember where they were from.
Best ‘gotcha’: the empty bottles lined up at the Brugge table. Torturous, Charlie!
Best idea for next year: Hoosier Beer Geek tank tops. In white.
I am completely bummed that I did not get to go this year.
ReplyDelete"Best idea for next year: Hoosier Beer Geek tank tops. In white."
ReplyDeleteBut looking for a gaggle of black shirts was the easiest way to find you guys this year!
Wait, do I have to wear one next year?
Ok, tank tops it is. But something more distinctive than white!
4000 Tshirts there and mine was voted best! woo hoo! :-D
ReplyDeleteI have to say my dad made a comment after we ran into you guys early on that he was not envious of you all wearing black t-shirts. But as Chris points out.. it did help when trying to find you later on.
I am realizing how many good beers I missed in the firkin tent. I only tried the Founders double dry hopped pale, which was good, but pales compared to some of the ones I missed. I won't make that mistake next year.