KOTBR #78: Lafayette, we are here!

On the way up to Purdue country, I confessed my desire to ask every bartender we met about their favorite combination for a boilermaker. I mean, Purdue is home to the Boilermakers. Certainly, even the craft beer joints have been asked to make a boilermaker for some annoyingly drunk alum at some point.

What craft beer and what whiskey would go great together, I pondered. I was hoping for some wild suggestions. But of the two joints we hit, neither had been asked to make a boilermaker before. The Lafayette Brewing Company doesn't even serve whiskey at its main bar (they do on the second floor, which is set up for events, concerts, etc.).

A bit disappointing? Yes. Did it stop us from marching on? Not at all. Our first stop: Lafayette Brewing Company (622 Main Street, Lafayette, IN, http://www.lafayettebrewingco.com/), where Greg and company have been producing craft beer since 1993. This is my third trip to LBC; this is the first for Mike and Gina.

Gina commented, "I love Lafayette Brewing Company's cozy atmosphere." When we visited, the restaurant and bar were full of warm colors and wood finishes. The long bar faces an antique back bar complete with mirrors, perfect for people watching. While sitting at the bar, to your left you can watch the brewmasters perform their trade through a set of windows.

You would certainly call this a pub. It has all the feel of an English establishment, but on a larger scale. Families are served from the dining room side of LBC and the entire venue is non-smoking.

Before we talk about the beers (which is the reason we are here to begin with), I want to talk about the people. As we all know, a good bar or brewpub is more than a physical space and a collection of alcoholic beverages. It is also about people.

People behind the bar, like Kelly, who was very friendly and knowledgeable. And people at the bar, like James.


James is a well-known regular. He's Irish ex-pat who is a professor at Purdue. Mention the professor to bar staff or regulars, and they will know who you are talking about immediately. James likes his beers. And his engineering background leads him to do some things many of us don't do.


For example, he carries with him a flexible thermometer. This particular thermometer is designed to wrap around glasses and give the temperature of the contents within. It is normally used by those who enjoy wine. But he likes to use it on his pints of beer.


This particular beer (I believe it to be the "Eighty Five") comes up between 16 and 18 degrees Celsius. That's about 60 to 64 degrees Fahrenheit to you and me. Does that tell us a whole lot? Not necessarily. It's just interesting (and James likes his beer cooler than what you stereotypically expect from an Irishman).

Along with the fascinating quirks, he also was a great resource for identifying beers to try (he recommends blending the Eighty-Five and the Prophet's Rock Pale Ale...unfortunately, the latter was not on tap during our visit) and places to visit (along with Lafayette's Black Sparrow, Knickerbocker, Chumley's, and West Lafayette's Scotty's Brewhouse, he suggested we check out Preston's, which reportedly always has Bell's Two Hearted on tap...unfortunately, we did not hit all of them; a list for a future visit!).

So if you are at LBC, and you see the good professor (and you like to talk to people, like I do), be sure to strike up a conversation with James.

Okay, on to the beers...


Between the regular, seasonal, speciality, and cask conditioned beers, there were around a dozen originals to choose from. We sampled all, but elected to fully explore and review a few. Among them, LBC's most popular beer:

Tippecanoe Common Ale.

So popular, in fact, that they didn't have any on tap. But LBC is bottling two of their beers for carry out consumption. One is Black Angus Oatmeal Stout. The other, thankfully, is Tippecanoe Common Ale. There is a reason why it is so popular: it is delicious. This is one of those beers that are well balanced between hops and malts. But it isn't lacking in Amarillo hops, even in the bottle. I've had the Ale on tap before. There is an ever so slight loss in hops when bottled, but not so much that you really notice unless you are really focused. When the bottled variety eventually makes it way across the state, you will see it in frequent rotation in my beer fridge. 4.0 Mugs

Gina: Poured from the bottle, this easy drinking and exceptionally tasty beer had a nice full-bodied mouthfeel. I am glad we picked some up for home enjoyment. 3.8 Mugs

Mike: The Tippecanoe Common Ale is LBC's best selling beer, and it's easy to see why. Hints of grapefruit-like hops are nicely balanced with a tasty caramel back, giving you a hoppy yet complex and extremely sessionable red ale. We all liked this one, and luckily it's bottled, so we were able to bring some home. 4.2 Mugs


Eighty-Five

Gina: We had this both on draft and from a firkin. The draft version was a nice balance of a footy hop aroma and tasted quite malty. The firkin was a less footy version with a full body and citrusy aroma and flavor. I enjoyed both but the firkin pour was spectacular. 3.25 Mugs - draft, 3.85 Mugs - firkin

Mike: Eighty-Five is LBC's "American Ale", but I'd say it easily works as an IPA. The beer is heavily hopped with both Centennial and Cascade hops, giving it a big bitter bite and an almost syrupy hop flavor. I like a bit more malt in my beer, but this one was still enjoyable and worth revisiting. 3.3 Mugs - draft, 3.58 Mugs - firkin

Jason: After having publicly proclaimed that I did not like hoppy beers on a popular craft beer podcast almost three years ago, I've done a complete one-eighty. Or perhaps a one-eighty-five? All puns aside, I'm big on hops. And Eighty-Five doesn't disappoint. I liked this so much, I considered buying the LBC '85' hockey jersey. Anyway, the Cascade hops standout in the draft version. The grapefruit/citrus aroma stands out. We were lucky enough to be there when they brought out a firkin of Eighty-Five. It looked of orange juice, with a more concentrated citrus aroma to boot. There were more bitters, but there were also more sour flavors, which I'm not a big fan of (in three years, I suspect I'll be the biggest sour beer fan in the world). 4.15 Mugs - draft; 3.85 Mugs - firkin.


As I mentioned before, we sampled other LBC beers, but did not rate them at this time. A sinister excuse to come back up for another roundtable. But here are our notes for your consideration...

Mike:
Piper's Pride - The Piper's Pride Scottish Ale poured a woody amber color and had roasty malt elements that brought to mind smoke and oreo cookies. While that might not sound like an appetizing combination, the thinner mouthfeel meant that this was an extremely easy to drink and tasty brew.

Jason:
Piper's Pride - This beer made me think of smoke (like hickory, not cigarettes) and gingerbread cookies. The bitterness in this beer jumps up as it warms. This would be a great winter beer.

Weeping Hog IPA - On draft, this seems like a light version of an IPA. The Eighty-Five is definitely hoppier. But the cask version is very tasty. Like most places, if there is a cask conditioned version available, get it!

Dog Days - LBC's version of a summer lager, it was named for the public art display in Lafayette and West Lafayette. This has a fuller flavor and mouthfeel than you would expect from a lager. This is better than most that I have had and serves well, even at room temperature.

Gina:
Ouiatenon Wit Bier - A very nice and wheaty beer that could stand up to the hottest of summer days. We had a discussion about the name of this beer, and I asked if it had anything to do with yes and no, but wikipedia says no...the name "Ouiatenon" is a French rendering of the name in the Wea language, waayaahtanonki, meaning "place of the whirlpool".

Black Angus Oatmeal Stout - A smoky English-style stout beer with plenty of oatmeal and chocolate hints.

Weeping Hog IPA - This reminded me of a peach soaked in vodka in the best possible way. Really nice! We also tried this on cask and I believe Greg said the IPA's were made with different malts.


After LBC, we moved down the street to the Black Sparrow Pub (223 Main Street, Lafayette, IN, http://www.blacksparrowpub.com/). Bar manager John has been regularly submitting tap updates to our Random Beer Roundup, and we've been nothing but impressed. The Black Sparrow opened in 2007 and has become a favorite of beer geeks, foodies, and fans of classic cocktails. John and his bartender Brad (don't call them "mixologists"...they're bartenders) will shake up a number of quality classic cocktails. When I say classic, I mean they searched out recipes from before Prohibition. Drinks like the Aviation, the Bourbon Flip, the New York Sour, the Sparrow Sidecar, and the Tequila Swizzle. Even if you aren't ordering up one of these drinks, sit at the bar and watch them work. It is an art in itself.


The tap menu is constantly changing, as the chalkboard shows. And there is a large selection of bottled beers as well. There is some overlap between the clientele between LBC and the Black Sparrow (in fact, we bumped into John earlier at the LBC bar), but as the night goes on, the crowd changes a bit from the downtown worker and dweller crowd (like Diane, Esq.) to a younger, hipper cocktail crowd. The bar also allows smoking after 10pm.

From the eight excellent taps, we opted to review two beers. First up...


Three Floyds Munsterfest
Mike: How glad I was to see this on tap. The only problem I have with Three Floyds beers is that taking a chance on a $10+ bomber of them can be risky. Even if I'm paying $7 for a pint (and I have no idea what we paid for this one, but I'm guessing it wasn't cheap), that seems much more reasonable.

I picked up a combination of green apple and milk in the nose of this beer, elements that were echoed when taking a drink. A creamy mouthfeel, with sweet and syrupy apple cider elements... this is probably a beer better suited for cold weather. This is also pretty mild for a Floyds beer - but I'm not complaining. 3.10 Mugs

Jason: I get a sweet combination of apple flavors and aromas, making this, for me, an apple cider-flavored beer. Which is great. This is a fall or harvest season beer. It was also lacking that big, huge punch of alcohol and hops that you usually expect from Three Floyds. 3.45 Mugs

Gina: Those cocktails look like fun. I want to review a cocktail. What? We're reviewing beers? You're no fun. 3.0 Mugs


Great Divide Belgica:
Mike: Great Divide Belgica is classified as a Belgian-style IPA, and lives up to that description. The beer has a saison-like peppery start, with the trademark Belgian complexity and flowery elements. But the beer finishes not too bitter, reminding you of its IPA roots. My notes say "a tongue twister". 3.70 Mugs

Jason: This is by far an interesting hybrid beer. It is appropriately listed as Belgian first and IPA second. It was enjoyable, with tons of Belgian beer flavor and nose, but I was disappointed by a lacking in the IPA department. If they didn't call it an IPA, would I have rated it higher? Maybe. But it is worth trying anyway. 3.4 mugs

Gina: You guys suck. I want a cocktail. 3.15 mugs

LBC Tippecanoe Common Ale (bottle)
Jason 4.0 Mugs Gina 3.8 Mugs Mike 4.2 Mugs
KOTBR Score - 4.00 Mugs

LBC Eighty-Five (draft)
Jason 4.15 Mugs Gina 3.25 Mugs Mike 3.3 Mugs
KOTBR Score - 3.57 Mugs

LBC Eighty-Five (firkin)
Jason 3.85 Mugs Gina 3.85 Mugs Mike 3.58 Mugs
KOTBR Score - 3.76 Mugs

Three Floyd's Munsterfest (draft)
Jason 3.45 Mugs Gina 3.0 Mugs Mike 3.1 Mugs
KOTBR Score - 3.18 Mugs

Great Divide Belgica (draft)
Jason 3.4 Mugs Gina 3.15 Mugs Mike 3.7 Mugs
KOTBR Score - 3.42 Mugs

The Hoosier Beer Geek 6 Pack: Mikkel Bjergsø of Mikkeller

The Hoosier Beer Geek 6 Pack is a feature where we run six questions by the folks behind the scenes at breweries to get a little more insight into what they do and like and how they got their start.

If you've been reading HBG for a while, then the following brewer needs no introduction. From our 2008 Beer of the Year, to our Craft Beer Breakfast and our Mikkeller Marathon roundtable review, we've never hidden the fact that we're huge fans of the work of Mikkel Bjergsø. It's with great pleasure we present this 6 pack interview.


1) The first thing we normally ask in these interviews is your name, age, location, and the name of the brewery you work for.

Mikkel Bjergsø, 33, Copenhagen - Denmark, Mikkeller

2) Your story is interesting in that you and your friend Kristian Klarup Keller started as bottling homebrewers, gained a reputation for doing great beer, and then the distributors started calling. Was it that simple? And how did you convince a professional brewery to let them let you use their equipment?

Yep, it's actually that simple. Having homebrewed for three years we started selling small batches of beer from my brother's shop in Copenhagen, Denmark. Suddenly these beers showed up in different parts of the world and got some great reviews on beer sites like Ratebeer and BeerAdvocate. Our small batches started selling out in a matter of hours and we thought it would be fun to get a wider distribution. Instead of following the trend in Denmark and opening our own brewery we contacted a few breweries in Denmark asking them for the possibility of renting their equipment and brewing our beer. We wanted to keep our jobs and did not want to take huge loans, as it often affects the quality of the beer you produce. If you have a 2 million dollar debt it's hard not to compromise to sell more beer. The breweries we contacted thought we were crazy, but we convinced some of them to let us use their equipment.

3) You went from homebrewer to Danish Brewery of the Year pretty much instantly, and were ranked as the 6th best brewery in the world by Ratebeer.com in the course of a year. Where does that come from? To read that--and I'm not looking to embarrass or flatter you--but you'd have to think, "Well this guy must be some sort of genius." At what point did you realize, "Maybe I really have a gift for this?"

To me it's not that hard! I started brewing beer at home as I thought something was missing in Denmark. Ten years ago we started getting a lot of new breweries here, but due to the mentioned big loans, they pretty much all brewed the same boring pale ale, pilsner, weissbier, etc., in order to sell a lot of beer. The Danish public weren't ready for out-of-this-world beer styles. I looked over to the U.S. and found breweries like Three Floyds, Stone, Alesmith, Dogfish Head, Founders, etc., and thought - beers like this are what I want to drink, and if you can't buy it, brew it yourself. I don't think I'm a genius or have a special gift for brewing--maybe I just have good taste in beer :-)


4) Did you start with the the complete joy of homebrewing like everyone else does? What's your brewing background? And when you're coming up with something now, do you still start the recipes as a homebrew?

When I stared homebrewing, I had a couple homebrew books, but I didn't use them for too long. I quickly got more interested in doing things my own way. I am a chemistry teacher at a school in Copenhagen (I still am half-time, since I love teaching and cannot let go if it) so that might have helped with the theoretical part a bit. Besides this I have no background. For the first year or so with Mikkeller, I did homebrew batches to test new recipes, but since I am getting more and more busy, I don't have time for that anymore. When creating new recipes I think about beers within a style that I like and try to take the best part from different beers. I sample a lot of different beers from all over the world to get inspired. I think this is a very important thing if you want to brew good beer. You have to know the best that is out there and try to make it even better :-)

5) In the United States, craft breweries often like to make an "us versus them" argument when talking about large breweries (like Anheuser-Busch and Miller/Coors) and themselves, basically saying that the large breweries are making bad beer, and that the smaller breweries are the "little guy" fighting a major battle. Do you see your brewery in the same sort of position? Are you fighting a "battle for better beer" against the likes of Carlsberg in Denmark?

Not fighting Carlsberg, fighting boring and uninteresting beer. Carslberg is and will always be the number one choice for 95+% people of the Danish population. I think it is sad that so many people don't know what possibilities beer has. I want to show them what hops, malts, and yeast taste like. Not to take customers away form Carlsberg, but to enlighten people in the wonderful work of craft brewing. If people enjoy one IPA for every 100 Carlsbergs, I am happy.

6) A life of traveling the world and brewing beer with the world's greatest brewers seems like a romantic dream for many of us. Is it all good times, or are there headaches (not just from the beer) that come along with that sort of lifestyle?

Traveling and meeting great people and brewers is what makes it all fun. I am in a very fortunate position that I am able to do this. Meeting my brewing idols all over the world, sharing thoughts and ideas with them, is really great. But it is also great being back home teaching and having colleagues and students that you know well and share your everyday life with. Traveling can be very lonely even though you meet a lot of people. I just got a wonderful little daughter which of course has changed things, but I will always be traveling and hopefully brew with the best brewers in the world.

Random Beer Roundup - Love to the Homebrewer Edition

We had a great time last weekend in Cincinnati. Although it rained at the ballpark and the Cardinals lost, we still managed to have a good time and find good beer (Great Lakes and Flying Dog among others). We also spent some time eating, drinking, and listening to a great polka band at the Hofbrauhaus before (and after) catching the fireworks show on the Ohio River. We tried to hit up the Beer Sellar, but they had a cover charge and we thought that was dumb. We made up for it though, by picking up a couple gems at Jungle Jim's and the Party Source. I'm sure you'll be hearing about some of them later. How was your holiday weekend?

We want to wish good luck to all of the homebrewers who entered beer into this year's Brewers Cup. We are hoping for a repeat gold from Knights Rod and Jess, who won with their chili beer last year. Good luck as well to those judging the competition -- may your palates be ripe for tasting. Judging and awards for the event will happen this weekend at the State Fairgrounds. We wish everyone the very best.

So as the great Charlie Papazian would say “Relax. Don't worry. Have a homebrew.” This is the Random Beer Roundup.

Hoosier Beer Calendar
Events are subject to change

Wednesday, July 15th at Spencer's Stadium Tavern in Indianapolis at 6pm:
Brewer's Dinner - For tickets go to Chef JJ. (details below)

Friday, July 17th at Optimist Park in Indianapolis:
Brewers of Indiana Guild VIP Dinner

Friday, July 17th at Chumley's in Broad Ripple starting at 7pm:
Indy Microbrewers Fest Kick Off (details below)

Saturday, July 18th at Optimist Park in Indianapolis:
14th Annual Indiana Microbrewers Festival. You can purchase tickets online here.

Tuesday, July 21st at Patrick's Kitchen and Drinks in Zionsville at 6:30 pm:
Summer Beer Buffet - Six course beer dinner (details below)

Saturday, August 22nd:
The Hoosier Beer Geek 3rd Anniversary Party, Sun King Brewing Co. Tickets are limited and can be purchased from Brown Paper Tickets.

Saturday, September 12th, from 7-10pm at the Potawatomi Zoo in South Bend:
Zoo Brew, beer tasting event, tickets on sale August 1, $30 in advance; more info here.

Saturday, September 26th at Crown Brewing Co. in Crown Point - 2nd Annual Oktoberfest - Outdoor event, Live Music, Food, etc

What's Brewing

From Charlie at Brugge in Broad Ripple/Terre Haute:

Lots of things are happening at Brugge Brasserie and with Brugge Beer. Some are a bit inconvenient and some are exciting.

First, our main boiler at the brewery in Terre Haute decided to stop boiling. Replacing it requires some underground construction work for an upgraded gas line and meter.
This means we won't have any production until the work is finished. And I wish I could give you a completion date right now, but I can't.

We still have a limited supply of Tripel de Rippel and Rubicon Red for you to enjoy at the Brasserie.
And we'll be as desperate as you for more Brugge Black, White, and Tripel, so we promise to keep you up to speed on our progress.

In the meantime, Ted is hard at work crafting a couple of summer beers in our brewery at the Brasserie.
One is called Bruno ( not to be confused with some obscure Sacha Baron Cohen film ) . It is a summer "brun" ( French Belgian for Brown ) baby Dubbel. It should be ready within 5 to 7 days.
The second is a Belgian Blonde called Voyageur (not to be confused with, oh, never mind) hopped to American standards. It sounds like the perfect "Upper Deck" session beer and will be ready to enjoy within 2 weeks.

Also, we will be taking this opportunity to feature some sensational guest beers while we await the return of your Brugge favorites. This list will change frequently, so stay tuned.
Currently, we have the following outstanding selection upstairs:

Bitburger Premium
Franziskaner Hefe Weizen
O'Hara's Celtic Stout
Three Floyds Alpha King
Cane and Ebel Red Rye

In other news, while the brewery is under repair The Vigo Brewing Group, parent of Brugge Beer, will be investigating a potential new product line, including some very robust and aggressive American beers.

I'll keep you up to date on everything as we move forward.
Thanks again for all you support and loyalty to the Brugge brand.

From Scott at Upland Brewing Co. in Bloomington:

We have finally tapped the long-awaited Double Dragonfly Imperial IPA at our tap room. Dragonfly’s bigger brother comes in around 10% ABV and is a hop head’s dream. We only made one batch so it’s only available until it lasts!

From Greg at Lafayette Brewing Co. in Lafayette:

After a short closure over the holiday weekend, LBC popped the doors back open this past Wednesday with a new menu and some stylish new bench seating in the dining room. Tasty new dishes include: Our Signature Steak; Winner Winner Chicken Dinner; True Bleu Burger; Caribbean Pork Tenderloin; Nachos Papas and much, much more! LBC will also be hosting the Caleb Klauder Country Band on Friday night. Local favorites The Woodstove Flapjacks will open the evening of old-time country and string music. On Saturday, the street in front of LBC will be closed to vehicular traffic as the season's 3rd Mosey Down Main Street takes place. Live music, street performers, crafts, belly dancers, local food vendors and more take over Main St. from 6 pm to midnight. A great place to take LBC's new 1-liter growlers for a stroll! Admission is FREE!

On tap at LBC this weekend: Ouiatenon Wit; Prophet's Rock Pale Ale; East Side Bitter; Pipers' Pride Scottish Ale; Tippecanoe Common Ale; Black Angus Oatmeal Stout; Eighty-Five; Weeping Hog IPA (draft and cask versions) and the last bit of our Dog Days Summer Lager.

From Adam at Crown Brewing in Crown Point:

7 Beers Now on Tap + a Root Beer

1) JailHouse Bock
2) Celtic Pride Irish Stout
3) Special Force Ale (IPA)
4) Wiezenheimmer
5) Wit
6) BlueBerry
7) Crown Light

August 22nd - the Crown Challenge Pro-Am - Check out the site for more info
September 25th - Crown Brewing will be featured at the Pumpkin Bash (Lake County Fairgrounds 5 - 11pm)
September 26th - 2nd Annual Oktoberfest - Outdoor event, Live Music, Food, etc (211 S East St ~ Crown Point)

At the Bar

From Dustin at Spencers Stadium Tavern:

If you haven't heard we are having another Brewer's Dinner. On July 15th @ 6 P.M. for $39 you get the chance to taste the first batches from Sun King Brewery. We will be closing the Tavern and going NON-SMOKING for the night. Only a few seats remain. For tickets go to Chef JJ.

From Amber at Scottys Brewhouse:

Scotty’s Liquor Mixer Thirst Quencher is coming Thursday, July 23rd from 6 – 9pm! This is a VIP Only event – you sign up to be a VIP for only $10 and get in FREE! Samplings of Scotty’s Cocktails, Wines and High Gravity Beers from Bell’s Brewing Company.

From Patrick at Patrick's Kitchen in Zionsville:

Please know that we just tapped Hop Wallop, Brooklyn Brewing Brown Ale, and have a keg of Coney Island Lenny's Rye IPA waiting in the wings.

In addition, our new bottles include Moylan's Double IPA (Moylander), Three Floyd's Apocalypse Cow, and we're all enjoying them very much.

Patrick's Kitchen and Drinks invites you to our Summer Beer Buffet, Tuesday, July 21 at 6:30 PM. This six course dinner will feature six beers specially paired to complement the food. Jo Vickery from World Class Beverage will be on hand to tell us all about the beers.
Tickets are $35 in advance, this includes the tax and tip. $45 at the door. Call 317-733-8755 for information and reservations, or email us at patrick@patrickskitchen.com

Carry Out

From Mike at Crown Liquors with various locations:

Crown will be receiving today, Founders Devil Dancer(allocated), Great Divide 15th BA IPA, Chocolate Yeti and Dbl. Witte as well as Heavy Seas Big DIPA. Giradin Geuze will be in next week and we still have some Stone 13th lingering.

From Todd at Keg Liquors:

Founder’s Devil Dancer - Founders most complex, most innovative, most feared and yet most revered ale produced. Massive in complexity the huge malt character balances the insane amount of alpha’s used to create this monster. More IBU’s than any brewery has documented, more than you would believe and dry-hopped for twenty-six days straight with a combination of 10 hop varieties. Dangerously drinkable and deliciously evil. We dare you to dance with the Devil. 200+ IBUs

Clipper City Heavy Seas The Big DIPA - Hopped 3 times in the brewing process, Big DIPA has an earthy hop aroma. In keeping with the Heavy Seas philosophy we’ve made a big beer with a surprising balance. The best part is that you’ll hardly notice it’s 10.6% ABV (est). The label artwork was created by Kurt Krol, one of our brewers who also helped to develop the recipe.

Southampton IPA - PAs are more highly hopped and a bit stronger than traditional pale ales. There are two distinct styles - English and American. English IPAs tend to be more subtle and a bit maltier while American IPAs have a bolder hop character. Southampton brewmaster Phil Markowski has combined the best of both styles in his IPA. He’s crafted an ale with the bold citrusy hop character of an American IPA and the maltier, more refined flavor of an English IPA. Although the defining characteristic of Southampton IPA is balance, its incredible blend of three American and two British hop varieties is sure to please any hophead! 40 IBUs.

Christian Moerlein Discovery Pack - Recently resurrected, this Cincinnati brewery was a local treasure until changing business climates forced them out of business. Now they are back. Their first available package in Indiana is a mixed 12 pack with the following: Barbarossa, a double dark lager, Over the Rhine Ale, Helles, and the Friend of an Irishman Stout. Pretty cool stuff here.

Oud Beersel Framboise - Framboise is a classic among the Belgian beers created by adding whole fresh raspberries (250 g/l)to a blend of young and old lambic. Framboise Oud Beersel is the missing link between beer and wine and is served chilled in flute glasses.

Oud Beersel Kriek - is a classic among Belgian beers. Created by adding whole fresh cherries to young lambic, which provides both seasoning and sparks another fermentation resulting in a product of great complexity. It has the acidity of champagne, the bouquet and delicate flavor of cherries, and balance of almondy dryness.

Girardin Geuze - is a lambic of exceptional excellence, the epitome of traditional gueuze, bombarding the palate with slightly lemon-grapefruit tang. Considered by many to be the finest lambic of all.

From Big Red Liquors in Bloomington:

New at Big Red Liquors:

Stone 13th Anniversary -Imperial Red Ale
Stone Cali-Belgie -IPA
New Holland Imperial Hatter IPA
New Holland Golden Cap Saison
New Holland Full Circle Kolsch
Founder's Devil Dancer -Triple IPA

As always don't forget about our FREE beer tasting every Thursday from 6-8pm at the downtown Bloomington store.

News, Reviews, and Gossip

From Mat at Cavalier Distribution:

Chumley’s 838 Broadripple Avenue - Indy Microbrewers Fest Kick Off, Friday, July 17

Starting at 7:00pm, every hour we will tap one of five kegs that have either never been seen in Indiana or might as well have never been seen in Indiana.

7:00- Two Brothers Brewing Co. Hop Juice Double IPA
8:00- Stone Brewing Co. Sublimely-Self Righteous Ale
9:00- Founder’s Brewing Co. Maple Mt. Brown Ale
10:00- Schmaltz Brewing Co. He’Brew Oak Aged Bitter Sweet Lenny’s RIPA
11:00- Left Hand Brewing Co. Oak Aged Imperial Stout

To be able to get into any of these kegs is a real treat…to be able to tap all five of them in one night in one place is certainly a rare and special opportunity if you are any kind of beer geek at all.

Also from Mat is a huge listing of the beer they will be bringing to the BIG festival next weekend with the special tappings highlighted:

Atlantic Brewing Co. Bar Harbor Blueberry Ale 4/6/12
Berghoff Blond (Artisan series) 4/6/12
Bison Brewing Organic IPA 4/6/12
Boulder Flashback Anniv. Ale 15.5 keg
Breckenridge 471 IPA 12/22
Breckenridge 471 ESB 5 gal keg
Cave Creek Chili Beer 4/6/12
Clipper City Big DIPA 5.2 Gal Keg ***** 5 lbs of hops per Brl - the hoppest beer in the fest ...
Clipper City Loose Cannon Hop3 Ale 4/6/12
Dixie Blackened Voodoo 4/6/12
Founders Centennial IPA 15.5 Keg
Founders Cerise 15.5 gal keg
Founders Devil Dancer 5 Gal. keg *** Special tapping
Founders Double Trouble 6/4/12
Founders KBS 5 gal keg *** Special tapping
Founders Old Curmudgeon 5 gal keg *** Special tapping
Founders Red's Rye 15.5 keg
Founders Barrel Aged Red's Rye PA5 keg *** Special tapping
Great Divide 15 Ann. wood aged Dbl IPA 5 gal keg *** Special tapping
Great Divide Yeti Imperial Stout 15.5 gal. Keg
He'brew Bittersweet Lenny's RIPA 12/22
He'brew Bittersweet Lenny's RIPA Barrel Aged gal keg (special order) *** *** Special tapping w...
He'brew Origin Pomegranate Ale 12/22
He'brew Rejewvenator 12/22
Horse Piss Beer 6/4/12
J.K's Scrumpy Hard Cider (organic) 12/22
Lakefront Dark 4/6/12
Left Hand Haystack Wheat 15.5 gal. keg
Left Hand Imperial Stout 12/22
Left Hand JuJu Ginger Ale 15.5 keg
Left Hand Milk Stout 15.5 Keg
Left Hand Sawtooth 15.5 gal. keg
Left Hand Sawtooth Firkin *** Secial tapping
Looking Glass Mojo Risen 15.5 gal keg
Mad Anthony 'Ol Woody Pale 15.5 keg
Mad River Brewing Company Steelhead Extra Stout 4/6/12
MAD RIVER JOHN BARLEYCORN 13.2 KEG
Mendocino Blue Heron Pale 4/6/12
Michigan Brewing Celis Grand Cru 15.5 Keg
Michigan Brewing Co. Pale Ale 4/6/12
Original Sin Apple Cider 4/6/12
Pizza Beer Co. Mamma Mia Pizza Beer 24/16
Sea Dog Blue Paw Wheat Ale 4/6/12
Sergeants American Ale 4/6/12
Shipyard Pugsley's Barley Wine 12/22
Shmaltz Coney Island Albino Python 12/22
Shmaltz Coney Island Lager 12/22
Shmaltz Coney Island Sword Swallower 12/22
Southern Star Pine Belt Pale Ale 6/4/16 Cans
Sprecher Hefeweizen 6/4/16
Stone Anniversary 15.5 keg *** 13th ANNIV. ***** 4.5 lbs of hops per Brl - 2nd hoppest beer in ...
Stone Brewing Old Guardian 2007 15.5 keg **** 2007 Vintage ***
Thirsty Dog Old Leghumper 15.5 gal keg
Two Brothers Brewing Company Ebelweiss 15.5 Keg
Two Brothers Brewing Company Domaine Du Page 15.5 Keg
Two Brothers Brewing Company Oh Brother Triple 5 Keg *** Special tapping
Two Brothers Brewing Company Cane and Eble 5 Keg *** Special tapping
Warbird Brewing Gold
Warbird Brewing Red
Warbird Brewing Pale
Warbird Brewing Wheat
Warbird Brewing Irish Shantey

From Greg at Cavalier Distribution:

There is a lot of absolutely incredible beer hitting the Indiana market this week, but it's all very, very limited. If you can find some you will want to grab some asap, as these won't hang around for long:

Clipper City Big DIPA (Double IPA)
The CC Heavy Seas Big DIPA Double IPA is the first in the Heavy Seas Special Edition Series. Hopped 3 times in the brewing process, Big DIPA has an earthy hop aroma. In keeping with the Heavy Seas philosophy, Clipper City has created a big beer with surprising balance. The best part, is that you'll hardly notice it's 10.6% abv and 75+ IBU's. There is a finite amount that just landed in Indiana last weekend, so get it now while it's still available. You should start seeing it in your favorite craft/micro retailers now or very soon.

Founders Devil Dancer Triple IPA
Devil Dancer is Founder's Triple IPA, which is released once a year to kick down the doors of your pallet. At 13% abv and IBU's off the scale, Devil Dancer is a beast of a beer, humbling even the biggest of hop heads. This year the Devil Dancer is as rare and hard to find as ever, even more so than this year's KBS. There is not much at all in the state, so you will need to search for it at only the very best Founders retailers. Get it now while you can, because it is guaranteed to be gone soon.

Great Divide 15th Anniversary Wood Aged Double IPA
Based on their most award-winning beer, Denver Pale Ale, this copper-hued treat is a celebration of everything Great Divide does best. Plenty of malty sweetness provides a backdrop for earthy, floral English and American hops, while French and American oak round off the edges and provide a touch of vanilla. Thanks to everyone who's supported Great Divide for the last 15 years - here’s to 15 more! 10.0% ABV.

Great Divide Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout
Welcome to the newest incarnation of Great Divide's revered imperial stout. The fellas at GD toned down the hops a bit to allow cocoa nibs to contribute some pleasing bitterness, while vanilla notes from the oak combine with the cocoa to create an aroma and flavor akin to a gourmet chocolate bar. A dash of cayenne keeps things lively, adding just a bit of heat to the finish. A Yeti for summer? Hell yes.

Great Divide Double Wit
Double Wit is Great Divide's more muscular take on the beloved white ales of Belgium. Unmalted wheat and Belgian malted barley give the beer a light body and straw hue, while coriander and curaçao provide the traditional notes of spice and light acidity. This cloudy, deceptively drinkable creation should be enjoyed without the addition of fruit. 8.1% ABV.

**There is a very, very limited amount of all 3 of these new wonderful Great Divide beers to hit Indiana. You will only be able to find these at craft/micro brew focused locations that have supported Great Divide for awhile. Get these while you can, because there is very little to be had and when they're gone, they're gone for the year.

Fullers London Pride Pale Ale & London Porter CANS!!
Fullers has released their incredible London Pride Pale Ale & Porter in 4pk 16oz CANS! Yes, you can finally enjoy this wonderful English Ale at the track, on the beach or on the boat as well this summer! It is the same phenomenal liquid that has made Fullers famous as one of the premier English Breweries, but in a can package. This will be a new everyday item, so grab a can of Fullers and enjoy!

De Troch Pineapple Lambic
Have you ever had a Pineapple Lambic? If not, now is the time. De Troch's Pineapple Lambic is a wonderful nectar perfect for the summer. It is full of fruit with a wonderful balance between sweet and tart. It is fantastic and unique, a must try!

Bob O. at Indianabeer has World Class Beverages' Hopapalooza line-up for the festival next weekend.
* But if you can't seem to follow a link...here is the list :)

Brewery	Beer
21st Amendment	Brew Free or Die IPA
Abita Brewing	Jockamo IPA
Atwater Brewery	Salvation IPA
Avery Brewery	Hog Heaven
Avery Brewery	Maharaja
Avery Brewery	IPA
Bell's Brewery	IPA
Boulevard Brewery	Double Wide IPA
Dark Horse Brewing	Double Crooked Tree IPA
Dogfish Head Brewery	120 Minute IPA
Firestone Walker	Double Barrel Pale Ale
Firestone Walker	Union Jack
Flying Dog Brewery	Double Dog Double Pale Ale
Harpoon Brewery	IPA
Harpoon Brewery	Leviathan IPA
Hoppin' Frog Brewery	Mean Manalishi
Lagunitas Brewing	Hop Stoopid
Lost Coast Brewery	Indica IPA
Ninkasi Brewing	Total Domination IPA
Ninkasi Brewing	Believer Double Red
North Coast	Red Seal IPA
Port Brewing	Wipe Out IPA
Port Brewing	Hop 15
Rogue Brewing	Double Dead Guy
Schlafly Brewing	Export IPA
Victory Brewery	Hop Wallop