cocktALEs | No Seats Left

At this time, there are no seats left for our cocktALEs event with The Ball & Biscuit. However, more seats may become available as we get closer to the event on April 1st. Therefore, please keep checking in here at Hoosier Beer Geek because we will let you know if more seats open up. To those of you who reserved seats, thanks! We look forward to enjoying the event with you.

cocktALEs | A Ball & Biscuit/Hoosier Beer Geek April Fools Day Event

We love staging events that bring together Indy's craft beer lovers. We think that we've gotten pretty good at staging them too. Our two annual events, the Craft Beer Meal That Comes Before Lunch and the Anniversary Roundtable, are things that we eagerly look forward to every year (we're still working on a date for this year's CBMTCBL, so be patient). And our semi-annual Tailgate for Nothing (we're headed toward TFN6 some time late this spring) grows each time we stage that event.

But we like to shake things up. So we did some brainstorming. To help us out, we contacted Zach Wilks of The Ball & Biscuit. What did we come up with?

cocktALEs: A Ball & Biscuit/Hoosier Beer Geek April Fools Day Event

What is cocktALEs? Aside from being a catchy name that Jason thought up, cocktALEs is an opportunity for Zach and us to get creative by integrating beer with liquor. cocktALEs will feature a flight of five beer cocktails. The main recipes are Zach's; the beer additions are our contributions, with a focus on local brewers. In short, we've decided to dabble in a little beer/liquor alchemy to see if we can create the elixir of life. And we want to share that elixir with you

Interested in attending? Here are the details for the event:

When and where: Sunday, April 1, 2012, 1 p.m., at The Ball & Biscuit, 331 Mass Ave., 317.636.0593.

The food menu: A buffet-style spread including cheeses, dips, and other finger foods prepared by Brad Gates Catering.

The cocktALE menu:  A beer cocktail flight that will proceed in the following order--

1. French 75 à la Bière

2. Cider Sangria

3. Hoosier Michelada

4. Hop Manhattan

5. Cherry Bourbon Milk Stout Dessert Cocktail

The price: $30 per person plus tax and tip, to be paid on the day of the event.

How to reserve seats: Since we're not selling tickets to the event, you'll need to reserve a seat. At this time, we have only 10 seats available, though more may be available in the future. Therefore, if you want to reserve a seat, please email us at hoosierbeergeek@gmail.com and tell us how many seats you'd like to reserve. In your email to us, please include your name, your phone number, and your email address. There is a two-seat maximum per person with the reservations, and we will accept reservations on a first come, first served basis. Therefore, if you want a seat, you'll need to act quickly. Also, we will attempt to confirm with you a week before the event. If you fail to confirm with us, we will release any seats you've reserved.

We hope to see you on Sunday, April 1!

Notes from the Beer and Chocolate Benefit

Hoosier Beer Geek would like to thank the folks who helped us make our first Beer and Chocolate Benefit such a success. First off, we'd like to thank everyone who bought tickets and joined us for the evening. Your donations are on their way to the fine folks at Second Helpings. We couldn't have done it without the fantastic contributions from Best Chocolate In Town, Upland, Sun King, and the amazing staff and facility at Ball & Biscuit.


In case you missed it - or wanted to be reminded of what you had - the menu was as follows:

Upland Wheat + Lemon Chiffon Truffle
White Chocolate Ganache
Dark Chocolate Shell with Yellow Dot Decoration


Three Floyds Robert The Bruce + Ginger Wasabi Truffle
Dark Chocolate Ganache
Dark Chocolate Shell w/ Crystalized Ginger Decoration


Founders Centennial IPA + Honey Lavender Truffle
White Chocolate Ganache and Shell
Purple Swirls Decoration


Sun King Barrel Aged Das Buffalo + Tiramisu Truffle
Milk and White Chocolate Ganache
Dark Chocolate Shell with Milk Chocolate Stripe


Upland Double Dragonfly + The Gorg (Gorgonzola) Truffle
Dark Chocolate Ganache and Shell
Toasted Walnut Decoration


Upland Teddy Bear Kisses + Fiery Pepper Truffle
Dark Chocolate Ganache and Shell
Paprika Dusting Decoration


These events are as much fun to put on as they are to attend, and it's a credit to our readership that things go so well. We're just getting started! Stay tuned, we hope to put something together before the end of the year.

Beer and Chocolate - what could possibly be better?

We are proud to announce a beer and chocolate tasting event!  We'll pair 6 beers with truffles from the Best Chocolate in Town.  The event will be at the wonderfully awesome Ball & Biscuit.  Get your tickets quick, as the event is limited to just 25 people.

When: Wednesday, October 20th, 2010
Where: Ball & Biscuit, 331 Massachusetts Avenue
Time: 6:30 pm

Tickets are just $15 (cash or check, please) and only available at the Best Chocolate in Town.  Proceeds from this event will be donated to Second Helpings.

KOTBR #109 - The Mass Ave Craft Beer Pride Parade

Don Pardo: Live from the crossroads of America... It's the 4th annual Craft Beer Pride Parade! Featuring performances by Lady Gaga, the TOTS Rocky-ettes, the cast of the hit show Cougartown, Ted Miller with his pants on the ground, and a visit from Santa Claus!

Reporting from the street, Midwest Professional Mud Wrestling champion Jason "The Beer Gut"...

Reporting from the Scotty's Brewhouse blimp high above Massachusetts Avenue, award winning photographer and artist M'Kale.

And in the booth, he hosts the popular radio show "Mornings with the Mohel" and she presently holds court at the Clay County Coffee Beer Festival, it's Rabbi Jim and Queen Gina...

Gina: Thanks Jason and hello Rabbi Jim! And welcome, everyone, to this year's parade. It's shaping up to be a hot one, so make sure you stay hydrated. Jim, I know when you think hot summer day, you don't really think coffee stout, right? I wouldn't normally think so either, but I think Bee Creek has really done a nice job here on this first float. Oh and speaking of float, would this coffee stout make a perfect ice cream float or what?


M'Kale: Um guys, it's really scary up here. Scary scary. Is this thing supposed to hiss?

Jason: Sorry to interrupt everybody, but they are giving samples of the Clay County Coffee Stout down here and I rue the buffoon who doesn't get any of this. It's better than a Bigbucks iced coffee. I'll body slam anybody that tries to take it away from me.

Ah! Bees!

Back to you Jim and Gina.

Jim: Thank you, Jason. And I don't think I'll try to take away your sample. After all, I'm a lover, not a fighter. When you're a mohel, you have to be a lover; you can't be making enemies with anyone when you're going to be circumcising their sons.

Speaking of circumcisions, I have to say that there's nothing that I like better after performing a bris than a Clay County Coffee Stout. Malty, chocolaty, and full of java boldness, it's perfect for taking the edge off after the ceremony is over. Indeed, I got so wrapped up in drinking my last post-bris Coffee Stout that I almost sat in Elijah's chair! Oy vey! I could've made such a shmendrik of myself!


You know, every so often, my cousin Moishe and I head down to the Mass Ave Pub to have a few drinks on Tuesday nights after Moishe closes up his shtreimel shop. What a great place that Mass Ave Pub is! You can't beat the Tuesday night deals there -- $3.75 for craft beers! It would be a shonda to miss a Tuesday night there.

And now I see the Mass Ave Pub's float coming up right behind the Bee Creek float. M'Kale, how are things looking from up there?

M'Kale: Well we've figured out the hissing, anyway - the blimpist is also a snakehandler! Ha ha ha ha!

As for that float - I think the use of a giant recliner might be in reference to the Mass Ave Pub's cozy and familiar confines? The red brick is certainly are a reference to the pub's rebuilt walls - you may remember that the pub closed for a couple years back in 2005 when a next-door construction project went awry. I just love the use of reds and greens. What I think they're trying to say here is we are all citizens of the world - a world in which wars are fought and lost, people live and die, money is made and spent, and love is all around you if you just look... excuse me folks, the hissing has returned. I don't think it's snakes. Is this supposed to be hot?


Gina: Ok, good luck up there. What I think he was getting at is that the Mass Ave Pub is a comfortable place to share a good beer. An interesting fact about the Mass Ave Pub is that it is owned by the same family as MacNiven's, another popular bar in the area. The bar is also a favorite to the local firemen who work down the street.

Jason, how's it going down there on the street?

Jason: Sorry to interrupt again but we have trouble down here. As we passed the corporate coffee chain location on Mass Ave, the swarm of barista bees on the Bee Creek float are becoming very agitated. I sympathize with the sap that gets in their way. I hope the firefighters on the Mass Ave Pub float whip out their hoses and cool them off in a hurry. Don't you agree, Queen Gina?

Gina: Yes, yes I do! That would be a sight. Now the coffee they use is called "Brazil Santos" and it is from Jameson Coffee in Greencastle, just about a half hour from the brewery in Brazil, Indiana. I'll tell you what, even in this heat wave, this coffee stout tastes great! Jim, your thoughts?

Jim: Huh? Oh, I'm sorry Gina. It's just that I was a bit distracted by the next float heading up the parade route here. I think this is . . . yes, it is. This is the float from Sun King Brewing. Ah, Sun King -- who would have thought a year ago that these guys would become the big machers on the Indianapolis beer scene? And who is that I see standing at the head of the float? That has to be . . . yes, that's Clay Robinson. You know, the first time I saw that young man, I mistook him for a Lubavitcher, what with that beard and all. A nice young man he is. That kid is a major league kibitzer and can schmooze with the best of 'em. So M'Kale, how are you and those reptiles doing up there?


M'Kale: ...no I don't think that's supposed to be smoking... Oh hey, Jim. Yes, Sun King - would you believe that Clay and I share the same hairdresser? Speaking of hair, Sun King's Osiris Pale Ale is certainly a highlight of their lineup, and I suppose that's why their float has the same familiar silver sheen as its classy can-tainer. Rumor has it that Osiris is made with so many hops that the hops police called and said, "Stop using all the hops!" Oh boy that's funny. Something up here is definitely on fire.

Jason: I see the Sun King float now. The float has hops frolicking and playing. I think they are putting on a circus. Yes.. yes, it is a circus. Hops are balancing themselves on the high wire. An obvious inference that the Osiris has a great hop balance.

It appears that Clay is throwing cans of his Osiris Pale Ale into the crowd. Unfortunately, the crowd is distracted by the irate barista bees and the blimp above. So the cans are hitting the people in the head. There is blood everywhere. People on the ground, wailing. I haven't seen this much gore since I was in Wrestlepalooza XIV when I took on the Squirreling Dervishes in a group cage match. Thankfully, the Chatterbox float is coming in behind the Sun King float. And there is some excellent free-form jazz fusion being played. And people are forgetting about their injuries and instead enjoying the funky beat.

I rue the foo' who doesn't enjoy that sound. Am I right?

By the way, does anybody else smell barbeque?


Jim: Jason, I don't think that's barbecue. I think that's bacon I smell. I'd recognize that smell anywhere. I'm looking on my monitor here -- yes, it looks like Clay has brought a barrel of Sun King's world famous Baconator Doppelbock and is sharing it with the crowd to make amends for his errant can-throwing. Boy, the crowd is loving it! Of course, I wouldn't know much about bacon beer, it being treyf and all. I do, however, know a lot about Osiris Pale Ale. The can says that it's brewed by their brewers for their brewers. I can see why -- with the refreshing, citrusy hopiness of this beer, it's got to be a favored beer of any serious Hoosier State hophead.

I'll tell you, I always keep a four-pack of Osiris Pale Ale in my refrigerator. It's my go-to beer. It beats He'Brew Genesis Ale by a mile. Shhhh--don't tell my wife Rivka that I said that. She'll never forgive me. So to Sun King, I say "Kol Hakavod" for putting out such a fantastic beer!

Gina, I now see the Chatterbox Jazz Club's float coming along behind the Sun King float. Quite an interesting design. What do you think of it?


Gina: Well Jim, they did a real nice job replicating the bar. Check out the giant foil ball! I wonder if it is the same one from the bar! If it is, it was what was left of the foil used in the 2008 Jury Award winner from the 48 Hour Film Festival. The movie was even called "Foil." Oh! Did you see the flags along the side? They even got the age old dust along the edges! That is definitely an authentic touch!

Do I see vendors handing out those Patties of Jamaica patties along side of the float? Can I get some of those up here? I love those spicy little things! They would go great with the delicious Osiris I'm having. I'm lucky I saw that flying up here or that tall can may have knocked me out.

M'Kale, can you hear the band from where you are?

M'Kale: Band? What? We are going down! I repeat, we are going down!

Who put the parachutes in with the snakes?

Jason: Well that's a first... an artist type without enough hot air to fill a blimp. Don't worry, M'Kale, a flock of geese are flying your way. Maybe you can jump on one and ride it down to safety.

Speaking of geese, the Goose Island float is up next. It looks like it is filled with hot chicks pillow fighting. Am I seeing that right? Gina... Rabbi... what do you see?

Um, it looks like the blimp is headed straight for the booth. Gina and the Rabbi, any last words about Goose Island and the Ball and Biscuit before M'Kale's fireball of a blimp crashes into you?


Gina: Pillow fight? Did I miss the floats? Sorry, I was trying to see where M'Kale and the snakes were going to land.

Well, you already know I love Ball and Biscuit, and I enjoy Matilda very much; it has an interesting mix of spice and citrus in the nose that follows through to the flavor. It drinks like a sessionable pint, but at 7% ABV, I'm afraid it would have to be a very short session. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to get the hell out of here before that crazy blimp gets here. Ball and Biscuit anyone?

Thanks everybody, see you next time!

Jason: Rabbi? Concluding thoughts before your ultimate demise?


Jim: Gina, I'm right behind you. I'm going to need a visit to the Ball & Biscuit for some of that lovely Matilda to calm my nerves after all of this mishegas.

Good news, though -- I can confirm that M'Kale has been able to successfully bail out of the blimp with a Scotty's Brewhouse(TM) parachute. Yes . . . he has just deployed the chute and is now floating in the direction of Sun King headquarters over on College Avenue. I'm not surprised to see him headed in that direction.

So until next year's parade, this is Rabbi Jim signing off. And don't forget to tune in to the next edition of "Mornings with the Mohel" as we welcome special guests Barry Manilow, Jackie Mason, and former WWE Heavyweight Champion Bill Goldberg.

Bee Creek Clay County Coffee Stout
Gina: 4.4 Mugs | Mike: 3.5 Mugs | Jason: 3.85 Mugs | Jim: 3.98 Mugs
KOTBR Score: 3.93 Mugs

Sun King Osiris Pale Ale
Gina: 4.4 Mugs | Mike: 4.17 Mugs | Jason: 4.25 Mugs | Jim: 4.25 Mugs
KOTBR Score: 4.28 Mugs

Goose Island Matilda
Gina: 3.62 Mugs | Mike: 3.29 Mugs | Jason: 3.55 Mugs | Jim: 3.89 Mugs
KOTBR Score: 3.58 Mugs

Mass Avenue Pub
745 Massachusetts Avenue
317.974.0745
Website
Mass Avenue Pub on Facebook

The Chatterbox Jazz Club
435 Massachusetts Avenue
317.636.0584
Website
The Chatterbox on Facebook

The Ball & Biscuit
331 Massachusetts Avenue
317.636.0539
Website
The Ball & Biscuit on Facebook

KOTBR #108 - A Great Divide at the Ball & Biscuit

The theme of this review was supposed to be “A Great Divide”—in other words, an epic conflict or disagreement. For my part of the review, I was going to write a goofy dialogue between Liam and Noel Gallagher of Oasis, who are famous for their king-size bust-ups. And you know, it probably would have been pretty funny (well, at least in my mind it would have been funny). But then I thought about how impressed I was with the location of our latest review, the Ball & Biscuit (331 Massachusetts Avenue, 636-0539, no smoking), and how I really wanted the essence of the place to shine through in my review. So here I am with a garden-variety beer review.

If you keep up on the Mass Ave scene, you probably already know about the Ball & Biscuit, which has been open since late June. For those who don’t know, the B&B is in the newish Three Mass Condos building (it’s the building that looks like a landlocked cruise ship). The reviews that I’ve read of the bar call it a modern speakeasy. That description seems apt given the bar’s exposed brick walls, mid-century modern fixtures, and vintage cocktail list. In fact, the place sort of looks as if an IKEA showroom collided with your grandpa’s cellar (in a good way). And the theme of the bar springs from the vintage microphone that is the bar’s namesake. You’ll see it sitting behind the bar along with other old-time radio paraphernalia.

The Ball & Biscuit’s offerings, from the cocktails to the food to the beer and wine lists, are aimed at the sophisticated palate. One’s enjoyment of the bar’s fare isn’t spoiled by cigar and cigarette smoke either because the bar is a smoke-free establishment. The cocktails, put together by the Ball & Biscuit’s managing partner and mixologist Zach Wilks, include artisanal ingredients. Among those ingredients are spirits from Wisconsin’s highly regarded Death’s Door Distillery. I’ve had Zach’s Sidecar and Sazerac and emphatically recommend both of these cocktails. Indeed, if you’ve never had absinthe, you’ll want to try the Sazerac, which includes a few drops of the anise-flavored liquor.

The food menu of small plates was created by Chef Brad Gates, formerly of Euphoria and now the man behind Brad Gates Catering and Events. Though the food menu is small, it has a good variety of fare, including several vegetarian dishes. I’ve had the olive plate, the hummus plate, and the brown sugar nut mix. All were wonderful; the nut mix was uniquely delicious because it included a dusting of rosemary in addition to the brown sugar.

While the Ball & Biscuit’s spirits and food are top-notch, we visited, of course, for the beer. The bar boasts eight taps and a fairly extensive bottle list. Both the tap and bottle lists are craft beer oriented. The only macro on tap is Guinness. The remaining seven taps include three Indiana beers—Three Floyds Robert the Bruce, Upland Wheat, and Sun King Sunlight Cream Ale—and four beers from a specific region of the country. During our visit, the four regional taps featured Colorado beers: two from Great Divide and two from Breckinridge. On tap from Great Divide were Hercules, a double IPA, and Hades, a Belgian blonde ale. On tap from Breckinridge were Avalanche, an amber ale, and the Vanilla Porter (self-explanatory, of course).

We haven’t reviewed many Great Divide beers (only one or two, if I remember correctly), so we chose the Hercules Double IPA. To simply describe this beer, it is a malt-dominated double IPA. I think that if you had blindfolded me and given me this beer to taste, I might have guessed it to be Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA, which has a fairly similar flavor profile. The difference from 90 Minute, however, is in the hops. Hercules has a hop character that is more floral and piney rather than citrus/grapefruit, which is the hop character that I usually get out of 90 Minute. Hercules is an outstanding double IPA, one of the better beers of the style that I’ve tried. 4.40 Mugs.

Downtown Indianapolis has needed a bar like the Ball & Biscuit for a long time. It gives beer geeks a sophisticated yet laid-back place to enjoy craft beer. Fortunately, the tap list will not remain static, so you’ll have opportunities to try new and different beers if you visit often. Zach told us that he plans to periodically change the four regional taps. After the Colorado beers are gone, next up will be beers from Northeastern breweries.


This is the dialogue I had with myself while perusing the menus at Ball & Biscuit:

“Should I have a beer or cocktail?”
“We are here to roundtable.”
“Yeah, but have you seen the cocktail list?”
“Have YOU seen the draft list?”

From the pleasing colors of teal and dark brown, to the copper bar and all that’s behind it, the Ball and Biscuit is an extremely pleasant addition to the bar scene in the city. We were fortunate enough to enjoy the bar and its offerings on a quiet Sunday evening which gave us plenty opportunity to chat up Zach (who is as pleasant as the decor), who was mixing ingredients for a new cocktail recipe as we spoke. He spoke genuinely and candidly about the bar, its name (it has nothing to do with the White Stripes song, btw), and things he hopes to offer in the future (cool playlists, new cocktails, more beer, etc.). Zach has all the things that make for a great bartender and one that you want to go see often.

In the end, I chose beer, and I knew I made the right choice (not that it was THAT hard) when I took a sniff of the Hercules. A deep inhale of citrus and pine aromas seem to fill my nose and chest so thick, it makes me think of what it would be like to breathe underwater. The taste and mouthfeel is everything I love about Double IPA’s, strong, bitter hop flavors balanced by a sweet and thick, malty back. The juxtaposition in flavors of refreshing citrus with chewy malt is one of my most favorite things about beer in general and being able to enjoy this beer in an extremely pleasant atmosphere is a big plus for me. 4.4 Mugs.


Perhaps the best indication of how much we enjoyed the Ball & Biscuit is the fact that we all wanted to skip the gimmicks and just write about the place. Jim and Gina have covered most of it; what stuck out most to me was the fact that the Ball & Biscuit was as sophisticated as any bar in the city, yet didn't in any way feel stuffy or pretentious. The folks behind the decoration have done a fantastic job of making a very comfortable and masculine sort of space. It even smells a little bit like you spilled lacquer in your brand new garage (the smell fades with continued exposure and I suspect will continue to fade - I'm sure it has something to do with that brand new lacquered bartop).

The beer, on the other hand, smells like heaven. Piney and grassy, with a sweet front that follows, a tiny hint of lacto-like sourness (I'm thinking Apocalypse Cow) - if I'm looking for a Double IPA on the menu, this is one I'll be more than happy to find. 4.4 Mugs.

Great Divide Hercules DIPA
Jim: 4.4 Mugs | Gina: 4.4 Mugs | Mike: 4.4 Mugs
KOTBR Score: 4.4 Mugs