Rock Bottom Brewer's Dinner - Spring '12

The preview menu for this Rock Bottom Brewer's Dinner made me stop and do a double take.  Melon Caviar? Belgian Ale Foam? Sous Vide Lamb Leg? After attending many years of Brewer's Dinners, I've come to expect a certain style of food.  Always good, but somewhat predictable.  This, however, was entirely new.  At the Fire Chief Ale tapping, Jerry informed us that Ricky Cassidy was their new sous chef that had graduated from the Chef's Academy and the new menu was his baby.  Based on the menu, they're not making him pull any punches for the Brewer's Dinners.  Unfortunately I forgot my camera at home, so you'll have to deal with cell phone pictures that don't quite do the food justice.

Amuse: Crispy Parma Ham, Melon Caviar and Balsamic Pudding paired with El Jefe Hefeweizen

Why It Worked: El Jefe is a German-style Hefeweizen, which means that it's heavy in banana, orange and clove flavors.  The amuse-bouche served its purpose and let us know that the new sous chef was serious about impressing us.  A dish of fried parma ham was topped with cantaloupe that had been prepared in tiny balls the size of salmon roe and was dressed with tiny congealed balsamic drops and olive oil.  The melon matched the citrus and banana flavors fantastically, while the salty fried ham helped cut through the heavy body of the beer.  The clove flavors complimented the ham and the beer ensured that the intense ham did not overpower the palate.

First Course: "Fish and Chips" - Salted Cod Brandade, Fennel and Apple Slaw, Mustard Vinaigrette and Belgian Ale Foam paired with IPA

Why It Worked:  The Rock Bottom IPA is one of the grapefruit variety.  Inspiration from the pairing came from the basic coupling of English IPA and Fish and Chips, but much like the American IPA has grown far beyond its roots, the "fish and chips" of this dish had evolved from their English roots.  The salted cod was made in house and was prepared with potatoes and other ingredients to make something that resembled a crab cake.  The chips were transformed into a fennel and apple slaw, dressed with a mustard vinaigrette and Belgian ale foam.  The citrus flavors of the IPA were a friendly and familiar pairing with the cod, while the spicy mustard vinaigrette developed added complexity from the bitterness of the beer.  The big acidic hop presence helped prevent the salted cod from being too salty.

Second Course: Seared Wahoo, Parsnip Puree, Oven Dried Roma Tomatoes ans Asparagus paired with Goat Toppler Maibock

Why It Worked: When the Goat Toppler Maibock was first tapped, it was a significantly hoppy interpretation of a Maibock.  Now that the beer has had almost a year to mellow, it much closer resembles its German heritage - sweet and malty.  The seared wahoo was prepared two different ways, one with miniature popcorn husks and one with fried leeks, both perched atop a dried tomato and parsnip puree.  The sweetness of the maibock was a nice addition to the sweet wahoo.  By drying out the tomatoes, the acid of the tomato was reduced and the sweetness was strengthened, mirroring the way that a year of time made the beer sweeter and less bitter.  The tiny popcorn husks started out bitter and developed a surprising sweetness the longer they were chewed, which at first helped bring out the hops of the beer, but then paired with the predominant malt sweetness.

Third Course: Sous Vide Lamb Leg, Mascarpone Polenta, Ratatouille, Shoulder Ragout and Jus paired with Fire Chief Ale

Why It Worked: This one was a little more simple.  If you haven't had Fire Chief before, it is a yearly Irish Red seasonal that has a nice balance of caramel malt and hops.  Lamb goes great with red ales, ESB, browns and other malty beers.  This was no exception.  The addition of mascarpone to the polenta and the slow cooked ratatouille added even more complimentary sweetness.

Fourth Course: Frozen Milk Chocolate Rocks, Dark Chocolate and Chili Ganache, White Chocolate with Lime, Olive Oil Custard and Sea Salt paired with Hoosier Ma Stout

Why It Worked: The Hoosier Ma Stout is almost always chocolately, and this was no exception.  The current iteration of Hoosier Ma Stout has more hops than the typical varieties, which actually helped keep this dish from becoming overwhelmingly sweet.  This course featured many items that are added to stouts, but instead of being incorporated into the beer, each one could be tried individually with the beer.  The frozen milk chocolate puffs emphasized the dry cocoa flavors in the stout.  The chiles in the dark chocolate ganache created a smokey, spiciness.  In the center of the plate, a pile of chunky house-made "nutella" complimented the beer with a burst of sweet hazelnuts.  Rotating through and trying different combinations of food and beer match ups was very enjoyable.

Pairing Lessons: When attempting to pair beer with more complex recipes, it is quite typical to only be able to pair with select flavors or components of the dish.  Unless of course the dish is designed to contain complimentary flavors within itself, in which case the correct beer can create layers of new flavors.  The melon in the amuse is an excellent addition to the already dominant fruit flavors of hefeweizen.  Depending on the sweetness of the fish, you may want to pair it with a citrusy IPA or a perhaps a malty brown.  Keep in mind how preparations will affect the base properties of the ingredients.  Tomatoes are often too acidic for brown ales, but through oven roasting they lose acidic and build on their sweetness.  Chocolate is a traditional pairing for stout, but by mixing in other ingredients, such as nuts and chiles, the flavor of the stout can seemingly transform into an entirely different beer.  Think about other varieties of stouts as target combinations when choose food pairings.

I'll say it again, I was entirely surprised and impressed by how much more adventurous the menu was this time around and how well executed it was.  I can't wait to see what they come up with for the next one.

Unsung Heroes of Indiana Craft Beer - Porters and Stouts

On January 28, the Brewers of Indiana Guild will stage the fourth annual Winterfest, which will of course feature offerings from Indiana's craft breweries. In honor of Winterfest, we've decided to focus most of our posts this month on Indiana beers.

As part of this focus, we thought it would be a good idea to shine the spotlight on Indiana beers that are overlooked or underrated--the unsung heroes of Indiana craft beer, if you will.

Admittedly, our methods in picking these beers were not scientific. Indeed, some of the beers that we'll talk about have won awards, so calling these beers "unsung heroes" might be a bit of a stretch. Moreover, our list is going to focus on only one beer from each Indiana brewery we discuss, and we may have omitted breweries who brew beers worthy of unsung hero status. So leave us a comment noting any beer that you think should have been included in the list.

In our fourth installment of this series, we reveal our picks from Indiana's porters and stouts.

Bee Creek Clay County Coffee Stout. The little brewery from Brazil is best known for its signature beer, Hoosier Honey Wheat. While Hoosier Honey Wheat is delicious, it's Bee Creek's Clay County Coffee Stout that really hits our palates in the right spot. Malty, chocolaty, and full of java boldness, Clay County Coffee Stout goes down especially well in the January cold (though we also enjoyed it quite a bit in the August heat).


Great Crescent Coconut Porter. Aurora's Great Crescent Brewery is currently one of two Indiana breweries offering its beers in cans. While Central Indiana beer drinkers might not be used to frequently seeing Great Crescent beers anywhere aside from the Brewers of Indiana Guild's festivals, that is changing. Kahn's is now carrying Great Crescent beers, and the brewery recently received recognition from CraftCans.com for its Bourbon's Barrel Stout. The brewery's Coconut Porter, however, is the beer we really crave. Brewed in the English porter style, Coconut Porter has the classic roasted malt and chocolate notes you'd expect from this sort of beer. And the coconut note is just hinted at rather than emphasized.


Ram Total Disorder Porter. As we've noted before, Ram's brewmaster Andrew Castner is one of the coolest people in the Indianapolis craft beer community. In our experience, his seasonal beers are definitely worth seeking out. When it comes to Ram's flagship beers, Total Disorder Porter is the one that we consistently reach for. The most sessionable offering in our list of unsung porters and stouts, Total Disorder Porter offers a moderate mouthfeel with smooth chocolate and coffee notes. Definitely a multiple pint beer.

Rock Bottom Downtown Hoosier Ma Stout (Oatmeal). Hoosier Ma Stout is my default beer at Rock Bottom's downtown location, even though the brewery rotates styles for this beer. Indeed, that's part of the allure for me. When Brewmaster Jerry Sutherlin puts Hoosier Ma on as an oatmeal stout, the beer rivals the best stouts in the state. The nose on this beer is wonderful, full of chocolate and toffee notes. The flavor is a deluge of malt and chocolate with a subtly sweet finish. I adore the mouthfeel of this beer; it's one of the creamiest stouts I've ever had.

Previously:
Unsung Heroes of Indiana Craft Beer - Brown Ales
Unsung Heroes of Indiana Craft Beer - Pale Ales & IPAs
Unsung Heroes of Indiana Craft Beer - Lagers

RB Brewer's Dinner - Fall '11

When Rock Bottom and Gordon Biersch merged, the fear of losing all local recipes at our local Rock Bottoms was a very real one.  The 6 main styles at each of the Rock Bottoms in Indianapolis were replaced with 4 corporate recipes.  The new beers weren't bad, but much of the adventure in craft beer is the variation of recipe interpretations.  Luckily, this Brewer's Dinner pushed aside those fears, and offered up 4 seasonal and one-off recipes.  From the long standing Rock Bottom seasonal, Rocktoberfest, to a new recurring seasonal, White Wheat, with a variety of Jerry's creations in between.  Starting off the meal with Jerry's Hop Bomb certainly had me in a good mood.

First Course: Pumpkin Flower Empanadas paired with Rocktoberfest

Why It Worked: Rocktoberfest is typically brewed as a malt-forward Vienna Lager, a style well known for its versatility with food.  There is no beer style that can be paired with a more diverse selection of food than Vienna Lager.  The sweet, caramel malts, the light hop presence and the smooth lager finish make the beer both neutral and complimentary.  In this dish, the natural sweetness of the creamed corn sauce lent a familiarity to the sweet malt.  While a good dose of salty mozzarella cheese attempted to steal the palate, the crisp body broke it up nicely.

Second Course: Gorgonzola and Pear Salad paired with Pumpkin Ale

Why It Worked: The Pumpkin Ale at the downtown Rock Bottom is traditionally brewed with oats to help keep the body in balance without becoming too heavy.  Squash sweetness and spices remain fairly equal.  The salad included sliced almonds that had been cooked in cinnamon and sugar, which really brought out exactly what you're looking for in a pumpkin beer pairing - the sensation of pumpkin pie without the richness.  The spicy arugula provided a peppery compliment to the clove notes in the beer and the sweetness of the malt and pumpkin mellowed out the pungent Gorgonzola.

Third Course: Turkey Pot Pie paired with Terminal Stout

Why It Worked: This was certainly an adventurous pairing.  The Terminal Stout, a big dry-hopped, milk chocolate stout, is not exactly what comes to mind when you think of pot pie.  Then again, neither is serving the pie in a kabocha squash (that's a Japanese pumpkin for our squash-illiterate). After the first taste, it was clear that these two were going to play nicely.  The dryness on the finish, thanks to the dry-hopping, did its anticipated job of cutting through the rich cream in the broth, but without any of the typical citrus or herbal flavors you would expect to accompany the hops.  Just a clean slice through the fat.  The broth was heavily spiced with cloves, and when combining a bit of the kobucha in the broth with the beer, the chocolate notes completed the pairing and transformed the dish into a savory chocolate pumpkin pie.  Unexpected, yet the flavors built on each other in the way you hope to find within new pairings.

Fourth Course: Apple Cranberry Cobbler paired with Winter Wheat

Why It Worked: At first taste, the Winter Wheat was way more candied orange and way less clove and nutmeg than I expected.  Thankfully, the cobbler presented all of the flavors I thought were missing from the beer.  Alone, the cobbler may have bordered on having too much cinnamon and mace, but when mixed with a strong wheat ale, they shared the stage and balanced both items out.  The orange flavors in the beer with the apples and cranberries created flavors similar to cranberry relish / sauce on Thanksgiving day.  I wasn't a huge fan of the beer alone, but the dessert pairing as a whole was a great finish to the meal.

Pairing Lessons:  When in doubt, reach for a Vienna Lager.  It goes with most anything, provided the food isn't too imbalanced.  For pairing a pumpkin beer, remember to think of all aspects of the beer and don't just assume it's pumpkin pie in a bottle.  Most pumpkin beers have real pumpkin in them, which means that should always be in mind when selecting a food pairing.  The spices, while probably the most prominent thing in the beer, should be balanced through the food, while the pumpkin should be coaxed forward.  Dry-hopping atypical beer styles (things that aren't IPAs, Pales, Ambers, etc) can lend the same effects of cutting through fats and other heavy flavors as their hoppy-tasting counterparts, but without the same amount of hop flavor.  Chocolate doesn't have to be relegated to dessert, just ask the Sicilians.  Sometimes if you feel a flavor is missing in a beer, you can make up for it by providing that flavor through food.  Your tongue won't know the difference.

RB Brewer's Dinner - Spring '11

In case you hadn't heard, both the Rock Bottom and Gordon Biersch restaurant / brewery chains have been acquired by some large investment group and smashed together under the umbrella of CraftWorks Restaurants and Breweries Inc.  We don't have the Gordon Biersch chain in Indianapolis, but the concept isn't quite the same as Rock Bottom.  Their brewers all brew common German-inspired recipes, while Rock Bottom was known for unique recipes at each location.  Unfortunately, the new owners see more value in creating a common experience across the beers and have chosen 4 Rock Bottom recipes to become standards across the brand.

If you've been to the downtown Rock Bottom, you've probably noticed that the Light, Wheat, Red, Pale, Brown and Stout are always on tap (although the Wheat and Stout rotate styles).  These 6 mainstays are replaced by a Kölsch, Belgian Wit, IPA and Red Ale.  That's not to say the remaining taps (I believe they have a total of 10 taps plus a hand pull) will go unused, they will still be populated with the rotating local recipes we're all familiar with, such as the BrewBracket-winning Hop Bomb.  This session of the Brewer's Dinner featured all 4 new recipes paired with a variety of summer-inspired dishes.  Here's my take.

First Course: Wasabi Bacon Scallops paired with IPA

Why It Worked: The new IPA is very forward with its grapefruit presence, dominating both the aroma and the flavor of the beer.  The body is slightly creamy with nice dryness that makes it a very sessionable IPA.  Personally, I preferred the heaviness of the Sugar Creek Pale, but I think this new IPA will sell well and likely clocks a bit higher on the IBU scale.  An IPA heavily dosed with fruity hops tends to pair well with shellfish (think of the common coupling of seafood and lemon juice).  The lighter body on this IPA helps keep it from dominating the lighter flavor of the scallops, something higher on the alcohol or gravity end of things could possibly dominate the scallops.  The bitterness of the IPA certainly aided in cutting through the creamy tartar sauce and the fat of the bacon.  I did wish more wasabi was tucked under the bacon, but overall this course was very enjoyable and a classic pairing.

Second Course: Chilled Cucumber Soup paired with Kölsch

Why It Worked: The Kölsch is a bit on the American side of the style.  I always have a hard time not coming off as an asshole about this, but after having the great experience of enjoying Kölsch in Köln, I've become all to aware of the difference between an authentic Kölsch and an American rendition of one.  The American version is always slightly stronger in body (emphasis on slightly, it's still a lighter beer) and brings out much more sweet white wine character from the yeast.  That said, this recipe is sweeter than its German heritage, but certainly doesn't take it out of balance.  My favorite part of this course was discovering what an amazing pairing cucumber and Kölsch is.  This was certainly a new experience for me but one I will definitely revisit.  The soup was creamy, yet light, and would have worked great with either the Kölsch or a Pils.

Third Course: Ribeye with Kennebec Steak Fries paired with Red Ale

Why It Worked: Red Ale is a fairly common pairing with steak, similar to red wine and steak.  The new Red Ale is a tad less hoppy than the previous Raccoon Red and perhaps a bit maltier.  If the previous recipe was a take on an ESB, this is closer to an Irish Red.  The steak itself was boldly seasoned and cooked well (and by well I mean medium rare).  The sweet and spicy mix of the rub was an additional compliment to the malty sweet Red Ale and the fries certainly trumped the fries on the regular Rock Bottom menu.  Note to Rock Bottom - consider putting this recipe on the menu for a side to your burgers.

Fourth Course: Gelatin Dessert paired with White Ale

Why It Worked: The White Ale aroma is very up front with its banana presence and is followed up by an expected citrus compliment.  Perhaps borrowing from both the Hefeweizen and Belgian Wit categories, its flavor profile is filled out with bananas, oranges, cloves and lemon.  The clean and fruity gelatin amplified the sweetness of the beer and emphasized its fruit notes.  The fruit flavors of the different gelatin layers all paired well with the banana and citrus flavors of the beer.

Pairing Lessons: Maybe not so much a lesson as my general impressions of the new beers.  The move toward a consistent recipe base is certainly a step backward for the Rock Bottom brand, but if I'm going to be a glass-is-half-full kind of guy I would say that the new styles offer a good diversity and refrain from the pitfall of being too close in style or flavor to matter.  Going with a Kölsch over a Light is a bold move and I'm curious how it plays out in the long term.  The styles do represent light, hoppy, malty and fruity and with the extra taps free I'm curious to see what new beers start showing up.  I hope the Brickway Brown stays on, in all its chocolatey porter goodness.  The key pairing takeaways focused on the relationship between citrus hops and shellfish, but only when done with a sessionable IPA.  A 9% monster is going to be way too sweet for the meat.  Cucumber and Kölsch were my revelation of the dinner and left me very excited.  The gelatin pairing was also a new experience for me, and while it wasn't quite as shocking, I do think it has a lot of potential when pairing with other beers that lend themselves well to fruit.

RB Brewer's Dinner - Winter '11

This edition of the Downtown Rock Bottom brewer's dinner featured more meat than usually comprises the menu, but I'm not one to complain. When I saw both a lobster bisque and a duck entree on the menu, I knew this was one that I could not miss. Although to be fair, I hardly miss any of these. 4 beers and 4 courses for $35 is a deal not even Devour Downtown can match!

Apologies for some of these pictures being blurry, the light is low and my lens is not so good.

First Course: Smoked Salmon Stuffed Potato Nest paired with Hop Bomb IPA

Why it worked: If you haven't had the Hop Bomb IPA at the downtown Rock Bottom yet, you need to. This was the last of the current batch and it may not be back for a few months, but this is really one of Indiana's great Double IPAs. The base of this entree was a whipped salmon infused cream cheese that was incredibly decadent and delicious. The immense hop presence in the Hop Bomb helped cut through the creamy texture of the cheese. The cream cheese itself was seasoned with lemon zest and carried a bit of a citrus note as a result, which paired very well with the grapefruit, orange and lemon notes in the beer, while the grassy notes were a nice compliment to the meaty aspect of the salmon. Citrus and grassy notes tend to work well with fish, and when you add a rich cream or cheese in to the mixture (or even a fatty fish like salmon), hops are provide an excellent cleansing ability.

Second Course: Lobster Bisque paired with Raccoon Red Ale

Why it worked: This dish would perhaps be better described as a lobster tomato bisque, as the pureed tomatoes carried a much more dominant role than I had expected. When I saw the description of the dish, I wasn't sure how a sweet, malty red would work with this, but the tomatoes seem to be the answer to the puzzle. The sweet tomatoes and the caramel and nutty malt flavors of the beer paired together very nicely. While they didn't introduce any new flavors together, the well balanced profile of each made for an enjoyable match. When pairing sweet beers with sweet foods, the danger lies in creating a combination that is simply too sweet to be enjoyable, but with the light balance of hops and the sweetness of the soup coming from tomatoes instead of sugar, this was a well balanced pairing.

Third Course: Rosemary Duck paired with Trouble Belgian Tripel

Why it worked: I am a huge fan of duck. Duck provides a wealth of rich flavors with little necessary spices to coax additional flavors out of it. I was quite pleased when I saw that the entree was not one, but two duck breasts. The breasts were on the lean side and even though they were cooked medium well (I prefer medium rare), they were excellent. This was my food highlight of the meal. The Trouble sits on the spicier side of tripels, with a noticeable touch of alcohol in the back. When paired with the duck, something really exciting happened. It was almost as if the clove, cinnamon, anise and rock candy notes in the beer actually seasoned the duck. None of the spices conflicted with the rosemary rub, but they all gave it a nice burst of flavor that was not there on its own. Beer can often provide additional flavors or seasoning to different types of meat, but it is important to note the flavor profile of the beer and ensure that those characteristics are things you would season the meat with on its own. In this case, cinnamon, clove, anise and sugar are all used in different duck dishes, and worked great when provided by the beer.

Fourth Course: Strawberry Mint Spring Rolls paired with Hoosier Ma Stout

Why it worked: The Hoosier Ma Stout rotates its style, and is currently an English stout with notes of chocolate and coffee. If I were to pick a pairing of the evening that fell a bit short, it would probably be this one. English stouts tend to be on the drier side, and the strawberries and their glaze were simply too sweet to work with the dryness of the stout. All was not lost, however. The dish was seasoned and garnished with a bit of fresh mint leaves, which provided a nice cooling mint sensation that paired well with the dry chocolate notes of the stout without overpowering any of the flavors of the beer. Dry beers typically don't work very well with sugary dishes, but they do lend themselves very well to herbal flavors, which worked great here.

Pairing Lessons: Foods that have a relatively high percentage of fat often work well with hoppy beers, due to their ability to cut through thick flavors. You can never go wrong with pairing similar flavors either, providing neither are incredibly intense. Citrus pairs with citrus, sweet pairs with sweet, etc. Try to keep things in check, though. You don't want too much of one flavor going on or the pairing will appear one dimensional. When pairing beer with meat, always choose a beer that has tasting notes similar to things you might add to the meat, whether it be spices or side dishes. Belgian beers tend to work great for this reason. Dry beers can be overpowered very easily, and they aren't sweet for a reason. Focus on creating subtle balance and accenting flavors and avoid drowning the beer out with big sweet or spicy flavors.

Metromix 2010 Local Brewing Guide: Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery - Downtown

Hoosier Beer Geek worked with Metromix to create their 2010 Local Brewing Guide. It was published in the November 18th issue and we are republishing the interviews we conducted. Enjoy!

Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery – Downtown | established 1996
10 West Washington St., Indianapolis
Website: www.rockbottom.com/indianapolis-downtown
Phone: (317) 681-8180

Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery is one of the largest brewery chains in the country, with 35 locations from coast to coast. The food menu may be similar among locations, but the beer is an entirely different story. Head brewer Jerry Sutherlin feels like he is always fighting the chain stereotype. “That’s one thing that’s hard to get by, because we are, we’re big and corporate, as far as a brewpub goes, and most people just think that they’re all the same. So that’s definitely a hurdle for us.”

Sutherlin has spent time in the brewhouse of many Indianapolis area breweries. After deciding that the business program at Indiana University was not for him, he picked up a job at Oaken Barrel. Through that job (and drinking a hefeweizen named King Rudi,) Sutherlin found his true calling. He quickly learned how to brew beer from the brewers at Oaken Barrel and picked up a job as an assistant brewer, first at Oaken Barrel, then with Dave Colt at Ram. Finally, he obtained a position of head brewer at the downtown Indianapolis Rock Bottom.

In addition to brewing beers unique to the downtown Indianapolis Rock Bottom, Sutherlin especially likes to support local businesses. Take the Java Stout that shows up under the Hoosier Ma Stout moniker. “I’ve used Hubbard and Cravens a few times [to brew the Java Stout], they have some really quality stuff. Last time I got some [coffee] at a neighborhood coffee shop of mine, Calvin Fletcher’s.” When asked what beer he would most recommend, Sutherlin suggested Hop Bomb, a seasonal American IPA. “That’s the one I seem to get the most excitement about.”

Ultimately, if you’ve ever overlooked Rock Bottom with the assumption that they’re all the same, you’re doing yourself a disservice. “You can’t get much more local than 10 feet from the bar. And it’s definitely fresh, especially in our market. We’re pretty busy and depending on what’s happening downtown, it’s a pretty lively market.” The seasonal and cask-conditioned beers change out quickly, and the beers on tap at the downtown Rock Bottom can’t be found anywhere else.

Regular Beers: Circle City Light Lager (Munich Helles), Raccoon Red (ESB), Brickway Brown (Brown Porter), Sugar Creek Pale Ale (American Pale Ale), Seasonal Wheat (rotating wheat), Hoosier Ma Stout (rotating stout)

Seasonal Beers: Fire Chief Ale (portion of each beer sale benefits a local fire charity), American Dream (IPA with Pacific-Northwest hops), Rocktoberfest (Märzen-style Oktoberfest)

Events: Quarterly brewer’s dinners, monthly seasonal beer tappings

HBG4 featuring... Rock Bottom Downtown

The lineup of beers at Hoosier Beer Geek's Fourth Anniversary Party continues. The fifth brewery we are announcing at HBG4 is...


Rock Bottom Downtown
Indianapolis, Indiana



The Hammer
Style: Baltic Porter

21.5 OG
8.7%abv

Awards
•Gold Medal 2010 Indiana State Fair


Notes from Jerry: This beer was brewed with my house ale yeast, but fermented and conditioned cold. It has an obvious roasty, chocolatey flavor with a residual malt sweetness

Please remember that the list is tentative and subject to availability. We promise to keep you informed of any changes.

About HBG4:
It will be held Saturday, August 28th, starting at 6pm. Sun King Brewing will again be hosting us at their brewery at 135 N. College Avenue, Indianapolis. Tickets are $30 (plus $1.99 for online fees) for regular tickets and $20 (plus $1.99 for online fees) for designated drivers. Tickets are available online only and are in limited supply. And yes, the tickets are on sale now.

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. 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 a few larger pours of your favorite beers. Designated drivers will have a selection of non-alcoholic beverages such as soda, pop, cola... whatever regional term you like. And bottled water, of course.

All attendees will get to enjoy food from The Tamale Place. Those of you who have been know how good their food is. And those of you who have not been are in for a treat. There will be a variety of tamale flavors to sample, including vegetarian friendly options.

There will also be chips and salsa and such for your enjoyment all night as well.

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.

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 fourth year of tomfoolery.




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RB Brewer's Dinner - Summer '10

This edition of the Rock Bottom Brewer's Dinner featured slightly lighter fare, both in the beer and food departments. A surprising take on the summer wheat was one of the highlights of the night, as well as the re-appearance of the World Beer Cup winning Subzero.



First Course: Fresh Spring Soup paired with Cerveza Especiale

Why it worked: The Cerveza Especiale is the seasonal Vienna Lager brewed each year. Vienna Lager is effectively the Swiss Army knife of beer and food pairings; it works with just about anything. Popular styles include Dos Equis Amber and Negra Modelo. The style features just enough sweetness in the body and a light, effervescent finish accented with a hint of hops. In this situation, the cream in the spring soup (similar in thickness to a potato soup) was sweetened by the caramel malts. The slightly hopped finish of the beer quickly cleared the palate, leaving the mouth renewed and ready for more.



Second Course: Shrimp Bruschetta paired with Catcher in the Rye IPA

Why it worked: Catcher in the Rye is a heavier bodied IPA with lots of citrus and grapefruit hop notes and a very prominent rye spiciness. The Shrimp Bruschetta contained a good dose of basil and appeared to be tossed in oil. The basil was the key player in this pairing, creating a strong herbal, almost minty sensation that prevented the hops from overpowering the palate (which they would do on their own). However, just because the bitterness of the hops was reduced doesn't mean their effectiveness was. The hops worked their cleansing powers and ensured that no oily presence was left on the tongue, creating a very pleasant experience.



Third Course: Balsamic Glazed Salmon paired with Liquid Sunshine

Why it worked: This beer was a bit unexpected, with noticeable orange peel and even a slight lactic tartness in the back. Brewed in the style of a Belgian Wit, this beer took the style in a new and interesting direction. Tart flavors will typically cut right through any other flavors, but in this beer the sensation was both balanced enough and located in the back of the mouth so that the other flavors could shine. Perhaps the most intriguing side effect of this tartness was the ability to heighten both salty and sweet flavors in the glaze. The orange, banana and lemon flavors in the beer all worked very well with the salmon and its glaze. Since orange and lemon are flavors you might expect to find in a salmon glaze or marinade, it is of little surprise that they would also find a welcome home in the beer.



Fourth Course: Chocolate Mousse paired with Subzero

Why it worked: To be quite honest, it didn't. Jerry knew this, he was just looking for an excuse to bring this award-winner back out. The reason it did not work is that the strong caramel flavors, fig and dark fruit notes and spicy Belgian yeast simply overpowered the simple creamy and slightly bitter dark chocolate flavors of the mousse. That said, the sugary dessert did mask any bitterness both in the chocolate and the beer when combined. The Subzero alone is worthy enough to be called dessert and is aging especially well. There is no doubt why this beer is Jerry's most award winning.

Pairing lessons: Hops do an excellent job of cleansing the palate, especially when used in moderation. You want to cleanse the palate, not destroy it. When trying to balance strong hop flavors, bold herbs do an excellent job of cutting through the hops with citrus characteristics. The easiest way to pair food with beer is to imagine the flavors of the beer being ingredients in the food; if it seems natural, then it will probably work. Finally, be careful when pairing sugary flavors. Pay attention to the flavors surrounding the sweetness. The spicy caramel sweetness of a big Belgian is best saved for meats and cheeses, while a chocolate stout is going to go wonderfully with dessert.

RB Brewer's Dinner - Spring '10

The first Brewer's Dinner of 2010 at the downtown Rock Bottom featured a super filling hybrid of Beef Wellington and Philly Cheesesteak and some very creative stuffed mushrooms. One of Jerry's most popular IPAs, the Hop Bomb, is on tap now and made an appearance as well as his most award winning beer, Subzero.





First Course: Cajun Crab Stuffed Mushrooms paired with Hop Bomb IPA

Why it worked: Balanced IPAs almost always work with spicy dishes. Hops accentuate spice and malt quenches it. This was no exception. The mushroom stuffing had a very pleasing mouth-warming sensation that was invigorated by the hops of the imperial IPA at first, and then cleaned off the palate by the big malt body. The earthiness of the mushrooms worked really well in bringing out an earthy character in the hops that was otherwise unnoticeable. A bit of lemon zest sprinkled on the plate complimented the citrus notes in the beer as you would expect.



Second Course: Spinach Salad paired with Raccoon Red Ale

Why it worked: This salad was fairly mild and clean, so it didn't have a lot of interaction with the hoppy beer. The sweetness of the caramel malts certainly paired with the sweetened Italian dressing. Jess made the observation that a stronger cheese such as Parmesan or feta (instead of Munster) would probably have worked better.



Third Course: Beef Wellington paired with Subzero

Why it worked: The alcohol in this strong ale actually helped cut the heat from the poblano peppers. Beef generally works well with big malty beers and this was no exception. The creaminess of the cheese in both the potatoes and the beef wellington was just a bit too much to be able to pair with the beer.



Fourth Course: Chocolate Empanadas paired with The Hammer Baltic Porter

Why it worked: The Hammer is already a big, roasted Baltic porter and the few months it has been sitting has mellowed the alcohol and brought out a lot of creamy chocolate. It makes sense that the dark chocolate in the empanadas paired with the chocolate in the beer, but the surprise match here was that the sweetness of the dessert canceled out the sweetness of the beer and revealed a really nice cherry quality. Definitely a great pairing and always fun when new flavors like this emerge.

Pairing lessons: Big malty beers do a nice job of helping subdue balanced spicy foods. Hoppy beers typically pair with sharp and somewhat salty cheeses, choose a delicate cheese and the hops will likely wipe it out. When pairing similar flavors, try to pick a complex beer because the secondary flavors are what will come out the most.

Winterfest 2010 Update #5 and Ticket Giveaway

The Brewers of Indiana Guild's Winterfest 2010 tickets are on sale now online. Ticket sales will also begin at breweries soon (hopefully...printer issues). We will inform you as soon as that is available. Winterfest will be held in the Ag/Hort building of the Indiana State Fairgrounds on Saturday, January 30th, 2010 from 3pm to 7pm. Tickets are $30.

As we receive information from the breweries as to what they are bringing, we will let you know. Our first Winterfest update provided the beer lists for Upland, Great Crescent, Mad Anthony, and Brugge. Our second Winterfest update included Bee Creek Brewery, Lafayette Brewing Company, Two Brothers, Rust Belt, Bell's Brewing Co., and Atwater Block. Our third Winterfest update included Crown Brewing, Big Woods Brewing, Power House Brewing, and Rock Bottom Brewery North. Our fourth Winterfest update included Back Road Brewery, Mishawaka Brewing, Broad Ripple Brewpub, Sun King Brewing, Schlafly Beer, Goose Island Brewing Co., North Coast Brewing Co., Left Hand Brewing Co. This is our fifth update to the beer list...


Oaken Barrel
Greenwood, IN
On draft at their booth:
Razz-Wheat
Indiana Amber
Superfly IPA
Snake Pit Porter

Rock Bottom Downtown
Indianapolis, IN
On draft at their booth:
The Hammer Baltic Porter
Hop Bomb IPA
Naughty Scot Wee Heavy

In the outdoor beer garden:
The Hammer Baltic Porter (firkin)

Turoni’s Main Street Brewery
Evansville, IN
On draft at their booth:
Rudolph’s Revenge Strong Dark
Pumpkin Ale
Vinny’s Lager

In the outdoor beer garden:
Barrel Aged Rudolph’s Revenge (firkin)

New Albanian Brewing Co.
New Albany, IN
On draft at their booth:
Elsa Von Horizon Imperial Pils
Solidarity Baltic Porter
ThunderFoot
Hoptimus
WinterFest 2010 Replicale

Three Floyds Brewing Co.
Munster, IN
On draft at their booth:
Ham on Rye
Robert the Bruce
Admiral Lord Nelson

In the outdoor beer garden:
Behemoth Barleywine (pin)

Ram Restaurant and Brewery
Indianapolis, IN
On draft at their booth:
Buttface Amber Ale
Big Red IPA
Indy Blonde Ale
Winterfest Replicale

Barley Island Brewing Co.
Noblesville, IN
On draft at their booth:
Sheet Metal Blonde
Dirty Helen Brown
BarFly IPA
Brass Knuckles Oatmeal Stout
Java Stout
Dirty "Old" Helen Flanders Brown
Barrel Aged BarFly IPA
Beastie Barrel Stout

In the outdoor beer garden:
Belgian-style Black IPA (pin)

Tyranena Brewing Co.
Lake Mills, Wisconsin
On draft at their booth:
Bitter Woman IPA
Rocky's Revenge American Brown Ale (barrel-aged)
Dirty Old Man Imperial Rye Porter aged in Rye Barrels

Schmaltz Brewing Co.
Brooklyn, NY
In bottles at their booth:
Coney Island Human Blockhead
Coney Island Lager
He’brew Bittersweet Lenny’s RIPA
He’brew Origin
He’brew Jewbelation Bar Mitzvah 13th Anniversary
He’brew Rejewvenator

Bluegrass Brewing Company - Shelbyville Road
Louisville, KY
On draft at their booth:
4 drafts TBA

In the outdoor beer garden:
ESB (firkin)
Bearded Pats Barley Wine (pin)

New Belgium Brewing Co.
Fort Collins, CO
On draft at their booth:
Fat Tire
Might Arrow Pale Ale
Ranger IPA


Here it is, the ticket giveaway...
We have two tickets to give away. How do you get in on the fun? It is this simple. Leave a comment on this post that includes your name, either an email address or your twitter ID so that we can reach you if you win, and just for fun, what beer listed over the past five weeks you are most looking forward to trying at Winterfest. You must post a comment by Wednesday, January 13th, 2010 at 11:59pm EST. We will draw a name and announce the winner in the Winterfest 2010 Update #6. Thanks for playing.

RB Brewer's Dinner - Fall '09

In case you weren't already aware, the Fall 2009 Rock Bottom brewer's dinner included the Harvest Mild that I brewed at Rock Bottom with the assistance of head brewer Jerry Sutherlin. The dinner itself featured squash in 3 of its 4 courses, which while delicious, limits the pairing possibilities. Here's a rundown of how they managed to pair 4 fairly different beers with one family of vegetables.





First Course: Sweet Potato Amaretto Crepes paired with Pumpkin Ale

Why it worked: The pumpkin ale at the downtown Rock Bottom is a hybrid of squash flavors and pumpkin pie spice. This year, Jerry added oats to the pumpkin ale to help increase the body and they came through thanks to the sweet, yet bready crepes and created a more dry finish in the beer. The pumpkin in the beer became even sweeter when matched with the similar sweet potato.





Second Course: Fall Harvest Soup paired with Harvest Mild

Why it worked: The dark mild ale features a lot of roasted flavors such as chocolate and coffee, as well as a fair amount of malty sweetness. The soup was created with a variety of root vegetables and had a prominent dose of black pepper, which was drawn out by the beer. The sweet, malty body of the beer drew special attention to the sweetness of the squash in the dish.



Third Course: Stuffed Lamb Chops paired with Vienna Lager

Why it worked: Vienna lager is the Swiss army knife of pairing beers. Sweet caramel malts and a light hopped character help this beer work in most situations. With the lamb, the slightly heavy body on the beer helped bulk up the tender lamb and the sweetness in the meat drew out caramel and brown sugar in the beer. The cherry glaze matched the sweet malts excellently.



Fourth Course: Maple Pumpkin Cannoli paired with Blitzen Winter White Ale

Why it worked: This course featured the most complex beer of the night, which was coincidentally my favorite. Orange, lemon, coriander, honey citrus hops and a hint of anise were all notable components in the beer that created a sweet, almost tropical pumpkin experience. The higher alcohol and much heavier body of the beer was a nice match for the rich, fried exterior of the cannoli.

Pairing lessons: Higher gravity beers are needed to stand up to richer dishes; malty beers are good at accentuating sweetness; if a beer contains a special ingredient, such as pumpkin, it will easily pair with similar ingredients.

RB Brewer's Dinner - Summer '09

For the most recent Rock Bottom brewer's dinner, the menu took a departure from heavier dishes and went for a lighter approach that featured sea bass as the main entree.





The first course featured Oysters Rockefeller. The Rock Bottom take on this famous dish included cream cheese, bacon, and green onions. This dish was paired with Happy Pils, a hopped-up interpretation of the standard Pilsner.

The beer: Very clean aroma with a hint of lemon and citrusy hops. Very pleasant hop character is a welcome variation on the traditional Pilsner style. Lemon, orange, and grapefruit compliment a peppery hop bitterness and create an enjoyable sweetness. A great summer beer.

Why it worked: It's nice to see an oyster pairing that isn't stout. The cream cheese does a nice job of overpowering the sweetness of the beer, revealing a more distinct hop presence. The bitterness of the hops, in turn, cleans the palate very well.


The second course was a soup course of a chilled gazpacho that had a nice spicy kick. The Altbier used for the Microbrewer's Festival Replicale was paired with this course.

The beer: Cocoa and sweet, roasted brown malts dominated the nose. Malt soda, coffee, pine, and lavender created an interesting flavor profile that combined typical Alt malt flavor with an interesting floral aspect.

Why it worked: A pale ale would be the assumed pairing for a spicy dish, but the sweetness of the Alt did an excellent job of subduing the heat. The mouthfeel of the beer increased in its creaminess when paired with this dish.




For the main course, a Sea Bass filet was seared and topped with a fruit salsa of cantaloupe, strawberries, papaya, and honeydew melon. All of this was served with a cheddar polenta cake. The beer to accompany this dish was this year's American Dream IPA.

The beer: Dry pine hops overwhelmed the aroma and the American Dream IPA has the taste aspects to back it up. In addition to pine, grapefruit finds its way into the bitter profile. Honey and sugar cane comes across as a sweet compliment to create a very balanced and sufficiently hoppy IPA.

Why it worked: The fish was light enough to play a neutral role in the pairing of this dish. The fruit salsa was the pairing's strong suit. The bitterness of the hops were calmed and the honey-like sweetness of the IPA flourished with the combination of fruits.


For dessert, blueberries were mixed into a classic creme brulee. Hoosier Ma Stout played the part of the dessert beer - this incarnation featured Coffee malts.

The beer: The nose on this stout was very sweet and rich, with elements of coffee, dark chocolate, and chocolate milk. An interesting agave nectar style sweetness is found in the flavor profile, along with cocoa, milk, and oak.

Why it worked: The blueberries were practically lost in the richness of this dish until paired with the stout. The sweetness of the beer helped relax the sweetness of the creme brulee and brought out both the blueberries in the dish and coffee in the beer. Together they created a delicious blueberry milk stout. Someone should make that beer.

RB Brewer's Dinner - Winter '09

I like to write these up because I enjoy sharing what local Brewers are doing to pair beer with food. I also realize that I usually make these way more wordy than they need to be. Or at least I think I do. So I'm going to try a new format for this. Let's see how it goes.


First course this time around was a Jerk Scallop Salad with a raspberry balsamic vinaigrette. This was paired with the Amarillo Pale, which was their Sugar Creek Pale Ale, cask conditioned and dry-hopped with Amarillo hops.

The beer: Noticeably less sugary and more citrus than the standard Sugar Creek.  Had a pleasant tangerine flavor to it with a hint of piney hops.

Why it worked: The tangerine/citrus flavors in the beer were an excellent accompaniment to the strawberry balsamic vinaigrette.  A sweet wheat beer would have done this too.  Spicy foods and hops are like long lost brothers so clearly jerk seasoning, red onions and pale ales are a hit.


Second course was a beer cheese soup paired with the Hop Bomb IPA.  For some reason this looks darker in the photo than it actually was.

The beer: Hop Bomb is very sweet, very hoppy and very smooth thanks to a nitrogen pour.  Simcoe hops provide a prominent grapefruit flavor which is complemented by a floral Crystal hop aroma.

Why it worked: This soup was amazing. Smokey bacon brought out smoke and pine notes in the beer.  A heavy cheese soup like this would normally coat your mouth but the large amount of hops and higher alcohol in this beer cleanse the palette every time.


The main course was a braised venison chop drizzled with a demi-glace made from the golden Belgian strong ale that accompanies it and a garlic cheese potato cake on the side.

The beer: Trouble, the seasonal Rock Bottom Belgian, is typically a tripel. This year Jerry went a different direction and ended up with a strong ale. Tons of standard Belgian spice notes in here such as allspice, cloves, orange and honey.  A coying sweetness and well masked ABV make this year's Trouble a beer worthy of its name.

Why it worked: A food prepared with the same beer you are drinking will naturally go together.  Beyond this, the garlic in the potato cakes brought out new, subtle spices in the beer such as oregano and mint.

For dessert, I forgot to take any pictures.  Trust me when I say that the three layer chocolate cheesecake, paired with a milk chocolate dipped strawberry and white chocolate dipped strawberry was very appetizing.

The beer: This imperial stout was assistant brewer Adrian's first beer to go on tap at the downtown Rock Bottom.  For the brewer's dinner, it was combined with vanilla extract and placed in a firkin.  At nearly 10% ABV, the alcohol was well hidden behind the vanilla flavor.  Dark chocolate, vanilla extract alcohols and a flavor I can only describe as Kahlua were all prominent in this beer.  With this strong offering from Adrian, I look forward to what he and Jerry will come up with together in the future.

Why it worked: Chocolate and imperial stout.  Seriously.  If you haven't paired this before, do it.  Simple and delicious.