31 August 2011

A Goodbye to Our Roundtable Rankings

Now that Hoosier Beer Geek has entered our sixth year, we're looking at ways to make the site better fit who we are now as beer drinkers.

The central idea to HBG has always been that the Knights of the Beer Roundtable would gather to meet and rate beer. This will not change. But one thing we'd like to reconsidered are the beer rankings in the right hand column of the site.

The list is lengthy - and while some of us enjoy the quick reference provided, we now know that the scale is ridiculous, the standards inconsistent, our knowledge ever-increasing. Yes, some beers are better than others. But context is everything. Our top rated beer may have been perfect at our first anniversary party, but it can't possibly be every time after. Some of us refuse to give any beer a perfect score, so the philosophy behind the entire ranking system has changed.

We've come to realize that beers need not be ranked, only rated in the moment. While we'll always love a great beer, we've learned that the real magic happens when friends get together. You can't put that in a table.

As a result, we've removed the roundtable ranking list from the site. We'd love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks.

26 August 2011

Dig-IN - now with more HBG

Whether you are nursing your HBG5 hangover, or looking for another event to indulge in since you missed out on buying tickets for our sold out event, Dig-IN is the perfect way to spend your Sunday. Tickets are $20 online and include a variety of samples from chefs and other artisans from around the state. On top of a huge selection of food, samples from breweries and wineries will also be available. We went last year and the event is more than worth the cost of entry.

This year promises to be an even better event. How do I know this? Because I'm a featured speaker on the wonders of beer pairings! That's right, we've somehow suckered the fine folks Dig-IN into believing that I am one of our state's premier resources on pairing beer and food. Think of me as a sommelier of beer, except I didn't attend any classes and I'm not employed by a restaurant or brewery. In fact, you should probably pronounce "sommelier of beer" so that it rhymes just so people don't get it confused with an actual sommelier.

Make your way over to the Speaker Series at 2PM on Sunday to join me in sampling a few food and beer pairings. I can promise you that it will either be a really enjoyable and educational time, or a spectacular failure. Either way, you'll certainly get to sample some beer. And if you show up at 1:30, you can hear the talk on wine pairings and use that presentation to judge me.

I hope to see some of you at 2PM on Sunday. Stop by after the talk and let me know how I did!

http://www.digindiana.org/

So you're attending HBG5: What to know


This is a cloud in a circle in a box with some rays or something.


Hello HBG5 attendee.

Congratulations on being a fantastic person.

HBG5 is a pretty low-key event, apart from the excellent beer and food. There are a few things we'd like you to know ahead of time in order to maximize your experience.

1) We sold 4 Designated Driver tickets. Out of 150 tickets. We also have a very large quantity of beer. While this isn't an unusual ration for a beer event, we do want to make sure everyone plays it safe. Please plan ahead for post-party transportation. If you're going to use a cab, pre-load that number into your phone. If you're having someone pick you up, make sure plans are in place. If you're planning on driving home, please drink at a rate that will make that legally viable. We want you to have a good, worry-free time. Please do your part to make that happen.

2) We're probably going to be short on seating. You've probably been to Sun King - there aren't many (or any) chairs. If you're planning on spending 5 hours with us, you'll probably want to sit at some point. Please feel free to bring a folding chair with you.

3) Tickets are sold out. That means no tickets at the door.

That's pretty much it. See you tomorrow evening.

Random Beer Roundup - The Happy Birthday on Saturday, Ted Miller Edition



Thanks to all who purchased tickets for our Anniversary party on Saturday.  We have some great beer and food ready to go and we are excited to share.  Hopefully we'll be seeing you there!

You know what would be a perfect pick-me-up after a long night of drinking?  Dig-IN.  You should go.


Hoosier Beer Calendar
Events are subject to change


From the Brewers
From Clay at Sun King Brewing in Indianapolis:


Upcoming Events:

Dig IN at White River State Park
Sunday, August 28th  Noon-5 p.m.
Local Chefs, Farmers & Breweries Showcase their Wares!

Oktoberfest Tapping
Thursday, September 1st  6-9 p.m.
Sun King Tasting Room
Oktoberfest Party Local Style featuring King David's Dogs
and Live German Folk Music from Alpine Express!

At the Bars and Restaurants
From Jordan at Beer Sellar in Castleton:

Congrats on 5 years!
New on tap now: 

Youngs Double Chocolate
Three Floyds Moloko
Flat 12 Axxis Hefe
Rivertown Wit Beer
Founders Cerise
Coming Soon: 
Sun King Pale Ryder Rye
Sun King Grapefruit Jungle
Three Floyds Zombie Dust
Three Floyds Dreadnaught
Rogue John John Dead Guy
Sam Adams Dunkleweizen
Hobgoblin

From Stuart at MacNiven's in Inidanapolis:

Pretty good draught line up this week....
Founders Nemesis
Stone Vertical Epic 10:10:10
Tyranena Doubly Down 'N Even Dirtier Chocalate Vanilla Barrel Aged Double Stout
New Albanian Hoptimus
Goose Island Sofie
From the Distributors:
From Jen at Cavalier Distributing:

NEW TO THE CAVALIER WAREHOUSE THIS WEEK
Tyranena Brewers Gone Wild Series HopWhore: Imperial IPA; limited release; 4 packs only
Lakefront Pumpkin: Lager Based Pumpkin Beer; limited seasonal release; 6 packs only
Lakefront Oktoberfest: Traditional German Marzen-Style; limited seasonal release; 6 packs only
Sprecher Oktoberfest: Traditonal German Marzen-Style; limlited seasonal release; 4 packs only
Hebrew Freaktoberfest: Blood-Red Lager; limited seasonal release; 4 packs & draft
Thirsty Dog Barktoberfest: German Style Oktoberfest; limited seasonal release; 4 packs & draft
Shipyard Pumpkin Head: Ale Based Pumpkin Beer; limited seasonal release; 6 packs & draft
Shipyard Pugsley Series Smashed Pumpkin: Big Bodied Pumpkin Beer; limited seasonal release; 22's & draft
Clipper City Prosit Imperial Oktoberfest: Big Traditonal Marzen-Style Lager; limited seasonal release; 22's & draft
UPCOMING EVENTS
8/26 - Craft Beer Tasting @ Wiseguys; Merriville 4-6pm (CST)
9/1 - "Beer Geek" Tasting @ Chalet #3; Elkhart 4-6pm
8/27 - NABC Tasting @ Whole Foods Nora; Indy 12-2pm
8/27 - NABC Tasting @ Whole Foods Carmel 4-6pm
9/6 - Monthly Cavalier Tasting @ Birdy's 6-8pm; $10
10/15 - Porter Beer Fest

Upcoming Events:
Herron-Morton Place Oktoberfest
We are holding an Oktoberfest on Sept. 24th at our park (1900 block of Alabama). It is $5 for advanced tickets and $10 at the door- all proceeds will go towards an endowment to maintain the HMP Park (event location). So far we will be serving Upland Beer, Fountain Square Brewing samples, and Schlalfy Beer samples as well as featuring live music from Hero Jr. Food vendors include Ivey Spice and Sweet Cakes by Ronda. You can get additional information from the following: 

oktoberfesthmpf.com@oktoberfestHMPFFacebook Event: Herron-Morton Oktoberfest

25 August 2011

HBG5 featuring Cavalier Distributing

Well if you haven't heard, this event is now sold out. Oh, and there's more beer. Whole cases of bottles of beer. Like these from..


Cavalier Distributing


Did you know that Cavalier Distributing doesn't really have a logo? Or that they don't have a website? That's ok, more traffic for us. (And if you guys need a logo, feel free to use the one above.)

It's also ok because they're awesome people with fantastic beer. Like the seven cases of bottles below that will be appearing at HBG5.

Great Divide Belgian Yeti
Belgian Style Yeti is a delicious new blend of brewing traditions--all the malt-driven roastiness of our Yeti Imperial Stout with characteristic spice and fruit notes imparted by our special Belgian yeast strain. Belgian Style Yeti is a one-of-a-kind beer as mysterious as the mythical creature himself. Impossible? See for yourself; you'll be a believer, too. 9.5% ABV

Stone Brewing Co. Sublimely Self Righteous Ale
First brewed in 2007 as the Stone 11th Anniversary Ale, this ale was an instant hit. With us. Other folks with great taste loved it too, but we were focused on how much we liked it, and we felt it was truly sublime. That euphoria didn't last long though, as it was soon replaced with the grim reality that when we sold out of it there wouldn't be any more. For us. And that was simply unacceptable. So, we are now blessing ourselves, and you the enlightened, with this ale. Thusly, you may now revel in your own self-righteousness as you see fit with this glorious example of ours. You are genuinely welcome, as it is our pleasure.

Lexington Brewing Co KY Bourbon Ale
Award winning Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale is a unique sipping beer with the distinctive nose of a well-crafted bourbon. Our Kentucky Ale is aged for up to 6 weeks in freshly decanted bourbon barrels from some of Kentucky’s finest distilleries.

Subtle yet familiar flavors of vanilla and oak are imparted to this special ale as it rests in the charred barrels. Pleasantly smooth and robust, Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale may also be served as an aperitif or after dinner drink.


Founders Cerise
You'll have a soft spot for this one. Using only fresh Michigan tart cherries, this beauty tantalizes with intense flavors combined with a no hesitation malt bill. Adding fresh cherries at five separate stages of fermentation achieves the ultimate balance between tartness and sweetness.

The Bruery Trade Winds Tripel
Our Summer seasonal, Trade Winds Tripel is a Belgian-style Golden Ale with a Southeast Asian twist. Instead of using candi sugar (typical for such a beer), we use rice in the mash to lighten the body and increase the gravity, and spice with Thai Basil. The result is an aromatic, digestible and complex beer made for a lazy summer evening.

ABV: 8%, IBU: 25, SRM: 5


Two Brothers Hop Juice
Hop Juice is a powerful Imperial IPA. It is brewed to 9.9% ABV, 100.1 IBU's, and dry hopped with a pound of hops per barrel. Hop Juice has a very strong aroma of pine and citrus. This hefty beer is balanced at the start with some nice caramel and brown sugar notes. Then it has a massive hop flavor and bitterness with some complex fruity characters.

Tyranena Brewers Gone Wild Hop Whore
Overpowering perfume. Dripping with luscious hop flavor. And, oh what a body. You're in for one helluva experience!

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

About HBG5:

Who cares anymore you bought your ticket already. Here's the menu.

All attendees will get to enjoy food from Papa Roux.
PAPA ROUX will be proudly serving FRESH OFF THE GRILL all evening long! Prepare to be punched in the mouth with FLAVA as we handcraft your Po-Boys from 6PM-11PM. Offerings include FIRE-GRILLED SMOKED SAUSAGE PO-BOYS, ROASTED CHICKEN PO-BOYS, and VEGETARIAN GRILLED ONION & PROVOLONE CHEESE PO-BOYS.

All Po-Boys can be prepared with additional GRILLED ONION and PROVOLONE CHEESE, in addition to the SELF-SERVE SHUT'YO MOUTH SPICE BAR including a variety of hot sauces, Papa's own Vouxdoux seasoning, and Sriracha Rooster Sauce!

Don't miss the perfectly spicy CHEESY ETOUFFEE, the perfect soup for any beer.


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.

There are more details coming soon, but here's a reminder of the participating breweries/distributors to wet your whistle -

Barley Island Brewing Company - Barrel-Fermented Rust Belt Porter
Bee Creek Brewing Company - Alien Abduction Wheat
Bier Brewery - Farmgirl Saison and Calypso IPA
Broad Ripple Brewpub - Wobbly Bob OR Dual Citizenship
Brugge Brasserie - Superkitty Fantastico!
Cavalier Distributing - Great Divide Belgian Yeti, Stone Sublimely Self Righteous, Lexington Brewing Co KY Bourbon Ale, Founders Cerise, The Bruery Trade Winds Tripel, Two Brothers Hop Juice, Tyranena Brewers Gone Wild Hop Whore
Crown Brewing Company - DerALEr
Flat12 Bierwerks - 12 Cycle IPA and Nunmoere Black
Lafayette Brewing Company
New Albanian Brewing Company - Naughty Girl (Struise Colab)
People's Brewing Company
RAM Brewery - Bjava Disorder Porter
The St. Louis Brewing Company aka Schlafly - Raspberry Coffee Stout
Sun King - House Lineup (Osiris, Bitter Druid, Cream, Wee Mac)
Thr3e Wise Men Brewing Company - Hoosier Beer Geek Double Brown
Upland Brewing Company - Rad Red and Mother's Milk
World Class Beverages - Hair of the Dog Adam and Boulevard / Deschutes Collaboration #2

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 fifth and perhaps best year of better beer buffoonery.

24 August 2011

HBG5 featuring World Class Beverages

You may have thought we'd given up on posting these - but no! To be honest, we still aren't 100% sure about some of the remaining beers. But we do have a few more details. Next up:


World Class Beverages


For as long as we've been having these parties, we've had cooperation and participation by our friends at World Class Beverages. This year is no different.

Hair of the Dog Adam
Adam is top fermented and cold conditioned to give it a rich and mellow smoothness. The unique garnet color is derived from specially roasted barley, and the intense hop profile is provided by the use of only the finest whole hop flowers. It is 8% alcohol by weight (10% by volume).

And..

Boulevard / Deschutes Collaboration #2 White IPA
Combining Boulevard’s expertise at making Belgian-style witbiers with Deschutes’ skill at brewing hop-forward ales, this beer puts a new spin on the idea of collaborative brewing. Working from a single recipe, brewmasters Steven Pauwels of Boulevard and Larry Sidor of Deschutes have produced two separate beers, more than 1,600 miles apart.

Color (EBC) 10 Bitterness (IBUs) 42 Original Gravity (Plato) 17 Terminal Gravity (Plato) 3.4 Alcohol (ABV) 7.4%


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

About HBG5:
It will be held Saturday, August 27th, 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 $15 (plus $1.99 for online fees) for designated drivers. Tickets are available online only and limited to just 150 paying customers. Like beer festivals? Don't like crowds? This is your event. 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. We can't promise that Jason will be performing from Cats (or will have a mustache). But 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 Papa Roux.
PAPA ROUX will be proudly serving FRESH OFF THE GRILL all evening long! Prepare to be punched in the mouth with FLAVA as we handcraft your Po-Boys from 6PM-11PM. Offerings include FIRE-GRILLED SMOKED SAUSAGE PO-BOYS, ROASTED CHICKEN PO-BOYS, and VEGETARIAN GRILLED ONION & PROVOLONE CHEESE PO-BOYS.

All Po-Boys can be prepared with additional GRILLED ONION and PROVOLONE CHEESE, in addition to the SELF-SERVE SHUT'YO MOUTH SPICE BAR including a variety of hot sauces, Papa's own Vouxdoux seasoning, and Sriracha Rooster Sauce!

Don't miss the perfectly spicy CHEESY ETOUFFEE, the perfect soup for any beer.


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.

There are more details coming soon, but here's a reminder of the participating breweries/distributors to wet your whistle -

Barley Island Brewing Company - Barrel-Fermented Rust Belt Porter
Bee Creek Brewing Company - Alien Abduction Wheat
Bier Brewery - Farmgirl Saison and Calypso IPA
Broad Ripple Brewpub - Wobbly Bob OR Dual Citizenship
Brugge Brasserie - Superkitty Fantastico!
Cavalier Distributing
Crown Brewing Company - DerALEr
Flat12 Bierwerks - 12 Cycle IPA and Nunmoere Black
Lafayette Brewing Company
New Albanian Brewing Company - Naughty Girl (Struise Colab)
People's Brewing Company
RAM Brewery - Bjava Disorder Porter
The St. Louis Brewing Company aka Schlafly - Raspberry Coffee Stout
Sun King - House Lineup (Osiris, Bitter Druid, Cream, Wee Mac)
Thr3e Wise Men Brewing Company - Hoosier Beer Geek Double Brown
Upland Brewing Company - Rad Red and Mother's Milk
World Class Beverages - Hair of the Dog Adam and Boulevard / Deschutes Collaboration #2

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 fifth and perhaps best year of better beer buffoonery.

HBG5 featuring food from Papa Roux

If you're attending HBG5, you're probably about ready to know what we're eating. Here it is:


Papa Roux


And here's what they're serving:

PAPA ROUX will be proudly serving FRESH OFF THE GRILL all evening long! Prepare to be punched in the mouth with FLAVA as we handcraft your Po-Boys from 6PM-11PM. Offerings include FIRE-GRILLED SMOKED SAUSAGE PO-BOYS, ROASTED CHICKEN PO-BOYS, and VEGETARIAN GRILLED ONION & PROVOLONE CHEESE PO-BOYS.

All Po-Boys can be prepared with additional GRILLED ONION and PROVOLONE CHEESE, in addition to the SELF-SERVE SHUT'YO MOUTH SPICE BAR including a variety of hot sauces, Papa's own Vouxdoux seasoning, and Sriracha Rooster Sauce!

Don't miss the perfectly spicy CHEESY ETOUFFEE, the perfect soup for any beer.

The service is neverending, from 6PM till 11PM.


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

About HBG5:
It will be held Saturday, August 27th, 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 $15 (plus $1.99 for online fees) for designated drivers. Tickets are available online only and limited to just 150 paying customers. Like beer festivals? Don't like crowds? This is your event. 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. We can't promise that Jason will be performing from Cats (or will have a mustache). But 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.

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.

There are more details coming soon, but here's a reminder of the participating breweries/distributors to whet your whistle -

Barley Island Brewing Company - Barrel-Fermented Rust Belt Porter
Bee Creek Brewing Company - Alien Abduction Wheat
Bier Brewery - Farmgirl Saison and Calypso IPA
Broad Ripple Brewpub - Wobbly Bob OR Dual Citizenship
Brugge Brasserie - Superkitty Fantastico!
Cavalier Distributing
Crown Brewing Company - DerALEr
Flat12 Bierwerks - 12 Cycle IPA and Nunmoere Black
Lafayette Brewing Company
New Albanian Brewing Company - Naughty Girl (Struise Colab)
People's Brewing Company
RAM Brewery - Bjava Disorder Porter
The St. Louis Brewing Company aka Schlafly - Raspberry Coffee Stout
Sun King - House Lineup (Osiris, Bitter Druid, Cream, Wee Mac)
Thr3e Wise Men Brewing Company - Hoosier Beer Geek Double Brown
Upland Brewing Company - Rad Red and Mother's Milk
World Class Beverages

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 fifth and perhaps best year of better beer buffoonery.


HBG5 featuring Crown Brewing Company

You may have thought we'd given up on posting these - but no! To be honest, we still aren't 100% sure about some of the remaining beers. But we do have a few more details. Next up:


Crown Brewing


DerALEr
Crown's version of an American Wheat is brewed for all of the thirsty 1st and 3rd Monday bikeriders. It has the same grain bill as our German Style Weizenhammer Weiss (over 50% wheat malt), however it is made with our house ale yeast instead of imported Hefe-Weiss yeast. The only other thing different is it happens to have 100 IBU's of Summit hops. What that means is that it is very hoppy, just like the sweaty cyclists.
4.8%ABV 100 IBU's


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

About HBG5:
It will be held Saturday, August 27th, 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 $15 (plus $1.99 for online fees) for designated drivers. Tickets are available online only and limited to just 150 paying customers. Like beer festivals? Don't like crowds? This is your event. 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. We can't promise that Jason will be performing from Cats (or will have a mustache). But 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 Papa Roux. Menu coming shortly. There will be vegetarian options.

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.

There are more details coming soon, but here's a reminder of the participating breweries/distributors to wet your whistle -

Barley Island Brewing Company - Barrel-Fermented Rust Belt Porter
Bee Creek Brewing Company - Alien Abduction Wheat
Bier Brewery - Farmgirl Saison and Calypso IPA
Broad Ripple Brewpub - Wobbly Bob OR Dual Citizenship
Brugge Brasserie - Superkitty Fantastico!
Cavalier Distributing
Crown Brewing Company - DerALEr
Flat12 Bierwerks - 12 Cycle IPA and Nunmoere Black
Lafayette Brewing Company
New Albanian Brewing Company - Naughty Girl (Struise Colab)
People's Brewing Company
RAM Brewery - Bjava Disorder Porter
The St. Louis Brewing Company aka Schlafly - Raspberry Coffee Stout
Sun King - House Lineup (Osiris, Bitter Druid, Cream, Wee Mac)
Thr3e Wise Men Brewing Company - Hoosier Beer Geek Double Brown
Upland Brewing Company - Rad Red and Mother's Milk
World Class Beverages

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 fifth and perhaps best year of better beer buffoonery.

23 August 2011

3WM HBG Double Brown Tapping

Warning: don't let the poor quality of the photos deter you from trying this beer.


I'm not sure why it took so long to get a beer named in our honor. I mean, we're cool kids. Right? Well, it finally happened, though it took a bet to make it happen (for the record, I offered up Mike's virginity in the bet).


So the beer: a Double Brown. The idea was inspired by an article that Mike read in the Atlantic. I think that browns are often under appreciated. My first craft beer love was, in fact, the Brickway Brown at Rock Bottom Downtown.

So we told Omar at Thr3e Wise Men that we wanted a malty bomb without roasted, coffee flavors. Omar wanted to add in a healthy dose of Galaxy hops. We were hesitant at first. But it only took a drink to make believers out of us.

It turned out to be a beautifully crafted malty beer. Not big on mouthfeel, but not too thin. The malts are front and center, but the hops come in at the end playing the clean-up batter. It finished with 7.5% abv, but be warned: it doesn't seem boozy at all.


I want to thank Scott Wise for making the bet and Omar for making the beer. And thanks to all of our friends for coming out. If you couldn't make it tonight, make it out soon to Thr3e Wise Men to try Hoosier Beer Geek Double Brown. You'll also find it at HBG5 (have we mentioned the party recently?).

Beer and Cheese Club - August Edition


 For the August edition of the Beer and Cheese Club, we visit our old Belgian friend Delirium Tremens.  Or perhaps as it is better known, the pink elephant beer.  To pair with the pink pachyderm, we have an interesting goat's milk cheese from nearby Champagne, IL.  If you've had Delirium Tremens before, you probably are aware that it is an easy drinking, balanced Belgian ale.  Moonglo, from Prairie Fruits Farms, is certainly a cheese to match that same description - except the Belgian part.


While most beer drinkers know Delirium Tremens by name, they may not know that the brewery that produces it is Huyghe Brewery.  While the brewery structure itself dates back to the 1650s, Huyghe has only been around since 1906.  That's fairly young when compared to many Belgian breweries!  Even younger still is Delirium Tremens, being first released in 1989.  At the World Beer Cup in 1998, Delirium Tremens was declared to be the best beer in the world - a slogan that still adorns Delirium Tremens ads today.  Delirium Tremens weighs in at 8.5% ABV, but you certainly wouldn't guess that from drinking it.  


Prairie Fruits Farm was actually started by a couple of scientists - not your typical farm origin.  Moonglo is a raw goat's milk cheese that features an incredibly dense rind that was rinsed with brine and pear leaf tea.  The tea is actually made from fruit treas on the farm and the cheese itself is made from the milk of Nubian and LaMancha goats raised on the farm.  Moonglo has 2 years of age on it and while the rind is a bit tough, the cheese inside is only mildly firm.


If you're a member of the Beer and Cheese Club at Goose the Market, your August installment is likely ready for you to pick up right now. If you're not a member, the club is $99 for 4 months. This month's delivery will be a 750mL bottle of Delirium Tremens and about a half a pound of Moonglo. Either of these items would be great experiences on their own, but we feel they are even better when consumed together.


Prairie Fruits Farm Moonglo vs Delirium Tremens - science cheese! This cheese is tomme style, which means I don't know what. Nubian goats! LaMancha goats! This is crazy stuff.

Powdery, dry, rind is grassy - taken together, they're a very "farmy" combination - invoking outdoorsy, earthy, pasture-like farmy jams. I prefer it with the rind attached.

DT - An old favorite. Punchy apple cider nose, straw colored, a head that sits on top like a fingerprint. Drinking brings out candy grape flavors.

Together? Beer finishes the cheese nicely, and there's no reason to complain as they both taste lovely, but in this case I'm not sure anything is added by the mix.


Delirium Tremens is a beer carries a mild aroma that brings to mind honey, lemon, pear and cardamom. The beer itself carries a bit of a spicy character, as many Belgian beers do.  A honey sweetness complemented by preserved lemon and lavender notes rounds out the flavor profile.  While the beer is a bit warming, it doesn't warm in the same way some bigger boozy beers do.  The finish is fairly dry with a bitter sensation that is closer to pith than hops.

Moonglo reminds me slightly of a very mild cheddar with a dense unleavened bread-like rind.  While you might be apprehensive about consuming a rind this thick, I assure you the flavor is very neutral and complements the cheese well.  When combining both the cheese and beer, no big revelations or fireworks take place as with some of the other pairings we've experienced in the BCC.  The sweetness in Delirium Tremens drops out and the spicy notes come to the front, which brings out a bit of the tea notes in the dense rind.  Really these two just simply complement each other.  No one greatly enhances the other, but their flavor profiles seem to be designed to work together perfectly.


I began tasting this cheese with the rind off and it's soft-ish, tangy with a pleasant amount of salt and a hint of barnyard.  Leave the rind on and you'll get a heaping blast of that barnyard taste.  Taken with Delirium Tremens, I found that the cheese brought out the fruitier aspects of beer -- a big fruity taste lingered right on the center of my tongue -- and that you got a nice bit of pepper and clean noble hops bitterness at the end that freshened your mouth for the next bite of cheese.  This is an enjoyable pairing but it didn't wow me like some other offerings from the club.


To join the Beer and Cheese Club at Goose the Market (in conjunction with Hoosier Beer Geek), check out this PDF and then either call Goose the Market at 317-924-4944 or stop in the shop at 2503 N. Delaware St.


Reminder | HBG Fifth Anniversary Party - 8/27, 6 p.m.

As if you didn't have enough reminders...

Hoosier Beer Geek will be celebrating five years of Indiana craft beer coverage and nonsense at a party on Saturday, August 27th at Sun King Brewing Company (135 N. College Ave., Indianapolis) beginning at 6pm. Tickets are $30 (plus $1.99 for online fees) for regular tickets and $15 (plus $1.99 for online fees) for designated drivers. Tickets are available online only and limited to just 150 paying customers. At this point, less than a 1/3 of the 150 tickets remain. Like beer festivals? Don't like crowds? This is your event.

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. We can't promise that Jason will be performing from Cats (or will have a mustache). But 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 six larger pours of your favorite beers. Designated drivers will have a selection of non-alcoholic beverages such as soda, pop, coke, soda pop... whatever regional term you like. And bottled water, of course.

All attendees will get to enjoy food from Papa Roux. Menu coming shortly. There will be vegetarian options.

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.

There are more details coming soon, but here's a reminder of the participating breweries/distributors to wet your whistle:

Barley Island Brewing Company - Barrel-Fermented Rust Belt Porter
Bee Creek Brewing Company - Alien Abduction Wheat
Bier Brewery - Farmgirl Saison and Calypso IPA
Broad Ripple Brewpub - Wobbly Bob OR Dual Citizenship
Brugge Brasserie - Superkitty Fantastico!
Cavalier Distributing - TBA
Crown Brewing Company - TBA
Flat12 Bierwerks - 12 Cycle IPA and Nunmoere Black
Lafayette Brewing Company - TBA
New Albanian Brewing Company - Naughty Girl (Struise Colab)
People's Brewing Company - TBA
RAM Brewery - Bjava Disorder Porter
The St. Louis Brewing Company aka Schlafly - Raspberry Coffee Stout
Sun King - House Lineup (Osiris, Bitter Druid, Cream, Wee Mac)
Thr3e Wise Men Brewing Company - Hoosier Beer Geek Double Brown
Upland Brewing Company - Rad Red and Mother's Milk
World Class Beverages - TBA

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 fifth and perhaps best year of better beer buffoonery.

22 August 2011

Indiana invades Wisconsin

Great Taste of the Midwest 2011 has come and gone. All we have left are the memories. And the credit card bills. And the lingering hangover from closing the hotel bar with Rod, Sam, and John.

And these pictures...

Ted of Brugge: "So Roger, about that ad in the program..."
Roger of New Albanian: "BWAHAHAHAHA! You shall never quiet the Potable Curmudgeon!"


Broad Ripple Brewpub, representing with quiet dignity.

New Albanian with a jockey box stolen from Flat 12.

The crowd is getting very excited for the Dark Lord tapping at Three Floyds.

Ted: "I don't know, Jason, maybe I made this a bit too sour..."

If you didn't know, beer from Lafayette Brewing Company is brewed in Lafayette.

Blaine (Mad Anthony) and Sam (Shoreline) and their beer-loving bromance.

The staff at Upland opted to not share the lambics with others.

Figure 8 enjoying a quiet moment together.

Ted Miller doing his best Donkey Kong impersonation.

Thr3e Wise Men taps Hoosier Beer Geek Double Brown


Join us Tuesday as we reap the benefits of a bet made between Scotty and Jason.  You can read more about the bet at Scotty's blog, or on the TWM post for our upcoming anniversary party, where you will also be able to sample this brew.

See you there!

August 23rd, from 6-7pm (for complimentary samples & snacks)
Tapping of Hoosier Beer Geek Double Brown Ale at Thr3e Wise Men Brewing Co.

$6 Growler fills and $3.50 pints available.

19 August 2011

Hoosier Beer Geek is Five: The Urbanophile Stops In

As we approached our fifth birthday, I began to wonder how we'd celebrate the occasion. Last year we wrote about what the site meant to us, how much we've enjoyed ourselves, and how lucky we feel to have the friends and audience we do. Our thanks go out to anyone who's ever gave us even a moment of their day. We would have never kept at it without your support.

On the inside looking out, we hope we've made some sort of difference here in Indiana, but instead of banging our own drum, we've asked asked our friends throughout the community to write a bit about what they think of us. We were thrilled when what came back seemed to be positive.


I grew up in rural Southern Indiana where the Indianapolis I knew much of my early years was as a dot on a map. The rest of the state did not loom large in our eyes. Today it’s quite different. One of my cousins and a high school classmate are both Colts season ticket holds and Colts fandom is rampant. Another high school classmate started a winery and is very active in the state’s wine making industry. He now often travels to Indianapolis for various festivals and events.

Traditionally Indianapolis had been very cut off from the rest of the state. And while sometimes resentment of the state capital still runs high, Indy is much more connected than in years past, as my own personal story illustrates. Part of that is the result of Indy becoming a sort of “cultural commons” for the entire state, with the city increasingly a focus of statewide attention for things like pro sports and local wine making.

Another example of his has been in the state’s emerging microbrewing scene. Indy itself has fairly few of these, but the state as a whole a large number of high quality brewers, including what I think is the best brewery in the United States – Munster’s 3 Floyds.

The Hoosier Beer Geek has been a key element in binding the state’s brewing industry together and bringing knowledge of the state’s beers to Indianapolis. Rightly they focus on whatever is of the absolute best quality regardless of origin. But they’ve also championed Indiana beers, when they find them measuring up the standards of the world. This includes breweries from the furthest reaches in the state, such as their special tasting events for New Albanian.

I believe things like this are important in helping Indianapolis build and maintain connections and trust throughout the state, and lowering the barriers of resentment that have traditionally caused problems. This is of critical importance for both the success of the city and state. While HBG may be but a small element of this, it’s very significant because truly vital relationships are built not on a few single mega initiatives but a multitude of small and diverse interactions.

Congrats and best of luck to HBG in its next five years.

Aaron M. Renn
Urbanophile.com

Random Beer Roundup - The Five in Two Saturdays



Tickets are moving fast for our 5th Anniversary party on Saturday, August 27th.  They are still available now, but we expect them to go pretty quick.  Tickets will not be available at the door or at Sun King.  We hope to see you there.


Hoosier Beer Calendar
Events are subject to change


From the Brewers
From Erin at Black Swan Brewery in Plainfield:
I just wanted to make you aware of a few events and ongoing specials at Black Swan Brewpub.
 
Every Tuesday is "Pint Day," with pints of house beers only $2.50 all day.
Friday is $6.50 growler fills or get a "Grill N' Fill" for $12, which includes a growler fill and burger.
 
Our current house drafts include robust porter, ESB, American wheat, IPA, hefeweizen and double pale ale. A cream ale will be tapped late in the week.
 
Special Events:
 
Saturday Aug. 20 is Black Swan's Inaugural Brewery Bash
The all-day event will feature a live remote by 92.3 WTTS and a special tapping of our inaugural old ale. There will also be additional specials and giveaways that day.

From Andrew at Ram Restaurant and Brewery in Indianapolis/Fishers:
Be sure to come see us at Festiv-Ale 2011! We will have four of our fresh, handcrafted beers pouring including the Brewer’s Cup medal winner, “Bill’s Bettor.” In addition, the RAM chefs will be whipping up some Pulled Pork Sliders for your enjoyment.

On Tap Now
Bill’s Bettor – Almost Gone
Single (Hopped) and Lovin’ It – Almost Gone
Bombshell Brown – Chocolate malt with a touch of coffee

On the Horizon
Longshanks IPA – English IPA
Big Horn Oktoberfest – Mmmm…

From Clay at Sun King Brewing in Indianapolis:


We've got another new beer coming out this week: Pale Ryder is the final beer in this Summer's Spaghetti Western Trilogy. It's a delicious rye pale that was crafted with Galaxy exclusively hops from Australia. It has a distinctive grapefruit character (But nothing like the combination of hops we use to create next week's beer, Grapefruit Jungle). We've also got Big H: Hefeweizen available in the Tasting Room and the very last of Nelson, so stop in and get it before it's gone....

Upcoming Events:

IMA Summer Nights Series
Indianapolis Museum of Art
Fridays through the end of August enjoy Fresh•Local•Beer 
and a classic film on the lawn at the IMA

Grapefruit Jungle Tapping 
Thursday, August 25th 6-9 p.m.
Sun King Tasting Room
Music from Whitey Morgan & The 78s  Food by New York Slice

Dig IN at White River State Park
Sunday, August 28th  Noon-5 p.m.
Local Chefs, Farmers & Breweries Showcase their Wares!

Oktoberfest Tapping
Thursday, September 1st  6-9 p.m.
Sun King Tasting Room
Oktoberfest Party Local Style featuring King David's Dogs
and Live German Folk Music from Alpine Express!

Carry-out
From Joe at Crown Liquors on US31 S. in Indianapolis:
Friday, August 19, from 5-8PM we will be sampling:

GREAT DIVIDE - Oak Aged Chocolate Yeti (Imperial Stout)  
VELDENSTEINER - Zwick'l (German Lager)
WYCHWOOD - Hobgoblin (ESB/Premium Bitter)

New beers this week include:

NEW ALBANIAN - Hoptimus
VELDERSTEINER - Weiss, Dunkel Weiss, Pilsner, Landbier

STONE - Fifteenth Anniversary Ale
From Corrie at Goose the Market in Indianapolis:
New in the cellar at the Goose...
 
Why are all the kids running after that ice cream truck? Because the latest batch of Moylan's Hopsickle is in.
 
Did you take off your shirt and don a laurel wreath because of the Bacchus Flemish Red in your glass or in spite of it?
 
Resistance is futile...but apparently delicious...when it comes from Two Brothers' J Series

From Todd at Keg Liquors in Clarksville:
From Josh at Payless Liquors on US 135 in Greenwood:
New beers in stock-
 
Stone 15th anniversary Black IPA
Sierra Nevada/Dogfish Head Life & Limb
Sierra Nevada Ovila Saison
Brooklyn Sorachi Ace
Southampton Abbot 12 & Saison Deluxe
Boulevard Saison Brett
Rivertown Hop Bomber Pale Ale & Hop Baron DIPA
Moylan's Hopsickle & Moylander DIPA
Schlafly American IPA
Left Hand Wake Up Dead
Sam Adams Octoberfest
Spaten Oktoberfest

At the Bars and Restaurants
From Patrick at Patrick's Kitchen and Drinks in Zionsville:
"Beer, Beer, Beer, said the privates, merry men are we"..."There's nothing so fair as the Airborne Infantry".......
On tap at Patrick's right now is Sun King Cream Dream IV, Boulevard Tank 7, Flat 12's Half cycle, Founder's Double Trouble, and Dreadnaught, the dreadnaught and Double Trouble are going to blow and be replaced by Stone Ruination and Sun King Pale Ryder when we get it this Friday.
From the Distributors:
From Scott at Best Beers, Inc.:
Southern Tier Brewery products will be available in the Bloomington, IN area starting next week!

From Greg at Cavalier Distributing:


NEW THIS WEEK TO CAVALIER'S WAREHOUSE

Boulder Cold Hop Ale:  Hoppy British-style Ale; Limited seasonal release; 6pks & Draft

Breckenridge Autumn Ale:  Big Malty Fall Warmer; Limited seasonal release; 6pks & Draft

Erdinger Oktoberfest Weisse:  Rare Oktoberfest Wheat Ale style; Limited seasonal release; 6pks only
 
Mad River Mad Belgian:  Belgian Style Golden Strong Ale; Very limited seasonal release; 4 pks only.

Stevens Point Oktoberfest:  Traditional German-style Oktoberfest; Limited seasonal release; 6pks only

Stone 15th Anniversary Ale:  Imperial Black IPA style; Very limited special release; 22oz bottles & limited draft; allocated.
 
Weihenstephaner Fest Bier:  Traditional Oktoberfest Marzen; Limited Seasonal Release; 6 pks & Draft 


UPCOMING CAVALIER EVENTS

8/19 - Craft Beer Tasting @ Liquor Bucket in Merrillville; 4 - 6 (CST)

8/20 - Festive Ale; Downtown Indy; 4 - 8 pm

9/01 - "Beer Geek" Craft Beer Tasting @ Chalet #3; Elkhart; 4 - 6 

9/06 - Monthly Cavalier Tasting @ Birdy's; 6 - 8 pm; $10

10/15 - Porter Beer Fest


Upcoming Events:
Buffalo Wild Wings Presents FESTIV-ALE 2011, A Celebration of Beer Tasting brought to you by Kahn’s Fine Wines & Spirits  
Leading the fight against cystic fibrosis, the Indiana Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation will again host the twelfth annual Buffalo Wild Wings Presents FESTIV-ALE, A
Celebration Of Beer Tasting, Brought to you by Kahn’s Fine Wine and Spirits. The event will be held Saturday, August 20 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at 200 S. Meridian (corner lot of Jackson and Meridian Sts.)
“Anyone 21 years or older wishing to positively impact the lives of individuals affected by cystic fibrosis is encouraged to attend,” said Tiffane Dobbs, Development Director for the Indiana Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. “With nearly 90 cents of every dollar raised from this event going to support research, patrons will have a great time taste testing a variety of beers and appetizers while supporting a very worthy cause.”
The event brings together beers from over 30 Indiana and Midwest microbreweries and distributors.  For those who prefer alternative beverages, samples of specialty martinis from Subterra will also be featured.
In addition to sampling beverages, guests will also be able to sample tasty cuisine from several area restaurants. Further, all guests will have the opportunity to participate in an Instant Bar raffle, bid on silent auction items from local establishments, play cornhole sponsored by Circle City Athletics and enjoy music from one of Indy’s hottest bands, Sour Mash 7. 
All food and drink are included in ticket price.
To purchase tickets, call (317) 202-9210 or visit: Indiana.cff.org/festivale. Tickets are also available for purchase at select Buffalo Wild Wings restaurants or any Kahn’s Fine Wines & Spirits. Tickets are $40 in advance and $50 at the door with all proceeds benefiting the Indiana Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Donations exceeding $15 are tax-deductible. Event may sell out.
Located in Indianapolis, Indiana, the mission of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, a nonprofit donor-supported organization, is to assure the development of the means to cure and control cystic fibrosis and to improve the quality of life for those with the disease. Cystic fibrosis is the most prevalent genetic disease among young Americans today, affecting some 30,000 individuals in the United States. Cystic fibrosis leads to chronic lung infections and severe digestive complications for those affected by the fatal disease. For further information about cystic fibrosis or FESTIV-ALE, call (317) 202-9210 or go to http://indiana.cff.org/festivale.

*************************

Herron-Morton Place Oktoberfest
We are holding an Oktoberfest on Sept. 24th at our park (1900 block of Alabama). It is $5 for advanced tickets and $10 at the door- all proceeds will go towards an endowment to maintain the HMP Park (event location). So far we will be serving Upland Beer, Fountain Square Brewing samples, and Schlalfy Beer samples as well as featuring live music from Hero Jr. Food vendors include Ivey Spice and Sweet Cakes by Ronda. You can get additional information from the following: 

oktoberfesthmpf.com@oktoberfestHMPFFacebook Event: Herron-Morton Oktoberfest