31 October 2011

I'm not from here: Beer from Outside Indiana

You might question the relevance of writing about beer from outside Indiana on "A Beer Blog for Indiana, from Indianapolis". Nevertheless, we pick up a lot of beer from other states on our travels here and there, and we know that many of our readers do the same. Here are a few things to keep an eye out for if you find yourself in a liquor store outside of Indiana's state lines. The following beers were acquired in St. Louis, Missouri.


If I were to name the brewer who had the firmest grip on my wallet, it would be Danish tryllekunstner Mikkel Bjergsø, whose beers often hit the sweet spot between interesting flavor, attention grabbing (though not particularly impressive) bottle art, and affordability (in that they're expensive but never seem outrageously so).

While is sometimes seems to me that Gina buys unusual beer indiscriminately*; I have to be prodded or convinced. Even though his record is not perfect, Mikkeller has me convinced.

We've drank Mikkeller Black Hole before. It seems like we've drank it quite a bit of it here and there*. As a result, two new varieties of the beer practically jumped off the liquor store shelves and into my cart.

Mikkeller Black Hole: Bourbon Barrel Aged - A "that's gonna be rich" nose jumps out of the glass, with a strong vanilla extract scent taking center stage. The weird thing about this beer is that it moved right past my palate to on first sip, slipsliding through my tastebuds and breaking like a wave on the back of the tongue. The beer is unbelievably smooth - I had to almost swirl it around my mouth to pull the bigger flavors out.

When paired with milano cookies, the dark chocolate elements of the cookie draw the alcohol flavor out. Big and smooth don't often go together, but this beer is exactly that. Tasty in a weird way. Definitely different than the regular version of Black Hole.


Mikkeller Black Hole: Cognac Barrel Aged- This one was definitely different. A bigger nose with sandlewood/cedar elements, and hints of dark fruit. The beer had the same smoothness as its Bourbon aged brother, but bit a little earlier, with notes of cocoa powder and baking chocolate also coming though. A richer, bigger, but not markedly different beer, which might Be surprising considering the difference in liquors.

In any case, another winner from Mikkeller.


*Gina would say that both of these statements are untrue.

30 October 2011

Week-of tips for attendees of Hoosier Beer Geek's Tailgate for Nothing 5

We're less than a week away from the fifth edition of our semi-annual Tailgate for Nothing, which will take place this Saturday from 11 a.m. in the back parking lot at Sun King Brewing Company. While the full details about the event are here, here are some quick tips if you plan to attend:

1. The Indianapolis Monumental Marathon/Half-Marathon is being held on the same day as TFN5. The marathon course will take the runners all over the downtown area. Therefore, you might want to take a look at the route map and plan your trip to Sun King accordingly, especially if you plan to arrive at 11.

2. The event is kid- and pet-friendly, so feel free to bring your little ones, regardless of whether they walk on four legs or two.

3. The current forecast (as of 10:30 p.m. on 10/30) looks great -- 63 degrees and partly sunny -- but we recommend that you bring a canopy if you have one. Even if it doesn't rain, it doesn't take much to get a sunburn if you plan on hanging out for most of the day.

4. If you have a tasting glass, bring it. There should be a lot of beer to share, and the smaller glasses are the best way to go about sharing and keeping yourself under control.

5. Bring friends. TFN5 is all about having a great time, so the more, the merrier.

6. As always, TFN is a no freeloaders event; please bring food and beer with you. If you don't have a giant special beer, that's not a problem. Just make sure you bring something tasty. This isn't a rare beer contest. It's just a good time.

7. Finally, Jason thinks it's already time to start celebrating Christmas because he's our resident Christmas Creep. He'll undoubtedly be singing Christmas songs on Saturday. But like most crazy people, he'll go away if you ignore him.

We'll see you on Saturday!

28 October 2011

Random Beer Roundup - The Go Cards Edition


Before we get started, I have a few notes to make.

First, the buzz around Fountain Square is that Shelbi Street Cafe will be closing just before Thanksgiving and reopening a short time later (they are shooting for First Friday in December.  The menu will be tweaked, and they will have 10 taps in the restaurant, plus the additional (and different) 5 taps that are in Imbibe, the cocktail lounge adjacent to the restaurant.  We didn't catch if the name will change, but we'll post more details as we learn them.

Second, it is posted below, but I don't want you to miss that Twenty Tap's Grand Opening celebration has been postponed.  More details soon.

Finally, Tailgate for Nothing 5: Gravyfest is quickly approaching!  Join us on Saturday, November 5th.

P.S. Go Cardinals.


Hoosier Beer Calendar
Events are subject to change


From the Brewers
From John at Half Moon Brewery in Kokomo:
Honey-Rye goes on tap today.

Half Moon Honey-Rye (Seasonal)

The wait is over!  The Honey-Rye is back and better than ever!  Its soft honey aroma will entice your senses and pave the way for the light sweet taste with a velvety smooth and creamy mouth-feel.  It finishes slightly spicy and dry due to the copious amounts of rye malt.  Truly a delightful beer with a delightful bite!

O.G.=1.066  ABV=7.6%  IBU=16


From Greg at Lafayette Brewing Co. in Lafayette:
On tap at Lafayette Brewing this weekend:  Star City Lager; Star City Dark; Star City Oktoberfest; East Side Bitter; Pipers' Pride Scottish Ale; Eighty-Five; Black Angus Oatmeal Stout; Java Rocket Stout; Bushman's Bitter; and Nugg-Ade IPA.
We've also got a spooktacular All Hallows Eve Party on Monday, October 31, featuring Big John Bates, Joe Buck and The Rocket Doll Revue Burlesque Troop.  $250 cash prize costume contest.  Show time is 9 pm, tickets are $15.

From the Potable Curmudgeon at New Albanian Brewing Co. in New Albany:
Help NABC say goodbye to Leticia Bajuyo’s “Brew History: All Bottled Up.”, plus NABC IX - Ninth Anniversary Ale release - 10/28



From Andrew at Ram Restaurant and Brewery in Indianapolis/Fishers:


Pie'd Piper Pumpkin Ale Party on October 27th at 6 p.m. - The Halloween spirit is coming to the Downtown RAM Restaurant and Brewery including costumes, a Pumpkin-carving contest, spooky spirits tastings, and Pie'd Piper Pumpkin Ale! In addition, Chef John will be whipping up some wholesome Biscuits 'n Turkey. The number of available pumpkins is limited, so come early to carve your gourd with a fresh pint o' pumpkin. 


From Clay at Sun King Brewery in Indianapolis:

Upcoming Events:

Nourish Cafe Brewer's Dinner at the IMA
Thursday, November 3rd
Contact Nourish for Reservations
(317) 923-1331
1st Friday at The Harrison Center
Friday, November 4th 
Fresh•Local•Beer and Art
1505 N. Delaware St.

Tailgate for Nothing 5 aka TFN5
Saturday, November 5th  11 a.m. - ???
Sun King South Parking Lot
Brought to you by the good folks at Hoosier Beer Geek 
WJJK Colts Tailgate
Sunday, November 6th 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Conrad Hotel - 123 S. Illinois St.
Fresh•Local•Beer & Pre-Game Good Times
Brewer's Dinner at Restaurant Tallent
Tuesday, November 8th  6:00 p.m.
6 Courses of Delicious Food & Beer - $65
812-330-9801 for Reservations

WJJK Colts Tailgate
Sunday, November 13th 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Conrad Hotel - 123 S. Illinois St. 
Fresh•Local•Beer & Pre-Game Good Times

Roving Cinema at Sun King presents Gremlins
Thursday, Novemaber 17th  7:00 p.m.
Movie presented by the Indianapolis International Film Festival
Fresh•Local•Beer and Pizza from Jockamo


From Ryan at Thr3e Wise Men Brewing Co. in Broad Ripple, Indianapolis:
Join us at Thr3e Wise Men Brewing Company this coming Tuesday November 1st for the tapping of our new seasonal, Beneficence Pale Ale! We will be tapping it at 6pm and giving out free samples till 7pm. Stop by after you get off of work and enjoy a pint for $3.50.


From Mike at Triton Brewing Company in Indianapolis:
Triton still has Bourbon Barrel Deadeye Stout. Probably won't last the weekend. Buy two or more growler fills 10/29 and receive a Glow-In-The-Dark Trident to take to your holiday party. 
Guest Taps:

Three Floyds Zombie Dust
Stone Arrogant Bastard
Founder's Cerise
Sun King Grapefruit Jungle
Rivertown Helles Lager
Harpoon Leviathan
Goose Island Pere Jacques
Flat 12 Porter

From Charles at Upland Brewing Co. in Bloomington/Indianapolis:
 B-Line Twilight Trail Run & Shindig. Saturday, October 29th, 6-10pm (Bloomington) 
A non-competitive run/walk followed by live music, food, and beer at Upland’s Bloomington Brew Pub. More information and tickets available at http://tinyurl.com/twilightrun. 
Leftover Turkey Trail Run and Novemberfest. Saturday, November 26th, 3-7pm. Eagle’s Crest—Eagle Creek Park (Indianapolis) 
A 5k, 10k, and 1 Mile Group Loop (for those that like to take a break and drink a beer while running with friends) followed by an all-inclusive party with food, beer, and live music. More information and registration at http://tinyurl.com/leftoverturkey.
At Bars and Restaurants
From Patrick at Patrick's Kitchen and Drinks in Zionsville:
Our Oktoberfest went well, sold out and they stayed late which is always a good sign.
We are just receiving a keg of Dreadnaught which assures the uninterrupted supply for a week or so, then there is Sun King Oktoberfest, Sun King Jungle Room, Founder's Breakfast Stout, and People's Pils.....along with some German bottles that remain....get 'em on sale for just $2.50 until they are gone, THAT'S THE GERMAN BOTTLES PEOPLE...On Wednesdays we do $3 draft of a Microbrew and this week it will have been People's Pils.


From Tom at The Pub in Mishawaka:
The Pub, 408 W. Cleveland Rd, Mishawaka, IN (formerly the tap room for Mishawaka Brewing Company beers, now has Sun King's four house beers (Osiris, Wee Mac, Bitter Druid and Sunlight Cream Ale) on tap as well as 3Floyds Alpha King, Bell's Two Hearted, Southern Tier 2XIPA, Southern Tier jahVa Stout, Two Brothers Cane & Ebel, and Paulaner Hefe Weiss.  Also have  3Floyds Dreadnaught and Munsterfest, Southern Tier Back Burner Barleywine, New Holland Dragons Milk in 22 oz bombers.


From Ryan at Scotty's Brewhouse in Various Locations:

Come on by Scotty’s Brewhouse Northside Indianapolis or Downtown on Tuesday and get a $6.00 48oz. Pitcher of Select Domestic & Microbrew Drafts. Leinenkugel’s new seasonal, Fireside Nut Brown, was just released and offered for this special on Tuesday nights!!

All of our college locations, Muncie, Bloomington & West Lafayette are offering an amazing pitcher special on Tuesday nights. We have a select list of $5 Domestic & Microbrew Pitchers!!! Enjoy a Sam Adams Winter, their new seasonal, on Tuesday’s for only $5.00!


From Kristin at Tomlinson Tap Room in City Market, Indianapolis:
Monday 10/31 ~ 3 Floyds Broo Doo tapping for Halloween 
Wednesday 11/2 ~ Ram Brewery on Tap - All Hops Go to Heaven IPA, Amber Waves Farmhouse Saison, Pie'd Piper Pumpkin Ale, and TTR exclusive Chupacabra Porter infused with ancho chiles
Wednesday 11/9 ~ New Albanian's Yakima IPA & Mad Anthony Pumpkin Ale
Wednesday 11/16 ~ Trition Brewing Co - Amber & Stout 
Friday 11/23 ~ First Anniversary Celebration - More details soon! 


From Rob at Twenty Tap in the neighborhood south of Broad Ripple:
Twenty Tap's Grand Opening Celebration, scheduled for October 29th has been postponed.  Check back for the official rescheduled date.  


For Carry-out
From Jason at Tuxedo Park Brewers Supply in Fountain Square:

MONK Chili Bowl 2011! 
Time:    Saturday, November 12 · 5:00pm – 8:00pm 
Location:  Big Car Gallery in Fountain Square  
Think ahead to November. What comes to mind? There's a chill in the air, football on the tv... Now think of food. Chili. Beer. That's just about all you need. 
So let's combine them. The Chili Bowl is a club-sponsored competition to produce both, a beer with chili [peppers] in it and a chili made with THAT beer.  The results will be presented at Big Car Gallery on November 12.  The event will have limited tickets available to the public for $10...proceeds directly support future MONK activities, tastings and products.  If this sounds like you, head over the MONK facebook event page (http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=227225227329688) and post a comment so the organizers will know you would like to purchase tickets – exact method of public ticketing is still TBD.


From the Distributors/Reps:
From Jen at Cavalier Distribution:


NEW TO THE CAVALIER WAREHOUSE THIS WEEK
Stone Double Bastard - limited seasonal release; 22oz and draft
Great Divide Fresh Hop Pale Ale -limited seasonal release; 22oz and draft    
Breckenridge Christmas - limited seasonal release; 6 packs and draft
Stevens Point St. Benedict's Winter Ale - limited seasonal release; 6 packs only 
UPCOMING EVENTS
11/1 - Birdy's Monthly Beer Tasting ; 6pm-8pm ; $10
11/5 - Fiddler's Hearth thebeerisgood.com Tap Takeover; South Bend (ALL DAY)
11/8 - Founders Special Tapping at Chatham Tap Fishers; (ALL DAY) music starts at 8pm
11/16 -Monon Food Co/People's Brewing Co ; 6pm; tix at MoFoCo $35
12/6 - Birdy's Monthly Beer Tasting ; 6pm-8pm ; $10
12/6 - Stone Special Tapping at Chatham Tap Fishers; (ALL DAY) music starts at 8pm
12/14 - NABC Special Tapping at The Sinking Ship ; 7pm
1/31/2012 - Binkley's Super Founders Bowl Beer Dinner ; Tuesday, 6:30pm ; $75.00, tix at Binkley's

27 October 2011

Cheap Beer - Two from Rhinelander

I recently stopped in at a downtown liquor store to put together a collection of beer for sampling with the fine folks from H2O Sushi for a beer dinner* we're putting together in November. While looking for a group of high quality beers that work well with bo ssäm, I stumbled across beer of a different type - discount craft beer.

I couldn't resist the temptation of the sub-five dollar bomber, and I walked out with two beers - a chocolate stout and a double IPA from Rhinelander Brewing Company.

Thanks, Wikipedia

The story of Rhinelander Brewing begins in 1882, when the brewery was opened by Otto Hilgermann and Henry Danner. As it goes with many of the old American breweries, there was a fire, prohibition, multiple changes of ownership, a buyout by a larger brewery, and finally the acquisition of the brand and equipment by a private investor looking to use the historic name as a launching pad for a brand resurgence.

As we've seen with Berghoff, this isn't always a promising proposition.

Another curious thing about these two beers is that you've almost got to get out a magnifying glass to figure out who brewed it. But there, under everything else, was the word "Wisconsin" - an insurance policy that told me that this cheap stuff was worth a shot.



First up - Flavored Beer Chocolate Bunny Stout Brewed with Cocoa Powder (or just Chocolate Bunny). It was immediately evident that the nose on this one lived up to the label - chocolatey is really the only word I'd use to describe it. The mouthfeel is creamy, with more of that cocoa powder coming through in the flavor, and finishing with a coppery penny sort of sharp bitterness. The beer weighs in at 5.5% ABV.

We liked the beer well enough - it's at least as good as the pricetag. It's definitely worth giving a shot, or at least serving to guests that you don't want to waste expensive beer on.


Next up was the Imperial Jack DIPA. This was a pretty odd beer, with nothing up front (which seemed awfully odd for a DIPA), then a hit of soapy water, followed up by a saccharine/Diet Coke-like sweetness that lingers. The mouthfeel was thin, and almost slippery.

If I were you, I'd pass on the DIPA. Or try it. It's cheap as fuck. And tastes like it.

*More on this dinner shortly.

26 October 2011

Beer Tourism: Michigan

On the weekend of October 16, Jess and I went up to Detroit for the Detroit Free Press Marathon. When I think of Detroit, I picture a Thunderdome-style apocalyptic world with overturned flaming cars and people fighting for gas. I'm pleased to report that this was not the case. The downtown area was fairly quiet, with a good variety of abandoned buildings, but it was also safe, walkable and full of good restaurants. Tons of different historic architectural styles made up the downtown area, which is cool if you're in to that (and we are).  After Jess finished up her second full marathon, and beat her Chicago time from last year to set a new personal record, we checked out the two rival coney dog shops. Lafayette was our favorite, but both were great. For dinner, we celebrated at Michael Symon's Roast. Now before I go on,

Check out this beer list.

Yeah, that's right, a huge selection of beer with a focus on sours. Jolly Pumpkin La Purcela was on draft so of course we got that. Lots of clove and cinnamon with a bit of winter squash behind the tartness. That was followed up with a bottle of Jolly Pumpkin's iO Saison, which was a really stellar fruity saison that gained its fruit notes from hibiscus. The food was incredible as well, my New York Strip Steak was topped with an entire piece of bone marrow! For dessert we split a Guinness ice cream sundae topped with pretzels. Sure, it's not a cheap place, but Jolly Pumpkin was about the same price as it is in a liquor store here. The beer list does not lie!

On Monday we embarked our trek across Michigan. First up, Kuhnhenn! We had heard a lot about Kuhnhenn, first sampling their beers at GABF in 2008. The brewery has expanded and remodeled and one could hardly tell that it had once been an auto parts shop. The brewery had a large U shaped bar in the center and featured 32 taps all of their own beer, with a few beer/wine hybrids. Why wine? They also have a 6 page wine list of all their own wines. I had a glass of their Cherry Ode'bruine which weighed in at 12% ABV but had almost no detectable alcohol presence. Dangerous! Jess had a Creme Brûlée Java Stout which was hands down the best example of that sub-style either of us had ever tried. Decadent burnt sugars and coffee without being cloyingly sweet.  We went through a sampler of some of their more standard styles (and a beer/wine hybrid) and were not disappointed. Food options are slim here, but the beers are top notch. This brewery is not to be missed.

Cherry Ode'bruine

Creme Brulee Java Stout

16 taps, on this side.  32 total.  All Kuhnhenn.

The tap list - click for bigger

Sampler paddle, the one on the far end is Export Stout mixed with Blueberry wine

After Kuhnhenn, we set off for Ann Arbor, to visit the Jolly Pumpkin pub. We were first met with 1.40/hr parking meters (so quit your bitching, Indy) and then found ourselves in a wonderfully comfortable European-inspired pub. Tons of dark wood and decor that, while kitschy, felt like it had been there for decades. Given the age of Jolly Pumpkin, this was the product of good interior design and not time. Besides a selection of 6-8 Jolly Pumpkin beers on tap, they also had an equal number of other Michigan taps, weighted toward North Peak. I had the Weizen Bam, which was a really great Belgian Wit interpretation, and Jess had a La Purcela (same pumpkin beer we had at Roast). For our next round, I had the standard Bam Biere and Jess went with a Tortuga Chocolate Stout on hand pull.  Seems that Tortuga is a Jolly Pumpkin brand that they apply to their non-sour styles.  Someone correct me if I'm wrong here, I can't find much info on it. The food was mostly sandwiches and pizzas. We got two pizzas and both were very good and provided us with a ton of leftovers. The Jolly Pumpkin pub left us missing Jolly Pumpkin's presence in Indianapolis. Their beer is easily worth the $12+ price tag it carried when in the state.

Bam Biere in the foreground, Chocolate Stout in the background

Next on our list was Dark Horse. We've heard a lot of good things about this brewery, and no one let us down with their recommendations. The brewpub looks like an old shed, on the outside and inside. The ceiling is adorned with handmade clay mug club mugs. The bar was full of friendly regulars and AMC's monster movie marathon was on the TV (YES!). Jess immediately grabbed a Perkulator doppelbock, which she proclaimed to be even better and more heavy on the coffee when fresh, and I grabbed a High Street Bombers Kolsch. The Kolsch was more of a creamy amber brewed with Kolsch yeast, but I wouldn't expect anything normal from Dark Horse. It had a fairly heavy body but was supposedly between 5 and 6% ABV. Our bartender provided us a sample of their Carmel Apple Aley which we incorrectly assumed to be a cider. While it did have some apple flavor, it was more of a burnt sugar laced brown ale with a background of apple. We grabbed a growler of this one before we hit the road, both sad that we didn't have more time to spend here.

High Street Bombers Kolsch

A view of the bar

The outside of the pub

We finally arrived in Grand Rapids, our destination for the day, in the early evening. The hotel valet kindly informed us that it was pint night at Founders, but we had other plans. Brewery Vivant was our dinner destination and easily won the award for best atmosphere. The brewpub is located in an old, small renovated church. The bar is situated where the alter would have been. Brewery Vivant focuses on Belgian beers with an American flair and a side project of making ciders. Farmhouse ales, abbey ales and even a chocolate stout made up a few of the 9 beers on tap that night. One of the most interesting was a tart barrel-aged cider/beer hybrid. The chocolate stout with Belgian yeast was as tasty as you imagine it would be and their house-staple Farmhouse Ale was a good sessionable beer.  Three of their varieties were available in 16oz cans.  I would be shorting you if I didn't mention how good and decadent their food is. The escargot was served with a scoop of tomato sorbet that was added to the dish to create a tomato cream sauce. The butternut squash agnolotti had a super rich butter and cream sauce that, while heavy, still allowed the lime zest and caramelized onions to come through. At the end of dinner we decided that our bodies could absorb no more and we should resume our journey in the morning.

A view of the bar from our table.

Dimly lit, but these are the 10 beers/ciders we sampled.  Very nice sampler tray.

On Tuesday, we had a couple stops before we started on our way home. First up was Founders, which was just starting to welcome the lunch crowd. We really lucked out, since all the beers from their Harvest Festival over the weekend were still on. I'm not sure why, but the Harvest Festival also welcome some barrel-aged chile beers. I started out with the more mild Barrel-aged Guajillo Spite which really carried an impressive balance between bourbon and heat. Jess had the standard Spite which was a chile beer with a blend of peppers. This one was spicy without being painful. Since we're both fans of chile beer, a growler of this came home with us. The Cascade Harvest Ale may not have had the variety of hops in the Harvest Ale, but it was a great example of a harvest ale, full of fresh, sticky hop goodness. It was the kind of beer that breweries would love to produce year-round. To finish things off, I tried the opposite end of the Barrel-aged Spite spectrum with the Habanero Spite. Holy crap this was just stupid. Insanely spicy and undrinkable, this beer would make a better chili base or glaze over grilled meat. I was fortunate enough to get a 4oz sample of the first Barrel-aged spite, but our second bartender felt that the Habanero could only be served as 8oz. Thanks bud.

Barrel-aged Guajillo Spite in the foreground, regular Spite in the background

The tap list, click for bigger

Cascade Harvest Ale

The Founders Bar - 16 taps wide

After Founders we headed over to the HopCat. For reference, parking in Grand Rapids is 1.50/hr. Who sets these prices in Michigan? The HopCat immediately felt like home. A well worn, dark wood bar, tons of vintage beer signage, an extensive beer list and big copper tap fixtures. The top of the bar was decorated with rare beer bottles that would make any Beer Advocate reader jealous. Jess ordered a really solid Oktoberfest from Short's and I had a chocolate stout from Odd Sides, which was also good but pretty much what you expect. We ordered a few appetizers and had a nice conversation with the bartender about local liquor stores and beer in Indiana.

The HopCat bar

Odd Sides Dutch Chocolate Stout

After we hit the road, we decided Bell's would be our last stop before heading home, just so we could get home at a reasonable hour. Driving through Kalamazoo gave me more of that Thunderdome feeling I was expecting in Detroit, but Bell's was a really well put together pub. Tons of wood and brick inside, tables, walls, everything. Custom stained glass windows and lots of vintage beer signs. Surprisingly enough, they had a huge collection of Terre Haute Brewing Co signage! I thought about mentioning that to our bartender, but she didn't look like she'd care. The tap list was fairly familiar and they were out of Cherry Stout, so we went with Le Batteur and Milk Stout. We had both previously, and they certainly did not disappoint. Le Batteur is a well-balanced farmhouse ale and the Milk Stout needs no explanation other than to say it wasn't overly sweet. It makes me feel like a beer snob to say I wish they had more wacky stuff on tap, when the reality is that they had 16 beers on that were all of great quality and very cheap.

Le Batteur

Ever-changing food menu

The tap list and a huge '76 Ale sign from Terre Haute Brewing Co.

A classic Kalamazoo Brewing Co. sign

Our trip to Michigan really just left us wishing we had more time to spend in Michigan. Of all the 1-state trips you could take, Michigan certainly tops the list for beer destinations. This is only one direction you could take your journey, as there are great breweries in all parts of Michigan. I feel like I owe it to Matt to let everyone know that the typical brewpub price for a pint of beer is 3.50-4.50, which means a brewery tour of Michigan can be very affordable as well.

I typed this epic on my cell phone and from memory, so there might be typos or sections where alcohol may have impaired my judgement.  Feel free to correct me in the comments.

25 October 2011

Beer Discoveries

We've lost some really good breweries that have come into Indiana for a number of reasons and I'm not here to talk about those reasons, but I'm more interested in the beers that you've discovered because we can't get a particular beer anymore. It could be they are gone from Indiana completely or maybe your favorite beer was out of stock or perhaps you loved someone's seasonal beer that you want all year long. Either way what are some beers you might not have picked up if what you were looking for would have been available?

I adore the lineup from Cantillon and I still miss Cantillon Gueuze 100% lambic regularly, but had they never left Indiana I don't think I would have ever found out about Giradin Gueuze, Hanssens Oude Gueuze, or Oud Beersel oude Geuze.  I am not ranking any of these, but they have been a wonderful substitute for the style and for a beer that I miss so much.  You shouldn't have too much trouble finding any of these off of the shelves at better beer stores around town.

I also miss Fantome Saison a great deal.  That is the beer that solidified my love of the saison style.  I've discovered Saison Brett from Boulevard because of it, but that beer is seasonal and you can still find some bottles of it around town. I've also become a fan of Sofie from Goose Island more and more.  I also really enjoy Saison De Lente from the Bruery that I had never had until I couldn't find Fantome anymore. I always went right for my bottle of Fantome though and most likely wouldn't have tried any of these if Fantome had not left Indiana.

I'm all about what we are doing locally, but sometimes we don't have locally available what someone else is doing outside of our brewing community.  How about you?  Any discoveries you have made because what you wanted wasn't available?

Cheers!
Matt

24 October 2011

Belgian Beer, or Why I'm Not Drinking Enough Of It

I don't drink enough Belgian beer these days.

It's regrettable but true, and I can think of two main reasons why it's happened to me:

  1. Like all Indy craft beer drinkers, I've moved WAY local with my craft beer consumption. At best, local beer might have been 10% of the beer I consumed 5 years ago; today it's probably more than 50%. You certainly can't beat fresh, local beer, but there's a hidden snag in our Buy Local stampede around Indy: hardly anyone is producing Belgian beers, and the one that does, Brugge, doesn't sell a take-home format of their beer these days. 
  2. Belgian beer is generally more expensive and often comes with a higher alcohol content. Those two factors combine to make me purchase it and drink it less frequently. Much as a LOVE the style, I simply don't have as many occasions to drink a 9 to 10% tripel as I do a 5.5% pale ale. 
There's not a small amount of brewmaster skill in producing great Belgian beer (some rightfully call it an art) and a lot of the best of the best has to come across the Atlantic, so I can see the reasons for the price point.  But that last point has got me thinking: why are Belgian beers generally so high abv?   But why aren't more breweries making 5-6% Belgian beers? Sure there's witbier, but winter's just around the bend folks.  Where's a great six pack of everyday-drinkin', 6% abv dubbel that I can crack when I get home from work in the dead of winter?

Does anybody have any thoughts on why more Belgian beer isn't being brewed in Indy?  Do you wish more breweries focused on (or at least dabbled in) those styles?  Is anybody else with me, wishing that there were more easy-drinking Belgian beers available in the Indy market?

21 October 2011

Random Beer Roundup - The Gang's All Here Edition



Hoosier Beer Calendar
Events are subject to change


From the Brewers
From Jeff at Big Woods Brewery in Nashville;
www.bigwoodsbeer.com



We're having a party on Saturday...Tim will roll out a barrel of Bourbon Barrel Stout along with a new Alt Beer and some other fine craft beers...along with wine from the Brown County Winery and brats by Loveland Farms...and lots of music!



Quaff ON


From the Potable Curmudgeon at New Albanian Brewing Co. in New Albany:
Help NABC say goodbye to Leticia Bajuyo’s “Brew History: All Bottled Up.”, plus NABC XI - Ninth Anniversay Ale release - 10/28



From Andrew at Ram Restaurant and Brewery in Indianapolis/Fishers:


Pie'd Piper Pumpkin Ale Party on October 27th at 6 p.m.The Halloween spirit is coming to the Downtown RAM Restaurant and Brewery including costumes, a Pumpkin-carving contest, spooky spirits tastings, and Pie'd Piper Pumpkin Ale! In addition, Chef John will be whipping up some wholesome Biscuits 'n Turkey. The number of available pumpkins is limited, so come early to carve your gourd with a fresh pint o' pumpkin. 


From Clay at Sun King Brewery in Indianapolis:

We've got a bunch of new beers in the works! Jungle Room IIPA is On Tap in the Tasting Room, while supplies last, and out at bars and restaurants around town. Colt's 444 Malt Liquor, our 444th batch made with Indiana Masa, will be available in the Tasting Room by the time you read this. We brewed our 2011 GABF Gold Medal Winning Scotch Ale, Wee Muckle, on Monday and we're brewing Westy, our California Common / IPA, on Friday. 

We've also have several great beer dinners coming up with Nourish Cafe at the IMA, Restaurant Tallent and Chef JJ's BackYard to round out harvest season and give us an excuse to bust out some fun/rare beers from our cellar!

Upcoming Events:

El Gallo Negro Tapping
Thursday, October 27th  6-9 p.m.
Sun King Tasting Room
Food by @BigGreenBistro
Music TBD
Nourish Cafe Brewer's Dinner at the IMA
Thursday, November 3rd
Contact Nourish for Reservations
(317) 923-1331
1st Friday at The Harrison Center
Friday, November 4th 
Fresh•Local•Beer and Art
1505 N. Delaware St.

Tailgate for Nothing 5 aka TFN5
Saturday, November 5th  11 a.m. - ???
Sun King South Parking Lot
Brought to you by the good folks at Hoosier Beer Geek 
WJJK Colts Tailgate
Sunday, November 6th 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Conrad Hotel - 123 S. Illinois St.
Fresh•Local•Beer & Pre-Game Good Times
Brewer's Dinner at Restaurant Tallent
Tuesday, November 8th  6:00 p.m.
6 Courses of Delicious Food & Beer - $65
812-330-9801 for Reservations

WJJK Colts Tailgate
Sunday, November 13th 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Conrad Hotel - 123 S. Illinois St. 
Fresh•Local•Beer & Pre-Game Good Times

Roving Cinema at Sun King presents Gremlins
Thursday, Novemaber 17th  7:00 p.m.
Movie presented by the Indianapolis International Film Festival
Fresh•Local•Beer and Pizza from Jockamo


From Ryan at Thr3e Wise Men Brewing Co. in Broad Ripple, Indianapolis:
Thre3e Wise Men now has a new seasonal beer on tap. Come in and enjoy a pint of, Long Fang Abbey Ale, on Wednesday for $3.00 a pint.




From Mike at Triton Brewing Company in Indianapolis:
Triton still has a little of the Bourbon Barrel Deadeye Stout left that took 2nd at Brewbracket. Get it before it's gone. Guest Taps: Three Floyds Zombie DustStone Arrogant BastardFounders CeriseRivertown Helles Harpoon Leviathan Double IPABell's OktoberfestGoose Island Pere Jacques Sun King Grapefruit Jungle should be on by Sat. afternoon


From Charles at Upland Brewing Co. in Bloomington/Indianapolis:
 Sour Reserve Reception: Saturday, October 22nd 3-6pm at the Bloomington Brew Pub (Bloomington) 
Try all ten of Upland’s sour ales, including the new Sour Reserve, snack on hors d’oeuvres, and mingle with the brewers. More info and tickets available at http://sourreception.eventbrite.com. 
B-Line Twilight Trail Run & Shindig. Saturday, October 29th, 6-10pm (Bloomington) 
A non-competitive run/walk followed by live music, food, and beer at Upland’s Bloomington Brew Pub. More information and tickets available at http://tinyurl.com/twilightrun. 
Leftover Turkey Trail Run and Novemberfest. Saturday, November 26th, 3-7pm. Eagle’s Crest—Eagle Creek Park (Indianapolis) 
A 5k, 10k, and 1 Mile Group Loop (for those that like to take a break and drink a beer while running with friends) followed by an all-inclusive party with food, beer, and live music. More information and registration at http://tinyurl.com/leftoverturkey.
At Bars and Restaurants
From Jordan at Beer Sellar in Castleton:


New on tap as of 10/19/11
Three Floyds Broo Doo
Peoples Space Cowboy
New Albanian Yakima Rye
Boulder Mojo Nitro
Bells Hopsoulution
Founders Dirty Bastard
Schlafly Kolsch
Events
Beer Sellar welcome Fountain Square Brewery
Meet the crew and get some Pints. We will have their blonde and porter on tap. Also we will have "heybill" pulled pork to go with the beers. Starts at 6:30. Oh yah pints are only $3.


From Lisa at Corner Wine Bar in Broad Ripple, Indianapolis:


Corner Wine Bar/The Wellington

Tuesday, October 25th

7pm in The Wine Cellar

5 courses paired with beer & wine

$45 per person










From Stuart at MacNiven's on Mass Ave., Indianapolis:
Founders Breakfast Stout, Rivertown Brewing Co. Hop Baron DIPA, Sun King Grapefruit Jungle and Moylans Kilt Lifter Scotch Ale.


From Patrick at Patrick's Kitchen and Drinks in Zionsville:
On tap at the moment....3Floyds Dreadnaught....Sun King Jungle Room....Founder's Breakfast Stout.....People's Brewing Pilsner (not the beers for Oktoberfest)
Buy your tickets now! OKTOBERFEST BEER TASTING MONDAY, OCTOBER 24 6:30 PM 
Six stations with perfectly paired beers $35 in advance, $45 at the door 
Appetizers: German Meatballs, Beer-Braised Sausages, Kölsch Fondue
Entrees: Chicken Schnitzel, Sauerbraten 
Sides: Spaetzle Braised Red Cabbage 
Dessert: Black Forest Torte 
SPECIAL REQUESTS? Wine pairings available instead of beer, vegetarian or gluten-free options also, just let us know what you need!


From Ryan at Scotty's Brewhouse in Various Locations:

Come join us at our 96th street store in Indianapolis and enjoy our new rotating tap, Rivertown Brewing Company’s Hop Bomber Pale Ale, you can enjoy it on our Thursday Pint Night for $3.50!!



Scotty’s Lakehouse & Scotty’s Brewhouse West Lafayette now have a new rotating tap, People’s Brewing Space Cowboy DIPA. You can enjoy it every day for $6.00 for a 8oz. pour.



Scotty’s Brewhouse Muncie now has a new rotating tap, New Belgium Hoptoberfest. Join us on Wednesday and get a 48oz pitcher of this delicious beer for only $9.00.


Scotty’s Brewhouse Bloomington has a new rotating tap, Rivertown Brewery Oatmeal Stout. Come in on Thursday night and enjoy a pint for only $3.50.


From Kristin at Tomlinson Tap Room in City Market, Indianapolis:
Wednesday 10/19 ~ First Tappings of Fountain Square Brewing (swag giveaway with prize drawings, something we will do every new brewery tapping) 
Wednesday 10/26 ~ Flat 12 Pumpkin Ale and ?? (hopefully Mad Anthony Pumpkin) 
Monday 10/31 ~ 3 Floyds Broo Doo tapping for Halloween 
Wednesday 11/2 ~ First Tappings of Triton Brewing Company (swag and prizes) 
Wednesday 11/9 ~ New Albanian's Yakima IPA


For Carry-out
From Jason at Tuxedo Park Brewers Supply in Fountain Square:

MONK Chili Bowl 2011! 
Time:    Saturday, November 12 · 5:00pm – 8:00pm 
Location:  Big Car Gallery in Fountain Square  
Think ahead to November. What comes to mind? There's a chill in the air, football on the tv... Now think of food. Chili. Beer. That's just about all you need. 
So let's combine them. The Chili Bowl is a club-sponsored competition to produce both, a beer with chili [peppers] in it and a chili made with THAT beer.  The results will be presented at Big Car Gallery on November 12.  The event will have limited tickets available to the public for $10...proceeds directly support future MONK activities, tastings and products.  If this sounds like you, head over the MONK facebook event page (http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=227225227329688) and post a comment so the organizers will know you would like to purchase tickets – exact method of public ticketing is still TBD.


From the Distributors/Reps:
From Jen at Cavalier Distribution:


UPCOMING EVENTS

11/1 - Birdy's Monthly Beer Tasting ; 6pm-8pm ; $10
11/5 - Fiddler's Hearth thebeerisgood.com Tap Takeover; South Bend (ALL DAY)
11/8 - Founders Special Tapping at Chatham Tap Fishers; (ALL DAY) music starts at 8pm
11/16 -Monon Food Co/People's Brewing Co ; 6pm; tix at MoFoCo $35
12/6 - Birdy's Monthly Beer Tasting ; 6pm-8pm ; $10
12/6 - Stone Special Tapping at Chatham Tap Fishers; (ALL DAY) music starts at 8pm
12/14 - NABC Special Tapping at The Sinking Ship ; 7pm
1/31/2012 - Binkley's Super Founders Bowl Beer Dinner ; Tuesday, 6:30pm ; $75.00, tix at Binkley's