KOTBR #146 - NKOTB and the Bee's Knees

Gina wrote...

First, my apologies for no photos on this post.  I recommend you go and see for yourself!

We recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Brett Canaday and Tia Agnew, owners of New Day Meadery, in their Fountain Square tasting room. They unofficially got their start in 2001 as a hobby and spent some time perfecting their mead and cider recipes and officially organized the brand in 2004.  Their first public offering was in May 2006 in Elwood, Indiana.  Today, their small but mighty crew of three full-time and four part-time employees are making quite a name for themselves in the beer community as well as their current home community of Fountain Square.

Mead is wine made from honey, and honey is made from bees, correct?  So are they COVERED IN BEES? As it turns out, Brett and Tia don’t keep bees as part of their commercial business.  Though they did keep bees while working on their recipes, upon commercial opening, Brett thought “it would be a better idea to let expert beekeepers be experts.”  So currently, all of New Day’s honey is purchased from Wildflower Ridge Honey Farm in Anderson.  As they are growing, however, they are beginning to outgrow the Farm’s offering of approximately 250 hives and will eventually be adding other keepers, such as Clover Blossom Honey, which services around 2000 hives.

Those numbers seem awfully large, right?  250 hives!  That is a lot of honey!  Yes, it is.  A hive can produce between 50 and 100 pounds of honey per year.  New Day uses three barrels of honey per month, and those aren’t the beer barrels you may be thinking of; they are the 55-gallon drums.  (That beer barrel you may be thinking of, the 1/2 barrel, holds approximately 15.5 gallons).

Changing and/or adding suppliers, you say?  Won’t that make a difference in the flavor?  Well, yes.  “Honey is different, even off the same hives,” says Canaday.  In traditional unfruited meads, you may be able to tell differences between early and late season in the honey. Traditional meads will impart those differences much more than fruit meads because of the nectars specific to different blossoms.  This is something New Day hopes to explore more at a later time.  But for now, they are looking to maximize their new production space, now in Indianapolis.

Wait, isn’t this a beer website?

Sure!  But we love Brett and Tia AND their meads and ciders.  Plus, some of their process is just like brewing, and they use some of the same ingredients that we love, like hops and yeast.  In fact, just about the only thing they can’t use in their production is grains.  Wineries (New Day is filed as a winery) are prohibited by federal law to use grains in their production.  Zero.  None.  Nada.

Production can also be a little different.  Though New Day's meads are pretty much honey-and-water fermented, it is technically the choice of the brewer (I think the mead and cider makers are still called that) to boil this concoction or not. “Whereas breweries will brew to extract the fermentable sugars and make them available for fermentation, for us, honey is water soluble.  You blend it with water and it is ready to ferment,” said Brett.  It isn’t exactly that simple.  It is still a hand-crafted art.  It takes skill to produce and honey isn’t always cooperative.  If it is too sweet, it won’t ferment.  Air is key.

Wine yeast is often used to make mead, but New Day is looking into using more beer yeast, which was used in their Snap Dragon.  Snap Dragon is also made with coriander, orange peel. apricots and honey.  All that along with Hallertau hops and you’ve got a mighty tasty mead.   4.2 Mugs.

Meg wrote...

I learned a lot about mead during our recent visit to New Day Meadery in Fountain Square. Did you know they use 1500-2000 pounds of honey each month? Did you know that "wineries" are forbidden to use grains? I also learned that I love Snap Dragon; leave it to the beer geeks to pick one of the only meads made with hops (hallertau) and Belgian Wit yeast. It had some very nice spice to the finish and gentle flortal hints up front. I highly recommend stopping by the next time you are in the area. Try a flight so you can experience some of the unique offerings. The knowledgeable staff will walk you through the menu. 4.269 mugs.

P.S. It should be noted that if you are a gamer, they have a wonderful semi-private backroom with a pretty large table.

Kristin wrote...

New Day Meadery...this place does not know a stranger. Always friendly, always accommodating, always willing to chit-chat it up. The place has a vibe like no other. At one time, you can have a group of friends gaming at the back table, a couple having a romantic date at a table for two, and a bachelorette party sampling at the bar. Oh, and everyone is having a fantastic time. Owners Brett and Tia have poured their everything into New Day, and it's terribly evident.

On this ocassion, we sampled Snap Dragon, a honey and apricot wine fermented with orange peel, coriander, Hallertau HOPS!, and Belgian Wit yeast. That's right, hops...right into a wine. It was delicious. The wine poured a nice gold color, and the nose was a little spicy, and a little sweet...definitely lured me in. It was very drinkable, refreshing, not too sweet, and the Belgian yeast definitely came through for a bit of a zip. Snap Dragon was a perfect choice for the beautiful fall evening.

I have to mention that New Day has the Apiary Room, the perfect space for any special event. It's reasonably priced at $60/hour, and it can hold up to 30 seated folks. I was especially drawn to the large table - it would be perfect for a gaming session. :)

And back to the Snap Dragon...4.3 mugs!

KOTBR #138 | Fountain Square Times Two

We make no secret of the fact that we like Fountain Square. Poll all seven of us and most (if not all) of us will tell you that it's our favorite Indianapolis neighborhood.

We love the neighborhood for both sentimental and practical reasons. As for the sentimental reasons, Fountain Square is where the seed of Hoosier Beer Geek was planted and began to grow. Indeed, when we started regularly doing roundtables in 2006, we made the now-defunct Deano's Vino our unofficial base of operations. We also used to hold HBG parties at Deano's, and our first anniversary party was there as well.

As for the practical reasons, Fountain Square is close to where most of us live. Add to this the fact that the neighborhood is finally coming into its own as a cultural destination in the city and we wonder why we would spend our entertainment dollars anywhere else in Indianapolis. We still love places like Broad Ripple and Mass Ave. But Fountain Square is where the city's young cultural heart truly beats.

We'll get out to different parts of the city for future roundtables. But for our most recent roundtable, we found ourselves back in Fountain Square to hit up two new establishments: La Margarita (1043 Virginia Avenue, 317.848.1457) and End of the Line Public House (1105 Shelby Street, 317.687.4857).

In addition to offering hearty Mexican fare and a well-rounded selection of premium tequilas, La Margarita has six craft taps and a good bottle selection. Proprietor Jon Carlos Rangel likes to stock off-the-beaten-path craft beers. For example, about a month ago, we enjoyed some Three Floyds/Dogfish Head Poppaskull on tap. Currently, Belgian quad Urthel Samaranth is on draft.



As for End of the Line, Fountain Square finally has a bar devoted solely to craft beer with the recent addition of this bar. The End of the Line has ten taps, mostly local, along with a diverse menu of appetizers, salads, sandwiches, and pizzas. The menu also has a good selection of vegetarian dishes.



While at La Margarita, we had People's Pilsner from Lafayette's People's Brewing Company.

Mike: The nose on this beer is sweet like sweet corn (minus the flaws implied) or those powdered sugar Christmas cookies. The beer is sweet and clean throughout, finishes clean but not particularly dry. Clean, agreeable, drinkable, all things a pils should be. 4.00 Mugs.


Gina: Brewed for its working-class citizen coal miners and steel workers, the original Dortmunder-style pilsner was made to be full-bodied and thirst-quenching. It needed to be hearty enough to satisfy the strongest of thirsts. The history of the style is quite fascinating if you’re into that sort of thing.

People’s gave a nod to this style with People's Pilsner. Their rendition takes advantage of the hard water in Lafayette. This, along with Caramalt and Santium hops, gives this beer a balance of sweet and bitter. This beer is full-bodied with a slightly dry finish and absolutely loaded with flavor for a 4.5% ABV beer. If I had not just come from dinner, this beer would have been perfect with just about everything at La Margarita. 3.60 Mugs.

Jim: This beer stood out to me because of its spicy finish. Indeed, the beer left my palate with a peppery note. I'm used to a bitter finish on pilsners, but the peppery bitterness in People's Pilsner was quite memorable. A great representation of the style and one that I'll now be seeking out more often. 4.00 Mugs.


After finishing our People's Pilsners, we headed over to End of the Line to have Flat12 Bierwerks' Walkabout Pale Ale. Flat12 just celebrated their one-year anniversary, where they featured some outstanding variations on some of the flagship beers they brew.

Gina: For last year’s ReplicAle, the Brewers of Indiana Guild chose a single hop pale ale. Each brewery chose their hop and brewed their beer based on a recipe created by brewmaster Liz Laughlin of Rock Bottom College Park. Flat12 chose Galaxy as their hop and brewed their beer. It was a smash hit at the festival, and they found themselves replacing their existing Puppet Show Pale Ale for this delightful new brew. It has a tropical fruity aroma that is so nice, it is almost relaxing. Malt shines through in this beer as well, making it a well-balanced brew. 4.00 Mugs.


Jim: I poured beer at the ReplicAle tent at last summer's Indiana Microbrewers Festival, and Gina is correct when she calls Flat12's Walkabout a "smash hit." Above all other ReplicAles, festival attendees were clamoring for this beer. The keg blew quickly, and for good reason. Not only is this beer fairly sessionable at 5.3% ABV, it's brimming with flavor with its mango, passion fruit, and grapefruit attributes. That being said, it doesn't overwhelm your palate, making it a good beer for multiple-pint sittings. I don't know that I'd put Walkabout in the quite the same class as Three Floyds Zombie Dust, but it's pretty close. 4.45 Mugs.


Mike: Grapefruity, biscuity, fuck who needs another goddamn pale ale review. This one is fucking good though. Chewy chewy chewy. I like a little more malt, but I can't fault the beer. 4.00 Mugs.

People's Pilsner
Mike: 4.00 Mugs | Gina: 3.60 Mugs | Jim: 4.00 Mugs
KOTBR Score: 3.87 Mugs

Flat12 Bierwerks Walkabout Pale Ale
Mike: 4.00 Mugs | Gina: 4.00 Mugs | Jim: 4.45 Mugs
KOTBR Score: 4.15 Mugs

Where to Drink in Indy - Hoosier Beer Geek's Guide to Fountain Square

When it comes to Indianapolis neighborhoods, Fountain Square is one of our favorite drinking destinations. Not only did the neighborhood initially serve as our home base, it also has much to offer visitors. If you're looking for good food, great local shopping, thought-provoking art, or cutting edge live music, Fountain Square has all of these things. And with the Fountain Square branch of the Cultural Trail finally complete, the neighborhood is poised to leap to the top of the list of must-visit Indianapolis destinations.

Whether you're unfamiliar with Fountain Square or looking to explore the neighborhood's newest watering holes, here's our list of Fountain Square establishments to check out, especially if you want to enjoy a good pint or two (or three, etc.).

B's Po Boy
Maybe you're a native of the Big Easy yearning for a taste of your hometown or someone who simply appreciates great New Orleans cuisine. Regardless, B's Po Boy should be on your list of dining establishments to visit regularly. Aside from the namesake sandwiches, B's also serves up gumbo, beignets, and a rotating list of craft beer. And if you're itching to take on other bocce enthusiasts, you'll want to visit B's, which sports two bocce courts.
1261 S. Shelby St.
317.916.5555
Website

Bluebeard
Since Bluebeard appeared on the Indy dining scene in the summer of 2012 with its Italian-influenced cuisine and artisanal breads, patrons have been clamoring to get a table at the restaurant. So yes, the food is fantastic. Fortunately, Bluebeard's proprietors also understand that a great dining experience is supplemented by a well-curated craft beer selection. Bluebeard's tap list is usually dominated by beers brewed right here in the Hoosier State.
653 Virginia Ave.
317.686.1580
Website
HBG Visits:
KOTBR #143 - If This Isn't Nice, I Don't Know What Is

The Brass Ring Lounge
This swing-era bar offers small plates, classic cocktails, and several craft beer selections on tap. The Brass Ring is favorite hangout with the neighborhood locals. The retractable front walls and the open air patio make the Brass Ring a great place to drink at in the summer. 21+ only.
1245 Shelby St.
317.635.RING (7464)‎
Website
HBG Visits:
KOTBR #76 - Do This In Memory of Jim

The End of the Line Public House
Located in the Fountain Square Theatre Building, The End of the Line Public House has 10 taps, mostly local, along with a diverse selection of appetizers, salads, sandwiches, and pizzas. The menu also has a good selection of vegetarian dishes. Open for breakfast on Saturdays and brunch on Sundays. Named for the Fountain Square terminus of Indy's long-defunct streetcar line.
1105 Shelby Street
317.687.4857
Website
HBG Visits:
KOTBR #138 | Fountain Square Times Two
End of the Line - Now Open in Fountain Square

Fountain Square Brewing Company
One of Indianapolis' newer breweries, Fountain Square Brewing Company has a strong stable of flagship beers, including a pale, an amber, a porter, and one of the best Pilsners in Indiana. The tap room offers pint sales in addition to growler sales. 21+ only.
1301 Barth Avenue
317.493.1410
Website
HBG Visits:
KOTBR #145: Fountain Square

Imbibe Lobby Bar
Five taps, a nice bottle selection, and a friendly, whip-smart bartender who makes outstanding vintage cocktails--what more could you ask for? Imbibe has a chill atmosphere and is the perfect place to kick off the night or to visit for a nightcap. Bartender Brian Jones will set you up nicely. 21+ only.
1105 Shelby Street
317.685.1959
Website
HBG Visits:
KOTBR #99 - Stone Arrogant Bastard at Imbibe
KOTBR #135 - And Now For Something Completely Different

La Margarita
In addition to offering hearty Mexican fare, La Margarita has six craft taps and an exceptional bottle selection. Indeed, proprietor Jon Carlos Rangel likes to stock off-the-beaten-path craft beers. La Margarita also has a well-rounded selection of premium tequilas.
1043 Virginia Avenue
Murphy Arts Center
317.848.1457
Website
HBG Visits:
KOTBR #142 | Two at La Margarita Fountain Square
KOTBR #138 | Fountain Square Times Two

New Day Meadery
Looking for something other than beer? Head to New Day's beautiful tasting room at the corner of Shelby and Prospect to try their mead (honey wine), cider, or both. The meads range from dry to sweet, so there's something at New Day to suit most palates. Try a Hoosier Beer Geek favorite:  Breakfast Magpie, a delicious mead made with a hefty dose of raspberries and coffee.
1102 Prospect Street
888.MEADERY (888.632.3378)
Website
HBG Visits:
KOTBR #146 - NKOTB and the Bee's Knees
It's a New Day in Fountain Square

Radio Radio
Radio Radio has become an institution in Indianapolis' local music scene. Run by Tufty Clough, bassist for local punk legends Zero Boys, Radio Radio hosts both local and national acts. And the club is no dive either, being one of the nicer places in the city to see live music among an eclectic crowd. The club normally has at least two craft selections on tap, usually local. 21+ only.
1119 Prospect Street
317.955.0995
Website

Red Lion Grog House
The Red Lion is Fountain Square's very own taste of the British Isles. Footy on the telly, fish and chips on the menu, and at least half of their 10 taps carrying craft beer, Red Lion is always a popular neighborhood destination. Check out trivia night on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
1043 Virginia Avenue, #6
Murphy Arts Center
317.822.4764
Website
HBG Visits:
KOTBR #105 - The Zoo That Is Fountain Square

Revolucion Café & Bar
The interior of this popular cantina looks like it was decorated by a group of nuns and luchadores after they'd ingested peyote. Out back of the establishment, a Polynesian atmosphere rules the day as the outdoor patio serves as the neighborhood's tiki bar. Revolucion's menu focuses on tacos, with a few other familiar Tex-Mex items (such as nachos) sprinkled in. The cafe has 10 taps, mostly craft, plus a selection of standard Mexican beers in the bottle or can and the house lager (which is Coors) on draft. And yes, margaritas too. 21+ only.
1132 Prospect Street
317.423.9490
Facebook page (no website)
HBG Visits:
KOTBR #131 - Flat12 Milk Stout at La Revolucion Cafe & Bar

Santorini Greek Kitchen
We have to confess--Santorini Greek Kitchen isn't a craft beer mecca. The restaurant carries only Sun King Brewing Company's flagship beers--Osiris Pale Ale, Wee Mac Scottish Ale, and Sunlight Cream Ale--and of those, only Sunlight Cream Ale is on tap. But even if the craft beer selection is limited, Santorini is worth visiting because it's one of the best Greek restaurants in the city. Order a combination plate and you'll be greeted with a massive platter of delicious Greek favorites that at least two people can share. Reservations are highly recommended, especially on weekends.
1417 Prospect Street
317.917.1117
Website

Siam Square
Lovers of Thai food won't be disappointed by Siam Square. The glowing orange and yellow hues adorning the restaurant's interior will make you feel like you're being greeted by a warm Siamese sunrise. To accompany your dish of delicious pad thai, order a local beer on draft.
936 Virginia Avenue
317.636.THAI (8424)
Website
HBG Visits:
KOTBR #76 - Do This in Memory of Jim

White Rabbit Cabaret
Clowns who run a bingo game? Yeah, we thought it sounded lame too. But then we went and played and were hooked. That's because these aren't your run-of-the-mill creepy circus clowns. They're the Muncie Brothers, Dorgan and Milroy, and they run a bimonthly bingo game at the White Rabbit Cabaret called "The Burlesque Bingo Bango Show." They drink. Milroy mimes. Dorgan curses. If you win, they offer awesome prizes like a three wolves statue. And they are assisted by the lovely burlesque dancer Alabaster Betty. A killer beer list and frequent local music shows don't hurt the White Rabbit's allure either. Changed your mind yet? 21+ only.
1116 Prospect Street
317.686.9550
Website
HBG Visits:
KOTBR #105 - The Zoo That Is Fountain Square

KOTBR #131 | Flat12 Milk Stout at La Revolucion Café & Bar

Make of these reviews what you will. I suppose this is what happens when one watches too much soccer, reads too much Hemingway, sees too many Robert Rodriguez films, and watches the Planet of the Apes movies one too many times---

The waning sun warms me through the windows of the Fountain Square cantina on this summer evening. In this season, I should be content, maybe even happy. But darkness rules me because three days ago, I watched the men in green vanquish my men in white. El Tri is what the men in green are called. They come from the south. They are quick, skilled, and lethal. Though the men in white drew first and second blood, they could not defend themselves in the end. So when the contest was over, El Tri held the gold prize, while the men in white held only wounded pride.

According to a wise general, one should keep friends close and enemies closer. So I sit in the cantina, which is a place where my enemy might dwell. The place is called La Revolucion. Luchadores leer at me from the walls. Crucifixes stare me in the face. The Virgen de Guadalupe, who is everywhere, casts her sad eyes on me. Yet everyone I see here is a gringo like me. They are pale gringos, wearing trilbys and tattoos, red white and blue cans in hand, yellow corn tortillas filled with fragrant foodstuffs resting in baskets on the bar before them. And they are oblivious to the darkness, all of them joyfully devouring their food and drink.

The blond woman comes and asks me what I want. I gaze at the slate board on the wall and spy what I desire: a Milk Stout from Flat12 Bierwerks. I know it’s anomalous to drink such a beverage in the warm weather, but I do not care. Darkness requires a dark drink.

The blond woman soon returns with the beer. The evening sunlight shines on my glass, which sweats like Jonathan Bornstein chasing Giovanni dos Santos in vain. I raise the glass to my nose and inhale. Scents of powdered cocoa and brown sugar tug at me, pulling me down into the depths of the glass. Then, a midnight-colored wave washes across my tongue, bathing my mouth with cream and semi-sweet chocolate. Slowly, my spirits lift. The murky potable has begun to chase away the darkness. I think I’ll have another. 4.20 Mugs.

It's not that I hadn't seen a worm dried up on a summer sidewalk before - it's just that I wasn't used to waking up with one stuck to my face. I felt bruised. Not so much in a specific place; an all-over body bruise, a heavy weight draped from my shoulders to my knees. This was my first morning in Mexico.

I'd come to Nogales the afternoon before. While visiting my cousin - a US border patrol agent living in Sedona - I'd decided to add Mexico to the list of places I'd visited. Louisville, Kansas City, Iowa City, Memphis, Mexico.

"There's nothing to see," he said, "Just people trying to sell you junk." I decided to go anyway. I didn't own any Mexican junk.

The border is a weird place. Even the American side seems like Mexico. Duty-free shops dotted the border. Expensive big-name jewelry sold from behind barred windows. Buses taking Mexicans to shop at American Wal-Marts. It's the opposite of promise.

I walked through a fence, and my language didn't feel like it worked anymore. Out into the city streets and everyone's trying to sell you something. Drug stores. I was looking for soccer jerseys. And Mexican Coca-Cola. With real sugar.

Everyone wants you to visit their store. Every store seems like a trap. Are there laws here? Do the cops even understand English? Who do you call for help in Mexico? This place is a stereotype. But worse.

I can't cope. Maybe a drink will help. Is this bar safe? I can't be kidnapped here; certainly I would have heard about the Americans being kidnapped in Nogales.

Taps. I know these taps. Sun King. Gumballhead. Goose Island. Flat12. Where am I? This isn't the Mexico I thought I'd walked into. Flat12 Milk Stout? This doesn't make sense. Nothing makes sense. I'll have the milk stout.

Maybe this is Mexican coffee? Cocoa powder dominates. I've never had Mexican coffee. I like this, in any case. Coffee and cocoa powder. Thanks, I'll have another. I'm glad you speak English here. You seem like nice people. I'm tired. Tequila? Sure. I'll try that. You seem like nice people. More? I should go outside and see what's happening. I need to get back to my country. One more drink? Sure...

Where am I? Who are you? This seems like a good place to sleep...

3.85 Mugs.

Decomposing grass.

I hate that fucking smell.

It’s funny what goes through your head during times of trauma. I was lying on my back on a concrete floor in a room that very few knew about. Most people who learned of the secret room in the sheriff’s office would never have the chance to tell others.

I was determined to not become a statistic. But as the red-necked wallaby stood on my chest, wielding a truncheon in her hands while the joey in her pouch put on his brass knuckles, the only thing I could think is, Why can’t these fucking marsupials brush their teeth every once in a while?

Apparently, the state of macropod halitosis was the only clear thought I could come up with while I was having my ass handed to me by the tribe of wallabies that ruled this town. It was probably better than thinking about the excruciating pain I felt as the wallaby sheriff and her deputies tore through my soft, fragile skin.

My thoughts about bad breath quickly disappeared as they started another round of cracking my ribs with wrecking bars. Blood started spray out of my left side as they nicked an artery. As I blacked out and the blood that normally powered my brain started to spread across the floor, memories started to flash before me…

When I was a child, my family lived in the wooded hills about 40 miles south of Orlosburg. Many human families found safety in the trees and valleys and caves that were located all around. And since the trees prevented the sun from reaching the ground, the grasses that wallabies craved were hard to find. So wallabies didn’t last long down here.

At night, my father would tell me stories of his great grandfather who 63 years earlier identified the Great Wallaby Uprising in its infancy. Unfortunately, few took him seriously. “Oh that Jason, his drunken rants about wallabies are so funny!” they often replied.

But they went from finding it humorous to disturbing when Jason wrecked the grand opening of the “Animals of Australia” exhibit at the zoo. He slaughtered them all. They sent him to a mental hospital when they should have been exalting him.

Not long after, the uprising began. Orlo the Great, as the wallabies now call him, befriended Jason’s beer drinking associates. They were drinking at a Mexican cantina whose walls were adorned in symbols of Christ and Satan. Orlo was buying them heavenly tacos and devilish drinks, convincing them that the “lies” that Jason was spreading about wallabies weren’t true.

They didn’t want to believe the wallaby over their comrade, so they called Jason. They wanted to give him a chance to tell his story.

“We’re drinking with Orlo,” they said.

“Don’t do it, it’s a trap!” he yelled. “Out of curiousity, what drink did he buy you?”

“A Flat 12 Milk Stout.”

“What a jerk! Couldn’t he buy you a beer that didn’t taste like ash nor has a watery mouthfeel that leaves a soapy aftertaste?”

“You’re crazy Jason! This beer is great!” and they promptly hung up on him. They couldn't believe his assessment of the beer. Nor his anti-wallaby statements. They didn’t heed his warning. And moments later, Orlo murdered them. That is when the Great Wallaby Uprising began. The revolution started at Revolucion in the Fountain Square neighborhood of Indianapolis. Two months later, Orlo and his friends took over Indianapolis, and renamed it Orlosburg. Ten years later, what was once the United States of America was overrun by wallabies. And no one did anything to stop it. Because Fox News was pumping wallaby propaganda; it was run by the oldest wallaby of all…Rupert Murdoch. And for some reason, most Americans believed everything that Fox News said.

If only my great great grandfather’s friends would have been better friends. Then maybe we wouldn’t be ruled by wallabies. And maybe I wouldn’t have felt the need to carry on my family’s legacy of standing up to marsupials. And maybe I wouldn’t have spray painted “The Hoosier Beer Gut Lives!” across the Orlosburg Courthouse. And maybe I wouldn’t be here lying on back in the Orlosburg Jail as my life leaks out of my body, across the concrete, and down the floor drain. 3.00 Mugs.

Flat12 Bierwerks Milk Stout
Jim: 4.20 Mugs | Mike: 3.85 Mugs | Jason: 3.00 Mugs | Gina: 3.10 Mugs | Rod: 2.90 Mugs | Jess: 3.80 Mugs
KOTBR Score: 3.48 Mugs.

It's a New Day in Fountain Square

New Day Meadery (originally from Elwood, IN - they still have their production facility up there) opened up a tap room this past week in the Fountain Square neighborhood of Indianapolis, IN. Being a neighbor to Maria's Pizza and within a stone's throw of Imbibe (home to one of HBG's favorite bartenders, Brian Jones) you could say that New Day has scored some prime real estate in Indianapolis. Since HBG Rodney and I had a fairly open Saturday we decided to check out the tasting room for their grand opening.

You might be curious to know what exactly mead is and why a beer blog would care that a maker of an alcoholic beverage close to wine is opening up a tasting room in our fair city. Well mead (or honey wine as it is sometimes referred to) is made from honey and water via fermentation with yeast. Its alcoholic content may range from that of a mild ale to that of a strong wine. It may be still, carbonated, or sparkling; it may be dry, semi-sweet, or sweet. Some mead varieties even include the addition of hops to change the flavor. The American Homebrewers Association sponsors a National Mead Day in August each year (this year it's on August 7, 2010). New Day has a stronger focus on the dry varietals with four dry styles of mead; one semi-dry and two semi-sweet varietals. They also have a dry hard cider that is made from over 20 different apple varieties. It's nothing like Woodchuck either, being a still variety and extremely dry. It is nice and crisp with a little acidity on the finish. It's very refreshing on a hot July day though!


The tasting room has a great vibe and you can tell that Brett, Tia and the rest of the New Day crew put a lot of thought into the sunny space that focuses on clean design. When first walking in you find yourself greeted by lots of information on local businesses, other Indiana artisan products and local events. Beyond that is a small gift shop area, where you can customize a gift box, and a large selection of all of their different mead varieties. There are couches to relax upon, a cooler for non-alcoholic drinks and a few local Indiana snack foods available for purchase.


We started out with a flight of each of their eight offerings and from there each picked out a type we enjoyed for a whole glass. By doing the flight we were also given a little background and history on each style; it was great to learn a little more about mead and the different styles that New Day produces.


The pricing at the tasting room is extremely reasonable, with a full flight of all eight of their offerings for $5 and individual tastes for $1. You can also get a glass of the hard cider for $3 and a glass of mead for $5. These are very generous pours and I highly recommend the Dry Peach Honey Wine for those who like a crisp, slightly tart refreshing drink in the summer months.

Tasting Room Hours: Tues-Thurs 11-7, Fri-Sat 11-9, Sun 12-4, Mon Closed

New Day Meadery is located at:

1102 Prospect Street

Indianapolis, IN 46203

888-MEADERY (632-3379)

KOTBR #105 - The Zoo That Is Fountain Square

There are a number of locations around Indianapolis where you can do some serious craft beer drinking. Broad Ripple comes to mind. Downtown. Mass Ave. But a favorite neighborhood for my drinking pleasure has been Fountain Square. While we recently lost our beloved Deano's Vino, several other restaurants and bars have come in with craft beer lists. The majority of joints enjoyed by the artistic and bohemian population have forgone the traditional B/M/C for craft beers from Indiana and from all over America. I would almost nominate Fountain Square as the beer capital of Indiana, except there are no breweries to be had here. Though from what we hear, that will be changing very soon.

But to take a page out of the Mark McGwire playbook, I'm not here to talk about that. I'm here to talk about the zoo that Fountain Square has. In particular the lion and rabbit exhibits.


The Red Lion Grog House is the latest British Isles-themed restaurant in Indy. The venue is a long narrow space with high, pressed tin ceilings and a long line of booth spaces along one side. The place was about 3/4 filled but the sound was very lively (i.e. I had a hard time holding a conversation with my companions). The waitresses wore plaid skirts and seemed very attentive. For food, we were only in a munching mood so we just ordered the Scotch eggs (which aren't as good as others, but still damn tasty; it's sausage around an egg, so how could you go wrong?) and the chips and spicy curry sauce (the fries were outstanding and the spicy curry sauce was top notch; if the rest of their food is as good as the fries, this place will be great).

On this night, we opted to go with Indiana beers. And the Red Lion, with their 8 taps, has 5 Indiana beers flowing: 3 Sun King and 2 Upland (plus Jenkins' Ear, which may be from Indiana, or it may not; depends on the day). We opted for the Indiana beer that went best with the Grog House's theme: Sun King's Wee Mac Scottish Ale. The clear copper/amber beer has a malty nose (I get hints of coffee) with a roasted malt flavor. Because the Sun King boys like their hops, you end up with a slight bite in the back of the mouth and throat. It has a clean mouthfeel, so it is an easy beer to drink. There are not a whole lot of Scottish Ales from Indiana readily available. The most well known is probably Three Floyds Robert the Bruce, which Hoosier Beer Geek reviewed early on. It did not rate favorably. And honestly, it is not a favorite beer of mine. Or a favorite style for that matter. But this is probably my favorite Scottish Ale.


This is the first of the four regular Sun King beers we have reviewed. Of the four, this is my least favorite. But it is still enjoyable, especially with the fried foods of the Red Lion.

The next stop of the evening is the petting zoo of Fountain Square, where interaction with others is a requirement, along with an ID that states you are 21 years of age. The White Rabbit Cabaret is, in fact, a functioning performance venue as well as a bar. The wide space has some comfortable chairs and couches as you enter, followed by a couple dozen round tables with chairs, and then a stage. There is a bar along one wall. We just so happened to arrive on Burlesque Bingo night, which adds even more to the zoo theme we had going. Bingo was called by a dirty clown with a Beetlejuice vibe. He was assisted by his brother, a mime, and between songs, a burlesque dancer did her thing. I could go on and on about how funny this shit was. But again, to paraphrase the Big Mac, I'm not here to talk about that.


The White Rabbit has four taps pouring three craft beers and PBR (at damn fine prices, I might add; the bottle list is great too). Sticking with Indiana beers (and continuing the zoo theme), we opted for a New Albanian Beak's Best (you know, beak... bird... birds have beaks...okay, I'm reaching. So what?). This American take on the English Bitter style has become one of my favorite go-to beers. It has a clean nose, a sweet first taste, and a hop punch that follows. Much like Sun King's Wee Mac, it is a highly sessionable beer. Especially if you drink like an elephant.

No, I don't even know what that means.

Although I consider myself an equal opportunity neighborhood visitor, it seems that more often than not, when sitting down for a beer, I'll find myself in Fountain Square. The impending death of Deano's pushed Gina and I across the street to Imbibe, a perch from which we regularly discuss the further development of the neighborhood and the ongoing influence of craft beer in the area.

On such development is/was the Red Lion Grog House - first noticed back in October of 2009 - a bar/restaurant that now has a few months under its belt. Previously known as the Red Lion Grog-less House due to a liquor license mix-up, the Red Lion now has a fully filled-out beer menu that focuses mainly on the typical suspects from across the pond.

The prospect of a god-knows-how-old Newcastle isn't enough to draw me into a place, and although Fountain Square's English pub box was previously unchecked, the Red Lion has plenty of worthy competition throughout the city - MacNiven's, Chatham Tap, Union Jack, and the Broad Ripple Brewpub all come to mind. Nevertheless, the formula has proven to be a good one, and I'll never complain about having another place to watch the English Premier League.

Does the Red Lion stand out? I'm not sure. The food was fair (though we didn't eat much), the beer menu is true to style but lacking in variety or creativity, and the space seemed loud. On the plus side, our server was more than attentive and the beer from Sun King hit a sweet spot. As a Fountain Square regular, I will revisit the Red Lion. I just don't know that I'd go out of my way for it.

As for the beer, if you're reading this site you've heard plenty about Sun King already. There's even a pretty strong chance that you've had SK's Wee Mac Scottish. The beer is the color of sweet tea, with very light lacing and a minimal head.

I picked up elements of tootsie roll sweetness from the nose, which was followed up with a malty sweetness throughout. The beer is highly drinkable - I'm not generally a fan of Scottish Ales, but I am a fan of this beer. 3.91 Mugs.

From the Red Lion we headed across the street and around the corner to The White Rabbit Cabaret. Going in, I knew nothing about the Cabaret, apart from the fact that I thought, "I don't like Cabaret". So once we settled in and realized that we were about to see an act, my first thought was "let's drink this beer and get the hell out of here."


But before we knew it, Burlesque Bingo started.

My notes aren't extensive, but feature the line "this is the most bizarre thing I have ever personally witnessed, and that's a good thing." Gina and Jason will cover the evening's events further than I will, but it's safe to say that I won't miss the next round of bingo at White Rabbit.


To accompany the entertainment we settled in for a pint or two of New Albanian's Beak's Best. The beer features a sweet malty front that's immediately chased off by a bitter bite. The nose is malty grainy goodness, and the beer tastes like a good brewery smells. It's a beer that's bitter in the best way. 3.99 Mugs.

I have a confession. I am head over heels in love with Fountain Square. You might even say that I am happy as a lark to be talking about it. It has an amazing collection of cool bars, super-friendly people, and an extremely cool art scene. We experienced all of that in our most recent trip.

At the Red Lion Grog House, none of us were hungry as horses so we grabbed a few appetizers and settled in to pick our beer for review. We decided that it was time to review a beer from our friends at Sun King Brewery and this time, we picked the Wee Mac. This beer holds a special place in my heart not just because it is the base for the Java Mac, but because I had the most awesome opportunity to brew a batch of this beer with Dave Colt one day last December.

The Wee Mac is a deliciously sessionable Scottish ale that is easy to find around town and is pretty consistently found in the tasting room at the brewery. The flavor is rich and malty with a sweet zing. It makes me proud as a peacock to be friends with the wonderful people behind this brewery. 3.45 Mugs.


After the Grog House we made our way over to the White Rabbit Cabaret. I didn't know a single thing about this place before we set foot in the door. To be completely honest, I felt meek as a lamb in there, a little uncomfortable even. If we had drunk our beer and got out of there as quick as a fox, it wouldn't have bothered me at all. The first thing I noticed as we sat down was that there was going to be an event starting any minute. Something called Burlesque Bingo.

By the time the show was less than an hour in, the crowd was getting wild and the host was being mean as a snake! If you told me he was somehow the bastard child of Emmett Kelly and Beetlejuice, I wouldn't be surprised. The show continued on and I found myself completely in love with the atmosphere. Seriously, like shout it from the mountaintops kind of love. I can't wait for the next Burlesque Bingo. If you're as wise as an owl, you'll join us next Wednesday (6/9 at 9pm) and see for yourself!


The taps at the Cabaret were as impressive as the show. A small group of taps, but enough choices available for any need. We chose Beak's Best from New Albanian Brewing Co. Another brewery that we Hoosiers can be proud to call our own, NABC regularly serves up one of the best collections of beer in the state.


The bitterness in Beak's Best reminds me of a refreshing glass of iced tea. The citrusy hops dance with the caramel malt, and the beer finishes with a balanced mix of the two. At 5.5% ABV, it's sessionable like Wee Mac, but it's so tasty that it could get you drunk as a skunk if you're not careful. 3.3 Mugs.

We didn't though. It was late, but we were enjoying the night. The only thing that would have made me as mad as a wet hen would be if we had left without stopping to see Brian at Imbibe. We took a spot at the bar and sipped our last nightcap as slow as a snail.

Sun King Wee Mac Scottish
Mike: 3.91 Mugs | Gina: 3.45 Mugs | Jason: 3.65 Mugs
KOTBR Score: 3.66 Mugs

New Albanian Beak's Best Bitter
Mike: 3.99 Mugs | Gina: 3.3 Mugs | Jason: 4.3 Mugs
KOTBR Score: 3.86 Mugs

Random Beer Roundup - Jennifer Lopez snubs Heidi Klum Edition

Welcome to another edition of the Random Beer Roundup brought to you by TRESemme hair products and the Bluefly accessory wall¹. Were you looking for beer inventory listings? No one sent me anything this week. Maybe next week. But don't go just yet..

Here's something:

Kirk at Mr. G's (2209 E. Connor, Noblesville) with this update: We have 3 Floyds Moloko in.

Awesome.

And now this:

Mike at J. Gumbo's reports that he has the only keg of Three Floyds Munsterfest (a Marzen/Oktoberfest) in central Indiana. Until it runs out.

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Don't forget tonight's B+ART event at Big Car in Fountain Square. Free Beer!

Luckily they all lived to tell the tale:

On Thursday September 4th one of Upland Brewing Co.’s oak barrels exploded during the bottling process. Fortunately no one was severely hurt, though one employee was taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure. However, nearly all of the highly-anticipated Kiwi Lambic batch was lost in the accident. Only a few cases were bottled before the explosion occurred. There will be four cases (48 bottles) available to individual consumers. The first 48 individuals who reserved Kiwi Lambic will each receive one bottle only.

No Kiwi Lambic will be available for wholesale distribution or for sale through the brew pub due to the accident.

Speaking of that lambic..

LAMBIC RELEASE DATE SET
Wednesday October 1st will be the Lambic Release Party at the brewery and also the first day you’ll be able to pick up your order. The brew pub opens at 11 am and reservations will be available at this time for carry-out only. Beginning at 5 pm, patrons will be able to order Lambic for consumption in the brew pub.

It's not beer but they mix well...

Elwood, Indiana's New Day Meadery has put out a call for volunteers:

We have just found out that the plums are ripe and ready to be turned into our coveted Semi-Sweet Plum Honey Wine. This means we're having a PITTING PARTY this Saturday (September 20th) starting at Noon here at the shop.

Every luscious plum is pitted by hand...and do we need A LOT of hands to get the job done! PLEASE email or call to let us know if you're willing to lend a hand and be a part of creating something great. Our email is contact@newdaymeadery.com and our number is 765-552-3433.

Feel free to pass this email onto ANYONE you know that might enjoy getting into the PITTING PARTY. As a thank you to all of our volunteers, each one (21 years or over) will take home a bottle of their choosing! So please come on out and join us this Saturday, we'd love to see you!

Random things Chris picked up:

1. Rock Bottom Rocktoberfest tapping is (well, was) Thursday at 6pm.

2. I popped into J. Gumbos for a beer last night. Mike was doing his Monday bartending gig and mentioned that he's going to be getting Schlafly Pumpkin Ale. I think he said he would be sending out an email when it goes on tap. (We'll let you know if we hear anything)

3. ..something else Mike said last night about Mad Anthony IPA (which I think is brewed exclusively with cascade hops). You've probably heard Mike mention that he's the only place in Indiana where you can get Mad Anthony IPA on tap. I always assumed there was an implicit "except for the Mad Anthony restaurants" in there. Apparently not. The MA restaurants do sporadically have it on as a special but J. Gumbo's is literally the only place that regularly gets kegs. Everytime they bottle a batch of their IPA for 6 packs, they also fill a couple kegs for Mike so he can keep it on tap.

Our old friend Traci says hello:

The Fickle Peach in Muncie has had Magic Hat #9 for quite some time. You guys need to take a road trip to Muncie.

Is Rodenbach Grand Cru on tap anywhere in Indy? Heorot in Muncie picked it up a couple of weeks ago. The only other place I've seen it on tap is the Map Room in Chicago.

Anyone seen it? Anywhere? Leave a comment.

Advanced warning for Saturday 9/27: Indianapolis residents and beer lovers can fill their Saturday calendar on 9/27/08. Start the day at Fountain Square's Masterpiece in a Day, head over to Deano's Vino for the 5th Annual Bratoberfest, then head on over to Beautiful Irvington and Ellingburger Park for the Circle City Socialites Rollerderby League Coming Out Party. Our very on Kelly.. er..uh.. I mean Screama Donna will be participating. Gina (ie Extra Special Bitter) would be joining her but decided to break her leg instead. GOOD TIMES.

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Interested in having your events, taps, or new beer inventory listed on Hoosier Beer Geek? It won't cost you anything. Except love. Drop us a line at hoosierbeergeek@gmail.com.

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¹This is not an actual endorsement. It's a Project Runway reference. I am secure in my manhood.