Hoosier Beer Geek: A Beer Blog for Indiana, from Indianapolis

16 March 2010

Beer Diary: Lil' Charlie's

One of the perks of my job is that, from time to time, I do get to travel. And one of the perks of the expanding niche of craft brewing is that, from time to time, I cross paths with a craft brewery. On a recent day, I found myself traveling through Batesville, a historic German immigrant town located off of I-74 between Indianapolis and Cincinnati.

I had a difficult time finding the place because a major construction project was occurring on Pearl Street, right in front of Lil' Charlie's. As I maneuvered my way through town, I wondered how the construction was affecting business. Apparently not much, because the place was packed at lunch time. I'm guessing the locals know their way around better than I do. And this is probably a favorite place for the business-types at Hill-Rom and Batesville Casket Company.

This was my first time at Lil' Charlie's, so I opted for a flight of smaller pours. They have five beers on tap, and the flight of five cost me five dollars. It looks like these beers are always on and I haven't found any indication that they do seasonal brews right now.

-Batesville Blonde Pilsner: it is 4.8% ABV, clear and golden. There is a clean, almost soapy nose. It has a very malty flavor and a hint of sour lemon. There is just a bit of hops to it, leaving a bit if bitters in the back of the throat. Leaves a filmy mouthfeel.

-Father Franz's Hefeweizen: it is a bit more orangish than the pils and 5% ABV. A slight spicy nose. A lot of spice in the flavor. The coriander stands out. The spice is followed by a strong bit of sour.

-Fire House Red Wheat: bronze and gold in color, a bit cloudy, and 5.3% ABV. It has a wheaty nose but a clean, crisp taste. You get a bit of hop on the tip of the tongue and in the back of the throat. There are some citrus flavors but not so much sour. The mouthfeel is clean on this one. Very enjoyable.

-Bull Ram Bock: it is clear and bronze and is the menu's heavy hitter at 7.0%. It smells and tastes like a lager, if you can imagine. Very little bitters, but it isn't big in maltiness either. An easy to drink beer.

-Harry's Pale Ale: for a pale, I find it to be easy on hops when compared to most pales that I drink. It is golden in color and 5.6% ABV. There is a modest hop aroma to compliment the modest hop kick. The most bitterness that I notice is in the aftertaste. Another easy to drink beer.

A word about the food: Batesville is a small Indiana town but has big business. And I'm sure that they try to provide for the needs of those doing business in Batesville but looking for something more than your typical small town Indiana corner cafe. I'm sure that's why the owners brought in Culinary Institute of America-trained chef Adam Israel, who also doubles as brewmaster. The menu is very large and covers a wide range of foods. They are presented in a sophisticated manner.

The shrimp avocado egg rolls I ordered are obviously handled with care. The skin is fresh and crisp. The inside of shrimp, avocado, cabbage and carrot remain crisp, flavorful, and NOT soaked in cooking oil. The sweet and sour pepper sauce is full of sweet flavor and heat. Based on the large lunchtime crowd, in spite of the massive road project out front, I would say that this place has likely become a Batesville favorite. And I bet that the addition of a solid and standard craft beer lineup is like the icing on the cake.

13 March 2010

HBG Classics: KOTBR #70 - Founders Great Expectations

Today marks the official release of Founders KBS at their Grand Rapids brewery. After a cavalcade of fantastic regular Founders offerings made their way to Indiana shelves last year, we thought it might be time to ask the question: "Is KBS worth the hype?"

Of course it's not 2009 any more, and even with consistent recipes, beer does change from year to year and batch to batch. As always, we advise that it's always worth finding out for yourself.

This roundtable originally ran on April 18th, 2009.

KOTBR #70 was a special occasion. Special in that we gathered up (perhaps) more beer than we've ever reviewed in one sitting before. Special because we were joined by Cari, the Kahn's Beer Queen. And special because we're all fans of Founders Brewing, the Michigan powerhouse of tasty brewed treats.

The question I put forth to my fellow Knights was this (in many many more words):

"Is Founder's KBS (formerly Kentucky Breakfast Stout) really Founders' best beer?"

What I was really getting at was the question of hype versus taste. Is KBS' reputation built on the fact that it's not an easily acquired beer? How often does an obsessed-over beer reward that obsession?

We're probably as guilty as anyone at overhyping how good a beer can be - so in this review we ask the question - Do these beers meet expectations? And we'll admit that might be a snobby question to ask.

Thomas Jefferson once wrote:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all beers are not created equal, that they are endowed by their Brewer with certain unalienable qualities, that among these are malt, hops and the possible infusion of coffee, chocolate, bourbon, and other flavors.

Yes, he wrote that. It was part of the Declaration of Beer Dependence that he wrote when he was part of Colonial Beer Geek. He later adapted the text for some statement that was sent to the King of England.

Jefferson was a polymath. And like many of his contemporaries, one of his interests was the production and consumption of beer. Don't believe me? Here's proof.

While little is known about what sort of beers were brewed at Monticello, I think it is a safe bet that none of them were like any of the Founders beers that we sampled.

Porter – Exceeds expectations: Sometimes, I find porters to be lacking. Often, the mouthfeel is too watery to fully carry the flavors. This is not the case. The fullness and creaminess of this porter easily carries the chocolate and coffee maltiness.

Backwoods Bastard – Exceeds expectations: Bourbon and stouts have always played well together. But Wee Heavy ales and bourbon may end up being BFF’s. The caramel and buttery components of bourbon and the roasted caramel malts of the Wee Heavy create a wonderful concoction that is best described as butterscotch candy in inebriating liquid form.

Double Trouble – Does not meet expectations: With a name like Double Trouble, you really expect to get the hop-shit slapped out of you. And based on the smell, I was preparing myself for a punch. While it had a sweet taste and a clean mouth, it was too light for a double IPA. The only trouble I found was in the enjoyable bit of spice left in the back of my throat.

Curmudgeon – Does not meet expectations: 9.3% ABV. Old Ale. The name. All reasons why I had high hopes for this beer. But, I found this to be a weak beer in comparison to the other Founders beers I have consumed. Not a bad beer by any means, but left me wanting more.

Breakfast Stout – Exceeds expectations: The mouthfeel of the Breakfast Stout was lighter than expected, but this coffee stout is very enjoyable with its big coffee flavor highlighted by hints of bitter chocolate. A mocha frappucino in beer form.

Imperial Stout – Exceeds expectations: The words chocolate and coffee and caramel and malty have been thrown around a lot when talking about stouts. This one exceeds them all. It is a big, sugary explosion of a stout. In short: fantastic!

Kentucky Breakfast Stout – Does not meet expectations: It’s funny to say that a beer I rated at 4.7 mugs was disappointing. I like bourbon. A lot. And I feel that the latest KBS is not as bourbon-infused as last year’s. It is still, however, extremely tasty.

PORTER - Exceeds Expectations: This porter is incredibly robust with huge chocolate flavor with hints of coffee, molasses, and toasted almonds. The kind of flavors you'd expect to find in an Imperial Stout but with the body and ABV of a Porter. I would gladly order this at any bar.

BACKWOODS BASTARD - Exceeds Expectations: When this was fresh, it fell a bit short. The flavors were all right but it had a lot of alcohol burn in the nose and the swallow. Now that it's six months old, the alcohol has mellowed and the bourbon flavor is even better. If you like bourbon you HAVE to try this. The nose of oak, vanilla, caramelized banana, and toasted coconut alone is enough to sell me on this.

DOUBLE TROUBLE - Does Not Meet Expectations: You know, I really liked this beer. They shouldn't call it a double IPA, though. Maybe an Extra IPA (that's a hot trend currently). Devil Dancer is a tough suit to follow, and even though it was dubbed a "triple" IPA, it did set a precedent for any "double" IPAs coming out of Founders. The lighter body on this was refreshing, and the grapefruit and lemon zest from the hops had a nice bitterness, but this was a really good IPA, not a double IPA.

CURMUDGEON - Does Not Meet Expectations: I had high expectations for this one. Founders is great at bold flavors and barleywines are a perfect match for this. For some reason, Old Curmudgeon came across fairly light in this department. Easily drinkable, tasty, but not the barleywine I wanted it to be. I did appreciate the coconut notes in the flavor, though.

BREAKFAST STOUT - Meets Expectations: This beer has a huge following and a tremendous amount of praise. It's hard to exceed that, but it certainly lives up to all the positive things that are said about it. The coffee flavors are balanced by a nice sweetness and there's even some chocolate and smoke in there. This is the stuff that sets the high standards for all of Founders' beers.

IMPERIAL STOUT - Does Not Meet Expectations: With how impressive the Breakfast Stout and Porter are, I had really high hopes for this one. Unfortunately it came across as a standard Imperial Stout. Cacao nibs, molasses, and lactose are in there, and it's well-balanced, but when you slap the "Imperial" brand on a Founders beer, I'm expecting something so strongly flavored that I'm going to have to sip it. If they called this Founders Stout I would probably be a lot happier with it.

KBS - Does Not Meet Expectations: But just for the 2009 batch. I don't know what they did to this, but it's much lighter than previous years. The whiskey flavor is incredibly faint with flavors of chocolate, caramel, and even raisins coming out more prominently. This is more chocolate than whiskey. And that's about as mean as I can be here because despite my disappointment in the 2009 batch, it's still a damn good beer and I'm glad I got some this year.

Overall - I think Founders is probably slightly over-hyped in the beer world, but then again, most good breweries are. Founders is easily one of the best breweries in the Midwest and we are incredibly lucky to be able to buy all of their stuff with relative ease (obviously with the exception of KBS). They are a world-class brewery and are doing exactly the kind of thing that makes American craft beer so great. I hope they continue along these lines for many years to come.

Porter - Did not meet. It was chocolate and cherry with a frothy, creamy head. I was expecting this to have a little less of the chocolate and coffee notes and to be more of a brown ale.

Backwoods Bastard - Extremely Exceeded Expectations. This was bourbon-barrel-aged beer at its finest with hints of cherry vanilla and vanilla sugar. It was mellow and easy to drink. I also appreciate the coconut notes on the finish.

Double Trouble - Exceeded Expectations. The nose is pure hoppy goodness. It's yellow and golden (quite light in color) with acetone, floral, and herbs. It's citrusy and piney all in one beer. It's not a true DIPA, but I enjoy it for being a bold IPA that could get me in a lot of trouble the next morning.

Curmudgeon - Met Expectations. It had a big malty taste with lots of barleywine flavor. It also has a hop flavor that enhances the beer and gives it a little something extra to set it apart. I enjoyed the lighter flavor and how it was less syrupy than other barleywines.

Breakfast Stout - Met Expectations. This was quite delicious and reminded me of the Peppy Grill in a bottle. It had hints of chocolate, tobacco, coffee, and cigarette smoke. The only letdown was the weak mouthfeel. It felt quite light on the tongue and didn't coat the glass. I would recommend this to someone who is looking for that diner experience and they don't want to come home smelling like smoke.

Imperial Stout - Exceeded Expectations. I had sampled this at Shallos on tap and wasn't really looking forward to the bottle version. I was pleasantly surprised when I was met with roasted malt, chocolate syrup, and coffee notes all in the first sip. It was followed with that creamy, sugary milky stout taste and had a great heavy mouthfeel. This is a very soothing beer that I would recommend picking up without hesitation.

KBS - Did Not Meet. Now while I wouldn't hesitate to have my fair share of this rare beverage, it wasn't quite as good as what I remembered. It was a chocolaty, woody experience that had too much hot alcohol burn. I wished that it had more of the whiskey barrel taste that I had grown to love with previous KBS years and this disappointed. That's not to say I didn't enjoy it, but it wasn't what I remembered. It was like waking up Christmas morning and finding out that there wasn't a Santa Claus but I still got presents. I do eagerly await next year's KBS - maybe they went back to the vanilla?

PORTER - Exceeds Expectations: One of my favorite examples of the style. It must be warmed to near cellar temp though because I always get a bit of a chalk flavor when this beer is too cold. Once it has warmed I get wonderful flavors of roasted coffee and chocolate with a silky smooth mouthfeel.

BACKWOODS BASTARD - Meets Expectations: I thought this beer was terrible when it first came out. The alcohol was very hot and the vanilla and bourbon flavors overtook everything, but put a little bit of age on this beer and it rounded itself out into a very nice beer. I get flavors of vanilla and pepper with a touch of oakiness and bourbon. I also get some sweet caramel coming in on the back of the palate.

DOUBLE TROUBLE - Meets Expectations: This is the clearest DIPA I've ever seen, but the flavor profile packs a big grapefruit punch with a a little bit of sticky pine as well. I would have liked more of a malt body on this beer, but there is a bit of malt that tries to compliment, but the hops are to powerful for it. I also don't think I would have more than one pint of this beer in a sitting.

CURMUDGEON - Neither Satisfied or Unsatisfied: Dark fruits and caramel render a flavor profile that is lacking of much of a "wow" factor. I am not offended by this beer, but I wouldn't seek it out either.

BREAKFAST STOUT - Exceeds Expectations: I just flat out love this beer, and am very happy that Indiana got what seems like a 1000% increase of it over last year. I get plenty of coffee, chocolate, and espresso in the flavor profile and a wonderful nose to match. The oatmeal in the grain bill also makes this have one of the most velvety smooth mouthfeels going down, but still has an thick and almost chewy mouthfeel.

IMPERIAL STOUT - Exceeds Expectations: I am always blown away with every bottle of this beer that I open, and I've been through at least six four-packs of this beer. I find it to be one of the best Russian Imperial stouts right out of the bottle. I hate that I have to age so many RIS's, but I don't have to with this beer. I love the blast of bitter hops upfront with an even stronger bitter roasted malt flavor that is filled with anise, smoke, dark fruit, and molasses. I also find this beer to have an amazing mouthfeel that coats the tongue and goes down very smoothly for a high ABV beer. Bless you Founders for making a RIS in a 12 oz. bottle!

KBS - Does Not Meet Expectations: I say that with a grain of salt. I was so looking forward to the 2009 KBS, but it didn't live up to how good previous versions were. They changed the recipe this year. The chocolate is very prominent in the flavor profile and takes away from the bourbon and vanilla flavors that I've loved so much in previous years. Having said that, I still really liked this beer. Had I never had any other year of this beer, I would have found it pretty amazing, but it was almost like an old friend wasn't there to greet me at the airport, but he sent a pretty good substitute instead.

Porter - Met expectations. Had one when Founders released it. Liked it then, and I like it now. Hint of berries and chocolate in the nose. Creamy mouthfeel, flavor full of chocolate and coffee and a touch of vanilla. An excellent representation of the Porter style, which is a style that I've grown to love over the last year.

Backwoods Bastard - Did not meet expectations. Bourbon nose, heavy bourbon flavor, watery mouthfeel. Bourbon is not my bag, yet I do enjoy many of the bourbon-barrel-aged beers that I've tried (e.g., BBC Jefferson's Reserve Bourbon Barrel Stout). Still, I expected better from Founders with this beer. I prefer a hint of bourbon in the taste, not a full-on bourbon flavor like this beer had.

Double Trouble - Exceeded expectations. Very pale color for a DIPA. Looked like a lager. Pineapple nose, crisp and dry pineapple flavor. A nice, dry alternative to the malty sweet DIPAs offered by other brewers. You done good on this one, Founders.

Curmudgeon - Exceeded expectations. Old Ales and Barleywines don't trip my trigger, so I expected not to like this too much. Despite this, I appreciated what Founders is shooting for with this beer. Had a pleasant bready nose with a bit of bourbon in the back. Flavor followed suit, along with a touch of sweetness.

Breakfast Stout - Met expectations. Bought a four-pack when Founders released this year's batch, so I knew what I was getting into. This is a good coffee stout, but not my favorite (that honor belongs to Schlafly's Coffee Stout). What to say about it? Nose: coffee, coffee, coffee, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate. Taste: ultra-black coffee, along with a hint of sweetness and cream.

Imperial Stout - Exceeded expectations. Many Imperial Stouts are a little too heavy with the cherry profile in nose and flavor for my particular taste. This one was not in that category. Founders Imperial was tilted more toward the chocolate, vanilla, and cream realm. Some coffee character as well. On top of that, the mouthfeel on this beer was phenomenal.

KBS - Did not meet expectations. I expected this vaunted beer to completely blow away all of its Founders companions. It simply did not do that, primarily because I think it is too green at this point, as evidence by the alcohol burn it produced. Still, the bourbon, vanilla, coffee, and chocolate characteristics that you'd expect from a bourbon-barrel-aged stout were there in spades. An excellent bourbon-barrel-aged beer.

Porter - Met Expectations. A very nice porter. Probably would have rated this higher but just a little something odd was lingering in my mouth. Matt said "chalky" and I immediately knew that's what was hanging around.

Backwoods Bastard - Does Not Meet Expectations. I feel like I'm drinking bourbon. It burns. Bourbon, bourbon, bourbon. Either you like it or you don't. I don't.

Double Trouble - Exceeds Expectations. An absolutely amazing, crystal-clear DIPA. Had one bottle when this first came out, but it really GRABBED me this time. Surprisingly easy drinking, with a light body and great citrusy, grapefruity hopiness.

Curmudgeon - Does Not Meet Expectations. Actually, I'm not sure what my expectations were -- Old Ale is kind of an odd style. Very malty, but not dark and smokey like stout. Hopped, but not as much as barleywine. Lots of caramel sweetness and dark fruit with a touch of spice. I'd have it again, but I'm not running to the store.

Breakfast Stout - Exceeds Expectations. Creamy, chocolately, wonderful coating mouthfeel with huge coffee notes helping to provide some additional bitterness to balance out the malt. This is a great all-around stout.

Imperial Stout - Exceeds Expectations. Wow, I was not expecting to like this more than the Breakfast Stout. Very much exceeds expectations. Great chewy, slightly creamy mouthfeel with chocolate, coffee, and dark fruit notes. A relative bargain for the RIS style.

KBS - Does Not Meet Expectations. There is so much hype surrounding KBS that I'm not sure the beer could possibly live up to expectations. Compounding things, I think this is a little hot right now and needs to sit a while before it's really ready to drink. Still, it's an interesting, complex stout and one I'll look forward to trying again after some aging.

12 March 2010

Random Beer Roundup - The Craft Beer Meal Before Lunch Tickets are on Sale Edition

There is a lot of good information in the Roundup this week. If you aren't seeing your favorite craft beer place listed, let em know that you'd like to see them in the Roundup.

We had a fantastic time last weekend at the New Albanian Brewing Co. We thank everyone who came along with us and we sincerely hope you had fun. If you weren't able to make it, our next event will be at Brugge Brasserie on March 27th. Last years' event was pretty damned spectacular, and I think this one is shaping up nicely. We hope to see you there.

Have a super weekend and a great St. Patrick's Day next week!

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, March 16th at 6pm at Alcatraz Brewery - Tapping of Irish American Red

Saturday, March 20th at the Ram Brewery, Northside: Bourbon Barrel Series Tapping (6 Bourbon Barrel aged beers)

Monday, March 22nd at Patrick's Kitchen and Drinks in Zionsville: "Indiana Brews!" beer tasting (More info below)

~~Wednesday, March 24th @ 6:30 p.m. at Siam Square in Fountain Square: Sun King Beer Dinner~~ - SOLD OUT

Friday, March 26th at Upland's Banquet Hall - Infinite Wisdom Tripel release and weekend events (More information below).

Saturday, March 27th - Hoosier Beer Geek's Craft Beer Meal Before Lunch at Brugge Brasserie. Tickets on sale at Brugge.

Saturday, March 27th at the Ram Brewery, Downtown: Bourbon Barrel Series Tapping (6 Bourbon Barrel aged beers)

Tuesday, March 30th @ 6:30 p.m. at Binkley's Beer Dinner in Broad Ripple: Sun King Beer Dinner

Wednesday, March 31st @ 6:30 p.m. at The Chatham Tap: Sun King Extravaganza

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

More events can be found on the Indiana Beer Calendar

What's Brewing

From Skip at Alcatraz Brewing in Downtown Indianapolis:

I wanted to let you know about a tapping we are having at The Alcatraz on March 16th at 6pm. We will be tapping sort of a hybrid beer....an Irish American Red made with Galena and Crystal hops. This beer has an IBU rating of 40 and is perfect for the St. Patty's Day celebration.

Also, as a reminder, on Friday's Alcatraz has $3 pints all day.

From John at New Albanian Brewing Co. in New Albany:

Last week we shipped 5 kegs of Solidarity Baltic Porter to Cavalier Distributing.

Traditionally, we only release this beer once a year and while we are debating brewing it more frequently, this is it for now.

Here's where it's going (1 keg to each location):

Gerst Haus, Evansville
Heorot, Muncie
Scotty's, Downtown Indianapolis
Brugge Brasserie, Broad Ripple, Indianapolis
Barley Island, Broad Ripple, Indianapolis

Solidarity Baltic Porter

"Solidarity or Death"
In the 1980’s, the Solidarity trade union movement in Poland sought and achieved an end to the official Communist Party’s hegemony over the workers’ movement. We tip our hats to the activists with Solidarity, a robust reminder of Baltic foresight in activism and strong beer.

Malts: Simpson Golden Promise, Special Pale, Simpson Aromatic, CaraPils, Simpson Dark Crystal, Simpson Chocolate, Simpson Black

Hops: German Perle, two additions (one at each end of the boil)
Yeast: Garage Brewery Frisco Lager
Color: 26 degree SRM (or, almost black)
ABV: 8.5%
IBU: 18

From Greg at Lafayette Brewing Co. in Lafayette:

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 and
Marley's VSOP

For St. Patty's Day, LBC will release our annual batch of Digby's Irish Stout. This classic dry stout is available only in a cask-conditioned version and is served in a collectible pint glass. Buy the glass filled for only $5 and refills are only $3.50! We'll also be offering traditional Irish themed food specials all day, including: Corned Beef & Cabbage and Beef & Barley Soup. Things will kick up a notch in the evening as we welcome roving bagpipers in the restaurant, and then present our annual St. Patrick's Day benefit show hosted by The Bailout Revival. Proceeds from the show benefit the United Way of Tippecanoe County.

Remember to celebrate St. Patty's Day responsibly: Just Say "NO" to Green Beer!

From Clayton at Sun King Brewing in Indianapolis:

Things here at Sun King are progressing at our standard pace, which is full speed ahead! Our canning line has been installed and we waiting on delivery of printed cans, as well as our four new fermenters, so that we can roll out Sunlight Cream Ale and Osiris Pale Ale in 16 oz. CANS! The artwork is in the final stages at Ball and somewhere in the next two weeks I get to drive to Monticello, IN to see the first cans come off the line and give approval for them to run the full lot, which is 75,000 cans of each style. I'll keep you posted as to our progress and the actual date that folks can expect to see Sun King Cans in Bars, Restaurants and Package Stores...

We have a ton of new beers coming out in anticipation of Spring! Our St. Patrick's Day Beer, Ring of Dingle: Irish Dry Stout is already flowing at various places around town, www.sunkingbrewing.com/On_Tap.html has all the details of what's On Tap and where. Orange Blossom Special, an unfiltered wheat beer that is heavily hopped with Summit and Cascades, will be available in the Tasting Room this week. Dominator Dopplebock will be available in the next week or so and our latest in our continually rotating series of big, hoppy IPA/IIPAs will be out in about three weeks. We are trying to work on a Mai Bock and will continue to pump out fresh new flavors for the people of Indianapolis (and beyond) to enjoy...

We also have some great events planned for the coming weeks, so keep an eye on our Facebook and Twitter pages, www.sunkingbrewing.com and of course The Random Beer Round Up for up to date info.

Siam Square Beer Dinner - SOLD OUT
Wednesday, March 24th @ 6:30 p.m.
4 Courses of delicious Thai Cuisine, each paired with Sun King Beer
$35 per person
info@siamsquare.com for reservations and/or more details

Binkley's Beer Dinner
Tuesday, March 30th @ 6:30 p.m.
5 Courses designed by Binkley's Chef, Aaron Cook, each paired with Sun King Beer
$40 per person
317-722-8888 for reservations and/or more details

Sun King Extravaganza at The Chatham Tap
Wednesday, March 31st @ 6:30 p.m.
12 Sun King Beers On Tap at Once
New Beers and Old Favorites from our Private Stash!

From Jon at Powerhouse in Columbus:

We will have live music from Rick Malito on St. Patrick's Day.

From Billy at Broad Ripple Brewpub in Indianapolis:

As part of our on going 20th year celebration leading up to our birthday bash on November 14th, we're inviting people to go to our website, Broadripplebrewpub.com, and vote for beers we've had on in the past that they would like to see back again. We'll be tapping the top six vote getters, one a month, starting in May.

From Charles at Upland Brewing Co. in Bloomington:

Upland Brewing Co. is proud to present Infinite Wisdom Weekend. To celebrate the release of our Infinite Wisdom Tripel, we are hosting an art show at our Bloomington Banquet Hall on March 26th, featuring the works of Norton Wisdom. Norton is a world renowned artist, good friend of the brewery, and the creator of our Infinite Wisdom Tripel label art (along with Dantalion and Double Dragonfly). The exhibition starts at 7pm, and there is no charge for entry. Prints will be available for purchase.

Nightclub in Bloomington the following night, Sat. Mar. 27th. Wisdom paints all his work to music, and beginning at 7pm, he'll be working to the sounds of Zion Crossroads and Chicago's premier progressive bluegrass band, Cornmeal. Tickets for the concert are $10 in advance and $12 day of. They will soon be available online at uplandbeer.com, and at Upland's Bloomington Tap Room, Indy Tasting Room, and Jake's Nightclub.

We're sponsoring a concert at Booney's in Avon on St. Patty's Day. Helios Pale Ale will be on special to help everyone into the holiday spirit.

From Dan at The Ram Brewery, locations Downtown and Northside:

Just letting you know RAM in Fishers will be tapping six barrel aged beers on Saturday March 20th from 12:00 to 4:30 including:

Woodford Reserve Barrel
Buttface Amber Ale
Total Disorder Porter
Scottish Ale
Irish Stout

Jack Daniels Barrel
Breakfast Stout

Jameson Irish Whiskey Barrel
Irish Red Ale

Buffalo Trace Bourbon Barrel
Cream Ale

If you cant make it to Fishers on the 20th they'll be throwing the same party at the Downtown RAM on Saturday March 27th from 12:00 to 4:30.

At the Bar

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

Right now we have Cream Dream 2; Electric Boogaloo, Sunlight Cream Ale, and Poff the Magic Dragon; Red Rye IPA on draft at Naptown Restaurant and Wine bar.

From Patrick at Patrick's Kitchen and Drinks in Zionsville:

Monday March 22 at 6:30 PM

Patrick's Kitchen and Drinks in Zionsville invites you to our annual "Indiana Brews!" beer tasting. The buffet dinner includes three appetizers, two entrees, and dessert, with 12 beers to sample, featuring Indiana microbreweries. $35 per person, includes tax and tip, advance reservations required. Don't miss this fun evening of great food and great beers! Call 733-8755 for more info.

From Lauren at Scotty's Brewhouse (various locations):

People's German Pilsner is on at Scotty's Brewhouse North Side!
Sun King Wee Mac and Upland Wheat are now available at Scotty's Brewhouse Muncie!

From Robert at Pizzology in Carmel:

Pizzology Beer list for this week

Left Hand Polestar Pilsner
Original Sin Hard Apple Cider
Great Divide Hades
Michigan City Celis White
Three Floyds Gumball Head

Sea Dog Blueberry Wheat
Warbird Thunderbolt Wheat
Mad Anthony Auburn Lager
Stone Pale
Stone Arrogant Bastard
Great Divide Hibernation
Heavy Seas Loose Cannon

Founders Centennial IPA
Three Floyds Alpha King
He'Brew Messiah Bold
Left Hand Milk Stout
Bison Chocolate Stout

Draft:
Brugge Triple

Sun King Irish Dry Stout (Wee Mac as back up)
Upland Wheat (Preservation Pilsner as back up)
Founders Red Rye (Breckenridge Avalanche Ale as back up)

Carry Out

From Corrie at Goose the Market in Indianapolis:

New at Goose the Market...

There once was a drinker so weak

On St. Paddy's green beer she would seek

Now her friends tell her

"Go to the Goose cellar!"

She's becoming a proud Hoosier beer geek.

A little Irish ditty to go along with some Irish-inspired ales from Indiana and abroad now at the Goose.

Rogue Kell's Irish Lager: smooth until the crisp, tart finish
Upland Ard Ri: big imperial style of subtle sweetness & heavy hops
Three Floyds Brian Boru: rich red ale with toffee and citrus

From Anita at Great Fermentations in Broad Ripple:

Learn to homebrew at Great Fermentations of Indiana on Sunday, March 14^th at 1 PM. Sign up online at www.greatfermentations.com

Let us help you make great fermentations!

5127 East 65th Street
Indianapolis, IN 46220

www.greatfermentations.com
317.257.9463

Store Hours:
Monday - Friday 11-7 PM
Saturday 10-6 PM
Sunday 12-3:59 (and not a minute later)

From William at the Crown Liquors store downtown:

New this week at Crown Wine and Spirits- Ohio and Delaware - Downtown Indy

Rubus Lamponi
Dolii Raptor
Bran Reserva
Podge Burgundy Cask
T’Smisje Grand Reserva
T’Smisje Great Reserva(Cognac Cask)
BFM Bon Chien Vin Jaune
BFM Cuvee Du 7eme
iQhilika Fig Mead and Coffee Mead
Hofstetten Austrian Barleywine
Speciaal Endejaar
De Dolle Stille Nacht
Two Brothers Bare Tree Weiss
Great Divide Espresso Oak-Aged Yeti
Great Divide Colette
Clipper City Heavy Seas Siren Noire Chocolate Stout
Left Hand 400lb. Monkey
Boulevard Smokestack Series Dark Truth Stout and Rye-on-Rye
Boulevard 6ers- Boss Tom's Golden Bock, Unfiltered Wheat, Pale Ale,
and Single-Wide IPA

Friday's tasting (3pm-7pm) will feature an assortment of these Boulevard Beers!

From Todd at Keg Liquors in Clarksville:

Here is the latest from Keg Liquors in Clarksville:
Hofbrau - Maibock (Germany)
Boulevard - Dark Truth Stout (Missouri)
Boulevard - Rye on Rye (Missouri)
Rogue - John John Ale (Oregon)
Crispin - The Saint Cider (Minnesota)
Crispin - Honey Crisp Cider (Minnesota)
Left Hand - 400 Pound Monkey IPA (Colorado)
Clipper City - Heavy Seas Siren Noir (Maryland)

From the Distributors:

From Greg at Cavalier Distribution:

As always, we have a ton of exciting beer news to report:

Thirsty Dog Cerberus Belgian Style Trippel (4pk bottles)
Cerberus is a brand new beer from Thirsty Dog, making it's first appearance in Indiana this week! This beer is made with one grain and 4 Belgian yeasts, a deceptive golden color, and a malty palate lend complexity to this Belgian Trippel Ale. Cerberus just became available today and will make its way to store shelves and bars by next week.
ABV = 10%, IBU's = 31, OG = 23.1 P

Scaldis Blond Triple (750 ML Bottles)
The Triple is the most recent addition to the Scaldis line here in the states. At a diminutive 10.5% abv (at least by Scaldis standards) Scaldis Blonde is a Triple golden ale with Scaldis’ signature finesse and balance. It has an elegant dry character, and orchard fruit aromas of peach and orange. Refermented in the bottle, Scaldis Blonde Triple has a champagnelike sparkle. Suitable for cellaring. A very limited amount hit the state on the first load, so try to get some while you can.

New Albanian Brewing Co.
Solidarity Baltic Porter (Draft Only) Just a few kegs of this rare, special treat from NABC made it into the state over the last week. If you're lucky, you may find some on draft in a bar that is a hardcore supporter of NABC. Solidarity is a Baltic Porter weighing in at 8.5% abv. In the 1980’s, the Solidarity trade union movement in Poland sought and achieved an end to the official Communist Party’s hegemony over the workers’ movement. We tip our hats to the activists with Solidarity, a robust reminder of Baltic foresight in activism and strong beer.

New Day Meadery
We are very proud to be representing New Day Meadery from Elwood, IN! New Day is the first and only meadery in the state!! They specialize in production of honey-based wines, ranging from completely dry to dessert-style sweet wines. They are family owned & operated and use all locally produced fruit & honey in their production! You will be able to start finding New Day Wines in select locations starting this week.

We have a wide variety of their meads & ciders now available including: Dry Mead, Dry Hard Cider, Dry Peach Honey Wine, Dry Blueberry Honey Wine, Dry Red Raspberry Honey Wine, Semi-Dry Mead, Semi-Sweet Plum Honey Wine & Semi-Sweet Black Raspberry Honey Wine.

Founders KBS is officially released next week! Starting next week, you will be able to find KBS in loyal Founders establishments. As always, this is a rare, special treat meant only for the worthy Founders supporters throughout the year. Please, if you don't drink Founders the rest of the year, leave this beer to those worthy Founders lovers who really support the brewery. Also, please don't be that guy/gal and try to buy everything the store has...spread the love, beer is meant to be shared. KBS is a big Thank You to all of you loyal Founders supporters and the loyal establishments that support the brewery throughout the year. Enjoy!!

From the Internets:
From Twitter:

PeoplesBrew If your looking for growlers, we got'em... But we're refinishing the floors in the tasting room, so you'll have to... http://bit.ly/d47tku

newalbanian Bank Street's one year anniversary is Saturday, March 13. That year has taken five years off my life.

worldclass Are there too many beers in Indiana? Some brewers think so. http://ow.ly/1hdsh

uplandindy There will be a few Upland Lambics at this shindig. RT@hoosierbeergeek: HBG Meal That Comes Before Lunch tickets on sale: http://ow.ly/1h1TV

SunKingBrewing Great video about CRAFT BEER IN CANS from INC. Magazine: www.inc.com/ss/canned-beer-renaissance http://bit.ly/brUy1p

SunKingBrewing Just dropped off Samples of Sunlight & Osiris for the @IndyIndians • Keep your fingers crossed for Sun King @... http://bit.ly/b4Kxnd

BankStBrewhouse First hop addition is in the Elector. Smells of rich malt and flowers in here. It does make Democracy pointless.

LafBrew The Speaker of the House has officially signed off on SB 75- on to Mitch! Sunday carry-out for Indiana's craft brewers begins July 4!

brbrewpub Don't forget to vote for your favorite Brewpub beer from the past - www.broadripplebrewpub.com

shallos Two Brothers Heavy Handed IPA ON TAP!!

shallos New on tap: Upland Black IPA, Bells Best Brown. New Bottles: Left Hand Haystack, 400 lb Monkey

brbrewpub Just in time for Paddy's Day Fineen's Auld Sod Stout, an Irish style dry stout has just gone on the handpull.

mattworldclass Welcome to IN @Boulevard_Beer 6 packs of Unfiltered Wheat, Single Wide IPA, Pale Ale, and Boss Tom Mai Bock!

SunKingBrewing Brewing a HOPPY West Coast IPA/California Common TODAY! Torn between naming it California Steamin' or Westy (after... http://bit.ly/agRPU2

uplandindy As I'm nearing 1000 followers, it's time for a contest. #1000 gets a formal tasting and swag for yourself and four of your friends!

mattworldclass Bell's Double Cream Stout on tap @ Ale Emporium!

newalbanian Hopefully 118 days until Sunday craft growler sales in Indiana. First legal Sunday? July 4. Dig it.

OakenBarrel The Brewers: Andrew, Beer Jesus, and Mark. Beer Jesus likes Indian Food...not! http://tiny.cc/q5gm2

barleyisland Remember Count Hopula Imperial IPA? Brewmaster Mike Hess has an 8 bbl batch in the fermenter in Noblesville! 23... http://bit.ly/d9WqT6

barleyisland Time for lunch and a brew from Barley Island! We still have Muscles from Brussels on tap -- should last another week or so...

newalbanian After their visit to Bank Street, the HBG bus travels to Grant Line for Gravity dosages and Newtonian hijinks.

newalbanian Normal hours at Grant Line ... Bank Street opens at 4:30 today 'cuz we're hosting the Hoosier Beer Geek bus tour before that.