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

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

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

If you didn't attend last year, you can see what you missed here. But if you did attend last year, you'll find it to be similar. We can't promise that Jason will be performing from Cats (or will have a mustache). But here is what we have so far (please note that all of this is subject to change).

Regular attendees will receive a commemorative tasting glass that can be used to sample various quality beers from our favorite Indiana breweries as well as a few other breweries. Additionally, you'll be able to select six larger pours of your favorite beers. Designated drivers will have a selection of non-alcoholic beverages such as soda, pop, coke, soda pop... whatever regional term you like. And bottled water, of course.

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

And what's a party without gifts? And by gifts, I mean us giving stuff to you! That's right, prizes and giveaways and all sorts of stuff.

We're still filling in all the details, but if you've been to our events, you know it is a good time. And all tickets will be sold online. Tickets are not available at Sun King nor will they be available at the door. So don't miss out.

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

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

We appreciate that you follow us for the latest and craziest in the Indiana craft beer world. And we hope you'll come out and celebrate with us our fifth and perhaps best year of better beer buffoonery.

Hoosier Beer Geek is Five: The Urbanophile Stops In

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

Aaron M. Renn
Urbanophile.com

Hoosier Beer Geek is Five: The Friends Keep Coming

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

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


Though the candles are extinguished and the cake is mostly gone...I'm finally getting back to HBG about how good you all look turning five. Hopefully this doesn't come out as sappy as the cards in the "belated" section at the drugstore...

I first started reading HBG about four years ago when I was new (again) to Indy and thirsty for good beer. Quickly your site and events became a professional interest, too, and then the Goose snuggled up for collaborations like tasting events, fundraisers, and the Beer and Cheese of the Month Club.

It would take another couple of beers to get me to sing your praises only because I'm shy about singing, not about praising what y'all have put together over the last five years. Always personal but trustworthy, approachable but on point, your posts are about more than beer and that's the icing on the (birthday) cake. The technical stuff is telling (ibu's, abv, gravity, bla, bla, bla), but what puts your site and your events a-head (beer pun) is the people that are involved. Reporting the statistics isn't as useful or as interesting as getting to know the folks behind the pints.

HBG makes a beer community possible because we're getting to know about more than beer.

High five for five, Knights! From all the thirsty ones at the Goose, thank you!

Corrie Quinn
Goose the Market

Hoosier Beer Geek is Five: We've got a lot of Friends

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

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


I remember my first glimpse of the HBG was at the Indiana Microbrewer's Festival in the Summer of 2008... They were standing around before the festival in a group chatting with Matt from Cavalier Distributing and a couple of brewery reps, yucking it up. I had heard of them and checked out their blog, but never actually made their acquaintance and was left standing on the outside looking in, hoping they might notice me and say hello to no avail. It was my last day in Indy before Staraya and my eminent departure to Alaska where I was going to clear my head and put together the plans Dave and I had been conceptualizing over the past 3 years, so it would be many moons before I had the pleasure of actually getting to know them...

Fast forward 10 months and I'm back from AK, Sun King is fully funded and in the middle of build out, and I headed over to Rock Bottom after a long day to see my friend Jerry and try his latest specialty beer. Just as I was about to leave, someone introduced me to a gregarious fellow at the bar named Jason who just so happened to be a member of the illustrious Hoosier Beer Geek. We spoke briefly, exchanged contact information and I invited them to come over and check out our progress... A few weeks later they stopped by for a tour and to sample some of the pilot batches our home brewing friends over at MECA had done (based on recipes Dave and I had been devising) and we had a genuinely good time. There was witty banter and laughter, which are two of my favorite things and it was the beginning of many new friendships!

Over the last couple of years I've had the opportunity to work and play with the HBG and it's been a great experience. I've even managed to make it through Mike's tough guy exterior and extract a smile or two on occasion. As Indiana's Craft Beer Community has emerged and grown, Hoosier Beer Geek has been there spreading the good word and helping advance the efforts of brewers everywhere.

We're lucky to have a group of people that are willing to put in the time and effort to promote good beer culture, so for that and for the friends I've gained, I am very thankful!

Happy Birthday Hoosier Beer Geek! May there be many more years of good times, great beer and amusing blog posts in your future...

Cheers!

Clay Robinson
Brewer / Owner
Sun King Brewing Co.


Congratulations on making it through the pre-kindergarten years. As a displaced Hoosier living in St. Louis, it took me a while to figure out that the term Hoosier meant something completely different…what we would have called a redneck. Or, even more appropriately, Mike Sweeney. Labels notwithstanding, I am happy to see that you’ve put the beer geek back into being a Hoosier.

Keep up the great work

Mitch Turner
Major Brands-Premium Beverage Distributors
Mitch gave us a tour of Schlafly once..

Hoosier Beer Geek is Five: Even More from Friends

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

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


Being relatively new into the Indiana craft beer scene, Hoosier Beer Geek has welcomed us with open arms. Showing us the ropes, introducing us to everyone involved, and helping us on our own journey in the community. We’re incredibly grateful for the efforts they bring to strengthening the entire craft beer community as a whole. To show our gratitude, we scratched out a quick haiku.

Hoosier Beer Geek Haiku:
Guides to local suds
Geeks taste, rate, discover, share
Paid only in beer

Keep up the great work guys!
Mike + Ryan
Beer Bracket


Hoosier Beer Geeks at five reflects the changing face of Indiana craft beer over that handful of years. The span from their first modest birthday at the now gone Deano's in Fountain Square to this year's huge event at Sun King says it all. Bravo to the hearty RoundTablers for the positive impact to help educate a new generation about responsible, selective enjoyment of good beer.

Rita Kohn. True Brew: A Guide to Craft Beer in Indiana


Three years ago I was an unkempt, unemployed sycophant who had a penchant for beer. (Much hasn’t changed besides having a job to justify my beer drinking.) Three years ago I was really proud to know about a Bamberg smoke beer at Shallo’s. And, three years ago I was really proud (and I still am) to be a HBG reader, so I sent them a note about the smoke beer. Then, “They replied, Ma! They really replied!"

Jon: “Hey Mike, Just let me know if you round up some folks, I may be able to make it over there.”

Mike: “Jon, The HBG Knights of the Beer Roundtable will be meeting at Shallo’s tomorrow (3/27) at 8 PM... I think there's gonna be like 7 of us.... if you'd like to join us... “

Did you know they show up in steel mesh with swords? Knights wearing helmets with harlots on their side? Yeah, I was intimidated, too. And I didn’t show. However much I’m still intimidated, I show up now -- I mean, it allows me to get my Medieval Times Fix. And however much shining armor they’re in, they’re real people. And that’s where the Hoosier Beer Geeks being a tremendous inspiration comes in. As the unemployed Jon they inspired me to overspend and wallow well. As the employed Jon, (employed as Yelp’s Community Manager where my job is to get folks off their computers -- for just a moment -- and be together at local businesses), they inspire me in that they’ve proved that this community thing can happen, and it sticks. Whether they want to picture themselves in powder and white wigs, they’re forefathers (and mothers) of community in Indy. I don’t know if I’ve ever told them this but, “what I do wouldn’t happen without you.” There they were five years ago writing about beer, gathering around beer, and now hosting events. Once a precursor to what I do every day, they are now a partner in rhyming local beer with salivating locals. For good reason this is year five, and when year ten comes around I entirely expect the myth (wait, I mean truth!) to live on of them showing up to bars with their own family-crested shield and steel mesh, albeit a bit rusty -- unlike their charm, humor, wit and whip smart ways on beer.

Jon Akerman
Yelp Indy, Community Manager


I met my first Knight of the Beer Roundtable right at 5 years ago, Mr. Maples himself, hanging at good ol Deano's having a brew. He laid out a bit what he was up to with the site, and what they were attempting to do. I really dug the idea and the concept of a group of regular joes (boy was I wrong) sitting, drinking, chatting, and posting honest, non-pretentious reviews of craft beer. I was totally in and ready to support all the endeavors (oops, forgive me, I hadn't met Mike yet).

I helped make sure Deano had great brew for that New Year's Eve, which they destroyed and Bob Mack ended up finding a way to get them more. Who knew that they'd smoke that much 90 Minute (I miss DFH too) and Tremens?! The next few years proved not only the knowledge and passion for craft brew, but the power consumption we all aspire too.

Not that it was all flowers and candy. There have been times I wanted to find a KOBTR and drag 'em out back (3 Floyds dinner at R Bistro, anyone??), but more often than not, by a landslide, Hoosier Beer Geeks do nothing more than tell more and more people about why they should drink craft beer. Always tongue in cheek. Always fun. Always really just about the beer, and not taking it all so seriously. You've all helped me remember more than once to relax, it's just beer. It's about sharing the enjoyment and passion for this stuff that threw us all together anyway, that getting mad, upset, or irritated just takes away from the beer.

Here's to 5 more years (and more past that) of what you've been doing. The recognition receIved for social media, event coordination, etc is well earned. Who knew Mike would be so good at twitter?? Who knew someone would invent a medium a smart ass could thrive so well in? Who knew a bunch of drinkers would be so amazing at getting, organizing, running, and controlling that many volunteers for so many events?? It all boggles my mind, but I'm glad, at the end of the day, to call all of you friends, tweeps, or whatever is current. My hats off to you all, and my glass is raised. No, it's not frosted. EVER.

Cheers to the Knights of the Beer Roundtable!

Matt Clapesattle
Sales Representative Indianapolis
World Class Beverages


What can I say about Hoosier Beer Geek that hasn't already been said? How about, they're a bunch of thieving bastards that haven't had an original idea in 5 years. And what's with that fucking Twitter feed? It looks like it was run by a chimpanzee with ADD.

I hope for 5 more years of you stealing my ideas. LOVE YOU!

Mike Sweeney - Owner/Creator/Loudmouth
STLHops.com

Hoosier Beer Geek is Five: More from Friends

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

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


Wow, 5 years already! The Beer Geeks have had a huge influence on how craft beer has grown in Indiana. The rating system truly helps people who are wanting to explore different styles yet don’t want to make a mistake in spending $12 on a bad 6 pak of beer.

Beer aside, all of the Geeks are truly cool people who are very approachable and knowledgeable.

Great job and cheers to another 5 years plus!

Skip DuVall-Fountain Square Brewing Company

ps I look forward to my first review from y’all


I've really enjoyed seeing how Hoosier Beer Geek has evolved from a group of enthusiasts that enjoy craft beer to a group of enthusiasts that help drive the growth of craft beer in Indiana. Having worked with you guys as a retailer nad a part of the Brewer's Guild has been great. Your stepping up to make the beer festivals a great success has been nothing but awesome as we grow craft beer in Indiana. Now that I am fortunate enough to become a part of the community as a producer I look forward to continuing being a part of the group. Cheers and here's to five more years!

Mike DeWeese - Triton Brewing Company


I am always impressed with your tireless effort to promote craft brewing. The amount of your free time that you use for the craft-brewing cause is staggering. If anyone doubts that, I would like you all to total up your hours of labor spent on the 2011 Microbrewer’s Fest alone. Then, show them that number as a slice of the total time devoted annually.

In addition to all of the great events that you plan and host, my humble opinion is that your impact on the local craft brewing scene is only going continue to rise.

Andrew Castner | Brewer
RAM Restaurant & Brewery - Indy


All I can say is "You folks have more time and energy to spend on this hobby than even I do. Good grief. Annually, 2 beer festivals, a breakfast, tailgate parties, more graphics than the google home page, Good thing you have roundtables to fill in the extra drinking time." And "What happened to Chris?"

Keep up the good work,
Bob Ostrander - IndianaBeer.com

Hoosier Beer Geek's Fifth Anniversary Party | August 27, 6:00 p.m.

We're finally in craft beer kindergarten! It's our Wood Anniversary!

Hoosier Beer Geek will be celebrating five years of Indiana craft beer coverage and nonsense at a party on Saturday, August 27th at Sun King Brewing Company (135 N. College Ave., Indianapolis) beginning at 6pm. As in years past, we will have beer, food, prizes, etc. And because you have been such a great friend of the Knights of the Beer Roundtable, we would love to have you join us!

Here are the details we have so far (they'll be updated as we find out more)--

Regular Admission ($30) includes:
-Food from a local food vendor TBD
-Six 8 ounce pours of various beers
-Sample pours of all beers (while supplies last)
-A commemorative tasting glass
-Prizes and surprises
-And more to be announced

Designated Driver Admission ($20) includes:
-Food from a local food vendor TBD
-Water & soft drinks
-Prizes and surprises
-And more to be announced

Beer Lineup (subject to availability):
Barley Island TBA
Bee Creek Brewery TBA
Bier Brewery TBA
Broad Ripple Brewpub TBA
Brugge Brasserie TBA
Cavalier Distributing TBA
Crown Brewing TBA
Lafayette Brewing Company TBA
New Albanian Brewing Company TBA
People's Brewing Company TBA
Schlafly Beer TBA
Sun King Brewing Company TBA
Thr3e Wise Men Brewing Company TBA

Note: To attend HBG5, you must be 21 and over with ID.

All ticket sales are final. No refunds or returns.

Kid Friendly: No
Dog Friendly: No
Non-Smoking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes

To purchase your ticket, head to Brown Paper Tickets at this link. 150 tickets are available for HBG5. At the time of this posting, 110 remain. We've sold out the event in the past two years and expect to do the same this time, so buy your tickets now.

We look forward to seeing you on the 27th!

Hoosier Beer Geek is Five

The summer months are an extremely busy time for us at Hoosier Beer Geek. Putting together two beer festivals along with our own anniversary party takes a toll on site content - things move slower online because they're flying everywhere else.

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

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

Our first guest contribution comes to us from Chris Maples. Although we eventually wore him out, it was Chris who started Hoosier Beer Geek, so it seemed appropriate that he should speak first.


Welcome, fellow beer geeks! I've decided to create this blog to advance the good taste of beer drinkers everywhere! Headquartered in the Circle City, we will strive to educate the masses on what good beer really is! Or, we can just say screw all the "Lite" piss drinkers, and keep the good stuff for ourselves!

And with these four sentences, Hoosier Beer Geek was created. It’s like in the Book of Genesis, you know that part when God says, “Let there be light”? Well, there it was.

A half-decade and hundreds (of thousands?) of beers later, the Knights of the Beer Roundtable have established themselves as the definitive online source for all things Indiana beer. Who ever could have predicted that a group of foul-mouthed, smart-ass, 1/8th Jewish, backseat-puking alcoholics could function so highly as to be this important?! I mean, Hell, Ted Miller actually trusts these bastards enough to give them control of both the Microbrewers Festival and the Winterfest?!? I don’t know what he’s smoking, but I wish he would share. Think about it: a fucking blog runs the beer festivals! The peak of beer social media when HBG came onto the scene was being a guest on the now-sadly-defunct The Good Beer Show. Now people beg and throw themselves at the KOTBR to join their ranks. I hear that one crackwhore on E. Washington Street even offered Jason some of her ‘Extra Special Bitter’ for a guest spot. Or maybe that was his grandma . . . I can’t remember. Oh, well. Same difference.

But I digress . . .

The truth of the matter is Hoosier Beer Geek is a superbly written, innovative contribution not only to the local craft beer scene, but to the community as a whole. They capture, through the blog, the essence of craft beer and the ideals it represents – intelligence, creativity, education, open-mindedness, community and, the best part, good times and good friends. Just like the local breweries and beers the KOTBR write about, Hoosier Beer Geek is an excellent example of local culture and the good virtues that make Indianapolis such a great place to live. Happy 5th Birthday, Hoosier Beer Geek – you sorry bunch of Kindergarten drunks!