Random Beer Roundup - The Beery Edition

HBG 4th Anniversary tickets are on sale now.

If there is something coming up that is not listed, we would love to hear about it. News, reviews, info, etc., to share for our next Random Beer Roundup can be submitted tohoosierbeergeek@gmail.com. Don't see your favorite craft beer establishment? Let them know you'd like to see them here! Work for an establishment that serves craft beer? We want to hear from you too!

Hoosier Beer Calendar
Events are subject to change



What's Brewing

From Greg at Lafayette Brewing Co. in Lafayette:

On tap at Lafayette Brewing this weekend: Star City Lager; Prophet's Rock Pale Ale; East Side Bitter; Pipers' Pride Scottish Ale; Tippecanoe Common Ale; Eighty-Five; Black Angus Oatmeal Stout; and our current specialty beer, I Am An American IPA.

From Roger at New Albanian Brewing Co. in New Albany:

Offloading some inventory:
http://potablecurmudgeon.blogspot.com/2010/07/no-please-not-jolly-pumpkins-bottled.html

Also, on Tuesday my 50th birthday beer goes briefly on tap at BSB on Tuesday, August 3 (my birthday). When the notion first was offered that a beer might be brewed for the occasion of my 50th, Grant Line brewer Jared Williamson immediately grinned and said he'd take care of it because he knows my preferences. The result is Ancient Rage, a Smoked Baltic Porter. The name is (a) a self-deprecating knock at my staus as elder (not as old as John Hill, though -- no one is) and (b) a play on words in honor of Ancient Age Bourbon, of which our newsletter editor Michael wrote: "Ancient Age ... a favored tipple of the Publican's misspent youth." Yeah, well, maybe I drank more whisky back then than beer, but I got over it. AR doesn't have the strength of Solidarity, surely the finest beer not to win a medal at the State Fair. It's 6% abv, and suitably contrarian for my palate. Two of the kegs go on tap at BSB on Tuesday, with the rest being held until fall for a bit of aging.

From Oaken Barrel Brewing Co. in Greenwood:

Monday, August 2nd, 6:00 P.M., OB will be tapping the award winning beers from the 2010 Indiana Brewers Cup in the Brewhouse, plus a few surprises.

From Andrew at The Ram in Indianapolis/Fishers:

Next week is GenCon 2010 in Indianapolis! Come downtown to The RAM for the festivities to enjoy our week-long GenCon menu which includes Blackbane’s Ghost Pale Ale and Rasheth’s Red IPA while featuring a GenCon exclusive seasonal brew, Primal Porter! This beer will sell out quickly, so get it while it’s around!

On August 10th at 6:30 pm at our Fishers location, we will be doing a small-batch release of the 2010 Indiana Replicale, a Munich Dunkel. There will only be one keg of this beer available at this time, so be sure to join us for the tapping. Once the keg runs dry, the beer may be gone, but the good times will carry on.

On August 18th at 6 pm at our Downtown location, we will be releasing our Aries American Wheat to the public. This beer features the finest wheat and barley with true American citrus hops. It makes for a tasty summer pint to go with the hot Indiana weather.

From Liz at Rock Bottom - College Park in Indianapolis:

On Saturday, there will be a hog roast at Midwest Sports Complex (7509 New Augusta Road, Indianapolis IN , 46268). 12 noon -night. Family friendly event, food plate $10, beer $5.

From Charles at Upland Brewing Co. in Bloomington:

Upland will be sampling brews at Taste of the Grapevine in Louisville, KY this Saturday (July 31). Join us for a great night of wine, beer, bourbon and food.

Coming down to Jasper for Strassenfest? Find us Saturday, August 7th 10am-4pm at the Fischer Farms tent party! 124 3rd Ave, Jasper, IN.

Registration for Tour de Upland (30 hours of road cycling, camping, BBQ, and craft beer) is only $65 on or before Aug 1, $75 on or before Aug 12, and $85 on the 13th and 14th. You're smart enough to figure out when to register.

Tickets for Todd Snider Live - part of the Hillbilly Haiku Americana Music Series - on Sept. 3rd are on sale at Upland's Bloomington and Indy locations and online at buskirkchumley.org. The concert is outdoors on our Bloomington brewery grounds. There's a $5 discount if you buy your tickets in advance, and all proceeds benefit Sycamore Land Trust. Join us for this celebration of nature, community, music, and beer!

At the Bar

From Lauren at Scotty's Brewhouse:

All Scotty's Brewhouse Locations Now Have Brand New Drink Menus!

Carry Out

From Eric at 21st Amendment in Broad Ripple:

In honor of the extreme heat we've been experiencing, I'm going to keep my section short and only talk about two extreme beers that we're lucky enough to have on our shelves:

1.) Sierra Nevada Bigfoot: We have this beer available still because I was able to find a couple of stray cases of this gem buried in our system. This beer is a massive Barley Wine with a bigger hop load than most Double IPA's. I think it's a beautiful high-gravity beer to drink now but it ages as well as any beer I've ever had. Consider yourself lucky if you've ever had a vertical tasting with multiple vintages of Bigfoot.

2.)Dogfish Head World Wide Stout: At 18% ABV this is one of the world's strongest beers. This beer really showed me the talent that Dogfish puts into every recipe. The beer exhibits roasted, toasted malts and really shows the balance you can get with a high alcohol beer. Yes, you can seek out the ultra-high ABV/ultra expensive beers put out by Brew Dog, but instead of drinking "beer concentrate," I'd rather have a wonderful beer made the old-fashioned way.

Happy drinking Beer Fans!

From Big Red Liquors in Bloomington:

New items:

Great Divide 16th Anniversary Wood Aged Double IPA - From their commercial description, "Plenty of malty sweetness provides a backdrop for earthy, floral English and American hops, while French and American oak round off the edges and provide a touch of vanilla."

Sierra Nevada Tumbler -This is their new fall seasonal beer, an "Autumn Brown Ale." This beer is very balanced -it starts off with a slight bitter chocolate maltiness and finishes with a well rounded fruity hop. It very smooth and definitely quaffable.

On sale:

Upland Pale 6pks $6.99, normally $7.99
Stella Artois & Hoegaarden 12pks $12.99, normally $16.99
Moosehead & Moosehead Light 12pk bottles and cans $9.99, normally $11.99
Sam Adams 12pks $12.99, normally $14.99

Also, don't forget about our weekly beer tasting at our downtown Bloomington location:

August 5 we will be sampling the Spaten family of beers.
August 12 we will be trying a selection of different ciders (we have 21 ciders currently in stock!)

From Patrick at Crown Liquors:

New Holland beers will now be readily available in Indianapolis now thanks to Zink distributing. Great brews!

We brought in for now:
The Poet Oatmeal Stout
Dragons Milk Stout
Definitely more to come...

Also Porterhouse Oyster Stout 11.2 oz.

Tasting this Friday:

Downtown
3 Floyds Gorch Fock
New Holland Dragons Milk
Two Brothers Resistance IPA

Carmel
Beers from Lindemans and Bell's

From Twitter

beermba: Indiana Homebrewers and Craft Beer Enthusiasts - We need volunteers to staff the Brewers booth at the IN State Fair - Email Ron for details.

HBG4 featuring... Upland Brewing

The lineup of beers at Hoosier Beer Geek's Fourth Anniversary Party continues. The second brewery we are announcing at HBG4 is...



Upland Brewing Co.
Bloomington, Indiana




Upland Wheat
Style: Wheat Ale

Upland Wheat Ale is a classic rendition of the Witbier (white beer) style, which originated in Belgium. We brew it with organic coriander, chamomile, and orange peel to be light on the tongue and refreshingly tart. In the tradition of the Belgian Wit style, Upland Wheat Ale is unfiltered, allowing suspended yeast to create a cloudy, golden appearance and satisfying mouthfeel. Both full-bodied and easy-going, it’s no wonder that Upland Wheat Ale is the flagship beer of our brewery and the best-selling beer brewed in Indiana.

ABV: 4.5
IBUs: 12.6

Notes: Hoosier Beer Geek rated this beer, giving it 3.62 mugs




Upland Dragonfly
Style: Indian Pale Ale

India Pale Ale originated when the British Empire was at its height. British soldiers and civil servants were stationed all over the globe (including India), and regular ales could not survive the long journey by sea to reach them. The British solved this terrible dilemma by adding excessive amounts of hops to their beer–using the preservative properties of hops to increase the life of their beers.

Our Dragonfly India Pale Ale is true to this tradition, featuring seven hop additions to create a powerful hop profile. A solid malt base, however, tempers the bitter American hops, giving Dragonfly a balance not often found in this style. This is a beer with enough bite for hop fans, but is smooth enough to be a session beer. The end product is a well-balanced, malty beer with the crisp taste of hops and an exceptionally floral nose.

ABV: 6.5
IBUs: 40

Note: This will actually be our first announced firkin of HBG4. And hopefully it will be dry-hopped with Simcoe hops.

Please remember that the list is tentative and subject to availability. We promise to keep you informed of any changes.

About HBG4:
It will be held Saturday, August 28th, starting at 6pm. Sun King Brewing will again be hosting us at their brewery at 135 N. College Avenue, Indianapolis. Tickets are $30 (plus $1.99 for online fees) for regular tickets and $20 (plus $1.99 for online fees) for designated drivers. Tickets are available online only and are in limited supply. And yes, the tickets are on sale now.

If you didn't attend last year, you can see what you missed here. But if you did attend last year, you'll find it to be similar. Here is what we have so far (please note that all of this is subject to change).

Regular attendees will receive a commemorative tasting glass that can be used to sample various quality beers from our favorite Indiana breweries as well as a few other breweries. Additionally, you'll be able to select a few larger pours of your favorite beers. Designated drivers will have a selection of non-alcoholic beverages such as soda, pop, cola... whatever regional term you like. And bottled water, of course.

All attendees will get to enjoy food from The Tamale Place. Those of you who have been know how good their food is. And those of you who have not been are in for a treat. There will be a variety of tamale flavors to sample, including vegetarian friendly options.

There will also be chips and salsa and such for your enjoyment all night as well.

And what's a party without gifts? And by gifts, I mean us giving stuff to you! That's right, prizes and giveaways and all sorts of stuff.

We're still filling in all the details, but if you've been to our events, you know it is a good time. And all tickets will be sold online. Tickets are not available at Sun King nor will they be available at the door. So don't miss out.

We appreciate that you follow us for the latest and craziest in the Indiana craft beer world. And we hope you'll come out and celebrate with us our fourth year of tomfoolery.

HBG4 featuring... Sun King Brewing

We like to keep you on the edge of your seats, which is why we are revealing the beer list for Hoosier Beer Geek's Fourth Anniversary to you in little pieces. I know, we're stinkers like that. The first brewery we are announcing at HBG4 is...


Sun King Brewing
Indianapolis, Indiana

Okay, so that's no big surprise. I mean, we are having our party at Sun King, so logically we would have their beer there. But since they are hosting us, it seems only natural to introduce them first. Here are some of the beers you can expect to find at HBG4 with descriptions from the brewery:


Wee Mac Scottish Ale
Style: Scottish Brown Ale

Wee Mac is a Scottish style Brown Ale. Fermented at cooler than normal temperatures to mimic the climate of Scotland, Wee Mac is an easy drinking brown ale that has a nice hazelnut character with rich toffee undertones. Hops are used sparingly in this beer and serve only to help balance the sweetness of the malt.

Awards
2010 Indiana Brewers Cup Gold Metal - English Brown Ale

ABV: 5.4% IBU: 23

Note: Hoosier Beer Geek reviewed this beer, giving it a very respectable 3.66 mug rating.


Bitter Druid ESB
Style: Extra Special Bitter

The Bitter Druid ESB is a new twist on an old favorite. Our Americanized ESB blends American 2-row pale malt with choice British specialty malts to create a rich malt start that is followed by a crisp, American hop finish. This beer is a wonderful gateway to the world of hops due to its delicate balance and rich array of flavors.

Awards
2010 Indiana Brewers Cup Gold Metal - English Pale Ale

ABV: 5.8% IBU: 43


Osiris Pale Ale
Style: American Pale Ale

Osiris Pale Ale is an assertive American Pale and is not meant for the timid. Crafted by our Brewers for our Brewers, Osiris blends three choice varieties of American hops to create a spicy, citrus hop punch that is sure to satisfy any hop head. Every batch of Osiris is dry-hopped towards the end of fermentation for maximum hop flavor, aroma and character.

Awards
2010 Indiana Brewers Cup Bronze Metal - American Ale

ABV: 5.6% IBU: 50



Sunlight Cream Ale
Style: Cream Ale

Sunlight Cream Ale is our most approachable beer and is a great introduction to the world of Craft Beer. Cream Ale is one of the earliest styles of American beer, but was virtually wiped out by American lager brewers. Our Cream Ale is an all malt beer. Only the finest quality barley, wheat and oats are used to give this beer its smooth malt profile, which is delicately balanced with American hops and a cool fermentation to give this beer a crisp, clean finish.

Awards:
2010 World Beer Cup Silver Medal - Blonde or Golden Ale Category
2010 Indiana Brewers Cup Silver Medal - Light Hybrid Beer

ABV: 5.3% IBU: 20

This isn't the end of the Sun King beers, but just a first taste. Later, we will announce other Sun King beers that you will be able to enjoy at HBG4. So keep an eye out for that.

Please remember that this list is tentative and subject to change based on availability. We will keep you updated if anything changes.

About HBG4:
It will be held Saturday, August 28th, starting at 6pm. Sun King Brewing will again be hosting us at their brewery at 135 N. College Avenue, Indianapolis. Tickets are $30 (plus $1.99 for online fees) for regular tickets and $20 (plus $1.99 for online fees) for designated drivers. Tickets are available online only and are in limited supply. And yes, the tickets are on sale now.

If you didn't attend last year, you can see what you missed here. But if you did attend last year, you'll find it to be similar. Here is what we have so far (please note that all of this is subject to change).

Regular attendees will receive a commemorative tasting glass that can be used to sample various quality beers from our favorite Indiana breweries as well as a few other breweries. Additionally, you'll be able to select a few larger pours of your favorite beers. Designated drivers will have a selection of non-alcoholic beverages such as soda, pop, cola... whatever regional term you like. And bottled water, of course.

All attendees will get to enjoy food from The Tamale Place. Those of you who have been know how good their food is. And those of you who have not been are in for a treat. There will be a variety of tamale flavors to sample, including vegetarian friendly options.

There will also be chips and salsa and such for your enjoyment all night as well.

And what's a party without gifts? And by gifts, I mean us giving stuff to you! That's right, prizes and giveaways and all sorts of stuff.

We're still filling in all the details, but if you've been to our events, you know it is a good time. And all tickets will be sold online. Tickets are not available at Sun King nor will they be available at the door. So don't miss out.

We appreciate that you follow us for the latest and craziest in the Indiana craft beer world. And we hope you'll come out and celebrate with us our fourth year of tomfoolery.

Keeping Track of the New Brewery Jungle

It's a long and arduous process to get a brewery off the ground - just the process to be approved as a brewer by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) involves completing and submitting six forms, a diagram and description of the brewery premises, a legal description of the brewery, and a statement describing the security at the brewery.

Before a brewery can file the diagrams and descriptions, they must first have zoning approval with the state. Once zoning and TTB approval have been completed, breweries also have to complete the appropriate state paperwork as well.

As a result of this process, we know that any brewery still working on a location has a long way to go before they're brewing beer. Breweries that have completed all these steps appear on this page, giving us a heads up that they're almost there.

The following new breweries are all going through these steps now, but only one of them has reached the final steps of gaining a state permit. We'll start there.


Brewery: Thr3e Wise Men Brewing Co. (website - coming soon)
Players: Scotty Wise, Omar Castrellon (former brewer at Alcatraz Brewing Company)
Location: 1021 Broad Ripple Avenue, Indianapolis
Focus: (cliché but, true) - "Big beers, West Coast style IPA's, double IPA's, Chocolate Imperial Stouts, being different and using local ingredients for some styles." - Omar and I want to do a few small bottle runs (where we will hand cap the bottles and hand fill them) a couple times a year and just have fun with our creativity. I want to offer one organic/local seasonal beer, if possible. We are looking into this. I look up to Founders, Dogfish Head, 3 Floyds, Stone… if I would want to emulate a brewery, it would be these guys.
Long Term Goals: No long term goals. Don't want to get over my skis. I want to try to put out a great, original, quality product. Start small, get it right and then grow. That is the goal. I want to exclusively offer this at our Scotty's concepts only. We might look to offer this in the northern and southern parts of the state too, at some point. If we open in Ft. Wayne, as expected in the Parkview Ballpark, I have a goal to be THE craft beer of the ball park.
More from Hoosier Beer Geek: Coming Soon to Broad Ripple: Another Hoosier Brewery (February 28, 2010)

Although his efforts to put together a brewery with the folks behind what has now become Triton fell apart, Scotty Wise may come out smelling like a rose. Brewer Omar Castrellon has a long history of producing quality beer at Alcatraz, but producing for Scotty's ever-expanding empire of restaurants should give him plenty of volume and beer turnover, providing plenty of room for creativity.




Brewery: Triton Brewing Company (website, twitter)
Players: Mike DeWeese, David Waldman, Jon Lang (former brewer at Barley Island)
Location: The last time we spoke, the brewery was looking for space on the northeast side of Indianapolis, along the Binford Boulevard corridor. Actual location still unconfirmed, but Triton is in the process of finalizing their location.
Focus: "Our aim is to provide happiness and joy through beer and to become the most successful and respected brewery in the State of Indiana. Triton Brewing Company will produce Indiana’s 'Flagship' beer, providing outstanding quality, service, and value." (from Facebook)
Long Term Goals: Indiana and Chicago distribution in year one, statewide distribution within two years of opening.
From Facebook:

Our products and services will be "best in class" in terms of value received for dollars paid. We will deliver excellence, strive for continuous improvement and respond vigorously to change.

We are dedicated to satisfying our customers. We believe in respecting our customers, listening to their requests and understanding their expectations. We strive to exceed their expectations in affordability, and quality.

Triton Brewing Company will produce five brands year-round:

Railsplitter IPA
Brown Ale
Amber Ale
Wheat

Stout

Additionally we will distribute a number of seasonal beers and some 'Brewer's Choice' beers will be available in the tasting room.

More from Hoosier Beer Geek: Announcing Triton Brewing Company (May 27, 2010)

After the collapse of the Scott Wise/Thr3e Wise Men collaboration, Triton was left looking for a new location to house their already purchased equipment. We've seen Jon Lang out and about at various brewery functions, and it's obvious he's ready to get back to brewing. Hopefully we'll see something from him soon.




Brewery: Flat 12 Bierworks (website, twitter)
Players: Steve Hershberger (CMO), Sean O'Conner (President), Mr. X Director of Brewing Operations (name to be announced soon), Bob Weaver, Community Manager
Location: 414 Dorman Street, Indianapolis
Focus: Brewing top line craft beer the old school way. Quality, craftsmanship and customer focus first. Brewing Blonde (wheat), American Wit, Amber, IPA/Organic IPA, a family of Porters, as well as a number of seasonal beers.
Long Term Goals: Establishing Flat 12 as a leader in craft beer brewing in the Midwest. Create an onsite experience that caters to craft beer fans and Hopstars, who want to travel from around the Midwest to visit. Distribute Flat 12 products to fans east of the Mississippi, as well as introduce Midwestern craft to beer fans in Canada and select EU countries.
From the company website:

This summer, Flat 12 will be launching six new craft beers, although the brewery is capable of producing over 30 (yes, we said 30) different beers. Working with our current group of Hopstars, we tasted and tested and then we tasted and tested some more. In the end, we settled on six beers we want to introduce to you this year. Although more will come, you'll love these six.

Flat 12 is surely not lacking in ambition. With a distribution and marketing deal already in place with Pelican Brands, Flat 12 seems to be ahead of the game.




Brewery: Bier Brewery and Taproom (website)
Players: Darren Connor (formerly of Great Fermentations)
Location: 5127 E. 65th St., Indianapolis
Focus: Small batches, particularly seasonals, and sell in-house only, rather than recruiting outside accounts like Sun King does. (source: ibj.com)
From the company website:

Bier will serve anywhere from six to eight different beers once we are open. These offerings will reflect the seasons and Darren's specialties

Darren's experience at Great Fermentations means that he knows good beer. With in-house only sales, it will be interesting to see how much exposure the brewery receives. At worst, Bier Brewery and Taproom should be a valuable asset to those in the neighborhood seeking out good beer.




Brewery: Brownfield Brewing Company (website, facebook)
Players: Ken Warren (start up manager for bottling facilities), Kenny Allen (former brewmaster for Old Dominion Brewing), and Arifah Aronson (owns a green renovation and contracting company)
Location: The brewery will be located in Fountain Square
Focus: The focus will to create a sustainable (leed certified) organic brewery from a brownfield that will use local raw materials (as much as possible, as we know, organic hops will likely be from New Zealand so we will use carbon offsets for those but we do have local farmers that can supply a portion of the hops we need) and cap the distribution radius to 500 miles to stay local and as keep our carbon footprint as small as possible. If the business becomes successful enough to expand outside of 500 miles, it will be done from another facility outside that radius and will be built from remediating another brownfield. We don't want to ship beer (which is 95% water) across country like many large scale brewers. Our goal is to be as green/sustainable as possible, and teach others in Indianapolis - through on site education - how to convert a brownfield to a sustainable business. There are lots of opportunities in Indy for this and the city greatly needs leaders in this arena to help revitalize the areas where the auto industry left its scars.
Long term goals: Long term goals are to be a leader in our local market on how to operate with the lowest carbon footprint possible, and teach this model on-site from a remediated brownfield. We want to show everyone how to create a sustainable business that increases local revenue for our local residents in Indiana.
From the company website:

500 mile distribution, green, all natural, leed certified, employee owned, local, sustainable, organic

Brownfield's approach is one that not many have taken, but the ownership group's combined experience should make for an interesting effort. Owner Arifah Aronson has a background in green building - her company, Aronson Custom Homes, specializes in offseting the negative effects of conventional building techniques, conserving natural resources, and reducing the "carbon footprint" of the building process. (source) Brewer Kenny Allen's experience at Delaware's Old Dominion (a BeerAdvocate.com A- overall) should mean that we can expect a quality product.

So what's next?

The 15th Annual Indiana Microbrewers Festival is behind us. It was a great time but hard work. So it's only logical that we would take some time off to recover and lay low before work on the 3rd Annual WINTERFEST begins. Right?

Hell no! It's party time!

We are happy to announce HBG4: Hoosier Beer Geek's Fourth Anniversary Party!




It will be held Saturday, August 28th, starting at 6pm. Sun King Brewing will again be hosting us at their brewery at 135 N. College Avenue, Indianapolis. Tickets are $30 (plus $1.99 for online fees) for regular tickets and $20 (plus $1.99 for online fees) for designated drivers. Tickets are available online only and are in limited supply. And yes, the tickets are on sale now.

About HBG4:
If you didn't attend last year, you can see what you missed here. But if you did attend last year, you'll find it to be similar. Here is what we have so far (please note that all of this is subject to change).

Regular attendees will receive a commemorative tasting glass that can be used to sample various quality beers from our favorite Indiana breweries as well as a few other breweries. Additionally, you'll be able to select a few larger pours of your favorite beers. Designated drivers will have a selection of non-alcoholic beverages such as soda, pop, cola... whatever regional term you like. And bottled water, of course.

All attendees will get to enjoy food from The Tamale Place. Those of you who have been know how good their food is. And those of you who have not been are in for a treat. There will be a variety of tamale flavors to sample, including vegetarian friendly options.

There will also be chips and salsa and such for your enjoyment all night as well.

And what's a party without gifts? And by gifts, I mean us giving stuff to you! That's right, prizes and giveaways and all sorts of stuff.

We're still filling in all the details, but if you've been to our events, you know it is a good time. And all tickets will be sold online. Tickets are not available at Sun King nor will they be available at the door. So don't miss out.

As we receive beer commitments, we will post them here. In fact, the first update will come tomorrow. And you'll probably see an update every day after that.

We appreciate that you follow us for the latest and craziest in the Indiana craft beer world. And we hope you'll come out and celebrate with us our fourth year of tomfoolery.

On behalf of all the Knights of the Beer Roundtable,
Prost!

Jason, Jim, Mike, Gina, Rod, Jess, Chris, and Matt

KOTBR #107 - Re-dedication at Rock Bottom College Park

If you've been following Hoosier Beer Geek for a while, you may have noticed that lately we've been a little slower on the content. The efforts we've undertaken as festival organizers have certainly taken their toll on our blogging output.

We're hoping to rededicate ourselves over the coming months, with reviews from new or never before covered locations, drinking new or newer beers, perhaps with even a new voice behind it all (we've cast a unanimous secret vote to replace Jason with a human-sized talking wallaby named New Zealand Orlo).

Despite our almost four years of covering beer, we've yet to set our focus on the output of 2010 Indiana Brewer's Cup Best of Show winner Liz Laughlin, brewer at Rock Bottom College Park. That was obviously a mistake.

Liz's prizewinning Simcoe IPA is a cloudy copper colored beer, with a creamy head and lacing that seem to say "have more". A sweet nose with just a hint of candy grapefruit elements gives way to a middle that's lightly woody, piney, and perfectly balanced. The beer finishes chewy and bitter, but with a subtleness that begs for repeated drinking. 3.75 Mugs.


Simcoe hops are very popular with the Rock Bottom chain, especially in Indiana. I don't know if they have a great contract on them, but one thing is for sure; Simcoes make a damn good IPA. Liz' 2010 Brewer's Cup Best of Show award winning Simcoe IPA starts begins with the aroma of grapefruit and pine and a hefty dose of sweet caramel which lets you know that this IPA is going to be well balanced. Although we've repeatedly ruined our palates with DIPAs (see: TFN2), hop bombs are not what I typically expect when I see the label "IPA." I personally prefer a more balanced IPA, and the Simcoe IPA delivers. The first thing that jumps out in this IPA, as with most IPAs, is the strong hop bitterness. Strong bitterness, yet moderate for the style. Caramel and sugary sweetness round off the edges of the hops and a soft carbonation level gives it a creamy mouthfeel. Grapefruit and lemon zest are the most prominent, and probably most expected bitter flavors in this beer. Pine and juniper hints give it a pleasantly spicy compliment. I can't speak for the rest of the beers in this year's Brewer's Cup, but this one is certainly worthy of a title like Best of Show. 4.00 Mugs.


One whiff of this IPA and I was in heaven. The super strong nose of pine and grapefruit gave way to a sweet, chewy mouthfeel reminiscent of a Double IPA. This beer was big but the flavors playfully remained balanced. There is a line at which hop flavor goes from complex and flavorful to harsh and bitter and this beer seems to walk right up to that line without crossing it. By the time I finished my sip, I was already looking forward to the next. This beer is enjoyable and delicious, absolutely deserving of its awards. Fantastic work by Liz! 4.5 Mugs

Rock Bottom College Park Simcoe IPA
Mike: 3.75 Mugs | Rodney: 4.00 Mugs | Jess: 3.70 Mugs | Gina: 4.5 Mugs
KOTBR Score: 3.98 Mugs

Indiana Beer Week Recap - Make It Local: Craft Beer and Food

I moved here in January 2001 and for a long time, I felt like an outsider. People called themselves "Hoosiers" proudly. Indianapolis felt awkward. I referred to the city as "Naptown" and "Indianoplace" and did not consider them terms of endearment.
Lately, though, when I talk about the city, and specifically about local breweries and restaurants, I find myself rooting for a place that has become home. We are lucky to have access to so many talented people and opportunities. I want people to like it here and enjoy the great things that Indianapolis has to offer. When guests visit from out of town, there is a long list of places to show them - many of which are great places to eat and drink. When someone is quick to dismiss the city, I find myself listing 10 things that are great about it.
This whole notion of taking pride in the city was only made stronger at the Make it Local: Craft Beer and Food dinner held at Chef JJ's Backyard on Friday, July 16th. Many thanks to Sun King Brewery and Brugge Brasserie for leading the effort to make this dinner happen, and equally many thanks to Staraya at Chef JJ's for putting this event together.

Beer and Social hour:
The opening hour of the event was a chance for guests to mingle and sample beer from Brugge, Sun King, and Lafayette Brewing Co. Also available for sampling were three different kinds of flatbread prepared by Tyler Hareld from Napolese.

The flatbread and beer pairings:

• Caramelized Onions with Sottocenere, paired with Lafayette Brewing Co. Star City Lager
• Braised Pork Belly, paired with LBC Tippecanoe Common
• Braised Short Ribs with White Cheddar, paired with LBC Black Angus Oatmeal Stout

The flatbreads were a delicious start to the evening, but I didn't get to try them as pairings because I was up and around being, well, social.

Appetizer course:

As we settled into our seats, Ted Miller from Brugge and Chris Eley from Goose the Market spoke a little bit about their offerings. I've had terrine before (pig instead of duck) and liked it. I've tried Brugge Spider before (and REALLY liked it). This pairing had to be pretty good, right?

Appetizer course:

Torchon with macerated Spider Figs, Duck Terrine, Chocolate, Sea Salt, Blackberry Moustarda paired with Brugge Spider

Awesome doesn't even BEGIN to describe this pairing. I swear, the moment I washed down a bite of that torchon with the Spider, the sun shone a little brighter. I am fairly certain I heard birds singing a little bit louder. I think I may have looked at Ted at some point and said "holy shit". The torchon had the consistency of custard which played really nicely with the sourness of the Spider, as did the sweetness of the figs. The terrine was perfectly delicious. As I ate and drank this course, I couldn't (and still can't) find the proper words to describe how much I thought this pairing was perfectly complementary. It occurred to me that I was going to be in trouble if this was a theme for the evening. This pairing alone is worth the price of admission in my opinion.

I was sad to see the last pairing go, but was intrigued by what was coming next. a trio of salads prepared by Tyler Herald from Napolese and New Albanian Oaktimus. The beer is Hoptimus, a favorite of mine, aged with oak chips.

Salad:

Sun King Naptown Brown marinated Shitake Mushrooms, Summer Sweet Corn and Barley Salad

Grilled Potato Salad with a Roasted Garlic and Sun King XX Rye IPA Aioli

Roasted Beet Salad with a Honey Orange Grapefruit Jungle Vinaigrette

All of the salads were truly wonderful and paired with the beer in their own unique way. The beer's oak flavor was subdued by the beets, leaving a sweet vanilla flavor. The oak flavor played up the candied walnuts, making them extremely flavorful.

The potatoes were great. If I was blindfolded, I might have said that the potatoes could have been a really nice piece of tender steak. The aioli and the rye from the IPA played really well with the oak in the Oaktimus.

My favorite salad pairing was the corn and barley salad. The peppery flavor in the salad really accentuated the hops and oak. It balanced the salad so well you couldn't tell where it ended and the beer began.

Next up was the always entertaining Eli Anderson from H2O and Kevin Mattalucci from Broad Ripple Brewpub.

Seafood:

Halibut sous vide in BRBP ESB served along side Duel Citizenship chips paired with BRBP Kolsch

Fish and beer may seem like an easy pairing, but if the beer doesn't match the delicateness of the fish, the pairing may end up off balance or worse, causing the flavors to cancel each other out and disappear.

The Kolsch that was paired with Eli's fish and chips worked great, I'm happy to say. Both the fish and the beer had a sweet elements that played off each other, allowing for the enjoyment of both. The Kolsch was really bright, the flavors crawled right up the back of my throat into my nose, like a really refreshing soda.

Mike and I must have really been enjoying the food and talking about it because about this time in the evening we were finding that I was falling behind on the courses. I'm a slow eater to begin with, and especially slow when I am enjoying my food. It is good they don't move at my pace or we'd be there all night!

Clay Robinson from Sun King and Chef JJ stepped up to provide the penultimate course of the evening.

It's no secret, I am a huge fan of Chef JJ's food, especially when it is paired with Sun King. Clay and JJ have gotten really good at pairing food and beer, finding creative ways to please the palates of those lucky enough to get to try it.

Pork:

Das Buffalo Pork Tenderloin with Westy Glaze and Summer Veggies paired with Cream Dream III: The Search for Hops

The CDIII really fills in where the pork ends. Like icing on a cake, it elevates the flavors and provides an extra zing to the food. CDIII contains a blend of Simcoe, Centennial, and my new favorite hop variety, Citra. Citra and Centennial impart citrus and tropical flavors, which work nicely with the grapefruit flavors in Simcoe. The combination of all of these flavors in the beer work with the spicy veggies. Another home run from Chef JJ and Clay.

As the sun started to fade, it was time for dessert. The wonderful Chef Jenna Gatchell from Chef JJ's and Andrew Mason from 3 Floyds worked together to come up with something pretty wonderful.

Dessert:

Dark Lord Tiramisu paired with 3 Floyds Schwarzbier

The description of the dessert is this: Layers of lady fingers, soaked in Three Floyds Dark Lord, surrounding a bourbon, vanilla, and mascarpone filling, topped with a goose fat ganache.
Do I really have to go on?
I hope there are more opportunities like this in the future for people to explore the talents of these and other breweries and chefs in the state. I hope everyone who was there enjoyed it as much as I did and I hope those that were not able to go are interested in checking out some of these breweries and restaurants if they've never been. Thanks Indiana; it has never felt so good to be home.
Restaurants:
Tyler Herald - NapoleseChristopher Eley - Goose the MarketEli Anderson - H2O SushiJJ Boston - Chef JJ's Back YardJenna Gatchell - Chef JJ's Back Yard
Breweries:
Lafayette Brewing Co.Brugge BrasserieNew Albanian Brewing Co.Broad Ripple Brew PubSun King BreweryThree Floyds Brewery

Random Beer Roundup - The Still Recovering Edition

How's it going? Did you all enjoy Indiana Beer Week and the Microbrewers Festival? We hope you did! Did you find a new favorite beer or bar? Got a suggestion for an event or an improvement? Let us know!

If there is something coming up that is not listed, we would love to hear about it. News, reviews, info, etc., to share for our next Random Beer Roundup can be submitted to hoosierbeergeek@gmail.com. Don't see your favorite craft beer establishment? Let them know you'd like to see them here! Work for an establishment that serves craft beer? We want to hear from you too!

Hoosier Beer Calendar
Events are subject to change



What's Brewing

From John at Half Moon Brewing Co. in Kokomo:

Summer Wheat w/orange zest and coriander

A light and refreshing wheat beer for the hot months of summer that is sure to quench your thirst. It’s brewed with sweet orange peel, to give it a fresh citrus flavor, and coriander to balance it with a soft spiciness. Crisp, clean, and delicately refreshing.

O.G.=1.046 ABV=5.25% IBU=13

From Mishawaka Brewing Co. in Mishawaka:

Mishawaka Brewing Company's Loopy Lupilin Imperial IPA is back. It is now on tap at The Pub in Mishawaka and is available for sale in Party Pigs, Kegs and Growlers. Loopy Lupilin Imperial IPA has an I.B.U. of 110 and abv of 9.2%

From New Albanian Brewing Co. in New Albany:

Jason is a longtime member of the extended NABC family, and his own family is looking at the high price of treatment. Jason's friends and well wishers are invited to two special events this Sunday where they may offer their moral and financial support. The NABC Public House will be open from 1 to 5 with its full menu of food and libations on offer with proceeds going to help with Jason's care. Snacks will also be provided by several local eateries.

There will also be a live auction in the Prost Room. (The starting time is still uncertain, so you may want to come early.)

From Charles at Upland Brewing Co. in Bloomington:

Tickets for Todd Snider Live, Upland's signature live music event and benefit for Sycamore Land Trust, being held on Sept. 3rd are on sale now. Click the link for details.

Registration for Tour de Upland is open. If you enjoy cycling, camping, beer, and music, click the link for details

At the Bar

From Corrie at Goose the Market in Indianapolis:

The girl from Ipanema is tall, tender, young, and lovely because she drinks Xingu, a black lager with toasty malts and crisp hops.

New Zealand is sharing its Moa with us! One sip of this bottle-fermented brew and you'll want some moa.

Is that the British Mr. Bill on the label? And do they call him Mr. William? Ponder while happily sipping the organic lager from Laverstoke Park Farm.

From Lauren at Scotty's Brewhouse:

Bell's Two-Hearted is now available at Scotty's Brewhouse Muncie!

Drink it while it lasts! Founder's Black Bisquet at Scotty's Brewhouse Downtown Indianapolis!

Upland Helios Pale Ale and Sun King Cream Dream III also available at Scotty's Brewhouse on 96th Street in Indianapolis!

Carry Out

From Eric at 21st Amendment in Broad Ripple:

Just wanted to remind everyone who's headed out to the track that we have a high-end canned beer section. It's highlighted by Sun King and includes Stevens Point, Southern Star, Fat Tire, Blue Moon and Leinenkugel Summer Shandy. I'm doing my best to keep you track-legal while keeping your palates happy.

Beer fans - tell your Gluten Free friends they now have better drinking options at my store. We've got two types of gluten free beer, Red Bridge and New Grist, to go with our seven craft cider selections. These include: Harpoon, Original Sin, Crispin Original, Crispin Light, Crispin Honey Crisp, Crispin The Saint and J.K. Scrumpy. My personal favorite is the Crispin Honey Crisp. It's got a rich, creamy, full-bodied taste that truly makes it a wonderful choice for celiacs and beer drinkers alike.

For those of you looking for a big Imperial IPA, I've still got a small amount of the Three Floyds Apocolypse Cow, Dreadnaught and Blackheart. Stop in and give one a try!

From Big Red Liquors in Bloomington:

Rogue Chatoe Series OREgasmic Ale -an American pale ale with lots of pepper and a faint zestiness up front leading to a very hoppy finish.

Dogfish Head Sahtea - This is one crazy beer! From their commercial description, "brewed with rye, caramelized with hot river rocks, fermented with German Weizen yeast." And to top it off they added "juniper berries from Finland and a tea made from coriander, cardamon, lemon grass, Indian Black Tea, and ramps leaves."

Also, check out our 6pk rack sale:

* Hoegaarden $7.99 (was $10.49)
* Bells Oberon $7.99 (was $9.99)
* Goose Island Wheat $6.99 (was $8.49)
* Upland Pale $6.99 (was $7.99)

And as always don't forget about our FREE beer tasting every Thursday from 6-8pm at our downtown Bloomington location.

From Patrick at Crown Liquors:

New this week at Crown Liquors,

Great Divide 16th Anniversary wood aged double IPA
Looking Glass Kinda Blue 22 oz. a Blueberry wheat beer
MOA Methode MOA
Williams Brothers Scottish Midnight Sun
New Holland Imperial Hatter 4 pk's
Ommegang Zuur
3 Floyd's Apocolypse Cow
Duchesse echt Kriekenbier (Flemish cherry sour)

We recieved a new shipment of Southern Tier beers as well...most are revisits.

IPA 6 pk's
Pack of Pales 12 pk's
Phin and Matt's 6 pk's
Gemini 22 oz.
Krampus 22 oz.
Unearthly 22 oz.
Hoppe Extra 22 oz.
Heavy Weizen 22 oz.
Jahva Stout 22 oz.
Mokah 22 oz.

Tasting this Friday from 3-7 at our downtown location (Ohio & Deleware) featuring:

Ommegang Zuur
Goose Island Fleur
Brooklyn Summer ale

From Josh at United Package Liquors at County Line & Meridian:

Craft beer special at all UPL locations for this week-
Stone IPA, Levitation & Pale ale 6-packs $9.98
All Oaken Barrel 6-packs $7.98
Bell’s Oberon 6-pack $7.98
Sierra Nevada Pale ale 12-pack $12.98

New items in stock-
Three Floyds Apocalypse Cow & Gorch Fock
Brew Dog Tokio
Upland Bourbon Barrel Warmer
Sierra Nevada 30th Charlie, Fred & Ken’s bock
Sothern Tier Crème Brulee & Heavy Weizen

From the Distributors:

From Greg at Cavalier Distribution:

We've unleashed a flurry of new beers to the Indiana market recently!

Boulder Kinda Blue is the newest release in Boulder's Looking Glass Series of brews. Kinda Blue is an American Wheat Ale with just a touch of Blueberry...it's kinda blue. It's available in 22oz bottles only.

Clipper City Hang 10 was released this week and is now available in 22oz bottles only. Hang 10 is a 10 % Weizen Dopplebock, and the most recent release in Clipper City's Mutiny Fleet of beers.

Great Divide's 16th Anniversary Ale & Double Wit were both released this week! The 16th Anniversary is a Wood-Aged Double IPA, just like last year's wonderful brew! Both the Anniversary & Double Wit are very limited and available in 22oz bottles only.

Mad River's most recent special release, The Mad Belgian, is officially available this week as well! The Mad Belgian is a belgian-style golden strong ale with a west-coast influence. It's available in 4pks and only for a limited time.

Two Brothers launched their new "J Series" of beers in Indiana last week. The J Series are all beers aged in French Oak Foudres, and the first 2 releases are Resistance IPA & Long Haul Session Ale. Both beers are amazing and enhanced beautifully by the oak-aging. These are both going to be year-around beers and are available now in 6pks.

**We are launching several new beers from St. Killians Importers as well in multiple waves. This first wave includes MOA from New Zealand, Williams Bros from Scotland & Wurzburger Hofbrau from Germany.

- MOA is producing some amazing craft beers out of the Marlborough Region in New Zealand. The following are now available in 750 and/or 375 ML corked bottles: MOA Original, Noir, Blanc, Tripel & 5 Hop Ale!

-Williams Bros has a fantastic line Scottish Ales bridging the gap successfully between Scottish Brewing tradition and American Craft Beer ingenuity. The following styles are now available in 16.9oz bottles: Session Ale, Wee Heavy, Joker IPA & Midnight Sun Porter.

-Wurzburger Hofbrau is a world renowned German Brewery known for their extremely high-quality beers. Wurzburger Pilsner along with Julius Echter Hefeweiss & Julius Echter Hefe-Weiss Dunkel are all phenomenal new additions to the German beer selections in Indiana. The Wurzburger Pils is currently available in 5 Ltr mini-kegs only, but will soon be in 6pks as well. The Julius Echter Hefe & Dunkel are both available in 16.9oz singles or 4pks.

Scenes from Microbrewers Festival 2010

We were thoroughly busy with the festival on Saturday, so we didn't have time to cover it as we normally do with beer events. Thankfully, our good friend Nate shot a lot of footage and pictures of the festival for us to use. If you went to the festival on Saturday, I'm sure you'll recognize some of these!







This couple actually met at last year's festival and are now married!