What Gravity Head Is, and Why You'd Want to Take a Bus There

We at Hoosier Beer Geek may be guilty of assuming too much from time to time, and it recently occurred to me that perhaps a deeper explanation of what this whole Gravity Head Bus Trip is all about.

About NABC Pizzeria & Public House:

Currently #10 on RateBeer.com's Best Beer Bars list, Rich O's/NABC Pizzeria & Public House is undoubtedly Indiana's finest beer bar. It's not just the regular list that makes the Public House such a special place - it's the list of regular events that aim to explore all areas of better beer. Like sour and funky? The public house has an event for you. Like smoke beer? They've got that covered. Are you a hop head? Try on Lupulin Land Harvest Hopcoming. Want to celebrate the Hoosier Beer Geek 100 Knights of the Roundtable session? Join us on the bus and help us enjoy Gravity Head.

About New Albanian Brewing Company:

It started with a pizzeria, then they added a bbq joint, and in 1994 they officially became New Albanian Brewing Company. Actual on-site brewing didn't start until 2002, and in 2009 we finally started seeing NABC's kegged beer in Indianapolis bars. We'll see more of NABC in 2010, when they move into bottling or canning.

We should mention what, exactly, they'll be putting in those bottles. New Albanian's Beak's Best, Old 15-B, Elector and Hoptimus have endeared themselves to Indiana drinkers over the past few months. In addition to those standard offerings, we'll be able to sample from New Albanian's seasonal rotation as a Gravity Head apéritif while stopping in for lunch at the Bank Street Brewhouse.

About The Bank Street Brewhouse

It would have been easy enough to put together a bus trip that headed directly to the Public House for Gravity Head, but previous experience with the Bank Street Brewhouse lead us to believe that it shouldn't be missed.

Of course Bank Street has an extensive lineup of New Albanian beer, but the food is equally deserving of the spotlight. NABC says:

Bank Street Brewhouse takes its inspiration from Europe’s brasseries and gastropubs. Chef Joshua Lehman’s kitchen offers fresh, creative, locally sourced dishes ideally suited for pairing with NABC’s legendary lineup of house-brewed ales and lagers.

Your ticket gets you not only the bus trip, but also your choice of meal from a specially created menu just for our guests.

About Gravity Head

They don't refer to Gravity Head as "The Liver Olympics" for nothing. Here's that beer list - keep in mind that these aren't all on at once - they rotate through during the month. So what will be on when we attend? It's kind of a surprise. In any case, with this many options, there will be plenty of good choices available.

Here's that list:

AMERICAN AMBER / RED LAGER
Coney Island Human Blockhead … 10% abv

AMERICAN BARLEYWINE
Avery Hog Heaven Barley Wine … 9.2%
Boulder Killer Penguin Barleywine … 10%
Dogfish Head Olde School Barley Wine … 15.04%
Left Hand Oaked Aged Widdershins … 8.8%
Rogue Old Crustacean 2004 … 11.5%
Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine Style Ale 2004 … 9.6%
Stone Old Guardian … 11.3%

AMERICAN BROWN ALE
Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron … 12%

AMERICAN DOUBLE / IMPERIAL IPA
Bell’s HopSlam … 10%
Boulder Mojo Risin’ … 10.5%
Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA … 18%
Founders Double Trouble … 9.4%
Founders Hand of Doom … 10.4%

AMERICAN DOUBLE / IMPERIAL STOUT
Brasserie Des Franches-Montagnes (BFM) Jurassian Imperial Stout (Cuvée Alex Le Rouge) … 10.28%
Founders Breakfast Stout 2008 … 8.3%
Founders Canadian Breakfast … 9.4%

AMERICAN PORTER
Two Brothers Red Eye Coffee Porter … 9.2%

AMERICAN STRONG ALE
NABC V – 5th Anniversary Ale 2007 … 10%
New Holland Dragon’s Milk … 10%
Rogue Double Dead Guy Ale … 9%
Shmaltz He’Brew Jewbelation Bar Mitzvah (13) … 13%
Sierra Nevada Life & Limb … 10.2%
Sun King Cream Dream (Imperial Cream) … circa 8.5%

BALTIC PORTER
BBC (St. Matthews) Kick in the Baltic Porter … 8.9%
Rogue Imperial Porter 2008 … 8.2%

BELGIAN IPA
Brugge Brasserie Artemis 2IPA … 9.5%
NABC Oaked Le Douche Mentale (firkin) … 8.5%
Regenboog t’Smisje + (Plus) … 10%

BELGIAN STRONG DARK ALE
Brasserie des Franches-Montagnes (BFM)
La Mandragore …8%
De Dolle Stille Nacht … 12% abv
Stone 09.09.09 Vertical Epic Ale … 8.6%
Unibroue La Terrible … 10.5%
Van Steenberge Klokke Roeland … 11%

BELGIAN STRONG PALE ALE
Baladin Elixir (Al-Iksir) … 10%

BIERE DE GARDE
Brasserie Des Franches-Montagnes (BFM) Abbaye De Saint Bon-Chien 2007 and 2008 … 11%

DOPPELBOCK
Ettaler Curator Doppelbock (enhanced export version) … circa 11%
Samichlaus Bier Helles … 14%

DUBBEL
Regenboog t’Smisje Dubbel … 9%

EISBOCK
Schneider Aventinus Weizen-Eisbock (CO2 and special Anstich wooden cask) … 12%

ENGLISH BARLEYWINE
JW Lees Vintage Harvest Ale 2008 … 11.5%
JW Lees Vintage Harvest Ale (Sherry Cask) 2008 … 11.5%
Pausa Cafè Tosta … 12.5%

FOREIGN / EXPORT STOUT
Regenboog t'Smisje Catherine the Great ... 10%

MYSTERY STYLE
Three Floyds Brewing Company … what will Nick send?

OLD ALE
BBC Brandy Barrel Queen’s Knickers … 12%
Founders Curmudgeon … 9.3%
Harviestoun Ola Dubh Special 18 Reserve 2008 (firkin) … 8%
NABC Malcolm’s Old Setters’ Ale 2007 … 12%

RAUCHBIER
Aecht Schlenkerla Eiche ... 8%

QUADRUPEL
Avery “The Reverend” … 10%
Schlafly Quadrupel … 12%

RUSSIAN IMPERIAL STOUT
Founders Imperial Stout 2008 … 10.5%
Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout … 9.5%
NABC ThunderFoot … 11%
Schlafly Reserve – (Barrel Aged) Imperial Stout ... 10.5%
Stone Imperial Russian Stout 2008 … 10.5%

SCOTCH ALE / WEE HEAVY
Founders Backwoods Bastard … 10.2%

TRIPEL
Maredsous 10 … 10%

So we hope you'll join us on March 6th for about 12 hours of tasty food, hearty beer, and worry-free transportation. Tickets are on sale now at Brown Paper tickets - your $40 gets you the bus trip and lunch. Drinks are not included in your ticket price - we'll leave that end up to you.

Click here for tickets.

Random Beer Roundup - The I Know What We Should Do Today Edition

We hope your weekend was enjoyable whether you went to Winterfest or not. We learned a lot from the event and we're looking forward to summer.

Anyway, will you be watching the game on Sunday? What beverages will accompany you? Something good for the end, I hope! Enjoy your weekend!

If there is something coming up that is not listed, we would love to hear about it. News, reviews, info, etc., to share for our next Random Beer Roundup can be submitted to hoosierbeergeek@gmail.com.)

Hoosier Beer Calendar
Events are subject to change

Tuesday, February 9th at Upland Tasting Room - Girls Pint Out Event featuring Upland beer

Wednesday, February 10th from 11-Noon in the Indiana Author's Room of the State Library (315 W. Ohio St.): Learn about the Indianapolis Brewing Company, Indianapolis's oldest brewery, and its impact on local businesses and the city, including the sponsorship of a Negro League baseball team.

Thursday, February 11 at Fireside Brewhouse in Greenwood: Sun King Tapping Party • 7:30 p.m. • Osiris Pale Ale & Sunlight Cream Ale featuring a firkin of Dry-Hopped Osiris

Thursday, February 11 at Naptown Restaurant & Wine Bar in Fountain Square: Beer Tasting w/ Dave • 7:30 p.m. • Sample 6 different Sun King beers

Thursday, February 25th at R Bistro on Mass Ave in Indianapolis • Brewer's Dinner • 6:30 p.m. • 6 Course Dinner prepared with / paired with Sun King Beer

Friday, February 26th at New Albanian Public House in New Albany: Gravity Head begins! The most recent list is here.

Saturday, March 6th: KOTBR100 Bus Trip to New Albany - Tickets are available NOW!

March, Dates TBA - Craft Beer Breakfast

April 24th at Three Floyds Brewery in Munster - Dark Lord Release

What's Brewing

From Dan at Great Crescent Brewery in Aurora:

We have a new draft account in Lawrenceburg at Bourbons - 1 E. High Street. They have our Mild Ale on tap and will be adding others in time.

From Greg at Lafayette Brewing in Lafayette:

LBC Owner/Brewmaster Greg Emig will be at Barley Island Broad Ripple on Wednesday, February 10, 6:30 to 8:30 pm to participate in BI's guest brewery program. Emig will be on hand as Barley Island taps 3 different LBC brews: Tippecanoe Common Ale, Black Angus Oatmeal Stout and Pipers' Pride Scottish Ale.

We are also in discussions to release our bottled Tippecanoe Common Ale and Black Angus Oatmeal Stout at another prestigious Indy-area liquor store earlier that day. Stay tuned for details. Catch the latest news by following us on Twitter or becoming our friend on Facebook.

On tap at LBC this weekend: Ouiatenon Wit Bier; Prophet's Rock Pale Ale; East Side Bitter; Pipers' Pride Scottish Ale; Tippecanoe Common Ale; Eighty-Five; Black Angus Oatmeal Stout; andWeeping Hog IPA.

From Clayton at Sun King Brewery in Indianapolis:

Thursday, 2/11/10 • Fireside Brewhouse Tapping Party • 7:30 p.m. • Osiris Pale Ale & Sunlight Cream Ale featuring a firkin of Dry-Hopped Osiris

Thursday, 2/11/10 • Beer Tasting w/ Dave • 7:30 p.m. • Naptown Restaurant & Wine Bar (Formerly Deano's Vino) • Sample 6 different Sun King beers

Thursday, 2/25/10 • Brewer's Dinner • 6:30 p.m. • R bistro • 6 Course Dinner prepared with / paired with Sun King Beer

L' Espresso Robusto is now available in the Tasting Room and at Chatham Tap. It is Sun King's version of the Indiana Winter Replicale which is a Coffee Infused Oatmeal Stout. Naptown Brown India Brown Ale is available as of 2/05/10 in the Tasting Room and at Spencer's Stadium Tavern. It is an American Brown Ale that is aggressively hopped like and IPA and is malty, hoppy, delicious goodness! We brewed Naptown Brown in honor of our partnership with the Naptown Roller Girls, so it is appropriately sweet but bitter.

Upcoming beers include Imperial Cream Dream II: Electric Boogaloo, a 9%, 90+ IBU Imperial IPA made with Simcoe and Citra Hops. Poff the Magic Dragon, which is a Red Rye IPA named after Mark Poffenberger, who started by volunteering his time last summer while we were building out the brewery and became our first full time employee late last year. Dave and I created the grain bill and Mark chose the hops. We also have Meditator Dopplebock in the Pink Pig lagering away for release whenever we deem it ready...

Aside from actual beers, we are excited about the arrival of our Canning Line from Cask Brewing Systems which is slated to show up on February 15th. It will take us a week or so to uncrate, set up, wire, plumb and get it all ready, so we plan to begin canning before the end of the month. We won't be able to release our cans until after we receive our printed cans, but we will keep you posted as to the actual release date of Sun King in CANS...

At the Bar

From Nick at Naptown Restaurant and Wine Bar in Fountain Square:

We have the last keg of Sun King Crab Apple Wit on draft as well as the Cream ale and the pale ale.

From Lauren at Scotty's Brewhouse in various locations:

Scotty's Lakehouse in Geist area opening on March 1st with 90% of beers on tap and in bottle are Indiana Only!

Carry Out

From Todd at Keg Liquors in Clarksville:

Boulevard - Collaboration #1 (Missouri)
Coney Island - Human Blockhead (California)
North Coast - Old Rasputin XII Imperial Stout (California)
North Coast - Brother Thelonious (California)
Dansk Mjod - Gl. Dansk Mjød(Denmark)
Southern Tier - Choklat (New York)
Southern Tier - IPA (New York)
Southern Tier - Phin & Matts Extraordinary Ale (New York)

From Patrick at Crown Liquors in Indianapolis:

New beers this week:

Schlafly Bourbon Barrel aged Imperial Stout 750 ml
Magic Hat Vinyl Lager Spring Seasonal 6 pk.
Brooklyn/Schneider Hopppen-Weisse 750 ml.
NBB Ranger IPA 22 oz.
Hair of the dog Fred, Adam, and Ruth 12 oz.
Clipper City Holy Sheet 22 oz.
North Coast PranQster, Brother Thelonious, and Old Rasputin 4 pk.
Goliath Tripel 750 ml
Cantillon Kriek 750 ml
Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barley Wine and new to the state Stout 6 pk.
Boulevard/Orval Collaboration #1 Imperial Pilsner 750ml
Rogue Russian Imperial Stout 7 oz

These will be in stock as of today at the Downtown location (Ohio & Deleware) and may be at other Crown locations.

As always, we will host a beer tasting this Friday, Febuary 5th.

Thanks for the great turnout at the Winterfest! Sorry if you missed it, it was a great success!

From Big Red Liquors in Bloomington:

Lots of new beers/returns of old favorites lately!

Upland Komodo Dragonfly Black IPA
Anchor Steam Bock
Sierra Nevada Glissade Golden Bock
New Belgium Mighty Arrow Pale Ale
Abita Mardi Gras Bock
Schlafly Pilsner
Schlafly Winter ESB
Schlafly Grand Cru
Schlafly Quadrupel
Schlafly Triple
Rogue John John -Dead Guy Ale in Dead Guy Whiskey Barrels
New Belgium Ranger IPA
Clipper City Heavy Seas Holy Sheet Uber Abbey
Ale Bells Expedition Stout
Harpoon UFO Pale Ale
Magic Hat Spring Lager
Sam Adams Noble Pils
3 Floyd's Admiral Nelson Strong Bitter
Froach Heather Ale
Wittekerke Belgian Wit
Monk's Cafe Sour Ale
Stawski Polish beer
Unibroue Sampler 4pk

All of these can be found at our downtown Bloomington Big Store at 418 N. College Ave. And as always, don't forget about our free beer tastings every Thursday from 6-8pm

From Corrie at Goose the Market in Indianapolis:

News from the cellar at Goose the Market...

Of course, the Goose is true blue (Go Colts!) but we've got a little red theme going in the cellar these days...

Kasteel Rouge: Okay, the beer has its own facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kasteel-rouge/60517416736?v=info), but sour cherries frame this brown ale with classic Belgian sophistication.
Dogfish Head Red & White: A Belgian wit fermented with pinot noir juice brings citrus at the first sip and a tart, pleasantly chewy finish. Yeah, I was sceptical, too, but it works...really interesting and delicious.
Dry Hopped St. Rogue Red Ale: Woodsy (is that a word-sy?) aromas blend with sugared citrus and balancing bitter hops for a refreshing but hardly boring sip.

Then there are the other colors of the rainbow...

The folks at Etienne Dupont harvested the fruit by hand for this classy cider that's rich and tart with just a touch of those earthy, mushroom flavors. It's unfiltered, unpasteurised, and oh so French. Vive la cidre!
North Coast Brewing Company looked to the far shore for inspiration on Le Merle, a rustic Flemish-style pale ale with lots of fruit up front and a dry, peppery finish.
Breckenridge 471 ESB: From their limited small batch series, this big Scottish Ale warms us up and kicks back just enough.

From the Distributors:

From Krystle at World Class Beverages:

Hair of the Dog Adam, Fred, and Ruth are in!

We’d also like to welcome Crispin Cider aboard.. we now distribute their Light, Honey Crisp, Original, and Brut case beer. Draft beer to come soon.

Bell’s Dopplebock Consecrator and Batch 9000 is on it’s way. The Batch 9000 is warming with dark rum and dried fruit to help celebrate yet another milestone in Bell’s history, offering a wealth of flavor in its Double American Stout body. This is a unique, one-time only recipe and well suited for vintage aging. Keep an eye out for these limited releases that are coming out soon!

Check http://www.worldclassbeverages.com/ Beer Spy for more information or where to find your favorite beer that we distribute nearest to you.

Hoosier Beer Geek in the Indy Star

If you happened to check out the Indy Star's dining section today, you might have stumbled across the following:

Draft a winning Super Bowl party with Indiana beers
By Jolene Ketzenberger

As the Colts take on the New Orleans Saints in this weekend's Super Bowl XLIV in Miami, fans who want to toast their team with a true-blue beverage have plenty of local options.

But we're not talking blue drinks. We're talking beer.

Indiana is home to more than 30 craft breweries that produce a wide range of beers, the perfect homegrown addition to a game-day menu. With such names as Rad Red, Sheet Metal Blonde and Snake Pit Porter, Indiana beers are gaining attention and fans.

"The first thing people need to know is that Indiana's craft breweries are as good as they'll find anywhere in the world," said Mike Atwood, who, along with several other craft beer fans, writes the Hoosier Beer Geek blog (hoosierbeergeek.blogspot.com).

Click here for the rest of the article.