30 April 2011

Dark Lord Day Eve 2011

Pork Lord Day

Jess and I decided to swing by 3 Floyds for dinner on Dark Lord Day Eve and were surprised to find a 0 minute wait around 6PM CDT.  We took a seat and ordered a round of Zombie Dust and chicharrones for appetizers.  Jess proclaimed the chicharrones to be better than the Publican's but not quite up to the standards of the Tipton County Pork Festival.  Either way, they were delicious.

Zombie Dust

Zombie Dust is a really stellar sessionable IPA.  Weighing in just above the 5% mark and aggressively hopped with only the Citra superhop, this beer certainly has the IBUs to smack you in the face and the malt to back it up.  If you've ever had Cenotaph, this is the same beer with a much better name.  Lemon and orange flavors from the hops were dominant and the overall experience was very refreshing and felt appropriate for spring.  You really can't go wrong with this beer.

Ham on Rye

I decided to follow up the Zombie Dust with a Ham on Rye.  I've had this 3 Floyds / Piece collaboration beer in Indy before, but as a fan of smoked beers, I was eager to revisit it.  Although 3 Floyds had some pretty appealing special beers on tap tonight, I stuck with the standard tap list to delicately ease my palate in to the assault that it will receive tomorrow.  Ham on Rye features a healthy dose of rye that certainly brings to mind rye bread, and enough meaty smoked malt to make its namesake entirely appropriate.  Even if it wasn't called Ham on Rye, you'd still think that rye bread and smoked meat were the dominate qualities of this beer.  I love it, but it's certainly subjective.  Smoked beer haters need not apply.

Left Hand Wake Up Dead on nitro (foreground), 3 Floyds Arctic Panzer Wolf and Figure 8 Solar Collector

After a brief run to both make ourselves feel better after dinner and to keep up our Mini Marathon training runs, we made our way out to Beer Geeks Pub in Highland.  Although the atmosphere is a little lacking and odd, the tap list did not disappoint.  Left Hand Wake Up Dead was on nitro, and while the nitro version brought out a lot more booziness than the bottled version, lots of bourbon, chocolate and a touch of smoke rounded out this imperial stout.  Figure 8 Solar Collector was a great IPA / Wheat hybrid that will be especially excellent this summer with its creamy and refreshing body coupled with a fairly intense hop profile.  I followed up the Solar Collector with a Resistance IPA, which definitely had an interesting selection of hops and stood out among the hoppy beers I had tonight.

I did learn that Dark Lord Day will be hosted and fenced in entirely on 3 Floyds' property, including the parking lot out front and the grass lot out back (currently fairly muddy).  Most of the parking in the office park is roped off this year, and I have my doubts about how they're going to be able to hold upwards of 6000 people this year.  Last year's crowd of 10,000 spilled over the entire west end of the office park, so trying to contain a crowd of roughly half the size to a single lot is going to be tricky.  I expect most people to get their beer and get out.  I'm not sure what 3 Floyds expects to happen this year, but they are certainly making the best of their situation.  I'll stick around to hear Sweet Cobra, Lair of the Minotaur and Indian tomorrow and hopefully try a number of guest beers, but the beer I'm carrying in is going to be limited to a subset of what I brought.  I think anyone expecting a similar event to last year is going to be extremely disappointed, but we have to adapt with the times and enjoy the positives of this event.  I mean, how can you be disappointed with buying some Dark Lord, trying some amazing and rare guest beers and listening to some incredible metal bands?

29 April 2011

KOTBR #126 - It's Stranger on the Southside

So we roundtabled, and then suddenly a very different sort of review email from Jason appears, and - because I'm now inspired myself - the following happens.

We often wonder if this sort of oddity is appealing to the folks reading, but I'll always contend that the best part about HBG is when this sort of thing happens.



So, a little known fact about our group and the types of reviews we do is that the format we go with is generally based on who is first to turn in a review. Imagine how exciting it is for someone who can't draw to do a review in comic format. Lucky for you, I won't be doing that.

Instead, I will just try and talk about the beers a little bit.

Note about the GAK: Membership is required if you will be drinking there ($10/yr)

König Ludwig Weiss - First of all, when you order a Medium beer at German American Klub, expect the second biggest glass you have ever seen (the Large is an entire liter of beer). Think fast food medium size, like "I shoulda got the small" medium. They are huge!

The website of the brand management for this beer says:
Our wheat beer, König Ludwig Weißbier, is brewed using traditional methods and is bottle fermented (the “méthode champenoise”). This produces a lively, refreshing beer with a tight head and flavour notes of apple and bananas, which is highly accepted in many parts of the world. In its home market, König Ludwig Weißbier is among the top 6 wheat beer brands and is widely recognized as a Bavarian specialty.
I'm pretty sure those folks know a little something about the Hefeweizen style as they've been doing it for, oh I don't know, centuries.

The weather was just nice enough for the four of us to sit on the outdoor patio at the GAK, allowing us to not only soak up some sun, but also to wear our new scarves (Oh hey, we have scarves now! Perfectly appropriate for the summertime). We sipped on beers and shared some good old fashioned German cuisine. The beer appeared to be typical of a hefeweizen: yellow, slightly cloudy, bright white frothy head. All of the typical flavors were present as well, bananas and clove in particular. This also had a slightly metallic element to it, which I will chalk up to the temperature as it dissipated as the beer warmed. The creamy but refreshing mouthfeel led to a little mustiness in the finish. That didn't bother me though; it was almost like you could taste the history of the brewery. And remember that HUGE beer? Did I mention that I finished it? 2.84 Mugs.

Continuing on our southside adventure, we stopped in at Oaken Barrel to see what has been happening there. The sun was beginning to fade, but we still decided to sit outside. It was a bit chillier than at GAK, but still well within our comfort limits. We were delighted to see the Uberweizen on draft, a specialty that is not on regularly, and even more so upon learning about the pitcher special. We happily ordered.

The style of beer seems to be a hybrid of a Wheat and Pale Ale. It seems to take some of best elements of both styles. A deep whiff encourages a soapy aroma to appear, but that changes to something a little more floral as the glass empties. The cloudy appearance and the banana and clove characteristics from the wheat beer are met with a citrusy punch from the hops portion of the Pale Ale. The marriage of these two styles makes for one great glass of beer. 3.25 Mugs.

Things are often funnier after I drink. And some funny thoughts came to me as we drank our beers. I doodled them down and realized that no amount of written word would make for a better review from me. So here is my roundtable review in doodle form.







Bier frisch und gut, schafft frohen Mut.

As the spring and summer approach, I being to start leaning towards the hoppy beers, wheat and weiss beers, and during grilling season, I really love multiple Würste and multiple German Hefeweiss beers. I've always been drawn to their lower alcohol, but still big on flavor. I am also hard pressed to think of a lawnmower beer better than a tall glass of cool and refreshing hefe. This was my first trip to the Biergarten at the Edelweiss Restaurant this season. Sitting outside in one of the only spring days we've had this year and drinking some good beer with good friends was really nice. This beer wasn't one of the best German hefes I've had, but it wasn't terrible. It has the markers of a great beer with notes of clove, banana, oranges, and wheat. It was very refreshing, but it was missing that big flavor punch I've come to expect from my favorites in the style including Weihenstephaner and Paulaner. This beer was just missing the Dude's rug. If it had that it would have really tied the room together. Overall though I was pretty happy with the beer, and I would certainly order it again. The German saying at the top roughly translates to, "A refreshing brew creates a happy state of mind." I would certainly agree. 3.5 Mugs.

Oaken Barrel's newest seasonal is another anticipated beer for me. As a south-sider, Oaken Barrel is always one of my go-to beers spots, and you can always find me there on a Thursday for $5 dollar growler fills of Superfly IPA. The Uberweizen was also spicy and refreshing with some great citrus and wheat notes. This is a solid beer for sure, but if you are looking for a traditional German Hefe this is more of a solid American take on a pale ale and wheat hybrid. 3.25 Mugs.

König Ludwig Weiss
Mike: 2.9 Mugs | Gina: 2.84 Mugs | Jason: 3.75 Mugs | Matt: 3.75 Mugs
KOTBR Score: 3.31 Mugs

Oaken Barrel Uberweizen
Mike: 2.85 Mugs | Gina: 3.25 Mugs | Jason: 3.25 Mugs | Matt: 3.3 Mugs
KOTBR Score: 3.16 Mugs

Random Beer Roundup - The Royale Wingding Edition

****This post may be updated throughout the day.****

We are lucky to be headed North for Dark Lord Day this year.  I am a little sad to miss the Broad Ripple pub crawl with the ladies of Bitches Brew.  Hopefully, I will be drinking a Harvey from Brugge with them in spirit while in Munster.

In any case, we hope you'll be enjoying some good food and beer with us at the Tailgate for Nothing 4 on Saturday, May 7th from 11am till whenever we are done.

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


From the Breweries
From Bob at Flat 12 Brewery in Indianapolis:
On tap right now: Milk Stout, Glazed Ham Porter, Grandma's Glazed Ham Porter and the usual suspects (Half Cycle IPA, Pogue's Run Porter and all of our Classic 12s).

The Beer Sellar is going local the first week of May. Flat 12 is the featured brewery on Tuesday, May 3rd. We will have five beers on tap. Pogue's Run Porter, Half Cycle IPA, Upside Down Blonde, Flat 12 Amber, and the Glazed Ham Porter. We will also be part of their Saturday event featuring local Indiana breweries. They will have 50 different beers from 13 breweries. Check out www.beersellar.net for additional info.

Also, we are also spicing up our beer lineup for Cinco de Mayo. This will include the Blonde, Amber, Porter, and IPA. Beers will be available only at the brewery next Thursday, May 5 from 4-7 pm.

From Andrew at Ram Restaurant and Brewery in Downtown Indianapolis/Fishers:
Viva Agave!
We look for any chance we can get to celebrate, and Cinco de Mayo is no exception. With this day of revelry in mind, we are going to let loose a special release from the RAM brewery. This limited batch, to be known as “Viva Agave!”, will combine our seasonal Glacier Peak Pale with raw agave nectar. The honey-like sweetness from the Agave merges perfectly with the hoppy, dry base in our seasonal pale ale. Salud! (No growlers)

Barrel-aged NUTorious too!
Come join us on Saturday, May 7th for the viewing of the Kentucky Derby at either the Downtown Indy or Fishers locations. At 4 p.m., during the broadcast of this premier horse racing event, each location will tap one keg of one of our fall seasonals, NUTorious Brown, set aside and aged in a bourbon whiskey barrel from Kentucky’s own Evan Williams Distilling. Barrel-aged beers don’t come around often, so you don’t want to miss this one. (No Growlers)

On Tap Now – Downtown and Fishers
Big Horn Maibock – Malty German Maibock with a slightly sweet finish
Glacier Peak Pale – refreshing American Pale dry-hopped with Cascade hops
Spring Fever – Light, blonde ale infused with Jasmine and Lemon Peel


From Clay at Sun King Brewing in Indianapolis:

We've got a couple of new tanks on-line to help us keep up with the growing demand for our beer! Thanks to everyone who supports us by drinking our beer and sharing it with your friends and family! We are truly grateful for the support we've received from the good people of Central Indiana and we're working hard to make you proud.

We've got a lot of fun stuff in the works for May, so mark your calendars...

Beer Sellar goes Sun King
Wednesday, May 4th @ 5:00 p.m.
9 Sun King Beers On Tap ALL NIGHT!

Brewer's Dinner @ Chef JJ's Back Yard
Thursday, May 5th @ 6:00 p.m.
SOLD OUT

2 Wheels 1 City
Saturday, May 7th @ 3:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Indianapolis City Market
IndyCOG & Sun King bring you an afternoon of
Bicycles and Fresh•Local•Beer at the City Market
Food, Fun & Interesting Bicycle Competitions

Chef JJ's EGGfest / Firefly Wheat Tapping
Saturday, May 14th 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Chef JJ's Back Yard - 1020 Broad Ripple Ave
$25 for Adults gets you Unlimited Sampling of fresh, grilled food
from 30+ Big Green Egg Grilling Teams, 1 Drink Ticket and
Live Music from The Woodstove Flapjacks!

AMERICAN CRAFT BEER WEEK

3 Kings Tapping @ Tomlinson Tap Room
Monday, May 16th @ 6:00 p.m.
3 Floyds & Sun King will both be on hand to tap our CollaBEERation
Only 240 Glasses Available!

Sun King & 3 Floyds Take Over MacNiven's
Tuesday, May 17th @ 6:00 p.m.
Come enjoy 6 beers on tap from each brewery
INCLUDING the ONLY 2 Kegs of Wee Muckle (Scottish Wee Heavy)
that did not get gently placed into 23 year old Pappy Van Winkle Barrels!

Sun King Invades Flatwater
Wednesday, May 18th @ 6:00
Flatwater on the Canal
A full spectrum of Sun King On Tap All Night!

Fistfull of Hops IPA Tapping AT Sun King
Thursday, May 17th 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. in the Tasting Room
Food from Fermenti Artisan / Live Music TBA

From Charles at Upland Brewery in Bloomington/Indianpolis:
We added some bells and whistles to our webiste, uplandbeer.com. Now you can find links to our photo gallery, youtube channel, news articles, newsletter archive, and other cool stuff.

We'll be pouring beer Friday night at Edible Lotus and Saturday from noon to 4pm at the Sahara Mart on the East side of Bloomington!

At the Bar
From Jordan at Beer Sellar in Indianapolis:
May 3rd
Flat 12 Tapping Event 8pm
Half Cycle IPA
Amber
Glazed Ham Porter

May 4th
Sun King Tapping Event 8pm
Sunlight Cream Ale
Wee Mac Scottish Ale
Osiris Pale Ale
ESB
Naptown Brown
Ring of Dingle
Mai Bock
1887
Landmark Wit

May 5th
Upland Tapping Event 8pm
Light Wave Belgian Pale Ale
Kickback high IBU Session Beer
Winterfest Replicale Double Imperial Stout
Bourbon Barrel Ard Ri
Badder Elmers Baltic Porter
Infiite Wisdom Belgian Tripel
Ard Ri
Wheat
Dragonfly
Double Dragonfly
Preservation Pilsner
Rad Red
Maibock
Nuthugger Brown Ale

May 6th
Three Floyds Tapping Event 8pm
Alpha King
Gumballhead
Pride and Joy
Artic Panzer Wolf
Rabbid Rabbit
Topless Witch Baltic Porter
Jinxproof

May 7th Beer Sellar goes Local 1pm - 7pm
Upwards of 50 Indiana Beers on draft.

Breweries that will have beer at the event

Sun King
Upland
Flat 12
Three Floyds
Bee Creek
Peoples
Barley Island
New Albanian
Bier
Wilbur
Oaken Barrel
Bloomington Brewing Co
Crown Brewing
Mishawaka Brewing
From Patrick at Patrick's Kitchen and Drinks in Zionsville:
On tap right this moment is Arctic Panzer Wolf, Old Rasputin, Sun King Cream Ale,Founder's Double Trouble and Bloomington's B-town Brown.
Coming up is Sun King's Belgian Wit, Working on more Arctic, People's American Wheat, and we'll always have a big ass IPA on, doan worry, be hoppy.....

From Lauren at Scotty's Brewhouse in various locations:
New Beers on Tap

Thr3e Wise Men Brewing Company
- Two Lucy's Blackberry Wheat with Camomile New Cask Wheat

Scotty's Lakehouse
- Thr3e Wise Men Brewing Co Centennial Martyr Double IPA and Golden Zoe IPA

West Lafayette Scotty's Brewhouse
- People's Farmers Daughters Wheat
- Napa Smith Organic IPA

From the Liquor/Homebrew Stores
From Joe at Crown Liquors:
Salutations Friends-

Welcome to the Friday beer update. This week we are coming strong with more brews than usual, in homage to Saturday which is THREE FLOYDS DARK LORD DAY! Sorry if you didn't get a ticket - competition was fierce this year (as always!). No matter, come and have some excellent brews with me tomorrow whether you're going up to Munster or not!

This Friday, April 28th, from 5-8PM, we will be sampling:

SAM ADAMS - Deconstructed Latitude 48's (12 pack - featuring 6 different versions of the SA Latitude 48 IPA brewed with 6 different single hops! We will sample all 6 varieties!) (Brand New!)

WIDMER BROS. - Nelson Double IPA

...and, of course, several various treats and vintage surprises!

New brews this week:

MAGIC HAT - Wacko
WIDMER BROS. - X 114 IPA
ALEXANDER KEITH - Nova Scotia-Style Lager
KIRIN ICHIBIN - Lager
FOUNDERS - Double Trouble (Bottled on the 22nd! FRESSSH!)
TYRANENA - Scurvy IPA (Back in Stock!)

From Brent at Tuxedo Park Brewers Supply in Fountain Square, Indianapolis:
We have a couple things coming up.

April 30th we will be holding a beginner brewing class, extract with steeping grains. We will be brewing an extract version of our "Weirding Way" Witbier kit (word up to David Lynch). Class starts at 1:00 pm and will wrap up around 4:00 pm. Samples of our kits will be on tap.

May 6 we will be open late for First Friday, we’ll have snacks and samples of our beer kits. Come on down to Fountain Square, check out the goings on, and stop by for a bit. By the way, our Denim Kong Rye IPA kit is 5 dollars off, in all-grain, partial mash, and extract iterations. It’ll be on tap (if it lasts).

May 7th is National Homebrew Day, and Tuxedo Park Brewers is an official AHA Big Brew Day Site! We will be brewing an all grain batch of the East India Pale Ale, the recipe is on the AHA website. If any homebrewers would like to brew as well, email me at brent@tuxedoparkbrewers.com and we can reserve you a spot (we have limited square footage). We’re offering the recipes for Big Brew Day as kits for discounted prices later on this week so check www.TuxedoParkBrewers.com.

From the Distributors/Reps
From Greg at Cavalier Distributing
UPCOMING CAVALIER EVENTS:

4/29 Pikk's Tavern Founder's Beer Dinner w/ John Host, Valpo, 6:30

5/07 St. John Wine and Spirits New Day Tasting, St. John's, 2-4

5/11 54 Main Bistro New Day Dinner, Hobart 6:30

Upcoming/Current Events
WHO: Chef JJ’s Back Yard, Sun King Brewing Co., GrayBull Wines
WHAT: Chef JJ’s Eggfest
WHEN: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sat., May 14
WHERE: Chef JJ’s Back Yard, 1040 Broad Ripple Ave., (317) 602-3828, ChefJJs.com.
COST: $25 per person, children 12 and younger free

Located in the parking lot that surrounds his private dining and event facility, Chef JJ’s Back Yard, Chef JJ’s Eggfest will feature food grilled by 30 teams on 30 different Big Green Eggs, an Iron Chef-style grilling challenge, Fresh•Local•Beer, and organic wine. Also, Sun King will tap a seasonal beer at the event!  Music by the Woodstove Flapjacks

JJ’s Back Yard will also offer egg-cellent discounts on Big Green Egg grills and accessories. Tickets are only $25 per person and include unlimited food and one drink ticket for adults of legal drinking age. Children 12 and younger will be admitted free of charge and there will be a play area for kids.

28 April 2011

Hoosier Beer Geek's Guide to Dark Lord Day 2011

This post will be updated as we find more information. As a result it may get messy.

This year's Guide to Dark Lord Day may look similar to last year, as there are a lot of tips that carry over. But there are some major changes to the event this year, and because we keep getting smarter, we thought we'd share some tips we've picked up over the years.

Beer list updates from our Indiana brewery friends:
Sun King Buffalo Tipping Point (Barrel Aged Belgian Dubble)
Sun King Buffalo Fest (Barrel Aged Oktoberfest)
Brugge Harvey (New version of Pooka)
Oaken Barrel Superfly (IPA)
Crown Brewing AlkoholikA (Blonde Dopplebock)
Crown Brewing Fade 2 Black (Double Black IPA)
People's Mr. Brown (Imperial Brown Ale)
People's Aberrant Amber (American ESB)
Barley Island Dirty Helen (Brown)
Barley Island BarFly (IPA)
Flat12 Half Cycle (IPA)

If you missed the updates at DarkLordDay.com, make sure you head on over there to catch up. There's a lot of very important information on the site. This update and this update in particular.

In case you don't feel like clicking, here's the important stuff:
Update on coolers (from 3Fs Lincoln on BeerAdvocate): Coolers sizes up to 30 quarts will be allowed in. Wheels or no wheels doesn't matter. If it's larger than 30 quarts, leave it at home or in the car. It's basically a space and safety issue. DLD is difficult enough to navigate without having to jump coffin hurdles every 10 feet. Please work with us on this and make it a more enjoyable day for everyone.

1. Gates open at 10:00 am
2. The Darklord bottle limit will be 4 bottles per person, $15.00 per bottle.
3. There will be a lottery for extremely limited, hand bottled, hand numbered barrel aged variations. Guests will exchange their event tickets for a Golden Ticket with a scratch off section. If their ticket scratches off as a winner, they will have the opportunity to purchase one bottle of one of the four variations in addition to the 4 bottles of Darklord. The variations are:
Darklord aged in Pappy Van Winkle 23 year barrels
Darklord aged in brandy barrels
Darklord aged in brandy barrels with vanilla beans
Darklord de Muerte, DL aged in bourbon barrels with ancho and guajillo peppers
These hand bottled, hand numbered, hand waxed bottles will sell for $50.00.
4. All purchases on Darklord Day are cash only.

Older info:

1. This year’s event requires a ticket for entry. There will be no admittance for non ticket holders. The Munster Police Dept. will be out to enforce traffic flow and loitering. If you do not have a ticket, hopefully you can make it next year instead.
Attendees must be 21 years of age or older.
2. Pets will not be permitted to this year’s event.
3. If you wish to bring beer for trading and sampling with friends we encourage you to do so within reason. A few bottles here and there are permissible. Please do not bring cases and kegs. You will not be admitted with excessive beer.
4. Parking will be up to the attendees. Our little brewery does not have the facilities to accommodate vehicles.
5. If you are bringing a vehicle please assign a designated driver.
6. If you are planning to bring a bus or RV they must be kept out of our industrial park to allow emergency vehicles access (police order).
7. The weather is normally unpredictable. It may be rainy or sunny so be prepared.
8. Please do not bring anything to sell. Vending will not be permitted.
9. Please hang on to your tickets. You’ll be glad you did.
10. The Event is cash only as always. There will be ATMs on site.
11. If you wish to bring lawn chairs try not to bring the couch version. Space is at a premium. Also please be mindful of traffic flow when deciding where to hang out.
12. No Grills will be allowed.
13. Most of all please be respectful of our town and our neighbors. We want to continue to hold a safe and fun event in the years to come and we can only do it with your help.

Here is an alphabetized, formatted list of guest drafts if you found the one on DarkLordDay.com hard to read.

Aventinus Eisbock
Bells Batch 10,000
Bells Oatmeal Stout
Brewdog Paradox Smokehead
Bruery Loakal Red
Bruery Old Richland
Bruery Saison De Lente
Dogfish Head Burton Baton
Dogfish Head My Antonia
Dogfish Head Old School Barleywine
Dogfish Head Worldwide Stout
Founders Backwoods Bastard
Founders Breakfast Stout
Founders Devil Dancer
Founders Double Trouble
Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout
Founders Nemesis
Founders Newaygo County Cherry
Futhermore Knot Stock
Futhermore Oscura
Goose Island Bourbon County Stout Rare
La Rulles Estivale
Left Hand TNT Weizen Doppelbock
Oakshire Heart Shaped Box
Oakshire Imperial Overcast Espresso Stout
Ommegang Gnomegang
Schlafly Kolsch
Schlafly Imperial Stout
Schlenkerla Fasten Beer
Schlenkerla Maerzen
Schlenkerla Oak Smoke
Sierra Nevada Oliva Dubbel
Van Steenberg Monk’s Ale
Victory Braumeister Pils
Victory Headwaters Pale
Victory Smoked & Oats

In addition, we believe that there will be a large number of Indiana taps on hand, though that list is harder to get a hold of. We know that many breweries we work with on a daily basis are sending beer to the event.

If you're into the band side of things, the list ran on DarkLordDay.com a while back, but may have gone unnoticed:

Indian
Sweet Cobra
Lair of the Minotaur
Bible of the Devil
Slough Feg
Sybris

Rodney also notes that it appears 3 Floyds has done another band collaboration - Evil Power (which is an album / song by Liar of the Minotaur) Imperial Pilsner - will be on sale at Dark Lord Day.
These are my tips that I've learned over six years of heading to DLD.

1. Cash - That is the only thing accepted at FFF's. Don't leave home without it or pay the crazy gorilla math surcharges at the ATM machines that will be there.
2. Talk - This is the greatest thing about DLD. I enjoy talking with other like minded people and sharing beer with people from all over the country. Bring some tasty brews to share and just say hello to everyone and you will have a good time.
3. Food - Bring some water and snacks in a bag with you because drinking high gravity beer all morning will quickly take its toll on you.
4. Tasting Tables - If you bring beer to share this is one of the things about the day as well. Just step up to the tables and pop your beers and start sharing what you have brought. Don't be intimidated by what people may have brought because chances are that someone wants to try what you have brought and as long as you are sharing most other people are going to share with you.
5. Parking - Parking was hard to come by last year by 9 am, so I have no idea what to expect this year. I would just say get there earlier than later this year.

Last year I came fairly prepared. I brought a ton of beer and we got through maybe half of it, despite having a folding table crammed full of beer and pouring beer for anyone who wandered up. Maybe I saw you last year? We met a lot of people and it was a ton of fun. Last year we also wrote up a blog post as a "what to expect" guide for Dark Lord Day. With the new ticketed format for the festival, I really don't know what to expect. Things are going to be different. Hopefully for the better. Hopefully they get Pelican back.

Guest Taps
I had epic plans last year to try the guest taps. I didn't. I tried a ton of cool beer but I just never made it over to the guest tap truck. THIS YEAR WILL BE DIFFERENT. I hope. Tons of rare beer here and most of it you can't normally get in Indiana. $5 a cup last year, cash only, and one of the best deals in the beer world. Make sure you at least take a look at the tap list so that you know what you missed if you never make it to the truck, like me.

Bring Growlers
If you don't have a huge cellar of rare beer, go fill some growlers with great seasonal, local beer. You'll have a ton to share, won't spend too much and are guaranteed to have something a lot of people haven't tried. This probably won't work for the Tasting Tables, but there's a lot more beer being shared than what's on the trading tables.

Hold the bottom of your Dark Lord Case
We saw a lot of box bottoms fall out and a lot of Dark Lord destroyed last year. Don't fall victim to this. HOLD YOUR CASE BY THE BOTTOM. It will probably be rainy again, and wet cardboard doesn't hold up well.

Bring a cooler with wheels
Use it as your seat while in line. The wheels will help you save your strength for drinking.

You will be exhausted
If you're familiar with tailgating, you know how a day full of heavy drinking can wear down the body. Now imagine that with 10%+ ABV beers all day. Yeah, you're going to be exhausted at the end. Plan accordingly with either a hotel reservation or a nice nap in your car before you head out. Bring a ton of water to keep yourself hydrated. By the end of the day, you'll probably want water more than beer, so at the very least, pack your truck with it. Gatorade would be even better.

Be Prepared
The ATMs will run out of cash - bring at least enough to buy your Dark Lord. The lines for food will be long - bring snacks because you won't be able to get food exactly when you want it.

Have a posse
If you don't have a bunch of friends with you, make some friends. It's a lot easier to move a bunch of coolers and chairs and beer around when multiple people are helping. Turn around and talk to the person behind you in line. If you start the conversation with "hey do you want to try this beer I'm opening" then you're guaranteed to have someone to chat with and share beer with through the rest of the line.

Respect the law
The cops working this event are all incredibly reasonable and friendly given the circumstances. In fact, early in the day thank them for making this a safe and fun event year after year, but probably don't do that when you're drunk because it won't be very sincere. If it seems like the cops are getting attitude with you, it's because you're being an ass and you're too drunk to realize it. Also leave your weed at home, it's about the only thing they'll arrest you for.

Know your limit
If you're knocking over beers, especially beers as rare as the ones at Dark Lord Day, you've had too much. You aren't going to remember anything you drink once you're to a certain point, so don't be afraid to call it a day. You want to remember your Dark Lord Day experience and all the great beers you tried (or at least the highlights).

In my experience, I've found the three Dark Lord Days I've attended to be amongst the most memorable and fun beer events I have experienced.

1. Bring snacks and water. Don't forget to eat and drink them during the day.
2. Bring some beer to share. As Rod said, it doesn't matter what, just bring some and be friendly. People come from all over the country to attend so it's a great opportunity to show a little bit of that Hoosier Hospitality and offer up some of the great beers we have in the state.
3. This one may just be for the ladies: Bring toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and/or your own personal restroom cause 3000 people drinking beer all day sure takes a toll on the port-a-pottys (as you summer beer festival goers know all too well).
4. It's spring in Indiana, so the weather changes quick. Last year when we arrived, there were thunderstorms in the distance. It turned out to be a nice, sunny afternoon, but the temperature went from a breezy 70 to about 40 in what seemed like a matter of minutes. Bring a couple layers and comfortable shoes.
5. Don't forget about what's inside the warehouse. Music, guest beer, cool people.
6. Keep an eye on that watch. You surely don't want to miss your window to buy your Dark Lord.
7. If you do something stupid, it will end up on the internet.

Have fun, pace yourself, and please say hello if you see us in our "Dork Lord" shirts. We'll probably have some beer to share.

I think everyone else covered everything pretty well, but there are a few other minor things worth noting.

Don't forget to check out the bands. They're loud, you'll be sorta drunk, and it's a nice bit of respite when you're on the precipice of "oh I think I drank too much". Plus you can watch drunk guys headbang. Always entertaining.

Bring a tasting glass. Sure, you can drink out of any old cup, but a tasting glass (preferably one with a 1 oz. line) will allow to to better keep those samples small (and as a result, more varied).

Respect the police. They're letting you get away with a lot of things that you typically wouldn't. Don't forget that.

See you Saturday!

KOTBR #125 - Three Kings vs. Eight Knights


The scene at Sun King last Thursday was quite a sight. Plenty of Indianapolis-area brewers, lots of familiar faces from craft beer events and a large selection of Sun King's devoted craft beer converts. Goliathon was playing a rocking set and everyone seemed to be having a great time. Indeed, a hoppy session beer seemed like the ideal beer at the time. I know I had forgotten that this 3 Floyds / Sun King collaboration was a session beer and my first taste of it was a bit of a shock at how light it was. After I had my own pint, I very happily settled in to the alcohol strength (or lack thereof) and huge hop presence of this beer. I remember being reminded of Stone Levitation, but with an entirely different hop profile, and in my opinion, better. And even though I had to take off early to get a run in, it was shaping up to be a really great night at Sun King.

Over the weekend I cracked open our growler and was still greeted with a healthy dose of hops. The combination seemed to carry a hybrid hop selection that sampled from both Alpha King and Osiris, which perhaps drew attention to the differences in hop flavors between the two. The body was light and crisp and the colder temperature didn't seem to detract from the beer at all. This time I was thinking more of New Belgium's Ranger IPA in terms of hop, malt and alcohol balance. A lighter summer beer with a crisp bitterness that lingered on the tongue. Then it hit me. Goose Island Green Line Pale Ale shared a similar citrus and grapefruit hop character and light body. In fact, it made me wish that I had the two side-by-side to compare. All these comparisons that came to mind while drinking 3 Kings ultimately drew me to a good conclusion about this beer. We don't have a lot of well balanced sessionable pale ales in Indy, and this certainly hits the spot. It would be nice to see this become a summer seasonal for both breweries since I think everyone who enjoys hops would agree that they would like to revisit this beer again and again.

Oh, and I should pick up a Goliathon CD.

4.1 Mugs


It's a rare thing for a craft beer fan to see a beer come together from consumation to commencement, but I was lucky enough to be along for the ride when the good people at Sun King made the trip up to Three Floyds. Collaboration is less poetic than it sounds - preconceived ideas give the beer a nice start, but once the act starts things just happen. Is the finished beer exactly what the brewers originally planned? Well, maybe, partially, but as with any child, the end result isn't a perfect melding of both parents, but, perhaps as in many cases, the best elements of both.

As I put the images together for this roundtable, I realized we've done this 125 times. 125 roundtables. That's a crazy number, but I think it gives me enough background to have figured out my standards for score. Anything above 3.0 is something I'd definitely order again. Anything slightly below that I might reinvestigate. Once we get into the fours we're talking about beers I'd chose above any other. The closer we get to five, the bigger the liklihood that we're talking about a beer I couldn't pass up again. A beer rated 5.0 is a beer that I can't imagine could get better. Which brings us to Three Kings.

Four plus years we've been at this. And now, finally, I'm at a point where all I want is a beer I can drink a bunch of without getting trashed. A beer that's full of flavor, repeatably drinkable - a beer I could buy a growler of and know that I could work my way through. Does that happen anymore? Has it ever happened? Three Kings is that beer. A beer I could drink a growler of without (immediate, anyway) regret. A beer that would reward the effort. A beer I can't imagine being any better.

If I'm in love with Anchor Steam and Beak's Best (which I am) and this beer is better, then how can I go any other way? There's nothing I would change here.

At least until they make a 0% ABV version, anyway. 5.0 Mugs


My beer drinking tastes are pretty seasonal. I normally like hoppy beers in the spring and summer, and I go for heavier and darker beers in the fall and winter. This beer woke me up like a bear (shut your filthy mouth Jason) coming out of hibernation for hoppy beers. The collaboration beer brewed by Three Floyds and Sun King was brewed to bring attention to Indiana's bizarre blue laws that have never been updated. This beer pours a brilliantly clear golden color with a fingers worth of head on it. The nose is full of citrus scents like apricot, lemon peel, and guava fruit even. This beer is very refreshing on the palate with flavors of citrus fruit and hop bitterness. This is the perfect Spring/Summer beer and I'm going to need a clone recipe for this beer for home brewing purposes.

The only way this beer gets better for me is if I am sitting on the dock with my feet in the water. I loved this beer, and I truly hope we will get to have more of this beer in the future. 4.65 mugs.


Click to enlarge

Three Floyds/Sun King 3 Kings Pale Ale
Rodney: 4.1 Mugs | Mike: 5.0 Mugs | Matt: 4.65 Mugs | Gina: 4.95 Mugs | Jim: 4.1 Mugs | Jason: 4.33 Mugs | Chris: 4.4 Mugs | Jess: 3.5 Mugs
KOTBR Score: 4.37 Mugs

27 April 2011

Details on the Goose / Founders Event

Corrie from Goose the Market sent over a few last minute details about tomorrow's Founders event.  I think most of our readers will find this quite interesting....

Our Founders Father
a beer BBQ to welcome John Host of Founders Brewing Co.
Thursday, April 28, 3pm (last call at 7:30pm)

No tickets or reservations needed; pay as you go with cash at each station.
Different beers and different food at each station.

Rain or shine!

Food
  • Porchetta Sandwiches - Chris and the crew will be roasting a whole hog porchetta-style in our new Mobile Smoke Stack for sandwiches of porchetta, horseradish kraut, and housemade Double Trouble mustard.
  • Beer-inspired charcuterie
  • Goose-style beer nuts
  • Beer & cheese pairings especially for Founders!
Beer
  • Draft Founders' Choice - We're pulling out all the stops...but which ones depends on what John brings with him!
  • We'll be pouring glasses of KBS!  -  It's an extremely limited and coveted seasonal release that Founders describes as... "What we've got here is an imperial stout brewed with a massive amount of coffee and chocolates, then cave-aged in oak bourbon barrels for an entire year to make sure wonderful bourbon undertones come through in the finish. Makes your taste buds squeal with delight."
  • We'll also be pouring glasses of Old Curmudgeon  -  It's a sneak peek--this year's batch hasn't even been released yet!  The official release of this seasonal ale hasn't even arrived yet, but thanks to John, we'll be pouring glasses for a sneak peak of what Founders describes as..."Think classic sea fairing ports, local pubs, and weathered old fishermen. This old ale is brewed with molasses and an insane focus on the malt bill, then oak-aged. The result is a strong, rich, malty delight that's deceptively smooth and drinkable."

26 April 2011

Sun King/ 3 Floyds lobbying successful

It has been reported that House Bill 1132, proposed to increase production for Indiana Breweries from 20,000 barrels to 30,000 has gone through the House on a vote of 84 -12.  Right now in Indiana, there aren't any breweries currently producing over 20,000 barrels, but Three Floyds is projected to hit that number sometime around October.  Sun King is projecting for that capacity in the near future.  Their efforts have paid off, and that is a great thing for all of us in the state.

Unfortunately, the reporting from some news outlets have butchered the story a bit.  They continue to refer to tax breaks as one of the reasons for the push to increase.  THIS IS NOT TRUE.  There are not breaks on higher production.

The increase in production simply allows the breweries to not only brew more, but to continue to operate their tasting rooms and brewpubs and continue to self-distribute their beers (if applicable).  There are not tax breaks at higher production levels.  The brewers pay tax on every beer they sell.  It does not matter if they produce 20 or 20,000 barrels, and it won't matter if that limit is increased to 30,000.

You can read more about this bill and its history from Jason and Mike here and here.

22 April 2011

Random Beer Roundup - The Chocolate Bunny Edition

****This post may be updated throughout the day.****

A big thanks to Sun King for hosting another great party last night and to Goliathon for rocking our faces off.

I am ready to do some brewing again!  I am looking forward to brewing with the awesome folks at Great Fermentations and Bitches Brew on Saturday.  We'll be starting at 11am on our all-grain IPA.  There is still room if anyone is interested in joining us.

Don't forget Tailgate for Nothing 4 on Saturday, May 7th from 11am till whenever we are done.

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


From the Breweries
From John at Half Moon Brewery in Kokomo:
New on tap this weekend at Half Moon:

The Golden HOPpopotamus - Imperial IPA (Seasonal) Hop Heads will agree, this beer is PHAT! Hop heavy from front to back with Magnum and Falconer's Flight hops. The 50/50 blend of Marris Otter and Pale Ale malts give it it's deep golden color, full body, and mildly
malty flavor. But make no mistake, this beer is all about hops! The Falconer's Flight hops add a huge grapefruit-like aroma and flavor to go with it's persistent hop bitterness. The Golden HOPpopotamus is an Imperial IPA fit for royalty.

O.G.=1.081 ABV=8.8% IBU=107
From Andrew at Ram Restaurant and Brewery in Downtown Indianapolis/Fishers:
Tapping Postponement – April 28th
Hello Everyone - Unfortunately, we need to postpone our planned tapping parties from this Thursday the 21st to the following week. Big Horn Maibock is still going to be available at both locations starting this Thursday the 21st, and we will be tapping Spring Fever, a light ale brewed with Jasmine and Lemon Peel, at both locations next Thursday the 28th. The tapping in Fishers will still start at 6:30 p.m., and the tapping at our Downtown Indy location will take place at 7 p.m. in the Hoosier Room. Our apologies for the change in plans, but we hope to see you all next week.

RAM Small Ale Competition Winner
Congratulations to Bill Tilt from Lafayette, IN! His Ordinary Bitter, appropriately named “Bettor Bitter”, was the big winner in the 2011 RAM Small Ale Competition. Bill will be joining us in the brewery to recreate his winning recipe, so keep an eye out for his beer on tap at both RAM locations in the coming weeks.

On Tap Now – Downtown and Fishers
Ole St. Mick’s Irish Red – caramel, toffee, and a hint of roast (Almost gone L)
Glacier Peak Pale – refreshing American Pale dry-hopped with Cascade hops

On the Horizon
Big Horn Maibock – Malty German Maibock
Spring Fever – Light ale infused with Jasmine and Lemon Peel

From Clay at Sun King Brewing in Indianapolis:
Recycling Drive
Saturday, April 23rd
1:00 - 4:00 in the South Lot of Sun King
Recycling of the usual items PLUS E-waste, Batteries, etc.

Project Endure Event
Thursday, April 28th in the Tasting Room
6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Food from Duos
Music from Jack Davies

Chef JJ's EGGFEST / Firefly Tapping
Saturday, May 15th
11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
1040 Broad Ripple Ave.
$25 per person gets you unlimited sampling of food from 30 Big Green Eggs
PLUS 1 drink ticket for Sun King Beer or Graybull Organic Wines
(Children 12 & under are free)

At the Bar
From Jordan at Beer Sellar in Indianapolis:
April 25th
Goose Island Experience Tapping Event 8pm
Raffle for a $50 Experience for 2 gets you a meal, beer and a tour of the Goose Island Brewery in Chicago.
$3 Pints of 312, Summertime, IPA
$6.50 Glasses of Maltilda, Pepe Nero, Fleur

May 3rd
Flat 12 Tapping Event 8pm
Half Cycle IPA
Amber
Glazed Ham Porter

May 4th
Sun King Tapping Event 8pm
Sunlight Cream Ale
Wee Mac Scottish Ale
Osiris Pale Ale
ESB
Naptown Brown
Ring of Dingle
Mai Bock
1887
Landmark Wit

May 5th
Upland Tapping Event 8pm
Light Wave Belgian Pale Ale
Kickback high IBU Session Beer
Winterfest Replicale Double Imperial Stout
Bourbon Barrel Ard Ri
Badder Elmers Baltic Porter
Infiite Wisdom Belgian Tripel
Ard Ri
Wheat
Dragonfly
Double Dragonfly
Preservation Pilsner
Rad Red
Maibock
Nuthugger Brown Ale

May 6th
Three Floyds Tapping Event 8pm
Alpha King
Gumballhead
Pride and Joy
Artic Panzer Wolf
Rabbid Rabbit
Topless Witch Baltic Porter
Jinxproof

May 7th Beer Sellar goes Local 1pm - 7pm
Upwards of 50 Indiana Beers on draft.

Breweries that will have beer at the event

Sun King
Upland
Flat 12
Three Floyds
Bee Creek
Peoples
Barley Island
New Albanian
Bier
Wilbur
Oaken Barrel
Bloomington Brewing Co
Crown Brewing
Mishawaka Brewing
From Patrick at Patrick's Kitchen and Drinks in Zionsville:
Beer.....Sun King dominated our taps with their Mai-Bock and Sunlight Cream Ale....Founders Double Trouble continues to wow folks, Flat 12-Half Cycle IPA is a tasty hoppy, sessionable IPA, and Bloomington's B-town Brown has been well received....Stout has been well represented by North Coasts' Old Rasputin on Nitro.

Have you heard from BoonDogglers? Newest craft beer spot serving burgers and such just next door to us.
Peace and Love shall rule the world.......

From Lauren at Scotty's Brewhouse in various locations:
Celebrate 1 Year at Scotty’s Lakehouse! We will be having a Thr3e Wise Men Brewing Company Tapping Party starting at 6pm!

Scotty’s Brewhouse West Lafayette now has People’s Farmer’s Wheat and Napa Smith Organic IPA on tap!

From the Liquor Stores
From Matt at Big Red Liquors in Bloomington:
New at Big Red Liquors Downtown:

Ovila Dubbel from Sierra Nevada

Great Divide Oak Aged Chocolate Yeti


Great Divide 17th Anniversary Oake Aged Double IPA


Sam Adams Long Shot A six pack of Sam Adams Homebrew contest winners!

Tyraneana Brewers Gone Wild Series: Dirty Old Man Barrel Aged Imperial Rye Porter
WOW! If its half as good as its name is long, this is one not to miss!

Stone Cali Belgique Now year round!

New Belgium Lips of Faith Dunkel Weis Limited!


Upland Cherry and Blackberry Lambics


Boulevard Boss Toms Golden Bock


Leinenkugels Summer Shandy: The wait is over!

ShockTop Raspberry


Brooklyn Pennant Ale: You don't have to be a Dodger's fan to love this beer!

Sierra Nevada Summerfest

*Big Red would like to welcome Sun King Brewery to Bloomington! We have 4pks of their Osiris Pale, Sun Light Cream and Wee Mac Scottish! Kegs will be availiable soon!

*What do serious Homebrewers drink when they are watching the carboys? Big Red is teaming up with local home brew club, The Hop Jockeys, to help you find out!

This month's Hop Jockeys' selections:

Joshua--- Monks Cafe Sour Ale
Phil--- New Holland Mad Hatter
John--- Hoegaarden Wit
Chadd--- Unibroue La Terrible
Ryan--- Upland Helios Pale
Tim--- Pilsner Urquell

*As always, remember our weekly in store beer tastings, Thursdays 6-8pm!

*Follow Big Red Liquors on Facebook and Twitter to hear about the latest releases and specialty items!

From Joe at Crown Liquors:
A'llo Ale Allies -

It's time for a Friday update again...

This Friday, April 22nd, from 5-8PM, we will be sampling:

LAKEFRONT - India-Style Black Ale (Black IPA) (New!)
LIEFMAN'S - Fruitesse (Fruit Lambic) (New!)
LOST COAST - 8 Ball Stout
(3 L's - Look at that!)

Newski brewskis this week are as follows:

BELL'S - Oarsman
BOULEVARD - Boss Tom Golden Bock (New!), Unfiltered Wheat (16 oz. Aluminum Pints), Variety 12 Packs
BREWDOG - Paradox Smokehead
FLYING DOG - Woody Creek Wit, Raging Bitch (Back in Stock!)
GREAT DIVIDE - 17th Anniversary Wood-Aged DIPA (New and Fresh!), Colette Saison
SCHNEIDER - Gift Sets (5 Beers and a Glass)
TUCHER - Dunkelweiss
TYRANENA - Scurvy IPA, BGW: Dirty Old Man
UPLAND - Infinite Wisdom

It's not new, but the price on SAM ADAMS Noble Pils is insanely low: $5.99/6-pk and $18.99/Case!!!
From the Distributors/Reps
From Greg at Cavalier Distributing
UPCOMING CAVALIER EVENTS:

4/22 WiseGuys Tasting, Merrillville, 5-7

4/28 Chalet 3 Tasting, Elkhart, 6-8

4/28 Goose the Market, Founders Dinner / Cheese Pairing, Details TBA

4/29 Pikk's Tavern Founder's Beer Dinner w/ John Host, Valpo, 6:30

5/07 St. John Wine and Spirits New Day Tasting, St. John's, 2-4

5/11 54 Main Bistro New Day Dinner, Hobart 6:30
From Mike at Goose Island:
Just an FYI Big John will be landing in very limited release at choice retailers around the block.. It's definitely anticipated!

Upcoming/Current Events
WHO: Chef JJ’s Back Yard, Sun King Brewing Co., GrayBull Wines
WHAT: Chef JJ’s Eggfest
WHEN: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sat., May 14
WHERE: Chef JJ’s Back Yard, 1040 Broad Ripple Ave., (317) 602-3828, ChefJJs.com.
COST: $25 per person, children 12 and younger free

Located in the parking lot that surrounds his private dining and event facility, Chef JJ’s Back Yard, Chef JJ’s Eggfest will feature food grilled by 30 teams on 30 different Big Green Eggs, an Iron Chef-style grilling challenge, Fresh•Local•Beer, and organic wine. Also, Sun King will tap a seasonal beer at the event!  Music by the Woodstove Flapjacks

JJ’s Back Yard will also offer egg-cellent discounts on Big Green Egg grills and accessories. Tickets are only $25 per person and include unlimited food and one drink ticket for adults of legal drinking age. Children 12 and younger will be admitted free of charge and there will be a play area for kids.